The Barracks in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: A Viking’s Home and More

The Barracks in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla serves as the heart of your raiding crew, offering a place for your Vikings to reside and recuperate. More importantly, it’s where you manage your Jomsviking, a crucial element for successful raids and a connection to other players. By constructing and upgrading the Barracks, you unlock the ability to recruit, customize, and send your Jomsviking on missions for rewards, solidifying its role as an integral part of your settlement and raiding strategy.

Understanding the Barracks: Your Viking Hub

The Barracks isn’t just a cosmetic addition to Ravensthorpe; it’s a functional building with tangible benefits. It’s one of the first structures you’ll want to prioritize after establishing your settlement.

Initial Construction and Cost

You can build the Barracks relatively early in the game, soon after constructing the Blacksmith. The initial cost is 400 supplies and 30 raw materials. Gathering these resources usually involves raiding monasteries and other enemy locations, providing an early incentive to explore the world and engage in combat.

Role of Eydis: The Quartermaster

The Barracks is overseen by Eydis, the quartermaster. She’s your go-to person for managing your Jomsviking. Through her, you can customize their appearance, weaponry, and armor. She also manages the recruitment and deployment of your Jomsviking for river raids and other missions.

The Jomsviking: Your Custom Mercenary

The core function of the Barracks revolves around the Jomsviking. These are not just any Viking warriors; they’re mercenaries you can customize and recruit to your raiding party. But the feature has a few caveats; some things that you’ll want to know before hiring.
Here’s a breakdown of their significance:

• Recruitment: After building the Barracks, you can recruit your own Jomsviking. This Viking becomes a permanent member of your raiding crew and represents you within the Assassin’s Creed Valhalla online community. Other players can recruit your Jomsviking for their raids, and if they are successful, you’ll receive rewards.

• Customization: You have significant control over the appearance and equipment of your Jomsviking. You can change their armor, weaponry, and even their hairstyle, making them truly unique. This customization is purely cosmetic but adds a personal touch to your raiding crew.

• Missions and Rewards: You can send your Jomsviking on missions through the Barracks interface. Successful missions yield rewards, which can include resources, gear, and other valuable items. This provides a steady stream of income and resources, contributing to your settlement’s growth.

River Raids: Utilizing Your Crew

The Barracks is essential for participating in River Raids, a unique type of raid introduced in a post-launch update. These raids are more challenging and rewarding than standard raids, requiring a well-equipped and skilled crew.

• Crew Management: The Barracks allows you to manage your crew for River Raids. You can assign your Jomsviking and other Viking warriors to your longship, ensuring you have a strong team to tackle the challenges ahead.

• Replacing Fallen Warriors: If a member of your raiding party falls in battle during a River Raid, you need to replace them. The Barracks facilitates this process, allowing you to recruit new warriors or reassign existing ones to fill the gap.

Upgrading the Barracks: Enhancing Your Crew

While the initial construction of the Barracks provides immediate benefits, upgrading it further enhances its functionality.

Benefits of Upgrading

Upgrading the Barracks primarily allows you to recruit Jomsviking of higher levels and better skills. This translates to a more effective raiding crew, capable of taking on tougher challenges and earning greater rewards.

Jomsviking Level and Skills

As you upgrade the Barracks, you’ll have access to Jomsviking with improved stats and abilities. This can significantly impact your raiding success, especially in River Raids.

Cost of Upgrading

The cost of upgrading the Barracks varies, but it generally requires more supplies and raw materials. Investing in these upgrades is worthwhile, as it directly improves your raiding capabilities.

The Social Aspect: Connecting with Other Players

The Jomsviking system introduces a social element to Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. Your custom-built Viking can be recruited by other players, and you can recruit theirs. This creates a connection within the player community, fostering a sense of camaraderie and shared experience. This dynamic highlights the potential for games to connect players and foster social interaction, a topic explored in depth by organizations like the Games Learning Society.

Benefits of Recruiting Other Players’ Jomsviking

Recruiting Jomsviking from other players can bolster your raiding crew with diverse skills and abilities. It also provides a sense of novelty and variety, as you encounter different Viking warriors from across the game’s community.

Rewards for Successful Raids

If other players successfully use your Jomsviking in their raids, you’ll receive rewards. This incentivizes players to create and customize strong Jomsviking, as they can contribute to their own settlement’s growth even when they are not actively playing.

FAQs About the Barracks in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla

1. Can I change my Jomsviking’s name?

No, you cannot directly change your Jomsviking’s name.

2. How do I get better gear for my Jomsviking?

You can equip your Jomsviking with gear you find or purchase throughout the game. Visit Eydis at the Barracks to access the customization options.

3. What happens if my Jomsviking dies?

If your Jomsviking dies during a raid, they will be unavailable for a period. They will eventually return, ready for more raids.

4. Can I have multiple Jomsviking?

No, you can only have one personal Jomsviking at a time. However, you can recruit other players’ Jomsviking to fill out your raiding party.

5. How do I recruit Jomsviking from other players?

You can recruit Jomsviking from other players at the docks near your longship. These Jomsviking are randomly generated and available for hire.

6. Does upgrading the Barracks increase the number of Vikings in my raiding party?

No, upgrading the Barracks primarily improves the quality and level of the Jomsviking you can recruit, not the size of your raiding party.

7. Can I customize my Jomsviking’s skills?

No, you cannot directly customize your Jomsviking’s skills. Their skills are determined by their level and the gear they are equipped with.

8. What are River Raids, and how do they relate to the Barracks?

River Raids are a type of raid introduced in a post-launch update. They are more challenging and rewarding than standard raids and require a well-equipped crew. The Barracks is essential for managing your crew for River Raids.

9. Can I dismiss my Jomsviking?

Yes, you can dismiss your current Jomsviking at the Barracks, but be aware that they will be gone permanently, and you’ll need to recruit a new one.

10. How often can I send my Jomsviking on missions?

You can send your Jomsviking on missions regularly, but there may be a cooldown period between missions.

11. Are there any visual changes to the Barracks when it’s upgraded?

Yes, upgrading the Barracks will result in visual changes to the building in your settlement, reflecting its improved status.

12. What’s the best strategy for customizing my Jomsviking?

Focus on equipping your Jomsviking with high-quality gear that complements your play style. Choose weapons and armor that provide the best balance of offense and defense.

13. How do I know if my Jomsviking has been recruited by another player?

You’ll receive notifications and rewards when your Jomsviking is successfully used in another player’s raids.

14. Can I use my Jomsviking in story missions?

No, your Jomsviking is primarily used for raids and River Raids, not for main story missions.

15. What happens if I don’t build the Barracks?

If you don’t build the Barracks, you’ll miss out on the benefits of recruiting and customizing a Jomsviking, as well as the rewards and social interaction that come with it. You’ll also struggle during River Raids, making progression much harder.

In conclusion, the Barracks in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is more than just a building; it’s a vital hub for managing your raiding crew, customizing your Jomsviking, and engaging with other players. Its strategic importance and social features make it an essential part of the Valhalla experience. You can explore more about the educational aspects of gaming and how games can foster collaboration and learning at GamesLearningSociety.org.