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Valheim Pickaxe: how to unlock the Antler, Iron, and Bronze Pickaxe

How to unlock the Antler Pickaxe, Bronze Pickaxe, and Iron Pickaxe

A Valheim screenshot of a player with an Antler Pickaxe standing atop a Copper boulder.
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Guide by Ollie Toms Guides Editor
Updated on

Looking to craft a pickaxe in Valheim? Pickaxes are the only weapon type that can be used to mine ores in Valheim. Using a pickaxe is standard in many survival games but crafting one is a feat that may end up being quite the head-scratcher for a lot of new players. With this quick Valheim Pickaxe guide, you'll learn not only how to craft the starting Antler Pickaxe, but also how to unlock the more effective Bronze Pickaxe and Iron Pickaxe.

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Valheim Pickaxe: how to make the Antler Pickaxe

To make your first Pickaxe in Valheim, you'll need to obtain a Hard Antler to craft an Antler Pickaxe. The only way you can obtain a Hard Antler in Valheim is by defeating the first boss, Eikthyr.

This giant deer is a formidable foe, so you'll want to spend some time gathering the best possible starting gear, weaponry, and food, before attempting to defeat it. But once it's dead, it'll drop three Hard Antlers that you can use to craft the Antler Pickaxe at a Workbench.

How to unlock the Bronze Pickaxe

Here's how to unlock the Bronze Pickaxe:

  • 3x Core Wood: chop down Pine Trees in the Black Forest
  • 10x Bronze: mine Copper and Tin to make Bronze

The Bronze Pickaxe doesn't mine anything new compared with the Antler Pickaxe, but it has greater durability and mines everything faster. The only downside is that it requires a Forge to repair, rather than just a Workbench.

How to unlock the Iron Pickaxe:

Here's how to unlock the Iron Pickaxe:

Like the jump from a Stone Axe to a Flint Axe, the Iron Pickaxe mines everything faster and has greater durability than previous Pickaxes. But it also is the only Pickaxe that can mine more late-game resources like Obsidian and Silver.

A Valheim screenshot of an extensive settlement with multiple houses, walls, and farms, seen from an aerial perspective.

How to use the Pickaxe in Valheim

So why is the Pickaxe so useful a tool in Valheim? Well, it's the only thing that allows you to mine the various naturally-occurring ores found across the map, including Copper, Tin, and Iron. Without access to these materials you can only progress so far in Valheim.

But you can also use the Pickaxe to break down those pesky rocks and pebbles encroaching on the otherwise flat terrain around your base. And what's more, you can use the Pickaxe to dig out chunks of ground, which is useful for levelling stubborn and hilly areas of terrain, or for digging inside stone circle areas to find the treasure buried beneath!

Incidentally, digging the land around a gigantic Copper boulder is an excellent and efficient method of mining Copper. Learn more with our Valheim Copper guide!

And that's all we have on the topic of the Valheim Pickaxe tool. Now why not supplement your knowledge by reading our Valheim building guide so you can build a truly amazing home for your character? Or if you're just getting started in the world of Valheim, read up on the basics with our beginner tips and tricks guide.

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