There are many different resources players will need to find in Valheim to craft all the tools, weapons, stations, and foods available in the tenth Norse world. While some resources can be easily found and collected by exploring the overworld and crafting more sophisticated tools, some can only be obtained by eliminating enemies. Black Metal Scrap, for example, which is used in a Blast Furnace to make Black Metal and craft the highest-level weaponry in the game, can only be obtained by defeating Fulings in the Plains biome. Similarly, players can only get Bloodbag, a key item in crafting several important consumables like Frost Resistance Mead, Medium Healing Mead, and Blood Pudding, by defeating Leeches in the Swamp biome.
In Valheim, Leeches are aggressive monsters. They are large, around 2 meters long, and can inflict piercing damage and a Poison debuff on a player's character. Typically, they only move in water, which can be good news for players wanting to farm them for resources. Still, they tend to travel in groups of up to four. That many Leeches can easily kill the player if they don't take necessary precautions. Here's how to defeat Leeches and farm Bloodbag in Valheim.
How to Defeat Leeches in Valheim
Players will typically only find Leeches in the waters of the Swamp biome. Their melee attacks are dangerous, but they are confined to the water. Once players make it to the Swamp, they will want to stay near land as much as possible.
Before heading to the Swamp, players will want to craft better weapons and tools than those they used in the Meadows or Black Forest. The Swamp is widely considered one of the most challenging biomes to navigate, and they are home to many hostile and dangerous creatures apart from Leeches.
For best results when fighting Leeches, players should have a full set of Bronze Armor or better, with a few upgrades included. While the Wolf Armor set will technically grant the most protection, it is possible players will not be ready for the Mountains biome while working through the Swamp biome.
It is easiest to fight Leeches from dry land, so ranged weapons like a good bow and arrows will be essential. The Huntsman bow is a good option, as is the Draugr Fang. Players can still hunt Leeches with a Fine Wood Bow, but it is less ideal.
Finally, it may be a good idea to craft a few Poison Resistance Potions. Leech poison damage can slow down or even kill a player, so having a resistance to it for a few minutes is ideal. Players will craft Poison Resistance Mead Base in a Cauldron and then place it in the Fermenter to get the potions.
Players should search near the water in the Swamp biome without getting too close and Leeches from a safe distance away. Alternatively, they can build a small platform over the water. This will need to be high enough off the ground that the Leeches rising up from the water can't bite the player character, but close enough to the water to draw the Leeches close.
Using a bow and arrows, can fire upon the Leeches and, when they are dead, jump into the water to quickly retrieve their drops and get out before the next group arrives to attack. This method also prevents other aggressive creatures that populate the area, like Draugr, Skeletons, and Wraiths, from noticing the player character and attacking from behind while they are occupied.
Players who have sailed the Oceans and found Leviathans can also make an Abyssal Harpoon and use it to drag Leeches from the water and to their deaths. This conserves arrows but does take more time. However, it can be done solo.
Leeches are guaranteed to drop Bloodbags each time they are defeated. Bloodbag is a vital resource used to craft the following items:
- Frost Resistance Mead Base: 10 Honey, 5 Thistle, 2 Bloodbag, 1 Greydwarf Eye
- Medium Healing Mead Base: 10 Honey, 10 Raspberry, 4 Bloodbag, 1 Dandelion
- Blood Pudding: 4 Barley Flour, 2 Bloodbag, 2 Thistle
- Red Banner: 6 Leather Scraps, 2 Fine Wood, 1 Bloodbag
While the Red Banner is purely decorative, the consumable items are some of the best in the game. Frost Resistance Mead is necessary to prevent freezing to death while exploring the Mountain biome, especially if players don't have enough wood for a trail of campfires or enough materials to craft the Wolf Armor set. Medium Healing Mead restores 75 HP over 120 seconds, which is especially helpful during boss fights. Finally, Blood Pudding is one of the best recipes in Valheim for Health, Stamina, and Health regeneration. It provides 90 Health and 50 Stamina for 2400s and allows for healing of 4 HP per tick. Players can combine it with other potent food items to boost health before a particularly difficult fight.
Valheim is in Steam Early Access and is available for PC.