Can Lox Be Tamed? A Comprehensive Guide to Valheim’s Gentle Giants
Yes, absolutely! Lox can be tamed in the popular Viking survival game, Valheim. These massive, shaggy creatures that roam the Plains biome might seem intimidating at first, but with patience and the right strategy, they can become loyal companions, useful mounts, and even breeding stock for your base. Taming a Lox unlocks new possibilities for resource gathering, combat, and transportation, making it a valuable undertaking for any serious Valheim player.
The Taming Process: Patience and Strategy
Taming a Lox isn’t as straightforward as simply offering it food. It requires a blend of careful observation, strategic placement, and consistent feeding. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of how to befriend these gentle giants:
1. Finding Your Lox
The first step is to locate a Lox. You’ll find them roaming the Plains biome, often in small herds. They are easily identifiable by their large, furry bodies and distinctive horns. Be cautious when approaching as they can be aggressive if provoked.
2. Setting the Stage
You don’t necessarily need a pen for the initial taming process, but it certainly makes it easier. You can either create a temporary enclosure, lure the lox into a natural barrier, or use the method of simply crouching and walking away, allowing the lox to naturally tame over time. Whichever approach you choose, ensure you have a safe vantage point (like a raised platform or set of stairs) to observe and feed the Lox without being directly within its attack range.
3. The Feeding Frenzy
Lox are herbivores, and their favorite foods are cloudberries, barley, and flax. From your safe vantage point, throw these food items near the lox. You’ll see a percentage appear when you hover your cursor over the Lox; this indicates its progress towards being tamed. Be patient; this process requires consistent feeding and a little time.
4. Give them Space
Lox, particularly during taming, can become aggressive if they feel cornered or threatened. Maintain your distance and do not approach them directly. Continue to feed them, ensuring you stay within rendering distance of the creature. Taming won’t progress if you’re too far away. If they do become aggressive, allow them to calm down before attempting to feed them again.
5. The Waiting Game
Taming a Lox takes time—roughly 30 minutes of real-world time, but it will not progress if you are not nearby. The process also relies on you remaining within render distance, so find something to do nearby, but not too far away. During this period, continue to consistently feed the Lox from your safe spot.
6. Knowing When They’re Tamed
As the Lox becomes tamer, you’ll notice yellow hearts floating above their head. This indicates they are close to being fully tamed. Once the taming process is complete, purple hearts will appear when you approach and pet them, confirming that they are now friendly and domesticated.
Beyond Taming: Breeding, Riding, and More
Once you’ve successfully tamed a Lox, you unlock a whole new set of possibilities.
Breeding Lox
To breed Lox, you’ll need at least two tamed Lox in close proximity (within 8 meters), and no more than four within 20 meters. Ensure they are well-fed with cloudberries, barley, or flax, and they’ll eventually produce offspring. Tamed creatures keep their stars and will pass them to their offspring. This makes 2-star creatures very valuable for taming for their increased drops and combat ability.
Riding Lox
A unique aspect of taming Lox is that you can ride them. To do this, you’ll need to craft a Lox Saddle, which requires Leather Scraps and Black Metal. Equip the saddle to a hotkey, and then use it while near your tamed Lox. You can then mount the Lox, and though you cannot use weapons while riding, they are capable of dealing heavy trampling damage to other creatures.
Utilizing Tamed Lox
- Combat: While you can’t use weapons while mounted, their charge can deal significant damage.
- Transportation: Lox are great for covering long distances.
- Resource Gathering: They can help by trampling over smaller creatures, making it easier to collect resources.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Taming Lox
1. How long does it take to fully domesticate a Lox?
It generally takes about 30 real-world minutes to tame a Lox, but progress only occurs if you remain within rendering distance of the creature.
2. Can you tame a Lox without building a pen?
Yes, it is possible to tame a Lox without building a pen. You can utilize natural barriers, or simply crouch down, feed it, and walk away, allowing the taming to progress over time.
3. What food should I use to tame a Lox?
Cloudberries, flax, and barley are the best options for taming Lox.
4. Why is my tamed Lox not eating?
Lox might refuse to eat if there is a roof too close to them. This is because their pathfinding is based on the size of Trolls. Also, make sure they are actually hungry, they will only eat once per day, and must be hungry to eat.
5. Can Lox be bred in Valheim?
Yes, Lox can be bred provided they are well-fed with cloudberries, flax, or barley, and there are at least two Lox within 8 meters and no more than 4 within 20 meters.
6. Can I make a Lox follow me?
Yes, you can use a harpoon on a smaller enemy and bring it to a tamed lox. The tamed Lox will then follow you. Note that using the harpoon on the lox itself will drain their stamina rapidly.
7. What are a Lox’s weaknesses in combat?
Lox are weak against fire damage. They are resistant to blunt, slash, and frost damage and are immune to spirit damage.
8. Can Lox go through portals?
Yes, Lox can go through portals, whether they are tamed or hostile.
9. How do I know when a Lox is fully tamed?
When a Lox is fully tamed, purple hearts will appear above its head when you approach and pet it.
10. Can I ride a tamed Lox?
Yes, you can ride a tamed Lox once you craft a Lox Saddle.
11. Can you use weapons while riding a Lox?
No, you cannot use weapons while riding a Lox. Trying to attack will instantly dismount the rider. However, they can deal heavy trampling damage.
12. Do tamed animals starve in Valheim?
Tamed animals cannot starve but they will not reproduce if they are hungry.
13. What do tamed Lox eat?
Tamed Lox eat the same food they require for taming: cloudberries, barley, or flax.
14. Can I heal a Lox?
A Lox can heal one time per day after they eat, but they must be hungry to eat.
15. How can I protect my Lox?
Enclose your tamed Lox in a completely enclosed area to protect them from raids, and be sure to maintain their food supply.
Conclusion
Taming a Lox is a rewarding endeavor in Valheim. These powerful, gentle giants can be a valuable addition to any Viking’s base. With patience, the right techniques, and a bit of dedication, you can unlock the full potential of these magnificent creatures. So venture out to the Plains, gather your cloudberries, flax and barley, and begin your journey towards taming your own Lox, and enjoy all the benefits that they bring to your game.