Dwarf Fortress Wiki - User contributions [en]

v0.31:Trap

2010-05-11T00:30:14Z

Cohortes: redlinks

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

'''Traps''' are a comparatively quick and easy method for defending a fortress. Unlike {{L|soldier}}s, they're always on duty, and, once set up, need less management. On the other hand, they are immobile and can only lie in wait for foes to walk over them. To build a trap, go to the {{k|b}}uild->{{k|T}}raps/Levers menu. You'll generally need one {{L|mechanism}}, a dwarf with the {{L|mechanic}} labor designated (ranks in this {{L|skill}} reduce the time to place a trap), and at least one other component depending on the type of trap - a stone, a cage, or one or more weapons. They can be built indoors or outdoors, and require a level ground square with no other constructions in them.

Stone-fall, weapon and cage traps will be triggered by most hostile entities entering their tile, with the possible exception of {{L|thief|thieves}}, flying creatures and other occasional nasty surprises.

Note that, in combat situations, {{L|Mechanic}}s have a nasty habit of wanting to reload (or clean) traps when they are triggered, regardless of who or what might be out there as well. {{L|Forbid}}ding traps after they are built will keep [[Urist|Urist McSuicide]] from deciding to reload a stone trap in the middle of a {{L|siege}}. Just remember to unforbid them when things calm down, so the traps are all ready for next time. Note that forbidding a trap after it has been triggered doesn't help, as the job to refill the trap has already been issued in that case, so a Mechanic will carry a stone out to the trap anyway. Alternatively, simply order your dwarves to stay within a safe {{L|burrow}} until any threats have been dealt with.

==Stone-fall Trap==
The simplest trap to construct, a stone-fall trap is essentially a {{L|stone}} suspended up in the air which is dropped on intruders when the trap is triggered. These are a popular defensive measure early on, as the components needed are readily available as soon as you start mining. A single stone trap will usually '''not''' severely wound or kill most animals and enemies, to the extent that this may be a bug. After being used they need to be reloaded with another stone by any {{L|dwarf}} with {{L|mechanic}} {{L|skill}} enabled, a task which your dwarves will see to automatically. The dwarf will generally not use the stone that just dropped, but a new one (would you want to put your hands on that gory mess?). Being that stonefall traps do not alert you of ambushes when triggered by hidden invaders{{verify}}, this can frequently lead your mechanics into peril.

:*Shortcut {{k|b}} {{k|T}} {{k|s}}
:*Components used: {{L|mechanism}} and an ordinary {{L|stone}}

==Weapon Trap==
Weapon traps are similar in nature to stone-fall traps, and are triggered when any hostile creature stands on the trap. They tend to be a much more reliable trap for outright killing or critically injuring invading creatures. Before you write off stone-fall traps as worse versions of weapon traps, it's important to note that weapon traps require you to have previously made {{L|Weapon}}s to put inside the trap, making them more of an option somewhat later in the game. Any weapon can be used, including human ones, bows, traded weapons and presents from goblins, as well as specialist "trap only" weapons. (Think of it as fair retribution when goblins are sliced in pieces by their own axes!)

The specialist weapons can be built in 3 workshops:

{{L|Metalsmith's forge}} (menacing <metal> spike / large, serrated <metal> disc / spiked <metal> ball / enormous <metal> corkscrew / giant <metal> axe blade)

or

{{L|Carpenter's workshop}} (menacing <wooden> spike / spiked <wooden> ball / enormous <wooden> corkscrew)

or

{{L|Glass furnace}} (menacing <glass> spike / large, serrated <glass> disc / spiked <glass> ball / enormous <glass> corkscrew / giant <glass> axe blade)

Don't know which to make? -> '''Detailed {{L|Trap component}} information'''

These weapons have all the material property advantages and disadvantages that normal weapons have. It should be noted that the trap weapons are larger than normal dwarf weapons meaning they should be more effective in the new combat system than normal weapons made of equivalent materials (this is all subject to change in future revisions of the combat system). When triggered, this trap will "attack" the creature with all the weapons available to it, normally doing massive damage.

Weapon traps do not cause slightly suicidal mechanics to reset them after each triggering but instead reset automatically in a period of time (unknown time period). However it is possible for the traps to jam when the unfortunate victim gets stuck in the mechanism (use "t" to check the trap) but the body can be removed by a dwarf. When the trap jams, the mechanic will automatically attempt to clean it, so forbidding the body may be necessary to save him from the victim's friends.

When placing the trap you will be asked for a type of mechanism as normal, then asked to select weapons to use. At this point you will get a list of all stockpiled weapons in your fortress. +- will select different weapons and pressing "Enter/Return" adds 1 of the selected weapon to the trap. Up to 10 weapons can be put in each trap and all weapons in the trap will attack at once when it is triggered(10 large serrated disks normally results in the unfortunate triggering creature leaving with less limbs than it came in with). When happy with your weapon selection press "d" to set the trap.

It also appears that there's a chance that invaders may dodge the traps...

:*Shortcut {{k|b}} {{k|T}} {{k|w}}
:*Components used: {{L|mechanism}} and between 1 and 10 weapons.

==Cage Trap==
Cage traps are different to the other trap types in that they do not directly kill or injure invaders. Instead, they capture the unfortunate creature that triggers them in a {{L|cage}}. Despite the lack of violence, this is still very effective as it completely neutralizes the target so that they can be dealt with later. After a creature is captured, it's stored in an animal {{L|stockpile}}. The trap must then be reset by hauling an empty cage to the traps location (this is automated). '''Most''' captured creatures do not require any nourishment and will survive being in a cage indefinitely (submerging them in water also appears to have no effect on the captured creature). Cage traps will also alert you to ambushes when triggered by hidden invaders, making them a useful forward defense mechanism.

It is possible for dwarves to bring {{L|water}} to cages, but this will only occur if you have someone friendly also locked in the cage - like a dwarf child snatched by a goblin. In this case remove the poor fellow using the goblin's inventory screen.

'''Cage traps cannot capture every creature in the game''', so you will need alternative defenses.

Cage traps are also useful for catching animals. This can be done by simply placing traps in areas where wild animals roam (this does '''not''' require a dwarf with the {{L|Trapping}} labor enabled). The captured animals can be used to fuel your meat industry, or can be tamed (and sometimes trained into war animals!) at the {{L|kennel|kennels}}. Note that many animals require the presence of the dungeon master to be tamable.

:*Shortcut {{k|b}} {{k|T}} {{k|c}}
:*Components used: {{L|mechanism}} and a {{L|cage}}.
:*If the trap is a Dark Green, then it does not have a cage in it.
:*If the trap is a Light Green, Then it does have a cage in it.

{{buildings}}

v0.31:Crop

2010-05-10T23:39:02Z

Cohortes: too few links, redlinks, no cats

{{av}}
{{Quality|Fine}}
:''(This article is about plants. If you want information about trees, see {{L|Tree}}.)''

'''Crops''' (or more accurately '''plants''') can either be farmed, traded for, or acquired by plant gathering. Farming happens at farm plots. There are two types of crops: above ground and subterranean. The seeds of subterranean crops may be brought from the starting embark screen or, with some small luck, purchased from dwarven caravans. Above ground crops and seeds may be purchased from human or elven caravans or gathered by dwarves with the plant gathering labor enabled. Seeds may also be collected by processing the plants or eating them (but not by cooking!).

A few of the plants listed below are not strictly crops as such as they have no seeds and can't be planted (see note "4", below.)

Most plants can be brewed into alcohols, each plant type producing a different variation, and dwarves do prefer some variety in their drink. Some plants may be eaten raw, others must be cooked first, others must be processed first (by milling or plant processing) before they are edible, and still others are inedible, producing only non-food products. Despite the option to do so (even enabled by default in the z-stocks-kitchen menu), drinks can not reliably be cooked into meals; the process is bugged.

All drinks require a spare barrel for storage, and some other products also require specific containers for storage. Plants can be stored in barrels or without container, seeds are stored individually or in bags which can then be put into barrels. Note that any number of seeds fits in one barrel; it may be advisable to have a one-tile stockpile that accepts only seeds next to your farm(s).

Some of the values given below may be inaccurate. Please use with care and verify!

