The first Valheim boss you’ll need to summon is the intimidating stag Eikthyr. Wrapped in chains and lightning, you’ll need to face his before you can progress much further than the safety of the meadows.
This dangerous foe could easily kill you in unprepared, but this guide will show you how to find, summon and defeat the first of the Forsaken.
Preparing for Eikthyr
You won’t want to face this boss unprepared. He will take a fair bit of damage before he is killed, and he can deal you a lot of damage with one hit. Having said that, he is fairly easy to block, and you will just want to make sure that you aren’t one-shotted by a lucky hit.
You should make sure you are as well-armoured as you can be, which is leather armour and helmet. You will definitely need a shield – any type will do. A spear is good for attacking Eikthyr – you won’t have time to aim a bow and get back behind your shield every time. An axe can do it, but you need to get closer. You should have a variety of food and full health before you summon him. The final items you need are two deer trophies. These are rare drops from hunting deer in the forest – you should have accumulated enough of these while getting hides for your armour.
Summoning Eikthyr
This first major boss is simple enough to find. Your initial spawn point has a rune stone which describes this lord of the forest, and there is a second stone (glowing red) which you can select to add Eikthyr’s location to your map. Simply head over to that point to find a stone altar upon which you can summon him. To do this you will need to place two of the deer trophies you have brought on the altar, at which point Eikthyr will be summoned into being and you have the opportunity to slay him!
Defeating Eikthyr
At this stage in the game, Eikthyr will be by far the most dangerous foe you have faced. With that in mind, you are probably more prepared than you have ever been. Once the deer trophies have been placed on the altar the battle begins.
The forest will grow dark and a flash of light will appear, summoning Eikthyr. As the creature’s lightning crackles through the now misty forest, you might be a bit intimidated. But keeping the stag’s limited moveset in mind will make the fight much easier:
- When Eikthyr rears up in a quick motion, it’ll come back down with a large lighting bolt that shoots in a straight line in whatever direction it’s facing. When boss kicks up its legs, move to the side, avoiding the lighting bolt attack, and rush in for an attack.
- Look for a similar movement where Eikthyr rears up but hangs in the air a bit longer. It’ll crash back down with a bubble of lightning. If you see the boss kick up its legs for more than a second, keep your distance. Once the ball of energy dissipates, go in for a strike.
- Attack Eikthyr from the side. Whenever you meet the boss head on, there’s a chance it’ll make a quick swipe at you with its massive horns. When in doubt, approach with your shield drawn to absorb the blow.
Eikthyr will run around the forest, kicking up dirt and knocking down trees. Its constant movement and lightning attacks make it a challenge to attack from its sides. If you can manage to consistently flank the creature, make attacks safely, and anticipate which powerful attack it’ll toss out, you’ll have a fighting chance.
After you’ve defeated Eikthyr, it’ll drop an Eikthyr trophy plus some hard antlers. Return to the sacrificial stones and place the creature’s head on the corresponding stone slab (the one furthest to the left, near the red stone you interacted with earlier).
Mounting Eikthyr’s head will unlock your first Forsaken power, which temporarily boosts your stamina and movement abilities. The antlers that Eikthyr drops also let you create the antler pickaxe, which is perfect for learning how to mine, smelt, and make metal tools.