How to Beat Fader in Valheim: Full Ashlands Boss Guide

Fader is Valheim's seventh Forsaken and the Ashlands boss, with 25,000 HP — the tankiest boss in the game at launch. He is a charred skeletal dragon that glows green through the gaps in his body, and he summons meteors, Charred Marksmen and Charred Warriors while raining fire across the arena. He resists Pierce damage, and Spirit and Fire damage are near-useless against him. Bring a Slashing or Blunt weapon, a ranged staff, full fire resistance, and terrain to fight from.

Boss Overview

How to Summon Fader

Fader is summoned by placing three Bells on the small towers surrounding his altar in the Emerald Flame arena. Each Bell is crafted at a Black Forge from 3 Bell Fragments, so you need 9 in total.

1. Defeat The Queen (Mistlands boss) — Fader's summoning requires this prerequisite
2. Sail to the Ashlands using a Drakkar, and establish a base
3. Build a Siege Weapon (ballista or trebuchet) to break into Charred Fortresses
4. Loot Charred Fortresses for Bell Fragments — they spawn in the central tower. A lucky fortress holds up to four fragments, so expect to clear at least three fortresses, likely more
5. Craft 3 Bells at the Black Forge (3 fragments each = 9 total)
6. Place the 3 Bells on the towers around Fader's altar to summon him

The Fader Relic he drops is the key to the Deep North — you need it to build the Eternal Pyre, which produces the Embers required for Ember Charges and therefore Bloodgold. You cannot progress into the Deep North without defeating Fader first.

Recommended Loadout

Flametal armour provides excellent protection against his attacks. Fire Resistance Barley Wine is essential — a lapsed fire resistance buff will get you killed fast in an arena this fire-heavy.

How to Beat Fader: Attack-by-Attack Strategy

Fader has no exploitable elemental weakness. The fight is a positioning and dodging test, not a damage race. Keep your distance, stay mobile, and punish in the short pauses between his serious attacks.

• Meteor attack: when he rears his head, gain ground quickly — meteors fall from the sky and leave green flames in their wake
• Charred Marksmen and Warriors: he summons these adds. They target wherever you are standing, so you cannot stop moving
• Ring of fire: he creates a fire ring around you that usually has one exit — and the exit often gets blocked. Watch for the gap and break out immediately
• Ground stomp: leaves a crack that produces lingering fire spikes over a fairly long range. Dodge it well rather than tanking

The general rhythm is: reposition before every telegraphed attack, punish in the recovery window, reset distance. Do not stand and trade hits — most of his attacks are within melee range.

Terrain Is Your Best Armor

The most important tactic for beating Fader is not your weapon — it is your preparation of the arena. Pickaxe earthen walls and ramps before the fight to break line-of-sight from Charred archers and to give yourself safe repositioning. This single tactic turns "impossible" into "manageable."

• Build earthen walls around the arena edges to block ranged adds
• Clear the arena of existing rubble so you have room to dodge meteors
• Build ramps so you can reposition vertically when the ring of fire closes in
• Do not fight in the open — the Ashlands biome has excellent terrain to exploit, use it

Solo vs Group

Fader is significantly easier in a group. The fight demands constant repositioning, dodging, and add-clearing simultaneously — running out of stamina or being caught between meteors and Charred Warriors is common. If you are playing solo, bring extra healing mead and be conservative with your stamina. If you have friends, co-op makes this a very different and far more winnable fight.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Bringing Fire or Spirit weapons. Both are near-useless against him. Use Slash, Blunt, or an endgame staff.
• Fighting with arrows in melee range. He resists Pierce damage, so arrows are half as effective as they should be. Use them at range only.
• Skipping the fire resistance food. The arena is fire-heavy. A lapsed Fire Resistance Barley Wine buff means fast death.
• Standing still during adds. Charred Marksmen and Warriors target your exact position. Keep moving constantly.
• Getting caught in the ring of fire. The exit often gets blocked — watch the opening before it closes.
• Not building a Siege Weapon first. You cannot loot Charred Fortresses without one, and you need 9 Bell Fragments.
• Only looting three fortresses. A lucky fortress holds up to four fragments, but most hold one or two. Expect to clear more.

What You Get for Beating Fader

• Fader's Trophy — the boss trophy that goes in your trophy hall
• Fader Relic — the critical item. Required to build the Eternal Pyre in the Deep North, which produces Embers for Ember Charges. Without it you cannot make Bloodgold or reach Kall Fimbulbringer.
• Flametal — the tier-9 metal used for Flametal armour and the Lavathrower weapon line
• Ember — the base crafting component for Ember Charges
• Fader Power — a Forsaken Power that boosts Adrenaline gain, making the Neckstabber trinket far easier to trigger

Beating Fader is the gate to the entire Deep North endgame. Without the Fader Relic, you have no path to Bloodgold, Nord weapons, or Kall Fimbulbringer.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I summon Fader in Valheim?

Craft 3 Bells at the Black Forge using 9 Bell Fragments total (3 per Bell). Bell Fragments are found in the central tower of Charred Fortresses in the Ashlands. Place the 3 Bells on the towers surrounding Fader's altar to summon him.

What damage type is best against Fader?

Slash and Blunt deal full damage in melee. He resists Pierce (arrows are half as effective). Fire and Spirit damage are nearly useless. An endgame staff is the safest ranged option.

How much health does Fader have?

25,000 HP — the highest of any boss in Valheim at the time of the Ashlands update.

Do I need to beat The Queen before Fader?

Yes. Defeating The Queen in the Mistlands is a prerequisite for accessing and summoning Fader in the Ashlands.

What is the Fader Relic used for?

It is required to build the Eternal Pyre in the Deep North, which produces Embers. Those Embers become Ember Charges, which are needed to harvest Petrified Tissue and therefore Bloodgold. You cannot reach the Deep North endgame without it.

Is Fader harder solo or in a group?

Group. The fight demands constant repositioning, dodging, and add-clearing simultaneously. In co-op it is very winnable; solo you need extra healing mead and conservative stamina management.

What does Fader drop in Valheim?

Fader's Trophy, the Fader Relic (critical for Deep North progression), Flametal, Embers, and the Fader Power which doubles Adrenaline gain.

Conclusion

Fader is a pure positioning test. He has no elemental weakness to exploit, so winning comes from preparation, not gear. Build walls and ramps before you start, bring full fire resistance food, use Slash or Blunt weapons, and stay mobile. His arena is fire-heavy and his attacks telegraph clearly — if you keep your distance, punish in the recovery windows, and never stop moving when adds spawn, this boss is very winnable. The Fader Relic he drops is your ticket to the entire Deep North endgame.

Published: October 8, 2026 | Updated: October 8, 2026

Sources: timesaver.gg Ashlands guide (Sep 2026) — timesaver.gg; GPORTAL Fader boss guide — g-portal.com; IGN Wiki How to Defeat Fader — ign.com; TechRaptor Fader boss guide — techraptor.net; Bisect Hosting Fader guide — bisecthosting.com. Community-verified for Valheim 1.0.