{{plant table head}}

{{plant table row|name=Plump helmet|tile=♠|color=5:0|biome=Wet cavern|value=4|drink=Dwarven wine|drinkv=10|eat=y|cook=y}}
{{plant table row|name=Pig tail|tile=τ|color=7:0|seasons={{seasons3||1|1|}}|biome=Wet cavern|value=4|drink=Dwarven ale|drinkv=10|prod=Pig tail thread (p)|prodv=2}}
{{plant table row|name=Cave wheat|tile=τ|color=7:1|seasons={{seasons3||1|1|}}|biome=Wet cavern|value=4|drink=Dwarven beer|drinkv=10|cook=p|prod=Dwarven wheat flour (m)|prodv=20}}
{{plant table row|name=Sweet pod|tile=Φ|color=4:1|seasons={{seasons3|1|1||}}|biome=Wet cavern|value=4|drink=Dwarven rum|drinkv=10|eat=p|cook=p|prod=Dwarven sugar (m) Dwarven syrup (l)|prodv=20☼ 1001}}
{{plant table row|name=Quarry bush|tile=♣|color=7:0|seasons={{seasons3|1|1|1|}}|biome=Wet cavern|value=4|cook=p|prod=Quarry bush leaves (b)|prodv=25}}
{{plant table row|name=Dimple cup|tile=♥|color=1:1|biome=Wet cavern|value=4|prod=Dimple dye (m)|prodv=20}}
{{plant table row|name=Muck root/4|tile=τ|color=0:1|biome=Wetland/Wet|value=1|drink=Swamp whiskey|drinkv=5|eat=y|cook=y}}
{{plant table row|name=Bloated tuber/4|tile=Φ|color=6:0|biome=Wetland/Dry|value=2|drink=Tuber beer|drinv=10|eat=y|cook=y}}
{{plant table row|name=Kobold bulb/4|tile=Φ|color=0:1|biome=Wetland/Wet|value=5|prod=Gnomeblight (e)|prodv=100}}
{{plant table row|name=Prickle berry|tile=:|color=2:0|biome=Not freezing/Dry|value=1|drink=Prickle berry wine|drinkv=5|eat=y|cook=y}}
{{plant table row|name=Wild strawberry|tile=:|color=4:0|biome=Not freezing/Dry|value=4|drink=Strawberry wine|drinkv=10|eat=y|cook=y}}
{{plant table row|name=Longland grass|tile=τ|color=6:1|biome=Not freezing/Dry|value=4|drink=Longland beer|drinkv=10|cook=p|prod=Longland flour (m)|prodv=20}}
{{plant table row|name=Valley herb/4|tile=ÿ|color=2:1|seasons={{seasons3|1|||}}|biome=Temperate grassland/Dry|value=10|cook=y|prod=Golden salve (v)|prodv=100}}
{{plant table row|name=Rat weed|tile=τ|color=2:0|biome=Not freezing/Wet|value=1|drink=Sewer brew|drinkv=5|eat=y|cook=y}}
{{plant table row|name=Fisher berry|tile=:|color=7:0|biome=Not freezing/Wet|value=4|drink=Fisher berry wine|drinkv=10|eat=y|cook=y}}
{{plant table row|name=Rope reed|tile=ƒ|color=2:0|biome=Not freezing/Wet|value=4|drink=River spirits|prod=Rope reed thread (p)|prodv=2}}
{{plant table row|name=Blade weed|tile=τ|color=2:0|biome=Not freezing/Dry|value=4|prod=Emerald dye (m)|prodv=20}}
{{plant table row|name=Hide root|tile=τ|color=6:0|biome=Not freezing/Dry|value=1|prod=Redroot dye (m)|prodv=10}}
{{plant table row|name=Sliver barb|tile=τ|color=0:1|biome=Not freezing/Dry|align=Evil|value=1|drink=Gutter cruor|drinkv=5|prod=Sliver dye (m)|prodv=20}}
{{plant table row|name=Sun berry|tile=:|color=6:1|biome=Not freezing/Wet|align=Good|value=9|drink=Sunshine|drinkv=25|eat=y|cook=y}}
{{plant table row|name=Whip vine|tile=§|color=3:1|biome=Not freezing/Dry|align=Savage|value=1|drink=Whip wine|drinkv=15|cook=p|prod=Whip vine flour (m)|prodv=25}}
|}
'''Notes:'''
:1 This is the value for a stack of 5 units, which is the number rendered from a single plant.
:2 Anything that can be cooked is edible afterwards. [[DF2010_Talk:Cook#No_Seeds|Cooking leaves no seeds for re-planting.]]
:3 These plants cannot be eaten/cooked until they are further processed, either by milling or extracting; see "products" column for process product.
:4 These plants cannot be grown on a farm plot as they have no seeds. They can only be acquired through plant gathering (in season only) or trade.

To get the products/extracts from the plants they have to be processed, in the following {{L|workshop}}s, using the following {{L|labor}}s:
:*'''m''': mill ({{L|cave wheat}}, {{L|sweet pod}}, {{L|longland grass}}, {{L|whip vine}}, {{L|dimple cup}}, {{L|blade weed}}, {{L|hide root}}, {{L|sliver barb}}): At {{L|quern}} or {{L|millstone}}, using {{L|milling}}.
:*'''b''': process to bag ({{L|quarry bush}}): At {{L|farmer's workshop}}, using {{L|plant processing}}.
:*'''l''': process to barrel ({{L|sweet pod}}): At farmer's workshop, using plant processing.
:*'''p''': process plant ({{L|pig tail}}, {{L|rope reed}}): At farmer's workshop, using plant processing.
:*'''v''': process to vial ({{L|valley herb}}): At farmer's workshop, using plant processing.
:*'''e''': extract plant essence ({{L|kobold bulb}}): At {{L|still}}, using {{L|plant gathering}}.

{{Category|Crops| }}

40d:List of mods

2010-05-10T23:36:49Z

Cohortes: should this really be rated?

{{av}}
{{mod}}

= Modbase =

Modbase is a great tool made by Sean Mirrsen which allows you to freely swap mods and tweak game settings.
[http://www.bay12games.com/forum/index.php?topic=18623.0 Get it now!]
For version 0.38c.

= List of Mods =

== Angler Mod 2==

Updated August 11, 2009

adds 35 new fish

[http://dffd.wimbli.com/file.php?id=1327 Angler Mod 2 Download]

== Botany Mod '''2'''==

Adds 73 new plants, some indoor and lots outdoor

[[User:Chariot#Botany_Mod_2|Botany Mod 2]]

== Bronze Mod ==
Fixes the assumptions DF makes about the relative strengths of bronze and iron. Adds a couple of new alloys.

http://www.bay12games.com/forum/index.php?topic=18927.0

== Chaos Reigns Mod ==


Chaos reigns is a major modification to Dwarf Fortress by Deathbane, and at the moment requires a clean install (modbase incompatible for some reason). It introduces new races, creatures, materials, and even a few plants and drinks. There's also somewhat of a difficulty ramp-up from vanilla, though not so much as many other mods promising the same.

[[Chaos_Reigns|Wiki]]

[http://www.bay12games.com/forum/index.php?topic=23878.0 Forum Post]

[http://dffd.wimbli.com/file.php?id=491 Download]

(Note: A bit old, but plays fine)

== Civilization Forge Mod ==

This is a major mod to Dwarf Fortress. It adds in new races, weapons, armor, animals, plants, stones, and metals.
It also rebalances farming, makes the standard metals more realistic, and makes several tweaks to the Civ Ethics for the base creatures.

[http://dffd.wimbli.com/file.php?id=161 Full details and Download!] Version 1.81

[http://www.bay12games.com/forum/index.php?topic=18746.0 Join the discussion!]

[[Civilization_Forge|Wiki page]]

== Dendrology Mod ==

Updated August 11, 2009

Adds 67 new trees.

[http://dffd.wimbli.com/file.php?id=1326 Dendrology Mod Download]

== Dire Animals Mod ==

Bored with the current deadly animals?

This mod adds more dangerous versions of many existing creatures.

''They can smell your fear.''

[http://files.filefront.com/creature+direrar/;91686 Download!]

== Dwarf Fortress Dig Deeper Mod ==

Expands upon existing Dwarf Fortress game-play to deliver much, much, much more variance from the small things to the large things. Includes a slew of plausible and well researched new creatures, metals, plants, gems, wood and more.

[http://www.bay12games.com/forum/index.php?topic=35736.0 Forum thread]

== Dwarmins Plant Mod ==

Adds eight imaginative new plant breeds that can be made into cloth and alcohol, to clothe all those naked dwarves you have.

Well you can't clothe them with alcohol.

Only clothes.

No matter how hard they dream...

[http://rapidshare.com/files/71696334/matgloss_plant_dwarmod.txt.html Download!]

== Dwarvus Romanus: Rome Fortress ==

A full-scale DF conversion, changing it to a Roman-style fortress game. Many game aspects (civs, weapons, plants, etc) are changed, see the readme for details.

[http://teldin.wikispaces.com/space/showimage/rome+fortress.zip Download!]

== Gnome Mod ==

Adds in a new breed of gnome as a playable civilization. The gnomes have a large assortment of unorthodox weapons, toys and traps. While peaceful, they have a tendency to wage genocidal war against elves.

[http://www.bay12games.com/forum/index.php?topic=48381.0 Forum Post]

== Goblin Mod ==

Adds Goblins as a playable civilization, along with some goblin specific animals. (Including dwarven slaves).

