On this page7 sections
- The Troll Set gives 19 armor at base, no movement penalty, and +15 Sneak with all four pieces.
- You need 25
Troll Hide (5 normal 
Trolls) and 13 
Bone Fragments, all at the Workbench, with no smelting. - Kill Trolls with a bow: they take 1.5x Pierce and resist Blunt.
- Spend your
Bronze on tools and weapons; maxed Troll gear is only 2 armor behind maxed Bronze. - Upgrade the hood, tunic and trousers before the expensive cape.
Why the Troll Set Is the Real Black Forest Armor
The Troll Set is not a budget option for players who cannot afford Bronze. It is a deliberate choice that many veterans prefer, for good reason.
Four pieces, no smelting
It is a light set crafted from Troll Hide and Bone Fragments at the Workbench:
Zero movement penalty
Bronze Armor costs -10% movement across the tunic and leggings. The Troll Set costs nothing, so you run faster, dodge more easily and spend less stamina on the move. In a game built on stamina management, that is enormous.
The Sneaky Effect
All four pieces grant +15 Sneak, the first set bonus you will meet. Sneak attacks with most weapons deal triple damage, so the bonus means more successful ambushes and bigger opening hits, ideal for bow and stealth play.
“Ore is better spent on weapons than armor. The mobility loss from metal armor often outweighs the protection gain, especially in the early and mid game.
Full Armor Stats by Quality Level
Each armor piece gains +2 armor per quality level and the cape +1. All upgrades happen at the Workbench, which you level up by placing crafting station extensions nearby.
Troll Set Armor Values by Quality
| Quality 1 (Workbench Lv. 2) | 19 total (6 + 6 + 6 + 1) |
| Quality 2 (Workbench Lv. 3) | 26 total (8 + 8 + 8 + 2) |
| Quality 3 (Workbench Lv. 4) | 33 total (10 + 10 + 10 + 3) |
| Quality 4 (Workbench Lv. 5) | 40 total (12 + 12 + 12 + 4) |
| Total Weight | 15.0 (all quality levels) |
| Movement Speed Penalty | 0% |
| Set Bonus (all 4 pieces) | Sneaky Effect: +15 Sneak |
Durability by Quality
| Q1 Armor Pieces / Cape | 500 / 500 |
| Q2 Armor Pieces / Cape | 700 / 550 |
| Q3 Armor Pieces / Cape | 900 / 600 |
| Q4 Armor Pieces / Cape | 1100 / 650 |
Troll Set Pieces Compared
| Stat |  Troll Leather Hood |  Troll Leather Tunic |  Troll Leather Trousers |  Troll Hide Cape |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Armor | 6 (+2 per level) | 6 (+2 per level) | 6 (+2 per level) | 1 (+1 per level) |
| Set bonus (4 pieces) | Sneaky: +15 Sneak | Sneaky: +15 Sneak | Sneaky: +15 Sneak | Sneaky: +15 Sneak |
| Durability | 500 (+200 per level) | 500 (+200 per level) | 500 (+200 per level) | 500 (+50 per level) |
| Max quality | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Weight | 1 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Crafted at | Workbench 2 | Workbench 2 | Workbench 2 | Workbench 2 |
How to Craft the Troll Set: Every Recipe and Upgrade Cost
The whole set is made at the Workbench, not the Forge, so you never smelt metal for it. The recipes unlock when you first pick up Troll Hide.
Materials
- Troll Hide: a 0-star Troll always drops 5, a 1-star 10 and a 2-star 20.
- Bone Fragments: from
Skeletons in the Black Forest and Viking Graves in the Meadows.
The base set needs 25 Troll Hide, so at least 5 normal Trolls. Maxing everything to Quality 4 takes 91 Troll Hide and 49 Bone Fragments.
