Dwarf Fortress Wiki - User contributions [en]

Item value

2026-08-28T14:27:23Z

91.49.252.203: Commented out section which no longer apply. And changed some base value (in the table). Also updated how the decoration value for ammo is calculated.

{{Quality|Exceptional}}
{{av}}

{{for/see|value optimization|[[Maximizing value]]}}
{{for/see|cultural values|[[Personality value]]}}
{{for/see|room values|[[Zone#Quality_and_value|Zones: Quality and value]]}}

'''Item value''' is determined by a number of factors: the form of the item, the material it is made out of, the [[quality]] of its creation, and any [[decoration]]s on it.

The '''final value''' of an item is the '''base value''' of the form of the item (e.g. [[block]] ''or'' [[statue]]) multiplied by the '''material multiplier''' (e.g. [[granite]] ''or'' [[gold]]), multiplied by the '''quality modifier''' (e.g. fine ''or'' masterful) if any, then summed with the final value of all '''[[decoration]]s'''.

=Base values of items=
The '''base value''' of an item is determined by the form of the item, not what it is made out of. For example, a [[wood]] [[block]] uses the '''base value''' for a block; a native gold block uses the ''same'' '''base value''', since it too is in the form of a "block". In both cases, the '''final value''' is then determined by adjusting the base value with the appropriate modifiers.

==Items without quality levels==
{| style="border-spacing: 0"
|- style="background-color: #EEE"
! Base Value
! Items
|-
|0||[[Body parts|Body part]], [[Corpse]], [[Remains]], small rock
|- style="background-color: #EEE"
|1||[[fat|glob]], [[seed]], [[alcohol]], powder, extract, tree branches
|-
|2||[[Fish]], unprepared fish, [[Meat]], [[Egg]], [[Plant]], [[Quarry bush|Leaves]]
|- style="background-color: #EEE"
|3||[[Log]], [[Stone]]
|-
|5||[[Bar]], [[Block]], [[Leather]]
|- style="background-color: #EEE"
|6||[[Thread]], [[Gem]] (rough)
|-
|10||[[Ballista arrowhead]], [[cheese]], [[Honeycomb]]
|-
|20||[[Gem]] (cut)
|- style="background-color: #EEE"
|Varies||live vermin, tame vermin
|}

== Items with quality level ==
=== Misc. items ===
{| style="border-spacing: 0"
|- style="background-color: #EEE"
! Base Value
! Items
|-
|1/50||[[Coin]]1
|- style="background-color: #EEE"
|1||[[Die]], Orthopedic [[cast]], [[Prepared meal]]4, [[Ammunition|Ammo]]
|-
|5||[[Paper]] & [[Papyrus]] sheets
|- style="background-color: #EEE"
|7||[[Cloth]]2
|-
|10||
[[Animal trap]], [[Altar]], [[Jewelry|Amulet]], [[Anvil]], [[Armor stand]], [[Backpack]], [[Barrel]], [[Bed]], [[Bin]], [[Book]], [[Bookcase]], [[Tool|Bowl]], [[Box]], [[Bag|Bag]], [[Jewelry|Bracelet]], [[Bucket]], [[Cabinet]], [[Cage]], [[Chain]], [[Chair]], [[Tool|Cleaver]], [[Coffin]], [[Jewelry|Crown]], [[Crutch]], [[Decoration]]3, [[Display case|Display Case]], [[Door]], [[Jewelry|Earring]], [[Figurine]], [[Flask]], [[Floodgate]], [[Tool|Fork]], [[Goblet|Goblet/mug/cup]], [[Grate]], [[Hatch cover]], [[Tool|Helve]], [[Hive]], [[Instrument]] ''(non-main components)'', [[Jug]], [[Tool|Knives]], [[Tool|Ladle]], [[Gem|Large gem]], [[Large pot]], [[Millstone]], [[Tool|Mortar]], [[Nest box]], [[Pedestal]], [[Tool|Pestle]], [[Pipe section]], [[Tool|Pouch]], [[Quiver]], [[Quern]], [[Jewelry|Ring]], [[Craft|Scepter]], [[Book|Scroll Roller]], [[Slab]], [[Shield]], [[Tool|Stone axe]], [[Health care|Splint]], [[Table]], [[Totem]], [[Toy]], [[Weapon rack]], [[Trap component]], [[Weapon]]
|- style="background-color: #EEE"
|20|| [[Book|Quire/Scroll]], [[Siege engine|Siege ammo]], [[Health care|Traction bench]]
|-
|25||[[Window]], [[Statue]]
|- style="background-color: #EEE"
|30||[[Siege engine|Ballista part]], [[Siege engine|Catapult part]], [[Mechanism]]
|-
|50|| [[Tool|Cauldron]], [[Instrument]] ''(main part)'', [[Minecart]], [[Parchment]] sheet, [[Stepladder]], [[Wheelbarrow]]
|- style="background-color: #EEE"
|200||Parchment [[Book|Quire/Scroll]]
|-
|''variable''5 || [[Armor]], [[Clothing|Shoe]], [[Armor|Helm]], [[Clothing|Glove]], [[Clothing|Pants]]
|}
: ''Notes'':
:* 1) Coins minted at a forge are always of base quality
:* 2) Goods made out of [[cloth]] get the following built in as decorations: the cloth (with quality mod) and the [[thread]] (without quality). [[Dye]]s are added separately (with quality), as a powder, not a decoration.
:* 3) "[[Decoration]]s" include "It is decorated with <material>", "It is encircled with bands of <material>", "It is adorned with hanging rings of <material>", "This object menaces with spikes of <material>", "On this object is an image of <description> in <material>", "It is studded with <metal>". Decorations made of gems have a base value of 20 instead. Decorations of [[bolts] (and other ammo) also use the same base value of 10 (or 20, if decoration uses gems as material) for the initial value calculations (of each single decoration), but the total value of all decorations (including quality modifiers and flat quality bonus) is then divided by 30 (rounded down) and then multiplied by the stack size to get the final decoration value - the same is done for calculations involving civilization specific decoration modifiers of ammo decorations (only then using the civ-specific decoration values instead) to get the value a merchant of that civ would offer.
:* 4) Prepared meals always have a base value of 1, with a quality modifier, but the ingredients also affect the final value.
:* 5) For these items the base value is 5, if they are produced in pairs (ie. shoes, sandals, socks), and otherwise 10.

