Classes

Fifth Edition Fantasy adds 13 classes. Each one has one or two active abilities, most have passive bonuses and a spell list, and each has 2 or 3 subclasses (32 in all). You have one class at a time, and switching is free.

This page covers, in order: choosing a class, controls and shared rules, leveling, a class overview, each class from Barbarian to Runesmith, and the subclasses.

Choosing a class

1. Press L to open the character sheet. You can also open it with its tab button in the inventory screen.
2. Open the Class tab. Click a class to see what it does, then click Change Class. This is free, and you can switch again whenever you like.
3. When you are high enough level, click Choose Subclass on the same tab. See the Subclasses section below.

Any trader (Haldor, Hildir, and so on) offers Reset Race, Class & Feats for 200 coins. It clears your race, class, subclass and feats.

Multiclassing (since 1.0.7): from level 4 you can train in a second class on the Adventurer's Log's Multiclass tab (press K). You learn its spells 3 levels later than a single-class caster would. See the Adventuring page.

Controls and shared rules

You can rebind every key under Settings > Keyboard & Mouse, in the Fifth Edition Fantasy section below the vanilla keys.

Uses (new in 1.1.0): with spell slots on (the default), class abilities use their 2014 number of uses instead of Eitr: Rage, Bardic Inspiration, Channel Divinity (Heal Pulse), Wild Shape, Second Wind, Giant's Might, Ki, a Lay on Hands healing pool and Divine Smite with spell slots. Uses come back on a short or long rest; the table is on the Fifth Edition Rules page, and each ability's description in the game shows its uses. Blink Strike and Otherworldly Leap are at will.

"Free once per rest" (Eitr mode): the Cost column below is the pre-1.1.0 rule, still used when the server sets SpellSystem = Eitr. Abilities cost nothing the first time you use them, then cost Eitr each time after that, and become free again when you become Rested.

Level scaling: numbers marked "scales with level" grow by +6% per character level above 1. That's ×1.00 at level 1, ×1.30 at level 6 and ×1.66 at level 12. Numbers without that note, such as most class heals, stay the same at every level.

Leveling

Your character level runs from 1 to 12.

• You start at level 1.
• You gain +1 level for each boss or miniboss you help kill. "Help" means you landed at least one hit on it, or were within 60 m of it when it died. You don't need to deal the killing blow. In multiplayer, every player who qualifies gets the level. If you hit it but were dead when it died, you get the level when you respawn.
• There are 11 boss encounters that count, so killing all of them puts you at level 12. The order doesn't matter, and each boss only counts once per character.

What levels give you

• You get feat picks at levels 1, 4, 8 and 12 (4 in total), and you choose feats on the Feats tab.
• Level scaling (+6% per level) also applies to many class abilities and spells.

On the character sheet

• Character tab: shows Level X / 12, Feat picks: used/available, Spell tier unlocked: X / 6, your race, class and subclass with descriptions, your feats, and the spells you know.
• Spells tab: every spell, whether you know it, and if you don't, the level and source (race, class, subclass or feat) that would unlock it.
• Class tab: your subclass status, for example "unlocks at character level 3" or "none chosen yet".

Class overview

Spellcasting progression

Your class decides which spells you can learn and at what character level each spell level unlocks. Spells from your race, subclass or feats are added on top.

Barbarian, Fighter, Monk and Rogue have no class spells. They can still cast spells from their race, subclass (Spellblade, Spellthief, Way of Dusk) or feats.

Barbarian

A rage-fuelled melee bruiser who trades defense for damage and refuses to die.

Passives

• Relentless: once, a hit that would kill you while Raging leaves you at 1 HP instead. It recharges when you rest (become Rested).

Abilities

Spellcasting: none.

Bard

A support caster who heals allies and hits a little harder with everything.

Passives

• Jack of All Trades: +5% damage on every hit.

Abilities

Spellcasting: Full

Cleric

A divine healer whose every strike carries holy damage.

Passives

• Radiant Smite: +8 spirit damage on every hit.
• Divine Ward: spirit damage resistance improves by one step (for example, Normal becomes Slightly Resistant).

Abilities

Spellcasting: Full

Druid

A nature caster who can take the shape of Valheim's own creatures.

Passives

• Nature's Ward: poison damage resistance improves by one step.

