The Deep North is Valheim’s final biome, and it’s the update that took the game to version 1.0 on 9 September 2026. Expect deep snow, a frozen sea, Jotun giants, two new dungeons and, at the very end, the final boss Kall Fimbulbringer. This guide covers where to find the biome, what to pack, which materials and crafting stations matter, and the order to tackle things in on your way to the last fight.
What the Deep North is and where to find it
The Deep North sits on the far northern edge of the world. Valheim’s world is a disc, so you’re sailing or walking all the way to the top edge of the map. It’s the final biome, the one Iron Gate used to wrap up the main progression after five and a half years in Early Access.
Before you set off, decide which world you’ll play in. The developers recommend starting a fresh one. Existing worlds do get the new content, but the biome only generates properly in areas you haven’t explored yet, and “explored” includes a radius of roughly 500 metres around everywhere you’ve been. If you’ve already wandered the north of an old world, the new biome won’t generate correctly there.
Your old saves stay put and remain playable. Version 1.0 introduced a new save system that stores the world in chunks, and the game makes a backup the first time you load an old world. Whether to return or restart is also covered in our Valheim 1.0 update overview.
Prepare for snow, ice and the Jotun
The north slows you down the moment you land. The snow is so deep you have to clear it before you can build, which is what the new Snow Shovel is for.
Frozen seas and ponds are slippery. Keep that in mind in fights and when retreating, because on ice you won’t stop where you want to. The new Grappling Hook gets you up to high places, and in some spots it’s not optional (more on that under Mörkhalla below).
The main threat is the Jotun. According to the patch notes, they’ve launched an invasion of Valheim, and the game added two new events for it: “The Jotun have found you” and “They emerge from below…”. The Jotun are also the key to the final boss, so you’ll be fighting them again and again.
Deep North enemies and creatures
Version 1.0 added these enemies: Barka, Elaking, Eyeless One, Fallen Warrior, Gammeltroll, Hexen, Krigen, Hexahedric Pulp, Shapeless Pulp and Tiny Pulp. New creatures include the Moose and its calf, the Seal and its pup, and the Writhan. The biome’s boss is Kall Fimbulbringer.
You can tame and ride the Moose. For that you need the new Moose Saddle.
The Gammeltroll works differently from ordinary enemies. Once defeated it turns to stone, and you can only break the petrified body with an Ember Charge, a new bomb in 1.0. The body drops Petrified Tissue, which you smelt into Bloodgold in the Blast Furnace. Bloodgold is the biome’s key new metal.
The north is dotted with new locations: Abandoned village, Stave hall, Ice Pond, Memorial site and Forge of Potential. Abandoned villages are haunted by the ghosts of their former inhabitants, and that’s also where the way into the first dungeon starts.
Materials, food and new crafting stations
Version 1.0 added more than 30 new materials. These are the ones that matter most for progress in the north:
- Bloodgold – the new metal, smelted from Petrified Tissue.
- Frostcore – needed for both new stations.
- Ice and Liquid Frost – ice, and the fuel for the Frost Foundry made from it.
- Frostfire Essence and Thunderblood Essence.
- Timberwood, Nornathread, Leather Straps, Embers.
- Drops from animals and enemies: Moose Hide, Moose Meat, Moose Sinew, Seal Blubber, Seal Pelt, Elaking Hair Bundle, Long Claws, Dead Pulp, Writhan Roots and Crown Jewel.
- Molds & Casts – the moulds and casts you need for new gear.
New crops are Kale, Oats, Poteitr and Timberwood. New dishes include Meatballs and Poteitr, Oatmeal, Pancakes and Fish Soup, and Lingonberries are in the game too. The new feast is Northern Morning Fare.
Frigid Kiln and Frost Foundry
The biome brings two new crafting stations: the Frigid Kiln and the Frost Foundry. Each needs 10 Frostcore, which you find in the Winding Tunnels dungeon. That makes the tunnels one of your first stops.
The two stations work together. The Frigid Kiln turns Ice into Liquid Frost, and Liquid Frost powers the Frost Foundry. Older stations got extensions too: the Black Forge gets Smith’s Aprons, the Cauldron gets a Smoker and the Galdr Table gets a Standing Loom.
Idols and a bigger inventory
Sixteen idols (Protection & Battle Idols) are scattered around the world. Bring them to the hidden Forge of Potential to upgrade your gear further. Haldor the trader sells inventory upgrades, Deeper Pockets and Wider Pockets, which you’ll appreciate when hauling materials back from the north.
Dungeons and new gear
The Deep North has two new dungeons: Winding Tunnels and Mörkhalla. The order is set: tunnels first, then Mörkhalla. Our Deep North dungeons guide walks through both; here’s what you need to know.