=== Prepared meal ===
This table shows how the [[item quality|quality modifiers]] compare to other items:
{| class="wikitable" cellspacing="0" border="1" cellpadding="5"
|-
! Quality
! Ingredient
! Meal
! Value Modifier
! Meal Bonus
|-
|(normal)
|minced
|(none)
| style="text-align:center;" | 1.0×
| style="text-align:center;" | +0
|-
|<nowiki>-Well-Crafted-</nowiki>
|well-minced
|well-prepared
| style="text-align:center;" | 1.1×
| style="text-align:center;" | +3
|-
|<nowiki>+Finely-crafted+</nowiki>
|finely minced
|finely-prepared
| style="text-align:center;" | 1.2×
| style="text-align:center;" | +6
|-
|*Superior quality*
|superiorly minced
|superiorly prepared
| style="text-align:center;" | 4/3×
| style="text-align:center;" | +10
|-
|≡Exceptional≡
|exceptionally minced
|exceptional prepared
| style="text-align:center;" | 1.5×
| style="text-align:center;" | +15
|-
|☼Masterful☼
|masterfully minced
|masterfully prepared
| style="text-align:center;" | 2.0×
| style="text-align:center;" | +30
|}

The value of a stack of prepared meals is equal to the material multiplier of the main ingredient (multiplied by the meal's base value of 1) times the meal's quality modifier (finely-prepared, etc.), plus the ''average'' of the products of each ingredient's base value and quality modifier (well-minced, etc.), all multiplied by the stack size. So, for example: a well-prepared meal consisting of 5 finely-minced cow cheese, 3 finely-minced llama tripe, 1 finely-minced llama sweetbread, and 2 superiorly minced mussels would yield a stack of 11 mussel roasts with a total value of 88☼ (for 62☼ of ingredients). (Exact calculation: ``([1 * 1 * 11/10 + 3] + ([10 * 1 * 6/5] + [2 * 1 * 6/5] + [2 * 1 * 6/5] + [2 * 1 * 4/3])/4) * (5 + 3 + 1 + 2)``)

This example can be understood as:

(base value of prepared meal = 1☼) × (mussel material multiplier = 1) × (well-prepared = 11/10) + (meal bonus = 3) = 4.1, rounded down to 4
+
(
(value of cheese = 10☼) × (cow material multiplier = 1) × (finely-minced = 5/4) = 12
+
(value of tripe = 2☼) × (llama material multiplier = 1) × (finely minced = 5/4) = 2.4, rounded down to 2
+
(value of sweetbread = 2☼) × (llama material multiplier = 1) × (finely minced = 5/4) = 2.4, rounded down to 2
+
(value of fish = 2☼) × (mussel material multiplier = 1) × (superiorly minced = 4/3) = 2.66, rounded down to 2
) ÷ 4 = 4.5, rounded down to 4

all multiplied by the total number of meals (11)
=
88☼

Because all math is performed with integers (with the results always rounded down), ingredient quality modifiers typically will not have any visible effect for low-value ingredients.