But beware, Dwarves WILL siege you and elves will steal your babies 0:

[http://rapidshare.com/files/88232854/Goblinsmod4.zip.html Download!]

[http://www.bay12games.com/cgi-local/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=13&t=000303 Forum Post]

== It's The Small Things Mod ==

Adds a ton of flavour text to the game including:

- Over 100 new threats in adventurer mode. (The original only had one.)
[http://dffd.wimbli.com/file.php?id=184 Download!]

- Over 200 new engravings in fortress and adventurer. (They appear as symbols too.)
[http://dffd.wimbli.com/file.php?id=183 Download!]

- 5 new, non-repeating prefstrings (descriptive text) for each and every creature in the game.
[http://dffd.wimbli.com/file.php?id=182 Download!]

Get the whole set here: [http://dffd.wimbli.com/file.php?id=185 Download!]

Forum thread here: [http://www.bay12games.com/cgi-local/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=13&t=000622&p= Link!]

== [[User:Jackard#Language_Mod|Language Mod]] ==
Enhances the game's vocabulary.

== Legendary Lands Mod ==

This mod adds a significant amount of difficulty and a bunch of new races. It also changes the balance of the game.

[http://www.bay12games.com/forum/index.php?topic=19228.0 Forum thread]

== Martial Arts Mod ==
Intended as a mod to make different natural (unarmed) attacks for most creatures, this project evolved into more of a creature expansion. Adds several new megabeasts and controllable civs, some new weapons, and the martial arts themselves, too.

http://www.bay12games.com/cgi-local/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=13&t=000260 v1.2 conforms to .38a standarts.

== Mega Toy Mod ==
For a little spice adds almost 300 toys to DF. All reasonably within period so it wont throw off your game. Enjoy!-Berent

http://www.savefile.com/files/1246546 V 0.3

Contribute to the project(forum link)
http://www.bay12games.com/cgi-local/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=13&t=000052&p=1

== Minerals Mod ==
Rebalances the placement of many minerals and gems in the game. Adds several new metals/alloys, and two more sources of coal. Also includes the Manual Stone Selection hack that turns all stone in the game into economic stone.

http://www.bay12games.com/cgi-local/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=13&t=000066

== Morlark's Plant Mod ==

This mod aims to spice up farming a little bit by adding some new plants and tweaking the existing ones.

Plants can no longer be farmed during winter. Dyes can no longer be farmed, only gathered wild. Three new dye colours, four new farm crops, and one new rare herb.

[http://morlark.uwcs.co.uk/misc/df/matgloss_plant.zip Download!]

== Morlark's Simplicity Mod (Stones & Metals) ==

This mod aims to remove some of the more pointless or annoying aspects of stones and metals.

Unusual coloured stones can no longer be found in layers or large clusters, so if you get an alert for a non-economic stone, you might still want to set them aside for special projects. Layers in general are simplified by removing or condensing redundant layers, while still keeping enough variety.

Metals are simplified by removing pig iron from the steel-making process, and also removing bismuth. This also means that your nobles will no longer make demands for items of these useless intermediate metals.

I've also added a dummy reaction for bauxite, so that you can enable/disable bauxite usage from the stone screen.

[http://morlark.uwcs.co.uk/misc/df/simplified_stones.zip Download!]

== Morlark's Simplicity Mod (Clothes, Armor & Weapons) ==

This mod aims to reduce the hassle of dealing with the hundreds of useless scraps of clothes that pile up after sieges. The number of different clothing slots is reduced, so no more socks, mittens, caps, cloaks, and who knows what else. Clothing choice in general has been reduced, to make things easier to find in the stocks screen. Armor coverage is still available for all slots. Some of the redundant weapon choices available to non-dwarven civs have been condensed.

[http://morlark.uwcs.co.uk/misc/df/simplified_clothes.zip Download!]

== Prehistoria ==

Adds a bunch of dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures. Does not overwrite any DF files.

[http://files.filefront.com/prehistoria+005azip/;9304321;/fileinfo.html Version 0.05a]

[http://www.bay12games.com/cgi-local/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=13&t=000004 Forum post with more info]

== Primitive Civilizations Mod ==

This is a minor mod to Dwarf Fortress. It adds in new primitive beastman races. Populate your world with Lizardmen, Wolfmen, Goatmen, and more!
Also includes two primitive weapons, the hand axe and club.

[http://dffd.wimbli.com/file.php?id=544 Full details and Download!]

== Samurai Fortress Mod ==

Play as a Japanese Samurai clan against Chinese, Koreans, Thais, invading Mongols and Ninjas.

With authentic weapons, monsters, items from mythical Japan.

[http://dffd.wimbli.com/file.php?id=648 Download!]

[http://www.bay12games.com/forum/index.php?topic=26970.0 Forum Post]

== Zoo Mod 3.5 ==

Updated July 16, 2009

The Zoo Mod adds 84 diverse domestic and wild animals from the real world, with full graphics, to add a little more realism to your fortress.

Created by Chariot, you can find more details on his [[User:Chariot|user page]]

== The Wonderment Mod v1.0 ==

Updated August, 2009

The Wonderment Mod makes changes to minerals, metals, and gems to focus on the partially medieval, partially fantasy setting that most of us feel is appropriate for dwarves.

Every single mineral, every single metal, and every single gem should have character; you should be able to feel that each one belongs in the game, that it adds to the experience. Painstakingly researched realism, abundant imagination, and careful adaptation to the inner workings of DF together will, I hope, let you delve more deeply, build more grandly ... and create more Wonderment!

[http://dffd.wimbli.com/file.php?id=1324 Download]

[http://www.bay12games.com/forum/index.php?topic=40229.0 Discussion thread]

== Basilisk Mod ==

Updated September, 2009

The Basilisk mod adds a new, nearly invincible megabeast into the game--basically, it is a land-going juggernaught that destroys anything in its path. The file is found on the [[Basilisk mod]] page.

It is currently being modified for even greater [[fun]].

== [[Deserted squad mod]] ==

Work began 9/26/09. This mod adds several dangerous monsters, new plants, megabeasts, improves on the standard game elements, minerals, etc, and makes it so that the rest of the dwarven world has left your dwarves for dead.

== [[New Hats]] ==
Adds a few new items to be worn on the head.

v0.31:Dungeon master

2010-05-10T23:33:48Z

Cohortes: too much verify

{{av}}
{{Quality|Fine}}
{{Noble
| noble=Dungeon Master
| quarters=Quarters
| dining=Dining Room
| office=Office
| tomb=Burial Chamber
| stands=1
| racks=1
| chests=1
| cabinets=1
| arrival=
* Arrives with {{L|Baron}}{{verify}}
| function=
* Tame exotic animals
}}
:''"The dungeon master ponders fell beasts and treasure."''

Currently at this moment. Getting a Dungeon master seems to be bugged. As none, or very few players have ever gotten a Dungeon master.

The '''dungeon master''' is a {{L|noble|noble}} and, like the {{L|Leader|expedition leader}}, is not a position that can be replaced by the player{{verify}}. S/he arrives as an {{L|Immigration|immigrant}} and is not elected. The dungeon master may also arrive alone, without immigrants{{verify}}.

The dungeon master has a somewhat... odd taste in clothing. He or she often shows up wearing a cloak, hood, and mittens while wearing no form of pants, shoes, or socks. The dungeon master will often procure additional cloaks and wear them on top of each other, often as many as a dozen cloaks at a time{{verify}}.

The presence of this noble allows taming of exotic {{L|animals|animals}} (by the dungeon master as well as other animal trainers). Exotic animals are animals with the [PET_EXOTIC] tag.

A dungeon master will not make {{L|mandate|mandate}}s, though they will make {{L|demand|demand}}s.

{{Nobles}}

v0.31:Quartzite

2010-05-10T23:32:36Z

Cohortes:

{{layerlookup/0}}{{av}}
{{Quality|Fine}}

'''Quartzite''' is a type of metamorphic stone.

<gallery>
File:Quartzite 2 jpg.jpg|A piece of quartzite
File:Quartzite_Mine_in_Kakwa_Park.JPG|A quartzite mine
File:Quartzite masi - no.jpg|A kind of quartzite
File:HatshepsutSarcophagus-ReinscribedForHerFather MuseumOfFineArtsBoston.png|<nowiki>*</nowiki>«☼quartzite coffin☼»*
File:EgyptMuseumBerlin2007029.JPG|A quartzite bust
</gallery>

{{Rocks}}

v0.31:Immigration

2010-05-10T23:24:33Z

Cohortes: no cats

{{av}}
{{Quality|Fine}}
Immigration can occur once per season, and can happen at any time throughout (both early and late season immigrations have been reported)

Smaller migrant waves (2 to 9) seem typical in early seasons, followed by a large wave (low double digits) in the second Spring (one year after embark). Be prepared with adequate {{l|food}}, {{l|alcohol|drink}}, and {{l|bed}}s, among other things. Max wave size reported to date is 25{{verify}}.

