Wraith

9:45 The Wraith is a flying, ghost-like undead creature of the Swamp biome in Valheim that appears only at night and is the game's only renewable source of Chains. A hooded, faceless specter with a dark blue glow, it drifts above the dead trees, hisses when it spots a Viking and dives in to slash with its claws (Wraith, Valheim Wiki). It halves all physical damage and ignores frost and poison, which makes it one of the most feared encounters for a player who reaches the Swamp in Black Forest gear, and one of the easiest to avoid, since staying out of the Swamp after dark is enough. The biome's other creatures are on Swamp Creatures.

Quick facts

When and where Wraiths spawn

8:53 Wraiths spawn anywhere in the Swamp at night, up to two at a time, and vanish at dawn. The one daytime exception is a rare spawn point at the Swamp's abandoned huts, which can hold a Wraith even at noon (Wraith, Valheim Wiki). Quicksand Riggs points out that, because they fly, Wraiths are the only Swamp creatures that can reach a player on a raised outpost or a fallen log, and his advice for anyone who does not need Chains is to sleep through the Swamp night or stay home, when cold also stacks on top of the biome's wetness (Weather, Cold and Wet; Rested, Comfort and Sleeping).

0:01 Since the Bog Witch update of Oct 29, 2024 Wraiths also raid bases. Once Bonemass is dead, "You feel a chill down your spine..." can fall on a base in the Meadows, Black Forest, Swamp, Mountain or Plains: the sky darkens as if at night, bringing the cold, and two Wraiths and three ghosts keep respawning for 150 seconds. A wall or ditch stops the ghosts but not the Wraiths, which fly over it (Events, Valheim Wiki; Patch 0.219.13, Steam; Raids and Events; The Bog Witch Update).

Wraith attack and resistances

6:10 The Wraith has one attack, a claw swipe for 60 slash that it can repeat every two seconds within about two meters, enough to kill an unarmored newcomer in a few blows (Wraith, Valheim Wiki). FireSpark81's damage test shows the rest of its profile: swords, maces and arrows all land gray, resisted numbers; fire arrows and silver arrows burn it; frost and poison do nothing at all. The wiki rates silver weapons, which pair spirit with physical damage, at about 90 percent effectiveness, while Frostner manages only about 50 percent because its frost is wasted (Damage Types).

How to kill a Wraith

10:12 With early gear the best tactic is the ambush. Samo sneaks through the Swamp at night watching the treetops for the Wraith's blue glow, then opens with fire arrows before it notices him; a couple are usually enough. Melee works slowly against its resistances, so dodging each swipe matters more than damage (Bows, Crossbows and Arrows).

Its single, readable swipe also makes the Wraith easy to parry, so an iron weapon and a shield are enough once a player has them (Parrying and Blocking). Wraiths are fast and are not slowed by water, so the wiki suggests drawing one away from the rest of the Swamp's night crowd, even out of the biome, where it is far less dangerous; a hunter can also stand on a small platform on two poles, fenced with stakewalls, and fight from there (strategies, Valheim Wiki). After the Mountain, the silver sword and silver arrows make short work of it.

Chain: the Wraith's drop

0:01 Every Wraith drops one Chain. Chains cannot be crafted; the other sources are finite chests in Sunken Crypts, Swamp chests, the Sealed Tower and the hooks and chains of Dvergr Outposts such as harbors and excavation sites, which can be deconstructed (Chain, Valheim Wiki). Chain farmers therefore mark the Swamp's abandoned huts and return to them. The Chains go into these builds (Forge Bellows, Iron Cooking Station, Black Metal Shield, Wolf Armor, Valheim Wiki; Crafting Stations and Upgrades; Weapons and Shields; Armor and Capes):

1:23 The ghost raid makes Chains easier to come by, Embr points out, since its Wraiths keep respawning for the whole event and each drops one, saving a night trip into the Swamp. The Wraith trophy has no recipe of its own.

Lore

A runestone tells travelers to consider the wraiths: when a warrior dies, the soul normally sinks into the earth to nourish new life, but a warrior who dies without great deeds leaves a soul too thin for that, which rises like hearth smoke, snags in the branches of trees and hardens into a bitter, envious shadow that preys on the living. The stone counts killing one a mercy (Wraith, Valheim Wiki; Lore and Setting).

History and 1.0 changes

The Wraith has haunted the Swamp since the early-access launch of Feb 2, 2021 (Development History). Its only major addition since is the ghost raid of the Bog Witch update. The Deep North Update (1.0 Patch Notes) of Sep 9, 2026 did not change it, though the release's rework of rare drops, meant to stop players killing many creatures without ever seeing a drop, applies to its 5 percent trophy (Valheim 1.0 Has Arrived!, Steam).

Frequently asked questions

How do you kill a Wraith in Valheim? Use fire or spirit damage: fire arrows from stealth, a silver sword or silver arrows. Physical damage is halved and frost and poison do nothing, but its single claw swipe is easy to parry.

Do Wraiths spawn during the day? Rarely. Wraiths normally spawn only at night, but an abandoned hut in the Swamp can hold one in daylight, and the ghost raid brings them at any hour.

How do you get Chains? Kill Wraiths, which always drop one, or loot Sunken Crypt and Swamp chests. Chains cannot be crafted.

What is a Wraith weak to? Fire and spirit, each doing one and a half times normal damage.

Sources

• Wraith, Chain, Events and Aggressive creature strategies, Valheim Wiki (weirdgloop)
• Forge Bellows, Iron Cooking Station, Black Metal Shield and Wolf Armor, Valheim Wiki
• Patch 0.219.13 – The Bog Witch, Iron Gate Studio on Steam, Oct 29, 2024
• Valheim 1.0 Has Arrived!, Iron Gate Studio on Steam, Sep 9, 2026
• 30+ Need to Know Valheim Tips for the Swamp!, Samo (video)
• 10 Tips For Conquering The Swamps, Quicksand Riggs (video)
• Swamp Creature Damage Weaknesses Valheim Guide, FireSpark81 (video)
• Valheim's Spooky New Ghost Raid!, Embr (video)
• Valheim - How To Farm Chains, Quick Tips (video)