The individual stack sizes of the ingredients may affect your profits, but have no effect on the final meal's value. One "masterfully minced plump helmet" cooked with ten "well-minced dog meat" will have exactly the same value and description as ten "masterfully minced plump helmet" and one "well-minced dog meat".

The quality symbols shown in the name of a meal reflect the highest quality involved in its making, looking at the overall preparation as well as the mincing of each ingredient. With up to five skill rolls involved, monetary values of apparently same-quality meals can vary a lot, and a lower-quality meal can be more valuable than a higher-quality meal cooked from the same ingredients.


==Material multipliers==
{{Material properties}}
The material multiplier for an item is found from the [MATERIAL_VALUE:#] tag in the raws for the material it is made out of, and can be further augmented using [MULTIPLY_VALUE:#]. A wood block uses the same material multiplier as a wood [[log]] or a wooden [[Box|chest]] - that is the material value for wood, which is 1.

{| class="collapsible collapsed" style="width:80%; border-spacing: 1"
|- style=background-color:#ccf
! colspan=2|Common
|- style=text-align:left
! style=padding-right:1em|Multiplier
! Material
|- style="background-color: #EEE"
|×2||[[Glass|Green glass]]
|-
|×3||[[Earthenware]]
|- style="background-color: #EEE"
|×4||[[Stoneware]]
|-
|×5||[[Clear glass]]
|- style="background-color: #EEE"
|×10||[[Crystal glass]], [[Porcelain]]
|}

{| class="collapsible collapsed" style="width:80%; border-spacing: 1"
|- style=background-color:#ccf
! colspan=2|[[Stone]]s
|- style=text-align:left
! style=padding-right:1em|Multiplier
! Stone
|- style="background-color: #EEE"
|×1|| [[Stone|common stone]], [[Bismuthinite]], [[Bituminous coal]], [[Lignite]]
|-
|×2||[[Cassiterite]], [[Garnierite]], [[Malachite]], [[Native copper]], [[Sphalerite]], [[Calcite]], [[Chalk]], [[Dolomite]], [[Limestone]], [[Marble]]
|- style="background-color: #EEE"
|×3||[[Tetrahedrite]], [[Obsidian]]
|-
|×5||[[Galena]]
|- style="background-color: #EEE"
|×8||[[Hematite]], [[Limonite]], [[Magnetite]]
|-
|×10||[[Horn silver]], [[Native silver]]
|- style="background-color: #EEE"
|×30||[[Native gold]]
|-
|×40||[[Native aluminum]], [[Native platinum]]
|- style="background-color: #EEE"
|×250||[[Raw adamantine]]
|}

{| class="collapsible collapsed" style="width:80%; border-spacing: 1"
|- style=background-color:#ccf
! colspan=2|[[Gem]]s
|- style=text-align:left
! style=padding-right:1em|Multiplier
! Gem
|- style="background-color: #EEE"
|×2||[[Banded agate]], [[Bloodstone]], [[Blue jade]], [[Brown jasper]], [[Carnelian]], [[Chrysocolla]], [[Chrysoprase]], [[Citrine]], [[Dendritic agate]], [[Fire agate]], [[Fortification agate]], [[Gray chalcedony]], [[Lace agate]], [[Lapis lazuli]], [[Lavender jade]], [[Milk quartz]], [[Moonstone]], [[Morion]], [[Moss agate]], [[Onyx]], [[Pink jade]], [[Plume agate]], [[Prase]], [[Pyrite]], [[Rock crystal]], [[Sardonyx]], [[Sard]], [[Schorl]], [[Smoky quartz]], [[Sunstone]], [[Tiger iron]], [[Tigereye]], [[Tube agate]], [[Turquoise]], [[Variscite]], [[White chalcedony]], [[White jade]], [[Yellow jasper]]
|-
|×3||[[Aventurine]], [[Picture jasper]], [[Rose quartz]]
|- style="background-color: #EEE"
|×10||[[Amber opal]], [[Bone opal]], [[Cherry opal]], [[Clear tourmaline]], [[Gold opal]], [[Jasper opal]], [[Milk opal]], [[Moss opal]], [[Onyx opal]], [[Pineapple opal]], [[Pipe opal]], [[Prase opal]], [[Resin opal]], [[Shell opal]], [[Wax opal]], [[Wood opal]]
|-
|×15||[[Fire opal]], [[Jelly opal]], [[Melanite]], [[Pink tourmaline]], [[Red tourmaline]]
|- style="background-color: #EEE"
|×20||[[Alexandrite]], [[Almandine]], [[Amethyst]], [[Aquamarine]], [[Bandfire opal]], [[Black pyrope]], [[Black zircon]], [[Brown zircon]], [[Cat's eye]], [[Chrysoberyl]], [[Cinnamon grossular]], [[Claro opal]], [[Clear garnet]], [[Crystal opal]], [[Golden beryl]], [[Goshenite]], [[Green jade]], [[Green tourmaline]], [[Green zircon]], [[Harlequin opal]], [[Heliodor]], [[Honey yellow beryl]], [[Kunzite]], [[Levin opal]], [[Morganite]], [[Peridot]], [[Pinfire opal]], [[Pink garnet]], [[Precious fire opal]], [[Purple spinel]], [[Red beryl]], [[Red flash opal]], [[Red grossular]], [[Red pyrope]], [[Red spinel]], [[Red zircon]], [[Rhodolite]], [[Rubicelle]], [[Tanzanite]], [[Topaz]], [[Topazolite]], [[Violet spessartine]], [[White opal]], [[Yellow grossular]], [[Yellow spessartine]], [[Yellow zircon]]
|-
|×25||[[Clear zircon]], [[Indigo tourmaline]]
|- style="background-color: #EEE"
|×30||[[Demantoid]], [[Light yellow diamond]], [[Blue garnet]], [[Black opal]], [[Tsavorite]]
|-
|×40||[[Faint yellow diamond]], [[Emerald]], [[Ruby]], [[Sapphire]]
|- style="background-color: #EEE"
|×60||[[Black diamond]], [[Blue diamond]], [[Clear diamond]], [[Green diamond]], [[Red diamond]], [[Yellow diamond]], [[Star ruby]], [[Star sapphire]]
|}

