Valheim Bronze Age Progression Guide — From Eikthyr to the Elder
The Bronze Age Begins After Eikthyr
Valheim's progression is divided into distinct 'ages' tied to each boss and the materials they unlock. After defeating Eikthyr and crafting the Antler Pickaxe from his Hard Antler drop, you enter the Bronze Age — the first major crafting tier that transforms your capabilities. Stone tools and Flint gear become obsolete. Bronze opens dozens of recipes unavailable before it.
The Bronze Age covers the period from Eikthyr's defeat until The Elder (Boss 2) is killed and the Swamp Key is obtained. During this phase, your primary activities are mining Copper and Tin ore in the Black Forest, smelting them into ingots, and crafting Bronze items at the Forge. Black Forest exploration yields Ancient Seeds (for The Elder), Burial Chamber loot, and early access to valuable resources like Surtling Cores.
This guide walks you through every milestone in order, from your first Smelter to being fully equipped for The Elder fight.
Immediate Steps After Defeating Eikthyr
- Craft the Antler Pickaxe: 10 Wood + 1 Hard Antler at your Workbench. This is the only way to mine ore nodes.
- Activate Eikthyr's Forsaken Power: Hang his trophy on the Sacrificial Stones and press F — grants -60% stamina cost for running and jumping for 5 minutes. Use this for exploration.
- Travel to the Black Forest biome: The closest Black Forest on your starting island is your primary destination. Look for gray stone-textured terrain with Pine trees.
- Locate Copper deposits: Large brownish-gray rock nodes jutting from the ground in Black Forest clearings. Use the Antler Pickaxe to mine them.
- Locate Tin deposits: Small silver-gray stones along Black Forest riverbanks and lake shores. Much smaller than Copper nodes.
Bronze Age Crafting Stations Required
| Station | Crafting Cost | Unlocks | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smelter | Smelter | 20 Stone, 5 Surtling Core | Smelts Copper Ore, Tin Ore, and other metals into ingots |
| Charcoal Kiln | Charcoal Kiln | 20 Stone, 5 Surtling Core | Converts Wood into Coal (required fuel for Smelter and Forge) |
| Forge | Forge | 6 Copper, 4 Stone, 10 Coal, 4 Wood | Crafts Bronze and all Bronze-tier weapons, armor, tools |
| Workbench Level 2 | Workbench Level 2 (Chopping Block) | 10 Wood, 10 Flint | Unlocks additional Workbench recipes including Bronze tools |
| Workbench Level 3 | Workbench Level 3 (Tanning Rack) | 10 Wood, 15 Flint, 20 Leather Scraps | Unlocks fine crafting and armor upgrades |
Smelting Copper and Tin Into Bronze
Before smelting, you need Coal for the Forge and Smelter fuel. Build a Charcoal Kiln (20 Stone, 5 Surtling Cores) — it converts Wood logs into Coal. Surtling Cores are found inside Black Forest Burial Chambers (dungeon-like structures with Skeletons inside). You need at least 10 Surtling Cores for both the Smelter and the Kiln, so explore several Burial Chambers before starting smelting.
The Smelter converts Copper Ore (1:1) and Tin Ore (1:1) into Copper ingots and Tin ingots respectively. To make Bronze, combine 2 Copper + 1 Tin in the Forge (requires Forge to be built first). This produces 1 Bronze ingot. Note the ratio: you need twice as much Copper as Tin. Mine accordingly — Copper nodes are much larger and take longer to fully mine out.
Mine entire Copper nodes completely when possible — a single Copper node can yield 20–40 Ore depending on size. Bring your Antler Pickaxe to full durability before mining and carry back as many ore as you can manage. Tin is lighter and faster to gather — collect it opportunistically while mapping the Black Forest.
Bronze Age Gear Priority Order
- Bronze Axe — Required to chop Birch and Oak trees for Fine Wood. Fine Wood is used for dozens of recipes including Portal and Bow upgrades. This is your first Bronze craft priority.
- Forge — Required for everything else in the Bronze Age. Build it as soon as you have 6 Copper and the other materials.
- Bronze Pickaxe — Upgrades your mining ability over the Antler Pickaxe; faster mining and better durability.
- Bronze Armor (Helm, Chest, Legs) — Major survivability upgrade. Craft all three pieces before exploring deeper Black Forest or preparing for The Elder.
- Bronze Shield or Buckler — Significant parry and block improvements over wood shields. Essential for melee combat.
- Bronze Sword, Atgeir, or Mace — Choose your preferred weapon type for The Elder fight (atgeir recommended for Greydwarf reach, mace for skeletons).
- Bronze Nails — Required for Karve boat building (can explore oceans, transport ore). Build a Karve when you have 80 Bronze Nails (from 80 Bronze).
- Fine Wood Bow + Fire Arrows — Ranged upgrade significantly improves Black Forest combat versatility.
