Dwarf Fortress Wiki - User contributions [en]

v0.31:Stone

2010-04-08T01:46:08Z

Marginoferror: /* Other Stone */ The game no longer pauses in the current verison

{{av}}
''(For the beginning player, see also {{l|The Non-Dwarf's Guide to Rock}})''
----

'''Stone''' or '''rock''' is a naturally occuring solid aggregate of minerals. It sometimes {{l|stone management|leaves behind}} material after being mined or {{l|cave in|collapsing}}. Other types of {{l|Mining|minable}} tiles include {{l|soil}} and {{l|sand}}.

Stone is divided into a few key categories:
* {{l|Metal ore}}: stone that produces {{l|metal|metal bars}} when {{l|Smelter|smelted}}
* Rough {{l|gem}}s: rough gems can be {{l|gem cutting|cut}}, then used to {{l|encrust}} objects and create {{l|window}}s.
* Other stone: Stone that is not an {{l|ore}} or a gem. Few of these have a use outside of items and structures. ({{l|Obsidian}} is one exception).

{{l|Economic stone}}s are types of stone that can be reserved for a special purpose. For {{l|ore}}s, this is smelting and for {{l|flux|fluxes}}, this is steel production. {{l|Bituminous coal}} and {{l|lignite}} can be reserved for making {{l|coke}}.

Having created loose stone, many times you'll want to get rid of it or at least move it someplace else. See {{l|stone management}} for advice.

''This article is about DF geology and the distribution of stones, and does not contain the specific locations of {{l|metal ore}}s or {{l|gem}}s.''

== Main layer types ==
{{main|Layer}}

There are four types of stone {{l|layer}}s (plus {{l|soil}}, which is not stone). The type of layer is the primary indicator of what kind of {{l|ore}}s you are likely to find on the map, as well as a sign of {{l|volcano|volcanic}} activity.

The types are {{l|sedimentary layer}}s, {{l|igneous intrusive layer}}s, {{l|igneous extrusive layer}}s, and {{l|metamorphic layer}}s.

The primary types of rock only occur in their own layers. (e.g. you won't find {{l|limestone}} in a {{l|marble}} layer.)

== Stones forming entire layers ==
These types of stone occur as entire layers, containing some {{l|cluster|veins and pockets}} of other minerals (see below). If one of the following types of stone is present on your map, it will be listed in one of the {{l|biome}}s on the embark screen. 
{| border = 1 cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5" -valign="top"
|-
! style="background:#efefef;" | {{l|Sedimentary layer|Sedimentary}}
! style="background:#efefef;" | {{l|Igneous intrusive layer|Igneous intrusive}}
! style="background:#efefef;" | {{l|Igneous extrusive layer|Igneous extrusive}}
! style="background:#efefef;" | {{l|Metamorphic layer|Metamorphic}}
! style="background:#efefef;" | The Underworld
|-valign="top"
|style="padding: 0"|
* {{Raw Tile|░|#FFF|#CCC}} {{Raw Tile|●|#FFF|#000}} {{l|Chalk}}
* {{Raw Tile|=|#880|#CCC}} {{Raw Tile|●|#880|#000}} {{l|Chert}}
* {{Raw Tile|,|#888|#CCC}} {{Raw Tile|●|#888|#000}} {{l|Claystone}}
* {{Raw Tile|∞|#880|#CCC}} {{Raw Tile|●|#880|#000}} {{l|Conglomerate}}
* {{Raw Tile|`|#FFF|#CCC}} {{Raw Tile|●|#FFF|#000}} {{l|Dolomite}}
* {{Raw Tile|▓|#FFF|#CCC}} {{Raw Tile|●|#FFF|#000}} {{l|Limestone}}
* {{Raw Tile|≈|#880|#CCC}} {{Raw Tile|●|#880|#000}} {{l|Mudstone}}
* {{Raw Tile|#|#FFF|#CCC}} {{Raw Tile|●|#FFF|#000}} {{l|Rock salt}}
* {{Raw Tile|#|#880|#CCC}} {{Raw Tile|●|#880|#000}} {{l|Sandstone}}
* {{Raw Tile|.|#888|#CCC}} {{Raw Tile|●|#888|#000}} {{l|Shale}}
* {{Raw Tile|%|#880|#CCC}} {{Raw Tile|●|#880|#000}} {{l|Siltstone}} 

|style="padding: 0"|
* {{Raw Tile|░|#888|#CCC}} {{Raw Tile|●|#888|#000}} {{l|Diorite}}
* {{Raw Tile|▒|#888|#CCC}} {{Raw Tile|●|#888|#000}} {{l|Gabbro}}
* {{Raw Tile|▓|#CCC|#000}} {{Raw Tile|●|#CCC|#000}} {{l|Granite}}

|style="padding: 0"|
* {{Raw Tile|∞|#888|#CCC}} {{Raw Tile|●|#888|#000}} {{l|Andesite}}
* {{Raw Tile|#|#888|#CCC}} {{Raw Tile|●|#888|#000}} {{l|Basalt}}
* {{Raw Tile|.|#888|#CCC}} {{Raw Tile|●|#CCC|#000}} {{l|Dacite}}
* {{Raw Tile|▒|#888|#CCC}} {{Raw Tile|●|#888|#000}} {{l|Obsidian}}
* {{Raw Tile|,|#888|#CCC}} {{Raw Tile|●|#888|#000}} {{l|Rhyolite}}

|style="padding: 0"|
* {{Raw Tile|=|#FFF|#CCC}} {{Raw Tile|●|#CCC|#000}} {{l|Gneiss}}
* {{Raw Tile|▓|#FFF|#CCC}} {{Raw Tile|●|#FFF|#000}} {{l|Marble}}
* {{Raw Tile|-|#888|#CCC}} {{Raw Tile|●|#CCC|#000}} {{l|Phyllite}}
* {{Raw Tile|-|#FFF|#CCC}} {{Raw Tile|●|#FFF|#000}} {{l|Quartzite}}
* {{Raw Tile|`|#880|#CCC}} {{Raw Tile|●|#880|#000}} {{l|Schist}}
* {{Raw Tile|%|#888|#CCC}} {{Raw Tile|●|#888|#000}} {{l|Slate}}

|style="padding: 0"|
* {{Raw Tile|░|#888|#000}} {{Raw Tile|*|#888|#000}} {{l|Slade}}
|}

== Other Stone ==
Stones found on this table will occur as {{l|cluster|pockets and veins}} inside their respective stone layers (see above). When your miners newly encounter one of them you will receive an announcement, even for the ones that have no use other than to build constructions of unusual colors. Note that the veins or clusters can spread into other layers, and may cause some layers to contain stones they usually wouldn't. A few of these stones, such as {{l|Olivine}}, have other, more interesting minerals appear inside them.

Non-layer stone formations occur in one of three shapes: large clusters, veins, and small clusters. ''(See {{l|Vein|Veins & Clusters}} for full info.)''

''The following table does not contain {{l|ore}}s and {{l|gem}}s. The types of stone listed here that do not link to their own article are generic.''

{| class="wikitable" cellspacing="0" border="1" cellpadding="5"
|-
! Icons
! Name
! Found in
|-
|{{Raw Tile|^|#fff|#ccc}} {{Raw Tile|●|#FFF|#000}}||[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alabaster Alabaster]||Gypsum'''(S)'''
|-
|{{Raw Tile|`|#fff|#ccc}} {{Raw Tile|●|#FFF|#000}}||[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alunite Alunite]||All {{l|Igneous extrusive layer|Igneous extrusive}}'''(L)''', Kaolinite'''(L)'''
|-
|{{Raw Tile|v|#fff|#ccc}} {{Raw Tile|●|#ccc|#000}}||[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anhydrite Anhydrite]||Gypsum'''(S)''', Satinspar'''(1)''', Alabaster'''(1)''', Selenite'''(1)'''
|-
|{{Raw Tile|+|#800|#ccc}} {{Raw Tile|●|#800|#000}}||{{l|Bauxite}}||All {{l|Sedimentary layer|Sedimentary}}'''(L)'''
|-
|{{Raw Tile|☼|#888|#CCC}} {{Raw Tile|☼|#888|#000}}||{{l|Bituminous coal}}||All {{l|Sedimentary layer|Sedimentary}}'''(V)'''
|-
|{{Raw Tile|`|#fff|#ccc}} {{Raw Tile|●|#FFF|#000}}||[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borax Borax]||Gypsum'''(S)''', Rock salt'''(L)'''
|-
|{{Raw Tile|%|#ff0|#ccc}} {{Raw Tile|●|#FF0|#000}}||[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brimstone Brimstone]||All {{l|Igneous extrusive layer|Igneous extrusive}}'''(S)''', Gypsum'''(S)'''
|-
|{{Raw Tile|"|#FFF|#CCC}} {{Raw Tile|●|#FFF|#000}}||{{l|Calcite}}||Limestone'''(S)''', Marble'''(S)'''
|-
|{{Raw Tile|=|#888|#ccc}} {{Raw Tile|●|#888|#000}}||{{l|Chromite}}||Olivine'''(V)'''
|-
|{{Raw Tile|£|#f00|#ccc}} {{Raw Tile|*|#F00|#000}}||[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinnabar Cinnabar]||All {{l|Igneous extrusive layer|Igneous extrusive}}'''(V)''', Shale'''(V)''', Quartzite'''(V)'''
|-
|{{Raw Tile|£|#00f|#ccc}} {{Raw Tile|*|#00F|#000}}||[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cobaltite Cobaltite]||All Igneous'''(V)''', All {{l|Metamorphic layer|Metamorphic}}'''(V)'''
|-
|{{Raw Tile|-|#fff|#ccc}} {{Raw Tile|●|#FFF|#000}}||[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryolite Cryolite]||Granite'''(S)'''
|-
|{{Raw Tile|o|#888|#ccc}} {{Raw Tile|●|#888|#000}}||{{l|Graphite}}||Gneiss'''(S)''', Quartzite'''(S)''', Marble'''(S)''', Schist'''(S)'''
|-
|{{Raw Tile|#|#ff0|#ccc}} {{Raw Tile|●|#FF0|#000}}||[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gypsum Gypsum]||All {{l|Sedimentary layer|Sedimentary}}'''(L)'''
|-
|{{Raw Tile|"|#888|#ccc}} {{Raw Tile|●|#888|#000}}||[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hornblende Hornblende]||All Igneous'''(S)''', All {{l|Metamorphic layer|Metamorphic}}'''(S)'''
|-
|{{Raw Tile|.|#888|#ccc}} {{Raw Tile|●|#888|#000}}||[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilmenite Ilmenite]||{{l|Gabbro}}'''(S)'''
|-
|{{Raw Tile|░|#888|#ccc}} {{Raw Tile|●|#888|#000}}||[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jet_(lignite) Jet]||All {{l|Sedimentary layer|Sedimentary}}'''(L)'''
|-
|{{Raw Tile|=|#800|#ccc}} {{Raw Tile|●|#800|#000}}||{{l|Kaolinite}}||All {{l|Sedimentary layer|Sedimentary}}'''(L)'''
|-
|{{Raw Tile|%|#008|#ccc}} {{Raw Tile|●|#008|#000}}||{{l|Kimberlite}}||{{l|Gabbro}}'''(V)'''
|-
|{{Raw Tile|*|#888|#CCC}} {{Raw Tile|●|#888|#000}}||{{l|Lignite}}||All {{l|Sedimentary layer|Sedimentary}}'''(V)'''
|-
|{{Raw Tile|%|#fff|#ccc}} {{Raw Tile|●|#FFF|#000}}||[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcasite Marcasite]||Kaolinite'''(S)'''
|-
|{{Raw Tile|v|#888|#ccc}} {{Raw Tile|●|#888|#000}}||[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mica Mica]||All {{l|Metamorphic layer|Metamorphic}}'''(L)''', Granite'''(L)'''
|-
|{{Raw Tile|%|#0ff|#ccc}} {{Raw Tile|●|#0FF|#000}}||[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microcline Microcline]||All Stone'''(L)'''
|-
|{{Raw Tile|%|#080|#ccc}} {{Raw Tile|●|#080|#000}}||{{l|Olivine}}||{{l|Gabbro}}'''(L)'''
|-
|{{Raw Tile|-|#ff0|#ccc}} {{Raw Tile|●|#FF0|#000}}||[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orpiment Orpiment]||All {{l|Igneous extrusive layer|Igneous extrusive}}'''(S)'''
|-
|{{Raw Tile|%|#ff0|#ccc}} {{Raw Tile|●|#FF0|#000}}||[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthoclase Orthoclase]||All {{l|Igneous intrusive layer|Igneous intrusive}}'''(L)''', All {{l|Metamorphic layer|Metamorphic}}'''(L)'''
|-
|{{Raw Tile|,|#fff|#ccc}} {{Raw Tile|●|#FFF|#000}}||[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Periclase Periclase]||Marble'''(S)'''
|-
|{{Raw Tile|%|#f00|#ccc}} {{Raw Tile|●|#F00|#000}}||[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petrified_wood Petrified wood]||All {{l|Sedimentary layer|Sedimentary}}'''(S)'''
|-
|{{Raw Tile|*|#808|#ccc}} {{Raw Tile|●|#808|#000}}||[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pitchblende Pitchblende]||Granite'''(S)'''
|-
|{{Raw Tile|Θ|#880|#ccc}} {{Raw Tile|●|#880|#000}}||[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puddingstone_(rock) Puddingstone]||Conglomerate'''(L)'''
|-
|{{Raw Tile|%|#888|#ccc}} {{Raw Tile|●|#888|#000}}||[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrolusite Pyrolusite]||All Igneous'''(S)'''
|-
|{{Raw Tile|%|#f00|#ccc}} {{Raw Tile|●|#F00|#000}}||[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Realgar Realgar]||All {{l|Igneous extrusive layer|Igneous extrusive}}'''(S)'''
|-
|{{Raw Tile|`|#808|#ccc}} {{Raw Tile|●|#808|#000}}||[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rutile Rutile]||All {{l|Metamorphic layer|Metamorphic}}'''(S)''', Granite'''(S)'''
|-
|{{Raw Tile|x|#ff0|#ccc}} {{Raw Tile|●|#FF0|#000}}||[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saltpeter Saltpeter]||All {{l|Sedimentary layer|Sedimentary}}'''(S)'''
|-
|{{Raw Tile|-|#fff|#ccc}} {{Raw Tile|●|#FFF|#000}}||[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satinspar Satinspar]||Gypsum'''(S)'''
|-
|{{Raw Tile|;|#fff|#ccc}} {{Raw Tile|●|#FFF|#000}}||[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selenite Selenite]||Gypsum'''(S)'''
|-
|{{Raw Tile|≈|#080|#ccc}} {{Raw Tile|●|#080|#000}}||[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serpentine_group Serpentine]||Olivine'''(S)'''
|-
|{{Raw Tile|%|#fff|#ccc}} {{Raw Tile|●|#FFF|#000}}||[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stibnite Stibnite]||All {{l|Igneous extrusive layer|Igneous extrusive}}'''(S)'''
|-
|{{Raw Tile|=|#ff0|#ccc}} {{Raw Tile|●|#FF0|#000}}||[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sylvite Sylvite]||Rock salt'''(L)'''
|-
|{{Raw Tile|||#fff|#ccc}} {{Raw Tile|●|#FFF|#000}}||[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talc Talc]||Dolomite'''(L)'''
|}
:'''(L)''' - occurs in large clusters
:'''(V)''' - occurs in veins
:'''(S)''' - occurs in small clusters
:'''(1)''' - occurs in individual tiles