{| class="collapsible collapsed" style="width:80%; border-spacing: 1"
|- style=background-color:#ccf
! colspan=2|[[Metal]]s
|- style=text-align:left
! style=padding-right:1em|Multiplier
! Metal
|- style="background-color: #EEE"
|×2||[[Bismuth]], [[Copper]], [[Lead]], [[Nickel]], [[Tin]], [[Zinc]]
|-
|×3||[[Lay pewter]], [[Nickel silver]]
|- style="background-color: #EEE"
|×4||[[Trifle pewter]]
|-
|×5||[[Bronze]], [[Fine pewter]]
|- style="background-color: #EEE"
|×6||[[Billon]], [[Bismuth bronze]]
|-
|×7||[[Brass]]
|- style="background-color: #EEE"
|×8||[[Sterling silver]]
|-
|×10||[[Iron]], [[Pig iron]], [[Silver]]
|- style="background-color: #EEE"
|×11||[[Black bronze]]
|-
|×20||[[Electrum]]
|- style="background-color: #EEE"
|×23||[[Rose gold]]
|-
|×30||[[Gold]], [[Steel]]
|- style="background-color: #EEE"
|×40||[[Aluminum]], [[Platinum]]
|-
|×300||[[Adamantine]]
|}

{| class="collapsible collapsed" style="width:80%; border-spacing: 1"
|- style=background-color:#ccf
! colspan=2|[[Creature]]s
|- style=text-align:left
! style=padding-right:1em|Multiplier
! Creature
|- style="background-color: #EEE"
|×1||all [[creature]]s not listed below
|-
|×2||[[adder]], [[beak dog]], [[black bear]], [[black mamba]], [[bobcat]], [[bushmaster]], [[capybara]], [[copperhead snake]], [[cougar]], [[coyote]], [[dingo]], [[elk]], [[giant cave swallow]], [[giant dingo]], [[giant earthworm]], [[giant mole]], [[giant rat]], [[helmet snake]], [[hyena]], [[ice wolf]], [[jackal]], [[king cobra]], [[magma crab]], [[molemarian]], [[monitor lizard]], [[muskox]], [[ocelot]], [[panda]], [[python]], [[rattlesnake]], [[sloth bear]], [[strangler]], [[wolf]], all [[giant animal|giant]] variants of the creatures in this category
|- style="background-color: #EEE"
|×3||[[alligator]], [[anaconda]], [[blind cave bear]], [[cheetah]], [[draltha]], [[elk bird]], [[fire imp]], [[gila monster]], [[green devourer]], [[grizzly bear]], [[jaguar]], [[leopard]], [[lion]], [[lynx]], [[polar bear]], [[rutherer]], [[saltwater crocodile]], [[sasquatch]], [[tiger]], [[yeti]], all [[giant animal|giant]] variants of the creatures in this category
|-
|×4||[[cave crocodile]], [[cave dragon]], [[giant bat]], [[giant cave spider]], [[giant olm]], [[giant cave toad]], [[jabberer]], [[unicorn]], [[voracious cave crawler]]
|- style="background-color: #EEE"
|×5||[[elephant]], [[sea monster]], [[sea serpent]], [[giraffe]], [[rhinoceros]], all [[giant animal|giant]] variants of the creatures in this category
|-
|×10||[[hydra]]
|- style="background-color: #EEE"
|×15||[[dragon]], [[roc]]
|}