Migrants also often bring animals with them. These are often not pets of the migrants, but will always be domestic animals.

Immigrant waves will not exceed the maximum number of dwarves you have specified in init.txt, but instead will match up exactly.{{verify}} (or, of course, stay below)

== Labour preference bug ==

Migrants each can arrive with a wide collection of (often unrelated) skills, far greater than possible with one of the {{L|starting build|starting 7 dwarves}}, and {{L|experience}} levels as high as Legendary.
Any and all skills might be represented, including obscure military skills (like {{l|blowgunner}}), high levels of one or more {{l|social skill}}s, {{l|crutch walker}}, {{l|concentration}} and others.

Immigrants may have high skills in certain {{l|labor|labors}} without actually having them enabled in their labor preferences. This leads to dwarves either doing jobs from an area they are not labeled for or no work at all. For example, an adequate cheese maker (with the cheese making labor turned on) may also have the skill bonecrafting on "high master", albeit turned off in his preferences. The dwarf in question is listed as a bonecrafter on screen and in the {{l|status}} tab, but will only perform the cheese making labor. Individually checking each immigrant for skills and labor preferences is the only workaround so far. But the use of programs such as {{l|utilities|dwarf Therapist}} can greatly decrease the time taken to check each dwarfs skills.

==military immigrants==
Any immigrant, with (apparently) any collection of skills, may also arrive with some {{L|combat skill}}s, all of the same {{L|experience}} level. These appear consistently to be:

:* Armor User
:* Fighter
:* Dodger
...''and one of either''...
::* wrestler, striker, kicker, or biter
::...''or''...
::* 1 (or more*) weapon skill
:::''and''
::* shield user

*If more than 1, then the total experience divided between the skills seems to be approximately equal to that of any of the other skills.{{verify}}

v0.31:River

2010-05-10T23:24:04Z

Cohortes: very few links, little how-to info

{{av}}
{{Quality|Fine}}
There are five different kinds of surface rivers in dwarf fortress. These are major rivers, rivers, minor rivers, streams and brooks. For most purposes all of these will be referred to as simply '''rivers''' and '''brooks''' since the only real difference between the first four types is their appearance in the regional map, their width, and possibly their rate of flow. Brooks being the smallest type of surface river do have the unique property that they can be crossed safely without needing to {{l|swimming|swim}} or even get ones feet wet.

== Rivers ==
In fortress or adventure mode '''rivers''' can be seen as dark blue {{Tile|≈|#008|#999}} and {{Tile|~|#008|#999}} tiles stretching from one edge of the map to another. Rivers come in a variety of sizes from the major rivers spanning as wide as 40 tiles to tiny '''brooks''' which are only four tiles wide. River tiles will also be constantly blinking which indicates that the water has {{l|flow}}. Rivers are an effectively unlimited source of water flowing from the upstream side and leaving the map at the downstream.

To determine which direction downstream is you can carefully look at the ends of the river using {{k|k}} to look for tiles that have less than 7/7 water in them. This low point is the downstream side of your river. You may need to remove a small amount of water from the river before you can identify which end is the downstream side. Alternatively you can also turn on SHOW_FLOW_AMOUNTS in your init.txt file which will reveal the depth of water without needing to use {{k|k}} to look. This will however remove your ability to see {{l|flow}}. A dwarfier method would be to kill something, gets its blood in the river and observe the direction of its movement.

Rivers cannot be crossed without first building a bridge, drawbridge, or floor across them. Dwarves finding themselves unfortunate enough to be in a river are likely to be quickly swept downstream and drowned unless they are exceptionally good at {{l|swimming}}.

== Brooks ==
a {{l|brook}} is the smallest type of {{l|river}} and is listed separately here because brooks have a unique property that allows {{l|creatures}} and {{l|wagon|wagons}} to travel across them without needing to {{l|swimming|swim}}. Walking across a brook will not even get your feet '''wet'''. A brook can easily be identified by the white and cyan {{Tile|≈|#008|#999}} and {{Tile|~|#008|#999}} tiles on the surface. Like a river these tiles will be constantly blinking indicating that they have {{l|flow}} These lighter colored tiles are a special kind of floor tile which acts much like a floor grate. Fluids, such as {{l|magma}} and water itself, will fall through it. And fisherdwarves can stand on the surface to fish without even needing to get their toes wet.

{{l|Water wheel|Water wheels}} will not function if placed directly on a brook. In order to get a water wheel to work on a brook, you must dig a {{l|channel|channel}} through the {{l|floor|surface}} of the brook, which removes the special floor tile which makes the surface of a brook walkable. Once this is done a water wheel may be placed normally. In all other respects brooks function exactly like any other river.

== Rivers in the regional map ==
On the regional map there are actually five different classifications of rivers identified by their appearance and the text displayed at the right side of the screen when you place your cursor over one of them. The five different classifications from largest to smallest are major rivers, rivers, minor rivers, streams and brooks. Brooks are not directly visible on the regional map but can be still see in the left most window and will also be indicated at the right if you select a tile containing a brook.

On the surface of the world you can find 5 different types of rivers.

[[Image:Watersystems01.jpg|298px|thumb|Different sorts of rivers in action; note that the labeled Brook is actually a Stream]]

'''Rivers''' are found on the surface of world maps. They vary in width and flow rate, some being wider and than others. They often flow through deep canyons or just across the flat surface of a level. On levels with {{l|cliff|cliffs}}, {{l|waterfall|waterfalls}} may be found.

*Major rivers can be identified on the regional map by their double dark blue lines which easily identifies them from other types of rivers which only have single lines. Major rivers are the largest rivers, potentially exceeding 40 tiles in width. Usually they have minor river tributaries and can often feed large {{l|lake|lakes}}. The massive amount of flowing water found in a major river may have a negative effect on your fps.
*Rivers can be identified on the world map as dark blue and usually have tributaries of minor rivers. They can often be over 10 tiles wide.
*Minor rivers are medium blue and usually have tributaries of streams. They are usually between 7 and 10 tiles wide.
*Streams show as light blue on the region map and often converge with other streams, and have some tributaries of brooks. They tend to be 4-6 tiles wide.
*Brooks are not directly visible on the region map although they may be seen in the leftmost screen and also in the text at the right. They are the smallest flowing body of {{l|water|water}} that can be found in the game, being only 4 tiles wide. Brooks are unique in the fact that they can be crossed safely without needing to {{l|swimming|swim}} or even get ones feet wet. Brooks are very common - almost every tile around a stream or larger river will have a brook running through it.

== Underground Rivers ==
Underground rivers don't exist anymore{{verify}} or at least rarely show up. Discussion: http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=55781.0;topicseen

== Other Important Facts ==
*Rivers contain an unlimited amount of water and cannot be drained like muddy pools. They can, however, be dammed if you can *temporarily* drain part of them to 1/7 or less for long enough to construct {{l|construction|walls}} or install {{l|floodgate|floodgates}}. Despite being an unlimited source of water, river source tiles will only refill up to the level of the river: it will not overflow if you dam it up. This demonstrates one way to drain and dam a river: [http://mkv25.net/dfma/movie-196-draininganddammingamajorriver-i]. Another way to dam a river is to direct a lava flow into it, producing obsidian in the squares where it encounters water.
*Once dammed, a dry riverbed will refill when it rains, similar to a {{l|murky pool|murky pool}}.{{verify}}
*A dammed river will cease to produce additional water once all of its tiles reach 7/7, even if the dam is subsequently opened. Once the water level near the river's source drops below 7/7, though, the river will start producing water again.{{verify}}

{{World}}

[[Category:World]]

v0.31:River

2010-05-10T23:23:09Z

Cohortes: /* Underground Rivers */

{{av}}
{{Quality|Exceptional}}
There are five different kinds of surface rivers in dwarf fortress. These are major rivers, rivers, minor rivers, streams and brooks. For most purposes all of these will be referred to as simply '''rivers''' and '''brooks''' since the only real difference between the first four types is their appearance in the regional map, their width, and possibly their rate of flow. Brooks being the smallest type of surface river do have the unique property that they can be crossed safely without needing to {{l|swimming|swim}} or even get ones feet wet.

== Rivers ==
In fortress or adventure mode '''rivers''' can be seen as dark blue {{Tile|≈|#008|#999}} and {{Tile|~|#008|#999}} tiles stretching from one edge of the map to another. Rivers come in a variety of sizes from the major rivers spanning as wide as 40 tiles to tiny '''brooks''' which are only four tiles wide. River tiles will also be constantly blinking which indicates that the water has {{l|flow}}. Rivers are an effectively unlimited source of water flowing from the upstream side and leaving the map at the downstream.

