To survive in Valheim, players must essentially start a farm and take their Viking through the various periods in history, from the Stone Age through the Iron Age and beyond. Part of that development involves taming wild boars to keep and breed in an enclosure at base. This can be a fast source of fresh meat or a way to experience some companionship in the wide, often unpredictably dangerous world of Valheim. Though the wild boars found in the Meadows can be somewhat dangerous, they are fairly easy to tame. Less easy are the Wolves found in the Mountains biome, as one or two bites from them can seriously injure or even kill the player character. It can be done, however, and unlike boars, Wolves can be compelled to follow the player and fight by their side.

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Taming a Wolf will take time and will require the player to spend a few in-game days in the Mountains biome. This means players will need to do careful preparation to stock up on Frost Resistance Mead or build campfires and a shelter to keep out of the cold. Players will also need to bring fresh meat and good armor. The Wolves in Valheim are vicious and extremely dangerous, and players have found they can still one-shot an unsuspecting character while they are wearing strong Iron armor. However, if players can manage to tame them, they will become loyal friends. Here's how to tame the Wolves in Valheim.

How to Bait and Pen Wolves in Valheim

A player confronts a Wolf on a snowy mountaintop in Valheim

Players looking to tame Wolves in Valheim will need to start by making sure they have everything they need in their Inventory. They will need enough Wood to build a shelter and enclosure, or at the very least an axe to get wood while on the mountain. They will also need the strongest armor and shield they can make, raw meat from killing deer or boars, and a supply of Frost Resistance Mead. If they are later in the game and have access to Silver, the Wolf Armor Cape can prevent freezing and eliminate the need for other weather preparations.

Players will need to venture to the Mountains and build an enclosure using Wooden Stakewalls, leaving a gap in the enclosure one wall-space wide. They may also want to include a platform, ladder, or stairs just outside the wall that will allow them to toss food to the Wolves without being injured or otherwise attacked.

To lure Wolves into the pen, players can do one of two things. They can place raw meat inside the enclosure and stand nearby waiting, or they can use themselves as live bait and compel any Wolves they find to chase them into the enclosure. The first option is safer, but it will take longer. The second option is effective, but it is likely players will get bitten and possibly killed in the process. Having good armor and a strong shield is essential.

valheim snowy landscape

Once the wolf is inside the pen, players will need to arm themselves with a hammer and quickly build the last piece of Stakewall to close the Wolf into the pen. It will try to attack the Stakewalls, and players caught too close will get bitten as well if they aren't careful. This is why a platform or set of stairs will be useful.

For the next few days, players will need to feed the Wolf raw meat. Any time the player character gets close, the Wolf is likely to begin thrashing and fighting. However, over time, the Wolf will calm down and eventually become tame. Players will know the Wolf is no longer aggressive by the hearts that will appear over its head.

Players will want to be careful and try to lure Wolves into the pen during the day. According to the Valheim wiki, some players have reported that Wolves that spawned during the night will despawn during the day if players wander too far from them. To avoid this, it is best not to wander too far from the pen while trying to tame a Wolf and to avoid luring a Wolf in at nighttime.

If players manage to get more than one Wolf into the pen, they can breed just like boars, providing players a small pack of companions. Up to four Wolves at a time can follow the player during their exploration. To get a tamed Wolf to follow, press E. Pressing E again will halt the Wolf or Wolves until the player tells them to move. Tamed Wolves are loyal to the player character and, should the player run into enemies, the Wolves will jump into action and help fight them.

Next: Valheim: How to Find (& Kill) Trolls

Valheim is in Steam Early Access and is available for PC.