Leather Tunic
Leather TrousersTotal Materials to Max Quality 4 (All Pieces)
| Troll Leather Hood | 17 Troll Hide, 9 Bone Fragments |
| Troll Leather Tunic | 17 Troll Hide |
| Troll Leather Trousers | 17 Troll Hide |
| Troll Hide Cape | 40 Troll Hide, 40 Bone Fragments |
| Grand Total | 91 Troll Hide + 49 Bone Fragments |
Troll HideMaterial · Black Forest5 per normal Troll: 25 for the base set, 91 to max it
- Weight
- 2
- Stack size
- 20
The cape is by far the most expensive piece: 10 Troll Hide and 10 Bone Fragments to craft, and 40 of each to max. Upgrade the hood, tunic and trousers first, since they give far more armor per material. Only max the cape if you are committed to the full set bonus.
How to Farm Trolls Efficiently
Trolls are the towering blue giants of the Black Forest, with 600 HP at 0 stars, 1,200 at 1 star and 1,800 at 2 stars. They take 1.5x Pierce damage and only 0.5x Blunt, so bows and spears beat clubs and maces.
Use a bow
Trolls are big and slow with long windups. Keep your distance, dodge the boulders and pelt them with 
Flinthead Arrows or 
Fire Arrows. A 
Finewood Bow with Flinthead Arrows takes down a 0-star Troll in roughly 15-20 shots, depending on your Bow skill.
Two variants
- Log Trolls (about one in three) reach up to 10 meters and deal heavy Chop damage to structures. If one approaches your base, deal with it first or lure it away.
- Unarmed Trolls have shorter reach but throw boulders from 8-20 meters.
Where to find them
- Roaming the Black Forest
- Inside Troll Caves, which always hold one
- Near
Copper deposits, where you can even let them break Copper and 
Tin for you - In the "The ground is shaking" raid after you defeat
The Elder
Do not try to parry a Troll with a regular round shield. Their attacks deal 60-70 Blunt damage plus Chop and Pickaxe damage, which will stagger you almost every time in early game gear. Either use a 
Bone Tower Shield or keep your distance with a bow. Getting greedy in melee range is the number one cause of early Troll deaths.
Troll Set vs Bronze Armor: The Real Comparison
Every Black Forest player faces this choice, and the answer usually favors the Troll Set.
What Bronze offers
Bronze Armor is three pieces (
Bronze Helmet, 
Bronze Plate Tunic, 
Bronze Plate Leggings) made at the Forge from Bronze and 
Deer Hide. It gives 24 armor at Quality 1 against Troll's 19, and 42 against 40 at Quality 4, so the gap narrows as you upgrade.
What Bronze costs
- -5% movement on both tunic and leggings (-10% total) and no set bonus
- 23 weight against the Troll Set's 15
- Smelting: a
Smelter, Copper and Tin mining, and hauling ore by boat or cart, because ore cannot go through portals
The deciding factor
Every Bronze bar spent on armor is one you cannot spend on weapons, tools or a 
Cultivator. Veterans recommend a 
Bronze Axe, 
Bronze Pickaxe and a Bronze weapon, with the Troll Set for armor.
Troll Set vs Bronze Armor
Workbench
ForgeTroll Set Pros and Cons
Pros
- Zero movement speed penalty for full mobility
- Sneaky Effect (+15 Sneak) set bonus with all 4 pieces
- No smelting or metal ore required
- Lighter weight (15.0 vs 23.0 for Bronze)
- Saves precious Bronze for weapons and tools
- Viable well into the Swamp biome when upgraded
Cons
- Lower armor than Bronze at equivalent quality levels
- Farming Trolls can be dangerous for new players
- Cape is very expensive to upgrade (40 Troll Hide + 40 Bone Fragments at max)
- Set bonus requires all 4 pieces, including the cape slot
- Becomes outclassed in the Plains biome and beyond
Best Loadouts and Mix-and-Match Builds
You do not have to commit to full Troll or full Bronze. Mixing pieces is the most popular strategy in the community, and arguably the smartest.
