Mistlands Skill Levels

[OctoberSky]

Curious if Mistlands visitors can share what skill levels they have (e.g. run, jump, etc.). I had concerns my returning character may not have ideal skills so invested some time in things like the blocking trainer and jump trainers. Of course all of this will likely be voided on my first Mistlands death (3 seconds after arriving?) but a solo player can never be too prepared for first biome experience. Many thanks!

[OctoberSky]

To be honest, I hadn't given much thought to the skill levels until browsing the ptb and post-release comments from folks who warned about the stamina drain in Mistlands and then realizing how poor my character was - even after Yagluth and minimal deaths. I had always used the run-away-and-kite method with a bow instead of investing time in block and parry so obviously those skill levels were pathetic. I was lucky to find a Draugr village that I had not breached yet and surrounded it with a stockade and then breached a couple of entries to let them spawn any number of challenges. It was tedious but spending time in this arena was fast-tracking my poor skills. I'll also re-visit some untouched Plains areas and try these against some Fuling mobs before even thinking of sailing to the misty shores. Many thanks again!

[Steve]

Higher levels definitely give you an advantage if you can get there. But if you just play the game normally you will be fine in mistlands if you have ~30 or so in all your main skills. It really is more about knowing the enemy attacks/patterns, when to run, when to parry, etc.

If you specialize in a specific weapon you can get pretty significant skill level with that weapon by the time you reach mistlands w/o extra training. I went battle axe / crystal BA when they became available and had axes up to ~60 by mistlands. Just limit the number of weapons you use.

Blocking is a really powerful stat to rise, but it is slow. Just parry everything you can and you'll get a good stat for ML (mid 20's is fine w/ ML gear. Just beware starred mobs). If you are ranged, your run/jump stats as well as bow are your best ones and they will level with that playstyle.

Elemental magic is pretty easy to level, again just hit mobs with it and you'll be fine. Frost is a great way to lvl it and keep you safe while you do.

Blood is a tough one, but it is like blocking -- a relatively low score is quite powerful -- so it is slow going after about 20. Much like blocking.

[Gisbert]

Originally posted by JD:

In my current playthrough I haven't had any issues as well, and then out of a sudden Mistlands feels like a low blow, it should not be after Plains, but somewhere down in the progression, I mean Mountains -> Plains -> "Some Biome" -> Mistlands. That's why I believe It's the game problem, not a skill issue. Mistlands needs more time to be properly tested and polished. I did my part so to say, I hope the developer reads and collects all the feedback they get. Happy new year!

It's funny what you say, because we all in our group said the same at first as soon we hit Mistlands.

After playing for a while and adapted to enemy behaviour - really, it is not that hard as before.
I think I had the same bad time with our first swamp run, only by now we have learned the swamp opponents by heart so far that we can run through the biom naked.

But I confirm that everything together (terrain, fog, stamina, death penalty, no marigold, more items, another slot less because of whisp) minus the progression system which is missing in Mistlands leaves a stale aftertaste overall.

[Gregomoto]

Jump, woodcutting, pickaxe, sprint, bow lvl 100
Swords, axes, clubs high 90s
Blocking mid 70s
Spears, knives, unarmed around 60s
Magic, polearms around 50
Ride, fishing, swim below 50
Sneak around 40

[Gisbert]

Originally posted by OctoberSky:

To be honest, I hadn't given much thought to the skill levels until browsing the ptb and post-release comments from folks who warned about the stamina drain in Mistlands and then realizing how poor my character was - even after Yagluth and minimal deaths. I had always used the run-away-and-kite method with a bow instead of investing time in block and parry so obviously those skill levels were pathetic. I was lucky to find a Draugr village that I had not breached yet and surrounded it with a stockade and then breached a couple of entries to let them spawn any number of challenges. It was tedious but spending time in this arena was fast-tracking my poor skills. I'll also re-visit some untouched Plains areas and try these against some Fuling mobs before even thinking of sailing to the misty shores. Many thanks again!

Many people do this and I think it's a mistake.
If you don't play bow only, you will barely reach the true fun behind it.

In our last playthrough someone played an archer like "legolas" in our crew. If you level your bow skill, use 3 stamina foods (you need to have a tank in the front) plus the new stamina mead and make use of different arrow types / switching from frost / to poison / to high pierce damage arrow... man bow is on such a high dps level it's insane. But you need ressources for the arrows.

