Valheim Call to Arms Update (2025): Sieges, Weapons & Clans

In August 2025, Iron Gate released the Call to Arms update, the latest and perhaps most ambitious chapter in Valheim’s history. The title left no doubt about the focus: combat, cooperation, and epic battles. After the mystical adventures in the Swamps with the Bog Witch and the apocalyptic fires of the Ashlands, this update put the spotlight on warfare and collective survival.

Call to Arms introduced new enemy waves, an overhaul of defense mechanics, fresh weapons and gear, and systems that elevated the experience in solo play and especially in multiplayer. In this article, you’ll dive into the details and see why Call to Arms pushes Valheim decisively toward epic co-op battles.

Valheim Call to Arms: Concept, goals, and co-op focus

Valheim has always been a game where combat and defense mattered. Players had to protect their bases from random attacks by trolls, skeletons, and other creatures. But those attacks were more like small disruptions than true sieges. Call to Arms changed that fundamentally.

The developers wanted players to truly feel like Viking warriors defending their homeland. Instead of isolated attacks, organized enemy waves now advanced with coordination. New mechanics also let you upgrade and tactically defend your settlements.

Raids 2.0 in Valheim: Dynamic sieges that scale with progression

The heart of the update was Raids 2.0—fully reworked assault waves that scaled with your in-game progression. The further you are, the tougher and more complex the sieges become.

• In the Plains, organized Fulings attacked with siege engines.
• In the Swamps, hordes of Draugr and Wraiths formed up.
• In the Ashlands, the Charred marched in full-on armies.
• Even early on, groups of Greydwarfs could band together to threaten smaller bases.

These attacks were no longer random, but staged battles. Enemies used catapults, battered down gates, and targeted your defenses. You had to lay out your base strategically, not just build decoratively.

Upgrade your Valheim defenses: walls, ballistas, traps, and towers

To withstand these assaults, Call to Arms brought multiple ways to fortify your base.

• Reinforced palisades and walls: soaked up far more damage.
• Ballistas and catapults: placeable by players and manually aimable.
• Defensive traps like burning trenches and spike walls: easier to craft and effective against hordes.
• Watchtowers: strong positions for archers or mages.

These systems made base-building deeper—and more exciting. It was no longer just about a beautiful hall, but about planning a working fortress.

New weapons in Valheim Call to Arms: crossbows, war horns, banners

Naturally, Call to Arms added fresh weapons to face the new threats.

• War horns: call nearby allies or summon NPC Vikings to assist in battle.
• Siege hammers: massive two-handers ideal for smashing enemy structures.
• Crossbows: a new ranged option with high penetration, especially effective against heavily armored foes.
• Magical banners: buff nearby players, e.g., increased armor or stamina regeneration.

Existing weapon classes also expanded: spears gained new throwing capabilities, bows got special arrow types, and Eitr users received stronger area-of-effect spells for mass battles.

Recruit NPC allies and the clan system: buffs, banners, and team play

One of the most exciting additions was the ability to recruit NPC allies. In taverns or via quests, you could hire mercenaries to help defend. These NPCs weren’t overpowered, but they made battles feel epic as multiple fighters held the line together.

A clan system also arrived. Players on a world could form clans, choose banners, and activate shared buffs. This especially strengthened teamwork on multiplayer servers and made fights more organized.

New enemies and boss designs: siege trolls, necromancers, warlords

Call to Arms introduced new enemy types built specifically for sieges.

• Siege trolls: use logs as battering rams.
• Necromancers: summon waves of undead.
• Warlords: minibosses that grant strong buffs to their troops.
• Fire demons (Ashlands): pressure players with area attacks.

There was also a new boss that staged multi-phase battles against hordes—one of the game’s toughest challenges for many.

Combat balance: stamina regen and healing cooldowns

To keep fights from devolving into chaos, Iron Gate adjusted the combat system. Stamina regenerated faster when you stood within a banner’s radius. Healing potions received longer cooldowns, rewarding more careful play.

The result: teamwork matters more than ever. No one cleaves through a horde alone—now it’s about coordinated tactics, buff management, and protecting each other.

Base-building strategies against sieges: fortresses, trenches, double walls

A major highlight was the tight link between base-building and combat. Build sloppily and you’ll be overrun by siege waves. Plan smartly and you’ll survive even massive assaults.

Many players opted for castles with inner courtyards, watchtowers, and double walls. Blueprints circulated in the community for optimal combinations of trenches, spike traps, and fire barriers.

• Tip: Funnel enemies through tight kill zones with overlapping ballista fields of fire.
• Tip: Secure gates with secondary barriers and embrasures.
• Tip: Place banners so fighters at hotspots benefit from buffs.

Epic battle atmosphere: horns, drums, and war scenarios

Call to Arms noticeably changed Valheim’s atmosphere. Suddenly it wasn’t just a survival adventure—at times it felt like an epic war scenario. Drums in the background, horns announcing assaults, and the enemies’ battle cries gave sieges a gripping flair.

Especially in multiplayer, when ten or more players defended a fortress together, unforgettable moments emerged. Screenshots and videos of epic battles flooded the community—pushing Valheim closer to a co-op strategy game.

Verdict on the Call to Arms update: sieges, clan system, co-op strength

With Call to Arms, Iron Gate steered Valheim in a new direction. Sieges, new defense mechanics, and the clan system made the game bigger, deeper, and—especially in multiplayer—more exciting.

For anyone who dreams of defending their Viking stronghold against charging hordes, this update feels like the fulfillment of a promise: not just survival, but war for glory, honor, and home.

Whether veteran or newcomer: gear up, rally your allies—and take up the fight again.

Rent your own Valheim server now.