How to Beat Bonemass in Valheim – A Real Player's Guide
Stuck on how to beat Bonemass in Valheim? Yeah, me too the first time. This guy is the third boss and he's where a lot of runs first hit a brick wall. He's camped out deep in the Swamp, he hurts, he poisons literally everything, and he just keeps throwing blobs and skeletons at you like he's got an endless supply. Here's the thing though — Bonemass is also slow as mud and he has very specific weaknesses. Nail the right weapon, brew the right mead, and tidy up the arena before you pull him, and what looks like an unwinnable slog becomes a slow grind you can actually win.
Why Bonemass Feels Hard
Bonemass is one giant rotten lump with a health bar that takes forever to chew through. He doesn't exactly sprint at you, but his attacks cover a ridiculous amount of ground. There's that big melee swing with stupid range, the poison stuff that leaves green goo all over the floor, and the summon trick that keeps flooding the fight with skeletons and blobs. The fight drags on, so most deaths here come from running out of health or stamina at the wrong moment.
Here's the single thing that matters most: Bonemass takes extra damage from blunt and frost. He laughs at slash and pierce. So yeah, put the sword and the spear away. Grab a mace.
Preparing for Bonemass
Best Weapon: Iron Mace
Get the best Iron Mace you can make and pump its upgrades before you even think about summoning. Bonemass eats blunt damage like it's candy, and the mace lets you punish him after one of his big swings whiffs. This is the go-to weapon for this boss for good reason.
If by some miracle you already have Frostner, obviously use it. Frostner hits both blunt and frost, which is basically the perfect damage combo here. Realistically, though, most of us don't have Frostner yet — silver usually gets found with the Wishbone, which Bonemass himself drops. So for 99% of players walking into this fight, the Iron Mace is your bread and butter.
Want something for the adds? An Iron Sledge or Stagbreaker works great. Those wide area-of-effect swings can wipe out the skeletons and blobs before they ever reach you.
Bows and Frost Arrows
A bow isn't your main damage dealer, but it helps. Frost Arrows are especially nice since Bonemass is weak to frost. Each Frost Arrow takes 8 Wood, 1 Obsidian, and 1 Freeze Gland. If you're willing to farm obsidian and go pick a fight with some drakes in the Mountains, bring along 50 to 100 of them. Good for picking away at him when you need some space. Just don't try to bow-spam this guy to death.
Armor
Full Iron Armor is the safe play going in. It's boring, it works, it gives you solid protection. Root Armor bits can help with poison resistance, but Root Armor has that fire weakness, so most people still go Iron. Whatever you end up wearing, upgrade it as far as you can.
Poison Resistance Mead
Poison Resistance Mead. You need it. No exceptions. The recipe goes like this:
- 10 Honey
- 1 Red Mushroom
- 1 Carrot
- 1 Bloodbag
Dump all that in a fermenter and you've got yourself a batch. Bring at least two bottles. Chug one right before the fight starts and keep the second on your hotbar for emergencies. Honey comes from beehives, carrots from carrot seeds, red mushrooms are everywhere in the Meadows, and bloodbags? Those drop off leeches in the Swamp.
Food
Fill all three food slots with whatever your best options are. At least one stamina food and one health food, with the third slot up to you. This fight is long, and if you run out of stamina mid-dodge you're done for. Sausages are great if you've got them. Turnip Stew works too once you've tracked down turnips in the Swamp. Please don't walk into this fight on nothing but plain cooked meat.
Finding Bonemass and Summoning Him
Before you can even fight the guy, you need two things:
- A Withered Bone
- A Vegvisir marking the altar
Withered Bones are in the Swamp. The reliable way to find them is inside Sunken Crypts. Those crypts need a Swamp Key from The Elder, your second boss. Once you're inside, mine the muddy scrap piles and crack open chests. You'll usually stumble across Withered Bones while you're out iron-hunting anyway.
For the altar, wander through Swamp ruins and keep an eye out for Vegvisir stones. Interact with one and Bonemass's location shows up on your map. The altar itself is a raised stone platform with a big yellowed skull on it.
Clear the area before you summon. Destroy any Draugr spawners nearby, kill the leeches, and take out whatever else you can reach. And wait for morning. Summoning Bonemass at night just piles on extra Swamp spawns and makes the whole thing way harder than it needs to be.
When you're finally ready, stand at the altar, drop the Withered Bone, and drink your Poison Resistance Mead. Eat your best food, grab your mace, and get to work.
Bonemass Fight Strategy
Use the Altar and Terrain
The altar itself works like a little platform. Climb up on the skull to dodge some of the melee and catch your breath, but don't camp up there. Bonemass still throws poison globs, and the adds can smack you while you're just sitting around up there.
Before you summon, grab a hoe and raise the ground around the altar. Swamp terrain is basically one big puddle and it'll slow you to a crawl. A flat, dry arena makes dodging and kiting so much easier. This one little step changes the fight more than you'd think.
Stay in Medium Range and Circle Him
Bonemass is slow, so hang out close enough to hit him but not so close that you're always staring into his gut. Circle around and wait for him to swing. When a melee attack misses, dart in, land two or three mace hits, and back off again. Never empty your stamina bar. Always leave some in the tank for a dodge.
Dodge the Poison Attacks
The second you see Bonemass start to heave or throw a poison glob, get out of the green stuff. That lingers on the ground and will eat through your health even with resistance. Back off, wait for it to fade, then jump back in. If you do get poisoned anyway, pop a healing item and stay out of melee range until you're back to safe HP.
Deal With Adds Quickly
Every so often Bonemass summons Blobs and Skeletons. They're there to get in your face so he can land one of those big hits. An Iron Sledge or Stagbreaker clears whole groups fast. If you're stuck with just the mace, kill whatever's closest to you and get right back to Bonemass. Don't go chasing adds across the swamp.
Don't Run Too Far
Run too far from the altar and Bonemass gives up, trundles back to his spawn point, and starts healing up. Keep the fight around the altar. If you need room, circle around him instead of booking it in a straight line away from the arena.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Summoning at night. Extra Swamp spawns will absolutely bury you.
- Skipping Poison Resistance Mead. This is the number one reason people die to this fight.
- Bringing a sword or spear. Bonemass takes reduced damage from both slash and pierce.
- Standing in poison pools. Always weave around them.
- Skipping the pre-clear. Draugr and leeches will crash your fight.
- Burning through all your stamina. Keep some in reserve for dodges.
- Forgetting the hoe. Flat ground is a massive advantage.
- Camping on the altar the whole time. Poison globs and adds still reach you up there.
FAQ
Q: How do I get Withered Bone for the Bonemass summon?
Check inside Sunken Crypts in the Swamp. Mine muddy scrap piles and open chests. You'll need a Swamp Key from The Elder to get inside, but once you're in, withered bones show up pretty regularly.
Q: Is the Iron Mace actually the best weapon for Bonemass?
Yeah. He's weak to blunt and resistant to slash and pierce. The Iron Mace is the best blunt weapon you can realistically craft before beating him. Already have Frostner? Use that instead. Most people don't.
Q: Should I use Frost Arrows or melee?
Melee is your main damage. Frost Arrows are nice for chip and for when you need to keep some distance, but they won't carry the fight alone. A good mace finishes the job faster and keeps you from burning through your whole arrow stack.
Q: What should I do if I die during the fight?
Set up a portal somewhere safe before you summon. Die? Use the portal to get back to the Swamp fast. Grab your tombstone first, then resummon Bonemass with another Withered Bone if you need to. This fight doesn't need a perfect run. It needs patience, poison resistance, and blunt damage.