Abilities

Wild Shape

Learning forms (since 1.0.7): you learn a creature's form by getting a good look at it, within about 30 m. Forms you haven't seen yet are greyed out in the picker. A druid grove can teach one too. Druids made before 1.0.7 keep every form.

Press Z to open a picker with a tile for each creature, then click one to shift into it. Press Z again (or click Cancel) to close the picker without shifting. While you're shifted, Z turns you back.

While wild shaped:

• Your gear is taken off, and it goes back on automatically when you return to normal.
• Your max health and damage resistances become the creature's, and you start at the creature's full health.
• When you turn back, for any reason, your health returns to what it was when you shifted. A hit that would kill you in beast form turns you back instead of killing you. That makes Wild Shape a spare health bar.
• Food timers pause. Other status effects keep running.
• You can't cast spells. That includes O/P spells, Goodberry and race spell abilities.
• You can't dodge-roll.
• Primary attack uses the creature's attacks. Secondary attack uses its heavy attack if it has one, and otherwise its normal attacks.
• Non-flying forms can't fly. Gull, Crow, Bat and Volture are flying forms for a Druid of any race: while you are in one of them, you are put into flight automatically (Space to climb, Left Ctrl to descend), and flight's other rules (stamina, interiors and so on) still apply.
• Other players see your creature form move and attack.

Circle of the Beast druids take less damage and deal more while shifted. See the Subclasses section below.

Spellcasting: Full

Fighter

A steady weapon master with a burst of size and a self-heal.

Passives

• Weapon Mastery: +10% damage on every hit.

Abilities

Spellcasting: none.

Monk

A fast, unarmored striker who stuns foes and heals with a touch.

Passives

• Unarmored Movement: +10% move speed while you have no chest armor equipped.

Abilities

Spellcasting: none.

Paladin

A holy warrior with a constant healing aura and Eitr-powered smites.

Passives

• Aura: every 4 s, you and every player within 10 m heal 6 HP. It's always on.

Abilities

Spellcasting: Half (no cantrips)

Ranger

A hunter who marks prey and finishes off wounded targets.

Passives

• Stealthy: creatures notice you from 10% closer.
• Colossus Slayer: +20% damage against targets below half health.

Abilities

Spellcasting: Half (no cantrips)

Rogue

A slippery skirmisher who blinks around and shrugs off big hits.

Passives

• Stealthy: creatures notice you from 10% closer.
• Uncanny Dodge: the next hit you take has its damage halved. This can happen at most once every 8 s.

Abilities

Spellcasting: none.

Sorcerer

A draconic blaster built around one fire bolt who grows real wings at level 12.

Passives

• Draconic Resistance: fire damage resistance improves by one step.
• Dragon Wings (level 12): you can fly with the flight key (F toggle, Space up, Left Ctrl down), and dragon wings appear while you're in the air.

Abilities

Spellcasting: Full

Warlock

A pact caster whose Eldritch Blast gains extra beams as you level.

Passives

• Dark One's Blessing: you regain 30 stamina whenever you kill something.

Abilities

Spellcasting: Full

Wizard

A scholar with the biggest spell list, a damage-soaking ward and a force shove.

Passives

• Grim Harvest: you heal 15 HP whenever you kill something.

Abilities

Spellcasting: Full

Runesmith

A tough tinkerer with a hand cannon, extra health and efficient stamina use.

Passives

• Armor Plating: +20 max HP.
• Efficient Systems: all stamina costs are 10% lower.

Abilities

Spellcasting: Runesmith

Subclasses

How to pick one

• Open the character sheet (L), go to the Class tab and click Choose Subclass. The picker lists your class's subclasses. Click Choose ... on the one you want. Changing it later is free.
• You can only choose once you reach your class's subclass level:

• A subclass only works while you're in its class. If you switch class, it goes dormant, and it becomes active again if you switch back. The Reset Race, Class & Feats option at a trader clears it.
• Subclass bonuses stack with the base class.
• "Weapon hits" means hits that aren't from spells or magic skills.

Barbarian (level 3)

Bard (level 3)

Cleric (level 1)

Druid (level 2)

Fighter (level 3)

Monk (level 3)

Paladin (level 3)

Ranger (level 3)

Rogue (level 3)

Sorcerer (level 1)

Warlock (level 1)

Wizard (level 2)

Runesmith (level 3)