Some Vikings might think it’s easy to stay safe in the Plains biome because of its wide-open landscape. But lurking in the shadows is a creature so vile that Iron Gate named it as such. Known as the Vile, it’s one of the most unsettling encounters in Valheim, with hard-hitting attacks and tanky fortitude. Keep reading to learn where to find it, how to deal with it, and what items you can get from it.

What is the Vile in Valheim?

The Vile is a nightmarish bear-like entity roaming the Plains biome in Valheim. It has a high health pool and fast running speed. It also belongs to the Plains monsters faction, despite its skeletal appearance. Unlike other dangerous creatures in the Plains, the Vile only appears at night. That means it also uses the darkness as part of its threatening character.

Vile Location: Where to Find It?

As mentioned earlier, the Vile spawns naturally in the Plains biome, and only at night. Thankfully, it doesn’t spawn as a pack, allowing players to deal with it one at a time. Additionally, this creature cannot spawn inside player bases, making permanent Plains settlements a useful safe point for hunting trips. Valheim 1.0 players looking to farm Viles should establish shelter in the Plains biome. Then, prepare your gear before dusk, and patrol the surrounding area once night falls. Remember, the game typically spawns Viles one at a time. So, don’t expect each outing to produce the creature. Solo players may need to spend several in-game days before they can encounter a Vile in Valheim. On the other hand, those in co-op Valheim servers often have a better chance of finding this beast if they spread out across the world.

How to Defeat the Vile

Don’t treat the Vile as an ordinary bear. For starters, it’s resistant to Blunt, Slash, Pierce, and Frost damage. Additionally, it’s immune to Poison, so leave weapons like the Draugr Fang, Jotun Bane, and Staff of the Wild in a chest at your base while you’re about to deal with this creature. Instead, equip weapons with Fire and Spirit typing. Some notable examples include the Dyrnwyn, Ash Fang, Staff of Embers, and Frostner. Equipping the best weapons and armor is the first part of efficiently dealing with the Vile in Valheim. Next, understand its attacks so you don’t face-tank every hit. Below are the attacks of the Vile you should watch out for:

• Bite: Lunges to bite the player, dealing Slash and Pierce damage.
• Claw Slam: Stands on its hind legs and then leaps toward the player to do a slam attack, dealing Slash and Chop damage.
• Slam: Similar to the Claw Slam attack, but without the leap. Instead, the Vile stands on its hind legs and slams its claws to the ground while remaining stationary.
• Swipe: Swipes once or twice with its claws, dealing Slash and Chop damage.
• Swipe Combo: Swipes its two claws in quick succession, dealing Slash and Chop damage.

Thankfully, each attack has a tell. Additionally, the Vile is fairly slow, allowing you to dodge, block, or parry with relative ease. Wait for the creature to attack before counter-attacking, and don’t be too aggressive with your own strikes, or you’ll run out of stamina sooner rather than later.

Vile Loot & Rewards

Defeating a Vile guarantees Bear Hide, Bear Meat, and Vile Ribcage. It also has a relatively high rate of dropping Rotten Meat, while its trophy appears quite rare. It’s ideal to farm Vile for the Bear Hide and Vile Ribcage, as these are essential ingredients to craft the Vilebone armor set. Wearing the three components of the set, which are the Vilebone Visage, Vilebone Cage, and Vilebone Drapes, grants the following effects:

• +20% to Health Regeneration
• +40% to Stamina Regeneration
• +20% Blunt Damage to Enemies
• +20% Pierce Damage to Enemies
• -25% Resistance to Blunt, Slash, and Pierce Damage