The first altar boss you'll encounter in Valheim will be Eikthyr.
It's not entirely clear how to summon him, especially if you don't read the runestones.
Keep reading to find out how to summon Eiththyr, what you'll need to do to prepare and how to beat him.
Preparing for Eikthyr
If you want to go with the easiest option, get yourself a shield and one-handed weapon.
It's probably best to also craft yourself some armour though it may not be necessary if you choose to use a shield.
Bring another weapon with you just in case your equipped one breaks.
Make sure you're buffed to the max, rested is one of the best buffs to make sure is active.
Being the first boss Eikthyr is one of the easiest bosses to bring down and should be too difficult even when solo.
One of the best things you can do is to set up a small base near the altar with a bed so that if you do die, you won't have to travel far.
How To Summon Eikthyr
You can find Eikthyr's alter on the map, it'll already be marked.
You'll need to offer some items to the alter in order for him to appear.
On top of the runestone a deer can be seen, you'll need to farm some deer in the surrounding area.
A bow will be your best friend in this situation, purely for speed's sake.
Collect any deer hide, trophies or meat that drops.
You'll need two deer trophies to offer the altar, do so and Eikthyr will appear.
Summoning him has no limit, so feel free to do so as much as you like.
How To Beat Him
As mentioned earlier Eikthyr is an easy boss to bring down, mostly because he only has two moves.
He has a ranged lightning attack which covers a large area, as well as that he will headbutt you.
Prevent either of these using a shield.
It's best to attack Eikthyr when he is running around as this usually means he isn't attacking you.
You can defeat him without a shield although you'll need to have mastered dodging.
Rewards
When you bring down this beast you'll be rewarded with hard antlers.
These can be used to make antler pickaxes, a really useful tool which can get rid of boulders!
As well as that you'll get a trophy which can be attached to the sacrificial altar.
When you've attached it, interact with it and you will get a permanent skill bonus.
This bonus will decrease stamina drainage from running and jumping by 60% for 5 minutes.
The skill had a cooldown of 20 minutes so use it wisely.
Good luck, now go take down Eikthyr!
Valheim is the next Viking title to take Steam by storm, there are plenty of plans for the future with the 2021 roadmap. You can even set up a dedicated server and play with your friends in coop! If bosses interest you, there's already four in the game Eikthyr, the Elder, Bonemass and Modor, you'll require plenty of items along the way like the Swamp Key.
For more articles like this, take a look at our Valheim page.