Originally posted by CombatWombat:

Stamina is just health

Yeah you can say that. And just like in any other game with health, you are challenged to not let it drop down to 0, not to keep it at max. There are plenty other games where you exchange health for opportunity to deal damage regurarly.

Seems like the only way is to cheese it. Jump on a stone, use the cave entrances, use portals, walk around an obstacle.

Seems like you didnt look far. There is a lot to this system than just mashing buttons till you are out.

Like for example: "When you run away and try to regenerate you regenerate less than you wasted running until the mob catches up."
Why you are running away? You regenerate stamina just as fast stationary as walking. Just walk away, almost all mobs allow it, and even wolves in open alllow for stamina recovery if you sprint at the right time. Jumping is another thing... jump when its needed not when panic mashing. And there are more tricks still...

The real problem is that you get yourself into impossible situations and blame it on stamina when it goes to zero. Valheim is a game of planning ahead, 0 cheese is needed to make it easy, only experiance...