== DF Geology and real-world Geology ==
The geology and stones of Dwarf Fortress are based on real-world geology and mineralogy. To understand the terms used here, you may want to crack open a geology textbook (a high school one should suffice). If you don't happen to have one close by, the Wikipedia articles for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geology geology], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mineralogy mineralogy], or the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_layers terms in question] might help.

[[Category:Stone|*]]
[[Category:Materials]]

40d:System requirements

2009-04-08T05:47:59Z

Marginoferror: more detailed speed advice, also, FPS has improved considerably in recent versions

Requires Windows NT 4.0, Windows 98, or newer

~100MB Disk Space: The game itself takes only about 20MB, but savegames and screenshots (if you take them) use considerable amounts of harddisk space. Some users spend over a gigabyte of space with dwarf fortress.

256MB RAM: The game uses 150+ MB memory while running (more if you select a local grid larger than 6x6). The more creatures, objects, and explored space on your map, the more memory you will need. Most of this can be kept in virtual memory (disk swap), but be sure to have at least 500MB total (physical + virtual) memory available. [[World generation]] requires 400MB at its peak.

Dwarf Fortress loves as much raw CPU power as you can provide it with. Recommended:

Core2: 1.4GHz or higher

Pentium 4: 3.0GHz or higher

Athlon: 3000+ or higher

The larger your map and the more units on it, the harder your computer will need to work (see "optimization", below). Dwarf Fortress will take all the CPU power it is given. The speed of the simulation depends on the size of the map, the number of entities (dwarves, pets, etc.), the number of levels (mountainous maps have more depth levels), the number of objects and other factors. Modern computers should be able to run 3x3 maps with medium-sized fortresses at 80-100 FPS. Particularly fast processors may be able to handle much larger maps at the same speed.

You'll also want a decent video card to keep up with the CPU, but even a video card that's several years old will satisfy DF under most circumstances.

===Dual-core machines===

If you're running a lot of things at once while playing Dwarf Fortress, open Task Manager and set DF to Core1 and everything else to Core0. You will now have an entire core dedicated to running DF, which should give slightly better performance. Multi-threading support isn't currently implemented.

==Other Operating Systems==
===Linux===
Although DF is a Windows game, it works perfectly in Linux using Wine, as long as you have video drivers with working OpenGL acceleration – for all NVIDIA and newer ATI cards, this means using the vendor's closed source driver. Without 2D acceleration the game runs slow as [[Dwarven syrup]]. Most distributions provide Wine, so consult your distribution-specific documentation for help.

See [http://www.bay12games.com/cgi-local/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=2&t=000448 this thread] for tips about Ubuntu and other distributions.

On 24 December, 2008 Toady released the first native Linux version of '''Dwarf Fortress'''. It is compiled for 32-bit environments, however, and may not run under 64-bit environments without additional libraries, depending on the Linux distribution.

====Ubuntu/Kubuntu====
Under an Ubuntu/Kubuntu installation one first of all needs the ia32-libs package installed. This is a standard Ubuntu package that contains 32-bit versions of many common libraries. Unfortunately, while it includes 32-bit versions of some SDL libaries, it lacks SDL_mixer, which '''Dwarf Fortress''' needs.

The 32-bit package can be downloaded directly from [http://packages.ubuntu.com/intrepid/i386/libsdl-image1.2/download Ubuntu's package repository]. Once the download is complete, open a console window and navigate to the directory containing the file. Extract the contents by typing:

dpkg-deb -x libsdl-image1.2_1.2.6-3_i386.deb ./libsdl-image

Copy the files from libsdl-image/usr/lib into the df_linux/libs directory and the game should now work.

====Ubuntu/Kubuntu - Using getlibs====
The other way to get the require SDL_image library is to use getlibs, which will get the correct 32bit library when run on 64bit Ubuntu and create all the required links.

At a command prompt:
sudo apt-get install ia32-libs getlibs
sudo getlibs -l libSDL_image-1.2.so.0

The game can now be run from the df_linux folder (or wherever you extracted it to) using the df bash script.

==== Gentoo ====

The require libraries can be pulled from portage before running DF.

For x86, you will need the basic GTK/OpenGL/SDL stuff, plus sdl-image, which means the following packages:

* x11-libs/gtk+:2
* media-libs/libsdl
* media-libs/sdl-image
* virtual/opengl
* virtual/glu

For amd64, you will need the 32-bit emulation libraries instead. Note that sdl-image is already included in the sdl emulation package, so you need:

* app-emulation/emul-linux-x86-sdl
* app-emulation/emul-linux-x86-baselibs
* app-emulation/emul-linux-x86-xlibs
* app-emulation/emul-linux-x86-gtklibs

===OS X===
A port of Dwarf Fortress to Mac OS X has been completed, and runs on both Intel and PPC based macs. According to the [http://www.bay12games.com/dwarves/ Website]
it requires system 10.3 or later, 100mb of hard drive space, and a minimum of 512mb of ram.

==Optimizing Dwarf Fortress==
You can greatly increase game speed on all systems; details at [[Maximizing framerate]].

==Example results: What you can expect with various machines==

'''Pentium 4 at 2.2 GHz and 1 GByte RAM, running version 0.27.169.33g:'''

3x3 site, relatively hilly (ten z-levels of elevation change), without magma but with unfrozen brook, no caves, lakes, or monsters; virtually all possible speed-boosting edits in init.txt applied. Game starts to lag seriously at just under 80 dwarves.Speed is down to 30-45 FPS (varies) and occasional interface jerkiness is becoming noticeable.

'''Asus Eee PC 4G - 512 Ram - Windows XP(custom optimized) - DF v0.27.176.38c:'''

Smallest map possible with the smallest site, flatland only 1z above ground, 15z underground, volcano, some lakes, no underground water, 3 monsters, 9 creatures and 7 dwarfs. Speed boosting edits in init.txt. 10FPS on fullscreen mode and 20 on window mode. Some keys aren´t easy to press on that small keyboard, mainly when you have to press fn+shift+key. Conclusion: Play it on a desktop or a better EEE PC. :-(

'''Core Duo 4400 (2x2ghz) - 2 gb RAM - Windows Vista - .38c'''

3x3 site, pretty cliffy. Volcano, part of river and pretty big artificial pool. 120 dwarves, less than 10 roaming animals and ~50 fps. Decreases to 30 when merchants arrive or when many hauling jobs are started.

'''Athlon XP 2200(1.8) - 1 GB 6 year old RAM (DDR100/DDR133) - windows XP -no optimizations to XP or DF -.38c'''

Large site (6x6), medium world,with brook, no speed boost edits, Kapersky running with protection disabled. Slightly upwards slanted hill. Most of human town, no reveal.exe, running Dwarf Foreman, and with a relatively old (and thus slow) install of XP thats had several viruses- 35-40FPS with 17 humans, 38-48 FPS with 7. Drops to 30-35 with alot of hauling or when viewing 1 z level up (1 bellow human town, 1 above my start site). I imagine with a fresh install and a regular sized site it would likely hold 50+FPS. I don't really know where the speed is coming from compared to what other people are reporting- the processor only scores 1040 CB on a cinebench CPU benchmark.

==See also==
*[[Maximizing framerate]]

[[Category:FAQ]]

40d:Appraiser

2008-10-26T23:40:26Z

Marginoferror: This is my own observation, but please verify

{{Skill
| color = #f0f
| skill = Appraiser
| speciality = Trader
| profession = Administrator
| job name = Admin/Noble
| tasks =
* Trade at Depot
| workshop = [[Trade depot]]
}}

The appraise skill is used by the [[Outpost Broker]] [[noble]]. If the broker doesn't have at least novice skill, then it is not possible to see the values of goods being traded, only their weight. Also, the {{key|z}} [[status]] window will say "You need a broker with the appraisal skill" to show [[created wealth]] and trade information, if your brokers skill is below novice. There is no apparent advantage in having more than novice skill level and the skill is learned very fast from just looking at goods in the trade window.

When the [[dwarven economy]] is activated, shopkeepers also use the appraisal skill when selling goods.

It is gained by:
* Seeing goods for trade at the [[trade depot]] (only the first dwarf to view the trade screen can improve their skill in this way){{verify}}
* Successful trades at the depot (only the first dwarf to view the trade screen can improve their skill in this way; if another dwarf does the actual trading there is no experience gain){{verify}}
* Trading in a [[shop]]

Notable ways that it is not gained include:
* Proposing an unsuccessful trade at the depot
* Offering goods to foreign traders
* Simply being assigned as the broker noble
* Sitting around at the depot, whether there are traders there or not
* Meeting with the outpost liaison

Because experience is gained for each {{key|t}}rade (and possibly each {{key|o}}ffer) made, it is possible to quickly level your broker's Appraiser skill in this manner with a single caravan.

{{Skills}}
[[Category:Skills]]
[[Category:Noble Skills]]

40d:Your first fortress

2008-08-21T16:15:47Z

Marginoferror: /* Your surroundings */

This is a guide to help new players get started on their first [[fortress]] and teach them the basics of keeping their [[dwarves]] alive. If you have unanswered questions or find given details confusing, please tell us so on the [[Talk:Your_first_fortress|discussion page]]! Above all else, always remember the [[Dwarf Fortress]] motto: "Losing is fun!"

