Originally posted by Marksman Max:

Originally posted by GunsForBucks:

Bow out the leeches and use your hoe to make some paths while you explore. Things will respawn but it typically isn't bad if you clear out any spawners.

You don't really need to bow the leeches. It's the safest strategy, of course, but there's better options IMO. Two of those are either repeatedly throwing a spear at them (it's pretty easy to get the spear back on each throw) or get close enough to smack em with the underhand mace attack.

Probably my largest complaint with Valheim is how broken Clubs are against nearly everything in the entire game. In fact, the Bow, Club and Atgeir are basically the only three weapons you ever need. Other weapons are cool and all, like Daggers, Swords and Spears (although there is no high-level spear equal to Blackmetal which kind of makes leveling Spears a waste), but the Bronze/Iron Mace is damn near mandatory for Swamp/Bonemass, for example.

Late-game, I think you have a bit more flexibility in regards to weapon choice. Pretty much anything works in the Mountains or Plains (except for the ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ stone golem) but at that point I feel like I've invested too much time into my current weapons that it would be a waste to stop using them due to the damage hit from being low level at Swords, for instance.

As you say, many times melee is just easier and faster.

So in playthrough from start I don't use the bow much except on deer and the occasional troll. I tend to use blunt and ax much more. By the time I reach entering the Swamps I know from experience that I will want to get my bow skill up for the Moder fight and Plains.

Leeches are great for that. You can stand by the water and they line up for you. Once you start going into crypts you won't use the bow much inside. So in the outside swamp area is really where my bow skill start to climb for the next area drakes and stuff.

Rather than just looking at "ease of killing in the moment", I am planning out my skill progression.