The Elder Trophy

The Elder trophy is a boss trophy dropped by The Elder. Like other trophies, it can be mounted on a trophy stand as decoration, or used as a targeting item for a ballista. It is also the trophy used to claim The Elder’s Forsaken Power at the corresponding Forsaken altar.

Mounting The Elder trophy on its respective sacrificial stone at the starting area grants the Elder Forsaken Power. When activated with F, this power lasts for 5 minutes and increases chop damage by 60% and pickaxe damage by 60%, while also granting +30% health regeneration to the player and nearby allies. This makes it especially useful for gathering wood-heavy resources and for general support while traveling with a group.

The trophy is obtained from The Elder, the second boss in Valheim. Defeating him also opens up progress in the Black Forest and beyond, since the battle is tied to one of the game’s major progression steps. Because the Elder is summoned in the Black Forest, the fight often takes place in an area where Trolls and Greydwarfs may join in, so the surroundings can be as dangerous as the boss himself.

The Elder’s Forsaken altar is found in the Black Forest. Its location can be revealed by Vegvisirs in Burial Chambers and sometimes in ruined structures within the Black Forest, which mark the nearest summoning location on the map. He is summoned by placing three Ancient seeds on the altar. Like all bosses, he can be summoned repeatedly as long as the required materials are available.

Practical notes for using the trophy and its associated power:

• The Elder trophy can be placed on a trophy stand like other trophies.
• It can be assigned as a target for a ballista.
• The Forsaken Power is a strong tool for resource gathering, since the chop and pickaxe bonuses apply to woodcutting and mining-related activity.
• The altar and nearby pillars offer useful cover during the fight, especially against The Elder’s vine volley.
• Defeating The Elder also changes world progression, including unlocking swamp crypt access with the Swamp key and affecting several world events.

The Elder’s fight is built around ranged pressure and area denial, but the trophy itself is a straightforward reward with long-term utility. Its power is one of the earliest bonuses that directly improves resource collection, making it valuable well after the boss has been defeated.