{| class="collapsible collapsed" style="width:80%; border-spacing: 1"
|- style=background-color:#ccf
! colspan=2|[[Plant]]s
|- style=text-align:left
! style=padding-right:1em|Multiplier
! Plant
|- style="background-color: #EEE"
|×1||[[hide root]], [[kobold bulb]], [[muck root]], [[prickle berry]], [[rat weed]], [[sliver barb]], [[whip vine]] all [[tree]]s and plant [[seed]]s
|-
|×2||[[blade weed]], [[bloated tuber]], [[cave wheat]], [[chicory]], [[dimple cup]], [[fisher berry]], [[longland grass]], [[pig tail]], [[plump helmet]], [[quarry bush]], [[rope reed]], [[sweet pod]], [[strawberry]] tuber beer ([[bloated tuber]] drink)
|- style="background-color: #EEE"
|×3||[[sun berry]] whip wine ([[whip vine]] drink)
|-
|×5||[[valley herb]] [[quarry bush]] leaf, rock nut oil ([[quarry bush]] oil), rock nut soap ([[quarry bush]] soap), sunshine ([[sun berry]] drink)
|- style="background-color: #EEE"
|×10||redroot dye ([[hide root]] powder)
|-
|×20||cave wheat flour ([[cave wheat]] powder), dimple dye ([[dimple cup]] powder), dwarven sugar ([[sweet pod]] powder), dwarven syrup ([[sweet pod]] extract), emerald dye ([[blade weed]] powder), longland flour ([[longland grass]] powder), sliver dye ([[sliver barb]] powder)
|- style="background-color: #EEE"
|×25||whip vine flour ([[whip vine]] powder)
|-
|×100||gnomeblight ([[kobold bulb]] extract), golden salve ([[valley herb]] extract)
|- style="background-color: #EEE"
|Note||Plants are made of various materials - the predominant material (usually STRUCTURAL) is listed for each individual plant, and other materials are listed separately when they differ.
|}

{| class="collapsible collapsed" style="width:80%; border-spacing: 1"
|- style=background-color:#ccf
! colspan=2|Miscellaneous
|- style=text-align:left
! style=padding-right:1em|Multiplier
! Material
|- style="background-color: #EEE"
|×1||[[Ash]]
|-
|×2||[[Amber]], [[Coral]], [[Coal]], [[Lye]]
|- style="background-color: #EEE"
|×3||[[Potash]]
|-
|×4||[[Pearlash]]
|- style="background-color: #EEE"
|×10||[[Salt]]
|}

== Quality ==
Item value is further increased by applying the [[Item quality|quality]] multiplier and bonus.

{|
! style="padding-right: 35px;" | '''Designation''' || style="text-align: left;" | '''Description''' || style="padding-right: 20px; padding-left: 15px; text-align: center;" | '''Value Multiplier''' || '''Value Bonus''' ||
|-
|  Item Name || style="text-align: center;" | —     || style="text-align: center;" | ×1  || style="text-align: center;" | +0 ||
|-
| -Item Name- || Well-crafted || style="text-align: center;" | ×1.1  || style="text-align: center;" | +3 ||
|-
| +Item Name+ || Finely-crafted || style="text-align: center;" | ×1.2  || style="text-align: center;" | +6 ||
|-
| *Item Name* || Superior quality || style="text-align: center;" | ×1.33  || style="text-align: center;" | +10 ||
|-
| ≡Item Name≡ || Exceptional || style="text-align: center;" | ×1.5  || style="text-align: center;" | +15||
|-
| ☼Item Name☼ || Masterful || style="text-align: center;" | ×2  || style="text-align: center;" | +30 ||
|-
| Unique Name || [[Artifact]] || style="text-align:center;" | ×20  || style="text-align: center;" | +300 ||
|}

{{Category|Items|*}}
{{Category|Economy}}

Milk

2026-08-27T11:49:49Z

91.49.252.203: /* Milkable creatures */

{{Quality|Exceptional}}
{{av}}
{{buggy}}
[[File:milk_sprite_preview.png|right]]'''Milk''' is a product [[extract]]ed from milkable [[creature]]s. Milk can be made into [[cheese]] or used in [[cook]]ing [[prepared meal]]s. It cannot be consumed "as is". Milk is found under "Liquid" in the Stocks screen {{k|k}}.

Female versions of certain animals are milkable. In order to perform milking, you must have a dwarf with the [[milking]] labor active, a [[farmer's workshop]], an empty [[bucket]] and a mature, non-[[pet]], milkable animal.

