How to beat Moder in Valheim

Moder is the dragon who rules the Mountain. She has 7,500 health, is immune to Frost and Spirit damage, is weak to Fire, and no amount of damage staggers her. Most of the fight happens at range while she circles overhead, so you win it with a bow, a full quiver and frost protection rather than with a big melee weapon.

Where is Moder's altar?

Moder's summoning site is the Moder location, always in the Mountain biome. A world holds up to three of them, each within 8,000 metres of the world centre, at least 3,000 metres from the next, and at an altitude of 150 to 500 metres, so expect to climb.

You rarely stumble on one by accident. Look for a Vegvisir in the Mountain: reading it marks Moder's altar on your map. If you would rather know before you set out, open your world on the seed map; the seed map guide explains how to enter a seed and read the location pins.

How do you summon Moder?

The altar has three egg stands. Put one Dragon Egg on each stand, three in total, and Moder arrives.

Dragon Eggs are picked up in the Mountain. Each one weighs 200 and can't be taken through a portal, so plan the trip:

• Find eggs as close to the altar as you can, ideally after you have found the altar itself.
• Carry one egg at a time if your carry weight is tight, or bring a friend. Megingjord, sold by Haldor, raises your carry weight and makes the trip easier.
• Build a small portal and a bed near the altar before you place the last egg, so a death doesn't mean a long walk back up the slope.

What gear should you bring?

Come in full Mountain gear, and fix anything that is damaged before you place the eggs.

Frost protection comes first. Two of Moder's attacks deal 200 Frost damage each. The Wolf Hide Chestpiece and the Wolf Fur Cape both make you Resistant to Frost, as does the Fenris Coat. A Frost Resistance Mead gives the same resistance for 10 minutes; brew a few at the Fermenter from Mead Base: Frost Resistance.

A bow is your main weapon. The Huntsman Bow or the Draugr Fang both work. For arrows:

• Needle Arrows carry 62 Pierce, the best raw damage for this tier.
• Obsidian Arrows carry 52 Pierce and are easy to make in bulk.
• Fire Arrows (22 Fire, 11 Pierce) exploit her weakness to Fire, but even with that bonus they hit softer than Needle Arrows. Use them if they are what you have.
• Leave Frost Arrows at home: Moder is immune to Frost. The Spirit part of Silver Arrows is wasted on her too, though their Pierce still lands.

Bring well over a hundred arrows. You will miss while she is in the air.

For when she lands, a one-handed weapon and shield let you punish her on the ground. A Silver Sword still deals its Slash damage, though its Spirit damage does nothing here. Avoid Frostner: both its Frost and its Spirit damage are ignored. The Silver Shield or the Serpent Scale Shield will take her claw swipes.

Food and meads. Eat for health: Serpent Stew (80 health), Wolf Skewer (65 health) and Onion Soup or Eyescream for stamina to keep your bow drawn. Carry Medium Healing Mead and Medium Stamina Mead.

What attacks does Moder use?

All of her attacks can be blocked or dodged.

Attack	Reach	Damage	How to handle it
Bite	7 m	120 Pierce	Her strongest single hit on the ground. Stay to her side, not in front of her head.
Claw swipe (left or right)	10 m	110 Slash	Block with a raised shield or roll away from the swinging side.
Ice volley	25 m	30 Pierce, 200 Frost	A spread of ice shots. Where they land, blocks of ice form that can wall you in; keep moving sideways and break or step around them.
Frost breath	20 m	200 Frost	A long cone. Get out of its line rather than trying to tank it, and make sure your frost protection is up.

How does the fight go?

Moder alternates between flying and landing. In the air she circles and fires her ice volley; on the ground she bites, claws and breathes frost.

1. While she flies, stay out in the open and shoot. Lead your shots, since she moves fast, and draw fully before you release.
2. When she lands, close in from the side for melee, or keep shooting from outside her breath range. Watch her head: when it rears back for the breath, sidestep.
3. Keep your stamina for dodging. Don't empty your stamina bar on melee combos; one breath or volley at the wrong moment is what kills most players.
4. Mind the terrain. The altar sits on high ground. Rolling away from a claw can take you off a ledge, so learn the edges before you place the eggs.

Her health doesn't regenerate quickly, so if you need to back off, drink a mead at range and come back in.

What does Moder drop, and what does it unlock?

Moder always drops her Moder Trophy and ten Dragon Tears.

Dragon Tears build the Artisan Table, which costs two tears and ten Wood. It is the crafting station for machinery and more complex designs, and you will need it in the Plains.

The Forsaken power. Hang the trophy at the Sacrificial Stone in the starting area to take Moder's power. While it is active you carry 300 more, take half damage from Frost and move 10% faster. It lasts 5 minutes with a 20-minute cooldown, and every player within 10 metres gets it too. You can hold one power at a time. The power's page also lists the raids it keeps away from you.

Trader stock. Once Moder is down, Haldor sells Wider Pockets for 1,000 coins, and the Bog Witch adds a Scythe Handle, Toadstool, Fragrant Bundle and Mountain Peak Pepper Powder.

What should you do next?

Head for the Plains. Build the Artisan Table, then start gathering materials for Plains gear. The next boss is Yagluth; read how to beat Yagluth before you go looking for his altar.