To determine which direction downstream is you can carefully look at the ends of the river using {{k|k}} to look for tiles that have less than 7/7 water in them. This low point is the downstream side of your river. You may need to remove a small amount of water from the river before you can identify which end is the downstream side. Alternatively you can also turn on SHOW_FLOW_AMOUNTS in your init.txt file which will reveal the depth of water without needing to use {{k|k}} to look. This will however remove your ability to see {{l|flow}}. A dwarfier method would be to kill something, gets its blood in the river and observe the direction of its movement.

Rivers cannot be crossed without first building a bridge, drawbridge, or floor across them. Dwarves finding themselves unfortunate enough to be in a river are likely to be quickly swept downstream and drowned unless they are exceptionally good at {{l|swimming}}.

== Brooks ==
a {{l|brook}} is the smallest type of {{l|river}} and is listed separately here because brooks have a unique property that allows {{l|creatures}} and {{l|wagon|wagons}} to travel across them without needing to {{l|swimming|swim}}. Walking across a brook will not even get your feet '''wet'''. A brook can easily be identified by the white and cyan {{Tile|≈|#008|#999}} and {{Tile|~|#008|#999}} tiles on the surface. Like a river these tiles will be constantly blinking indicating that they have {{l|flow}} These lighter colored tiles are a special kind of floor tile which acts much like a floor grate. Fluids, such as {{l|magma}} and water itself, will fall through it. And fisherdwarves can stand on the surface to fish without even needing to get their toes wet.

{{l|Water wheel|Water wheels}} will not function if placed directly on a brook. In order to get a water wheel to work on a brook, you must dig a {{l|channel|channel}} through the {{l|floor|surface}} of the brook, which removes the special floor tile which makes the surface of a brook walkable. Once this is done a water wheel may be placed normally. In all other respects brooks function exactly like any other river.

== Rivers in the regional map ==
On the regional map there are actually five different classifications of rivers identified by their appearance and the text displayed at the right side of the screen when you place your cursor over one of them. The five different classifications from largest to smallest are major rivers, rivers, minor rivers, streams and brooks. Brooks are not directly visible on the regional map but can be still see in the left most window and will also be indicated at the right if you select a tile containing a brook.

On the surface of the world you can find 5 different types of rivers.

[[Image:Watersystems01.jpg|298px|thumb|Different sorts of rivers in action; note that the labeled Brook is actually a Stream]]

'''Rivers''' are found on the surface of world maps. They vary in width and flow rate, some being wider and than others. They often flow through deep canyons or just across the flat surface of a level. On levels with {{l|cliff|cliffs}}, {{l|waterfall|waterfalls}} may be found.

*Major rivers can be identified on the regional map by their double dark blue lines which easily identifies them from other types of rivers which only have single lines. Major rivers are the largest rivers, potentially exceeding 40 tiles in width. Usually they have minor river tributaries and can often feed large {{l|lake|lakes}}. The massive amount of flowing water found in a major river may have a negative effect on your fps.
*Rivers can be identified on the world map as dark blue and usually have tributaries of minor rivers. They can often be over 10 tiles wide.
*Minor rivers are medium blue and usually have tributaries of streams. They are usually between 7 and 10 tiles wide.
*Streams show as light blue on the region map and often converge with other streams, and have some tributaries of brooks. They tend to be 4-6 tiles wide.
*Brooks are not directly visible on the region map although they may be seen in the leftmost screen and also in the text at the right. They are the smallest flowing body of {{l|water|water}} that can be found in the game, being only 4 tiles wide. Brooks are unique in the fact that they can be crossed safely without needing to {{l|swimming|swim}} or even get ones feet wet. Brooks are very common - almost every tile around a stream or larger river will have a brook running through it.

== Underground Rivers ==
Underground rivers don't exist anymore{{verify}} or at least rarely show up. Discussion: http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=55781.0;topicseen

== Other Important Facts ==
*Rivers contain an unlimited amount of water and cannot be drained like muddy pools. They can, however, be dammed if you can *temporarily* drain part of them to 1/7 or less for long enough to construct {{l|construction|walls}} or install {{l|floodgate|floodgates}}. Despite being an unlimited source of water, river source tiles will only refill up to the level of the river: it will not overflow if you dam it up. This demonstrates one way to drain and dam a river: [http://mkv25.net/dfma/movie-196-draininganddammingamajorriver-i]. Another way to dam a river is to direct a lava flow into it, producing obsidian in the squares where it encounters water.
*Once dammed, a dry riverbed will refill when it rains, similar to a {{l|murky pool|murky pool}}.{{verify}}
*A dammed river will cease to produce additional water once all of its tiles reach 7/7, even if the dam is subsequently opened. Once the water level near the river's source drops below 7/7, though, the river will start producing water again.{{verify}}

{{World}}

[[Category:World]]

v0.31:Pump operator

2010-05-10T23:18:52Z

Cohortes: most likely inaccurate

{{av}}
{{Quality|Fine}}
{{Skill
| color = #F00
| skill = Pump Operator
| profession = {{L|Engineer}}
| job name = Pump Operating
| tasks =
* Operate a Pump
| workshop = * {{L|Screw pump}}
}}

The '''pump operator''' {{L|job}} is enabled in {{L|dwarves}} to allow them to use {{L|screw pump|screw pumps}} designated to "start pump manually".

This is useful for starting a {{L|Water wheel#perpetual motion|perpetual motion}} power plant, and the job can also be used to get dwarves without specialized {{L|skills}} (such as haulers) experience for {{L|attributes|stat}} gains{{verify}}. However, it's not recommended to put fortress critical pumps on manual labor, because if your lazy pump operators all try to sleep or eat or party at once the pumping stops.

{{skills}}

v0.31:Prepared organs

2010-05-10T23:14:54Z

Cohortes:

{{av}}
{{Quality|Fine}}
This article is a catch-all for the new edible body parts consisting of prepared organs.

Prepared organs are edible products of butchering. They can be cooked into prepared meals or eaten as is.{{version|0.31.03}}

They are listed on the {{L|stocks}} menu under {{L|meat}}.

The organs produced depend on the type of animal as given in the raws. Mutilated corpses will yield fewer organs.

All prepared organs have a value modifier of 2.

Prepared organs are:

*Prepared eyes
*Prepared lungs
*Prepared heart
*Prepared intestines
*Chopped liver
*Tripe
*Sweetbread
*Prepared spleen
*Prepared kidneys
*Prepared brain

v0.31:Mechanical logic

2010-05-10T23:13:35Z

Cohortes: cats

{{av}}
{{Quality|Fine}}
Mechanical logic is one discipline of {{l|computing|computing}} using mechanical {{l|power|power}} to perform logical operations. In this case powered or unpowered {{l|machine component|machine components}} represent the binary information.

The principles of mechanical logic are simple. {{l|Gear assembly|Gear assemblies}} linked to {{l|trigger|triggers}} will be toggled between disengaged and engaged when they receive an on/off signal. In this manner, you can conditionally attach power supply from {{l|windmill|windmills}} or {{l|waterwheel|waterwheels}} to specially arranged gears to build logic gates. You can also connect additional gears or other machine components as load - consuming power - to a linked gear in various configurations.

An alternative to using the gates listed here that require an extra load of gears is to use [[Pre-Toggled Mechanical Logic]]. This logic discipline has the benefit of being far easier to power, since it does not rely on extra gears to force a gear to disable in certain circumstances. At present, it does not work with pressure plates, however, but probably only needs a bit of redesigning.

== Pros and cons ==

* needs a substantial amount of wood to construct power supply
* needs a substantial amount of {{l|mechanism|mechanism}} and therefore {{l|mechanics|mechanics}} especially when you base your gates on load
* needs {{l|water|fluid}} to build converter to trigger something else than machine components

* is very fast because gears don't have a reaction delay of 100 steps
* is very flexible because gears can be toggled and therefore inverting input signals is very easy
* is easy to reconfigure because you don't have to deal with fluid or {{l|creature|creatures}} as you have to when you stick to other computing disciplines




== Power to signal converter ==
When you are dealing with mechanical logic, you'll finally want or have to trigger something else than machine components like doors or bridges. Currently, there doesn't exist any {{l|trigger|trigger}} in dwarf fortress that reacts on the working state of machine components, thus power on/off. So, you'll have to convert power via pressure plates, screw pumps and fluid into an on/off signal.
<div style="width:1px; white-space:nowrap;">
'''Z 0'''
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|
{| cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-spacing:0; padding:0; margin:0; vertical-align:middle;"
|-
|{{RTL|#DDD}}
|{{RTL|#DDD}}
|{{RTL|#DDD}}
|{{RTL|#222}}
|{{RTL|#222}}
|{{RTL|#222}}
|-
|{{RTL|#DDD}}
|{{RTL|#222|·|#BBB}}
|{{RTL|#444|÷|#DDD}}
|{{RTL|#444|÷|#DDD|►|#00A|center|►|#00A|center}}
|{{RTL|#222|·|#BBB}}
|{{RTL|#222}}
|-
|{{RTL|#DDD}}
|{{RTL|#DDD}}
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|{{RTL|#222}}
|{{RTL|#222}}
|{{RTL|#222}}
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</div>
<div style="width:1px; white-space:nowrap;">
'''Z-1'''
{| cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-spacing:0; border-style:solid; border-width:thin; border-color:#000000;"
|
{| cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-spacing:0; padding:0; margin:0; vertical-align:middle;"
|-
|{{RTL|#222}}
|{{RTL|#222}}
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|-
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|{{RTL|#00A|^|#DDD||||7|#88F|left}}
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|-
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</div>
 
When the pump is connected to power, it will suck water from the pressure plate and pump it to the right. The water level on the pressure plate will fall to 0. The plate can be constructed to react on 0…3 water. You can invert it to get an off signal instead setting it to 4…7. In both cases the ''off signal'' will have a delay of 100 steps.{{Verify}} This gate is fluid conserving.

