How do you unlock and use the blast furnace for advanced cooking tools?

The blast furnace is a crucial advanced crafting station in Valheim, used to process black metal and other high-tier materials. To unlock and use the blast furnace, you must first progress through the game''s tech tree, defeat specific bosses, and gather rare resources. This guide will walk you through the process step-by-step, including how to overcome common challenges.\n\nTo unlock the blast furnace, you must first defeat Moder, the fourth boss located in the Mountain biome. Moder drops Dragon Tears, a key ingredient required to craft the Artisan Table, which is necessary for building the blast furnace. Before facing Moder, ensure you have Frost Resistance Mead or Wolf Armor to survive the freezing temperatures of the Mountain biome. Moder is a challenging fight, so bring powerful weapons like the Draugr Fang bow and plenty of arrows.\n\nOnce you have Dragon Tears, you can craft the Artisan Table at your base. The Artisan Table requires 10 Wood, 2 Dragon Tears, and a Forge nearby. Place the Artisan Table in a secure location, as it is essential for crafting advanced items like the blast furnace. With the Artisan Table built, you can now craft the blast furnace using 20 Fine Wood, 10 Iron, 5 Surtling Cores, and 5 Chains. Fine Wood can be obtained from Birch and Oak trees in the Meadows or Black Forest, while Iron is mined from Muddy Scrap Piles in the Swamp biome. Surtling Cores are found in Burial Chambers or dropped by Surtlings in the Ashlands, and Chains are obtained from Wraiths in the Swamp or by breaking Suspicious Chests in the Sunken Crypts.\n\nAfter gathering the required materials, place the blast furnace near your Forge and Artisan Table for optimal crafting efficiency. The blast furnace is used to smelt Black Metal Scraps into Black Metal, which is essential for crafting high-tier weapons and armor. Black Metal Scraps are dropped by Fulings in the Plains biome, so prepare for combat by equipping strong gear and bringing healing items. Once you have Black Metal Scraps, load them into the blast furnace along with Coal to begin smelting.\n\nOne common challenge is gathering enough Surtling Cores and Chains, as these resources are rare and require venturing into dangerous biomes. To farm Surtling Cores efficiently, explore Burial Chambers in the Black Forest or create a Surtling farm in the Ashlands by digging trenches around Geysers. For Chains, focus on defeating Wraiths at night in the Swamp or looting Sunken Crypts. Another challenge is surviving the Plains biome, where Fulings are aggressive and deadly. Use ranged weapons like the Huntsman Bow to take them down from a distance, and avoid engaging large groups without proper preparation.\n\nTo maximize the blast furnace''s efficiency, always keep a steady supply of Coal on hand. Coal can be produced by burning Wood in a Charcoal Kiln or by mining it in the Black Forest. Additionally, consider building multiple blast furnaces to speed up the smelting process, especially if you have a large stockpile of Black Metal Scraps. Finally, protect your blast furnace and other crafting stations by building a fortified base with walls, gates, and defensive structures to fend off raids.\n\nIn summary, unlocking and using the blast furnace in Valheim requires defeating Moder, crafting the Artisan Table, and gathering rare resources like Fine Wood, Iron, Surtling Cores, and Chains. Once built, the blast furnace is essential for smelting Black Metal, which is used to craft powerful endgame gear. By following this guide and preparing adequately for the challenges ahead, you can efficiently progress through Valheim''s advanced crafting system and dominate the Plains biome.