We discuss generating a world, choosing a fortress location, buying [[skill]]s and items, and playing the first month or so. Setting game initialization options is covered in [[technical tricks]]. The advice here is biased for safety; with a little experience you'll do better with strategies customized for your play style and preferred start locations. It is also deliberately terse. For more extended treatment of particular subjects, consult the linked pages or the rest of the Dwarf Fortress Wiki.

== Generating a world ==

The first thing you'll want to do when starting Dwarf Fortress is [[World generation |create a world]]. You have two options: Create a fractally-generated random world or re-create one of the [[pregenerated worlds]] using a specific seed.

However, for new players it is recommended that you create a random world using the '''STANDARD''' template, so just hit {{k|Enter}} to continue. The engine will then start to create a random world for you. You might notice that worlds are rejected before the engine continues with rivers and lakes. The rejections are normal engine behaviour, since it rejects the random generated world if it doesn't meet certain criteria.

Generating a random world with the standard template may take a long time on most machines. If you want to jump right into playing, you should probably choose Design New World with Parameters instead of Create New World Now! and pick a small or pocket-sized world instead of a standard-sized world.

(Once you've gotten down the basics, you can return to the world generation screen and experiment with all of the options and create a world using one of the other techniques mentioned above.)

See the article on [[world generation]] for a complete guide to the world generation screen.

== Choosing a location ==

=== The interface ===

If you have at least one world without an active fortress, you will be able to choose "Start Playing" from the main menu. Chose "Dwarf Fortress" and you'll see a four-section window looking something like:

[[Image:FortressLocation_fd2f10.png | caption | This picture is shown with the default tileset. Other [[tilesets]] are available]]

You can move around the region map with {{k|←}}{{k|↑}}{{k|→}}{{k|↓}}, or at 10x speed with {{k|Shift}}+{{k|←}}{{k|↑}}{{k|→}}{{k|↓}}. The region map is immense, at the default size, so there is also a world map that shows you where you are in the world.

Your next goal will be choosing the starting location for your fortress.

=== Your surroundings ===

You can discern a lot of information by scrolling through the various modes. The interface has five modes which you cycle through by pressing {{k|TAB}}. In turn, they display:

# [[Temperature]], amount of [[tree]]s, amount of [[plant]]s, and a hint at the sort of [[Animal|wildlife]] at the center of the selection rectangle.
#* Look at the example picture again. Notice that you are told that you'll see no trees or plants here ([[mountain]]s being too high for either to grow), but that's only true for the exact center of the local area.
#* You'll notice that the local area includes some tress and plants on the edges, which is often all you need.
#* To get more information about the non-mountain areas you can press {{k|F1}} {{k|F2}} {{k|F3}} or {{k|F4}} to view the different types of [[biomes]].
# Nearby [[civilization]]s that are capable of interacting with you. Other settlements are shown with various symbols on the regional map.
#* You will want to be in contact with dwarves to get [[immigrant]]s and a dwarven trading caravan. However, dwarves are, sometimes seemingly magically, everywhere - it is impossible to settle anywhere without dwarves {{ver|0.27.176.38c}}
#*You'll want to trade with [[human]]s and [[elves]] if possible.
#*[[Goblin]]s mean trouble, but it's hard to avoid them without hiding on an island and you will be attacked by Goblins some point in the game anyway. Just don't set up your first fortress right on top of a goblin fort.
# Your dwarven civilization. Your choice of civilization will affect what goods are available for [[trade]]. However, all civilizations will offer a full range of essential goods, so you can ignore this for now.
# Relative [[elevation]]. This is a normal topographic map that you're used to from real-life maps.
# [[Slope]] steepness. This shows you where large cliffs are.
# These final two modes let you guess at the shape of the land. Try to avoid [[cliff]]s of 4 or more, as the taller maps take a lot more computer power to run. On the other hand, flat areas are boring - a good elevation map contains lots of low elevation changes ranging from 1 to 4.

==== Location, Location, Location ====

For your first fortress, it's not entirely important. However, there are some general guidelines that can help you decide:

* Lots of trees and vegetation are good for producing food and lumber for your fortress.
* Running water = permanent source of water. Lakes and pools have a finite amount of water and may dry out.
* A temperate climate is one that experiences all four seasons. '''Hot''' and '''Freezing''' climates take those temperatures to the extreme. Just like in the real world, it is more difficult to sustain life (and therefore, your fortress) in these conditions.

* Try to stay away from locations that are labeled "terrifying." Also, starting out in the middle of a goblin fortress is not a good idea.
* Magma is nice, but not necessary. And with magma comes Magma men and other such frightful creatures.
* Areas with [[Aquifers]] require some engineering to get to rock. You'll be warned if you chose an area with an aquifer. When in doubt, don't try it.
* Who cares? If you like what you see, go for it. You can always start over. And remember the DF motto: Losing is fun!

The following are things you'll probably want to ensure you have access to for a mature fortress:

* A [[Sedimentary layer]] - lets face it, a dwarven fortress without iron is going to have it pretty rough if it intends to make a military. And while hematite can occur in some igneous layers, magnetite and limonite only occur in sedimentary, and magnetite occurs in much greater quantities than the other two. Further, you will have no access to coal without sedimentary rocks, and if you chose a site without magma you will need coal to have a smoothly running metal industry - burning trees for fuel is less efficient and while manageable if you have lots of wood, it is more burdensome.
* [[Flux]] - marble, dolomite, limestone, and chalk are all layer forming stones and will show up on the embark screen as a stone layer. The last 3 are also sedimentary - nifty! Calcite, the only other flux stone, only appears within other flux stones. If you don't see one of these layers, you won't have flux, and your ability to produce steel will be extremely limited.
* [[Sand]] - you'll need it to make glass. You cannot trade for sand, nor can you trade for raw glass. Sand also means you have soil, which removes the need for irrigation to start farming.

==== Fortress size ====

Once you've decided on location, you need to decide the size of your fortress area. Advantages of requesting a large local area include more raw materials, greater diversity of [[rock]]s and special underground features, and the ability to include desired terrain (such as a river, a forest, or a magma vent). Disadvantages include slower game performance, higher likelihood of merchants failing to reach your [[trade depot]] before they run out of time, and more risk of losing immigrants as they struggle to your front [[gate]]. (Note that you can [[mine]] many levels deep into the ground, and even a 3x3 area generally contains more raw materials than you're ever likely to need.)

You can adjust the size of your fort's area by using {{k|SHIFT}} + the {{k|h}} {{k|k}} {{k|u}} or {{k|m}}keys.

=== Embark ===

When done, hit {{k|e}} to embark. A warning may appear if you've chosen a challenging site.

== Buying skills and items ==

You'll now have the choice of playing with the default setup or of preparing for the journey carefully. We're going to do the latter, because we'd like to stay alive.

Here, presumably, you are the dwarf determining who will go and what they will take. You have a total of 2060☼ to spend in two categories: Skilled dwarves and items. Some items have already been selected for you, but you probably won't want most of these.

There are as many possible ways to approach setting up as there are fortress locations. The [[starting builds]] page offers several possibilities, if you don't like the one here.

=== Skills ===

First, remove all the items in the items screen, so you'll have enough starting points to spend on skilled dwarves. You need to press the {{k|-}} key on the numpad to sell items. Likewise you use the {{k|+}} key on the numpad to buy more of an item. {{k|+}} and {{k|-}} on the regular keyboard will not work.

* Proficient [[Miner]]/Novice [[Judge of intent]]/Novice [[Appraiser]]/Competent [[Gem setter]]. This dwarf will tend to be chosen as leader (who is also a counselor of sorts) and will also be your trader, manager and bookkeeper. Whenever he has time, he will also work as miner, and later on he will decorate your goods with gems.
* Proficient [[Miner]]/Proficient [[Mason]]
* Proficient [[Woodcutter]]/Proficient [[Carpenter]]
* Proficient [[Grower]]/Proficient [[Herbalist]]. If you know how underground farming works, you might want to combine a Proficient [[Grower]] with a [[Craftsdwarf|stonecrafter]], [[bone carver]], [[glassmaker]] or [[clothier]] instead to produce items of value for trade. A herbalist is useful for acquiring above ground seeds mostly and food output from farming is more than generous.
* Proficient [[Building designer]]/Proficient [[Mechanic]]
* Proficient [[Weaponsmith]]/Proficient [[Armorsmith]]. If you ever plan to equip dwarves with weapons and armor, you'll need a dwarf skilled at these.
* Proficient [[Brewer]]/Proficient [[Cook]]. A skilled cook makes high quality food. High quality food keeps your dwarves happy, which makes the game a lot easier.

The total cost of the skills above is 480☼, but it is worth the cost: Once you start the fortress, skills will be much more difficult to get than valuable goods.

Here's a suggestion of what skills to take. For food safety one may prefer a [[fisherdwarf]]/[[fish cleaner]] to the [[weaponsmith]]/[[armorsmith]], but it's hardly necessary. You can also chose a lesser degree of skill for the building designer, as this skill only improves work speed and isn't as necessary in the long run.

=== Items ===

You have 1580☼ to spend on items to take along. If some of these things aren't available, skip over them for now and get the rest. We'll take care of them later.

If an item is not on the list, you will need to add it to the list by pressing {{k|n}}, finding the desired item, and pressing {{k|Enter}}.

* You'll need two [[copper]] [[pick]]s, which cost 20☼ each (40☼ total), for your miners. The material doesn't affect mining speed.
* Also, a [[battle axe]] will be needed for woodcutting. Since the only possible metal for it is [[steel]], it costs 300☼.
* You'll need food. We recommend the following:
** 100 pieces of any variety of [[meat]] worth 2☼ apiece. Take at least one meat from each type of 2☼ meat, as you will get more [[barrel]]s that way. (200☼ total)
*** If you bring Turtle or any other fish, you will get bones and shells when they are consumed, though you won't if you cook them.
** 100 drinks of [[alcohol]], which will be stored in 20 [[barrel]]s free of charge. Alcohol stacks 5 drinks per barrel, so stack sizes ending in 1 or 6 earn you a cheap barrel. (200☼ total)
*** If you bring all the types available it will help keep the dwarves happy, since a given dwarf might have a preference as to what kind of booze he drinks, and his favorite one will make him happier. Don't worry about this too much.
* You need [[seed]]s, which are 1☼ each:
** 25 [[plump helmet spawn]]. Plump helmets will likely be your main crop, as they are easy to grow, and, if you brew them then cook the wine, they give as much food as anything else. However, many players consider this cheating. Real dwarves don't eat biscuits made only out of wine.
** 10 [[pig tail]] seeds
** 10 [[rock nut]]s, which are the most difficult crop to use but the one that gives the most food, bar [[cheating]]
* You may wish to bring [[animal]]s:
** Two [[dog]]s, at 16☼ each (32☼ total). Gender alternates, so you will get one male and one female if you bring two. Dogs are excellent early defense systems and can be easily trained into war dogs, which do not run from danger and do twice as much damage.
** [[Cat]]s have advantages and disadvantages that the player must weigh carefully. They cost 11☼ each.
***Cats are by far the most effective way of killing [[vermin]], preventing unhappy [[thought]]s. However, they will leave vermin corpses lying around your fortress which can produce clouds of [[miasma]]. This can be controlled if the user simply sets up the [[refuse]] [[stockpile]] in a room with a [[door]].
***Cats cannot be assigned owners. They will choose an owner randomly. A cat with an owner cannot be killed without the owner throwing a [[tantrum]]. This is especially troublesome as the cat population escalates.
***Cats breed quickly with several offspring. One solution is to kill all female cats before they select an owner. This is not as easy as it sounds for a novice player, and it may also necessitate killing immigrants that arrive with a female cat to prevent a tantrum. A perhaps more productive solution is to take advantage of their multiplication, putting kittens into a [[cage]] quickly after birth and [[butchering]] them as needed to feed the dwarves.
* If you have followed the above exactly, you'll have 763☼ left. Spend this on whatever you like. If the area where you are has little wood, like a [[desert]] or mountains, you may wish to bring a few hundred [[logs]], which cost 3☼ each. You could also bring more [[food]]. You may wish to not take the expensive axe and take an anvil instead, which would leave you with 63☼. You can request an axe from the caravan or [[forge]] it yourself.
* If you plan on raising animals as a food source you could take two cows or depending on where you start or what civilization you select 2 horses or camels to breed.

