Dwarf Fortress Wiki - User contributions [en]

Talk:Cavern

2026-05-26T00:58:34Z

91.49.252.253: /* Cavern and embark item availability section */ new section

== Updating flora/fauna layers to v50 ==

I just updated the [[cave moss]] and [[floor fungus]] raws, and noticed the cavern layers they appear in had been changed compared to in DF2014. The [[Cavern#Grasses|grasses section]] has been updated to reflect this (and the addition of [[underlichen]], but in its light I suspect the trees and creatures may have their layers altered too. I suppose this is a reminder of sorts, to look over those before we mark the page as fully migrated. --[[User:Voliol|Voliol]] ([[User talk:Voliol|talk]]) 21:18, 1 January 2023 (UTC)

Okay, the crop-plants and trees appear unchanged, but I would still keep an eye on the creatures, unless we have something to confirm they are unchanged. --[[User:Voliol|Voliol]] ([[User talk:Voliol|talk]]) 21:36, 1 January 2023 (UTC)

I have now checked everything is all right with the creatures, including the vermin, but excluding the animal people. The changes made to the latter is the big thing to consider before the migrated template can be removed, their new behavior needs some mention. Then there's cavern agitation and the new spoileriffic obsidian things. --[[User:Voliol|Voliol]] ([[User talk:Voliol|talk]]) 21:38, 2 January 2023 (UTC)

== Cavern and embark item availability section ==

The section does not seem to be correct. As it is dwarven caravans can bring dwarven cheese. Depending on the choosen dwarven civ (of a world) it is also possible that that civ has access to ie. nether-caps and other materials, which are usually only found in deeper cavern layers. As it is dwarven caravans (and embark screen) allows for all items (and materials) listed under the resources property of the civ-entity (viewable via dfhack) to be choosen. The entries can include items/materials which are only found in deeper cavern layers. This has been the case since at least the first version of the siege update. Also directly after world-generation all resources listed under the different site-entities of a civ also appear in the civs resource property entries (but not vice-versa). But then I have yet to see a dwarven caravan bring any vermin in cages (allthough I did not check, if any do appear under the resources.animals.pet_races entry, but I suspect for dwarves there will currently never be any vermin entry and so no purring maggots will ever be brought by dwarven caravans).[[Special:Contributions/91.49.252.253|91.49.252.253]] 00:58, 26 May 2026 (UTC)

Designations menu

2026-05-25T18:32:59Z

91.49.252.253:

{{Quality|Exceptional}}
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[[File:designation_icons_preview.png|right]]The '''Designations menu''' can be accessed along the bottom center of the screen, and provides the means to mark tiles with various designations including [[mining]], [[wood cutting]], [[plant gathering]], [[smooth|stone detailing]] as well as [[removing]] constructions, controlling [[traffic]] and other miscellaneous designations.

To designate an area ({{Menu icon|m|b|num=1}}), select the desired designation from the menu, place your cursor over the first tile, click once, then drag your cursor over to another tile - which will create a rectangle, then click again. You can also choose to "paint" an area ({{Menu icon|m|B|num=1}}), which lets you specifically designate tiles one by one. Depending on the designation, this also works across [[z-level]]s, allowing 3-dimensional designations in the shape of a cuboid.

To cancel a designation, use Remove Designations ({{Menu icon|x}}).

All designations can be prioritized, with 1 being the highest priority and 7 being the lowest. Note that if two different designations have the same priority, one type may still be favored over the other (allthough such obeserved behavior could just be a result of different distances - in the maximum norm - to the tiles in question). They also can be assigned as "Blueprint only", which is similar to the job being suspended, as it marks tiles in a blue-colored square. This is useful for planning out designations and rooms without dwarves suddenly moving in to do anything yet.

