Assassin's Creed Valhalla puts you in the boots of Eivor Varinsdottir, a Norse raider who leaves Rygjafylke in Norway in the year 873 and rebuilds a clan settlement called Ravensthorpe on English soil. Unlike Origins in Egypt or Odyssey in Greece, the spine of this game is a settlement you grow through six levels, a raiding economy that feeds it supplies and raw materials, and a skill constellation of star nodes instead of a perk menu.
This walkthrough takes you from your first session to endgame content. Each phase has specific goals, priorities, and milestones. New to the game? Start with our beginner's guide first.
Quick Progression Summary
| Phase | Area | Focus | Build | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Start | Ravensthorpe | Ravensthorpe settlement building basics | Wolf branch ranged | 1-2 hours |
| 2. Early | Rygjafylke | Raids and River Raids mastery | Wolf branch ranged | 3-5 hours |
| 3. Mid | Ledecestrescire | The skill constellation + gear | Bear branch melee or Wolf branch ranged | 5-10 hours |
| 4. Late | East Anglia | Build optimization | Bear branch melee | 5-10 hours |
| 5. Endgame | Vinland | Min-max | Bear branch melee or Raid captain | Ongoing |
See our maps guide for detailed area breakdowns.
Phase 1: Getting Started (Ravensthorpe)
The Raven clan's settlement in England and the hub for everything. Hytham runs the Hidden Ones Bureau and the Order tracker, Valka reads the visions in the Seer's Hut, Gunnar works the Blacksmith, Randvi keeps the alliance map in the longhouse and Reda's stall arrives once the settlement grows.
Level/Difficulty: Available from the start of the England arc Key Rewards: Gear upgrades, the Order of the Ancients tracker, feast buffs from the farms and brewery
What to Do in Ravensthorpe
- Learn Ravensthorpe settlement building. Ravensthorpe climbs six named levels, Encampment, Colony, Hamlet, Borough, Village and Town, and every level is bought with buildings rather than with time. Spend your first session getting comfortable with this.
- Pick Wolf branch ranged as your starting build. See our builds guide for why.
- Supplies and raw materials only come from raiding in useful quantities. If your settlement build queue has stalled, the fix is a raid loop rather than another hour of exploring.
- Acquire your first equipment upgrade: Hidden Blade or whatever's available.
- Clear all main content before moving on.
Phase 1 Checklist
- Understand Ravensthorpe settlement building fundamentals
- Wolf branch ranged selected and functional
- Ravensthorpe main content cleared
- Ready for Rygjafylke
Phase 2: Early Game (Rygjafylke)
The Norwegian home region and the opening act. It teaches raiding, longship travel and the Bear and Raven basics before England opens, and it holds Kjotve's Fortress where the Rage of Helheim book sits behind an ice wall.
Level/Difficulty: Suggested power 1 to 20 Key Rewards: Rage of Helheim, the longship, and the first raids
What to Do in Rygjafylke
- Work on Raids and River Raids. Blowing the horn on the longship sends your crew at a monastery or riverside camp, and the chests they break open are the main source of supplies and raw materials. This system becomes critical from here on.
- Farm for Hidden Blade if you haven't already. It's the key upgrade for this phase.
- Follow the suggested power numbers on the alliance map in order: 20 for Ledecestrescire and Grantebridgescire, 55 for East Anglia, 90 for Oxenefordscire, 130 for Sciropescire. More than about 30 points above your own power and enemies stop taking meaningful damage.
- Complete all objectives before pushing to Ledecestrescire.
- Consider whether Bear branch melee might suit your playstyle better than Wolf branch ranged.
Phase 2 Checklist
- Raids and River Raids integrated into gameplay
- Hidden Blade acquired
- Rygjafylke fully cleared
- Ready for Ledecestrescire
Phase 3: Mid Game (Ledecestrescire)
The first English region on the alliance map and the natural companion to Grantebridgescire. Both sit at suggested power 20, which makes them the correct pair to clear before touching anything else.
Level/Difficulty: Suggested power 20 Key Rewards: First alliance, early Order targets, settlement supplies from nearby monasteries
What to Do in Ledecestrescire
- Master The skill constellation. Skill points buy nodes on a star map split by colour. This unlocks a new layer of gameplay.
- Start working toward Varin's Axe. It's the best equipment and becomes accessible around now.
- Build the Hidden Ones Bureau in the first tier. It unlocks the Order tab that tracks which members of the Order of the Ancients you have identified, and without it you are hunting 45 targets with no list.
- This area is the main skill check. If you can clear it, you're ready for late game.
- Start investing in Jomsviking barracks for the tactical depth you'll need going forward.
