Creating a modded Valheim server will transform your Viking survival experience with new items, quality-of-life improvements, enhanced gameplay mechanics, and custom content. Whether you want to streamline inventory management, add RPG elements, or create a completely customized Norse adventure, mods unlock endless possibilities.

In this guide, you will learn how to install BepInEx (the modding framework for Valheim), add mods to your server, set up mods on player clients, understand mod compatibility requirements, and use Pine Hosting's simplified modding system.

What Are Valheim Mods?

Valheim mods are community-created modifications that extend or change the game beyond its vanilla features. Popular mods add new gameplay mechanics, improve existing systems, introduce quality-of-life features, and expand content.

Common mod categories include:

  • Quality-of-Life – Craft from containers, mass farming, equipment slots
  • Content Expansion – New items, weapons, building pieces, creatures
  • Gameplay Overhauls – ValheimPlus, Epic Loot, character classes
  • Visual Improvements – HD textures, better UI, enhanced graphics
  • Server Management – Admin tools, Discord integration, automation

Because Valheim doesn't officially support modding, the community created BepInEx, a framework that allows mods to run safely without modifying the original game files.

What Is BepInEx And Why You Need It

BepInEx is a plugin framework for Unity games like Valheim. It acts as a loader that runs before the game starts, allowing mods to inject code and modify game behavior.

Without BepInEx installed:

  • Mods cannot load or function
  • The game won't recognize mod files
  • Custom content won't appear

With BepInEx installed:

  • Mods load automatically on server start
  • Multiple mods can run simultaneously
  • Configuration files let you customize each mod

Important: BepInEx must be installed on both your server AND on every player's game client for most mods to work properly.

How To Install BepInEx And Mods (Manual Method)

If you are running your own self-hosted Valheim server, installing mods requires downloading files, extracting archives, and placing them in specific directories.

Step 1: Download BepInEx

Visit Thunderstore (the main Valheim mod repository) and download BepInExPack_Valheim:

  1. Go to thunderstore.io/c/valheim
  2. Search for "BepInExPack_Valheim"
  3. Click on the mod page
  4. Click "Manual Download"
  5. Save the .zip file

Always download the latest version compatible with your Valheim server version.

Step 2: Locate Your Server Directory

Find where your Valheim dedicated server is installed:

For Steam Dedicated Servers:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Valheim dedicated server

For Linux Servers:

/home/[username]/.steam/steamapps/common/Valheim dedicated server

Quick method: In Steam, right-click "Valheim Dedicated Server" in your library, select "Manage" → "Browse Local Files."

Step 3: Install BepInEx Framework

Stop your server completely before installing:

  1. Extract the BepInEx .zip file you downloaded
  2. Open the extracted BepInExPack_Valheim folder
  3. Copy all contents from this folder
  4. Paste everything into your Valheim dedicated server root directory
  5. Confirm file replacement if prompted

After installation, your server directory should contain:

  • BepInEx folder
  • doorstop_config.ini file
  • winhttp.dll file (Windows) or equivalent Linux files
  • All standard Valheim server files

Step 4: Verify BepInEx Installation

Start your server to test if BepInEx installed correctly:

  1. Launch the server normally
  2. Watch the console output
  3. Look for BepInEx initialization messages
  4. You should see: "BepInEx 5.4.x - Valheim" and "Chainloader started"

If you see these messages, BepInEx is working. If not, verify that you copied all files to the correct directory.

Step 5: Download Mods

With BepInEx installed, you can now add actual mods. Download mods from:

Thunderstore (Recommended):

  • Most comprehensive collection
  • Active community
  • Regular updates
  • Easy-to-find dependencies

Nexus Mods:

  • Large selection
  • Detailed descriptions
  • User reviews

When downloading mods:

  • Read the full description
  • Check Valheim version compatibility
  • Note any dependencies (other mods required)
  • Download the "manual" version for raw files

Step 6: Install Mods Into BepInEx

Most mods come as .zip files containing .dll files and sometimes configuration files.

To install a mod:

  1. Extract the downloaded mod .zip file
  2. Look for .dll files inside
  3. Navigate to your server's BepInEx folder
  4. Open the plugins folder (create it if it doesn't exist)
  5. Copy the mod's .dll file into the plugins folder
  6. If the mod includes config files, they go in BepInEx/config

Your file structure should look like:

Valheim dedicated server/
├── BepInEx/
│   ├── config/
│   ├── plugins/
│   │   ├── ValheimPlus.dll
│   │   ├── EpicLoot.dll
│   │   └── BetterArchery.dll
│   └── core/
├── start_headless_server.bat
└── [other server files]

Step 7: Configure Mods (If Needed)

Some mods create configuration files that let you customize their behavior:

  1. Start your server once with the new mod installed
  2. Check BepInEx/config for new .cfg files
  3. Open these files with a text editor
  4. Adjust settings as desired
  5. Save and restart the server

Step 8: Restart And Test

After installing mods:

  1. Stop your server completely
  2. Start it again
  3. Monitor console for mod loading messages
  4. Each mod typically announces when it loads
  5. Check for error messages (usually in red)

If you see errors, they often indicate missing dependencies or mod conflicts.

Installing Mods On Player Clients

Critical: All players must install the same mods on their game clients to join your modded server. Valheim does not automatically sync mods.