Also note that for any and all designations (wood cutting, plant gathering, smoothing etc.) a dwarf currently doing such a job will when choosing the next job of that type always pick an accessible, designated tile (which has not been flagged as the current/next working tile of another dwarf) with the minimum distance (in the maximum norm) from the current position, regardless of how long the path to actually get there is. And when starting to do such a job the first tile is choosen by the same metric (minimum distance in the maximum norm). If more than one tile have the same distance then it is random which tile is picked first.

== Designations Menu ==
*[[File:designations_v50_preview.png|thumb|260px|right|Designations, both normal and marked (blue).]]Mine ({{Menu icon|m|m}}) - Mark tiles to be [[Mining|mined]] out. Removing stone/soil walls and leaving stone/soil floors. May leave stone/ore/gems. (req. [[Mining]] labor)
*Channel ({{Menu icon|m|u}}) - Mark tiles to be [[Channel|channeled]] out. Removing the stone/soil wall on that tile, the floor, and replacing the stone/soil floor below with a ramp. May leave stone/ore/gem. (req. [[Mining]] labor)
*Remove Up Stairs/Ramps ({{Menu icon|m|x}}) - Mark tiles to remove natural ramps and dug ramps/stairs. (req. [[Mining]] labor)
*Create Stairway ({{Menu icon|m|t}}) - Mark walls to be dug out and replaced with stairs going up or down. (req. [[Mining]] labor)
*Upward Ramp ({{Menu icon|m|r}}) - Mark walls to be dug out and replaced with upward ramps (req. [[Mining]] labor)

*Chop Down Trees ({{Menu icon|l}}) - Mark [[tree]]s to be chopped down. (req. [[Wood cutting]] labor)

*Gather Plants ({{Menu icon|g}}) - Mark [[shrub]]s to be gathered. (req. [[Plant gathering]] labor)

*Smooth Stone ({{Menu icon|v|m}}) - Mark stone walls to be smoothed. (req. [[Stonecutting]] labor)
*Engrave Stone ({{Menu icon|v|g}}) - Mark smoothed walls to be engraved. (req. [[Stone engraving]] labor)
*Carve Fortifications ({{Menu icon|v|f}}) - Mark walls to have [[fortification]]s carved. (req. [[Stonecutting]] labor)
*Carve Track ({{Menu icon|v|t}}) - Mark stone walls to be turned into track for [[minecart]]s. (req. [[Stonecutting]] labor)

*Toggle Blueprint Mode ({{Menu icon|M}}) Toggle existing designations between blueprint mode and standard mode (see [[#Blueprint Mode|below]]).
*Remove Designation ({{Menu icon|x}}) - Remove all designation markings.
*Remove Construction ({{Menu icon|m|x}}) - Mark [[construction]]s to be removed
*Bulk designation of items: ({{Menu icon|i}})
**{{Menu icon|i|F|num=1}}: Reclaim Items/Buildings - Mark area of objects to be [[Reclaim|claimed]].
**{{Menu icon|i|f|num=1}}: Forbid Items/Buildings - Mark area of objects to be [[forbid]]den.
**{{Menu icon|i|m|num=1}}: Melt Items - Mark area of objects to be [[melt]]ed.
**{{Menu icon|i|M|num=1}}: Remove Melt - Remove [[melt]] marking from area.
**{{Menu icon|i|p|num=1}}: Dump Items - Mark area of objects to be [[dump]]ed.
**{{Menu icon|i|P|num=1}}: Remove Dump - Remove [[dump]] marking from area.
**{{Menu icon|i|H|num=1}}: Unhide Items/Buildings - Remove [[Hide Items or Buildings|hide]] marking from area.
**{{Menu icon|i|h|num=1}}: Hide Items/Buildings - Mark area of objects to be [[Hide Items or Buildings|hidden]].
*Set [[Traffic|Traffic Areas]] ({{Menu icon|T}}) - Traffic area values determine where dwarves will travel. Large values for cost mean that dwarves will avoid that area if at all possible; smaller costs mean they will prefer that path even if it is longer than “normal”.
**{{Menu icon|T|h|num=1}}: High Traffic Area - Mark areas with the “cost” listed in “High Traffic Cost”
**{{Menu icon|T|x|num=1}}: Normal Traffic Area - Mark areas with the “cost” listed in “Normal Traffic Cost”
**{{Menu icon|T|l|num=1}}: Low Traffic Area - Mark areas with the “cost” listed in “Low Traffic Cost”
**{{Menu icon|T|r|num=1}}: Restricted Traffic Area - Mark areas with the “cost” listed in “Restricted Traffic Cost”

