How do you unlock the bronze axe for faster wood gathering?

To unlock the bronze axe in Valheim, you must progress through the game''s crafting system, which requires gathering specific resources and defeating the first boss, Eikthyr. The bronze axe is a significant upgrade from the stone axe, allowing you to chop down trees much faster and gather wood more efficiently. This guide will walk you through the steps to unlock and craft the bronze axe, including the necessary materials, crafting stations, and biome exploration.\n\nFirst, you need to defeat Eikthyr, the first boss in Valheim. Eikthyr is found in the Meadows biome and is summoned by placing two deer trophies on its altar. Deer trophies are obtained by hunting deer, which roam the Meadows. Once Eikthyr is defeated, it drops hard antlers, a key resource for crafting the antler pickaxe. The antler pickaxe is essential for mining copper and tin, the primary materials needed for bronze.\n\nAfter obtaining the antler pickaxe, head to the Black Forest biome. This biome is rich in copper and tin deposits, which are required to craft bronze. Copper nodes are large, rocky outcroppings that require the antler pickaxe to mine. Tin, on the other hand, is found near water sources in the Black Forest and appears as small, shiny rocks. Gather as much copper and tin as possible, as you will need both to create bronze at the forge.\n\nTo smelt copper and tin into bronze, you must first build a smelter. The smelter requires 20 stone and 5 surtling cores. Surtling cores are found in burial chambers within the Black Forest or by defeating surtlings in the Ashlands biome. Once the smelter is built, place copper and tin ore inside to smelt them into bars. Combine two copper bars and one tin bar at the forge to create bronze.\n\nNext, you need to build a forge if you haven''t already. The forge requires 4 stone, 4 coal, 10 wood, and 6 copper. Coal can be obtained by burning wood in a charcoal kiln or by defeating surtlings. Once the forge is built, you can craft the bronze axe. The bronze axe requires 4 wood, 8 bronze, and 2 leather scraps. Leather scraps are obtained by hunting boars in the Meadows biome.\n\nWith the bronze axe crafted, you can now chop down trees much faster than with the stone axe. This is especially useful for gathering large amounts of wood for building or crafting. The bronze axe also allows you to chop down birch and oak trees, which cannot be felled with the stone axe. These trees yield fine wood, a valuable resource for advanced crafting.\n\nA common challenge players face is locating enough tin in the Black Forest. Tin is less abundant than copper, so it''s important to explore thoroughly along rivers and coastlines. If you''re struggling to find tin, consider building a karve (a small boat) to explore nearby islands, as tin often spawns near water.\n\nIn summary, unlocking the bronze axe requires defeating Eikthyr, mining copper and tin in the Black Forest, building a smelter and forge, and crafting the axe. This process not only improves your wood-gathering efficiency but also prepares you for more advanced crafting and exploration. Always keep an eye out for surtling cores and leather scraps, as these are essential for building the necessary crafting stations and tools.\n\nPractical tips: Always carry a portal with you when exploring the Black Forest to quickly return to your base with resources. Mark copper and tin locations on your map to save time during future mining trips. Finally, consider building a small outpost near a Black Forest biome to streamline resource gathering and smelting.