Applies to Valheim 1.0, patch 1.0.21 (released on Steam October 28, 2026). Prices and spawn rules come from the community Valheim Wiki, checked against Iron Gate's patch notes. Prices can change in any patch, so treat the version stamp as part of the number.
Valheim has three traders, and none of them sit near your spawn on purpose. A thread titled "I really cant find haldor… any help?" reached 717 upvotes and 171 comments on r/valheim last month, more than five years after Early Access began. The trouble is that a trader's camp only appears once you get close, so a map with no icon tells you very little.
This guide shows where each trader can spawn, how to search for them, everything they sell, and what to spend your coins on first.
Quick answer: Haldor is in the Black Forest, at least 1,500 m from world centre. Hildir is in the Meadows, 3,000 to 5,100 m out. The Bog Witch is in the Swamp, 3,000 to 8,000 m out. Each camp is placed permanently when you come within about 320 to 450 m of one of its up to 10 possible spots, then its icon stays on your map. Buy Haldor's Megingjord first, for 950 coins and +150 carry weight.
Where are the traders in Valheim?
There is one of each trader per world, and they never share a biome. Your search area depends on who you want.
| Trader | Biome | Map icon | Distance from world centre | Possible spots | Sells |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Haldor | Black Forest | White bag | 1,500 m or more | 10 | Belt, pockets, rare materials |
| Hildir | Meadows | White shirt | 3,000 to 5,100 m | 10 | Clothing, base items |
| The Bog Witch | Swamp | White cauldron | 3,000 to 8,000 m | 10 | Potion and feast ingredients |
The Valheim Wiki notes that the game tries Hildir out to 8,000 m, but Meadows stop at 5,100 m, so that is her real limit. Ten is a maximum. The game picks up to 10 valid candidates when the world is generated, and the first one you approach becomes the real camp.
How do you find Haldor, Hildir and the Bog Witch?
Search by coastline, not by forest. Sailing covers far more ground than walking, and the 320 to 450 m trigger is about twice your default minimap range, so an icon can appear well before you can see the camp. That is what happened on the map at the top of this guide: the bag icon sits past the edge of the explored strip.
- Pick the right ring. Look for Haldor in Black Forest beyond 1,500 m. For Hildir and the Bog Witch, don't start searching until you are 3,000 m out. Build a home portal before you leave, and carry materials for its matching end so you can link the camp once you land.
- Sail along the biome edge. Run parallel to the coast and watch the map, not the shore. A new icon appears the moment the camp is placed.
- Try at night for Haldor. One no-map player on r/valheim says: "It's so much easier to see the flames/bubble at night, and he almost always (at least in my experience) is within viewing distance of the shoreline on a boat." That is player experience, not a game rule.
- Listen. Players say each camp has its own music, which helps on a final approach. It starts at short range, so it won't replace the search.
- Build a portal at the camp. You will come back with more coins as bosses fall. Our Valheim portals guide covers tags and pairing.
Still stuck after a few hours at sea? valheim-map.world shows trader candidates for your seed, as our Valheim seeds guide explains. It also spoils your world, so use it only when the search has stopped being fun. A viewer can show more than one Haldor because those are candidates. Only one of them will ever exist.
What does Haldor sell and how much does it cost?
Iron Gate's Mistlands patch notes put it simply: "Haldor's stock will update depending on boss progression." So an empty-looking shop often just means you have more bosses to kill. Prices below are from the Haldor wiki page.
| Item | Coins | Available | Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Megingjord | 950 | Always | +150 carry weight, accessory slot |
| Fishing Rod | 350 | Always | Required for fishing |
| Fishing Bait x20 | 10 | Always | Basic bait for the Rod |
| Barrel Hoops x3 | 100 | Always | Build Barrels |
| Dverger Circlet | 620 | Always | Headlamp, helmet slot |
| Yule Hat | 100 | Always | Cosmetic, helmet slot |
| Ymir Flesh | 120 | After The Elder | Crafts Frostner and Iron Sledge |
| Thunder Stone | 50 | After The Elder | Builds the Obliterator |
| Wider Pockets | 1,000 | After Moder | +8 inventory slots, once per player |
| Egg | 1,500 | After Yagluth | Starts chicken farming |
| Deeper Pockets | 2,000 | After The Queen | +8 inventory slots, once per player |
Both pockets arrived with Valheim 1.0, and together they take you from 32 slots to 48. Neither adds carry weight. Our fishing guide and chickens guide show whether the Rod and Egg are worth it for your base.