Phase 3 Checklist
- The skill constellation mastered
- Varin's Axe acquired or in progress
- Ledecestrescire fully cleared
- Ready for East Anglia
Phase 4: Late Game (East Anglia)
The next step up the alliance map, and a noticeable jump. The Isle of Ely Monastery here hides the Dive of the Valkyries book in a cellar reached through a waterside cave.
Level/Difficulty: Suggested power 55 Key Rewards: Dive of the Valkyries, alliance progress, heavier raid targets
What to Do in East Anglia
- Finalize your build. You should be running Bear branch melee or Wolf branch ranged with optimized gear.
- Varin's Axe should be your primary. If you don't have it yet, prioritize getting it.
- Customise your Jomsviking's appearance rather than accepting the default. Other players browse them at docks, and every recruitment pays you 100 silver collected from your own quartermaster.
- Alliance map and pledges optimization starts here. Small improvements compound into massive advantages.
- Farm this area for the resources needed to push into Vinland.
Phase 4 Checklist
- Build fully optimized
- Varin's Axe upgraded to max
- East Anglia fully cleared
- Ready for Vinland
Phase 5: Endgame (Vinland)
The North American arc, reached by ship from Ravensthorpe. Eivor arrives with no equipment at all and has to work with what the land provides, which turns it into a survival detour rather than another region of camps to clear.
Level/Difficulty: Late game, and you arrive stripped of gear on purpose Key Rewards: Trade tokens, unique gear, and the Vinland arc's story payoff
What to Do in Vinland
- Vinland tests everything. Come prepared with your best build and gear.
- Books of Knowledge are the abilities. Rage of Helheim is behind an ice wall in Kjotve's Fortress, Dive of the Valkyries is in a cellar at the Isle of Ely Monastery, and Thorn of Slumber sits in the middle tower at Gryttirsand.
- The endgame loop: run Vinland, optimize gear, push harder content.
- Experiment with Raid captain for a fresh take once you've mastered the standard builds.
- This is where Alliance map and pledges mastery separates good players from great ones. See our tips guide for advanced strategies.
Phase 5 Checklist
- Endgame content on farm
- Best-in-slot gear acquired
- Vinland fully cleared
- Ready for challenge content
Common Progression Mistakes
- Pledging to Sciropescire at suggested power 130 while sitting at power 60, then concluding the combat is broken.
- Spending every skill point on flat stat nodes and never reaching Chain Assassination, Heavy Dual Wield or Charged Shot.
- Hoarding supplies and raw materials instead of building, which leaves Ravensthorpe at Encampment and locks the Cartographer, Museum and farms behind a level you never bought.
- Chasing every new weapon drop instead of upgrading two sets, so nothing ever reaches a useful rank.
- Sailing to Vinland expecting to bring the endgame arsenal, then panicking when the game takes all of it at the shore.
Key Tips for Smooth Progression
- Supplies and raw materials only come from raiding in useful quantities. If your settlement build queue has stalled, the fix is a raid loop rather than another hour of exploring.
- Follow the suggested power numbers on the alliance map in order: 20 for Ledecestrescire and Grantebridgescire, 55 for East Anglia, 90 for Oxenefordscire, 130 for Sciropescire. More than about 30 points above your own power and enemies stop taking meaningful damage.
- Build the Hidden Ones Bureau in the first tier. It unlocks the Order tab that tracks which members of the Order of the Ancients you have identified, and without it you are hunting 45 targets with no list.
- Customise your Jomsviking's appearance rather than accepting the default. Other players browse them at docks, and every recruitment pays you 100 silver collected from your own quartermaster.
- Books of Knowledge are the abilities. Rage of Helheim is behind an ice wall in Kjotve's Fortress, Dive of the Valkyries is in a cellar at the Isle of Ely Monastery, and Thorn of Slumber sits in the middle tower at Gryttirsand.
For more advanced strategies, see our tips & tricks guide.
More Assassin's Creed Valhalla Guides
- Assassin's Creed Valhalla Assassin's Creed Valhalla Overview
- Assassin's Creed Valhalla Best Builds
- Assassin's Creed Valhalla Tier List
- Assassin's Creed Valhalla Beginner's Guide
- Assassin's Creed Valhalla Tips & Tricks
- Assassin's Creed Valhalla Weapons Guide
- Assassin's Creed Valhalla Combat Guide
- Assassin's Creed Valhalla Boss Guide
- Assassin's Creed Valhalla Maps & Locations
- Assassin's Creed Valhalla Crafting Guide
- Assassin's Creed Valhalla Classes & Characters
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