What’s the best way to optimize portal placement for speedrunning?

Optimizing portal placement in Valheim is crucial for speedrunning, as it allows you to traverse the map quickly and efficiently. Portals are essential for reducing travel time, especially when moving between biomes or returning to your base for resources. To begin, you need to craft portals using Fine Wood, Greydwarf Eyes, and Surtling Cores. Fine Wood is obtained from birch or oak trees, Greydwarf Eyes drop from Greydwarfs, and Surtling Cores are found in Burial Chambers or dropped by Surtlings in the Ashlands biome.\n\nWhen placing portals, prioritize key locations that align with your speedrunning goals. For example, place portals near biome transitions, such as the edge of the Black Forest or Swamp, to minimize backtracking. Additionally, place portals near boss altars, as defeating bosses is a core objective in speedrunning. Always carry portal materials with you, including a workbench, to set up temporary portals on the fly. This ensures you can quickly return to your base or other critical locations without wasting time.\n\nA common challenge in speedrunning is managing inventory space while carrying portal materials. To solve this, pre-craft portals at your base and leave them unlinked. This way, you only need to carry the materials for one portal when exploring. When you reach a new location, place the portal and link it to your base or another key location. This strategy saves inventory space and ensures you always have a way back.\n\nAnother important consideration is portal naming. Use clear, consistent names for your portals to avoid confusion. For example, name portals after the biome or boss they are near, such as ''Swamp1'' or ''Eikthyr.'' This makes it easier to navigate between portals quickly, especially during high-pressure moments in a speedrun. Additionally, consider placing a portal near your spawn point to ensure you can quickly recover if you die.\n\nIn the early game, focus on securing Surtling Cores to craft multiple portals. Burial Chambers in the Black Forest are a reliable source, but be prepared to fight Skeletons and avoid traps. Once you have enough cores, prioritize setting up portals near resource-rich areas, such as copper and tin deposits in the Black Forest or iron scrap locations in the Swamp. This allows you to gather materials efficiently and return to your base to craft upgrades.\n\nFor advanced speedrunning strategies, consider using the ''portal hub'' method. Create a central hub at your base with multiple portals linked to key locations. This minimizes the need to remember individual portal names and allows you to quickly jump between biomes. Additionally, always carry materials to repair your portals, as they can be damaged by enemies or environmental hazards.\n\nFinally, practice efficient portal placement during your runs. Time yourself when setting up and using portals to identify areas for improvement. Experiment with different portal locations to find the most optimal routes for your speedrunning objectives. By mastering portal placement, you can significantly reduce travel time and improve your overall speedrunning performance in Valheim.