Building a Smelter is the first step to truly progressing in Valheim but the recipe for one isn’t found without acquiring a specific resource.

Page Updated September 29, 2022, 11:27 |First Published February 10, 2021, 09:06

Smelting is one of the first things many players in Valheim want to do but there’s no guideline for what to do in order to receive the recipe to build a Smelter. 

A Smelter is essentially a furnace that allows players to make items past the stone, flint and wood tools of the early game. The ability to create higher tier tools and weapons is certainly attractive but requires some advanced materials. 

In order to find these materials, players need to venture past the Meadows biome and into the Black Forest, where more danger awaits. However, this danger is accompanied by even more resources. 

How to build a Smelter in Valheim 

Your first step in acquiring a Smelter is venturing into the Black Forest. This biome directly borders the beginning Meadows biome. When you first enter, you’ll receive a message saying you’ve arrived. 

A Smelter is needed to create high tier armour and weapons. (Picture: Iron Gate)

Once in the Black Forest, you’re going to search for any abandoned tombs or dungeons that are guarded by skeletons.

When you stumble across a dungeon, defeat the skeletons and pillage the area for Surtling Cores. This will then unlock the recipe for a Smelter. 

After you have the recipe, you’ll need to find at least 5 Surtling Cores for the Smelter. This, in addition to 20 Stone, will be enough to build the furnace.

You can craft it at your Workbench and place it outside of your base. However, you’ll need Coal to power it, which can be produced from a Kiln, which is also unlocked upon looting a Surtling Core. 

Surtling Cores are an essential resource in Valheim. (Picture: Iron Gate)

The Kiln produces Coal in exchange for Wood. Placing this by your Smelter is an efficient method of ensuring you can always smelt items when needed. You also need 20 Stone and 5 Surtling Cores to craft the Kiln.

Once you have the Smelter, you can begin to craft metal bars from ore to make powerful tools and weapons.

Something like the Bronze axe is now accessible to you (provided you’ve beaten the first boss, Eikthyr), which can get you access to Fine Wood. 

Written by Joseph Carr

Joey Carr is a full-time writer for multiple esports and gaming websites. He has 6+ years of experience covering esports and traditional sporting events, including DreamHack Atlanta, Call of Duty Championships 2017, and Super Bowl 53.

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