Valheim skills & the death penalty
Every skill goes from 0 to 100 by doing the thing it is named after: swinging a sword raises Swords, running raises Run. Higher levels make hits stronger and actions cheaper. When you die you lose 5% of every skill, except within 10 minutes of your last death.
- 24 skills levels 0 to 100
- −5% on death of every skill’s level
- 10 minutes no skill drain after a death
- +50% while Rested skill experience
How skill levelling works
From the game’s skill code.
Points per actionEach action that trains a skill adds that skill’s step: 1 for most weapons, 1.5 for bows and spears, as little as 0.2 for running and riding (listed below). Being Rested multiplies it by 1.5.
Each level costs moreReaching the next level takes (level + 1)1.5 × 0.5 + 0.5 points: 1 point for level 1, 16.31 for level 10, 500.5 for level 100. From 0 to 100 is 20,301 points in all, and half of that is spent after level 76.
What it takes to max oneRun trains 0.2 points for every second of running, so taking it from 0 to 100 is about 28 hours 11 minutes of running, or 18 hours 47 minutes while Rested. The Skill Gain world modifier scales every step.
| Level | Points from 0 | Share of level 100 |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | 76 | 0% |
| 20 | 390 | 2% |
| 25 | 669 | 3% |
| 50 | 3,649 | 18% |
| 75 | 9,943 | 49% |
| 90 | 15,628 | 77% |
| 100 | 20,301 | 100% |
Weapon damage by skill level
Every hit rolls its damage inside a range set by the weapon’s skill, as a share of the damage the weapon lists. MaxDPS rankings use skill 50 unless you change it.
| Skill level | Weakest hit | Strongest hit | Stamina per attack |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 25% | 55% | 100% |
| 10 | 31% | 61% | 97% |
| 25 | 40% | 70% | 92% |
| 50 | 55% | 85% | 84% |
| 75 | 70% | 100% | 75% |
| 100 | 85% | 100% | 67% |
The same range applies to axes on trees (Wood Cutting), pickaxes on rocks and magic. Bows also scale with how far you drew.
Every skill: how to level it and what it does
The game’s own description, what raises the skill, and its effect at level 100. “Step” is the points one action adds.
Weapons
| Skill | How to level it | At level 100 | Step |
|---|---|---|---|
| SwordsDamage with swords. | Each attack that hits a creature, once per swing however many it hits. | Hits deal 85–100% of the weapon’s damage instead of 25–55% at level 0, and attacks cost 33% less stamina. | 1 |
| AxesDamage with axes. | Each attack that hits a creature, once per swing however many it hits. | Hits deal 85–100% of the weapon’s damage instead of 25–55% at level 0, and attacks cost 33% less stamina. | 1 |
| ClubsDamage with clubs. | Each attack that hits a creature, once per swing however many it hits. | Hits deal 85–100% of the weapon’s damage instead of 25–55% at level 0, and attacks cost 33% less stamina. | 1 |
| KnivesDamage with knives. | Each attack that hits a creature, once per swing however many it hits. | Hits deal 85–100% of the weapon’s damage instead of 25–55% at level 0, and attacks cost 33% less stamina. | 1 |
| SpearsDamage with spears. | Each attack that hits a creature, once per swing however many it hits. | Hits deal 85–100% of the weapon’s damage instead of 25–55% at level 0, and attacks cost 33% less stamina. | 1.5 |
| PolearmsDamage with polearms. | Each attack that hits a creature, once per swing however many it hits. | Hits deal 85–100% of the weapon’s damage instead of 25–55% at level 0, and attacks cost 33% less stamina. | 1 |
| BowsDamage with bows. | Each arrow or bolt that hits a creature. | Hits deal 85–100% of the damage, drawing costs 33% less stamina and a full draw takes 20% of the base time. | 1.5 |
| CrossbowsAccuracy and damage with crossbows. | Each arrow or bolt that hits a creature. | Hits deal 85–100% of the damage, shots cost 33% less stamina and reloading takes half as long. | 1 |
| FistsDamage when unarmed. | Each attack that hits a creature, once per swing however many it hits. | Hits deal 85–100% of the weapon’s damage instead of 25–55% at level 0, and attacks cost 33% less stamina. | 1 |
| BlockingDamage absorbed when blocking with a weapon or shield. | Each blocked hit; a parry counts double. | Block power +50%. | 0.5 |
Magic
| Skill | How to level it | At level 100 | Step |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elemental MagicDamage and eitr usage when using elemental magic. | Each elemental magic projectile or blast that hits. | Hits deal 85–100% of the damage, and spells cost 33% less eitr. | 1 |
| Blood MagicDamage, eitr and health drain when using blood magic. | Hits from blood magic staffs, your summoned creatures’ hits and your protection shields breaking. | Hits deal 85–100% of the damage, and spells cost 33% less eitr and health. | 1 |
Gathering & crafting
| Skill | How to level it | At level 100 | Step |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood CuttingAxe damage when hitting trees. | Hitting trees, logs and stumps with an axe. | Axe hits on trees deal 85–100% of the damage instead of 25–55%. | 1 |