== Designations modification==
Mining {{Menu icon|m|n}} can also be modified to change behavior:
*{{Menu icon|m|v|num=1}}: Designate all - Standard behavior.
*{{Menu icon|m|V|num=1}}: Automining Ore/Gems - Once this tile has been processed, all neighboring tiles will be marked for mining, if they contain the same ore or gems. Can only be designated on revealed ores/gems. Will appear green.
*{{Menu icon|m|o|num=1}}: Designating Ores/Gems - What it says on the tin. Only works on revealed tiles.
*{{Menu icon|m|g|num=1}}: Designating Gems - See above.

== Priority ==
[[File:priority_anim.gif|right]]Designations can be assigned a priority by clicking [[File:Designation priority 1.png|25px]]-[[File:Designation priority 7.png|25px]]. By default, all designations are made with a priority of [[File:Designation priority 4.png|25px]], but higher priority jobs can be marked by using priorities [[File:Designation priority 1.png|25px]]-[[File:Designation priority 3.png|25px]], and lower priority ones with [[File:Designation priority 5.png|25px]]-[[File:Designation priority 7.png|25px]]. Note that [[File:Designation priority 1.png|25px]] is the ''highest'' priority, and [[File:Designation priority 7.png|25px]] the ''lowest''.
When a dwarf has several jobs of different priority to do, the ones with higher priority are executed first, regardless of how convenient they are for the dwarf in question; a job marked [[File:Designation priority 1.png|25px]] on the other side of the map will take precedence over a job marked [[File:Designation priority 2.png|25px]] right next to them.

Care should be taken not to set important tasks on too low of a priority, as many other incoming and existing tasks will take precedent over those lowest priority tasks, meaning those tasks will never get done unless their priority is changed manually.

== Blueprint mode ==
Designations can be placed in the default standard mode—the jobs are eligible to begin as soon as the game is unpaused—or in blueprint mode. Switch the mode of new designations with {{Menu icon|M}}. Blueprint mode designations appear cyan instead of beige.

Dwarves will not actually undertake blueprint mode designations. This can be used to plan future projects, and it offers a few advantages:
* There is no need to designate the entire project at once. Doubtful portions can be deferred until nearby terrain is revealed, for example.
* Blueprint designations will not disrupt jobs already underway.
* The full range of priorities is available, as opposed to delaying the project by forcing low priorities. Thus the new project can take priority over existing designations when it's ready, without the need to remove the old designations.

When it is time for your dwarves to begin a blueprint-mode project, designate a {{Menu icon|M|k|num=1}} standard toggle and choose an area that contains all the blueprint designations you wish, in all three dimensions. All blueprint-mode designations within will change to standard mode, and vice versa. The opposite ({{Menu icon|M|L|num=1}}) can be used to temporarily deactivate existing standard designations as well.

==Notes==
* With [[DFHack]] installed, there is also be a setting available in the mining menu {{Menu icon|m|Ctrl+d|num=1}} that allows to configure whether your miners will ignore [[Digging designation canceled|warm or damp stone]].
{{V50 menus}}
{{Category|Interface}}
{{Category|Designations|*}}
[[ru:Designations menu]]

Miner

2026-05-25T14:02:46Z

91.49.252.253: /* Mining behavior */ Updated to fit the observed mining behavior.

