Frost is the most powerful elemental damage type in Valheim. Frost inflicts stamina damage, slows enemies, and bonus damage to wet enemies. If you catch something trying to cross your moat, a frost weapon will make quick work of them.
It’s no surprise that Frostner, the best weapon in the game, combines the most powerful elemental damage type and the most powerful physical damage type.
You can gain access to frost weapons after you have entered the mountains. To make Frost Arrows, you will need to collect Freeze Glands from Drakes and mine some Obsidian. To make Frostner, you will need to mine some Silver and buy Ymir Flesh from Haldor, the Trader. They’re not the easiest items to craft, but they’re both worth it.
There are currently two ways to inflict frost damage on your enemies:
| Item Name | Crafting Recipe |
|---|---|
| Frostner | 10 Ancient Bark, 5 Freeze Gland, 30 Silver, 5 Ymir Flesh |
| Frost Arrows | 2 Feathers, 1 Freeze Gland, 4 Obsidian, 8 Wood |
Frost damage applies several conditions which make it more effective than any other elemental damage type. Compared to something like burning, which can be extinguished by water and only provides damage-over-time, frost is clearly superior.
These are the effects of frost:
- Slows the enemy’s movement.
- Damages the enemy’s stamina.
- Bonus damage against enemies that are wet.
- Surrounds the enemy with a blue aura.
Frost Damage Slows and then “Freezes” Enemies
The combination of slowing the movement of your enemies and damaging their stamina is far more valuable than additional damage. This is just one of the reasons frost is superior to poison and fire.
Melee enemies are easier to fight the slower they are because you don’t have to work as hard to dodge their attacks and because they can’t keep up with you if you want to flee.
Once you inflict enough frost damage, many enemies are unable to attack — either they’re too slow or they’re out of stamina (we don’t really know). Regardless of the technicalities, an enemy that can’t attack is the best kind of enemy.
Enemies that are Wet are Weak to Frost Damage
The wet condition makes you weak to frost. If you lure an enemy through water, they will become wet and take double damage from frost. Notice the damage numbers are yellow when the Fulings get hit by Frostner: