Summary
While tier progression inValheimis largely linear, many players feel that the developers haven’t utilized Black Metal to its full potential. Compared toMinecraft’s take on the sandbox formula,Valheimis a bit more structured – with a clear progression of biomes, bosses, and equipment. Though stubborn players can certainly skip some steps, such as exploring the Mistlands without slaying Yagluth,Valheimis very much designed to be played by respecting the natural order of progression.
Though there are many materials to be found in the Viking afterlife, theore inValheimis arguably the most important part of its crafting system. From Copper, Tin, and all the way to Flametal, mining is often the biggest leap a player can make in terms of unlocking new equipment recipes. However, there is a metal inValheimthat lingers throughout the progression tiers, arguably at the cost of another one.
Why Black Metal Is a Missed Opportunity in Valheim
Black Metal differs from the other ores in a major way: it is the only metal that cannot be mined. There are no Black Metal veins to be found in any biome, and players must obtain scraps by defeating Fulings, raiding their villages, or coming across chests in the Plains. Whilesurviving in the Plains inValheimcan be a proper challenge, the fact that Padded Armor only requires Linen and not Black Metal allows players to easily overcome the hurdles of entering a new biome.
Though an argument could be made that theMistlands inValheimalso miss an ore of their own, most fans would agree that Black Metal would have been a better fit for its Carapace Armor than Iron. AsValheimcontinues to develop the Far North, it remains to be seen if the developers will stick to Iron (or even Flametal) for the final tier, or if they will consider giving Black Metal a bigger purpose.
