Source-reviewed guide
Valheim Meadows Guide: Creatures, Resources, and Eikthyr
Meadows biome guide for Valheim — creatures, resources, the Eikthyr boss fight, and building tips for the starting biome.
Reviewed 2026-08-19
Meadows is Valheim's starting biome — every new world begins here, and it stays the lowest-risk place to build a first base. This guide covers what actually lives here, what to gather, and how to beat the first boss, Eikthyr. See how this site sources world guides.
Where Meadows fits
Meadows opens the game's first progression tier alongside Black Forest. Once Eikthyr is down and an Antler Pickaxe is in hand, Black Forest is next.
| Order | Biome |
|---|---|
| 1 | Meadows (you are here) |
| 2 | Black Forest |
| 3 | Swamp |
| 4 | Mountain |
| 5 | Plains |
| 6 | Mistlands |
| 7 | Ashlands |
See the full world guide for the complete progression map.
Creatures
| Creature | Notes |
|---|---|
| Boar | Hostile; low threat once armed. Tameable with food. |
| Neck | Hostile; the easiest early kill, common near water. |
| Greyling | Hostile; low damage, drops Resin. |
| Deer | Passive; flees on sight, main source of Deer Hide and Deer Trophies. |
| Gull (Seagull) | Passive; coastal, minor nuisance. |
| Draugr | Hostile, but only inside Draugr Villages — not a roaming Meadows spawn. |
No creature here is exclusive to Meadows; all of them, aside from the Draugr Village exception, also appear at low tier in other early biomes.
Resources
| Resource | Source |
|---|---|
| Wood, Fine Wood | Birch, Beech, and Oak trees |
| Stone, Flint | Ground and shorelines |
| Resin | Greylings, some trees |
| Leather Scraps, Deer Hide, Raw Meat, Feathers | Animal drops |
| Dandelion, Mushroom, Raspberry | Foraged plants |
No mineable ore is found in Meadows — that starts once a pickaxe is available, in Black Forest and coastal areas nearby.
Boss: Eikthyr
Eikthyr is the first of Valheim's bosses, fought at a Sacrificial Stones altar located somewhere in Meadows.
- Summon: place 2 Deer Trophies on the altar.
- Finding the altar: a Vegvisir rune stone (found in burial chambers) points to the nearest one if it isn't already discovered.
- Drops: 1 Eikthyr Trophy and 3 Hard Antlers.
- Why it matters: the Hard Antlers craft the Antler Pickaxe — the game's first pickaxe, and the gate to mining ore and the whole metal-tool tier. Mounting the trophy also grants a Forsaken Power that reduces stamina cost for running and jumping.
Building and survival tips
- Meadows' flat, low-threat terrain makes it a good spot for a first permanent base — and since it's near the world center, it doubles well as a portal hub later.
- Draugr Villages are a real step up in difficulty from the rest of the biome; it's worth waiting for Bronze-tier gear before clearing one.
- Coastal stretches are convenient for early Flint and Stone, but Boars nearby can turn aggressive while foraging.
- No biome-specific weather hazard beyond the game's normal rain and wind — Meadows is the lowest-hazard biome overall.
Points of interest
Burial Mounds (ship-shaped earthworks with a buried chest, need a pickaxe to open), Abandoned Houses, wooden Watchtowers, Standing Stone circles, and Draugr Villages. There are no true dungeons in Meadows.
Sources
Cross-referenced per this site's world-guide sourcing methodology.