Assassin's Creed Valhalla thought of it all as it has Vikings, raiding, and most importantly, it has animal companions. Who wouldn't want to run around as an incredible Viking with a few animals by their side? These animals will take your in-game experience to the next level simply with their presence.
There are seven animals and they are easier to obtain than you may think. It can take some time to acquire them all, but it is well worth it for the endless amount of adorable faces to offset Eivor's brute personality!
Updated March 31, 2022 By Ben Jessey: Since Valhalla's release in 2020, Ubisoft has continued to update the game with single-player expansions and content packs. These DLCs have added more armor, weapons, and, most importantly, animals to the game.
Yes, Valhalla now includes even more companions that can join you on your adventures. They don't serve new functions as each one takes the place of either your horse or your raven. Still, they're amazing pets that are welcome additions to the game. We've updated our guide on AC Valhalla's animal companions to include them all.
Viking Raider Cat
If you wanted a furry addition to your longboat then you should seek out the Viking Raider Cat. It will sit at the end of your longboat, tucked into the corner and out of the crew's way. Sometimes it will sit and other times you will find it balled up and fast asleep.
How To Acquire It
You will need to head to Northwic in East Anglia and start a quest called Freya's Friend. There are two ways to start and complete this quest, but both yield the same results.
The first way is to find the cat, speak to it, and then follow it until it stops. The second method is to talk to the boy who will tell you about the cat, then you need to follow him to the cat's location.
Once the cat is finally found then speak to the boy again and the cat will be automatically added to your longship for you to enjoy for the duration of your game.
Reindeer
One of the coolest steeds you can have is a reindeer as Eivor looks absolutely majestic atop it. The controls are exactly the same as a horse, but your view might be slightly obstructed by the antlers atop its head. This is a dream for Christmas fans who have always wondered what it would be like to ride one of these, and now they have the chance.
How To Acquire It
The reindeer is automatically given to you when you travel to Asgard or Jotunheim, so all you need to do is complete Valka's tasks when she arrives at the settlement. The first one to take you to Asgard will have you collect plants right outside her hut near the waterfall.
The second quest will send you to complete The Cavern of Trials, and a full guide to it can be found here. Once you drink the concoctions and travel to these locations, all you have to do is call your steed to access it.
Raven
A raven might not seem like the greatest companion to have, but it does connect back to Norse Mythology as this was one of Odin's signs. You will be able to have this bird follow you on all of your adventures, and even see through its eyes to help give you a lay of the land before entering a fight.
How To Acquire It
The Raven's name is Synin, and it is automatically given to you at the start of the game, but you can buy new skins for it at the stable or in Ubisoft's store. A tap of a button will give you access to this bird's view and there is even an ability called Raven Distraction that you can use to aid you in a fight.
Wolf
Some of the animals in Assassin's Creed Valhalla are pretty neat, but none are as amazing as the domesticated white wolf you can add to your settlement. This beast will help you in battle as once you acquire it, you also receive an ability called Man's Best Friend. You even have the option to name it Dwolfg, Mouse, or Chewy to make it truly yours.
How To Acquire It
When you arrive in Ravensthorpe you will want to talk to a child named Knud in the longhouse, and he will give you a new quest called A Little Problem. He will ask you to follow him, where you will then learn that a wolf is trapped in the bottom of a house, and they want you to free it.
You will first need to acquire the key, which can be found behind the back of the house in the belly of a wild boar. Once it is killed, and you collect the key, then open the door to the house, follow the stairs to the basement, then destroy the door to its cage.
The wolf will run out and seem to head back to life in the woods. However, when you are then attacked on your way home by a pack of wolves, the white wolf you freed will help defeat them. It will then be added to your settlement as a reward.
Horse
Horses are majestic and magical creatures, especially when ridden, and in Assassin's Creed Valhalla you can upgrade their skill to make them even better. Eivor has the option to buy new mounts, both in-game with silver and in the store by purchasing Helix Credits. Occasionally, you might even be lucky enough to find a new mount skin in Reda's shop to purchase with opals!
How To Acquire It
A horse is automatically given to you at the beginning of the game, but if you want to acquire a new skin for your mount then you have to upgrade the stable in Ravensthorpe.
Hati The Wolf
You might be able to ride a horse and reindeer, but nothing will beat being able to ride a wolf. It will change how you view this game as it takes your enjoyment to the next level. This brings it into a new era as you become obsessed with this new mount that will combine your love for dogs and fast travel into one.
How To Acquire it
You can acquire this one of two ways, but both require a microtransaction. It will cost you 800 Helix Credits to buy it from the Ubisoft store, or if you haven't bought the game yet then you can invest in the Ultimate Edition of the game.
Fox
A fox might not be on the top of your list of animals to own, but it is a wild animal that adds to the Viking appeal of this game. It is quite cute when you think about it, and its name is even Dandelion Puff. This fox will be found in your settlement once unlocked for you to enjoy until you beat the game.
How To Acquire It
There is a quest in Oxenefordscire, east of Buckingham, called A Dog's Rescue. You can read how to solve this World Event in this guide, so you can add Dandelion Puff to your Ravensthorpe settlement!
