There is a reason that Valheim is skyrocketing in popularity — it didn't sell over three million copies so quickly because it wasn't fun to play! This unique survival game offers Viking aesthetics and rich gameplay along with a strong co-op mode during a time when many people are stuck inside and need something fun to play with friends.
Being a Viking warrior means using strong weapons to take down enemies and some are better than others for certain situations. It's important to pick the right weapon to make sure no avoidable deaths take place when exploring Viking purgatory.
9 Arrows
Players start out with Wooden Arrows and can manage five potential upgrades until they can use Needle Arrows. With needle Arrows adding over forty damage to each arrow shot, it's absolutely worth the combat. Arrows deal piercing damage which is more effective for taking down certain enemies.
There are multiple kinds of elemental arrows as well that are best for tacking on specific kinds of damage. Silver Arrows require silver ore to make but are particularly strong for dealing large amounts of spirit damage from a distance. Poison Arrows can help deal large swaths of damage over time. Frost Arrows are good for bringing on the cold and Fire Arrows unsurprisingly deal fire damage.
8 Bows
Arrows aren't really useful without a bow to fire them with! Players get the Crude Bow early in which helps with hunting dear but not so much with dealing damage in battle. Most bows simply end up dealing piercing damage due to the arrows dealing the damage, but there is a single exception. The Draugr Fang takes a lot of extra work to craft but adds poison damage onto any arrow it fires.
7 Swords
In terms of speed per strike and damage dealt, Swords tend to be the most efficient weapons in the entire game. There are multiple swords players can forge, including Silver and Blackmetal swords, that deal huge amounts of slashing damage which is better for taking on certain kinds of enemies.
There is also a special sword players may want to try but it can only be accessed through console commands. Dyrnwyn is a blade that has undying flames and is constantly burning bright. It deals huge amounts of damage and is intimidating to any foe. Plus, it simply looks amazing when showing it off to friends!
6 Polearms
Polearms take two hands to wield but they come with specific advantages. They can deal large amounts of piercing damage (especially the Blackmetal Atgeir). It's also long which gives players a bit of range on attacking enemies. Players that use polearms can also use a special attack that makes the player spin around. This not only deals damage but stuns enemies and can be a great way to make an escape when fully surrounded.
5 Axes
There are two kinds of axes in the game, ones that are better for cutting wood and ones that are better for dealing damage. It's worth getting things like the Bronze Axe as it's necessary to collect Fine Wood from birch and oak trees. Certain axes in general are better at cutting certain kinds of wood and are worth having around for that reason.
While both kinds of axes can deal damage, it's better to use one meant for battle. The Battleaxe can work well for this as it deals a lot of slashing damage but requires two hands to use. The best option is to use a Blackmetal Axe which can deal a whopping ninety-five slash damage and only takes one hand to use. It can be a lot of work to get the Black Metal required to craft one, but it's certainly worth it.
4 Clubs
Dealing blunt damage is especially important when taking on certain bosses like Bonemass. Luckily, clubs are perfect for bringing that kind of damage on! It's easy to get clubs at the beginning of the game and plenty of players end up using the Stagbreaker as it's one of the most powerful weapons early on.
A lot of players seem to forget that torches do count as a club in terms of weapons in the game. They not only provide light but can allow players to deal fire damage to enemies as well. These can honestly make them strong weapons in the early game until players are more established.
3 Spears
Some players just don't want to get close to their enemies and spears are perfect for that. These thrown weapons deal piercing damage and allow players to still keep their distance while attacking. Plus, players that want to be able to deal spirit damage might find the Fang Spear is particularly useful to them. It's the lowest cost silver weapon to upgrade making it easy to arm an entire crew with powerful ones quite quickly.
2 Knives
When it comes to attacking with speed there is simply no better weapon than knives to choose from. Combine this with dual wielding and players can find themselves packing on damage too fast for enemies to respond. Plus, they are flexible as they deal both piercing damage and slashing damage at the same time making it easier to not have to always switch out weapons for fights.
1 Shields
While shields don't exactly deal damage, they are still considered a weapon in the game and are important for engaging in combat. Circular shields allow players to parry and allow for a bit more mobility while tower shields have far stronger defensive and blocking powers. It can take a lot of work and sailing but getting the Serpent Scale Shield can make players a defensive powerhouse and is worth trying to craft for those that think a strong offense is a good defense.