Tools are essential to surviving the dangers lurking in the wilds of Valheim. Chief among the game’s tools is the pickaxe, which can be used to dig holes, break rocks, and mine ore. However, there are a few things you’ll need to do before you can craft a pickaxe for yourself. Here’s what you need to know.
How to make a pickaxe in Valheim
To make a pickaxe in Valheim, you first need to find the right crafting materials. The basic antler pickaxe can be crafted from hard antlers dropped by Eikthyr, the game’s first boss. After that, you can bring one hard antler and ten wood to the workbench to craft a pickaxe.
Note that you won’t be able to craft many tools at the early stages of the game. The pickaxe only becomes available after taking down Eikthyr, a boss which must be summoned manually. Assuming you’re able to win the fight against the massive stag, you’ll walk away with a number of hard antlers.
Once you have the proper materials, the rest is a breeze. Like with other low-level items, the pickaxe is crafted at the workbench, the same place you’ll go to repair tools and other items. You’ll need one hard antler as well as ten wood to craft the basic version. Once that’s done, you’ll be able to start mining stone and ore in order to craft more advanced tools and weapons.
It’s worth mentioning that higher-level tools, such as the stone pickaxe, were available earlier in previous versions of the game. Strangely, the stone pickaxe seems to be unavailable in the current early access version of Valheim. As such, you won’t be able to mine stone or gather ore until Eikthyr has been defeated.
How to mine stone
Once you’ve crafted the antler pickaxe, you’ll be able to use it to crush stones and dig holes. Rocks are found all over the land, and breaking them will put stone in your inventory. Simply swing the pickaxe at the rocks to start collecting stone.
The pickaxe is also used to mine ore, which can be found in random locations throughout the realm. Copper ore deposits are typically found in forested areas, whereas tin is usually located near sources of water. You won’t be able to use ore immediately, of course — ore must be processed at the smelter before it can be used for crafting. Still, once you have metal ingots, you’ll be able to craft more durable tools, such as the bronze pickaxe, using the forge.
Thankfully, you only need one hard antler and ten wood to craft a basic antler pickaxe in Valheim. As long as you have the right materials, you can make a pickaxe by paying a visit to the workbench.
