Fimbulwinter Lite - A Vanilla+ Valheim Modpack

Valheim, but smoother. No new content tiers, no overhauls -- just streamlined, polished vanilla.

Fimbulwinter Lite is a curated, lightweight modpack of 56 mods focused on quality-of-life, UI polish, multiplayer fixes, and subtle enhancements. Vanilla progression, balance, difficulty, and the spirit of the game are untouched. Every mod is actively maintained and verified against the current Valheim version.

Design Principles

• Preserve the Spirit of Valheim -- No teleport-cheese (ore transport carries a 10% tax), no game-breaking shortcuts. Progression still requires biome exploration and earned power.
• Vanilla+ Over Overhaul -- Enhance what exists instead of replacing it. No new biomes, gear tiers, magic systems, or creature packs.
• Multiplayer-First -- Every mod works on dedicated servers, with server-enforced config sync.
• Actively Maintained -- Every mod verified current against Thunderstore; no deprecated or abandoned mods.

What's Included

Core & Frameworks (6 mods)

• BepInExPack_Valheim -- Mod loader
• Jotunn -- Modding framework
• JsonDotNET / YamlDotNet -- Shared libraries
• ConfigurationManager (shudnal) -- In-game config editing (F1)
• ConditionalConfigSync -- Server-enforced config ownership and sync policies

Inventory & Crafting (10 mods)

• AzuExtendedPlayerInventory -- Dedicated equipment and quick slots
• AzuCraftyBoxes -- Craft using materials from nearby containers
• AzuAutoStore -- Auto-deposit items into nearby containers
• AzuContainerSizes -- Larger chest capacities
• AAA Crafting -- Improved crafting UI with bulk crafting and upgrades
• Recycle N Reclaim -- Recycle items back into materials
• Quick Stack Store Sort Trash Restock -- One-key chest stacking, sorting, and trash
• MultiUserChest -- Multiple players can use one chest simultaneously
• ComfyAutoRepair -- Opening a crafting station repairs everything it can repair
• AutomaticFuel -- Smelters, kilns, windmills and spinning wheels feed from nearby chests

UI & HUD (5 mods)

• MyLittleUI -- Lightweight UI upgrades: timers, stats, chest contents, weather
• VNEI -- In-game item and recipe browser
• HUDCompass -- Compass bar with map pins
• AzuHoverStats -- Detailed hover tooltips
• ChangelogEditor -- Hides the main-menu changelog

Building (7 mods)

• Gizmo -- Precise build-piece rotation on all axes
• Extra Snap Points Made Easy -- More snap points on every piece
• AzuAreaRepair -- Repair all nearby build pieces with one hammer hit
• MissingPieces -- Vanilla-styled build pieces that should have existed
• AdvancedTerrainModifiers -- Precision terraforming with square/circle modes and undo
• NoRainDamage -- Buildings no longer take weather damage
• DigDeeper -- Dig 40m below the surface and raise terrain 16m, instead of vanilla's 8m (client-only; keep the shared config in sync manually if you ever change it)

Farming (3 mods)

• PlantEverything -- Plant every gatherable resource and tree
• PlantEasily -- Grid-aligned planting and mass harvesting
• MassFarming -- Bulk plant and pick with a modifier key

Travel & World QoL (6 mods)

• TeleportEverything -- Portal everything, with a 10% ore transport tax
• SpeedyPaths -- Move faster on paths, roads, and cleared ground
• WieldEquipmentWhileSwimming -- Keep gear in hand while swimming
• TargetPortal -- Step into a portal, pick any other portal on the map
• StumpsAreOneHp -- Tree stumps fall in a single hit
• LongshipUpgrades -- Removable mast with lantern/tent/Wisp torch, hull HP and Ashlands-ocean protection, bigger storage, cartography table map sharing, and cosmetic ship styling

Combat & Archery (3 mods)

• ProjectileTweaks -- Cleaner archery feel: arrows launch from where you aim, bow/crossbow zoom, draw cancel, ammo counter -- projectile physics stay vanilla
• Headshots -- Most organic creatures gain a head weakspot; precise shots with pierce damage are rewarded
• ShieldBash -- Active shield bash attack (Middle Mouse while blocking)

Fixes & Performance (5 mods)

• AzuMiscPatches -- Collection of small vanilla fixes and tweaks
• LocalizationCache -- Dramatically faster load times
• TimeoutLimit -- Fixes join timeouts on modded servers
• NetworkTweaks -- Improved network throughput
• TrueInstantLootDrop -- Loot drops instantly on kill

Multiplayer & Server (7 mods)

• ServerCharacters -- Server-side character saves (anti-dupe, anti-cheat)
• SleepSkip -- Majority-rules night skipping: enough players in bed starts a vote, popup for the rest, AFK players count as abstaining
• Server devcommands -- Better admin commands and permissions
• Upgrade World -- Regenerate world locations after game updates
• QuickConnect -- One-click server join
• Venture Logout Tweaks -- Safe logout handling
• ShutUp -- Silences console log spam

Progression & Content (4 mods)

• SmartSkills -- 75% skill recovery after death; death matters but isn't crushing
• AdventureBackpacks -- Progression-gated craftable backpacks
• Groups -- Party system with shared map pings and chat
• Seasons -- Four rotating seasons with visual and gameplay variety

Keyboard Shortcuts

All mod keybinds have been audited against Valheim's default bindings — nothing shadows a vanilla control. Modifier-based binds only act in their context (build mode, planting, menus) and don't interfere with the base action.