There is also a free bonus at the camp. Per the Valheim Wiki, destroying the Bearskin Rug next to Haldor drops a Bear Trophy.
How do Hildir's quests work?
Hildir starts with a small stock. Per patch 0.217.14, "most of her stock has gone missing," and returning it unlocks the rest. Use the map table in front of her to add the quest locations to your map, then clear them in order of difficulty.
| Chest | Dungeon | Biome | Miniboss | Unlocks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brass | Smouldering Tomb | Black Forest | Brenna | Simple dresses and tunics (350), Harvest dress or tunic (550 each), Straw hat (300), Blue Tied Headscarf and Fur cap brown (200) |
| Silver | Howling Cavern | Mountain | Geirrhafa | Shawl dresses and Cape tunics (450), Twisted headscarf green, Extravagant cap green and Tied headscarf yellow (250) |
| Bronze | Sealed Tower | Plains | Zil & Thungr | Beaded dresses and tunics (550), Twisted headscarf red, Fur cap grey and Extravagant cap orange (300), Basic fireworks (50) |
Three things catch people out:
- Chests weigh 200 each. They can't go through a wood portal, so bring a boat or a Stone Portal.
- Only one of each type counts. Up to 3 of each dungeon can exist, but a second Brass chest unlocks nothing new.
- Killing the miniboss adds raids. New Hildir events start after the kill, whether or not you hand the chest back. Our raids list covers them.
Available from the start: Simple dress or tunic natural (250), Simple cap red or purple (150), Headband (175), Sparkler (150), Iron Pit (75) and Barber Kit (600), which is how you change your hair.
Her clothes are for building days, not combat. Shirts cut Hammer, Hoe and Cultivator stamina use by 20%, and most hats by 15%. Each piece gives just 1 armour, per patch 0.217.6. A Harvest dress or tunic keeps the 20% cut, and wearing either with the Straw hat also adds +25 Farming. That pairing costs 850 coins in total.
What does the Bog Witch sell?
She is the ingredients vendor. As patch 0.219.13 says, she "sells a bunch of different ingredients and materials for you, useful for both brewing new potions and exploring the new feast mechanic." Most items come in packs of 5, and prices below are from her wiki page.
| Item | Coins | Available | Needed for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serving Tray | 140 | Always | Eating any feast |
| Candle Wick x50 | 100 | Always | Resin Candle |
| Fresh Seaweed x5 | 75 | Always | Draught of Vananidir |
| Cured Squirrel Hamstring x5 | 80 | Always | Tonic of Ratatosk |
| Powdered Dragon Eggshells x5 | 120 | Always | Mead of Troll Endurance |
| Pungent Pebbles x5 | 125 | Always | Brew of Animal Whispers |
| Love Potion x5 | 110 | Always | More Trolls spawn |
| Ivy Seeds x3 | 65 | Always | Plant Ivy |
| Corked Vial x5 | 150 | After The Elder | Blob Bombs |
| Toadstool | 85 | After Moder | Berserkir Mead |
| Fragrant Bundle x5 | 140 | After Moder | Anti-Sting Concoction |
| Scythe Handle | 200 | After Moder | Scythe |
| Crown of Roots | 3,000 | After killing a Writhan | Mostly cosmetic, 1 armour |
Her feast spices are sold in packs of 5 and unlock along the boss ladder:
| Spice | Coins | Unlocks after | Feast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woodland Herb Blend | 120 | The Elder | Boar, Black Forest and Swamp feasts |
| Seafarer's Herbs | 130 | Killing a Serpent | Sailor's Bounty |
| Mountain Peak Pepper Powder | 140 | Moder | Hearty Mountain Logger's Stew |
| Grasslands Herbalist Harvest | 160 | Yagluth | Plains Pie Picnic |
| Herbs of the Hidden Hills | 180 | The Queen | Mushrooms Galore á la Mistlands |
| Fiery Spice Powder | 200 | Fader | Ashlands Gourmet Bowl |
| Seasoning of the Gourd | 220 | Kall Fimbulbringer | Northern Morning Fare |
Her hut also has Comfort 3 and grants the usual shelter buffs, which makes it a handy rest stop in a biome with few safe places. Our comfort guide explains how that feeds Rested, and the food guide shows where feasts fit.
