The 10 Valheim Mods Worth Installing in 2026 — 1.0 Compatible, Co-Op Safe

The one mod to skip in 2026 (and what to use instead)

Most players land on Valheim Plus first. It has millions of downloads and a recommendation in every modding guide written before 2025. The problem: its last meaningful update was late 2024, and using it in Valheim 1.0 means locking yourself to an older game branch via Steam’s beta tools — which means no Deep North, no full 1.0 content, no current patches. Every feature Valheim Plus offered now has a maintained standalone replacement. This guide uses those replacements.

The 10 mods here have confirmed 1.0 compatibility as of April 2026. Each entry includes the co-op install requirement — one of the most important details that most mod lists skip entirely. If you are playing solo, this matters less. If you have a server with three people who all need to connect, it matters a lot.

If you want broader context on where Valheim sits in the genre right now, see our best survival games of 2026 guide.

Before you install: two non-negotiables

BepInExPack Valheim (v5.4.2333) is the modding framework that sits between Valheim’s Unity engine and every mod on this list. Install it first via r2modman or Gale — both free mod managers that handle dependencies automatically and keep installs organised. Do not install BepInEx manually unless you have a specific reason to.

Crossplay and mods are mutually exclusive. When crossplay is enabled, Valheim switches from Steam networking to PlayFab. BepInEx cannot hook into the PlayFab path, so your mods silently deactivate with no error message. Before every modded session: Settings → Enable Crossplay → Off. Every player on your server needs to do this.

All mods verified against Valheim 1.0, Deep North patch, April 2026. Values may change with future updates.

Quick start: install in this order

Problems in modded Valheim are easier to diagnose with fewer mods active. Build up in layers:

1. Foundation: BepInExPack → ExtraSlots → PlantEverything → CraftFromContainers
2. Building: Gizmo → PlanBuild
3. Deep North endgame (install in order, each requires the previous): Warfare → WarfareFireAndIce → Monstrum Deep North
4. Loot system: Epic Loot → Jewelcrafting

Mods 1–3: QoL essentials

These three mods fix problems that should not exist in the base game. Install them before anything else.

1. ExtraSlots (v1.1.12)

ExtraSlots is the actively maintained replacement for the deprecated Equipment and Quick Slots mod. It adds six hotkey quick slots, three dedicated food slots, three ammo slots, two miscellaneous slots, and up to five extra inventory rows — all configurable. Updated four days before this article was written, with 638,000 downloads and active maintenance.

If you are migrating from Equipment and Quick Slots or AzuExtendedPlayerInventory, items move automatically to appropriate slots on first load. Nothing is lost.

Co-op: Install on both server and all clients. Server config sync is built in — slot counts propagate from server to clients automatically, so configuration mismatches do not happen.

Skip if: Your server host enforces strict vanilla-adjacent mod policies.

2. PlantEverything (v1.20.0)

PlantEverything adds 29 cultivator recipes for resources the base game lets you pick but not grow: berry bushes, mushrooms, thistles, dandelion, tree saplings. Growth times, yields, and biome restrictions are all configurable.

The co-op standout: unmodded clients can still see and interact with everything you plant. A server-side-only install covers the whole group without requiring everyone to grab the mod. This is rare for a content mod.

Co-op: Server required, clients optional.

Skip if: You want vanilla farming restrictions as a meaningful constraint on your food economy.

3. CraftFromContainers

CraftFromContainers pulls resources from nearby chests automatically when you craft, build, smelt, cook, or refuel fires. Pull radius is configurable. Hold Left Ctrl to pull resources into your inventory instead of consuming them directly.

It works with all crafting stations, including the Ymir Forge from WarfareFireAndIce — useful when your Deep North base has multiple specialised stations spread across a large build. For more crafting-focused survival options, see our best crafting games of 2026.

Co-op: Install on server and clients for full functionality. Server-only degrades some features.

Mods 4–5: building

4. Gizmo (v1.15.0)

Gizmo adds X-axis and Z-axis rotation to all building pieces via configurable hotkeys. Snap angles are adjustable from 2 to 256 degrees per 180. Roof Mode shifts the rotation axis by 45 degrees for corner pieces — the specific problem that turns Deep North fortress roofing into an exercise in frustration without the mod.

Co-op: Client-side only. Install it without telling your co-op partners. They will see your pieces placed normally.

5. PlanBuild (v0.18.4)

PlanBuild introduces the Plan Hammer, which places ghost pieces before you have gathered materials, and the Blueprint Rune, which saves structures as shareable files. A Plan Totem fills in ghost pieces automatically as you drop resources — useful for large builds where you want to gather materials in batches rather than run back to your chest constantly.

The serverwide blueprint marketplace is the co-op win: upload a Deep North base design to the shared pool and your whole group can pull the same blueprint and build simultaneously from different sections.

Co-op: Unmodded clients can connect and play normally — they will not see plan pieces. Install on all clients for the shared blueprint experience.

Mods 6–8: the Deep North stack

These three mods by Therzie were built as a system. Install them in order — each is a dependency of the next. Together they add the gear progression, creatures, and boss encounters that the Deep North biome implies but does not fully deliver in the base game.

6. Warfare

Warfare is the base framework: new weapon categories and armor sets tied to biome progression from Meadows through Mistlands. Install it first. On its own, it does not touch the Deep North — it is the dependency that mods 7 and 8 require.

