Remove

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v52.04 · v0.47.05 This article is about the current version of DF. Note that some content may still need to be updated. More Info · V

It seems that half the time in Fortress mode, when you aren't building something, you're removing something. Whether that's digging away part of the landscape, tearing down a wall, ripping up a bridge, or just rearranging the furniture, if it needs to get done, then it needs to get done. Although every specific article should have an explanation of how to remove that specific item or feature, if you're here you may need a more basic "how to".

Here's how to remove...

Dirt/stone

Digging may be the most basic action in Dwarf Fortress. You need a dwarf with the mining labor activated, and access to a pick, then you designate an area to be mined with mm: left-click with the mouse on a tile, move to create a rectangle, and click again. There is also a keyboard cursor you can enable and then use the cursor, movement (default WASD), and enter keys.

If you want (or need, to get up/down) to create stairs or ramps instead of a tunnel, it works similarly, but with some additional concerns - read those articles for details and command keys.

Dug ramps/stairs

Similar to the above, but to designate the removal of carved ramps or natural slopes (same thing), or carved stairs, use mx.

A digging "designation"

"Oops"?! Didn't mean to mark that? If the action hasn't been completed yet, don't panic. Use x as above and click over the part you don't want marked.

Constructions

If you're trying to remove anything that is a construction (that is, anything that was built with bn), use mx, and mark the construction. Any dwarf will respond and (eventually) tear it down - which takes longer than it took to build.

A "remove construction" order

"Oops"?! Cancel that removal the same as you would other "mining" designation, with x.

Buildings

Hiding

If you just don't want to see the buildings, they can be hidden with ih, or clicking an individual building and toggling the hide (eye) button on all the items used to build it; the building will still be there and available for use. Once a building has been hidden, it cannot be clicked on, so to reveal it, use iH. Hidden workshops can still be accessed from the places menu P.

Bridges

There are two types of bridges - a retracting bridge / drawbridge as one building, and just a set of floors or walls spanning a gap.

For the building type, click it to open the information window, then the button.

The other type is just a construction; remove as above. If it's a long floor or wall, be sure that your dwarves won't be standing on one part while a critical part is removed - see cave-in.

Furniture

Click it to open the information window, then the button. You'll also need a dwarf with the furniture hauling labor activated, and then the patience to wait for one to respond.

Workshops

Click it to open the information window, then the button. You'll need a dwarf with an appropriate labor, depending on the exact workshop - this can be seen on the workshop window once it has been marked for removal.

A "destroy" order for a building

Oops?! Cancel an order to remove furniture or a workshop by clicking it to open the information window, then the Cancel removal button.

Items

Hiding

If you just don't want to see the items, they can be hidden with ih, or clicking individual items and toggling the hide (eye) button; the items will still be there and available for use. Once an item has been hidden, it cannot be clicked on, so to reveal it, use iH.

Bodies

Bodies of your dwarves, and their body parts, or bones, will be put into your graveyard, or into individual tombs if that dwarf was assigned to it. Built coffins which have been set to 'Use for burial' will This requires the Burial labor enabled on a living dwarf.

Bodies of everything else, from vermin to Titans, will be placed in the Refuse Stockpile, by a dwarf with Refuse Hauling. If these corpses are unrotten and butcherable, dwarves with Butchery enabled will take them to the Butcher's workshop and cut them into meat, fat, bones, a skull, and the other bodily stuff. Almost everything will be used as food, and delivered to that stockpile, a few other parts, like hair, becomes refuse. Bones, skulls and some other hard body parts can be made use of after this.

Stones

Stones are automatically removed by dwarves with the Stone Hauling labor activated, and placed in the stone stockpiles, or a garbage dump if so designated.

Trash

This is trickier, and there are 2 different approaches.

One is to create a refuse stockpile (using p)) for that type of item (usually remains of vermin killed by a cat, or items left after butchering, but other items are possible), and wait for a dwarf with the refuse hauling labor to find the free time to respond.

A more aggressive and specific method is to create a garbage dump (using z)) and then mark the items for dumping (using ip)). Again, this requires refuse hauling, and it can create a quantum dump for any type of item. (Stone is a popular choice.)

Stockpiles

An entire stockpiles can be removed using p), then clicking the stockpile to select it, then clicking the Remove stockpile button. A stockpile can also be selected by clicking an empty tile in it, or clicking an item in it, then the View stockpile button.

Water

Depending on the quantity and nature of the water in question and the surroundings of your fort, removing water can be performed in a number of ways:

The most direct method is to either drain it into a lower space, or pump it elsewhere.

In hot environments, standing water is likely to evaporate, especially in the summer.

Similarly, in freezing areas you may be able to wait for water to freeze and then mine it out.

Water in ponds or cisterns will evaporate if it reaches a depth of only 1/7 units. Spread it around by channeling a larger area for it to flow into.

With careful (and rather labor-intensive) use of water source and pond zones with buckets you can have your dwarves move water from one location to another, out of your way.

If you've got a renewable source of water (a river, for example), you'll have to get creative with engineering to dam or divert the flow.

An advanced method, with the potential for lots of Fun, is to combine magma with your water. You can get a lot of valuable obsidian this way, though - see Obsidian farming for more information.

Note: Murky pools will refill when it rains; you may need to take steps to prevent this if you want rid of a body of water permanently.

Muddy floor

After an area has water on it and dries, it will become muddy. The best way to remove this is to have a dwarf with the stonecutter labor activated, and designate the muddy area for smoothing with vm.

If the stone is already smooth (or if you don't want it to be smooth in the first place), place a piece of furniture (such as an armor stand, statue, or animal trap) on top of each muddy tile and the mud will be removed.

Magma

Magma is a very dangerous liquid, but it will evaporate exactly like water once it drains down to a depth of 1/7.

Alternately, the addition of water to the magma, even if only at a depth of 1/7, will create obsidian.

Miasma

Through the miasma will fade in time, you can assure it to be gone by making an upwards conduct (be sure to grate it or else who knows what could get in!)

Fire

Good luck removing fire. Water will only remove flames if the object is completely immersed in 7/7 water. Obviously, this is problematic if a dwarf is burning. Your best bet is to isolate the burning substances (clothing, dwarves, beer, etc.) and prevent any dwarves or animals from accessing the banned areas until all the flames burn out.

Creating a cave-in can destroy the burning item completely, which is no loss since it's already burning. (Read up on cave-ins before doing this to avoid worse problems.)

Game features

Several game features can be toggled off in the settings.

DFHack tools

DFHack tools that can remove stuff include:

• mass-remove
• autodump
• gui/autodump
• aquifer
• modtools/add-syndrome
• plant
• remove-stress
• remove-wear