What are the best ways to heat your shelter in cold biomes?

Heating your shelter in cold biomes like the Mountains or Deep North is essential for survival in Valheim. Cold biomes inflict the Freezing debuff, which reduces health regeneration and stamina recovery, making it harder to explore or fight. To counter this, you must create a heat source inside your shelter. The most effective way to do this is by building a Campfire or a Hearth, both of which provide warmth and prevent the Freezing effect.\n\nTo start, you’ll need to craft a Campfire, which requires 5 Stone and 2 Wood. Place the Campfire inside your shelter, but ensure there’s enough space above it for smoke to escape. If the smoke builds up, it will cause the player to take damage. To avoid this, build a chimney by leaving a hole in the roof or using angled roof pieces to direct smoke outside. This setup is ideal for small shelters and early-game survival in cold biomes.\n\nFor larger shelters or more permanent bases, consider upgrading to a Hearth. The Hearth is a more advanced heat source that requires 15 Stone and 4 Wood. It provides a larger radius of warmth compared to a Campfire, making it suitable for bigger structures. However, the Hearth requires a Stonecutter to build, which means you’ll need to unlock and craft this tool first. The Stonecutter requires 10 Wood and 2 Iron, so you’ll need to venture into the Swamp biome to gather Iron Scraps from Sunken Crypts.\n\nAnother option for heating is the Bonfire, which requires 5 Core Wood and 5 Resin. The Bonfire provides a significant amount of heat and light but is best used outdoors or in open structures due to its large size and smoke output. It’s a great choice for warming up quickly before heading out into the cold or for creating a cozy outdoor gathering spot.\n\nIf you’re exploring the Mountains biome, you can also use Frost Resistance Mead to temporarily negate the Freezing effect. This mead requires 10 Honey, 5 Thistle, 2 Bloodbags, and 1 Greydwarf Eye to craft. While it doesn’t heat your shelter, it allows you to explore without worrying about the cold for 10 minutes. This is especially useful when gathering resources like Silver or fighting enemies in the Mountains.\n\nOne common challenge players face is running out of fuel for their heat sources. Campfires, Hearths, and Bonfires all require Wood to stay active. To avoid this, always keep a stockpile of Wood in your shelter. You can also plant Beech Trees near your base for a renewable source of Wood. Additionally, consider building multiple heat sources in larger shelters to ensure full coverage and redundancy.\n\nIn summary, heating your shelter in cold biomes requires careful planning and resource management. Start with a Campfire for small shelters, upgrade to a Hearth for larger bases, and use Frost Resistance Mead for exploration. Always ensure proper ventilation for smoke and keep a steady supply of fuel. By following these steps, you’ll stay warm and thrive in even the coldest Valheim biomes.