Winding Tunnels
In an abandoned village, look for the largest, multi-storey house. Inside is a hole in the ground that leads down into the tunnels. This is where you collect Frostcore and moulds for weapons, armour and the Intricate Key. Moulds are often buried under rubble piles you have to smash.
Down there you’ll meet Elakings and Eyeless Ones. Elakings drop Elaking Hair Bundle, Eyeless Ones drop Long Claws. Luminous Larva grows on the tunnel walls, and larvae plus Timberwood give you the Hooded Lantern.
Mörkhalla
Mörkhalla is a tall, dark structure. The entrance is often out of reach, so the Grappling Hook is practically a must. The Gates of Mörkhalla open with an Intricate Key, and every key is used up. Inside you fight the Jotun, and at the bottom waits the Malice Ice. Break it and you trigger a Jotun invasion.
Deep North weapons
Version 1.0 added more than 40 weapons. At the core are three new weapon lines: Nord, Frostfire and Thunderblood. Each includes a sword, greatsword, atgeir, mace, sledge, axe, battleaxe, spear, knife, knucklechains, bow and crossbow.
On top of that come the staffs Echo Spike, Spirit Caller, Northern Vengeance and Lightning Strike, plus the shields Nord Buckler, Nord Shield, Nord Greatshield and Shield of Roots. Bloodgold ammo covers the Bloodgold Arrow, Bolt, Missile and Payload. Since patch 1.0.14, Deep North battleaxes have the correct tool tier and can fell every tree.
Deep North armour
There are four new armour sets:
- Protector – Breastplate, Trousers and Helmet of the Protector.
- Vanguard – Chestpiece, Trousers and Hood of the Vanguard.
- Caller – Robes, Trousers and Headdress of the Caller.
- Lox Fur – Jacket, Trousers and Hood.
You also get two capes, the Moose Hide Cape and the Cape of the Caller, the trinkets Neckstabber and Witch Crown, and a new armour piece, the Crown of Valheim. Moulds for medium and heavy Deep North armour drop from both types of Jotun Warrior, more often since patch 1.0.15. Heavy Deep North armour can be repaired since patch 1.0.10.
How Deep North gear is crafted
New gear isn’t made straight from raw materials at a station. It’s a three-step process:
- Find a mould, mainly in the Winding Tunnels or from the Jotun.
- Turn the mould into a cast at the Black Forge or Galdr Table.
- Use the cast in the Frost Foundry to make the finished item.
The Intricate Key follows the same pattern: you make the cast from the mould and Bloodgold at the Black Forge, then finish the key in the Frost Foundry with Liquid Frost. We haven’t been able to verify exact stats and recipes for individual pieces yet, so they’re not listed here.
The road to the final boss
The final boss is Kall Fimbulbringer, a giant of the Jotun race. Summoning him takes three Malicious Blood, and this is how you get them:
- Craft an Intricate Key and use it to unlock a Mörkhalla.
- Break the Malice Ice at the bottom.
- A Jotun invasion starts. You’ll find its location on the map.
- Beat back the invasion to earn Malicious Blood.
- Repeat twice more. In total you need three keys and three Mörkhallas.
Offer the three Malicious Blood at the Strange Bowl to open the way to the boss, the Aesir Passage. A Vegvisir rune in the Deep North shows you where it is. The fight has three phases, and the rewards are Sacrificial Blood and a Crown Jewel. The full fight is broken down in our final boss guide.
Defeating Kall completes the main progression. Valheim has a real ending, but you can keep playing in your world afterwards. The north is better tackled as a group, so check how cross-platform play works between PC and consoles. Want a risk-free look around first? The console commands can help, just remember that cheats block achievements. More guides are waiting in the Valheim hub.
FAQ
On the far northern edge of the world, at the top edge of the map. Valheim’s world is a disc, so you have to sail or walk all the way to its northern end.
No, but the developers recommend one. An old world only gets the new content in areas you haven’t explored, and explored ground includes a radius of roughly 500 metres around everywhere you’ve been.
Clear it with the new Snow Shovel before you build. A tamed Moose with a Moose Saddle helps you get around, and the Grappling Hook gets you up to high places.
Kall Fimbulbringer, a giant of the Jotun race. You summon him with three Malicious Blood at the Strange Bowl, earned from three Jotun invasions triggered in Mörkhallas.
A mould, found mainly in the Winding Tunnels or from the Jotun, a cast made from it at the Black Forge or Galdr Table, and finally the Frost Foundry. The Foundry costs 10 Frostcore and runs on Liquid Frost from the Frigid Kiln.
Information verified on 26 September 2026.