Originally posted by Trike:

Have yet to discover what kills you in the ocean on a raft, but okay.

As you may have seen there is something(s) out their that make the Raft a poor choice for ocean sailing.
But they still retain some charm in short range fishing expeditions I think. Valheim general rule I think is always make you base camps in Meadows or perhaps Black forest Biomes and sally forth to the newer areas you meet.

Personally when I find anew island when I can I sail all around it. to see how large it is. Fine a potential safe port build a base with a Teleportal to my central hub their then If I discover other interesting locations link teleportals from the landing site to that area. If you are killed this greatly speeds up the corpse runs.

Good luck & Happy exploring!

Originally posted by Zathabar:

Valheim general rule I think is always make you base camps in Meadows or perhaps Black forest Biomes and sally forth to the newer areas you meet.

The bold make their castles in the Plains.

Busy mining at night in the mountains (naked ofc)

Raft=Bad death.

Have yet to discover what kills you in the ocean on a raft, but okay.

Originally posted by Trike:

Have yet to discover what kills you in the ocean on a raft, but okay.

Well, not to spoil anything, but a general warning: the higher level biomes have stuff that can hurt the boat and may venture out from their shore a ways. Stay off unfamiliar shores and check it out slowly and carefully. A bow is your friend, you can shoot from the boat in motion and drive off the bad guys. You do NOT want to die in a boat in the middle of the ocean. Its a big hassle.

The swamp trees have a sickly, twisted and 'dead' shape to them. Once you see it you can spot swamp from the ocean from quite some distance.
Large tall rocks and light brown dirt is the plains, very dangerous.
Mountains are obvious, and rarely touch shore anyway.
Mistlands will fog up the ocean before you get to shore, turn around and go another way. Youll know it when you see it; the fog isn't like the normal stuff and you will not see 3 meters in it.

I HIGHLY suggest that when you find a swamp, scoot along the shore and find a meadow or black forest near it and set up a little camp there. I like to raise a small ring of dirt, drop a campfire and a rug and a portal, chest there. Tear up your boat and put it in the chest. Set the portal up so you can go to and from your home. Then go check out the swamp. Boating right up to the swamp is a good way to learn about why we all hate on the raft.

Originally posted by Trike:

Have yet to discover what kills you in the ocean on a raft, but okay.

Well I don't want to spoil you so I won't mention anything specific. But ships can capsize under certain conditions, and rafts are the most prone to it. Karves are less prone to capsizing, but it is still possible. I've never seen a longship capsize, I don't know if it can happen.

Rafts are also by far the slowest, so it's good to upgrade just for the sake of your sanity. It's a big world out there.

Take some bronze and make nails. This gets you access to the cart and Karve (boat).

As for progression, you go Meadows > Black Forest > Swamp > Mountains > Plains > Mistlands. It is highly unlikely that your starting island will have all of these, so you have to venture out and find new islands.

Highly recommend you set up a portal at your base, and bring materials to make one wherever you decide to land.

you should find a vegvisir in black forest towers or bural chambers; that'll show you your next objective; on how to survive in other biomes, it often requires the use of special meads

Originally posted by Suzaku:

Take some bronze and make nails. This gets you access to the cart and Karve (boat).

As for progression, you go Meadows > Black Forest > Swamp > Mountains > Plains > Mistlands. It is highly unlikely that your starting island will have all of these, so you have to venture out and find new islands.

Highly recommend you set up a portal at your base, and bring materials to make one wherever you decide to land.

bronze nails will let you have access to the better boat and cart to carry ore and stuff? perfect didnt know that Ill have to make some was trying to figure how ppl had those

The "higher level" areas roughly radiate outward from the altar, the farther you go out the harder it gets. Also depends on your seed. One time my starter "island" was a continent that took up 1/6 of the map, sometimes you'll have a very small island (like i did on purpose one time). Also save your greydwarf eyes, and treasure these nocturnal battles. You will need many, and if you use them right and think a bit getting your dead bodies will be very easy. Dont ever make the food that uses eyes as an ingredient.
And yea rafts are for big rivers. dont go ocean sailing without the bronze age boat

Park Land your boat next to a swamp, meadows or black forest, not in it. Or be prepared for a very difficult corpse run.