How do I use portals to avoid long treks through dangerous biomes?

Portals in Valheim are one of the most efficient tools for fast travel, allowing players to avoid long and dangerous treks through hostile biomes like the Swamp, Mountains, or Plains. To use portals effectively, you must first unlock the crafting recipe by defeating the first boss, Eikthyr, and obtaining Hard Antlers. These are used to craft the Antler Pickaxe, which allows you to mine Tin and Copper in the Black Forest biome. Once you have these materials, you can craft a Forge and smelt Bronze, which is required to craft the Portal.\n\nTo build a portal, you will need 20 Fine Wood, 2 Surtling Cores, and 10 Greydwarf Eyes. Fine Wood is obtained by chopping down Birch or Oak trees in the Meadows or Black Forest biomes. Surtling Cores are found in Burial Chambers in the Black Forest or dropped by Surtlings in the Ashlands biome. Greydwarf Eyes are dropped by Greydwarfs, common enemies in the Black Forest. Once you have the materials, craft the Portal at a Workbench and place it in a safe location.\n\nPortals require a pair to function. Each portal must be assigned a unique tag, which acts as its identifier. For example, if you name one portal ''Home'' and another ''Swamp,'' you can travel instantly between them. To rename a portal, interact with it and enter the desired tag. Ensure both portals have the same tag to establish a connection. This system allows you to create a network of portals across different biomes, making exploration and resource gathering much safer and more efficient.\n\nA common challenge is transporting metal ores like Iron, Silver, or Black Metal, as these cannot be carried through portals. To overcome this, consider setting up a secondary base near resource-rich areas. For example, if you are mining Iron in the Swamp, build a small outpost with a Forge and Smelter to process the ore into bars, which can then be transported through portals. This strategy minimizes the risk of losing valuable resources to biome-specific dangers like Draugr or Leeches.\n\nAnother practical tip is to always carry portal materials with you when exploring. This allows you to set up a temporary portal in case of emergencies, such as being overrun by enemies or running out of food. Keep a stack of Fine Wood, Surtling Cores, and Greydwarf Eyes in your inventory, along with a Workbench, to quickly establish a connection back to your main base. This is especially useful in high-risk biomes like the Mountains, where Frost Caves and Wolves pose significant threats.\n\nFor experienced players, optimizing portal placement can save time and resources. Place portals near key locations such as boss altars, trader camps, or resource nodes. For example, if you are preparing to fight Bonemass in the Swamp, set up a portal near the boss altar to avoid repeated treks through dangerous terrain. Similarly, placing a portal near Haldor, the merchant, ensures easy access to rare items like the Megingjord or Ymir Flesh.\n\nIn summary, portals are an essential tool for navigating Valheim''s vast and dangerous world. By understanding the crafting requirements, setting up paired portals, and strategically placing them near key locations, you can significantly reduce travel time and avoid unnecessary risks. Always carry portal materials for emergencies, and consider building secondary bases to process metal ores. With these strategies, you can explore Valheim''s biomes with confidence and efficiency.