In Valheim, you don’t just upgrade through better gear—you also improve your character’s physical abilities. These are split into several categories that level up automatically as you play, making you stronger, faster, or less prone to fatigue. It’s worth taking a look at your skills if you want to focus on certain weapons or feel a bit too weak. Fortunately, most skills are easy to train, and you’ll benefit from their bonuses as they rise. Below, we cover every skill, what it does, and how to gain more XP.
Leveling Valheim skills: Farm XP fast and leverage bonuses
Skills in Valheim level up through your activities. Whether you hit an enemy with a specific weapon, harvest your fields, or simply run, some skill will likely increase. XP gains are, however, very small, and it will take a while to push every skill to the maximum level of 100. Most activities award only about 1 XP. For each skill you need a little over 20,300 XP in total to reach the cap. The XP required per level rises slightly with each level-up.
You can train solo, but we recommend you rent a Valheim server and farm XP together with friends. You can take advantage of certain mechanics—like sparring against each other—to level up. This works for both weapons and blocking.
You can also earn more XP while you are Rested. You’ll see a red triquetra icon in the top right when the buff is active. You gain it when there are no monsters nearby and you sit next to a sheltered fire. While active, you earn 50% more XP—use this buff whenever you can.
If you die, you lose 5% of your experience. This reduces your levels and the progress toward your current level. You also receive an effect that prevents any further XP loss for 10 minutes.
Valheim skills overview: Max bonuses and training tips
There are currently 24 skills in Valheim, most of which focus on weapons. More may arrive with version 1.0, but that’s unknown for now. Each skill levels differently and offers distinct bonuses. Remember: the maximum level for all skills is 100.
Valheim weapon skills: More damage in combat
Most weapons follow the same leveling logic: you only gain XP when you hit an enemy with that weapon type. Swinging at the air doesn’t count—you must connect. You gain 1.5 XP per hit; some special attacks grant more. Damage scales by +1.5% per level, but from level 70 onward it’s only +1.13% per level. The extra damage is shown in the stats panel as a number next to the damage value. At level 100 you deal roughly +141% more damage with any weapon on average.
Some weapons also gain greater knockback and consume 33% less stamina. Bows draw faster, and crossbows reload faster. Magic works a bit differently. For Blood Magic, your skeletons’ hits count, and you gain +200% damage and knockback, +250% protection, and 33% lower HP or Eitr cost. XP for Elemental Magic depend on the staff you use; the bonuses mirror those of other weapons.
Valheim resource skills: Less stamina, more yield
Woodcutting: Increases your damage against trees. A stamina bonus applies only when using the axe as a weapon. You gain 1 XP per hit against a tree. Use a Stone Axe or Flint Axe on an oak to farm XP without felling it.
Pickaxes: You gain 1.5 XP per stone or ore and increase your damage while reducing stamina use as you level. You can also level efficiently by striking an ore vein you can’t mine yet—hits alone count.
Farming: Levels when you use the plow or the scythe, and also when you harvest crops. The bonuses are great: up to a 25% chance for extra yield, greater scythe reach, reduced stamina use, and lower durability loss for both tools.
Valheim movement skills: Run faster and save stamina
Dodging: You can level dodging passively, but XP gains are minimal. Intentionally dodge attacks—ideally from weak enemies. With levels, you reduce stamina costs by up to 50%.
Jumping: Each jump grants 0.5 XP. Maximize gains by jumping up into a ceiling to repeatedly trigger the jump start. At level 100 you can jump twice as high and have 40% more jump force.
Running: You earn 0.2 XP per second while running. At the cap you’re 25% faster and use 33% less stamina. Simply run against a wall for a long time.
Sneaking: Levels faster when you’re hiding from a monster. Stay undetected and sneak into a wall for best results. At level 100 you consume less stamina and enemies detect you more slowly.
Swimming: You gain 0.3 XP per second of swimming. This skill mainly reduces stamina consumption at high levels, which isn’t always critical.
Valheim other skills: Fishing, crafting, and cooking
Fishing: You gain +0.25 XP when reeling in your line—double that if a fish has bitten. You can reel in 200% faster and reduce stamina costs by 80%.
Riding: Works similarly to Running, but while mounted on a creature.
Crafting: You gain +0.25 XP per crafted item, build, or repair. At high levels, crafting time drops by 60%, your hammer lasts longer, and you have a 25% chance to get a bonus item when crafting.
Cooking: Has effects similar to Crafting and can be leveled at various stations.
Valheim skills conclusion: Improve passively and train intentionally
Improving your skills is an important part of Valheim, unlocking useful bonuses that make gameplay smoother. Over time you’ll naturally become stronger, faster, and more efficient, but you can also target and level each skill effectively. All skills have a maximum level of 100, so try to push the ones tied to your core activities as early as possible. Above all, keep the Rested buff active whenever you train. If you die, you lose a portion of your levels and accumulated XP.
