The 1st Valheim 1.0 boss, Eikthyr, can be quite hard to summon and defeat, especially for a beginner. You might struggle to start a fight against this boss if you are unaware of the various mechanics and tactics available in the game. Although the boss’s attacks could be quite tricky (and hard-hitting), I will show you how to avoid them efficiently using the environment around you.
How To Summon Eikthyr in Valheim 1.0
Early on, you can get the Summoning Location for this boss marked on your map by interacting with a Runestone. I have marked the location in the image above with a red circle. There will be a Mystical Altar in the area.
This Altar is key to summoning the boss. You need to place two Deer Trophies on the Altar to summon the 1st Valheim 1.0 boss. As the name indicates, you can get a Deer Trophy by killing a deer.
As soon as you place the Trophy on the Altar, back away and look out for the particle effects in the area. They will gather towards one spot, which indicates where the boss will be summoned. Keep some distance between this spot and yourself, as you do not want to get caught up in close-quarters combat range.
You can repeat this process as many times as you want, provided you have enough materials to offer at the Altar.
All Eikthyr Boss Moves
Eikthyr has three different attacks you need to watch out for. Two of these are ranged attacks, and one of them is melee. By staying out of his melee range (roughly 5 meters), you can prevent the melee attack from activating (even if it does, it is a simple swing of its horns, which is easily dodged). Meanwhile, the two ranged attacks can be countered using the environment:
- Stomp: This attack has an area-of-effect of around 10 meters and sends out lightning in all directions. The boss only uses this when it gets close to you, so try to stay out of its attack range.
- Charged Shot: Shoots a beam that can extend up to 20 meters. Dodging this attack is the only viable defence.
How To Defeat Eikthyr in Valheim 1.0
The summoning location of the boss is in the forest. This gives you a good amount of cover from the trees and stones in the area. Use these to your advantage and get behind them whenever you see ranged attacks coming towards you.
Moreover, stick close to the Altar itself, as it cannot be broken by the boss. However, all of these techniques will only help you survive the boss, not defeat it.
The best tactic I would recommend against this boss is Fire Arrows. These cause a good amount of damage to the boss, while also doing damage over time. Keep running around and make space between yourself and the boss while peppering it with Fire Arrows.
If the archery mechanic is too hard for you, then you can consider modding the game. There are various mods with gameplay overhauls and quality-of-life tweaks which can make the game more accessible.
This hit-and-run playstyle will eventually see the stag defeated. You will get the following rewards from defeating this boss:
- Eikthyr Trophy
- Hard Antlers