Why a metal helmet works
Helmets never carry a movement penalty, light or heavy. Wear a Bronze Helmet (later an 
Iron Helmet) for extra head armor and keep the Troll Leather Tunic and Troll Leather Trousers for mobility. You lose the Sneaky Effect but gain armor at no speed cost.
Into the Swamp
Draugr and Skeletons in Sunken Crypts hit hard, so the extra helmet armor can decide whether you survive a hit. The Troll body and legs keep you nimble enough to dodge 
Blob poison and outrun Leeches. Many players run this setup through the whole Swamp without ever crafting full Iron Armor.
Helmet Options for the Hybrid Build
| Stat | Troll Leather Hood | Bronze Helmet | Iron Helmet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Armor | 6 (+2 per level) | 8 (+2 per level) | 14 (+2 per level) |
| Set bonus (4 pieces) | Sneaky: +15 Sneak | - | - |
| Durability | 500 (+200 per level) | 1000 (+200 per level) | 1000 (+200 per level) |
| Max quality | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Weight | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| Crafted at | Workbench 2 | Forge | Forge |
Recommended Full Troll Set Loadout
Bronze BucklerHybrid Build: Best of Both Worlds
Deer Hide Cape
Bronze SwordWhen to Upgrade and When to Move On
The Troll Set lasts longer than most players expect:
- Quality 3 (33 armor): carries you comfortably through the Black Forest and into the Swamp.
- Quality 4 (40 armor): only 2 behind maxed Bronze, with full mobility. Confident players who dodge and parry can ride it to the Mountains.
Light armor path: the Root Set
Once you reach the Swamp, the Root Set from Abomination drops is the natural light successor, with Pierce and Poison resistance. Many consider the 
Root Harnesk one of the best armor pieces in the game for its Pierce resistance, and veterans keep it on well into the late game.
Heavy armor path: Iron
Iron Armor is the obvious heavy step, but it costs a lot of 
Iron that dozens of other recipes need. The most resource-efficient veteran path is Rag, Leather, Troll, then Root (or Root plus Troll pieces), then Wolf Armor or the Fenris Set. With strong food, you can skip Bronze and Iron Armor entirely.
Recommended Light Armor Progression
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Troll armor better than Bronze armor?
It depends on your playstyle. Troll armor has slightly less armor but zero movement penalty and a Sneak set bonus. Bronze has more raw armor but costs -10% movement speed and requires smelting. For most players, especially those who prefer ranged combat or dodging, Troll armor is the better choice. The armor difference at max quality is only 2 points (40 vs 42).
Can I use Troll armor in the Swamp?
Yes. Upgraded Troll armor (Quality 3-4) is perfectly viable in the Swamp if you play carefully. The zero movement penalty is actually a huge advantage in the Swamp, where the Wet debuff already cuts your stamina regeneration. Many players run Troll armor through the entire Swamp, especially combined with a Bronze or Iron helmet for the extra protection.
How many Trolls do I need to kill for the full set?
A minimum of 5 normal (0-star) Trolls for the base set, since each drops exactly 5 Troll Hide and the full set costs 25. To max the entire set to Quality 4, you need 91 Troll Hide total, which is about 19 normal Troll kills. Starred Trolls drop more: 1-star drops 10 and 2-star drops 20, which speeds things up considerably.
Does mixing a metal helmet break the set bonus?
Yes. The Sneaky Effect needs all four Troll pieces at once: hood, tunic, trousers and cape. Swapping any piece for a non-Troll item removes the +15 Sneak. Many players accept that, because extra helmet armor is more useful than Sneak for non-stealth builds.
Can I use Troll armor against Bonemass?
Possible but risky. Bonemass hits hard and his Poison cloud does heavy damage over time. Veterans who know the fight can do it in Troll armor with strong food and 
Poison Resistance Mead, but for a first attempt Iron Armor is strongly recommended. A popular compromise is Troll tunic and trousers with an Iron Helmet.
Recent Updates
- Updated for Valheim 1.0: renamed pieces to their 1.0 names, removed an unsupported headshot claim, and reorganised for easier reading.