Key	Mod	Action	Context
Alt + Z / X / C	AzuExtendedPlayerInventory	Use quick slot 1 / 2 / 3	Anywhere
Alt + 3	AzuExtendedPlayerInventory	Use quick slot 5	Anywhere (moved off default Alt + B -- collided with Extra Snap Points' Manual+ toggle)
Middle Mouse	ShieldBash	Shield bash	While blocking
I	AdventureBackpacks	Open equipped backpack	Anywhere
L	AdventureBackpacks	Toggle Wisplight effect	Anywhere
Alt + H	VNEI	Open item/recipe browser	Anywhere
R	VNEI	View recipe of hovered item	Menus only (vanilla sheath unaffected)
Left/Right Arrow	VNEI	Recipe history back / forward	VNEI window
Ctrl + Z	Recycle N Reclaim	Undo last recycle	Inventory
Delete	Quick Stack Store	Trash hovered item	Inventory
Shift (hold)	AzuCraftyBoxes	Craft max / fill all	Crafting menu
Alt + Slash	AzuCraftyBoxes	Toggle personal pulling-prevention	Anywhere (moved off default Alt + O -- collided with the admin O bundle below)
Shift (hold)	Gizmo	Rotate build piece on X axis	Build mode (hammer only -- terrain tools stay vanilla)
Alt (hold)	Gizmo	Rotate build piece on Z axis	Build mode (hammer only -- terrain tools stay vanilla)
G	Gizmo	Reset selected-axis rotation	Build mode (moved off V = vanilla voice chat)
T	Gizmo	Reset ALL axis rotations	Build mode (disabled by default in the mod; enabled in this pack)
P	Gizmo	Copy rotation from targeted piece	Build mode
B	Extra Snap Points	Toggle Manual+ snap mode	Build mode (moved off Alt -- collided with Gizmo/terrain tools)
CapsLock	Extra Snap Points	Toggle manual closest-snap mode	Build mode
Q / E	Extra Snap Points	Cycle snap point on placing / targeted piece	Manual snap modes only (vanilla autorun/interact unaffected outside them)
F11	Extra Snap Points	Toggle grid snapping	Build mode (moved off F3 = config manager)
F4	Extra Snap Points	Cycle grid snap precision	Grid snap mode
Shift (hold)	MassFarming	Mass plant / mass pick	Cultivator / interact
F8	PlantEasily	Toggle grid planting	Cultivator
F10	PlantEasily	Toggle grid snapping	Cultivator
F6	PlantEasily	Toggle auto-replant	Anywhere
Alt + Arrows	PlantEasily	Resize planting grid	Cultivator (moved off default RCtrl + Arrows -- Right Control is missing or unreliable on many keyboards, especially laptops)
Shift (hold)	PlantEasily	Harvest whole grid	Interact
Alt + click	Groups	Ping map for your group	Map
F3	ConfigurationManager	Open in-game mod settings	Anywhere
F7	AutomaticFuel	Toggle auto-fueling on/off	Anywhere
Alt + scroll	AdvancedTerrainModifiers	Adjust tool radius	Hoe/cultivator/shovel
Ctrl + scroll	AdvancedTerrainModifiers	Adjust tool hardness	Hoe/cultivator/shovel
Shift (hold) + use portal	TargetPortal	Use vanilla tag UI instead	At portal
P	TargetPortal	Toggle portal icons	Map open
Right Mouse (hold)	ProjectileTweaks	Zoom while drawing bow/crossbow	Bow drawn
E	ProjectileTweaks	Cancel bow draw	While drawing only (vanilla interact otherwise)
O	Server devcommands	Toggle debug mode + no-cost building + god mode	Admin only -- all three toggle together (moved off F9; F-keys risk collisions with Steam Input controller-layout hotkeys, NVIDIA overlay, and keyboard macro software)
K	Server devcommands	Toggle fly mode	Admin only -- separate from the O bundle
Ctrl + Right-click	Server devcommands	Teleport to map location	Admin only, map open

Rebind anything in-game: press F3 → find the mod → change the key (stored in that mod's config file).

Installation

Client: Install via r2modman or the Thunderstore App -- search for Fimbulwinter Lite by ibfleming.

Alternative (profile import): Each GitHub release ships a ready-made .r2z profile with all mods at pinned versions plus the tuned configs. In r2modman: Profiles -> Import / Update -> From file.

Server: Install all mods except client-only UI/visual mods. A Pelican/Pterodactyl server egg is provided in the GitHub repo (server/valheim-fimbulwinter-lite-egg.yaml) that automates the full dedicated server install: SteamCMD, BepInEx, all server-side mods, and modpack configs.

Links

• GitHub: github.com/ibfleming/fimbulwinter-lite
• Issues & suggestions: GitHub Issues
• Changelog: CHANGELOG.md