What is the best tool for farming stone in Valheim?

In Valheim, the best tool for farming stone is the Iron Pickaxe. This tool is essential for efficiently gathering stone, which is a critical resource for building structures, crafting, and upgrading your base. The Iron Pickaxe outperforms earlier tools like the Antler Pickaxe or Bronze Pickaxe, as it has higher durability and mining speed, making it ideal for large-scale stone farming.\n\nTo craft the Iron Pickaxe, you must first progress to the Iron Age. This requires defeating the second boss, The Elder, to obtain the Swamp Key, which grants access to Sunken Crypts in the Swamp biome. Inside these crypts, you will find Muddy Scrap Piles, which yield Scrap Iron when mined. Smelt the Scrap Iron in a Smelter to create Iron Bars, which are used to craft the Iron Pickaxe at a Forge.\n\nOnce you have the Iron Pickaxe, head to the Black Forest or Mountains biome, as these areas are rich in stone deposits. In the Black Forest, you can find large boulders and rock formations, while the Mountains biome offers exposed stone cliffs and boulders. The Iron Pickaxe allows you to break these deposits quickly, yielding a significant amount of stone per node. For maximum efficiency, focus on mining larger boulders, as they provide more stone compared to smaller rocks.\n\nA common challenge when farming stone is managing inventory space. Stone is heavy, and carrying too much can slow you down. To address this, consider building a Cart to transport large quantities of stone back to your base. Alternatively, you can set up a temporary workbench and stonecutter near your mining site to process stone into building materials like stone walls or floors, reducing the weight you need to carry.\n\nAnother tip is to use the Stagbreaker, a two-handed hammer, to locate stone deposits underground. By swinging the Stagbreaker near the ground, you can detect hidden stone nodes through the ''Too Hard'' message, which indicates a resource is nearby. This technique is particularly useful in the Mountains biome, where stone deposits are often buried under snow.\n\nFor experienced players, consider using the Wishbone, obtained by defeating Bonemass, the third boss. The Wishbone emits a pulsing effect when near buried treasure or resources, including large stone deposits. This tool can significantly speed up your stone farming by pinpointing hidden nodes.\n\nIn summary, the Iron Pickaxe is the best tool for farming stone in Valheim due to its durability and efficiency. Progress to the Iron Age, mine Scrap Iron in Sunken Crypts, and craft the pickaxe at a Forge. Focus on mining in the Black Forest or Mountains biome, and use tools like the Cart, Stagbreaker, or Wishbone to optimize your stone-gathering efforts. With these strategies, you''ll have plenty of stone for all your building and crafting needs.