Why Client Installation Is Required

When gameplay-affecting mods are on your server:

  • The game code changes
  • Players without matching mods get disconnected
  • Players might connect but experience severe bugs
  • Modded items and features won't appear

Only client-side UI mods can skip server installation. Most mods require both server and client.

How Players Install Mods

Players follow similar steps on their personal game installations:

Step 1: Install BepInEx On Game Client

  1. Download the same BepInEx version used on the server
  2. Navigate to their Valheim game folder (NOT dedicated server)
  3. Usually: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Valheim
  4. Extract all BepInEx files into this directory

Step 2: Install The Same Mods

  1. Download the exact same mod files used on your server
  2. Place .dll files in Valheim/BepInEx/plugins/
  3. Copy any custom configuration files from the server

Step 3: Verify Installation

  1. Launch Valheim through Steam
  2. Check for BepInEx version number in top-left corner of main menu
  3. Press F5 to open console
  4. Verify mods are listed in console output

Making Client Setup Easier

Manually ensuring everyone has matching mods is tedious. Better approaches:

Create A Mod Pack: Zip your entire BepInEx/plugins folder and share it. Players extract it directly into their Valheim directory.

Use Mod Managers: Tools like r2modman or Thunderstore Mod Manager let you create mod profiles. Players import your profile code and automatically download all required mods.

Provide A Detailed List: Create a document with every mod, exact version number, and download link. Ensures players get correct versions.

Understanding Mod Compatibility

Not all mods work the same way. Understanding types prevents installation issues.

Server And Client Required

Most gameplay mods fall here:

  • Mods adding items or creatures
  • Mods changing mechanics (combat, crafting)
  • Major overhauls (ValheimPlus, Epic Loot)

Rule: Everyone must have identical versions installed.

Client-Only Mods

Only affect individual player experience:

  • UI improvements
  • Visual enhancements
  • Camera modifications

Rule: No server installation needed.

Server-Only Mods

Administrative tools running exclusively on server:

  • Backup systems
  • Monitoring tools
  • Server control utilities

Rule: Players don't install these.

Version Matching Is Critical

Mods use version numbers like 2.4.1 (Major.Minor.Patch). Most require at least minor version matching between server and clients.

Using different versions causes connection failures or crashes. When updating mods, update both server and all clients simultaneously.

Common Modding Issues And Solutions

Players Cannot Connect

If players see "connection failed" or "version mismatch":

  1. Verify all players have BepInEx installed on clients
  2. Confirm everyone has exact same mod versions
  3. Check configuration files match (especially ValheimPlus)
  4. Ensure server runs current Valheim version
  5. Verify firewall and port forwarding (ports 2456-2458)

Mods Not Loading

If mods don't appear in console logs:

  1. Check .dll files are in BepInEx/plugins/ folder
  2. Review file permissions (Linux servers)
  3. Examine BepInEx/LogOutput.log for errors
  4. Confirm BepInEx initialized at server start
  5. Try removing all mods and adding back individually

Performance Problems

Some mods are resource-intensive:

  1. Identify heavy mods
  2. Reduce total mod count to essentials
  3. Consider upgrading server RAM/CPU
  4. Optimize mod configs to disable heavy features
  5. Check for mod updates with performance fixes

Mod Conflicts

When mods interfere with each other:

  1. Check BepInEx/LogOutput.log for specific errors
  2. Remove mods one at a time to identify culprit
  3. Update all mods to latest versions
  4. Research known compatibility issues
  5. Avoid combining multiple major overhauls

How Pine Hosting Simplifies Valheim Modding

Manually installing BepInEx and mods works, but it requires downloading files, extracting archives, navigating directories, and ensuring perfect file placement. One mistake can prevent your server from starting or cause mod conflicts.

Pine Hosting eliminates this complexity. Our modded Valheim server hosting comes with BepInEx pre-installed and ready to use.

Enabling Mods On Your Pine Hosting Server

Instead of manual BepInEx installation, enabling mod support takes seconds:

  1. Log in to your game panel
  2. Select your Valheim server
  3. Navigate to the Startup tab
  4. Find the BepInEx option
  5. Toggle it to "Enabled"
  6. Restart your server

BepInEx is now active and ready for mods. The framework is already installed in the correct location with proper permissions configured.

Installing Mods With Pine Hosting

After enabling BepInEx through startup settings, adding mods is straightforward:

  1. Download your desired mod files from Thunderstore
  2. Log in to your game panel
  3. Click "Files" in the panel menu
  4. Navigate to BepInEx/plugins folder
  5. Click "Upload" and select your mod .dll files
  6. Click "Start" to restart your server

The difference: you don't need to worry about BepInEx installation. That foundation is already handled.

Ready To Mod Your Viking Adventure?

Pine Hosting is a simple modded Valheim server host, aimed at providing a reliable and user-friendly experience. Our panel handles BepInEx installation, file management, and server monitoring, so you can focus on exploring Norse mythology with your customized experience instead of troubleshooting mod conflicts.

Whether you want a few quality-of-life improvements or a completely transformed gameplay experience with dozens of mods, Pine Hosting provides the tools and performance you need.

Check out our Valheim server hosting plans today and start your modded Viking journey with friends.