Odin has his eye on you – but to get into Asgard, you’ll need the strength and cunning of a true Viking. These essential tips will help you survive Valheim’s sprawling mythology-inspired land.

When you first arrive in this procedurally generated world, immediately gather up wood and stone to craft a stone axe – it’s crucial for chopping down trees and fending off murderous Greylings. Then, search for an abandoned shack to use as your initial home base. (It’s easier to repair an old house than to build one from scratch.)

Materials like wood and stone are pretty easy to find – just look for trees and rocks! But it pays to know how to get three other resources required for crafting early-game gear: flint (for a stronger axe) is found in riverbeds and along shorelines, leather scraps (for a bow) are dropped by slain boars and coal (for the forge) can be made by overcooking meat.

“Rest and repair” is the savvy Viking's motto. Whether you’re at home base or next to a campfire in the middle of the woods, resting activates a powerful buff that boosts health, stamina regeneration and XP gains. And repairing your gear at a workbench costs nothing – just keep clicking the hammer icon until everything is fixed.

Want a limitless supply of meat and leather scraps? Build a pen and lure a couple of boars into the enclosure. Feed them carrots or other crops, then keep your distance; when the animals show the “tame” tag, they’ll begin to make little piggies! Once the boar babies reach adulthood, they’ll keep breeding as long as there’s room in the pen – or you can cull them for food and materials.

Progressing in Valheim ultimately means taking down fearsome boss monsters – the Forsaken – who drop unique loot and grant mighty abilities. To survive your first such test (against the giant stag Eikthyr), eat foods that boost your health and stamina, arm yourself with a flint axe and make sure you’ve got a shield to block the deadly deer’s attacks. Good luck, warrior!

Most creatures in Valheim are more or less vulnerable to certain attacks. Trolls, for instance, take extra damage from spears. If the damage number above an enemy is yellow, your foe is vulnerable to whatever weapon you’re holding. A white number means normal damage. And if you see a grey number – indicating the enemy is resistant to your current weapon – switch to something else, pronto!