The Deep North is the next destination after the Ashlands in Valheim’s progression, bringing new enemies, dungeons, equipment, and a different approach to crafting. Reaching it means traveling toward the far northern edge of your world—but arriving with a boat and a weapon is only the beginning. Establishing a reliable foothold requires preparation for both combat and the biome’s new production systems.
This guide explains how to find the Deep North, what to bring, and which objectives to prioritize during your first expedition.
Where Is the Deep North in Valheim?
The Deep North occupies the northern end of Valheim’s world map. Your exact sailing route depends on your world, but the overall direction does not: travel north and look for the snow-covered region beyond the intervening islands and ocean.
You do not need a special key simply to cross into the biome. However, being able to enter the Deep North is different from being ready to progress through it. Its equipment progression connects to materials obtained after defeating Fader, the Ashlands boss.
For your first expedition, treat the voyage as a scouting and supply mission. Find a manageable landing area, establish a return route, and identify nearby resources before committing to a long inland push.
Can You Find the Deep North in an Existing World?
You can continue using an existing world after updating to Valheim 1.0. However, Iron Gate states that new content generates properly in areas you have not previously explored. A northern region already generated in an older version may therefore lack the intended new content.
Before sailing, check how much of the north you explored before the update. An untouched northern area is the better destination for an existing save. Starting a new world is another option, but it is not mandatory.
Back up your save before updating or changing a modded setup. Iron Gate also cautions that mods are not guaranteed to remain compatible with the release.
What Should You Bring to the Deep North?
Our recommended first-expedition loadout prioritizes survival and recovery over carrying every crafting material at once.
| Preparation | Recommended approach |
|---|---|
| Combat equipment | Bring your strongest upgraded loadout and a weapon type you already handle confidently. |
| Food | Pack enough meals for the expedition, unexpected delays, and a recovery attempt. |
| Recovery supplies | Carry healing and stamina supplies appropriate to your build. Keep replacements at home. |
| Cold protection | Include a source of frost resistance; Frost Resistance Mead provides protection against cold. |
| Building supplies | Reserve space for a basic shelter, storage, workbench, and return-route infrastructure. |
| Backup equipment | Leave a second usable combat set and spare supplies at your main base. |
Frost Resistance Mead is an established cold-protection option, but do not treat it as a substitute for managing terrain, positioning, and retreat routes.
For combat, avoid relying entirely on one damage type. Barka, for example, resist several physical and elemental damage types but are vulnerable to fire. A weapon that performs well against one northern enemy may be a poor choice against another.
Craft a Grappling Hook Before the Expedition
The Grappling Hook is one of the most useful tools to prepare before going north. Its recipe uses materials from earlier progression:
Grappling Hook: 10 Yggdrasil Wood, 10 Refined Eitr, 4 Mandibles, and 1 Hook, crafted at a Black Forge.
The unusual ingredient is the Hook, which comes from Dvergr treasure chests in the Mistlands. Check those locations before setting out rather than expecting every ingredient to come from the Deep North.
The tool becomes particularly relevant when approaching the towering structures associated with Mörkhalla. Plan to use it for traversal rather than treating it as optional inventory clutter.
Why You Should Defeat Fader First
Fader’s importance is not simply that the Ashlands prepare you for tougher combat. The Fader Relic is used to build the Eternal Pyre, a structure requiring 10 Stone and one relic near a Stonecutter.
That structure supplies Embers, which feed into the Deep North’s metal-gathering process. Embers and Seal Pelts are used to make Ember Charges; those explosives allow you to break apart petrified Gammeltroll remains and collect Petrified Tissue. Smelting the tissue produces Bloodgold.
In other words, sailing north before finishing the Ashlands can leave you able to explore but unable to establish the production chain needed for new equipment.
Your First Priorities After Landing
Establish a Small, Recoverable Base
Choose a location that gives you room to retreat and store supplies. Avoid making your first building project an enormous permanent fortress.
The update introduces deep snow that must be cleared for building, alongside hazardous frozen bodies of water. Keep your initial construction manageable and do not assume every frozen surface is a safe shortcut.
Gather Seal Materials and Start Bloodgold Production
Seals provide Seal Pelts and Seal Blubber. Pelts are especially valuable early because they are used in Ember Charges as well as later equipment.
At a Workbench, 2 Seal Pelts and 1 Ember produce 10 Ember Charges. Once you have charges, pursue the Gammeltroll-to-Petrified-Tissue route and process the resulting material in a Blast Furnace.
Explore Winding Tunnels Before Rushing Deeper
Winding Tunnels are an early dungeon objective for acquiring moulds and progressing toward the new crafting system. They also connect to obtaining the mould used for an Intricate Key, which opens further progression in Mörkhalla.
Bring your first useful finds home rather than risking them on an unnecessary second dungeon.
Build the New Processing Stations
You will need both the Frigid Kiln and Frost Foundry:
| Station | Building materials |
|---|---|
| Frigid Kiln | 20 Stone, 10 Frostcores, 5 Ice |
| Frost Foundry | 20 Stone, 10 Frostcores, 15 Iron |
Together, these buildings require 20 Frostcores. Reserve those cores for production before spending time on a larger base.
The kiln produces Liquid Frost from Ice, while the foundry hardens casts into usable equipment. Having Bloodgold alone is not enough to finish your first Nord weapon.
The Best Goal for Your First Deep North Trip
Aim to return with a secure route, useful moulds, and a functioning plan for Bloodgold and frost processing.
A successful first trip does not need to end with a boss kill. Returning safely with the materials that unlock your next equipment tier is a better foundation than losing your best loadout while pushing into content you are not yet prepared to clear.
