The Plains of Valheim are infamous for killing unwary players. From flying enemies who can nearly one-shot you without a sound, to roaming bands of warriors who seem to track you wherever you go, the Plains are not for the faint of heart.
If you plan to trek through these rolling hills, you’d better come prepared or be ready to pay the price. Luckily, with a bit of forethought, you can master this biome and have an answer to everything it can throw at you. Here’s everything you need to know about the enemies and structures in the Plains and how you can best deal with them.
The Enemies Of The Plains
The Plains have relatively few enemies compared to more diverse biomes like the Swamps, but that doesn’t mean they’re easier to deal with. Everything in the Plains is out to get you and has a handful of hard-to-handle tools that can kill even the best-armored players. If you want to survive the Plains, the first thing you have to do is understand exactly what you’re up against.
Deathsquitos
Odds are you or a buddy have run into one of these when you sailed too close to the Plains. Deathsquitos are swift, flying sentinels with deadly bites. If they see you, they’ll fly right up to you, wait a brief moment, and strike. Afterward, they’ll fly erratically while following you until it’s time for another swoop. To make matters worse, Deathsquitos can easily out-fly the player, and the odd timing of their attack make them difficult to dodge reliably.
The best weapon Deathsquitos have is their stealth. They are small, see you from far away, and come in quick for a kill. Unless you have end-game armor, you can’t take a blow from them without losing a good chunk of your health. However, as long as you stay aware and spot them first, you can handle them in a few ways.
One Deathsquito can be easy to handle, but these agile foes are significantly more dangerous in groups. Do whatever you can to avoid fighting two at the same time.
Late-game shields, starting with the Silver Shield, can take a hit from Deathsquitos without much issue. Afterward, you’ll have a brief window to attack before it flies off. Ranged weapons are also a great option. Deathsquitos die in one hit to nearly everything, so sniping them from afar is one of the best ways to deal with them. However, if they do see you, they can be hard to hit as they fly around. Instead, wait for the moment they begin their attack charge. They’ll move in a straight line, letting you easily get in a ranged shot and avoid the damage entirely.
Loxes
Loxes are the game animals of the Plains, but unlike Deer, they won’t go down without a fight. If you attack or get too close to Lox, they will become hostile and start chasing after you. They have two attacks that they alternate between: a slow bite and an AOE stomp. Both deal massive amounts of damage and can’t be taken withstood unless you have the best shields in the game.
However, Loxes are slow, and their attacks can be easily dodged with some practice. The best way to deal with them is consistent ranged attacks or by circling around them since they can only use their more-frequent bite attack while facing the player. Nailing down a method that works for you can let you harvest their drops to make high-tier foods and useful items like Lox Capes.
Fulings
The most common enemy in the Plains is the goblin-adjacent Fulings that make these dangerous hills their home. Fulings come in a club, spear, sword, and torch variety, and which type you’re facing can make a huge difference. Fulings will attack simply: They will run at you, swing, and then circle you a few times before closing in again. Spear Fulings will break this mold slightly, opting to throw a spear instead of closing the gap.
Fulings have a really large detection range, meaning the roaming Fuling spawns may end up slowly chasing you wherever you go in the Plains.
Fulings individually are easy to deal with. The fact they run away between attacks can make killing them with slow melee weapons a hassle but not impossible. However, if Fulings attack in a group, they can easily become deadly. It becomes hard to focus on a single target, and you’re consistently tasked with evading multiple attacks at once. If you see Fulings, try to lure them out one by one or in small groups. If you can, try to kill or severely hurt one with ranged attacks before engaging.
Fuling Shamans
Fuling Shamans are a special type of Fuling that only spawn in Fuling Villages. They are one of the rare magic-casting enemies of Valheim, and they use this to great effect. Fuling Shamans can either shoot a fireball at the player or create a protective shield around all nearby Fulings (including themselves) that takes a few hits to take down. While they’re easy to deal with alone, in a group of Fulings, they can turn a hard fight into an impossible one.