While you need an anvil for metalsmithing, you don't have to take it here, since the dwarven [[caravan]] may bring one in [[autumn]] of the first year, and you'll easily be able to make 1000☼ in trade goods before then. If they don't have one, you can request it for next year, or wait for the humans to arrive and buy or order one from them.

==== What if something's not on the list? ====

Since some civilizations don't have certain materials or items, some things may not be available. If so, any food and drink will do. You can survive with only plump helmets and what you gather, so it's not critical to get certain kinds of seeds. Just grab a few of whatever's available in case you want to use them. In the case of picks, any material will do, just get the cheapest available. If picks or axes are missing completely, you can simply make them from raw materials when you arrive.

In order to do this, you'll need a bar of metal (preferably copper or iron), and a block of any material. You'll also need an [[iron]] [[anvil]], which costs 1000☼ to take. You can use these along with the starting wood to make a [[wood furnace]], turn your wood into coal, then deconstruct the wood furnace and make a [[forge]]. Make a pick at the forge, and use it to mine some ore. Deconstruct the forge to make a [[smelter]] and smelt the ore into a bar. Then build the forge once more and make your axe, which you can use to get more wood. Of course, you can simplify the process by just taking a second bar of metal with you.

If not even an anvil is available, you'll have to wait for the human [[caravan]] to bring one. If they don't have it the first time they come, be sure to request anvils so they'll bring one next year.

=== [[Fortress name|Naming]] ===

You can also name your fortress and starting group. This doesn't affect the game any, except in that if you don't, you could end up with a name like "The Bloody Anus of Angels." And we hope you don't want that.

== Beginning the fortress ==

When you reach the site of your new fortress, the first things you want to do are:

* Dig secure lodgings.
* Create [[stockpile]]s.
* Build basic [[workshop]]s.
* Set up a [[dining room]] and a [[bedroom]].
* Construct a [[Farming|farm]].

Sounds simple, right? It doesn't? Learning the basics of the game can take some time, but soon enough you'll be customizing stockpiles like a pro!

=== Basics ===

* First off, pause the game by pressing {{k|space}}. You can do this at any time to figure out what's going on at your leisure.

* To move the view around, use the arrow keys. To move the view around at a faster pace, hold down the {{k|shift}} key, but if using the numpad keys make sure {{k|numlock}} is off. To view different elevations, or "[[Z]]-levels," use the {{k|<}} and {{k|>}} keys ({{k|shift}} + {{k|,}} or {{k|.}}).

* To examine the contents of a square, press {{k|k}} and move the cursor over the square you want to examine. If you get lost and can't find your way back to your dwarves, press {{k|F1}} to center the camera back on the starting position. Check out more information on [[hotkeys]] to find out how to change that location.

* You need to know how to change what jobs your dwarves will do. Press {{k|v}} and then move the cursor over a dwarf. It will display information about him/her. Go to the dwarf's {{k|p}}references, then the {{k|l}}abor submenu, and scroll the list with {{k|+}} and {{k|-}} on the number pad ({{k|*}} and {{k|/}} will scroll through the list at a faster pace). The highlighted jobs are the ones this dwarf is allowed to do. Your starting dwarves should have the jobs that you gave them skills in enabled, but any dwarf can do any job, even if they have no skill in it yet. This is important to know so you can make the dwarves do the jobs you need done instead of just whatever their default jobs are. You should probably turn off all types of [[hauling]] for one of the miners so they get right to work [[digging]] and don't get distracted by [[hauling]] commands. The {{k|Enter}} key toggles whether a dwarf will perform the given task or not.

=== Digging ===

* To start [[digging]] out your fortress, press {{k|d}} to open the designation menu. Here you can select the tiles for your miners to dig, or tell them to create [[stair]]s and [[ramp]]s and various other things. Press {{k|d}} again to make sure you're creating digging designations, then press {{k|Enter}} to start marking where to dig. You need to hit enter twice, to mark two corners of a rectangular area.

* Start digging out a room as the start of your fortress. If you don't like the area the [[wagon]] starts in, choose a different place on the map. Try to keep a 1 tile wide chokepoint or hallway leading into it which you can block with a door. If you are in an area covered with sand, [[loam]], or [[clay]], you won't have rocks cluttering the room, so it may be easier to make your rooms there. Oddly, sand walls are just as hard as granite ones.

* You will need rock for construction, though, so if you don't mine your rooms out of stone, you'll need to create a mining area elsewhere to get stone.

* <del>Dwarves</del> Sane dwarves live underground, of course, so digging the start of your fortress requires you to understand the lay of the land. Likely, your fortress will be located in one of two types of areas, either near a preexisting steep slope you can dig into the side of, or in an area where you will have to dig [[stairs]] to get below the surface first. Examine the land using the {{k|k}} view command mentioned previously to determine which method you need to use. Open space means the land drops below your current Z-level.

* To dig down with stairs, designate a [[downward stairway]] on the surface, then move the view down one level ({{k|>}}) and designate an [[upward stairway]] on the tile directly beneath the downwards stairs. An [[up/down stairway]] works like both types of stairways in one tile. [[Stair]]s can go as deep as you want in a stack if you keep making [[up/down stairway]]s on top of each other. You can continue stairs from both the top and the bottom of [[up/down stairway]]s, but only from the bottom of [[downward stairway]]s, and only from the top of [[upward stairway]]s so only use the [[upward stairway]] or [[downward stairway]] when you're not planning to ever go further that direction. Keep in mind that you can only dig [[upward stairway]]s and [[up/down stairway]]s in squares that have not already been dug out, since you are carving the stairs out of the earth that's there.

=== Creating [[stockpile]]s ===

* Outdoors, by the fortress entrance, create a [[refuse stockpile]], a [[wood stockpile]], a [[furniture stockpile]], and a [[food stockpile]] to get your supplies out of the wagon and delay the [[Wear|rotting]] of food. Don't create a [[stone stockpile]] yet, as this will cause your dwarves to get bogged down with hauling. To make a stockpile, press {{k|p}}, press the letter corresponding to the type of stockpile you want, then press enter and drag the selection box over the area you want, and press enter again to create it.

* Move all stockpiles inside as soon as possible for most things will eventually [[rot]] outside but never inside. Make sure your refuse stockpile is then separated by a door or even an airlock-like double door (-->[[Miasma]]).

* You'll need to make many different stockpiles throughout the game.

=== Building workshops ===

* Disassemble the wagon for [[wood]], by "destroying it", by pressing {{k|q}}, moving the cursor over the wagon, and pressing {{k|x}}. Your carpenter should then disassemble it into three logs (This is the same process to disassemble most any building).

* Create a [[mason's workshop]], a [[carpenter's workshop]], and a [[mechanic's workshop]] with the stones your miners should be producing as they dig tunnels through the rock. To build things, press {{k|b}}, then for workshops, press {{k|w}}. Scroll to the type you want with {{k|+}} and {{k|-}} and press enter. You should next see a screen with the list of all the available materials you can use to build the workshop. Select any type of stone and the dwarves will get started. '''However''', if the stone available to you has some [[economic stone|economic value]], such as [[limestone]] or [[marble]], you must press {{k|z}} to open the general status screen, go to the Stones submenu, then find the stone type in the list and press {{k|enter}} to allow your dwarves to use it for mundane tasks like constructing buildings and furniture.

* In order to get the worshops actually built, the Mason must do his job. If he's also miner (as proposed above), it's necessary to switch off "Mining" for him, else he won't build something and instead continue mining.

* Your [[fisherdwarf]] has likely run off to a body of water to start fishing. Raw fish is inedible, and rots if left alone too long, so you need to build a [[fishery]] to process it. You build the fishery in the same way you built the other workshops. After it's built, select it with {{k|q}}, press {{k|a}}, select "Process Raw Fish" and press enter. Then press {{k|r}} to make that order repeat until it runs out of fish to process.
** The answer to the question, "is fishing high priority," (which was asked here) depends on what kind of priority you mean. If you mean "do dwarves fish instead of other tasks," yes, fishing is very high priority.

* At the [[mason's workshop]], order a [[door]] by selecting the workshop with {{k|q}}, pressing {{k|a}}, then scrolling to "door" on the list with {{k|+}} and {{k|-}} and pressing enter. Stone is more common than wood, so you want to make everything you can out of stone rather than wood. The only important items you can't make out of stone that you can make out of wood are [[bed]]s, [[bucket]]s, [[bin]]s, [[barrel]]s, and [[charcoal]] for fueling your [[forge]]s.

* Once the door is finished, place the door in the entrance of your fort by pressing {{k|b}}uild, then {{k|d}}oor, then selecting the space you want it to go in and pressing {{k|Enter}}. If trouble shows up, you can lock the door by pressing {{k|q}}, highlighting it and pressing {{k|l}} once. Pressing it again unlocks it.

* At the [[carpenter's workshop]], first order a [[bed]] and a [[bucket]] to be made out of some of your wood. These are needed to heal any injured dwarf.

* Once the bed is complete, {{k|b}}uild it in the same manner you built the door, and place it in your entrance hall. Once it's placed, you should make it into a communal sleeping hall by selecting the bed with {{k|q}}, pressing {{k|r}} and using the {{k|+}} and {{k|-}} keys to cover the area of the hall, pressing {{k|Enter}}, then pressing {{k|b}} to make it a [[barracks]]. Making it a barracks means that it is a public sleeping area, and dwarves without their own rooms will sleep there, on the floor if there aren't enough beds. You may prefer to make a separate room for it, though this is not necessary.


* You should designate some trees to be cut down for more logs. Press {{k|d}}, then {{k|t}}. Find an area with trees, then press enter and highlight some trees by dragging the selection area over them and pressing enter again.
* To build some [[trap]]s to defend your front door, order some [[mechanism]]s to be built at the [[mechanic's workshop]]. After they are made, go to the {{k|b}}uild menu, and select the "Traps/Levers" category using {{k|+}} and {{k|-}}. Select the [[Trap#Stone-fall trap|stone-fall trap]], select the materials to use, then place it in a choke point leading into your fortress, like in front of or behind the front door.
* Mine a new room that will be used as a dining hall, and build four or five stone [[table]]s and stone [[throne]]s for it. Build some more doors to section off new rooms properly, as dwarves dislike rooms that aren't enclosed on all sides by walls or doors. Place the tables and thrones like you did the doors, and put one throne adjacent to each table. Once a table is placed in the room, select it with {{k|q}} and use it to define the area as a dining room, like you did with the bed for the sleeping hall. You only need to use one table to define the room, and the rest of the tables in it are automatically considered part of the dining room.
* Mine a few more rooms to be used as storage areas, remove the furniture and food stockpiles outside, and make new ones in these new storage rooms.
* You can also move your workshops indoors. They should not be built in the vicinity of the sleeping hall, as the noise will bother people. You can remove the workshops aboveground the same way you dismantled the wagon: press {{k|q}}, highlight the workshop, then press {{k|x}}.

=== Farming ===

Next you'll set up [[farming]]. You first need to dig a farm room underground. Dwarven crops won't grow on the surface. (You ''can'' retrieve some surface-grown plants using the [[gather plants]] designation liberally.)

If there are enough layers of [[soil]] covering the rock, you can carve out a farm room inside the soil and start farming without having to [[irrigate]] the ground. This is recommended for beginning players if possible. However, if you want to make a farm room with a rock floor, you will need to get the floor wet first. When water covers a rock cavern floor, it becomes muddy, which allows you to build farm plots on it. For more information about how to do that, read up on [[irrigation]].

Once you have suitable ground for planting, go to the {{k|b}}uild menu, find "Farm Plot" or press {{k|p}}, then use the {{k|u}} {{k|m}} {{k|h}} {{k|k}} keys to resize it, and press enter to place it. A 5x5 field should be plenty to last you through winter. After it's placed, your growers will come clear the site and prepare it for planting.

Now that the field is ready, select it with {{k|q}}, and set the crop you want to be grown on it. You have to set this manually for each season. Press {{k|a}} for spring, {{k|b}} for summer, {{k|c}} for fall, and {{k|d}} for winter. Not every crop can be grown in every season, although [[plump helmet]]s can be grown all year. You probably want to grow plump helmets exclusively at first, as they are the easiest crop to grow and use. Dwarves can eat them raw, cooked, or brew them into alcohol.

