Valheim is a stunning survival game that perfectly balances mechanics that the genre is known for with a beautifully soothing soundtrack and art direction that makes it easy to get lost in. With a massive focus on building and creating, there are a few mods out there to make it a little more creatively-focused, like Minecraft, for those interested! If that's you, here are some of the best Valheim mods that we recommend.
Before recommending what mods to pick from, a quick disclaimer: there is an option to toggle on PvP, though it's not as scary as it may sound to someone who detests PvP. In order to activate this, you need to go out of your way to actually choose it, so if you are looking for a player vs. player experience, we recommend doing so without any mod assistance.
True Creative Mode
For those that just want to chill
The True Creative Mode mod is inspired by Minecraft's Creative Mode and works very similarly. There are togglable options for players to use if they still want some challenge such as the God Mode, Fly Mode, and Kill All Enemies option.
Full features include:
- Enable Fly Mode (Press Z)
- Enable God Mode
- Enable Unlimited Crafting
- Don't have to worry about tools breaking/stability
- No Workbench needed to build
- Unlocks all building items for character
- Remove anything w/o Workbench
- Kill All Enemies (Press K)
- Heal and Repair Tools (Press B)
- Unlimited Weight
This is one that I won't play if someone is in my server, but when I'm going solo it makes it a little more enjoyable to try to build the palatial home of my dreams while living out that Viking fantasy.
You can download this mod here.
Expert Mode
For those that want the ultimate challenge
In a direct pivot away from the Creative mod, this Expert Mode mod ramps up the challenge factor of Valheim immensely. While the settings can be tweaked by the user, the vanilla version of this mod sets all enemies at 2 stars but the catch is that the loot dropped is at 0 stars. This gives players a harder challenge with lower-tiered loots, making both combat and crafting more brutal. Or you could just do the above mod and go ham on foes with the God Mode.
You can download this mod right here.
Stamina Overhaul
For those sick of drowning two seconds after hitting the water.
Stamina, like in most survival games, is a key mechanic in terms of survival and exploration. With Valheim, the stamina in-game depletes at a rapid rate (though this can be improved upon through the title itself, especially through boss fights and the blessings offered through communing through runes). If you're like me, you love to just explore: swimming, mountain climbing, running for your life in terror because oh my god, where did all of those trolls come from?!
The Stamina Overhaul mod completely changes the stamina mechanic in-game by improving regeneration rates, removing over-encumbered stamina depletion, eliminating the stamina penalty whilst sneaking around, and more. The rate of drain overall is slowed as well, making it easy to go for that swim or to run up that mountain without fearing a total drain that leaves you helpless against any enemies that may be on your tail.
You can download this mod right here.
Gravekeeper
Just give me back my loot, please.
When you die in Valheim, you have the option to retrieve any gear lost when you were felled. Instead of losing all of that hard-earned gear, the game packages it all up nicely into a neat little gravestone. Unfortunately, that means you'll have to go back to the place you died (which can be far from spawn, if you're not careful) completely vulnerable unless you have backup gear in your house.
If you're like me and you like to go bonkers without a care in the world for consequences, this Gravekeeper mod might just be for you. It's simple, and all it does is allows players to keep the items that they have acquired even after death. No slow march back to your loot, simply respawn and bam! Your items are back with you where they belong.
You can download this mod right here.
Barad-Dur Sauron Eye Tower
Honestly, how could you not have seen this coming?
It's an unspoken rule: Where there can be a Lord of the Rings tribute there will be a Lord of the Rings tribute and Valheim is not exempt from that. This mod doesn't change anything mechanically the previous recommendations, instead it just adds the Barad-Dur Sauron Eye Tower into the game. Is it necessary? Nah. Is it cool as all heck? You betcha!
You can download this mod right here.
There a few other odds and ends that I recommend as honory mentions, including the No Wear and Tear mod that removes the uglier textures from damaged structures and the Item Stacks mod that increases the stack size for your inventory.
As someone that typically stays away from survival games because I just don't have the patience for them, Valheim is something truly special. Mods help tailor experience even more for those that are looking, but the title itself does a good job at balancing all of the various mechanics, making its intended experience an adventure worth appreciating.
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