Fuling Shamans are easy to kill with either ranged or melee attacks. Ideally, you kill them before they use their pesky shield spell, but if the shield spell goes off, you can either try to break through with a few more attacks or drag the fight out to let it wear off.
Fuling Berserkers
Fuling Berserkers are a larger version of the goblin raiders that wield large clubs and roar constantly, they sport a big enough health bar to take a few hits no matter what weapon you’re using and pack enough punch to make you think twice about getting too close. They alternate between three attacks: a right-to-left slash that comes out quickly, a left-to-right slash that has a longer windup, and a three-hit combo where they pound the ground and advance toward the player.
Fuling Berserkers have a chance to drop a Fuling totem, so if you see one in a village, it’s worth the risk to kill it.
There’s no real trick to killing a Fuling Berserker. You simply have to learn the attacks, block or dodge consistently, and take your time. The biggest thing to remember is that you can’t easily block or dodge the three-hit combo. When the berserker rears up and roars, simply run backward and put as much distance between you and him as you can.
Growths
Growths are a rare, slime-like mob found only in Tar Pits. Unlike the other slime enemies in the game, they pack a deadly ranged attack that deals Poison damage and comes with a unique debuff. They’ll shoot out a series of pitch-black projectiles, and if you’re hit by any of them, you’ll be Tarred, meaning you move 50% slower for a short time.
Tars are weak to Blunt and Fire damage. Melee combat with them can be tricky since they sometimes refuse to move from their Tar Pit spawn points, so even though ranged combat can be risky, it’s likely your best choice. However, Growths hate the other creatures of the Plains, so luring some Loxes to a Tar Pit can be a great way to kill two birds with one stone.
The Structures Of The Plains
Walking through the Plains can prove deadly enough, but the real challenge of this biome lies in the unique structures it contains. Unlike most biomes, nearly every structure contains hostile creatures and poses tricky situations that can catch even the most seasoned players by surprise.
Fuling Villages and Forts
Most of the buildings you’ll see in the Plains are either Fuling Villages or Fuling Forts. Each spawns a bevy of Fulings as guards, with the Villages possibly spawning shamans and berserkers as well. However, these structures contain critical loot that you’ll need to make the most of the Plains. The villages contain Flax and Wheat, the two new farmable crops of the Plains, and both structures have a chance to contain Fuling Totems, the item needed to spawn the Plains Boss.
The best way to clear these enemy fortifications is to take the Fulings one at a time. Use ranged attacks or careful positioning to draw out only a handful of enemies at a time, deal with them, and repeat the process.
Tar Pits
Tar Pits are another common structure in the Plains that dangle unique loot behind terrifying enemies. These black pools spawn Growths, which can easily overwhelm players with quick barrages of ranged attacks. As if that wasn’t enough, the tar itself is so sticky that any item dropped in it becomes irretrievable. These pits are also home to the sought-after Tar material, which allows you to build a ton of sleek end-game decorations.
Growths will respawn at Tar Pits, letting you farm the area for Tar, even if it has been drained.
If you happen to throw your favorite bow in the tar or if you just really want the Tar material that can be found in the pit, you can drain the liquid by digging a trench to lower ground.
How You Can Deal With The Plains
The Plains, while terrifying, can be handled with the right gear and mindset. Here are a few pointed tips that will help keep you alive:
- Use the Fang Spear. The Fang Spear is made from Mountains materials and is fairly cheap when compared to the other silver weapons. In the Plains, it provides you with a quick, high-damage ranged option that makes both Fulings and Deathsquitos easier while also serving as a decent melee weapon. Even if you already have a melee weapon you love, take a Fang Spear or two with you. It won’t use too much Silver, and you’ll thank yourself if you need to use the throw ability.
- Scan the horizon. Both Deathsquitos and Fulings can surprise you and show up when you least expect them. Never stop looking for new threats, even if you’re already in a fight!
- Bring healing mead. Fights in the Plains have a way of draining your health quickly. Even if you have a decent shield, a starred Fuling, Fuling Berserker, or pesky Deathsquito can whittle your health down in just a few attacks. Since danger is always over the next hill in the Plains, you’ll want a way to quickly recoup from fights that were less than perfect.
