How do I craft a portal to pair with my Karve exploration?

Crafting a portal to pair with your Karve exploration in Valheim is a game-changing strategy that allows you to quickly travel between distant locations and your base. Portals are essential for efficient exploration, especially when sailing the Karve, as they let you return home instantly without losing progress. To craft a portal, you need to unlock the recipe, gather the required materials, and set up a pair of portals with matching tags.\n\nFirst, you must unlock the portal recipe by obtaining Surtling Cores. These are found in Burial Chambers within the Black Forest biome or by defeating Surtlings in the Ashlands biome. You need at least 10 Surtling Cores to unlock the portal recipe, as they are also used to craft the Charcoal Kiln and Smelter. Once you have the cores, the portal recipe will become available in the Hammer''s crafting menu under the Misc tab.\n\nTo craft a portal, you need the following materials: 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 using a Bronze Axe or better. Greydwarf Eyes drop from Greydwarfs, which are common enemies in the Black Forest. Once you have the materials, place the portal at your base or a safe location using the Hammer.\n\nTo pair portals, you must assign them matching tags. When placing a portal, you will see a text box where you can input a name. Both portals must have the exact same tag to connect. For example, if you name one portal ''Exploration,'' the other portal must also be named ''Exploration.'' This allows you to travel instantly between the two locations. Be careful with spelling and capitalization, as the tags are case-sensitive.\n\nWhen exploring with the Karve, place a portal at your base and carry the materials for a second portal in your inventory. As you sail to new biomes or islands, find a safe spot to set up the second portal. This ensures you can return home quickly to repair your Karve, restock supplies, or drop off valuable resources. If you die while exploring, you can use the portal to retrieve your items without having to sail back.\n\nOne common challenge is running out of materials while exploring. To avoid this, always carry extra Fine Wood, Surtling Cores, and Greydwarf Eyes when sailing. Additionally, consider building a small outpost near your portal with a workbench and chest to store backup materials. This ensures you can repair or rebuild your portal if it gets destroyed by enemies or environmental hazards.\n\nPortals also have limitations. You cannot transport metals like Copper, Tin, or Iron through portals, so you will still need to sail back to your base with these resources. Plan your exploration routes accordingly, and use the Karve to transport metals while relying on portals for everything else. This balance between sailing and portal travel is key to efficient exploration.\n\nIn summary, crafting and pairing portals with your Karve exploration in Valheim requires Surtling Cores, Fine Wood, and Greydwarf Eyes. Unlock the recipe, gather materials, and set up matching portals at your base and exploration sites. Use portals to save time, retrieve lost items, and manage resources effectively. By combining sailing and portal travel, you can explore Valheim''s vast world with confidence and efficiency.