Co-op: Server and all clients required.

7. WarfareFireAndIce (v2.0.8)

WarfareFireAndIce extends the Warfare framework into the Deep North. It unlocks the Ymir Forge — a new crafting station that produces fire, ice, and lightning-infused weapons at the gear tier the biome demands. New building pieces themed to the ice environment are included alongside the weapons, which matters when constructing a base that visually fits where you are.

507,963 downloads. Required by Monstrum Deep North.

Co-op: Server and all clients required.

8. Monstrum Deep North (v2.0.6)

Monstrum Deep North fills the biome with what the base game leaves sparse: four tameable creatures (arctic wolves, bears, serpents, mammoths) and four original bosses — Brutalis, Gorr, Sythrak, and Storm Herald. New Jotunn dungeons, temples, and camps generate across the biome. Boss encounters are tuned for a full endgame loadout; if you have built through Warfare and WarfareFireAndIce, you have the gear to engage them.

Dependencies: the base Monstrum mod plus WarfareFireAndIce must both be installed and active before this loads.

Co-op: Server and all clients required — this is a content mod.

Skip if: You want the Deep North to remain sparse and atmospheric. Monstrum makes it significantly more combat-heavy.

Mods 9–10: combat and loot

9. Epic Loot (v0.12.11)

Epic Loot adds randomised magic drops across five tiers: Magic, Rare, Epic, Legendary, and Mythic. The Mythic tier arrived with the Ashlands update and applies to Deep North enemies and chests without any additional configuration. Updated two months before this guide was written, with 1.76 million downloads.

The enchantment table lets you identify items and extract their effects into Runestones for socketing. In co-op groups, the loot spread naturally pushes different players toward different builds — not by design, but because two Mythic drops for the same gear slot is unusual enough that your group diversifies organically.

Co-op: All players and the server must install it, same version. No workaround exists.

10. Jewelcrafting (v1.5.36)

Jewelcrafting adds a gem socket system to Valheim gear. Open a socket on an item, insert a gem, gain a powerful bonus — but the process risks durability loss or stat penalties on failure. The risk is intentional: high-end gems on endgame gear are a meaningful investment, not a guaranteed upgrade.

Over 1,200 other Valheim mods list Jewelcrafting as a dependency. It functions as infrastructure for the current modded Valheim ecosystem. At Deep North gear levels, pairing a well-rolled Epic Loot legendary with the right Jewelcrafting gem is the highest character power ceiling the current mod stack offers.

Co-op: Server and all clients required.

Co-op compatibility at a glance

“All clients” means everyone connecting to the server must run the same mod version. Version mismatches in Valheim cause silent loading failures more often than crashes — if a mod appears inactive, check versions first.

Which mods should you start with?

FAQ

Does Valheim Plus still work in 2026?

Technically, yes — if you lock Valheim to an older build via Steam’s beta branch. In practice, that excludes the entire Deep North biome and all 1.0 content. The features Valheim Plus offered are covered by maintained standalone mods: ExtraSlots for inventory management, CraftFromContainers for storage QoL, individual BepInEx plugins for stamina and carry weight. There is no reason to use it for a current 1.0 playthrough. If you want to see what a healthy 2026 modding scene looks like by comparison, our best Schedule I mods guide covers a game where the community has stayed current.

Do all players need the same mods?

It depends on the mod type. Client-side mods (Gizmo) work without anyone else installing them. Most gameplay mods — Epic Loot, Jewelcrafting, the Therzie stack — require all players and the server to run matching versions. The co-op table above specifies the exact requirement for each mod on this list. Mismatched versions are the most common cause of multiplayer mod failures; check versions before assuming a mod is broken.

Can I mix this list with other mods?

Yes. The Therzie stack plays well with Epic Loot and Jewelcrafting — they were built to coexist. Adding creature-scaling mods like CreatureLevelAndLootControl alongside Monstrum Deep North will push Deep North difficulty significantly above vanilla expectations. That may be the intent, but test it on a backup world first. Most conflicts in Valheim come from two mods modifying the same creature stat or crafting table, not from BepInEx framework-level incompatibilities.

Sources

• ExtraSlots — Thunderstore / shudnal (v1.1.12)
• PlantEverything — Thunderstore / Advize (v1.20.0)
• CraftFromContainers — Thunderstore / Grizzzly
• Gizmo — Thunderstore / ComfyMods (v1.15.0)
• PlanBuild — Thunderstore / MathiasDecrock (v0.18.4)
• Warfare — Thunderstore / Therzie
• WarfareFireAndIce — Thunderstore / Therzie (v2.0.8)
• Monstrum Deep North — Thunderstore / Therzie (v2.0.6)
• Epic Loot — Thunderstore / RandyKnapp (v0.12.11)
• Jewelcrafting — Thunderstore / Smoothbrain (v1.5.36)
• BepInExPack Valheim — Thunderstore / denikson (v5.4.2333)

Michael R.

I've been playing video games for over 20 years, spanning everything from early PC titles to modern open-world games. I started Switchblade Gaming to publish the kind of accurate, well-researched guides I always wanted to find — built on primary sources, tested in-game, and kept up to date after patches. I currently focus on Minecraft and Pokémon GO.