==Mechanical signal-input power-output gates==
* These gates can be used either by adding a power -> link signal converter (also known as a "rotation sensor"), or directly used to control pumps, such as in other logic gates (the unsourced fluid logic gates use these, for instance). The conventional "rotation sensor" consists of a pump powered by the gate's OUTPUT gear, pumping an infinite supply of water onto a water-sensing pressure plate with an infinite drain.
* There are certain things important to all the gates:
* Each gate has an OUTPUT gear, which will be placed next to a pump which the gate will control.
* In diagrams, the OUTPUT gear is below the 'O' gear, connected to it by gears or vertical axles. The P indicates where you should hook power up, and L indicates where load (gears or pumps that don't have a water source) should be connected, and ¦ and - are horizontal axles. The Is are gears linked to INPUTs (some gates have one input, but most have two).
* Gates which incorporate a NOT will have the power network branch off from the 'O' gear, and have a train of power-draining stuff connected to the input gears, whereas gates which do not incorporate a NOT will have the power connected to the input gears instead. The principle behind normal gates is that when the INPUTs are ON, power is connected. The principle behind the NOT gates is that power is always connected, but when the INPUTs are ON, a large enough power requirement is connected to send the power requirements above the power supply, shutting down the system.
* If your windmills produce no power, you'll have to come up with some way to use water wheels for power instead.
* You should build only enough windmills (or water wheels) to power the system, and should not connect the network for one gate to another gate's network, since that would both gates up.
* The gates' instructions will explain how much load and power you need to have at each P and L in the more complicated gates.

===Legend===
{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
! Symbol
! Meaning
|-
| {{diagram|[#ff0]O}}
| A gear which connects to your OUTPUT gear, which outputs power when the gate is producing an ON output.
|-
| {{diagram|[#aaf]I}}
| A gear connected to an INPUT. In most gates you will have two Is, with each one connected to a different input.
|-
| {{diagram|-}} and {{diagram|¦}}
| Horizontal axles
|-
| {{diagram|[#0f0]P}}
| Power goes here
|-
| {{diagram|[#aaf]i}}
| Two more gears, each connected to the two different inputs.
|-
| {{diagram|[#f00]L}}
| a chain of gears or pumps which serve to add load to the system, generally shutting it off when connected.
|-
| {{diagram|*}}
| A gear which isn't linked to any inputs or outputs and just serves to connect the power or whatever.
|}

===Mechanical identity gate ===
{{diagram|
[#ff0]O[#aaf]I--[#0f0]P}}

* This takes an linked input signal and converts it to power without changing it.
* Connected to the input gear, such that they will only be connected to the system if the input gear is receiving an ON signal, are gears with windmills on top of them. Build only enough windmills to power the devices that the gate's OUTPUT gear are connected to (and the gears/axles).
* When the INPUT is ON, the INPUT gear will be active, and the network will provide power to the OUTPUT. When the INPUT is OFF, it will not provide power to the OUTPUT.

===Mechanical NOT gate===
{{diagram|
[#ff0]O[#aaf]I[#f00]L
¦
¦
[#0f0]P}}

* When the INPUT is ON, the INPUT gear will be active, and the network should need more power than is available. The devices connected to OUTPUT should shut down. When INPUT is OFF, the devices should have power since the INPUT gear will be disconnected.

===Mechanical NAND gate===
{{diagram|
[#ff0]O[#aaf]I[#aaf]I[#f00]L
¦
¦
[#0f0]P}}

* This works just like the NOT gate, except that there are two inputs and both have to be active to shut down the system instead of one. Make sure you have enough power to run the system when one of the input gears is active.

===Mechanical AND gate===
{{diagram|
[#ff0]O[#aaf]I[#aaf]I[#0f0]P}}

* This works like the identity gate, except that there are two inputs and both have to be active for the system to get power.

===Mechanical OR gate===
{{diagram|
[#ff0]O[#aaf]I
[#aaf]I*[#0f0]P}}

* This works like the identity gate, except that there are two inputs, and if either is active, the system receives power. Note that the entire power network is connected to both inputs, such that if either input is active the entire power network is powering the system.

===Mechanical NOR gate===
{{diagram|
[#aaf]I*[#f00]L
[#ff0]O[#aaf]I
¦
¦
[#0f0]P}}

* This works like the NOT gate, except that there are two inputs, and if either is active, the gear train or pump stack signified by the 'L' will be connected to the system. You need to have enough load to push power requirements above the amount of power produced by the power supply, shutting the system down.

===Mechanical XOR gate===
{{diagram|
[#ff0]O[#aaf]I
[#aaf]I*--*[#0f0]P
[#000].[#aaf]i[#000].[#000].[#aaf]i
[#000].[#f00]L[#000].[#000].[#f00]L}}

* Except for the 'i's and 'L's, this gate is identical to the OR gate. The additional components add the 'exclusive' part of the 'XOR' to the gate.
* This gate may be a bit difficult to construct. First, the 'i's are additional gears connected to each of your inputs, and the Ls are additional load, however, neither load by itself should be enough to shut down the system. However, you need to make the two sets of load large enough that if both inputs are active at the same time, their power requirements become large enough to shut down the system, without making them large enough to shut it down when only one of them is active. It'll just require a little math on your part.

===Mechanical XNOR gate===
{{diagram|
[#000].[#000].[#aaf]I*[#f00]L
[#000].[#000].[#ff0]O[#aaf]I
[#000].[#000].¦
[#0f0]P[#aaf]-*[#aaf]i-[#0f0]P
[#000].[#000].[#aaf]i
[#000].[#000].¦
[#000].[#000].[#0f0]P}}

{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
! A
! B
! Drain
! Power
! Extra Power
! Result
|-
| 0
| 0
| No
| Yes
| No
| 1
|-
| 0
| 1
| Yes
| Yes
| Half
| 0
|-
| 1
| 0
| Yes
| Yes
| Half
| 0
|-
| 1
| 1
| Yes
| Yes
| Full
| 1
|}

* The XNOR gate is an equality gate: The output is ON when both inputs are equal, and OFF when they are not equal.
* This gate may be '''even more complicated''' to build than the XOR gate!
* First, your 'i's are again gears connected to your two inputs. The two extra Ps to the right and below them are additional power sources, ideally only one windmill each.
* Here's where it gets complicated. The load has to be sufficient to shut down the system even when ONE of the inputs' additional power supplies are connected. However, when BOTH inputs are on, there needs to be enough power from both additional Ps to bring the system back online.
* Thus our gate does what it is supposed to: Produce enough power to have the OUTPUT gear be ON when both A and B are either 0 or 1, but not when they are not equal.

v0.31:Ambusher

2010-05-10T23:09:10Z

Cohortes: verify-fest

{{Quality|Fine}}
{{av}}
{{buggy|bugsection=Bugs}}
{{Skill
| color = #080
| skill = Ambusher
| specialty = Hunter
| profession = {{L|Ranger}}
| job name = Hunting
| tasks =
* Hunt
}}
{{L|Dwarves}} with the '''hunting''' {{L|labor}} enabled automatically use the '''ambusher''' skill while hunting outside of the fortress, which allows them to sneak up on their prey. The ambusher skill is listed among the 'misc' skills. Dwarves using the ambush skill move more slowly, but, if successful, cannot be seen by enemies. Once close enough, the ambusher skill is no longer relevant, and the hunter will engage in standard {{L|combat}} with their prey using their crossbow.

Since hunting is employed by players with varying success and your military will go after any game that looks at them funny anyway, you might be better off doing the good old 'hunt with your mlitary'. After all, your military can be told to pick a specific target, and, more convenient, to ''stop'', too.