But the most people play bow as main, because they are afraid of melee, using wood arrows most of the time. After I saw a bow only player, I can tell you... you are doing it wrong.

If you play solo go melee and parry main - everytime, don't be afraid of enemys, get parry timings right and learn to dodge as well, choose between spear and bow as ranged weapon for 2nd, maybe an atgeir for ground control - but 3 weapon types are too much if you don't want to extra level for more impact.

The main thing you will have a high skill level is not the damage reason. It's really the stamina drain from weapons. If you are nearly dead and can make that last hit which stuns the enemy you can escape is a huge difference.

Originally posted by Gregomoto:

Jump, woodcutting, pickaxe, sprint, bow lvl 100
Swords, axes, clubs high 90s
Blocking mid 70s
Spears, knives, unarmed around 60s
Magic, polearms around 50
Ride, fishing, swim below 50
Sneak around 40

Wow, but you extra leveled?

If I make a clean run from start to finish and die 1-3 times the whole run I reach around ~ 70 on 2 weapon types and ~40+ in blocking / playing normal without extra training.

Can you tell me how much difference you have on the sword between 70 and 90? Does it feel like the impact is worth leveling extra?

[TVMAN]

Originally posted by Webbman:

i just ignore the skills system for the most part. Game plays fine without it. That's maybe the most damning statement I can make about it.

Same. Honestly I tend to forget skills exist until I get the skill up popup.

[Dimmyzor]

Originally posted by OctoberSky:

Curious if Mistlands visitors can share what skill levels they have (e.g. run, jump, etc.). I had concerns my returning character may not have ideal skills so invested some time in things like the blocking trainer and jump trainers. Of course all of this will likely be voided on my first Mistlands death (3 seconds after arriving?) but a solo player can never be too prepared for first biome experience. Many thanks!

On my Vanilla character, I created a training ground for some skills like blocking and I farmed Plains like crazy (solo). My wife was bored of the game so our skill difference was huge.. I went in with almost everything max (combat-focused) like running, jumping, swords, clubs, axes, bow are 90+ and Blocking is 70+. She was at the 80s running/jump, swords/clubs 60s and blocking 30-40...
There was a tremendous difference on how well I handled combat both in-game skillwise and experience-wise. I am very well accustomed with the mob mechanics and dodge and move much more efficiently, so even at the same skill levels, experience and calm-minded approach makes a big difference.

For example, I dodge/parry a deathsquito or a wolf attack which are fast rather easily, so this practice helps overall..

[Dimmyzor]

Originally posted by Webbman:

i just ignore the skills system for the most part. Game plays fine without it. That's maybe the most damning statement I can make about it.

Everything becomes easier with higher skill level, but the bow pull-time is so nice with 70+.. At my 96, I shoot like Legolas, but if you have 20ish bow, you shoot like a one-eyed orc with weak hands :P

[Gregomoto]

Originally posted by Gisbert:

Originally posted by OctoberSky:

Originally posted by Gregomoto:

Jump, woodcutting, pickaxe, sprint, bow lvl 100
Swords, axes, clubs high 90s
Blocking mid 70s
Spears, knives, unarmed around 60s
Magic, polearms around 50
Ride, fishing, swim below 50
Sneak around 40

Wow, but you extra leveled?

If I make a clean run from start to finish and die 1-3 times the whole run I reach around ~ 70 on 2 weapon types and ~40+ in blocking / playing normal without extra training.

Can you tell me how much difference you have on the sword between 70 and 90? Does it feel like the impact is worth leveling extra?

It is the first character i created at beginning playing valheim early last year (before they patch it out it was f.e. possible to level bow skill via shooting at trees^^), i used same seed and character for mistlands, means the edge of my first mistlands area was mist free (but also dungeon free), so no death at first entering mistlands, which made it little easier.
Not sure on the exact effect on sword damage numbers, but i‘d say extra leveling is worth it (which i did in plains with most weapons while waiting long for the ML update).
Bow is at lvl 100 pretty much like an SMG XD.
Leveling blocking though is very tedious, this takes a while.

