What’s the best strategy to avoid wasting time on unnecessary boss fights?

Speedrunning Valheim requires efficient strategies to avoid unnecessary boss fights, which can save significant time. The key is to focus on essential progression while skipping optional content. Boss fights are tied to biome progression, so understanding which bosses are necessary and which can be skipped is crucial. For example, defeating Eikthyr (the first boss) is mandatory to unlock the antler pickaxe, which is required for mining tin and copper in the Black Forest. However, bosses like Moder (the fourth boss) can be skipped if you don''t need their drops for crafting or progression.\n\nTo avoid unnecessary boss fights, prioritize gathering resources and crafting gear that allows you to progress without relying on boss drops. For instance, instead of fighting The Elder (the second boss) to obtain the swamp key, you can use a chair glitch to bypass the crypt doors in the Swamp biome. This glitch involves placing a chair near the crypt door, sitting on it, and standing up inside the crypt. This method saves time and avoids the need to fight The Elder, which is especially useful for speedrunners.\n\nAnother strategy is to focus on biome-specific resources rather than boss drops. For example, in the Mountains biome, you can mine silver without defeating Moder by using the stagbreaker or iron sledgehammer to detect silver veins underground. This method involves hitting the ground and listening for a ''too hard'' message, which indicates the presence of silver. This allows you to craft wolf armor and frost-resistant gear without engaging in the Moder fight.\n\nFor new players, it''s important to understand the game''s progression mechanics. Each biome introduces new challenges and resources, but not all bosses are required to advance. For example, defeating Bonemass (the third boss) is necessary to obtain wishbones, which are used to locate silver in the Mountains biome. However, if you''re speedrunning, you can skip Bonemass by using alternative methods to find silver, such as the stagbreaker technique mentioned earlier.\n\nExperienced Vikings can further optimize their runs by planning routes and gathering resources efficiently. For example, in the Plains biome, you can farm black metal and flax without defeating Yagluth (the fifth boss) by raiding Fuling villages. This allows you to craft endgame gear like padded armor and black metal weapons without engaging in the Yagluth fight. Additionally, using portals strategically can save time by reducing travel between biomes.\n\nPractical tips for avoiding unnecessary boss fights include using glitches and exploits, focusing on biome-specific resources, and planning efficient routes. For example, the chair glitch in the Swamp biome and the stagbreaker method in the Mountains biome are both effective ways to bypass boss fights. Additionally, using portals to connect key locations can save time and reduce the need for backtracking. By prioritizing essential progression and skipping optional content, you can optimize your speedrun and avoid wasting time on unnecessary boss fights.