Can I use portals to avoid long sailing trips in Valheim?

Portals are one of the most powerful tools in Valheim for fast travel, allowing you to avoid long and often dangerous sailing trips. To use portals effectively, you must first craft them using resources found in the game. Portals require 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, while Surtling Cores are found in Burial Chambers or dropped by Surtlings in the Ashlands. Greydwarf Eyes are dropped by Greydwarfs, common enemies in the Black Forest.\n\nOnce you have the required materials, you can craft a portal at a Workbench. Portals must be built in pairs, meaning you need to place two portals and link them with a unique tag. To link portals, interact with one portal and assign it a name (e.g., ''Home''). Then, interact with the second portal and assign it the same name. Once linked, stepping into one portal will instantly transport you to the other. This mechanic is invaluable for avoiding long voyages, especially when exploring distant biomes like the Swamp, Mountains, or Plains.\n\nHowever, there are limitations to portal usage. You cannot transport certain items through portals, including metals like Copper, Tin, Iron, Silver, and Black Metal. This restriction is intentional to encourage exploration and sailing. To work around this, you can establish a base near resource-rich areas, smelt metals locally, and transport the finished products (e.g., weapons, tools, or building materials) through portals. For example, if you find a large Copper deposit in the Black Forest, set up a temporary base with a Smelter and Forge to process the ore before transporting the ingots back to your main base.\n\nPortals are also essential for managing inventory space during long expeditions. If you''re exploring a new biome and your inventory fills up, you can quickly portal back to your base to unload items and return to your exploration point. This is particularly useful in the Mountains biome, where Silver deposits are heavy and require frequent trips to transport ore. By placing a portal near your mining site, you can efficiently gather resources without wasting time on long treks.\n\nFor new players, it''s important to plan your portal network strategically. Start by placing a portal at your main base and carry portal materials with you when exploring. This way, you can set up a temporary portal in a new location and link it back to your base. Experienced players can expand their portal network by creating hub systems, where multiple portals are placed in a central location for easy access to different biomes or outposts.\n\nIn summary, portals are a game-changing mechanic in Valheim that can save you hours of sailing and exploration time. By crafting and linking portals, you can quickly travel between distant locations, manage inventory efficiently, and streamline resource gathering. While you can''t transport raw metals through portals, you can work around this limitation by processing materials on-site. With careful planning, portals can make your Viking adventures faster, safer, and more enjoyable.