==Caveats==
A dwarf with the hunting labour enabled will sleep outside and drink water{{verify}}, causing unhappy thoughts{{verify}}. It may thus be necessary to watch the mood of a full-time hunter and take him off the job in time.

Animals will appear randomly on the edge of a map, especially once the map is cleared of all wildlife. This can result in your {{L|hoary marmot|marmot}} hunter suddenly having an unpleasant chitchat with an {{L|elephant}}, {{L|giant eagle}}, or worse.

==Adventurer mode {{verify}} ==
In {{L|adventurer mode}}, ambusher skill is gained by moving around while {{key|S}}neaking. This will greatly reduce your speed just as it does in dwarf mode, but will cause hostile {{L|creatures}} to not attack you. Until you un{{key|S}}neak or someone spots you, you will gain a small amount of {{L|experience}} in ambushing with every step. Presently, smashing a creature's skull in with your bare hands does not count as being spotted, so the best way to tell if you're still sneaking is to check your speed in the bottom right of the screen. Ambusher also helps prevent encounters from enemies while travelling on the world map{{verify}}.

== Hunting ==
A hunter picks a mark at random, which he then pursues, ignoring other animals and enemies{{verify}}. Hunters seem to switch marks under certain circumstances. As an ambusher gets closer to his prey, there is a greater and greater chance he or she will be spotted by the animal and stop ambushing. Higher skill allows dwarves to get closer before being spotted, and also increases the speed at which a dwarf can move while sneaking.

Generally, though not always(?), when the dwarf is within shooting range she will move to engage. From there, the ambusher skill has no effect, and only combat skills are used.

Upon killing the prey, a hunter will usually, though not always, carry it home{{verify}} to the {{L|butcher's shop}}{{verify}}. A hunter may kill other {{L|creatures}} that are closer to them than the fleeing mark he is intent on catching{{verify}}. They will ignore the accidental carcass and only bring home a carcass they have marked beforehand{{verify}}. This means that sometimes multiple dead critters per hunt will be lying about and start rotting around the map if you do not set the refuse orders to 'gather refuse from outside' ({{L|corpse}}s count as refuse). If you do this and have a good system of {{L|stockpile}}s, available dwarf haulers and a map free of menacing critters (like with calm {{L|surroundings}}), then you should have the outside of your fort just as tidy as the inside, and will be able to salvage the corpses. If you do that on the wrong map, you will see some dwarf carcasses added instead.

==Postprocessing==
The same caution is advised to the slaughtering process. Hunters will drop carcasses directly into the butchery{{verify}}, which will make it cluttered very fast. Animals upon being butchered explode into many many parts, and the clutter will make the {{L|butcher}} work many times slower. {{L|Stockpiles}} and {{L|haulers}} are required, or your animal corpses will rot even while in the butchery and you will lose the {{L|skin}}, {{L|meat}}, {{L|fat}} and ({{L|food}}). Bones and skulls can be salvaged even from rotting corpses{{verify}}. It can also happen that your butcher is not fast enough and some hauler takes a corpse from the butchery and puts it on a refuse pile{{verify}}. Usually this shouldn't be a problem as your butcher will pick it up from there - if the refuse pile is close by.

If you don't have a good stocking and hauling system, you will not get all of the kill, and the {{L|craftsdwarf}} unfortunate enough to need the bones from the rotted critters will have to go out alone several times to get them every time which places a huge strain on production speed and safety.

==Dogs==
You can assign {{L|Dog#Hunting_Dogs|hunting dog}}s to your {{L|hunter|hunter}}s, which can sneak alongside their masters and attack the hunter's prey. You can also assign {{L|Dog#War_Dogs|War dog}}s, which are much stronger and can help take down bigger game, but cannot sneak and may rush into combat early.

== Weapons and Tactics ==
You should consider training hunters in wrestling in order for them to defend themselves. Wrestling will help them to break the jaw-grips that the enemy critter places on him, and will help the dwarf wrestle on his own and even place his own jaw grips if both of his hands are incapacitated, and is the only option if a weapon is dropped or stuck in the animal. You should also consider training them in the {{L|Weapon skill|hammerdwarf}} skill, as a crossbow is used with this skill if an animal engages in melee against a marksdwarf, and hunters will fight to the death even if they run out of {{L|bolt}}s{{verify}}. Without bolts, he must fight with the butt of the crossbow, which functions similarly to a {{L|Dwarven_weapon#War_hammer|hammer}}.

Using your military to hunt can be safer and more efficient than using hunters, particularly if they are agile enough to simply outrun the creatures.

Be warned that hunters will not stop their current hunt if you disable their hunting labor; hence, your dwarf may end up hunting whatever creatures spawn next, with potentially suicidal results. This may be avoidable by disabling the labor while hunting or returning the kill.

== Free equipment ==
Any dwarf given ambusher skill at Novice level or better before embarking will get a free set of leather armor (leather armor, leather leggings, leather low or high boots, and leather helm or steel cap); a crossbow (made of copper, bronze, bismuth bronze, iron, or steel); and a quiver with 30-40 steel bolts. All of these items will be of ordinary {{L|quality|quality}}.

This equipment will only be given if ambusher is the dwarf's highest skill; a Proficient Ambusher/Proficient Cook will have {{L|farmer}} as a profession, and will not receive any equipment. However, ambushers with other {{L|ranger}} skills, even ones higher than their ambusher skill, will still receive this equipment{{verify}}, as will ambushers with {{L|military}} skills at any level{{verify}}. (Separately, military skills will not influence what equipment is given: speardwarves will arrive at the site carrying nothing, and speardwarf/ambushers will arrive with the crossbow given to all ambushers. {{L|Armor user|Armor user}} and {{L|shield user|shield user}} have no effect either.)

You can also get the freebies by giving a social/administration skilled dwarf a point in ambusher{{verify}}.

Any {{L|immigration|immigrating}} hunters will receive a full set of proper equipment{{verify}}.

A hunter armed with a {{L|crossbow}} will increase both his {{L|Marksman|marksdwarf}} and ambusher {{L|skill}}s.

==Bugs==
As of 31.01 there are several severe bugs logged in the bug tracker associated with the hunting labor.
* Hunters refuse to wear armor [http://bay12games.com/dwarves/mantisbt/view.php?id=76] {{verify}}
* When hunters run out of ammo, they will not re-equip. The hunting labor must be turned off and back on for them to do so [http://bay12games.com/dwarves/mantisbt/view.php?id=76] {{verify}}
* Migrant hunters sometimes arrive with the hunting labor turned off, causing them to drop their equipment at the edge of the map [http://bay12games.com/dwarves/mantisbt/view.php?id=110] {{verify}}

{{Skills}}
{{Category|Skills}}
{{Category|Jobs}}

v0.31:Adamantine

2010-05-10T23:07:16Z

Cohortes: cats

{{av}}
{{Minorspoiler}}
{{Quality|Fine}}

== You have struck raw adamantine! Praise the miners! ==

'''Adamantine''' is the best metal ore in the game without question. Upon finding a tubular vein of {{l|raw adamantine}}, your screen will pause and be re-centered on the vein and a special announcement (seen above) will pop up. It is processed from raw adamantine into strands which can then be made into various items; these items are impossibly lightweight, strong, and valuable. It is generally found in the very deepest layers of the map, in the form of tubes leading down through the great {{l|magma sea}}.

For more information on its whereabouts and other Fun information see '''{{l|raw adamantine}}'''.

== Processing ==

Adamantine strands are extracted from {{l|raw adamantine}} at a {{l|craftsdwarf's workshop}}. The {{l|strand extraction}} labor must be enabled for a dwarf to perform the extraction. The process is extremely slow for an unskilled laborer.

The strands must then be either woven into cloth at a {{L|loom}} (for metal clothing and other related objects) or smelted into {{L|bar|wafer}}s at a {{L|smelter}} (for adamantine armor, crafts, weapons and so on). Fortunately, these tasks are performed just as quickly as any other weaving or smelting jobs.

== Important Note ==

One of the many beneficial qualities of adamantine is that it is nigh weightless. Unfortunately, with the new version, this has considerable drawbacks. Hitting someone with a hammer that weighs nothing is not very effective.

{{gamedata}}

{{spoiler}}

Unfortunately, breaching any of the tubular veins leads to the {{l|Hidden Fun Stuff|HFS}}, for lots of {{l|Fun}}. Reports have been made of there being ''surface'' deposits, but this is incredibly rare and should not be trusted as anything other than a bug for the moment.

==Origins of Adamantine and Slade==
{{D for Dwarf}}
Back in the mists of time, the Gods decided to create the world. To do so they had to find a way to heat it in the cold voids of space. Demon kind had already forged their own world out of the vile substance {{l|Slade}}, a stone anathema to all creation and only able to be worked through the vile rituals they had created. For slade was truly "dead" stone, with no life in it at all.