=== Trading ===

A dwarven caravan will drop by in the Autumn of the first year. You need to have an accessible [[Trade depot]] to trade, though if you don't have one when they arrive the dwarf merchants will wait at the map edge for one to be built. Your outpost leader will meet with the [[liaison]] and discuss what to bring for the next year. This meeting can take place anywhere on the map, but the office seems to be preferred. Traders with horses or camels and the like can reach pretty much any place that hasn't been locked or isn't up or down stairs. Dwarven and human wagons are a little more tricky sometimes, they need a 3 tile path. Once a trade depot is built, you can press {{k|D}} (shift-d) to check wagon access. The green "W" squares show where a wagon can go; if the screen says "Depot accessible", then wagons will be able to reach your depot.

You may be a bit light on things to trade. If you have any leftover [[mechanism]]s, send 'em in; they're worth a good penny, especially if they're of better quality. You can also build a [[Craftsdwarf's workshop]] and make stone crafts for trading if you brought a skilled stonecrafter with you. If you have any high quality cooked meals and feel that you are well stocked on food you may consider selling that, but don't underestimate the first wave of [[immigrant]]s.

If you have managed to kill any invaders, many of them wear silk clothes that don't fit dwarves. These can be worth hauling long distances - one pair of "Giant cave spider" socks, or the like can pay for an anvil

In order to trade, you'll need to use {{k|q}} on the trade depot. Pressing {{k|r}} will put a "Trade at depot" job on the queue (make sure your broker's not off hauling stone or something). While you're doing this, you'll need to move the things you want to trade away to the depot: The {{k|g}} key lets you pick from your stores. Once the broker and the items are in place, use {{k|t}} to initiate the trade.

If the broker doesn't have enough skill at Appraising, you won't be able to see item prices - only weights (marked with the gamma symbol on the standard font) and some guesswork might be needed to find out what will be accepted for what.

What to buy? An anvil if you don't have one. Logs, crops, booze, cheap meat, cheap raw materials you can process. Any general, cheap supplies you need. Do not buy cheese or giant cave spider silk for now - they're very expensive and not worth the bother. However, if you are in an area that cannot produce steel, and you can pay for it, you may wish to start ordering [[steel]] and/or steel ingredients now.

Each level of asking for an item increases the prices by 20%, on average, so while if you pay the max amount you will almost certainly get the item, and lots of it, you'll be paying twice the normal value.

== What next? ==

At this point your little fort should be mostly self-sufficient, barring animal attacks, mining accidents, psychotic outbreaks, or invasion. You can now invest some time in luxuries, such as making private rooms for each dwarf, crafting valuable trade goods, crazy engineering projects, and brewing more beer.

Here's some ideas for what to do next:
* Make an underground [[well]] that won't freeze over in winter, by draining a surface pool or diverting a river.
* Build a [[craftdwarf's workshop]] and start making some trade goods.
* Start [[smelting]] the ore you've mined if you have dwarves with the right skills.
* Set up a [[still]] to brew more drinks for your thirsty dwarves. They'll drink water if they have to, but they are much happier and work faster if they are full of alcohol.
* Make individual rooms for each dwarf, with a bed and maybe a rock coffer and rock cabinet in each one.
* Use [[zone]]s to set up a meeting hall, and designate which water sources you want your dwarves to use for [[fishing]] and drinking.
* Expand your farm, dining room, and living quarters in anticipation of the massive wave of 10-30 immigrants that will likely show up sometime in the next year.
* Start making [[bin]]s and [[barrel]]s to consolidate items and food taking up space in your stockpiles so things are more organized, and so you have more barrels to brew drinks with.
* Set up an indoor [[refuse stockpile]] so your dwarves don't have to carry their trash as far, and so you can start building up a useful supply of bones and shells.
* Plant some [[pigtail]]s to make [[cloth]]. You'll need a [[farmer's workshop]], a [[loom]], and a [[clothier's shop]].
* Draft a couple dwarves, and start a fortress [[military]].
* Hunt for iron, gold, and gems with some [[exploratory mining]].

And when you start feeling more confident with your DF-knowledge, you can try to set some [[Game goals|crazy goals]] for yourself for a challenge, or just enjoy the game in the way '''you''' fashion at your own pace. But most importantly to remember, '''Losing is fun!'''

[[Category:Guides]]

{{Starting FAQ}}

40d:Soldier

2008-05-25T20:20:49Z

Marginoferror: /* Wrestlers */

Dwarves in your [[military]] will be one of the following types of '''soldiers'''. What type of soldier they are will be determined by whichever [[weapon]] they are most [[skill]]ed at using. All soldiers can carry [[shield]]s, regardless of what weapon they use. Weapon, armor, and squad choices are controlled from the Military screen ({{key|m}}). The dwarven military is organized via use of the [[squad]] system.

== Training ==

Soldiers will train when not on duty. Marksdwarves will shoot at [[archery target]]s if they are correctly set up and you have wood or bone [[bolts]] available. Melee dwarves (including wrestlers) will [[sparring|spar]] with their weapons in a [[barracks]] if you have built one. For full information, see the article on [[sparring]].

== Soldier classes ==

Every weapon has an associated skill. Soldiers will name themselves according to what [[Weapon damage|weapon]] they are most skilled at using, as long as they are at least a novice rank in one. Thus a soldier whose highest weapon skill is with a spear will be known as a Speardwarf, even if the soldier has been reassigned to train with an axe instead.

=== Marksdwarves ===

Marksdwarves, thought of as the wimpiest soldiers, are armed with [[crossbow]]s and deal pierce damage from afar. A [[bolt]] does a fine job at piercing the internal organs of a creature while also doing some damage to outside parts. This is of limited use against creatures without organs, such as [[Magma man|magma men]]. Occasionally a bolt will get stuck in a target. The only known use for this is that a [[wrestling]] dwarf may grab the bolt and twist it in the [[wound]].

A Marksdwarf who is forced into melee will use the [[hammer]] skill to bash enemies with their crossbow, so you may consider crosstraining them as hammerdwarves.

Immigrating [[Trapper]]s often arrive with a Novice Marksdwarf skill.

=== Speardwarves ===

Speardwarves specialize in pierce damage and will puncture an enemy's organs quickly and critically once in range. The spear doesn't hit as hard as an axe, but it has a higher chance of piercing organs, making it a better choice against large, living creatures like demons or dragons.

=== Axedwarves ===

Axedwarves, thought by some to be the only true dwarven soldier, specialize in slash damage, also known as the fine art of mangling and severing limbs. This damage type is useful for taking away opponents' mobility and means of attack while eventually bleeding them to death. Battle axes move slower than swords but do more damage per stroke.

=== Sworddwarves ===

Sworddwaves deal both slash and pierce damage. Swords can cut off limbs, like an axe, but also reasonably good at hitting internal organs, like a spear.

=== Macedwarves ===

Macedwarves are exactly like hammerdwarves, but use a weapon with a different name and skill, though exactly the same in game terms.

=== Hammerdwarves ===

Hammerdwarves, the other true dwarven soldiers, specialize in blunt damage, which breaks the bones of the enemy and will often repel the enemy some distance, causing extra damage if they are bashed into a wall.

Human Hammermen use a two-handed maul instead of a war hammer. More powerful, mauls focus on breaking bones rather than mangling limbs, though that does also happen on the occasion. They have a greater chance to knock back an opponent than a mace does but comes at the cost of speed. Also should someone be knocked back into an obstacle, they'll take extra damage.

=== Wrestlers ===

Wrestlers focus on tying the opponent into knots, choking them, and breaking limbs. Creatures tied up in [[wrestling]] will do nothing else and remain immobile, perfect for a marksdwarf to pick off the creature at a range or an armed dwarf to carve into bite-sized pieces. Also note that this skill determines how much a dwarf will evade/dodge attacks, so it can be useful even for a dwarf with a weapon equipped. Wrestlers are much weaker than any other soldier type, but forcing powerful opponents to wrestle can exhaust them and make them easy prey for other soldiers.

Wrestler skill can be exercised somewhat even while practicing with a weapon.

=== Recruits ===

Any dwarf without at least one of the above skills at [[skill|Novice]] level or better will be classified as recruits. If you keep them off duty, they will train at their selected weapon until they reach Novice skill in it, at which point they will turn into one of the above weaponsdwarves.

== Heroes and Champions ==

Once soldiers reach [[skill|Great]] skill level in any weapon (or wrestling), they will become '''heroes''', will be called Lord/Master/Elite, have a different colour shade and can no longer be removed from the military. Their "Pref" menu will be replaced by the text "This hero need not work", and you will not be able to deactivate them (make them civilians again), transfer them into or out of the [[Fortress Guard|Guard]], or assign work [[dog]]s to them.

You can still change their weapon and armor settings via the {{key|m}}ilitary screen ({{key|w}}eapons), and to change their soldiering orders ({{key|v}}iew squad). Heroes in either the Fortress or Royal Guard cannot be given military orders via the Squads screen ({{key|x}}) and will become permanently useless. If you have any Expert, Professional, or Accomplished soldiers in the Guard, be sure to transfer them out while you still can. Alternatively, a dwarf on the verge of becoming a hero in one weapon skill can be transferred to another weapon and retrained; the attribute bonuses from gaining each weapon skill will stack. Heroes cannot trade, so it is advisable for your trader not to be given military training.

Upon reaching [[legendary]] skill level in any weapon, a hero will become a '''champion''', with the following [[announcement]]: <tt>"''<dwarfname>'' has become a legendary champion! Hail ''<dwarfname>''!"</tt>. Champions behave the same as heroes, although they are additionally exempt from the [[dwarven economy]], like all legendary dwarves. Champions cannot serve under heroes or normal soldiers, but willingly serve under other Champions.

{{Military FAQ}}

[[Category:Dwarves]]
[[Category:Military]]

40d:Crafts

2008-05-23T06:33:04Z

Marginoferror:

'''Crafts''' are a group of items made specifically by a [[craftsdwarf]]. These include idols, rings, amulets, bracelets, scepters, and crowns.
 Crafts can be made from [[stone]], [[wood]], [[leather]], [[cloth]], [[bone]], [[shell]]s, [[metal]] and [[gem]]s. However, gem crafts cannot be made normally, instead they are an uncommon product of cutting [[gem]]s.

You cannot specify what a craftsdwarf will make, but one resource can produce up to three different items. The chance of multiple crafts being produced from one resource is increased with the craftsdwarf's skill. Some items such as mugs will always be made in threes, so they are more productive in terms of value than other crafts.

==Different Crafting Materials==

[[Stonecrafting]] is a timeconsuming but easy to set up way to make [[export]] goods early, as your [[stone crafter]] will have access to tons of [[stone]] in a typical fortress. [[Stone]] crafts are not that valuable, but many of these can be made and they will be accepted by any traders.

Making crafts from bone or shell is easy to set up if you have any dwarves hunt or fish, but elves will not accept these crafts.

Cloth and leather crafts tend to be very light, and can be more valuable than stone crafts, but it takes more effort to produce cloth and leather than it does raw stone.

Wooden crafts have low value, the same value as common, non-economic and non-obsidian stone, and cannot be traded to elves. This is generally a poor use of wood on maps with few trees.

Mass producing crafts from glass is very difficult and unprofitable unless there is a ready source of magma and sand. Even so, green glass crafts are only twice as valuable as ordinary stone crafts.

Metal crafts can be highly profitable; however, if metals are scarce on your map you may prefer to save metal for weapons, armor, and/or furniture.

Whenever a [[gem cutter]] is assigned to cut a gem there is a small chance that the dwarf will make the gem into a craft good or a large gem. This may or may not be desirable, depending on whether you want gems for encrusting or not. Depending on the gem used, this may create a very valuable good.

==Other Trade Goods==

Some other trade goods, such as instruments, toys, and mugs, are functionally identical to crafts, except that certain goods may not be made of certain materials. For example, a toy mini-forge may not be made from leather. Also, mugs and flasks seem to always be made in groups of three.

Occasionally a gem cutter will make a large gem instead of a craft good; again the two are identical in terms of function.

40d:Shell

2008-05-21T20:13:58Z

Marginoferror:

A '''Shell''' is what is left behind when a [[dwarf]] eats a [[fish cleaner|prepared]] but not [[Kitchen|cooked]] [[turtle]] or [[cave lobster]].