{{Quality|Exceptional}}
{{v50_skill
| color = 7:0
| graphic = [[File:miner_sprite_icon.png]]
| skill = Miner
| profession = Miner
| job name = [[Mining]]
| tasks =
* [[Dig]]
| attributes =
* Strength
* Toughness
* Endurance
* Willpower
* Spatial Sense
* Kinesthetic Sense}}
{{av}}
'''Miner''' is the skill associated with both the '''mining''' [[labor]] and its associated profession. Miners are necessary to build any kind of [[fortress]] that is [[underground]] or involves [[stone]]. They are required to dig tunnels, [[channel]]s, [[stair]]s and [[ramp]]s, as well as remove said stairs and ramps. Miners require a [[pick]] to do any work. As of [[Release information/53.07|53.07]], digging speed is affected by the [[material]] and [[quality]] of the [[pick]]. There is a 20% boost per quality level up to double (100% boost)[https://www.twitch.tv/blindirl/clip/HomelyTriangularSparrowCopyThis-nKUITLddzJfvnWXO] at masterwork/artifact quality.

Miners gain experience for every tile mined, which means they gain experience faster in easier-to-dig soil and slower in stone. Due to the constant demand, straightforward work and fast experience curve, miners level-up to [[skill|legendary skill]] faster than any other profession. Most players will have one or two legendary miners within thirty minutes of gameplay.

Mining skill affects only the speed at which stone is mined, not the chance of acquiring resources from mining. Normal rocks and ore deposits drop an average of 1 boulder for every 4 squares mined; in compensation, one ore gives 4 bars of [[metal]] (although some types of ore sometimes give 1-4 extra bars of another metal) and one stone boulder yields 4 [[block]]s. Gem clusters drop rough [[gem]]s 100% of the time. Graphically, miners will often wear light grey tunics to resemble their occupation.

In order for any mining to be done, the {{menu icon|m}}ining [[Designations menu|designation]] must be used.

==Mining behavior==
{{Main|Mining}}
If a large area is designated for mining (with the same mining priority), miners will start clearing out the area starting from the accessible designated mining area which is nearest to them (when they decide to mine, eg. take the first mining spot, but, if the dwarf does not have a pickaxe in inventory, the decision where to mine is done after picking up a pickaxe), here nearest means whichever location is nearest to them in the maximum norm (actual pathing distance to get to the spot is irrelevant).

Once mining, a dwarf will automatically continue on to mine any connected tiles (on the same level) designated for mining, even diagonally, rather than shift to mine a discontinuous tile. But once all such tiles (which were designated for mining) have been mined the dwarf will pick any tile designated for mining (which is not already tagged by another miner as the next mining spot) with the minimum distance (in the maximum norm) from the position the miner is currently at, which might just be a tile one z-level above or below the current dwarf's position (even if the actual pathing distance is much longer than the actual pathing distance to the next tile, designated for mining, on the current z-level). If more than one tile has the same minimum distance than it is more or less random, which tile is picked next.

== Mining speed ==
A zero-skill Miner takes 20 job ticks (5 per 'wear' on the wall being dug - a soil tile would just be 5) at about 11 frames per tick, for a total of about 215 frames to mine a single tile. A Proficient miner, however, did the same work in only 60% of the time (12 job ticks, 3 per wear level). A Legendary miner did the job in 20% of the time (4 job ticks, 1 per wear level).

If you're doing a lot of digging, [[Embark|starting]] with a semi-skilled Miner can save you a lot of time.

==Combat==
The miner skill is also used when fighting with a pickaxe. Pickaxes are brutally effective [[Weapon|weapons]], combining a piercing and a slashing attack, and make really good weapons for adventurers. [[Immigrants]] can come to the fort with low-quality [[copper]] or [[bronze]] pickaxes, so consider replacing them with better-quality materials, like [[iron]] made by skilled weaponsmiths. Despite their effectiveness, however, a miner who is attacked when they're busy mining will not generally use their pick in combat, unless they are forced to.
[[File:dwarf_miner.png|thumb|270px|center|He's got his sights on some [[native platinum]].]]
{{Skills}}
{{Category|Professions}}