The Early Axes sit near the top of the pile when it comes to early-game weapons in Valheim. Fast attack speed, solid damage output, and access to Birch and Oak trees make them worth hunting down the moment you spawn in. The catch is that crafting them requires two rare materials: the Curious Axe Head and the Mysterious Axe Head. Both drop at low rates from specific structures in the Meadows biome, which makes finding them a real grind without knowing exactly where to look.
This guide covers where each axe head spawns, how to craft the Early Axes once you have them, and a verified map seed that puts both items within reach of your starting area.
Where to Find the Curious Axe Head and Mysterious Axe Head
Neither axe head is a guaranteed drop, but each one has a specific type of structure it can appear in. You will not find them in just any ruined building. Here is what to look for:
- Curious Axe Head – spawns inside small, tower-like abandoned buildings in the Meadows biome.
- Mysterious Axe Head – spawns inside medium-sized, A-shaped hovels scattered across Meadows areas.
The important thing to understand is that even when you find the right building type, the axe head is not guaranteed to be inside. Every Meadows biome across your world has a chance to contain the correct structures, but you could explore a large portion of your map before finding either item. If you happen to spawn near a Meadows biome with both building types, you might get lucky early. Most players will not be that fortunate.
One approach that avoids a lot of frustration is to generate new worlds until you land on one with both axe heads close to your starting point. It takes some time upfront, but it is far faster than combing through a large map with no guarantee of success. Alternatively, use the map seed listed below.
Map Seed with Both Axe Heads Near Spawn
If you want both axe heads without spending hours exploring, use this seed:
Seed: f4Ly2vpTU7
This seed was confirmed to contain both the Curious Axe Head and the Mysterious Axe Head at locations reasonably close to the starting spawn point. Here is where to find each one:
Curious Axe Head Location
- Head northwest from your spawn point.
- Look for the ruins of what appears to be a fenced animal pen – this is your landmark that you are getting close.
- Nearby you will find a ruined tower. Inside is a chest containing the Curious Axe Head.
Mysterious Axe Head Location
- Head southeast from your spawn point.
- Look for an A-shaped hovel positioned along the edge of a treeline.
- Open the chest inside to find the Mysterious Axe Head.
How to Craft the Early Axes
Once you have both axe heads in your inventory, crafting the Early Axes is straightforward. You need to be standing at a covered Workbench to access the recipe. Gather the following materials before heading there:
- 1x Curious Axe Head
- 1x Mysterious Axe Head
- 4x Wood
Wood is easy to come by from the moment you enter the world, so the axe heads are the only real obstacle to crafting this weapon. Once you have all three ingredients at a covered Workbench, the Early Axes will be available to craft.
Why the Early Axes Are Worth the Effort
The Early Axes punch well above their weight for a starting-area weapon. Here is a breakdown of what makes them stand out:
- Higher Slash damage – at level 1, the Early Axes deal 50% more Slash damage compared to a level 1 Flint Axe.
- Alternate attack – the weapon has a lunging slash move tied to its secondary attack, giving you more combat options early on.
- Tree access – the Early Axes can cut down Birch and Oak trees, which means you can start collecting Finewood much earlier than usual.
- Skip Bronze Axe – because the Early Axes are strong enough to handle early game content, you can bypass the need to gather Copper and Tin for a Bronze Axe entirely.
- Cheap upgrades – upgrading the Early Axes only costs Wood and Leather Scraps, both of which are readily available from the start of the game.
The Early Axes are a strong pick for any Valheim run where you want to move quickly through the opening stages. With the map seed f4Ly2vpTU7, you can grab both axe heads, craft the weapon at your Workbench, and have a serious upgrade in hand before most players have finished gathering Flint.