• Guide

How to beat Eikthyr - Valheim

Learn how to summon and beat the first boss in Valheim, the stag Eikthyr.

Sam Chandler

February 7, 2021 8:30 PM

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Eikthyr is the first boss players will be fighting in Valheim. Even though this stag has some lightning attacks, and moves decently fast, it’s not too difficult to defeat. The main hurdle will be summoning Eikthyr at the altar with the right materials!

Where to find Eikthyr

Before you can even summon or fight Eikthyr, you will need to know where to find it. To locate Eikthyr, go to the Sacrificial Stones where you first spawned. There will be something called a vegvisir stone by the Eikthyr trophy stone. Touch the vegvisir rune to have the Eikthyr marker added to your map.

How to summon Eikthyr

Each boss in Valheim requires a sacrifice to be made in order to summon it. The altar, plinth, or statue where a boss is summoned will always provide a clue as to what must be offered.

For the first boss fight, players must sacrifice two deer trophies to summon Eikthyr. Deer trophies are dropped by the various deer that live in the meadows and forests. A deer with stars is stronger and has a higher chance of dropping a trophy.

When you have the two deer trophies, put them in your quick-bar and approach the stone altar. Press the corresponding number to offer up both trophies. After a short animation, Eikthyr will be summoned and the boss fight will commence!

How to beat Eikthyr

Given that it is the first boss fight, Eikthyr isn’t too challenging. However, it’s important not to get complacent as it can still one- or two-shot most players.

For this fight, players can use whatever weapons they’re most comfortable using. Bow and arrows are useful to deal damage from afar without getting hit by its attacks. Personally, I’ve been using the spear for its quick jabs and its throw attack. Even something like the early-game wooden weapons aren’t too shabby, but it’s probably worth at least going for flint gear.

Eikthyr has a few lightning-based attacks. These are easy to dodge thanks to the stag’s rather big telegraphs. It can shoot out lightning in a forward-facing attack and also slam the ground with an area-of-effect lightning attack. Eikthyr also has a standard lunging attack and some swipes. All of these can be avoided by rolling or blocking with a shield.

Once defeated, Eikthyr will drop the Eikthyr trophy and the Hard antler (used in making a pickaxe). Placing the Eikthyr trophy on the Sacrificial Stones at the first spawn point will reward an ability called Eikthyr. Pressing the F key activates this and reduces running and jumping stamina consumption by 60%. This is extremely useful during boss fights or when running across large distances.

With Eikthyr defeated, the next boss you will want to fight is The Elder. This second boss fight is a bit more challenging, so you will want to be fully prepared. Good thing you’ve now got access to the Antler pickaxe so you can start mining copper! Stop by the Shacknews Valheim guide for more boss fight guides.

Sam Chandler

Guides Editor

Hailing from the land down under, Sam Chandler brings a bit of the southern hemisphere flair to his work. After bouncing round a few universities, securing a bachelor degree, and entering the video game industry, he's found his new family here at Shacknews as a Guides Editor. There's nothing he loves more than crafting a guide that will help someone. If you need help with a guide, or notice something not quite right, you can message him on X: @SamuelChandler