Valheim takes a lot of inspiration from real-world history, and that includes populating world seeds with archaic structures and ruins. In addition to crypts, shipwrecks, and other points of interest, the game also generates dolmens. But while these stone monuments may seem like a good place to build a house, you’d be wise to avoid building on top of a dolmen. Here’s why.
What is a dolmen?
A dolmen is a monument or tomb assembled with giant stones. These megaliths were typically built with two upright rocks capped by a stone slab laid horizontally. They’re commonly associated with Stonehenge, which is comprised of several dolmens.
Dolmens are one of many stone structures found throughout Valheim. Though they spawn at random locations due to the game’s procedural generation, dolmens can be usually be found throughout the Plains biome.
Avoid building on top of dolmens in Valheim
While many players were previously unaware of what dolmens are, they’re part of the conversation now. That’s because these structures were mentioned in the Valheim 0.148.6 patch notes. Specifically, the patch notes say: “Dolmen location fixes (Stop top stone from falling for no reason).”
Given this line, you’d expect it to be safe to build on top of a dolmen. However, it’s not worth the risk. Many users on the Valheim subreddit have mentioned that their house built atop spawned stone structures were destroyed following certain updates, including 0.148.6. While the top rock of dolmens could fall, even the stone pillars found throughout the Plains biome can falter, leaving you to watch in horror as your house crumbles before your eyes.
Even though Valheim dolmens should be stable following the latest patch, you’d be wise not to use them as a foundation for building. They may seem sturdy, but it’s still best to create stable foundations and roofs the old-fashioned way. Besides, any future update could dramatically alter the way that stone structures populate given seeds. You don’t want to watch idly as your Viking longhouse built atop a stone tower crumbles under its own weight.