Cooking those fishes does not leave behind [[bone]] or shell, so you may want to order [[dwarves]] not to use them in cooking. You can do that from the Kitchen menu ( {{key|z}} ).

These shells are automatically [[refuse]], but despite that they can be worked by a [[bone carver]] into [[armor]], or [[crafts]]. They are frequently used in the creation of [[artifacts]], so it is useful to keep a small stockpile of shells reserved for [[fey mood|moody]] dwarves.

40d:Strange mood

2008-05-21T07:06:39Z

Marginoferror: /* Skills and workshops */ Verified

Periodically, individual dwarves in your fortress will be struck with an idea for a [[legendary artifact]] and enter a '''strange mood'''. Dwarves which enter a strange mood will stop whatever they are doing and pursue the construction of this artifact to the exclusion of all else. They will not stop to eat, drink, sleep, or even run away from dangerous creatures. If they do not manage to begin construction of the artifact within a handful of months, they will go [[#Failure|insane]] and die soon afterward. An overview of the entire process:

# Strange moods can only occur when the below necessary [[#Conditions|conditions]] are met.
# The game will pause, center on a dwarf, and announce that the dwarf has entered one of five different types of strange mood. The [[#Types|types of mood]] are listed below. While in a mood, a dwarf will display a blinking exclamation point (see [[status icons]]).
# The dwarf will claim a workshop, kick out any dwarf who was using it, and render it unusable until the mood has been resolved. If a moody dwarf does not claim a workshop, it is because the appropriate workshop does not exist. See [[#Skills and workshops|skills and workshops]] below to determine which workshop(s) might be required.
# After claiming a workshop, the dwarf will set about collecting the required materials for their artifact. If the dwarf remains idle inside the workshop, it's because they cannot find the right material. Reference the [[#Demands|demands]] section to determine what may be required.
# Once all materials have been gathered, the game will once again pause and center, and the moody dwarf will begin construction. Upon completion the dwarf will gain a legendary skill (unless the mood type is [[#Possessed|possessed]]). See the [[#Skills and workshops|skills and workshops]] for information on which skills can be gained, or the [[#Artifacts created|artifacts created]] section for more details on the artifacts themselves.

== Conditions ==
Strange moods can only occur when there is no currently active strange mood, there are eligible dwarves, and the maximum number of artifacts is not met. If all three of these conditions are true, the game may trigger a strange mood according to the frequency below.

=== Eligibility ===
Military and civilian dwarves, and children, may enter strange moods regardless of what skills they have. Dwarves who have created an artifact are not eligible to create another, and since every mood ends in either death or an artifact, every dwarf may enter at most one mood. Dwarves who have obtained one or more legendary skills without creating artifacts may enter strange moods. Appointed [[nobles]] may create artifacts, but immigrated nobles may not{{verify}}.

=== Maximum number of artifacts ===
The maximum number of artifacts in any one fortress is limited by the lower of:
* The number of items created divided by 200
* The number of revealed [[subterranean]] tiles divided by 2308 (this is an area equivalent to a 48x48 square).

=== Frequency ===
When a fortress is started, an internal counter is set to 1000. Around 11 or 12 times per day, this counter is decremented by 1. When the counter would ordinarily be decremented when it has already reached zero, there is a 1 in 500 chance that a strange mood will strike. This means there is approximately a 2.7% chance of a strange mood per day, and a 48.97% chance of a strange mood per month, when all conditions are met.

== Types ==
The first message in the following sections is how the mood is announced; the second message appears in the dwarf's profile when he or she is viewed with the {{K|v}} key. All moody dwarves will have "Strange Mood" listed as their active task.

=== Fey ===
* ''Taken by a fey mood!''
* ''Has the aspect of one fey!''

This is the most basic strange mood. Fey dwarves will clearly state their demands when the workshop they are in is examined.

=== Secretive ===
* ''Withdraws from society...''
* ''Peculiarly secretive...''

Secretive moods are the same as fey moods, except a secretive dwarf will sketch pictures of their required materials instead of clearly stating their demands.

=== Possessed ===
* ''Has been possessed!''
* ''Possessed by unknown forces!''

Possessed dwarves have cryptic material requests, and have the unfortunate distinction of not receiving any experience upon successful construction of an artifact. It is unknown if controllable circumstances lead to a possessed mood instead of one of the more desirable fey or secretive mods.

=== Fell ===
* ''Looses a roaring laughter, fell and terrible!''
* ''Has a horrible fell look!''

A dwarf that goes into a fell mood will always take over a [[butcher's shop]] or a [[tanner's shop]]. The dwarf will then ''murder'' the nearest dwarf, drag the corpse into the shop and make some sort of object out of dwarf [[leather]] or [[bone]]. Once the artifact is completed, the fell dwarf will become a legendary [[bone carver]] or [[leatherworker]]. Strangely, none of the other dwarves seem to mind the murder. Only unhappy dwarves may enter a fell mood.

Aside from the potential loss of an important dwarf in the wrong place at the wrong time, there doesn't seem to be any downside to a fell mood. The end result is always an artifact and a legendary craftsdwarf. Since the only ingredient used (a dwarf) is available in abundance, a fell mood will only fail if the fell dwarf is completely isolated from other dwarves, or if the proper workshop does not exist.

=== Macabre ===
* ''Begins to stalk and brood...''
* ''Brooding darkly...''

Macabre moods are similar to fell moods, but the dwarf will not murder a fellow dwarf. A macabre dwarf may require dwarf bones, skulls, and chunks/remains; if you do not happen to have any, you will have to "make" some, or let the moody dwarf go insane. Like fell moods, only unhappy dwarves can enter macabre moods.

== Skills and workshops ==
{| class="wikitable" cellpadding="4" style="border:1px solid black;border-collapse:collapse;text-align:left;float:right;margin:0 0 20px 30px;"
|-
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#eee;border-bottom:1px solid black;text-align:center;" | Artifact Skill Rewards
|-
! Highest skill
! Workshop used
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
| [[Armorsmith]]
| [[Magma forge]] or [[Metalsmith's forge]]
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
| [[Bonecarver]]
| [[Craftdwarf's workshop]]
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
| [[Bowyer]]
| [[Bowyer's workshop]]
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
| [[Carpenter]]
| [[Carpenter's workshop]]
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
| [[Clothier]]{{Verify}}
| [[Clothier's shop]]
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
| [[Engraver]]
| [[Craftdwarf's workshop]] or [[Mason's workshop]]
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
| [[Furnace operator]]
| [[Magma forge]] or [[Metalsmith's forge]]
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
| [[Gem cutter]]{{Verify}}
| [[Jeweler's workshop]]
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
| [[Gem setter]]
| [[Jeweler's workshop]]
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
| [[Glassmaker]]
| [[Glass furnace]] or [[Magma glass furnace]]
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
| [[Leatherworker]]
| [[Leatherworks]]
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
| [[Mason]]
| [[Mason's workshop]]
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
| [[Mechanic]]
| [[Mechanic's workshop]]
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
| [[Metal crafter]]
| [[Magma forge]] or [[Metalsmith's forge]]
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
| [[Metalsmith (skill)|Metalsmith]]
| [[Magma forge]] or [[Metalsmith's forge]]
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
| [[Miner]]
| [[Craftdwarf's workshop]] or [[Mason's workshop]]
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
| [[Siege engineer]]{{Verify}}
| [[Siege workshop]]
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
| [[Stone crafter]]
| [[Craftdwarf's workshop]]
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
| [[Tanner]]
| [[Tanner's shop]]
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
| [[Weaponsmith]]
| [[Magma forge]] or [[Metalsmith's forge]]
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
| [[Weaver]]
| [[Clothier's shop]]
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
| [[Wood crafter]]
| [[Craftdwarf's workshop]]
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
| [[Wood cutter]]{{Verify}}
| [[Carpenter's workshop]] or [[Craftdwarf's workshop]]
|}

A dwarf will claim a workshop according to their highest applicable skill, and upon completion of the artifact, gain 20,000 experience in that skill (excepting possessed dwarves). This will give the dwarf a legendary-level skill and a number of attribute gains. The table to the right describes all applicable skills and their potential workshop requirements. When multiple workshops are listed, the dwarf may require one or the other, so ensure both are available, if possible. (i.e. if you have a magma forge, you may have to build a regular forge for him). '''If a dwarf does not possess one of the listed skills''', they will take over a [[craftdwarf's workshop]] and gain one of the [[bonecarver]], [[stone crafter]], or [[wood crafter]] skills. Skills which fall under this catch-all include:
{|
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
| style="padding-right:30px;" |
* [[Animal caretaker]]{{Verify}}
* [[Animal dissector]]{{Verify}}
* [[Animal trainer]]
* [[Brewer]]
* [[Butcher]]{{Verify}}
* [[Cheese maker]]{{Verify}}
* [[Cook]]{{Verify}}
* [[Dyer]]
* [[Fish cleaner]]
* [[Fish dissector]]{{Verify}}
* [[Fisherdwarf]]
* [[Grower]]
* [[Herbalist]]{{Verify}}
|
* [[Lye maker]]{{Verify}}
* [[Milker]]{{Verify}}
* [[Miller]]
* [[Potash maker]]{{Verify}}
* [[Pump operator]]{{Verify}}
* [[Siege operator]]{{Verify}}
* [[Soaper]]{{Verify}}
* [[Thresher]]
* [[Trapper]]{{Verify}}
* [[Wood burner]]{{Verify}}
* All [[military]] skills
* All social skills
* No skills

|}

This fact can be utilized to maximize the possibility of getting a dwarf with a legendary skill you want: where possible, make sure each dwarf's highest skill is one of those you want. Have all your peasants, growers, soldiers (you will have to temporarily deactivate them from the military), and other dwarves without skills do a tiny bit of work in the skill(s) you most want (Armorsmith is possibly the most-desired legendary skill); if a "dabbling" skill is the highest they have, that is the skill that will be used.

 

== Demands ==
Once a workshop is claimed, the dwarf will begin collecting materials. Each artifact will require between one and ten materials to complete. If the moody dwarf remains idle, then the necessary materials are not available. [[Forbidden]] items must be reclaimed ({{K|d}} - {{K|c}}) before they may be used, but moody dwarves will ignore settings regarding [[economic stone]]. Press {{K|q}} and highlight the workshop to receive a series of clues about what the dwarf needs. Hints that stay active for longer than about 2 seconds mean multiple pieces of that material will be required. Materials will always be fetched in order, so if at least one item has already been retrieved (the items will show up with "TSK" next to them when the workshop is viewed with the {{K|t}} context menu), it will usually be possible to tell what item is required next.

Specific sub types of material may be required{{Verify}}, such as a [[diorite]] [[stone]], [[bronze]] [[bar]]s, or a specific type of raw [[gem]]. For this reason, it is usually a good idea to keep as many types of material on hand as possible, including raw and cut gems and the three different kinds of glass.

The various demands are translated here:

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left;width:90%;"
|-
! Material
! Fey
! Secretive
! Possessed
|-
|
| <dwarf> screams "I must have <demand>!"
| <dwarf> sketches pictures of <demand>.
| <dwarf> mutters "<artifact> needs <demand>..."
|-
| [[Stone]]
| ?
| a quarry
| stone... rock
|-
| Stone [[block]]
| rock blocks
| square blocks
| blocks... bricks
|-
| [[Wood]]
| wood logs
| a forest
| tree... life
|-
| Metal [[bar]]
| metal bars
| shining bars of metal
| bars... metal
|-
| [[Gem]]s (cut)
| cut gems
| cut gems
| gems... shining
|-
| [[Gem]]s (raw)
| rough gems
| rough gems
| rough... color
|-
| [[Glass]] (green)
| ?
| glass
| raw... green
|-
| [[Glass]] (clear)
| ?
| glass and burning wood
| raw... clear
|-
| [[Glass]] (crystal)
| ?
| rough gems and glass
| raw... crystal
|-
| [[Bone]]
| bones
| skeletons
| bones... yes
|-
| [[Shell]]
| shells
| a shell{{Verify}}
| a shell...
|-
| [[Leather]]
| ?
| stacked leather
| leather... skin
|-
| [[Cloth]] (silk)
| silk cloth
| stacked cloth
| cloth... thread
|}

== Artifacts created ==
The type of artifact created will depend on the dwarf's highest skill. Masons will always create some kind of stone object; Bone Carvers, a bone or shell object; Carpenters, a wood object, etc. Miners and engravers will usually turn out a stone craft or piece of furniture; furnace operators, a metal craft or piece of furniture; Weavers, an article of clothing.