Black Forest Exploration — What to Find
The Black Forest is richer than it appears. Beyond Copper and Tin, it contains Burial Chambers (dungeons with Skeletons, Yellow Mushrooms, and Surtling Cores), Abandoned Towers (Copper veins and occasional chests), and Trader Haldor's camp (random location on the island). Burial Chambers are especially important: they yield Surtling Cores (for smelting infrastructure), Ancient Seeds (for The Elder summoning), and Vegvisir runestones (revealing The Elder's altar).
Ancient Seeds are the offering for The Elder — you need 3 to summon him. They drop from Greydwarf Brutes and Shamans, and are found in Burial Chamber chests. Farm them over the course of your Black Forest progression rather than treating them as a separate grind — you will naturally accumulate them.
Trader Haldor sells valuable items including the Yule Hat (cosmetic), Dverger Circlet (light source), Megingjord (belt that increases carry weight — one of the best quality-of-life items), and Fishing Rod. Visit Haldor early and buy the Megingjord if you have 950 Gold Coins available — it increases carry weight by 150, dramatically easing ore transport.
Recommended Loadout for The Elder Fight
| Slot | Recommended pick | Why / notes |
|---|---|---|
| Armor | Bronze Armor (Helm, Chest, Legs) Level 1+ | Full Bronze set required; Troll Leather also acceptable but lower protection |
| Shield | Bronze Buckler or Bronze Shield | Parrying is very effective against The Elder's vine attacks |
| Melee Weapon | Bronze Sword or Bronze Atgeir | Atgeir's AoE secondary attack clears Greydwarfs The Elder summons |
| Ranged Weapon | Finewood Bow with Fire Arrows | The Elder is WEAK to fire — fire arrows from range are his primary weakness |
| Food 1 | Grilled Neck Tail or Cooked Meat | Best HP food before Swamp access |
| Food 2 | Carrot Soup (if cultivated carrots available) | High stamina food; requires Cauldron and Carrot Seeds from Black Forest |
| Food 3 | Queens Jam or Cooked Mushroom | Fill all three food slots regardless |
Frequently asked questions
What do I do after beating Eikthyr in Valheim?
Craft the Antler Pickaxe from Eikthyr's Hard Antler drop, then head to the Black Forest biome to mine Copper and Tin ore. Build a Smelter and Charcoal Kiln (need Surtling Cores from Burial Chambers), smelt the ore into ingots, build a Forge, and start crafting Bronze gear. Eventually collect 3 Ancient Seeds from Black Forest enemies and Burial Chambers to summon The Elder.
How do I make Bronze in Valheim?
Smelt Copper Ore into Copper ingots and Tin Ore into Tin ingots at the Smelter (fueled by Coal from a Charcoal Kiln). Then combine 2 Copper + 1 Tin at the Forge to produce 1 Bronze ingot. You need to build the Forge (6 Copper, 4 Stone, 10 Coal, 4 Wood) before Bronze crafting is available.
Where do I find Copper and Tin in Valheim?
Both are in the Black Forest biome. Copper appears as large brownish-gray ore nodes in Black Forest clearings and hillsides. Tin appears as smaller silver-gray stones along riverbanks and lake shores in the Black Forest. Both require the Antler Pickaxe or better to mine.
How do I get Surtling Cores for the Smelter and Kiln?
Surtling Cores are found inside Burial Chambers in the Black Forest — dungeon-like underground structures with Skeleton enemies and glowing orange loot containers. Each chamber typically contains 2–8 Surtling Cores. You need 10 for both the Smelter and Charcoal Kiln (5 each), so plan to explore several Burial Chambers before starting smelting.
How many Ancient Seeds do I need for The Elder?
3 Ancient Seeds are required to summon The Elder. They drop from Greydwarf Brutes and Greydwarf Shamans in the Black Forest (higher drop chance from Shamans) and are found in Burial Chamber chests. Farm them naturally during Black Forest progression — you should accumulate 3 before you are fully geared for the fight.
What is the Megingjord and should I buy it?
The Megingjord is a belt sold by Trader Haldor (found randomly in the Black Forest) for 950 Gold Coins. It increases your carry weight by 150, which is enormous for ore transport. It is one of the best quality-of-life purchases in the game. Save Gold Coins from chests and Fuling drops to buy it as soon as possible.
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Continue this guide path
- ›How to Beat Eikthyr in Valheim — First Boss Guide & What He DropsEikthyr is Valheim's first boss — a giant stag with lightning powers in the Meadows. Learn how to summon him, his attack patterns, the best early loadout to use, and what his rewards unlock.
- ›How to Beat the Elder in Valheim — Black Forest Boss StrategyThe Elder is Valheim's second boss — a towering ancient tree god with root and vine attacks. Learn how to find him, the best loadout to use, and how his Swamp Key unlocks Iron progression.
- ›Valheim Iron Farming Guide — Best Methods for Getting Iron FastIron is the most important mid-game material in Valheim. Learn how to farm it efficiently from Sunken Crypts in the Swamp, process it in your Smelter, and how much iron you need for each gear piece.