What’s the best way to upgrade a base to include a dedicated taming pen?

Upgrading your base in Valheim to include a dedicated taming pen is a great way to manage and breed animals like boars, wolves, and lox. Taming animals provides valuable resources such as leather scraps, raw meat, and even companionship for combat. To create an effective taming pen, you’ll need to understand the game mechanics, gather the right materials, and design a secure enclosure.\n\nFirst, choose a suitable location for your taming pen. Ideally, this should be near your main base but not too close to avoid disturbances from raids or enemy spawns. Meadows or Black Forest biomes are excellent choices for beginners due to their relative safety. For advanced players, taming wolves in the Mountains or lox in the Plains requires careful planning due to the hostile environment. Ensure the area is flat or terraform it using a hoe to create a level surface.\n\nNext, gather the necessary materials to build the pen. Core wood is essential for crafting sturdy fences, while regular wood can be used for gates and smaller structures. You’ll also need a workbench nearby to construct and repair the pen. For taming boars, you’ll need carrots or mushrooms as bait. Wolves require raw meat, and lox need cloudberries or barley. Stockpile these items before starting the taming process.\n\nConstruct the pen using stakewalls or wood walls to create a secure enclosure. The size of the pen depends on the number of animals you plan to tame. For boars, a 10x10 meter area is sufficient, while wolves and lox require larger spaces. Leave one section open for a gate to allow entry and exit. Once the pen is built, place the bait inside to attract the animals. Boars will eat carrots or mushrooms dropped on the ground, while wolves and lox will consume raw meat or berries.\n\nOne common challenge is keeping the animals calm during the taming process. If they are frightened or attacked, the taming progress will reset. To avoid this, ensure the pen is secure and free from nearby enemies. You can also build a roof or cover the pen with thatch to prevent birds from scaring the animals. For wolves and lox, consider building a raised platform or using terrain features to keep them safe from other creatures.\n\nOnce the animals are inside the pen, monitor their taming progress. A yellow heart icon above their heads indicates they are being tamed. This process takes time, so be patient. Boars take about 30 minutes, wolves about 45 minutes, and lox about an hour. During this time, avoid approaching the animals too closely, as this can scare them and reset the taming progress.\n\nAfter the animals are tamed, you can breed them by keeping two of the same species in the pen and providing food. Boars breed with carrots or mushrooms, wolves with raw meat, and lox with cloudberries or barley. Breeding increases your animal population, providing a steady supply of resources.\n\nFinally, consider upgrading your taming pen with additional features. Add a feeding trough to automate food distribution or build a separate enclosure for newborns. For advanced players, incorporating stone walls or iron gates can provide extra security against raids. You can also connect the pen to your main base with pathways or bridges for easy access.\n\nIn summary, upgrading your base to include a dedicated taming pen requires careful planning, the right materials, and patience. Choose a safe location, build a secure enclosure, and provide the appropriate bait for the animals you want to tame. Monitor their progress and protect them from threats to ensure successful taming. With these steps, you’ll have a thriving animal farm in no time.