==Milkable creatures==
The following creatures can be milked. However, animal women (despite producing milk) cannot be milked due to ethics, still milk from such animal people can be brought by merchants.
{| class="wikitable sortable" cellspacing="0" border="1" cellpadding="5"
|-
! Icon !! Animal
|-
| [[File:Alpaca sprite.png]] || [[Alpaca]]
|-
| [[File:Camel sprite.png]] || [[One-humped camel]]1 (incl. [[Giant one-humped camel|giant]])
|-
| [[File:Two humped camel sprite.png]] || [[Two-humped camel]]1 (incl. [[Giant two-humped camel|giant]])
|-
| [[File:Cow sprite.png]] || [[Cow]]
|-
| [[File:Donkey sprite.png]] || [[Donkey]]
|-
| [[File:Goat sprite.png]] || [[Goat]]
|-
| [[File:Horse sprite.png]] || [[Horse]]
|-
| [[File:Kangaroo sprite.png]] || [[Kangaroo]]1 (incl. [[Giant kangaroo|giant]])
|-
| [[File:Llama sprite.png]] || [[Llama]]
|-
| [[File:Pig sprite.png]] || [[Pig]]
|-
| [[File:Purring maggot sprite.png]] || [[Purring maggot]]2
|-
| [[File:Reindeer sprite.png]] || [[Reindeer]]
|-
| [[File:Sheep sprite.png]] || [[Sheep]]
|-
| [[File:Tapir sprite.png]] || [[Tapir]]1 (incl. [[Giant tapir|giant]])
|-
| [[File:Water buffalo sprite.png]] || [[Water buffalo]]
|-
| [[File:Yak sprite.png]] || [[Yak]]
|-
| [[File:Miohippus sprite.png]] || [[Miohippus]]3
|-

|}

===Notes===
# ''These animals are not domesticated and can't be brought on [[embark]].''
# ''Purring maggots are [[vermin]] and not livestock. They can only be milked when '''untamed'''. {{Bug|3670}}.''
# ''Extinct creature.''

==Milking creatures==
{{catbox|Milkable}}Queue a "Milk Creature" job at a [[farmer's workshop]]. The milker will not necessarily pick the closest animal available. Caging, pasturing or restraining the milkable creatures near the workshop might be a good idea, but is not mandatory. The animal must also have milk available. Once milked, the creature will be free to roam. If the creature was previously caged, pastured or restrained, some dwarf will be assigned the job of taking it back. You can avoid these pasture animal jobs if the [[farmer's workshop]] is in the animal's pasture.

Milk should eventually be transferred from its bucket into a [[barrel]] or [[large pot]] for long-term storage. If you plan to make [[cheese]], it's a good idea to let the milk accumulate so that you get stacks of cheese (up to size 5) instead of single (size 1) cheeses.

An exploit to maximise embark point returns is to take 1 of each kind of milk - milk costs only 1 point at embark and comes with a separate barrel for each type, effectively giving you free barrels, and (after some work) stacks of 1 cheese from each unit of milk for your [[prepared meal]]s, worth 10 times what the milk is worth.

Milk from milkable animals domesticated by a [[civilization]] can be ordered in [[trade agreement]]s with that civilization. Each barrel of milk brought by a [[caravan]] contains 10 units of milk.

The frequency with which animals are able to be milked is defined in the raw files with the tag {{token|MILKABLE|creature|LOCAL_CREATURE_MAT:MILK:20000}}. All milkable creatures currently have this tag set to 20000 [[Time|ticks]], which, at 1200 ticks per day, means they all can be milked every 17 in-game days.

===Work orders===
A basic way to automate the "Milk creature" job is to set up a work order that "Restarts if completed, '''checked monthly'''." Then change the number of times the task is performed, equal to the number of milkable creatures. This will have to be manually counted.

It is currently not possible to assign a condition such as "Milkable creatures at least 1," because work orders does not support "creatures" as a valid item type.

===Dwarven ice cream===

Milk has a [[temperature|freezing point]] of {{ct|10000}}, the same as [[water]]. If milk is left in conditions below this temperature, even on a tile marked [[tile attributes|inside]], it will freeze, and become "frozen ''{animal}'''s milk". Frozen milk is treated as a cookable solid {{Bug|2787}}, and may show up as an ingredient in your roasts--at 1/10th of the value of cheese, if the roasts do not just melt entirely. There is no entry for frozen milk in stockpile menus, so dwarves will not haul a frozen milk barrel to any type of stockpile. {{Bug|3398}} Careless attempts to dump the barrel to an indoor [[garbage dump]] may result in dwarves hauling the frozen milk and the barrel separately, resulting in a puddle of milk when it thaws. Dwarves will not make cheese out of frozen milk. For these reasons, milking industries should be set up underground, as Armok intended.

If your [[trade depot]] is outdoors in freezing weather, any barrels of milk (or [[lye]]) brought by a caravan will be frozen and appear as empty barrels in the [[Trading]] screen. They can be distinguished from empty barrels by having a price 10☼ higher than the price of the barrel, or by viewing their contents.

