Meadows Biome Guide: Valheim's Starting Region

The Meadows is where every Valheim run begins — your ravens drop you at the Sacrificial Stones surrounded by green grass, birch and beech trees, and the calmest water in the game. It looks safe because, by Valheim standards, it is.

What lives in the Meadows?

Mostly food, plus the game’s weakest hostile creatures. Deer and boars feed your early game, necks spawn at the waterline, and Greydwarves wander in at night or in the rain. The biome’s only real threat is the pack — a Greydwarf mob at zero gear can still kill you — plus the trolls that occasionally wander in from the Black Forest border. Your first boss, Eikthyr, lives here; his altar is marked by a vegvisir runestone.

What can you gather in the Meadows?

Everything the tutorial needs: wood, stone, flint, hides, mushrooms, and raspberries. Flint lines the beaches and riverbanks — grab it early for your first real weapons. Raspberries regrow on bushes and are your first renewable food; the food tier list explains why food is your real health bar. Beech logs drop wood and seeds for replanting, and abandoned cabins hand you free building materials if you break them down.

Where should you build your first base?

Flat ground near the water, with a view of the Black Forest border. You’ll want quick access to the next biome for copper and tin runs, so a coast or river mouth facing a forest edge is the classic spot. Prioritize a workbench, a roof, a campfire for the rested buff (see the comfort guide), and a bed for your spawn point. Once Eikthyr falls, Greydwarf raids start knocking — the base defense guide covers moats and stake walls before that happens.

When do you leave the Meadows?

When you’ve beaten Eikthyr and crafted the Antler Pickaxe. Mining opens the Black Forest’s copper and tin, which is the real progression gate — bronze gear is what carries you into the Swamp’s tier. The full route is in the boss order guide, and brand-new players should start with the beginner guide before the boss calls.