[Gisbert]

Originally posted by dimmyzor:

There was a tremendous difference on how well I handled combat both in-game skillwise and experience-wise. I am very well accustomed with the mob mechanics and dodge and move much more efficiently, so even at the same skill levels, experience and calm-minded approach makes a big difference.

For example, I dodge/parry a deathsquito or a wolf attack which are fast rather easily, so this practice helps overall..

Yeah I can confirm.
It's insane how you can learn this game and overcome the enemys although you were completely disassembled at the beginning.

It is such a satisfying feeling that you can feel this effect in an instant.

Every time an event occurs, I'm happy for the free loot and the challenge. I don't build walls I put on my sword and go outside. The combat system is the best since Gothic because of its basic mechanical structure.

Originally posted by dimmyzor:

Originally posted by Webbman:

i just ignore the skills system for the most part. Game plays fine without it. That's maybe the most damning statement I can make about it.

Everything becomes easier with higher skill level, but the bow pull-time is so nice with 70+.. At my 96, I shoot like Legolas, but if you have 20ish bow, you shoot like a one-eyed orc with weak hands :P

Our archer additionally worn the root armor - try that with your bow skill ;)

[Rhapsody]

There's no optimal or recommended skill levels for Mistlands, though it goes without saying that you will have hard time the lower skills you have unless you become overconfident in your character's parameters.

Aside from running and jumping, blocking is probably the most crucial skill since it contributes rather heavily to what kind of blows you can endure, but it's of course not truly mandatory skill to have. It's far more relevant that you've prepared suitable Forsaken powers in advance, either Eikthyr's power if you just want to run around, or Bonemass power if you're delving into dungeons.

The important thing is knowing your limits, and your opponent's, and practicing if you want to get better, though that doesn't mean camping a mob spawner. If you can't block a second attack from 2* or 1* seeker soldier or anything else, dodge them instead. Get in touch how much stamina you can actually spend before you fall over in any given situation. Use a pickaxe or workbench to create better path to higher elevation if you're going that way repeatedly, or create a new portal network.

[Asmosis]

It's worth noting that even with good block skill, you generally can't block a 2* mob. You can parry them (with good skill and max gear) sometimes, but holding block will get you killed.

As for skills, for "normal gameplay" there's a softcap around 70 for run/jump and if you use a variety of weapons the other skills with softcap around 50-60. At around that point the skill loss from dying will balance out the gain from living.

There's not a huge difference between 20-30 skill and 50-60, maybe one swing on a full stamina bar for a 1H weapon. That's why i say it doesnt mean much. Now, if your comparing 10-20 vs 90-100, then yes there is a significant difference, about 30% efficiency.

My point is the difference between reckless gameplay where you die a lot and "good" gameplay where you die seldomly under normal circumstances and moderately when entering a new biome, is not that much in terms of skill levels. So don't worry about them.

[SweetOlBrew]

I havent been able to get any skill past like level 40, and the only 40 is my run and jump
all of my other levels are like 20-30 and im doing great, able to parry 90% of the enemies and kill things effectively



dont mess with ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ 2 star enemies though they hurt like hell in range

[SweetOlBrew]

Originally posted by Gregomoto:

Jump, woodcutting, pickaxe, sprint, bow lvl 100
Swords, axes, clubs high 90s
Blocking mid 70s
Spears, knives, unarmed around 60s
Magic, polearms around 50
Ride, fishing, swim below 50
Sneak around 40

God dang how yall even getting it that high

[Gregomoto]

Originally posted by Kippish:

Originally posted by Gregomoto:

Jump, woodcutting, pickaxe, sprint, bow lvl 100
Swords, axes, clubs high 90s
Blocking mid 70s
Spears, knives, unarmed around 60s
Magic, polearms around 50
Ride, fishing, swim below 50
Sneak around 40

God dang how yall even getting it that high

As mentioned it‘s the first character i created when starting Valheim, so he has a long history.
Jump, woodcutting, pickaxe, sprint and bow due to intense use of it from beginning (jump increased a lot in mountains).
For weapons skill extra leveling by running through the world „endlessly“ killing enemies and gathering materials (esp. in the time waiting for ML updates). For blocking i used mostly greydwarf brutes as sparring partners when returning from a trip, took them up to front door and there killed em.
I used to fish a lot before the update and riding loxes was fun for a while, used it to do the transportation of black metal ore from plains to main base.