| PickaxesDamage with pickaxes. | Hitting rocks and ore with a pickaxe. | Pickaxe hits deal 85–100% of the damage instead of 25–55%. | 1 |
| CraftingCrafting speed, hammer wear and building stamina use. | Crafting or upgrading at the workbench, forge and other crafting stations, repairing worn items, and building with the hammer. | Crafting is 60% faster, stackable items have a 25% chance of one extra each, and hammer building costs 50% less stamina. | 0.25 |
| CookingCooking speed, serving tray wear and chance for bonus yields. | Putting food on a cooking station, taking it off cooked, and making food at the cauldron. | Cauldron recipes are 60% faster, and cooking stations and stackable cauldron recipes have a 25% chance of one extra. | 0.25 |
| FarmingStamina use, cultivator wear, harvest radius and chance for bonus yields. | Planting with the cultivator and picking what you grew. | Cultivator use costs 50% less stamina, harvesting reaches its largest radius, and picking crops can give a bonus. | 0.25 |
| FishingStamina drain and pull speed when fishing. | Every second spent reeling in, 2 times as fast with a fish on the hook. | The line reels in at 6 instead of 2, a hooked fish drains 0.2 stamina per second instead of 1, and pulling costs 80% less stamina. | 0.25 |
Movement
| Skill | How to level it | At level 100 | Step |
|---|---|---|---|
| RunSpeed and stamina drain when running. | Every second of running while you have stamina. | Running costs 50% less stamina and is 25% faster. | 0.2 |
| JumpJump height. | Each jump. | Jumps are 40% stronger. | 0.5 |
| SwimStamina drain when swimming. | Every second of swimming. | Swimming drains 3 stamina per second instead of 6. | 0.3 |
| SneakStamina drain and stealthiness when sneaking. | Every second of sneaking: a full point with an enemy nearby that has not spotted you, a tenth otherwise. | Sneaking costs 75% less stamina, and enemies notice you from a shorter distance. | 0.5 |
| DodgeStamina drain when dodging. | A tenth of a point per dodge roll, a full point when you dodge through a hit. | Dodging costs 50% less stamina. | 0.25 |
| RidingAnimal speed and stamina drain. | Every second galloping on a saddled animal. | Your mount gallops 25% faster and uses 50% less stamina. | 0.2 |
The death penalty
What happens to your skills, food and items when you die, at the default world settings. New to the game? See what new players miss.
−5% of every skillEach skill loses 5% of its current level, and the progress toward its next level is lost too: level 50 drops to 47.5, level 100 to 95. World modifiers can scale the loss or reset every skill on death.
“No skill drain” for 10 minutesAfter you die you get the “No skill drain” effect. Die again before 10 minutes have passed and your skills are not lowered a second time.
Food and effects are goneYour eaten food and every status effect, Rested included, are removed.
Your items stay at your tombstoneEverything you carry, worn gear included, goes into a tombstone where you died. Quest items such as keys stay in your inventory.
Getting your tombstone back
A map pin marks where you died.
One press takes everythingWhen you open your own tombstone and its contents fit in your inventory and under your carry weight, everything goes back to you at once. Otherwise it opens like a chest.
Corpse run for 50 secondsEmptying your own tombstone gives you Corpse run: “You can run longer and take significantly less damage from physical attacks.” +150 carry weight, 75% less stamina for running and jumping , +5 health every 1 second, and resistance to blunt, slash and pierce damage.
Questions
How much skill do you lose when you die in Valheim?
5% of each skill’s current level, plus the progress toward the next level. You lose nothing if you die again within 10 minutes of your last death.
How long does “No skill drain” last?
10 minutes from the moment you die.
What is the fastest way to level skills?
Train while Rested for 50% more experience, and pick actions that train often: every hit for weapons, every second for running, swimming and sneaking near enemies, every block for Blocking (a parry counts double).
How long does it take to max Run?
About 28 hours 11 minutes of running from level 0, or 18 hours 47 minutes while Rested.
Does skill level change weapon damage?
Yes. At level 0 a hit deals 25–55% of the listed damage; at level 100 it deals 85–100%. Attacks also cost up to 33% less stamina.
Do you keep your items when you die?
No. Everything except quest items goes into a tombstone where you died. Open it to get everything back, and you get Corpse run for 50 seconds.
Skills, experience steps and the death penalty come from the Player prefab’s Skills and Player components in game build 26249040; crafting values from the inventory screen in the main scene. Every “how to level” and “at level 100” line restates the game code (assembly 9f959c03…).