Black Metal Pickaxe

The Black metal pickaxe is a late-game pickaxe used for mining in Valheim. It is the first pickaxe that can be used to mine every ore type in the game, making it the standard tool for high-tier resource gathering once black metal becomes available. Like other pickaxes, it also functions as a weapon, though its primary value is in excavation and mining rather than combat.

At base quality, the Black Metal pickaxe deals 49 pierce damage and 49 mining damage, with both values rising to 64 at quality 4. Its durability scales from 210 at quality 1 to 360 at quality 4. Upgrading it requires more Yggdrasil Wood and black metal, with the full quality 4 version costing 9 Yggdrasil wood and 115 black metal in total.

Crafting costs by quality are:

• Quality 1: 3 Yggdrasil wood, 25 black metal
• Quality 2: 1 Yggdrasil wood, 15 black metal
• Quality 3: 2 Yggdrasil wood, 30 black metal
• Quality 4: 3 Yggdrasil wood, 45 black metal

The pickaxe’s attack hitbox extends below the player’s feet, which makes it possible to dig downward while standing near the edge of a surface. This is useful when creating trenches, lowering terrain, or opening access to ore veins embedded in the ground. However, the same reach can also be a disadvantage: if the player is not above or very close to the target, striking the ground can easily cause a 33% damage penalty. For efficient mining, positioning matters, especially when working on uneven terrain or tight ore deposits.

In practical use, the Black metal pickaxe is best treated as the final general-purpose mining tool before endgame progression. Its ability to mine any ore means it replaces earlier pickaxes for every standard resource route. Because it is also a weapon, it can be used in emergencies, but its attack profile and the mining-focused hitbox make it much more reliable as a tool than as a combat option.

Overall, the Black metal pickaxe is a major quality-of-life upgrade for late-game gathering, combining universal ore access with solid durability and strong mining power.