Rag Armor Set: Stats, Crafting Recipe & Upgrade Guide
Everything you need to know about Valheim's starting Rag Armor, from crafting costs to knowing exactly when to ditch it for something better.
Your First Line of Defense in Valheim
The Rag Armor set is quite literally the first thing standing between you and the hostile world of Valheim. Every Viking wakes up on the sacrificial stones wearing a Rag Tunic, and while it might look like you raided a medieval laundry basket, this humble set of rags is your only protection until you can hunt enough materials for something better.
Consisting of just two pieces, the Rag Tunic and Rag Pants, this is the simplest armor set in the entire game. There are no helmets, no capes, and absolutely no set bonuses. It provides a measly 1 armor per piece at base quality, which means the full set gives you a grand total of 2 armor. To put that in perspective, a single Boar deals 10 Blunt damage per hit. You are not exactly a walking fortress.
But here is the thing most new players overlook: Rag Armor is not meant to be endgame. It is not even meant to last you through the first few hours. Think of it as training wheels. Its real purpose is to teach you that armor exists, that crafting stations matter, and that you should always be looking to upgrade. The sooner you internalize that lesson, the smoother your early game will be.
Rag Armor Stats
| Rag Tunic (Quality 1) | 1 Armor, 200 Durability, 2.0 Weight |
| Rag Pants (Quality 1) | 1 Armor, 200 Durability, 2.0 Weight |
| Full Set (Quality 1) | 2 Armor, 4.0 Total Weight |
| Rag Tunic (Quality 2) | 2 Armor, 250 Durability, 2.0 Weight |
| Rag Pants (Quality 2) | 2 Armor, 250 Durability, 2.0 Weight |
| Full Set (Quality 2) | 4 Armor, 4.0 Total Weight |
| Max Quality | 2 (unique, all other sets go to 4) |
| Movement Speed Penalty | None |
| Set Bonus | None |
Crafting Recipes
How to Get Leather Scraps
Leather Scraps are the sole crafting material for Rag Armor, and fortunately they are one of the easiest resources to obtain in the Meadows. Your primary source is the Boar, which roams freely throughout the biome. A standard 0-star Boar drops 1 Leather Scrap and 1 Boar Meat upon death. One-star Boars drop 2 of each, and the rare 2-star variants drop 4, though you will not encounter starred Boars until you venture at least 800 meters from the world center.
Boars have just 10 HP at 0 stars, so even a basic Club or Stone Axe will take them down in a few hits. They deal 10 Blunt damage per attack and have a 5-second cooldown between swings, so you can easily dodge their charge and counterattack. Be aware that Boars are afraid of fire, including Torches, so put yours away when hunting them or they will scatter.
You can also find Leather Scraps in Chests scattered around Meadows structures and abandoned buildings. These free scraps can give you a head start before you even craft a weapon. Keep your eyes open for small ruined structures near your spawn point, as they frequently contain a Chest or two.
“The Rag Armor is not your destination. It is your reminder that everything in Valheim is trying to kill you, and you should probably do something about that.
Should You Upgrade Rag Armor?
In a word: no. The Rag Armor set is unique among Valheim's 16 armor sets because it can only be upgraded once, to a maximum quality of 2. Every other armor set in the game can reach quality 4. Even at its maximum, the full Rag set provides just 4 armor, which is still less than the base quality Leather Armor set at 7 armor (including the Deer Hide Cape).
Upgrading to Quality 2 requires a level 2 Workbench, which means building either a Chopping Block (10 Wood, 10 Flint) or a Tanning Rack (10 Wood, 15 Flint, 20 Leather Scraps, 5 Deer Hide) nearby. By the time you have gathered the materials for those workbench upgrades, you almost certainly have enough Deer Hide to start crafting Leather Armor instead. Each piece of Leather Armor costs 6 Deer Hide and provides 2 armor at base quality, already matching what upgraded Rag Armor offers per piece.
The only scenario where upgrading Rag Armor makes sense is if you are on a server where Deer are scarce and you have piles of Leather Scraps from Boar farming. Even then, it is more of a stopgap than a strategy.
Rag Armor vs. Leather Armor
| Rag Armor (Max Quality) | Leather Armor (Base Quality) | |
|---|---|---|
| Pieces | 2 (Tunic + Pants) | 4 (Helmet + Tunic + Pants + Cape) |
| Total Armor | 4 | 7 |
| Max Quality | 2 | 4 |
| Crafting Station | Workbench Lv. 1 | Workbench Lv. 2 |
| Upgrade Station | Workbench Lv. 2 | Workbench Lv. 3-5 |
| Materials | Leather Scraps only | Deer Hide + Bone Fragments |
| Total Cost (Craft + Upgrade) | 20 Leather Scraps | — |
| Movement Penalty | None | None |
| Set Bonus | None | None |
| Total Cost (Base Craft) | — | 22 Deer Hide, 5 Bone Fragments |
When to Transition to Leather Armor
Your priority in the first 30 minutes of a new world should be getting out of Rag Armor as quickly as possible. Here is the recommended early game progression to make that happen.
First, craft a Club (6 Wood) and start hunting Boars for Leather Scraps and Boar Meat. While you are at it, hunt Deer for Deer Hide. Deer are skittish and will flee when you approach, so use a Flint Spear (5 Wood, 10 Flint, 2 Leather Scraps) or the Crude Bow (10 Wood, 8 Leather Scraps) for ranged takedowns. Sneak up on them for an easier shot.
Once you have gathered around 22 Deer Hide and 5 Bone Fragments (from Skeleton kills at night or from Viking Graves scattered around the Meadows), you can craft the full Leather Armor set at a level 2 Workbench. The Leather set gives you nearly double the armor of maxed Rag Armor at base quality, and it scales all the way to quality 4. It also adds a helmet slot and the Deer Hide Cape for extra protection.
From Leather Armor, your next major upgrade path leads into the Black Forest, where you can choose between Troll Armor (light, with a Sneak set bonus) and Bronze Armor (heavy, with significantly higher armor values). But that is a whole different stage of the game. For now, focus on getting those Deer Hides and leaving the rags behind.
Meadows Armor Progression
Rag Armor FAQ
A few common questions new players have about the Rag Armor set.
Can I get back the Rag Tunic I started with if I accidentally destroy it?
Yes. You can craft a new Rag Tunic at any Workbench for just 5 Leather Scraps. The one you start with is not unique in any way. It is identical to a freshly crafted one.
Why does Rag Armor only go to Quality 2 when other sets go to 4?
This is a deliberate design choice by the developers. Rag Armor is meant to be replaced quickly. Capping it at Quality 2 ensures players do not invest too heavily in it and naturally progress toward Leather Armor and beyond. The only other sets with a lower max quality are the Mistlands and Ashlands sets, which cap at Quality 3 because their crafting stations currently only support two upgrades.
Is there a Rag Armor helmet or cape?
No. Rag Armor only comes in two pieces: the Tunic and Pants. Your helmet and cape slots will remain empty until you craft the Leather Helmet (6 Deer Hide, Workbench level 2) and Deer Hide Cape (4 Deer Hide, 5 Bone Fragments, Workbench level 1). This is another reason to transition to Leather Armor quickly, as filling all four slots makes a real difference.
Does Rag Armor have any movement speed penalty?
No. Rag Armor has zero movement speed penalty. Neither does Leather Armor. Movement speed penalties only start appearing with heavy armor sets beginning in the Black Forest, where the Bronze Plate Cuirass and Bronze Plate Leggings each reduce movement speed by 5%.