Summary

• The Ashlands update in Valheim mostly focuses on combat, introducing new enemies and magical options.
• However, new building pieces such as Ashwood and Grausten are introduced for increased design and utility.
• Over 70 new building and cosmetic items enhance survival and creativity, including the Stone Portal for metal transportation.

While Valheim's new Ashlands update is focused on combat, one underrated feature is amazing for a specific part of the player base. Ashlands is changing combat in the survival game forever by putting a heavier focus on enemies with differing attacks and abilities. Vikings will be getting new strengths of their own to help battle these challenging combatants. The most prominent features in this regard are an entirely new weapon and armor tier, along with expanded magical options.

Outside combat, the huge Ashlands update is introducing many other new systems and items. The biome itself is a lava-filled landscape that will cause many issues. Wood buildings will burn down nearly instantly, thus the new shield generator will be needed. This shield generator, powered by skeleton bones, will keep all projectiles, environmental or otherwise, out of its coverage. However, it is important to note that enemies can walk inside the shield. Ashlands also introduces a new gem crafting system that allows for the highest-tier weapons to be forged into magic weapons.

Ashlands Introduces Tons Of New Building Pieces

Building With A Norse Imagination

Since new resources and challenges are coming to Valheim, new building pieces will them. The two new primary resources are Ashwood and Grausten, and they can be found plentifully throughout the Ashlands, so gathering them will be no issue. Other new resources include Charcoal Resin, Flametal ingots, and Sulfur. These resources are harder to come by but will need less for crafting recipes. The last new resource is Proustite Power which can be found naturally growing but is only used for taming Valheim's new Askvin creature.

Flametal is one of the more dangerous ores to collect in Valheim. Deposits of them will rise from the middle of lava pools randomly and sink after some time. Players must craft Basalt Bombs which will create small platforms when thrown into lava. Once the deposit is reached, the Flametal can then be mined until all is collected or the deposit sinks back down. Flametal ingots can then be used to upgrade weapons and armor to the best tier.

Lava will kill quickly even with Fire Resistance Meads.

The Ashlands update adds over 70 new buildings and cosmetics items, and the buildings are massive upgrades for Valheim, as many have dual purposes of utility and cosmetic design. This is especially important for surviving in the Ashlands, as the combination of the environment and new enemies is challenging. The most noteworthy addition is the Stone Portal. It functions the same as Valheim's first Portal but allows metals to be transferred to cut down tedious transportation time.

New Primary Buildings From The Ashlands

Two New Resource Groups

The most obvious new additions are Ashwood and Grausten pieces. The Ashwood pieces add no new pieces and simply change the outward appearance. This new wood type takes on a smokey look, matching the name, with a branch-like open-air design to fill the gaps between the roof and wall. These add nothing when it comes to utility, but a new design to experiment with is never a bad addition. Ashwood will likely require a high-tier, if not the new Flametal, axe to chop down and acquire.

The Grausten pieces are where the largest changes come to design and utility. These stone pieces are slimmer and more polished than those already in the game, making them easier to build while being more attractive to some. This will be extremely useful for building/living safely in the new biome while preventing the need for players to transport large amounts of stone back and forth. Grausten will also be used for the new Stone Portal, further increasing its importance.

Grausten is also introducing new pieces that are purely cosmetic, but add tons of new building possibilities, including pillars, archways, and tiles. Though none of these have any practical function in-game, the increased scale and creativity added with them are significant. Valheim has already seen thousands of creative builds by its player base, and those who enjoy creating them can now be filled with even more ideas.

Other Building Additions In Valheim's Ashlands Update

Immersive Decorations

These other building additions are mainly cosmetic, with a few exceptions. One of these exceptions is the new Stake Wall, which works the same as the regular Stakes but can be placed directly on walls for a cleaner look. The other exception is a series of three pots, small, medium, and large, that can be used to grow individual plants. Neither of these changes Valheim on a large scale but are handy new additions to help the game feel more immersive.

Small cosmetic additions include Hay Stacks, Askvin Rugs, Bone Piles, Benches, Lanterns, and a new bed. All of these lean fully into increasing immersion and comfort for building. The Hay Stacks, Rugs, and Lanterns are especially impactful additions that change lighting or open more creation options for barns and entryways. However, it should be noted that Bone Piles will serve the use of clearing up storage, like how Stone Piles work for Stone.

Four new large-scale additions include Large Metal Doors, Askvin Skeletons, Charred Skeletons, and the Fader Trophy. Rare drops from each enemy are how to acquire the latter three. The middle two are also put together with a combination of pieces, making them long-term goals that help show a player's progress. Overall, while building items like these are purely cosmetic, the increased rarity of them creates significance in the game.

Though Ashlands is a combat-focused update with a plethora of difficult new enemies, wonderful additions are coming for those who prefer the survival/building aspects. These inclusions help keep Valheim a well-rounded game that can appeal to as many as possible. It is an impressive feat that this update can accomplish its main goal, while still improving the game for Valheim players that really enjoy the building side of things.