The first object grabbed by the dwarf will be the "primary" substance; all other materials will be used to decorate the artifact. If a dwarf grabs onyx and makes a bed, for instance, it will be an "onyx bed", but an artifact can potentially be composed of bone, cloth, gems, leather, metal, shell, stone, and wood all at once. In some cases, glass makers will actually grab the nearest rough gem instead of a piece of raw glass, leading to such odd constructions as a [[Moss agate]] [[coffer]].

Once created, the [[artifact]] will be available for use just like a normal item of its type. Artifact furniture is useful for high value [[noble]] rooms, and weapons can be used to great effect in combat.

== Failure ==
If you can't provide all the required items within a couple of months, the dwarf will go insane and cancel the artifact. This [[insanity]] can take several forms:

* Become melancholy. The dwarf will either refuse to eat or drink until dead, or drown themselves at some point. They may also hurl themselves into the [[river]], [[chasm]], or [[magma]] immediately.
* Become a babbling wreck. A dwarf experiencing this will drop all the items he or she is wearing, one by one, and eventually starve to death.
* Go on a murderous rampage.

The first two outcomes are harmless (except to the moody dwarf, who will die), but you may want to station a squad nearby or assign a few war dogs to the dwarf on the chance that they will lash out. If you build your workshops inside enclosed rooms (with doors), you can also lock the moody dwarf in the room until he or she starves.

Anything that would cause the dwarf to cancel the strange mood job (like being attacked or having the workshop destroyed) will cause [[insanity]]. Note that the [[insanity]] can happen even when the dwarf is not deadlocked on an item; there have been observed instances where a dwarf goes insane while in the process of carrying a required item back to the commandeered workshop. Notably, giving birth while in a strange mood does not interrupt the dwarf; she will ignore the baby until her mood is resolved and it will wander off in the meantime.

40d:Sparring

2008-05-21T00:57:17Z

Marginoferror: /* Live Combat Training */ This doesn't seem right

'''Sparring''' is a form of non-lethal combat engaged in by [[soldier]]s to train their combat skills in [[fortress mode]]. Sparring takes place at [[barracks]]; off-duty soldiers will engage in mock combat with other off-duty soldiers, causing incidental injuries as they go but also gaining experience.

It is said that there must be a minimum amount of floor space in barracks before soldiers will spar there.{{verify}}

To assign a soldier to sparring, you must take his or her squad off duty. This is accomplished by opening the {{key|m}}ilitary screen, selecting the soldier from the list, choosing to {{key|v}}iew the selected squad, then toggling the du{{key|t}}y status until it displays "Squad is standing down". You must have at least two melee soldiers off duty before sparring will begin, although they need not be of the same soldier class. If the conditions are met, the soldiers will automatically choose to spar at their own discretion.

Rotating soldiers between an always-off-duty training squad and a series of on-duty patrol squads can be an effective way of training soldiers without having to assign off-duty status to each soldier directly.

== Equipment ==

When soldiers spar, they practise (and thereby gain experience) with whatever [[weapon]] and [[armor]] they have been assigned, including shields. Thus, in order to train [[axedwarf|axedwarves]], it is necessary to assign the recruits axes, and so forth with all other weapons.

== Sparring Injuries ==

It is possible to severely wound a partner during a sparring session. When practising with [[wrestler]]s, the worst [[injury]] that is likely to happen is a broken bone, although even this can be fatal if unfortunate circumstances prevail, such as crushing the other soldier's throat.

In the event that a soldier is injured while sparring, the soldier will rest until he or she recuperates, just as with any other injury. In the event of a broken limb, it will take a full season before the soldier will be available for action once again. Mangled limbs and other injuries may take much longer, if they heal at all.

If a soldier accidentally kills another, the accidental murderer will receive an unhappy [[thought]]. However, killing another during a sparring session is not a crime and will not be punished by [[justice]]{{verify}}.

Sparring injuries can be very brutal to a fort's soldier population, leaving many dwarves with moderate injuries if precautions are not taken (see below). If your troops get injured frequently by sparring, it's a good idea to keep a solid proportion of your soldiers on duty so that you don't have too many injuries in case of a siege or ambush. If your troops are getting injured, however, you should take precautions.

Certain injuries, notably those to the neck and brain, will never ever heal, even if they are only minor scratches. A dwarf with these injuries will never spar either. If a military dwarf gets a minor neck injury before he or she has gained much combat skill, you may want to [[Department of Dwarven Veteran's Affairs|release him or her from duty]] so that dwarf can at least serve your economy as a hauler (or Royal Guard), and a new dwarf can claim his or her weapon and armor to practice with.

=== Avoiding Injury===
The following tactics can help your dwarves avoid sparring injuries:
*Equipping soldiers with good armor is always useful to protect injury, whether sparring or fighting real threats. Iron chain is good, steel plate better, [[quality|high-quality]] steel plate best of all. High-quality steel shields are also recommended. See [[Armor#Using armor|Using Armor]] for more details.
*Equipping soldiers deliberately with weak [[silver]] weapons is an excellent way to reduce the risk of injury. Silver weapons do only 50% of the damage of [[iron]] weapons. [[Wood|Wooden]] weapons also do only 50% of the damage of iron ones, but can only be gained through trade with the [[elves]]. Beware, as it can be time consuming to force your soldiers to switch back to good [[iron]] or [[steel]] weapons in the event of a siege or ambush; if your soldiers enter battle with their sparring weapons they will be much less effective.
*It is strongly recommended to send soldiers through a basic training regime by allowing them to spar without weapons until they achieve several levels in Wrestler skill, then begin their training for weapons directly. This can help reduce the amount of injuries suffered, as [[Wrestler]] skill is used to determine the probability of dodging attacks in addition to its offensive purposes.
*Likewise, the more training your soldiers get in [[Armor user]] and [[Shield user]], the more likely they will be to avoid injury. Thus it is safest to give your soldiers plenty of Wrestling practice, while equipped with armor and shields, before cross-training them for weapon usage.
*You might also want to buff up a dwarf's [[stats]] before sparring -- for example by setting them to pump a [[screw pump]] that isn't attached to anything. This can increase a dwarf's Toughness (and thereby resistance to damage), although it may also increase Strength, which is believed to increase damage inflicted.

[[Category:Military]]
[[Category:Fortress mode]]

== Target Practice ==
Soldiers armed with [[crossbow|crossbows]] will not spar; the equivalent to sparring for a crossbow-armed dwarf is shooting at an [[archery target|archery range]]. As with sparring, the crossbow-dwarf's squad must be set to stand down. Unlike sparring, dwarves do not need partners to practice archery. The dwarf must be equipped with a crossbow and a supply of [[wood|wooden]] or [[bone]] [[bolts]]: metal bolts will not be wasted on target practice. The shooting range must also be designated properly from the archery target (see that article for more information). Marksdwarves do not gain [[Armor user]], [[Shield user]] or [[Wrestling]] skill shooting on a range, so it may be useful to get them involved in a few unarmed, armored sparring matches in the barracks so they can handle return fire (or a close-quarters ambush).

== Live Combat Training ==
Soldiers gain experience in martial skills from fighting in real combat as well. For obvious reasons, it is best to boost your soldiers' experience by sparring before they enter a real battle. An untrained soldier can easily suffer a career-ending injury from a [[goblin]] invader, whereas a Legendary weapon and armour user can cut a swath through an invading column without taking a scratch.

{{Military FAQ}}

40d:Losing

2008-05-14T20:29:16Z

Marginoferror: /* Dehydration */

Losing is fun!

Either way, it keeps you busy.

Most new players will lose their first few forts; <s>if</s> when you lose a fortress, don't feel like you don't understand the game. Dwarf Fortress has a steep learning curve, and part of the appeal is discovering things for yourself. However, this Wiki serves as an excellent place to speed up the learning process.

If you lose, you can always [[reclaim fortress mode|reclaim fortress]] or go visit it in [[adventurer mode]].

If you're looking for more ways to <s>die horribly</s> test yourself, try either the [[Difficult Seeds]], [[Mega Constructions]], [[Challenge Builds]] or the [[Goals]] pages.

== Autopsy ==

Various things can cause you to lose a fortress.

=== Losing your miners ===

If your [[miner]]s are killed in a collapse and their equipment destroyed, chances are good that you will no longer be able to continue your efforts. Consider abandoning your fortress. Alternatively, you can try to keep your fortress running long enough to request additional [[pick]]s from your Outpost [[Liaison]], who will arrive with the next dwarven trade [[caravan]]. It will take another year before they will return. 
Also consider the tedious but fun option of making buildings outside! If your [[woodcutter]]s with [[axe]]s are still available, then you can build structures of [[wood]]. This is not recommended for very new players though, as it is intensely resource-demanding and takes a lot of managing to get right. (Also not recommended if you don't understand the z-axis system yet.)

=== Starvation ===

A serious danger, generally in the more inhospitable climates, is the loss of your dwarves due to starvation; if you are in the heart of a mountain with no [[soil]] to build on, it is possible you will not be able to establish [[farm]]s. As dwarves begin to starve, they will become Hungry, then Starving. This will cause them to become very angry. When they die, their friends will become upset and will become even angrier, potentially causing the remainder of your fortress to break out in a terminal brawl.

Don't forget your alternative sources of [[food]]. Try [[butchering]] your [[animals]], [[plant gathering|gathering plants]], or resorting to [[hunting]] of local wildlife.

===Dehydration===

One of the biggest problems with a fortress that has no [[brook]], [[stream]], [[river]], or other source of fresh [[water]]. Water must be rapidly gathered from stagnant pools and stored into an indoor basin or water tower, with sufficient depth before it [[evaporate]]s. If this fails, all of the water on the map will evaporate and your dwarves will be left without any water.

Dwarves will not die of thirst as long as they have alcohol, which in the current version can be [[Brewing|brewed]] without the use of water. However, injured dwarves must be given water, not alcohol, or they will die of dehydration.

===Flooding accidents===

The opposite side of the dehydration spectrum is having too ''much'' water. Remember that water can [[flow]] in 10 directions (the 8 horizontal ones as well as up and down). It is also worth remembering that, unlike water, magma does not flow upwards.

If your fortress is beginning to flood from [[Water#Sourced Water|sourced water]], abandon all of the levels the water can reach immediately—drafting dwarves into the [[military]] and stationing them onto the surface if need be. You will never be able to recover those areas unless you can manage to pump out the water faster than it floods in, which can take over a year or two of game time to establish a functioning automated pump system. Generally, a flooding accident spells doom for your fortress.

===Invasion===

The [[goblin]]s first come with about a dozen soldiers to [[siege]] your fort. Then they come again with about two dozen. Then three. Soon enough your [[trap]]s are all sprung, your [[door]]s beaten down, and your dwarves are dead. Without some simple [[Fortress defense|defense]]s, such as a [[moat]], a horde of goblins on your doorstep can be deadly.

===Wildlife===

Goblins aren't the only creatures that want you dead. Be it [[unicorn|unicorns]], [[hippo|hippos]], [[undead]] [[elephant|elephants]] or a [[giant cave spider]], a sudden wildlife attack can quickly cripple or destroy an unprepared fortress.

===Volcanic Death===

Toady has stated that in the future volcanoes will be much less stable and much more deadly.

===General Unhappiness===

Think it's no big deal to leave your dwarves with a mediocre dining room, living room, and a generally inadequate fortress?

If there is little in a fortress to give your dwarves happy [[thoughts]] and enough to give them unhappy [[thoughts]], then your dwarves will start to throw tantrums, go melancholy, and destroy your civilization. Unhappiness is more likely to occur if your fortress is suffering other kinds of downfall.

[[ru:Поражение]]

40d:Dwarven economy

2008-05-14T06:30:35Z

Marginoferror: /* Requirements */

===Requirements===

The dwarven economy is unlocked when a [[baron]] arrives (or when a [[tax collector]] arrives; we're not quite certain). In order for a baron to show up, you need 80 dwarves and an unknown amount of either created or exported wealth{{verify}} and perform 4 of the following in a single year: 25 crafting jobs, 25 metal-related jobs, 25 wood-related jobs, 10 gem jobs, 25 stone jobs, 25 food jobs.[http://www.bay12games.com/cgi-local/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=6&t=002643] (note: As the details change from version to version, these numbers should be taken as approximate.)

