How can I gather stone without damaging my tools too quickly?

Gathering stone efficiently in Valheim without damaging your tools too quickly requires a combination of strategy, biome selection, and tool management. Stone is a critical resource used for crafting, building, and upgrading structures, so optimizing your gathering process is essential for long-term survival and progression.\n\nFirst, understand the game mechanics. Stone can be gathered from rocks, boulders, and stone deposits found in various biomes. The most common tools for gathering stone are the Antler Pickaxe, Bronze Pickaxe, and Iron Pickaxe. Each tool has a durability rating, and using them on harder materials like stone will degrade them faster. To minimize tool damage, focus on gathering stone from smaller rocks and loose stones scattered across the Meadows biome. These require fewer hits to break and are less taxing on your tools compared to larger boulders or stone deposits in harsher biomes like the Black Forest or Mountains.\n\nNext, prioritize loose stones. These are small, gray stones found on the ground in the Meadows and Black Forest biomes. They can be picked up by hand without using any tools, making them an excellent source of stone early in the game. While they yield only one stone each, they are abundant and require no durability loss. This method is particularly useful for new players who haven''t yet crafted durable tools or upgraded their workbench.\n\nFor larger quantities of stone, target boulders and stone deposits. Boulders are large, round rocks found in the Meadows and Black Forest, while stone deposits are jagged, gray formations often found in the Mountains. Use your pickaxe to break these, but be mindful of durability. To maximize efficiency, bring multiple pickaxes or repair your tools at a workbench whenever possible. Repairing tools is free and restores their durability to full, so always carry materials to build a workbench if you''re venturing far from your base.\n\nAnother effective strategy is to use the terrain to your advantage. In the Mountains biome, stone deposits are plentiful, but the environment is harsh and filled with dangerous enemies. To safely gather stone here, ensure you have frost resistance mead or wolf armor to withstand the cold. Additionally, use the terrain to avoid enemies or create barriers with wooden walls while mining. This reduces the risk of interruptions and allows you to focus on gathering stone efficiently.\n\nFinally, consider using a cart to transport large amounts of stone. Carts can be crafted with 20 wood and 10 bronze nails and are invaluable for hauling heavy resources like stone. By gathering stone in bulk and transporting it back to your base in one trip, you reduce the number of trips needed and save time. This is especially useful when mining in the Black Forest or Mountains, where resources are abundant but far from your base.\n\nIn summary, gather stone efficiently by prioritizing loose stones, using durable tools, repairing them often, and leveraging the terrain and biomes to your advantage. With these strategies, you can gather stone without damaging your tools too quickly and ensure a steady supply for your Viking adventures.