To move frozen milk to an indoor garbage dump without spilling it, do not use the [[Designations Menu]]. Instead, just mark the barrel for dumping.

==Bugs==
* After finishing a milking job, the milker may generate a cancellation message if trying to take another job immediately: "Urist McMultitasking cancels job, handling dangerous animal". They will subsequently just leave the milked animal to wander away on its own and retask anyway.
* It is unclear why pets cannot be milked; this seems to be a bug because milking is a requirement for some animals and presumably the Animal Care dwarf would be aware of this and oversee their regular milking.
* Frozen milk melts while being cooked, leaving unusable milk items unside the kitchen. {{Bug|2787}}
* Tamed purring maggots can't be milked. {{Bug|3670}}
* After being milked (or attempting to milk them?), purring maggots are left inside the workshop as an item unless you assign them to a [[cage]]. {{Bug|3668}}
* Cooks will only cook milk and other fluids as a last resort, instead preferring to cook solid foods with solid foods. {{Bug|2393}} For more information, see the [[Kitchen#Bugs|kitchen]] page.

{{D for Dwarf}}

Dwarven milk does not in fact come from dwarves. This is generally a relief to human caravans, until they find out where it really [[purring maggot|comes from]].

Because milk is not considered a drink, dwarves will not drink it, even if they are dying of [[thirst]]. Indeed, dwarves consider any drink that isn't alcoholic to be no better than water, and refuse to drink milk because it's of better use as cheese. Another theory is that dwarves refuse to imbibe milk because it would make them puny milk-drinkers. What is for certain, however, is that unlike in real life, dwarves have yet to discover how to make alcoholic fermented milk beverages, such as kumis or kefir.
[[File:milk_bottles.jpg|thumb|360px|center|Got Dwarf?]]

{{gamedata|{{raw|v50:material_template_default.txt|MATERIAL_TEMPLATE|MILK_TEMPLATE}}}}
{{materials}}

{{Category|Food}}
{{Category|Extracts}}
{{Category|Creature attributes}}
[[ru:Milk]]

Talk:Item value

2026-08-26T14:37:21Z

91.49.252.203: /* Migration template */

== New food value ==

Made a finely-prepared +plump helmet roast+ (18). It has a value of 216☼. Its total value of 216 divided by its stack size of 18 equals 12 value. The finely prepared multiplier of 1.2 times base meal value of 10 also equals a value of 12. Since all the value is coming from the meal, it seems that either ingredients value doesn't matter or ingredient values below 1 get rounded down. (Finely-minced plump helmet should be worth 0.6☼). [[User:Jecowa|Jecowa]] ([[User talk:Jecowa|talk]]) 08:36, 28 February 2025 (UTC)
:From what I can see, it should be adding up the individual values of each ingredient (with each ingredient having a minimum value of 1☼) and then dividing the '''total''' by the number of ingredients, so no matter what, the overall value of each meal should be at least 1☼ more than what you would get from the base item's material and quality. I haven't yet analyzed the logic for calculating the value of each individual ingredient, though, so that question is still open. Additionally, the value of an item with Fine quality should be 1.2x plus an additional 6, so it's possible the base value of a prepared meal is no longer 10. --[[User:Quietust|Quietust]] ([[User talk:Quietust|talk]]) 13:28, 28 February 2025 (UTC)
::I've just analyzed version 51.06, and there were a total of 3 changes: 1) FOOD items now have a base value of 1 rather than 10; 2) Food Ingredient value no longer gains an additive bonus from quality, only multiplicative; 3) The total value from ingredients is divided by the number of ingredients. Doing the math, your meals are worth ((1 * 2 * 6/5 + 6) + (2 * 2 * N + 2 * 2 * N + 2 * 2 * N + 2 * 2 * N) / 4) * 18 == 216 (where N is always less than 1.25, assuming that none of the ingredients were Superiorly minced). --[[User:Quietust|Quietust]] ([[User talk:Quietust|talk]]) 14:57, 28 February 2025 (UTC)

== Gem Decorations ==

This page states that all decorations (except on bolts) have a base value of 10, while the decorations page says that decorations made from cut gemstones (but not cut glass or stone) have a base value of 20. Since cut gems themselves have a base value of 20 with no quality multiplier, I suspect the decorations page is correct, since otherwise decorating items with gems will almost always lose you value unless the decoration is masterwork, since the base value change from 20 -> 10 will have a greater effect than adding the quality multiplier which maxes at x2. Either way, at least one of the pages is wrong ...

