For Valheim players just beginning to explore the Black Forest biome, they may come across a ruin of a stone castle and wonder how to build one for themselves. Stone masonry is available in Valheim, but it is not unlocked until after players complete a few steps.

Players can build houses, furniture, defenses, and walls out of wood, fine wood, and core wood in Valheim, but there is also the option to build in stone. Stone has the advantage of being very difficult for enemies to break compared to wood. However, building ceilings out of stone requires more supports. But having a Viking castle in Valheim is worth the extra work to put it together.

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Stone structures cannot be built until players have crafted a Stonecutter. This is a variation on the basic wooden Workbench; it cannot be upgraded like the Valheim Workbench can, but it can be interacted with in the same way and also has a radius in which players have to build inside of. Stonecutters are also required to build a grinding wheel, which is needed for a Forge upgrade as well.

Stonecutters are not available to players until they begin to delve into the Swamp Biome. Until they have defeated the Elder and gotten the Swamp Key in Valheim, they cannot access the iron needed to create this crafting station. The recipe for a Stonecutter is:

• 10 wood
• 2 smelted iron
• 4 stone

Once a Stonecutter has been placed, players can build with stone stairs, stone walls, and more. Looking at the Valheim Roadmap for 2021 from the developers, it looks like this options will most likely be expanded in the future, hopefully giving players access to even more shapes and styles of stonework to build and decorate their homes with. The pieces currently available with a Stonecutter are:

• Hearth - A massive version of the campfire that can be used to heat cauldrons and cooking stations. These must be placed on stone flooring.
• Paved road - Turn grass, dirt, or other surface into a nicely paved stone road.
• Stone arch - a curved piece of stone, carved to fit in the corners of doorways to form half of an arch.
• Stone floor - 2x2
• Stone pillar - Support structures for stones
• Stone stairs
• Stone wall - 1x1, 2x1, or 4x2 available

Placing a Stonecutter in a ruin will also let players fix stone walls and add onto them; this will allow players to either take down stone structures to reuse the stone for their own home, or fix up and complete ruins, making it into a home.

Valheim is currently in Early Access for PC.

MORE: Valheim Complete Guide for Tips, Tricks, and General Help

Source: Wiki, Steam Community