What materials are needed to craft the forge anvil?

Crafting the forge anvil in Valheim is a crucial step for upgrading your gear and progressing through the game. The forge anvil is a required component for upgrading your forge, which in turn allows you to craft and improve higher-tier weapons, tools, and armor. To craft the forge anvil, you will need specific materials and access to certain biomes and resources. This guide will walk you through the process step-by-step, including how to gather the necessary materials and overcome common challenges.\n\nFirst, you need to unlock the forge anvil recipe. This is done by acquiring iron, which is found in the Swamp biome. To mine iron, you must first locate Muddy Scrap Piles in the Swamp. These piles are buried underground and can only be revealed by using a Wishbone, which is obtained by defeating Bonemass, the third boss in Valheim. Once you have the Wishbone, equip it and explore the Swamp biome. The Wishbone will emit a green pulse and make a sound when you are near a Muddy Scrap Pile. Use a pickaxe to mine the pile and collect scrap iron.\n\nAfter collecting scrap iron, you need to smelt it into iron bars. To do this, you must have a smelter, which is crafted using 20 stone and 5 surtling cores. Surtling cores are found in Burial Chambers in the Black Forest biome or by defeating Surtlings in the Ashlands biome. Once you have a smelter, place it near a source of coal, such as a charcoal kiln or a campfire, and load it with scrap iron and coal. Each scrap iron will yield one iron bar after smelting.\n\nWith iron bars in hand, you can now craft the forge anvil. The recipe requires 5 iron bars and 2 wood. Wood is easily obtained by chopping down trees in any biome, but iron bars require more effort, as described above. Once you have the materials, open your crafting menu at a forge and select the forge anvil. Place it near your forge to unlock additional crafting and upgrade options.\n\nOne common challenge players face is locating Muddy Scrap Piles in the Swamp biome. The Swamp is a dangerous area filled with hostile creatures like Draugr, Leeches, and Blobs. To survive, ensure you have adequate armor, weapons, and healing items. Poison resistance mead is highly recommended, as many Swamp enemies deal poison damage. Additionally, bring a portal with you to quickly return to your base if needed. This will save time and resources if you die or need to restock supplies.\n\nAnother challenge is the time-consuming process of smelting iron. To speed this up, consider building multiple smelters. This allows you to process more scrap iron at once, reducing the overall time required. Additionally, ensure you have a steady supply of coal. You can produce coal by burning wood in a charcoal kiln or by collecting it from Surtling spawners in the Ashlands biome.\n\nIn summary, crafting the forge anvil requires 5 iron bars and 2 wood. To obtain iron bars, you must venture into the Swamp biome, locate Muddy Scrap Piles using the Wishbone, and smelt the scrap iron in a smelter. Prepare for the Swamp by equipping poison resistance mead and bringing a portal for safety. Once you have the forge anvil, place it near your forge to unlock advanced crafting and upgrade options. This will significantly enhance your ability to progress in Valheim and tackle tougher challenges.\n\nPractical tips for success include building multiple smelters to speed up iron production, using portals to minimize travel time, and always being prepared for the dangers of the Swamp biome. With these strategies, you can efficiently craft the forge anvil and continue your journey as a Viking warrior.