You may turn off the economy by editing \data\init\init.txt; line "[ECONOMY:NO]".

===Effects===
* Nobles and legendary dwarves may continue to appropriate anything they please, but all other dwarves get individual accounts. They earn money from performing most kinds of work and spend it on bedroom rent and food. Whatever's left over can be spent at [[shops]], which it now becomes possible to build. Dwarves can purchase useful or desirable goods at shops and get happy thoughts from doing so.

* The economy can be run with [[coins]], a locked vault of coins, or no coins at all. Coins are minted at a [[forge]] out of copper, silver, gold, and (depending on game version) other metals. In the current version (.32), it is strongly recommended that you either not make any coins at all, or at least not let your dwarves have access to those you do make. The reason for this is that coins are physical objects that need to be acquired, hauled, stored, and tidied up. Because individual accounts fluctuate, your dwarves may spend more and more of their work time strewing tiny coin piles all over the fortress!

* Bedrooms may now only be assigned to noble or [[legendary]] dwarves; all others will pay rent on their current room and, if they cannot pay, will be evicted and must find a cheaper place to sleep. Make sure you have enough low-price rooms available (or at least beds in the [[barracks]]). The rental price can be seen when selecting the room with {{K|q}}; this figure is based on the total worth of furniture, smoothing and decoration, etc. in that room.

* Food must also be purchased. Dwarves that cannot afford quality meals must eat something of lower value (plump helmets or meat are common choices). Dwarves will not starve because they cannot buy food; they just choose whatever is cheapest.

* Either the dwarven economy or the baron are pre-requisites for many of the [[nobles]].

* Whether it has any effect on the arrival of [[:category:megabeasts|megabeasts]], siege size, or other game features or challenges is unknown.

* It is possible to cause all rooms' rent to become 0 because rooms can become far too expensive otherwise, what with high quality furniture and the like. It's in the init under [ZERO_RENT:YES/NO].

----

{{Notice Box|In Progress|This page is (still) a stub. If you've verified that's something missing or incorrect here, add it in or discuss it on the talk page!}}

[[Category: Economy]]

40d:Miner

2008-05-13T08:11:33Z

Marginoferror:

{{Skill
| color = rgb(192,192,192)
| skill = Miner
| speciality = Miner
| profession = Miner
| job name = [[Mining]]
| tasks =
* [[Dig]]
}}
'''Miners''' are necessary to build any kind of fortress, unless you're planning on building everything out of [[wood]] and on the surface (like one of those [[Human|humans]]).

Skill level increases the speed of mining and also increases the chance of leaving behind [[stone]], [[ore]] or [[gem]]s depending on the material mined. At Legendary skill, a miner will always leave stone/ore/gems behind. High skill can be actually undesirable, since excess stone can be a nuisance; however, miners gain skill extremely quickly so some amount of stone is unavoidable. Miners are required to dig, build [[channel]]s, dig out [[stair]]s and [[ramp]]s, and remove said stairs and ramps. Miners require a [[pick]] to do any work.

In order to start digging you need to designate an area to be dug. This is done with the [[Designations]] menu.

If you want a specific miner to dig in an area, then you need to [[Military|draft]] the other miners or deactivate their mining labor. Deactivating the mining labor has the undesirable side effect that they will immediately drop their picks. For example you may want your best miner to work on gems and ore but use novices to dig out ordinary stone.

The mining skill is unique in that it is the only civilian skill that can be used in combat. Because miners quickly improve their mining skill during the normal course of mining, and because they always carry their picks with them, miners are extremely useful for defense in the early stages of the game. [[Woodcutter]]s also carry their [[axe]]s with them at all times, but axes use a special combat skill that is not practiced while doing civilian work. Miners will use their picks as weapons if they are drafted while they are carrying picks, and they are not designated to use any other weapon (i.e., they are instructed to fight [[unarmed]]).

Picks actually make rather poor [[weapon]]s compared to axes, [[sword]]s, [[spear]]s and the like. However, skill matters much more than weapon quality in actual combat.

The material ([[copper]], [[bronze]], [[iron]], etc) of a pick does not affect mining speed or quality, but it does affect combat strength (as it does for any weapon).

{{Skills}}
[[Category:Skills]]
[[Category:Professions]]
[[Category:Jobs]]

40d:Pick

2008-05-13T08:10:15Z

Marginoferror:

A '''pick''' is a tool used by [[dwarves]] to [[mining|mine]] areas you have designated for mining. Dwarves without picks cannot mine. Picks can be made from [[copper]], [[bronze]], [[bismuth bronze]], [[iron]], or [[steel]]. The material used only affects the weight of the pick and the damage it deals when used in combat; mining speed and product are not affected.

[[Miner]]s can use picks as [[weapon]]s using their mining skill. Only a dwarf who is set to fight "unarmed" and who is holding a pick at the time he or she is drafted will use it in combat. Picks are somewhat weaker than actual weapons like spears, but are still very effective in the hands of a skilled miner.

[[Category:Weapons]]
[[Category:Items]]

Marginoferror: /* Finding magma */

Magma serves as an energy source, powering [[magma furnace]]s and [[magma smelter]]s. It is extremely dangerous.

== Finding magma ==

While in previous versions of Dwarf Fortress, every map was guaranteed to have magma, since v0.27.169.32a magma is now a feature of terrain and may or may not be present.

Magma that reaches all the way to the surface is visible on the "local" screen in the starting location chooser. It is represented as a red ≈ mark (a double tilde) - essentially it looks like red water. Note that red ≈ marks in the "region" screen mean something different entirely.

While picking a starting location, the easiest place to look for magma is on or near a [[volcano]] (a red ^ mark in the "region" screen). There are often volcanic islands (easy to find, since they are the sole land in the middle of oceans), but since sea travel is not yet implemented trade with other races not be possible on such islands. Instead, find a volcano on land, and start looking for a vent in nearby squares. "Nearby squares" can mean anything from literally on top of the volcano, to adjacent, to quite a long distance away indeed. The placement of magma seems to be related to the distance from volcanoes, but is still essentially random.

Much harder than simply finding a magma vent is finding a magma vent that is also near suitable terrain for building. Depending on your requirements - you may be looking for a source of running water, or a mountain for minerals, or a healthy tree population, or even all three - suitable building sites can be extremely scarce.

If you're willing to search exhaustively, you might want to consider finding magma vents that are not near volcanoes at all. Very occasionally, magma will be visible in the middle of forests, plains, or other terrain nowhere near a volcano or even mountains. There is no way to spot these on the region map, so the only way to identify them is to scroll past hundreds of local maps while keeping an eye out for the distinctive red ≈ symbol.

You can also occasionally find magma that does not extend all the way to the surface, and therefore is not visible on the local map. It is almost impossible to spot normally, since unlike proper magma vents these smaller deposits will only be on a few levels, and must be almost literally mined into to see (you will get a warning about "warm stone" before you actually breach the deposit). To find these reliably, use one of the [[utilities]] such as "reveal.exe" to reveal the entire map. Presumably, small magma deposits are also most common near volcanoes.

== Using magma ==

On a map with a magma vent, the magma will be clearly visible from every level ground and below. The minerals directly adjacent to the magma vent will also be immediately visible, even at the lowest level of the map, which can give some hints about where to prospect for ores.

The vent has a similar, circular shape on each level. However, it is not identical from one level to the next; some levels will have a larger or somewhat misshapen circle of magma.

The primary use for magma is to power magma smelters and forges. (There are other uses, including defense and possibly even garbage disposal.) To build forges, etc on magma, at least one of the external eight squares must be above a square of magma.

This can be done most easily by simply building on ground level. The magma is visible from ground level but is actually contained one level below ground level, just like any ground-level water source.

To build underground, you will need to dig at least one tile of a [[channel]] above the location you wish to build the smelter or forge. Underneath this channel there must be magma, either directly from the vent or channeled from the vent. Use channels to tap into the magma on the level below safely (this is easier if there is more magma on the lower level than the level you wish to build on. Actually tapping into magma directly, on the same level, instead of using channels, is likely to result in the death of your miner.

To build far away from the magma vent, you may need some kind of floodgate system, or even a series of pumps to move the magma from one region to another. (An extremely long, completely uncontrolled channel is possible, but not recommended.) Generally speaking, everything that comes directly in contact with magma must be made of steel, so you will need some way of preparing steel even before your final system of magma smelters and forges is ready.

== Temperature settings ==

Magma is almost harmless if temperature is disabled in the Dwarf Fortress init file. It can still trap and suffocate or simply starve your dwarves in some situations. It will not melt floodgates, etc. constructed of non-magma-proof materials.

40d:Magma

2007-11-01T20:33:23Z

Marginoferror: /* Finding magma */

Magma serves as an energy source, powering [[magma furnace]]s and [[magma smelter]]s. It is extremely dangerous.

== Finding magma ==

While in previous versions of Dwarf Fortress, every map was guaranteed to have magma, since v0.27.169.32a magma is now a feature of terrain and may or may not be present.

Magma that reaches all the way to the surface is visible on the "local" screen in the starting location chooser. It is represented as a red ≈ mark (a double tilde) - essentially it looks like red water. Note that red ≈ marks in the "region" screen mean something different entirely.

While picking a starting location, the easiest place to look for magma is on or near a [[volcano]] (a red ^ mark in the "region" screen). There are often volcanic islands (easy to find, since they are the sole land in the middle of oceans), but since sea travel is not yet implemented trade with other races not be possible on such islands. Instead, find a volcano on land, and start looking for a vent in nearby squares. "Nearby squares" can mean anything from literally on top of the volcano, to adjacent, to quite a long distance away indeed. The placement of magma seems to be related to the distance from volcanoes, but is still essentially random.

Much harder than simply finding a magma vent is finding a magma vent that is also near suitable terrain for building. Depending on your requirements - you may be looking for a source of running water, or a mountain for minerals, or a healthy tree population, or even all three - suitable building sites can be extremely scarce.

If you're willing to search exhaustively, you might want to consider finding magma vents that are not near volcanoes at all. Very occasionally, magma will be visible in the middle of forests, plains, or other terrain nowhere near a volcano or even mountains. There is no way to spot these on the region map, so the only way to identify them is to scroll past hundreds of local maps while keeping an eye out for the distinctive red ≈ symbol.

You can also occasionally find magma that does not extend all the way to the surface, and therefore is not visible on the local map. It is almost impossible to spot normally, since unlike proper magma vents these smaller deposits will only be on a few levels, and must be almost literally mined into to see (you will get a warning about "warm stone" before you actually breach the deposit. To find these reliably, use one of the [[utilities]] such as "reveal.exe" to reveal the entire map. Presumably, small magma deposits are also most common near volcanoes.

== Using magma ==

On a map with a magma vent, the magma will be clearly visible from every level ground and below. The minerals directly adjacent to the magma vent will also be immediately visible, even at the lowest level of the map, which can give some hints about where to prospect for ores.

The vent has a similar, circular shape on each level. However, it is not identical from one level to the next; some levels will have a larger or somewhat misshapen circle of magma.

The primary use for magma is to power magma smelters and forges. (There are other uses, including defense and possibly even garbage disposal.) To build forges, etc on magma, at least one of the external eight squares must be above a square of magma.

This can be done most easily by simply building on ground level. The magma is visible from ground level but is actually contained one level below ground level, just like any ground-level water source.

To build underground, you will need to dig at least one tile of a [[channel]] above the location you wish to build the smelter or forge. Underneath this channel there must be magma, either directly from the vent or channeled from the vent. Use channels to tap into the magma on the level below safely (this is easier if there is more magma on the lower level than the level you wish to build on. Actually tapping into magma directly, on the same level, instead of using channels, is likely to result in the death of your miner.

To build far away from the magma vent, you may need some kind of floodgate system, or even a series of pumps to move the magma from one region to another. (An extremely long, completely uncontrolled channel is possible, but not recommended.) Generally speaking, everything that comes directly in contact with magma must be made of steel, so you will need some way of preparing steel even before your final system of magma smelters and forges is ready.

== Temperature settings ==

Magma is almost harmless if temperature is disabled in the Dwarf Fortress init file. It can still trap and suffocate or simply starve your dwarves in some situations. It will not melt floodgates, etc. constructed of non-magma-proof materials.