Valheim launched its 1.0 update on September 9, 2026, and the Deep North biome brought the biggest gear overhaul the game has seen. We're talking over 40 new weapons split across three distinct sets, three new armor sets each tuned to a different playstyle, and a brand-new crafting system built around Moulds, Casts, and the Frost Foundry. If you're heading into the snow, you need to know what you're forging before you waste your Bloodgold.
How does the new crafting system work?
The Deep North gear doesn't follow the old crafting rules. Every weapon and most armor pieces start as a Mould found in the Winding Tunnel. You take that Mould to either a Galdr Table or Black Forge and combine it with Bloodgold, Timberwood, and other materials to produce a Cast. That Cast then goes into the Frost Foundry along with Liquid Frost to produce the finished Nord weapon.
Frostfire and Thunderblood weapons skip the Mould step entirely. You craft them by taking a completed Nord weapon and infusing it with the appropriate essence at the Black Forge. Both essences drop from Ancestors at the Ancient Altar in the Deep North biome, though Thunderblood Essence has a lower drop rate, so expect to run the altar multiple times.
All Nord weapons
Nord weapons are the base tier, and every Frostfire or Thunderblood weapon starts here. All Nord weapons share 400 durability and require 20 Bloodgold plus 1 weapon-specific Mould in their Cast recipe. Most also need 10 Timberwood, with a few exceptions.
Here's a look at the full Nord weapon roster with key stats:
The Nord Crossbow stands out immediately with 264 Pierce damage, making it one of the hardest-hitting ranged options in the game at base tier. The Nord Knucklechains have the highest parry multiplier in the set at 6x, which rewards aggressive parry-focused play. The Nord Sledge hits 225 Blunt with massive knockback but costs you 20% movement speed, so positioning matters.
Valheim 1.0 Deep North Guide: All New Weapons & Armor Sets
Shields and staffs
Alongside the main weapon types, the Deep North adds four shields and four staffs.
Shields: Nord Buckler (88 block armour, 2.5x parry), Nord Shield (132 block armour), Nord Greatshield (158 block armour, 150 block force), and Shield of Roots (crafted from 10 Finewood and 1 Writhan Roots, no Frost Foundry required).
Staffs: Echo Spike, Spirit Caller, Northern Vengeance, and Lightning Strike. These are mage-oriented tools that cost Eitr to use. Lightning Strike deals 300 Lightning damage per cast at 40 Eitr, making it the most direct damage option. Northern Vengeance and Spirit Caller both cost 100 Eitr and 40% of your current health to activate, so they're high-risk tools for specific situations.
Frostfire weapons: what changes with the essence infusion?
Frostfire weapons trade some raw physical damage for a split damage profile: 12 Fire and 88 Frost added on top of reduced base damage. The Frostfire Sword, for example, drops from 170 Slash to 138 Slash compared to its Nord counterpart, but you gain 12 Fire and 88 Frost on every hit. Against enemies that are vulnerable to either element, the effective damage is higher.
All Frostfire weapons cost 1 Nord weapon of the matching type plus 20 Bloodgold and 1 Frostfire Essence to craft.
The Frostfire Crossbow at 332 combined damage is a strong argument for ranged builds in the Deep North. The Frostfire Dagger is worth noting for its 6x backstab multiplier, same as the Nord version, but now with elemental damage layered on top.
Thunderblood weapons
Thunderblood weapons are the top tier. They keep higher base physical damage than Frostfire and add 45 Lightning on every hit, plus a 25% chance to apply a Lightning effect per strike. Every Thunderblood weapon also gains a passive: damage scales up by 0.2% for each percent of health missing, which rewards aggressive low-health play.
Crafting requires 1 matching Nord weapon, 20 Bloodgold, and 1 Thunderblood Essence.
The Thunderblood Sledge at 235 Blunt plus 45 Lightning is the hardest-hitting melee weapon in the set. The Thunderblood Crossbow at 274 Pierce plus 45 Lightning competes with Frostfire for best ranged option depending on enemy resistances. The scaling mechanic on Thunderblood weapons makes them particularly dangerous in late-fight scenarios where you've taken damage.
Valheim 1.0 Deep North Guide: All New Weapons & Armor Sets
Which armor set should you pick?
The Deep North introduces three full armor sets, each built around a different combat role. All pieces require a Mould, a Cast, and the Frost Foundry to craft, except the two capes.
Protector set
The Protector is the tankiest option, offering 44 armour per piece. The Breastplate adds Frost resistance, which is essential in the Deep North biome. If you're running a melee build with a Thunderblood Sledge or Nord Greatshield, this is the natural pairing.
Vanguard set
The Vanguard is the most interesting set mechanically because it has a three-piece set bonus. Wearing the Hood, Chestpiece, and Trousers together activates the Vanguard effect, which grants -10% run stamina usage, +10% health regen, +10% stamina regen, -20% dodge stamina usage, and +10% Pierce damage. That Pierce bonus directly benefits crossbow and spear builds, making Vanguard the go-to for ranged players. The Chestpiece also provides Frost resistance.
Caller set
The Caller set is purpose-built for mage characters. The Robes and Trousers each provide +60% Eitr regen, and the Headdress adds another +40%, totalling a massive Eitr regeneration boost across the full set. You'll need this if you're planning to spam Lightning Strike or Northern Vengeance consistently.
Capes
Two capes were added alongside the armor sets. The Moose Hide Cape gives 12 armour, Frost resistance, -20% attack stamina usage, and -20% run stamina usage. The Cape of the Caller gives 12 armour, Frost resistance, +20% Eitr regen, and -10% dodge stamina usage. The crafting materials for the Moose Hide Cape are 6 Moose Hides, 2 Sinew, and 5 Bloodgold. The Cape of the Caller needs 6 Seal Pelt, 2 Nornathread, 5 Bloodgold, and 15 Refined Eitr.
Build recommendations by playstyle
After testing the weapon sets against Deep North enemies, a few combinations stand out.
Melee tank: Protector set with Moose Hide Cape, Thunderblood Sledge or Thunderblood Mace, and Nord Greatshield. The Thunderblood scaling bonus rewards staying in fights and eating hits, which suits the Protector's high armour.
Ranged: Full Vanguard set with Cape of the Caller, Thunderblood Crossbow or Frostfire Crossbow. The Vanguard's +10% Pierce damage bonus directly buffs crossbow output. Choose Thunderblood for raw damage, Frostfire if enemies resist Lightning.
Mage: Full Caller set with Cape of the Caller, Lightning Strike staff for direct damage, Northern Vengeance for burst. The combined Eitr regen across the Caller set and cape makes sustained spellcasting viable without constant food juggling.
For a complete look at everything else unlocked in the 1.0 update, the Valheim guides collection covers bosses, achievements, and console commands in full detail.
If you want to check which bosses drop the resources needed for Deep North crafting, the Valheim 1.0 boss locations and rewards guide has every summon requirement and drop listed. For players who want to test gear combinations without grinding, the Valheim console commands and cheat list covers item spawning on PC, Xbox, and Mac. And if you're chasing completion, the Valheim 1.0 achievements guide lists all 53 unlockables with tips on the trickiest ones.