How do you get coins fast in Valheim?
Sell valuables rather than hauling coins. Coins weigh 0.1 each, so the 3,950 coins for the belt and both pockets weigh 395, which is more than your base carry weight of 300. The same value in Silver Necklaces weighs about 13.
All three traders buy all valuables at the same price, so sell at whichever camp is closest.
| Valuable | Coins each | Full stack | Where to find it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amber | 5 | 100 (20) | Meadows graves, Burial Chambers, Sunken Crypts, Perch bonus |
| Amber Pearl | 10 | 500 (50) | Same dungeons, Troll Caves, Pike bonus |
| Ruby | 20 | 400 (20) | Burial Chambers, Sunken Crypts, Frost Cave chests |
| Silver Necklace | 30 | 600 (20) | Graves, Burial Chambers, Frost Caves, Wishbone chests |
| Ancient Coin | 10 | 9,990 (999) | Mörkhalla, Captive Fulings |
| Grimvarn | 55 | 1,100 (20) | Mörkhalla, Deep North Shipwrecks |
| Solryth | 95 | 1,900 (20) | Mörkhalla, Deep North Shipwrecks |
| Veydris | 135 | 2,700 (20) | Mörkhalla, Deep North Shipwrecks |
| Draumyx | 175 | 3,500 (20) | Mörkhalla, Deep North Shipwrecks |
Early on, the best coin routes are Burial Chambers, Sunken Crypts and any Troll or Fuling you were going to kill anyway, since both drop coins. Late in the game, a single stack of Draumyx from Deep North Mörkhalla dungeons pays for both pockets. Sold items can't be bought back, so keep any Amber Pearl you need for crafting.
What should you buy first from the traders?
Buy for carrying capacity first, then for your current project. This is our order, based on what each purchase changes:
- Megingjord, 950 coins. The +150 carry weight affects every trip, from your first ore run onward.
- Wider Pockets, 1,000 coins, after Moder. More slots help just as you start long Plains trips.
- Serving Tray and one spice pack, 260 coins. Worth it if you're ready to cook feasts. Our boss order guide shows which tier you're on.
- Deeper Pockets, 2,000 coins, after The Queen. The last permanent inventory upgrade.
- Fishing Rod and Egg, 350 and 1,500 coins. Long-term food projects, so buy them once your gear is sorted.
Skip the Crown of Roots unless you want the trophy look. It costs 3,000 coins for 1 armour.
FAQ
Why isn't Haldor on my map? His camp doesn't exist until you come within about 320 to 450 m of one of his possible spots. His icon then stays on your map. Unexplored Black Forest beyond 1,500 m is where to look.
Can there be two Haldors in one world? No. A seed viewer can show several candidates, but each world has one of each trader, and the first spot you approach becomes the permanent camp.
Do you need traders to finish Valheim? No. The boss ladder runs on drops and crafted gear, so traders are optional. Missing Haldor does make long trips harder, because his belt and pockets are the main inventory upgrades.
Can enemies get inside a trader's dome? The wiki says creatures can't enter. Players report seeing Draugr and Skeletons inside the Bog Witch's dome anyway, mostly ignoring players until attacked. Treat it as a safe zone, not a sealed wall.
Why won't the trader's shop open? Patch 1.0.21 fixed this bug: "Fixed vendor GUI not opening after having watched cinematic in the current session." If it still happens, check your version, because console builds can lag behind the Steam release.
Do all traders buy the same things? Yes. Any trader buys any valuable, at the same price, so you never have to travel for a better rate.
Check your map for the three icons, then plan your next boat trip around the one you're missing. Carry valuables instead of coins, and bring a portal kit so you only have to find each camp once.
More Valheim guides? Keep your run moving with our biome and boss coverage.
- Valheim boss order: all bosses and how to beat them
- Valheim best seeds and world generation
- Valheim Deep North survival guide
- Valheim patch notes
Trader data comes from the Valheim Wiki's Traders, Haldor, Hildir, The Bog Witch and item pages, checked against Iron Gate's patch notes on Steam. Camp screenshots: Valheim Wiki. Map, shop and Swamp screenshots: r/valheim players, including the Haldor map post. Map annotation by timesaver.gg.