[[Special:Contributions/104.205.119.2|104.205.119.2]] 01:14, 14 August 2025 (UTC)
:Looking at a disassembly, item improvements made of GEM materials indeed have a base value of 20, while all other decorations have a base value of 10. --[[User:Quietust|Quietust]] ([[User talk:Quietust|talk]]) 18:58, 14 August 2025 (UTC)

== Musical Instruments ==

There seems to be no real information on how the item value for multi-part music instruments is calculated. In any case (for the music instruments (and their parts) brought by traders) it seems to be the case that all silk strings out of divine cloth is usually about 3 times as valuable as a finished instrument containing such an item, so it seems that - depending on the base value of the instrument parts - also players might be able to lose value by assembling instruments (they can make) to complete instruments.

[[Special:Contributions/87.143.77.206|87.143.77.206]] 11:09, 9 January 2026 (UTC)

Well turns out that silk strings parts of any and all instruments have their value computed slightly differently. The value is three times the normal value (regardless of material, as ie. also metals used as silk string material via gm-editor show that behaviour), except that the value increase from higher quality only gives the "normal" additional value increase (so masterwork shining wisp <instrument name> strings are only worth 9600 and not 10800). That value increase is lost, when the strings are used in an instrument. Silk material in metal string parts do behave normally. (I have not tested plant cloth string components, so it is an open question, whether the plant cloth string of musical instruments with plant cloth string components behave as silk string components or metal string components).

I consider this behaviour a feature (and not a bug) and I will leave it to someone else to file a bug report (if they think that this is a bug, that deserves fixing, and not a feature). I will also not update the article for now.

Otherwise the value calculation is as if the instrument components were decorations. Meaning the value of the instrument components is added to the final value of the completed instrument, the base value (of the instrument) is the material value (of the main component) multiplied by item value (50) and adjusted by the quality modifier (if any) of the newly created instrument.

[[Special:Contributions/87.143.77.206|87.143.77.206]] 16:25, 11 January 2026 (UTC)

Strings from instruments with cloth strings are handled in the same way as silk strings from instruments with silk strings. [[Special:Contributions/87.143.77.206|87.143.77.206]] 15:22, 18 January 2026 (UTC)

== Weapon and shield/buckler base value ==

It seems that the base value of weapons and shields/bucklers is now always 10 and thus the tables with the individual weapon/shield base values is now deprecated (as is the note concerning that the base value for weapons is variable). So far I only did check whips, long swords, great axes, halberds, crossbow, training axes, mace and pick (always without quality level), so there is a small possibility that in some cases the base values in the weapons table are still used (allthough very unlikely). (But I did check both bucklers and shields.)

ps. I do not know when the change did occur, but it most have been at least since the siege update (possibly before).[[Special:Contributions/87.143.68.232|87.143.68.232]] 10:33, 16 August 2026 (UTC)

== Migration template ==

I do not know, why this page does not use the migration template, eventhough a few things are not correct:
1. Base value of shields/bucklers is 10.
2. The base value of armor/clothing is 10, if the item does not come in pairs, otherwise it is 5 - and I do not know of any exceptions (in fortress mode).
3. The base value of weapons is 10 - again I do not know of any exceptions (in fortress mode).
4. The base value of bolt decoration (and other ammo decorations, like arrows or blowdarts) is definitly not 1/3. Allthough I have not figured out the used formula yet (and the value of such decorations, if such an item has multiple decorations, cannot be calculated individually and then summed up). Also ie. a green tourmaline art image (with zero quality) gives a value increase of 325 to a stack of 25 (bronze) arrows (to non-ammo items the value increase would be 400).
5. While it is written on this talk page, the base value (or material value multiplier) is not correct for decorations of cut gems.

ps. I might update the page, after I figured out the missing pieces about the ammo deco formula (and the missing pieces about decoration values for the different civs as the game currently uses - or better the game uses in v53.14 - spoiler: the "own_race" modifier does not really work, but instead all images depicting creatures, but no other elements, have an increased value for all civs, with the possible exception of evil creatures for elves, if the image contains other elements the image value might be lower, then the value shown in the stocks menu, due to the other image elements - again mostly elves).[[Special:Contributions/91.49.252.203|91.49.252.203]] 13:30, 26 August 2026 (UTC)
: A multiplier for 5/6 seems to be applied for ammo at least for decorations, noticeable when the material value of a single decoration is high enough (ie. raw adamantine or adamantine). Still it seems that the individual deco values (possibly except for the flat bonus modifier, which might be calculated seperatly) are summed up, before the multiplier is applied. Also the deco value is divided by the stack size (of any produced stack of that ammo type for that material) as the deco value applies to such stacks (and not each individual item of a stack), so fractions are lost (or possibly rounded in some cases).[[Special:Contributions/91.49.252.203|91.49.252.203]] 14:36, 26 August 2026 (UTC)

Talk:Item value

2026-08-26T13:30:39Z

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