On our journeys around Valheim's world, we've encountered scary beasts, such as the wretched Draugr in the swamp, or the Goblin-like Furlings in the plains. But nothing could have prepared my group of Vikings for what is becoming Valheim's deadliest denizen: the Deathsquito.
Over the past week, my group of friends on our private server have started to explore the world of Valheim. We've taken to longship after longship, sailing the seas and mapping the coasts of islands and continents away from our own. We've established Vinland, an island to the south of us with plenty of iron scrap giving swampland, and have even stumbled upon the mistlands, a biome that doesn't look like it's fully ready to go just yet.
Nothing, though, has been as devastating as the plains we've found. My buddy, also named Joe...though we call him Ralph for some reason...mapped a huge continent to the east of our main settlement. However, in his journey he ran into something that has caused such consternation that it's actually one of the only times I've felt like stepping away from the survival game.
A giant insect, the Deathsquito.
The plains biome is full of Furlings, goblin-like creatures that pack a punch, but can easily be countered with good sword and shield technique. The giant buffalo-like creatures that roam the plains are something I've just not gone near yet, but it's not simply from a lack of curiosity - it's mainly because I can't get close enough before a Deathsquito screams towards me.
These small, fast bugs are the bane of our existence right now. The plains on our new continent (aptly named Australia since it's got a diverse biomesphere and everything here wants to kill us) are littered with the tombstones of fallen comrades, each one a tribute to the stunning power of these tiny bugs.
They aren't hard to kill, either. One good hit from a sword or well placed arrow can bring the buggers down. However, if you miss that initial swing, you might see yourself getting hit for 80 or so healthpoints. We're bringing elaborate meals with us on these journeys, so quite a few of us have over 120 or so health, but the Deathsquito laughs in the face of your armor or health bar, instead spitting ruin up you and your morale.
Old meme, still relevant from r/valheim
Valheim's creatures also tend to leash for quite a long distance, and the Deathsquito is no exception. While I don't mind the challenge these bugs give us when exploring this new biome - afterall, a survival game needs things to survive to be challenging - what hinders the fun is how unbalanced these bugs feel. Kitting myself out with a full set of Iron Armor doesn't seem to be a barrier to the sting of the insect, and when three or four latch onto you, welp...you might as well start planning whether you're going to do a corpse run, or abandon that gear entirely.
What makes them feel uniquely unbalanced is the ability for them to leash offshore, keeping up with a fast longship with full wind in its sails. We lost many a crewmember to the sting of a Deathsquito we didn't think would follow us out in open water, one time dodging both a Serpent and a Deathsquito, fearing more the latter.
We actually lost three ships, stranded in the water near a beach because of the Deathsquito threat, with three of my compatriots making a daring rescue yesterday, salvaging all three and not finding a single hungry mosquito in the process. It was a glorious day, even if the beach nearby was still littered with our fallen tombstones (and sets of iron and bronze armor).
Maybe, over time, we'll come to think of the Deathsquito as simply a mere nuisance (or maybe they'll get nerfed to hell -one can hope), but right now I'm avoiding the plains almost entirely because of this creature. And you should too...at least until you're ready.
Featured image via Ginx