Lynx (Wrath Of The Druids DLC)
In real-life, Lynxes are bigger than the average house cat, but they're not as large as the one in the Wrath of the Druids DLC. This cat is huge and even matches Eivor in height. The developers needed to make it big, so the assassin could realistically ride it as the Lynx serves as a mount.
How To Acquire It
You automatically unlock the feline when you complete the Wrath of the Druids' Blood Bond quest. It's only the third main quest of the DLC, so you don't have to play for long to get the majestic creature. When you do unlock it, head to a stable to make the cat your main mount.
Ursa Major (Siege Of Paris DLC)
Bears in video games are usually cause for concern as they tend to be very powerful enemies. However, Valhalla's Siege Of Paris provides you with a friendly bear. Not only will it refrain from eating you, but it will also let you ride it.
How To Acquire It
The animal will automatically appear in the stables after you complete the Warlord of Melun. It's the third main quest of the Siege of Paris, so you don't have to wait long.
Gullinbursti (Dawn Of Ragnarok DLC)
In Dawn Of Ragnarok, you play as Havi, so you deserve the best mount possible. Gullinbursti is certainly a contender for the best AC Valhalla mount as it's a very fancy-looking boar. Naturally, it's large enough for you to ride, plus it's covered in cool designs and filled with fire.
How To Acquire It
Gullinbursti serves as a reward for completing the A Beast's Burden world event. The event is in the southwest of the Svaladal area, near a bridge. When you get there, you have to kill a Jotun who's riding Gullinbursti. Once they're dead, climb on the boar to make it your mount.
Additional DLC Animals
Along with the main expansions, Ubisoft has released plenty of small content packs for Valhalla. Many of them include new animals for you to acquire. Here are all of them (besides the basic horse skins):
Name |
Type |
DLC Pack |
Description |
---|---|---|---|
Firedrake |
Mount |
Dragon Knight Pack |
Four-legged drake. |
Baihu |
Mount |
Lunar Pack |
Beautiful white tiger. |
Barghest |
Mount |
Night Rogue Pack |
Monstrous-looking canine with blood dripping out of its mouth. |
Kitsune |
Mount |
Shinobi Pack |
Mystical fox-like creature. |
Disk-Lion |
Mount |
Steampunk Pack |
Mechanical lion. |
Svartr |
Mount |
Dark Knight Pack |
Black and furry feline. |
Runic Bear |
Mount |
Werewolf Pack |
Brown bear with symbols on it. |
Ghost |
Mount |
Gothic Pack |
Spectral wolf. |
White Fang |
Mount |
Ullr's Hunter Pack |
White and furry feline. |
Arvakr |
Mount |
Knight ISU Pack |
Looks like a statue of a horse come to life. |
Ywain |
Mount |
Knight Of The Round Table Pack |
Standard-looking lion. |
Cailleach Bheara |
Mount |
Taranis Pack |
Yellow reindeer with lighting coming from its antlers. |
Geri |
Mount |
Black Raven Pack |
Dark-colored wolf. |
Dvalinn |
Mount |
Niflheim Pack |
Mystical white reindeer. |
Helhest |
Mount |
Draugr Pack |
Dark, skeleton horse. |
Muspell Warg |
Mount |
Hel's Damnation Pack |
A Wolf made from fire and iron. |
Drakeling |
Raven |
Dragon Knight Pack |
Small flying dragon. |
Zhuque |
Raven |
Lunar Pack |
Red bird with flames on its wings. |
Vampire Bat |
Raven |
Night Rogue Pack |
Large bat. |
Yokai |
Raven |
Shinobi Pack |
Mystical and brightly-colored bird. |
Steel Crow |
Raven |
Steampunk Pack |
Mechanical crow. |
Scales |
Raven |
Dark Knight Pack |
Flying lizard with symbols on its body. |
Fylgja |
Raven |
Werewolf Pack |
Standard raven with symbols. |
Ormr |
Raven |
Jormungandr Pack |
Small black and yellow dragon. |
Puffy |
Raven |
Ullr's Hunter Pack |
Standard puffin. |
Bjartr |
Raven |
Knight ISU Pack |
Majestic white bird. |
Wyrmling |
Raven |
Knight Of The Round Table |
Small fire dragon. |
Thunderbird |
Raven |
Taranis Pack |
Golden bird. |
Seidhr |
Raven |
Black Raven Pack |
Black raven with gold trimming. |
Pigeon |
Raven |
Carolingian Pack |
Standard pigeon. |
Angelus Mortis |
Raven |
Gothic Pack |
Raven with skeleton markings. |
Nepja |
Raven |
Niflheim Pack |
Small ice dragon. |
Feigr |
Raven |
Draugr Pack |
Skeleton bird. |
Phoenix |
Raven |
Hel's Damnation Pack |
Fire phoenix. |
How To Acquire Them
To get these animals, you first need to purchase them from the in-game animus store - they're under the companion section. You buy them with Helix credits, and once you do, they appear at any stable and aviary, which is where you can equip them.