A Viking without a sword isn’t a true warrior! That’s why swords of all kinds are fantastic weapons in Valheim, carrying you through the entire game. They hit hard and swing fairly quickly. With one-handed swords you can also equip a shield to bolster your defense. Their light attack chains three swings with a finishing slash, and the secondary attack is a thrust that deals significantly more damage. They cost little stamina and can hit multiple enemies at once. Naturally, each biome has its own sword—let’s take a closer look at all of them.
Valheim swords in the early game: crafting the Bronze Sword and Iron Sword
Bronze Sword in Valheim: crafting, upgrades, and damage
Your first sword arrives in the Black Forest once you mine copper and tin and smelt them into bronze. You’ll also need wood and leather scraps and a Forge level 1 to craft it. The standard combo deals 35 damage per hit—a solid step up from the weapons you can find or make in the Meadows.
Like every weapon, the Bronze Sword can be upgraded by spending more materials and improving your forge. Up to four quality levels are possible, increasing durability and damage. At max, the Bronze Sword reaches 53 damage and 350 durability.
Iron Sword in Valheim: where to find it, crafting, and Swamp tips
In the Swamp, search the (Sunken) Crypts for iron—it’s best with friends. Rent a Valheim server for co-op adventures and resource runs and gather materials together. Iron is crucial and unlocks your next sword. As before, you’ll need wood and leather scraps. The Iron Sword deals 55 damage, surpassing a maxed Bronze Sword. With all upgrades, it can reach 73 damage, but you’ll need a Forge level 5. In the Swamp—especially for the boss—we recommend a blunt weapon instead.
Valheim swords in the mid game: Silver Sword and Blackmetal Sword
Silver Sword in Valheim: Spirit damage and crafting
The Silver Sword is your first blade that adds 30 Spirit damage on top of 75 Slash damage—fitting, as silver is often seen as powerful against the supernatural. That’s exactly how it works in Valheim. Besides silver, wood, and leather scraps, you’ll also need iron to craft and upgrade it.
Spirit damage applies a damage-over-time effect, much like fire. Undead and supernatural enemies are particularly vulnerable. Fully upgraded, it reaches 93 Slash and 45 Spirit damage, making it a very reliable weapon for the Mountains.
Blackmetal Sword in Valheim: drop sources and DPS
One biome later, you’ll be in the Plains. The key material here is Black Metal, which you can’t mine—you’ll find it in chests or as drops from Fulings. Combine Black Metal, Fine Wood, and Linen Thread to craft the Blackmetal Sword. Its black-green look stands out immediately. It deals 95 damage, and with full upgrades 113. Against some undead, the Silver Sword can still be better, but overall the Blackmetal Sword is a strong upgrade.
Valheim swords in the late game: Mistwalker, Nidhögg, and Dyrnwyn
Mistwalker (Nebelbrecher) in Valheim: Frost and Spirit damage
Mistwalker is exceptionally strong, combining multiple damage types. The bright, glowing sword deals 75 Slash damage, plus 40 Frost damage, and gains Spirit damage with upgrades. To craft it, you need Fine Wood, Iron, Refined Eitr, and Wisps.
While the base Slash stays the same when upgrading, Frost and Spirit increase. Frost deals direct damage and slows the target. Some enemies are especially weak to it, such as Blobs, Sea Serpents, and Surtlings. Mistwalker is one of the best weapons at this point.
Nidhögg in Valheim: variants and effects
Finally, you reach the Ashlands, where you unusually get to choose between two swords. First is Nidhögg, a flexible weapon you can upgrade into three different variants. To craft it, you’ll need Charred Bones, Flametal, and Asksvin Hide, and you must use a Black Forge.
The three forms are:
- Bleeding Nidhögg (Bloodstone): The sword deals 0.2% more damage per health point.
- Thundering Nidhögg (Iolite): Gains 10 Lightning damage and can trigger the ‘Chain Lightning’ effect.
- Primeval Nidhögg (Jade): On hit, has a 20% chance to inflict ‘Immobilized’.
All variants deal 135 to 153 Slash damage, making them among the best weapons in the game. Choose the extra effect that best fits your playstyle.
Dyrnwyn in Valheim: best one-handed sword with Fire damage
Dyrnwyn is currently the best one-handed sword in Valheim. With 145 base damage plus 10 Fire damage, it can fell nearly any foe. To craft it, you need three fragments. Seek out mysterious locations in the Ashlands to find the Tip, Edge, and Hilt. You’ll also need Flametal and a Bloodstone.
Search the biome for notable sites and use waymarkers to track all three. You can loot the first two fragments from altars. The third location is trickier and a major challenge: you’ll face the miniboss Lord Reto to claim the final fragment. Dyrnwyn is always wreathed in flames, and it’s worth the risk to craft this blade.
Conclusion: Valheim swords are dependable all-rounders in every biome
With a sword as your steadfast companion in Valheim, you can hardly go wrong. It’s a great weapon for beginners and veterans alike. The mix of high damage, low stamina cost, and the option to carry a shield is hard to beat. When nothing else works, a sword usually will. Blades that add elemental damage are especially handy, and in the Ashlands you can even tailor your sword to your combat style. And who knows what sword awaits us in the far North when version 1.0 arrives!
