Originally posted by Shaken_Widow:

Originally posted by Nerevar:

store items in chests otherwise theyll despawn within 2 ingame days unless a player base structure is nearby. this will prevent despawn for good. like a campfire or workbench for example. NOT A WODDEN WALL.

only the workbench radius prevents despawing, not player structures.

this is false. all structures that prevent enemy spawns also prevent item despawns. the only difference is most of them dont show thier range unlike the bench.

this applies to ALL player base structures.

https://valheim.fandom.com/wiki/Player_base

check this link for a list of them.

OP, in the future that you should be doing is setting up a workbench and a chest atop each crypt, and ideally also have a portal terminus that you can move from crypt to crypt as you clear them. afterwards you and your wife can work your way back to each cleared crypt and collect the stored iron atop each crypt.

As for what the others have said, the only way you're getting that lost iron back is if you console it back in, because you let it despawn by tossing it onto the ground and leaving it there.

if he leaves a chest lying around wont enemies just destroy the chest and then he would again loose his loot wouldn't he?. im only saying this because iv never had a chest break on me and i don't know what happens to the loot inside

Not if both the chest and the workbench are placed above the crypt.

Originally posted by dancode2022:

if he leaves a chest lying around wont enemies just destroy the chest and then he would again loose his loot wouldn't he?. im only saying this because iv never had a chest break on me and i don't know what happens to the loot inside

If a chest breaks, the loot drops on the ground. If a cart or boat breaks, the loot drops in crates that don't despawn.

Enemies almost never aim at chests or structures if you don't leave them out in the open. Always try to enclose them in some kind of walls or natural repair - That is, along the wall of the crypt if you don't want to cheese them on the roof.

Items will not de-spawn I believe if there is a crafting station nearby.. but otherwise.. yea you are playing with fire.. especially something as important as metal.. store it in the closest chest tot he entrance.

Originally posted by Nerevar:

store items in chests otherwise theyll despawn within 2 ingame days unless a player base structure is nearby. this will prevent despawn for good. like a campfire or workbench for example. NOT A WODDEN WALL.

only the workbench radius prevents despawing, not player structures.

Originally posted by asphaltcowboy67:

what do you mean
use console?

You have to run your client with a -console (I think that's it) command, and then hit F5, type devcommands, then you can type "spawn <item> <number>" to spawn items. Hitting tab will print the item names that match what you've already typed to help you figure out the name.

Of course, you shouldn't normally just spawn items, but I think it's fair in this case.

wow, way out of my league there, i think game should give it back, ive never had iron despawn before

store items in chests otherwise theyll despawn within 2 ingame days unless a player base structure is nearby. this will prevent despawn for good. like a campfire or workbench for example. NOT A WODDEN WALL.

This gives a detailed description of enabling dev commands:

https://valheim.fandom.com/wiki/Console_Commands

You've been playing the game with just yeeting it on the floor?, you've never seen items despawn when you come back to places? Items despawn, in almost every game, it might sound a bit blunt but you could have seen this coming.

Items on the ground despawn. You can use console to spawn the amount back.

what do you mean
use console?

I like to collect everything in the closest chest to the entrance prior to hauling anything out, but, as was mentioned, don't just leave things on the ground except near base structures. Base structures will (AFIK) prevent them from spawning.

When mining ore, I also like to drop a chest to put the ore into just to make sure I don't leave it on the ground too long. If you care about the rocks, you can create stack of them, of course.