Deciding to both imprison their greatest enemies and create a home for their creations, they poured into the skies of the demon's world "living" rock (known to mortals as {{l|semi-molten rock}} - rock fresh with the life of creation, burning hot. The gods knew that if it were not constantly heated, this living rock would cool, and thus the demons, fools that they were, constantly attack the living rock, not realizing that their attacks simply heat the rock again and again, keeping it alive. Unfortunately, as the gods began to pour more and more of the rock onto their creation, they found it quickly lost its life when removed too far from the Demons. It would only remelt once it touched the living rock, creating vast seas of magma that heated the tunnels above. Worse, the living rock itself had been disturbed by this process, creating gaping holes for the demons to escape from, killing and maiming the first creations of the gods, warping those they could find into the terrible Forgotten Beasts, leaving the {{l|Titans}} safe on the surface.

Knowing this state of affairs could not last if their weaker creations, the first mortals, were to survive, the Gods created a new substance, imbued with their power: Adamantine. The beautiful aqua colored ore totally repelled the demons, sealing the entrances that the living rock could no longer seal, preventing the demons from escaping.

Unfortunately, as time passed and the first mortals began to carve their civilization from both the surface and the underworld, they discovered the vast shafts of this amazing substance and began to mine it, instantly realizing its divine potency. In doing so, they removed the great barriers the gods had placed in order to keep the demons sealed. The demons rose up, slaughtering thousands and escaping into the above world, often rising to the top of civilizations, such as the Goblins. Upon these sites they raised towers carved from the vile Slade that only they could work. Brave adventurers and champions of the Gods forged special swords made from the divine Adamantine and ventured into these dark places to seal the demons within hell once more. Leaving their swords buried in these places, those who survived swore to defend them for all eternity, binding themselves with oaths of such might that they surpassed death itself. They remain, even today, as zombies and skeletons, driven by their undying thought "none must take the sword!" and nothing more. These undead are totally obsessed with their duty to defend the ancient demonic structures from all interlopers and have been the death of many an unwary explorer.

All this could have probably been avoided if the gods had bothered to make their all-powerful metal capable of withstanding the swing of a copper pick.

v0.31:Activity zone

2010-05-10T23:06:19Z

Cohortes: copypasted, cats

{{AV}}{{Quality|Fine}}

To editors:
This page has recently been copy/pasted twice from the old version, and blanked by the Admin twice because of lack of screening for accuracy.

If you want to tackle this page, it's easy - just take it one section at a time, check every {{k|k}}eystroke, make sure every zone works '''as described''' (either the previous description or your own new, accurate, updated version!), lose anything that is not confirmed ''(possibly <nowiki></nowiki> and comment/discuss on the Talk page, or use a {{verify}} link if you're "pretty sure" it's mostly accurate but have some small doubt or question)'', and it should all be good.

This means some degree of TESTING - that is to be assumed on all new pages if we want to get it right (and we do!). Fire up a small (2x2) "test" game in a calm biome, keep it safe and use it to check any concept to see how it works compared to the old description. ''(That's how the new {{L|fuel}} article was checked, which did show some subtle changes - but it's accurate now, which is what we want for a wiki.)''

Use the '''<nowiki>{{L|link}}</nowiki>''' format for links - those will be updated once the official "new version" number gets implemented. Any '''<nowiki>[[DF2010:link]]</nowiki>''' will go [[red]] when that happens.
:::''thanks, the Admin''

----

'''Activity zones''' are areas in which dwarves are instructed to perform specific tasks, such as fishing, dumping objects, or collecting water. While activity zones are optional for the performance of certain tasks (fishing, collecting water) and obligatory for cetain others (dumping), they can also be used to help keep dwarves out of danger.

Activity zones can be placed in any revealed tile, including in open space or over a river or on top of a building or stockpile. They are placed in the same manner as stockpiles, by designating a rectangular area using {{K|Enter}} from within the Zones menu ({{K|i}}). After that the zone has to be assigned to one of the listed tasks to become functional, by pressing the proper key. In some cases (hospital, pit/pond) additional orders can then be set from the same menu.

The location of a zone is only visible while in the Zones menu, and any object lying on the ground will hide the presence of a zone tile.

Meeting area zones are zones in which idle dwarves and animals will congregate, similar to meeting halls. Note that the wagon you arrive with constitutes a meeting area until you designate the first meeting area of your own. If you start in hostile surroundings it is important to get your dwarves and animals out of danger quickly.

== Garbage Dump ==
:Shortcut {{k|g}}

Garbage dump zones are areas in which dwarves will throw items specifically designated by using {{k|k}} then {{k|d}} for single items at a time, or {{key|d}}, {{key|b}}, {{key|d}} to designate a larger area to be dumped (or use the mouse to point and click). Garbage dumps are not the same as [[40d:refuse|refuse]] stockpiles, which can be designated to accept any specific type(s) of refuse-type item, such as animal corpses or bones, and then are randomly filled by haulers as the items become available on the map.

Garbage dumps:
:* Only accept items that have been marked for dumping.
:* Require dwarfs to have {{L|refuse hauling}} {{L|labor}} enabled.
::* Are subject to refuse orders (''{{k|o}}: Set Orders and Options -> {{k|r}}: Refuse Orders''). Most notably, dwarves will not dump items that are outside unless you allow them to ({{k|o}}->{{k|r}}->{{k|o}}).

To place a garbage dump, trace a zone on either a relatively empty plot of land or adjacent to a cliff face or hole. If a garbage zone is designated beside a {{L|cliff}} or hole (both natural or dwarf made) garbage will be thrown off/in the z-space. Each ground tile within that zone is considered a garbage dump tile; thus, if you want to place a single-tile zone, place the zone onto a ground tile (optionally adjacent to a cliff or {{L|pit}}), not onto an {{L|open space}}.
Items dumped into {{L|magma}} (provided they are not {{L|magma safe}}) will disappear permanently. Otherwise a single tile (either a dump zone, or the ground below the open space) will hold any number of dumped objects.

Once items are dumped they are automatically marked as "forbidden" however they will not dump items that are also forbidden. If you wish to use dumped items, you need to reclaim them. Press {{k|k}} to view the item and {{k|f}} to toggle forbid status. You may also use the reclaim {{L|designation}} to reclaim simultaneously all of the items dumped by using {{key|d}}, {{key|b}}, {{key|c}} and tracing the designation over top of the objects.

If a garbage dump is located next to open space, dwarves will always stand on a garbage dump square when throwing ''into that open space'', even if it could potentially be done more efficiently. If a garbage dump is located next to multiple tiles of open space, the seem to prefer the one farthest to the northwest. If a tile to the north and a tile to the west are the only tiles available, they will throw to the west. Since falling objects do not hurt dwarves, such garbage dumps can be a very efficient method of moving materials to the lower levels of your fortress.

Dwarves seem to throw dumped items in the nearest available garbage dump, although this is probably not reliable given that they don't always use the nearest available item to make things at workshops. If a nearer zone becomes available as they are traveling to a zone they will ignore it. Also, they seem to prefer dumps that allow them to throw things in to open space regardless of how far away they are.

== Hospital ==
:Shortcut {{k|h}}

A Hospital zone is an area designated for the {{L|Healthcare|care and treatment}} of sick and {{L|Wound|wounded}} dwarves.

===Setting up a Hospital===

While there are no particular restrictions on the areas that can be set as hospital zones, a hospital requires certain furniture and supplies to function properly:

{| class="wikitable" cellspacing="0" border="1" cellpadding="5"
|-
! Furniture
! Function
|-
| {{L|Bed|Beds}}
| Allow sick dwarves to {{L|Rest|rest}}
|-
| {{L|Table|Tables}}
| Used in surgery{{Verify}}
|-
| {{L|Traction bench|Traction benches}}
| Immobilize dwarves who need to stay still to heal
|-
| {{L|Container|Boxes/Bags}}
| Storage for medical supplies
|}

{| class="wikitable" cellspacing="0" border="1" cellpadding="5"
|-
! Medical equipment
! Function
! Unit quantity*
|-
| {{L|Thread}}
| Required for suturing wounds
| 15000
|-
| {{L|Cloth}}
| Required for bandages
| 10000
|-
| {{L|Splint|Splints}}
| Used to bind broken bones{{verify}}
| 1
|-
| {{L|Crutch|Crutches}}
| Walking aid for dwarves with leg injuries
| 1
|-
| {{L|Gypsum plaster|Powder for casts}}
| Used to make plaster casts for setting bones{{Verify}}
| 150{{Verify}}
|-
| {{L|Bucket|Buckets }}
|
*Used by doctors to carry water for cleaning patients
*Used by dwarves with the Feed Patients/Prisoners labor to water patients
| 1
|-
| {{L|Soap }}
| Used to reduce infections when washing patients
| 150{{verify}}
|}

''*The unit quantity is the quantity of each item that appears in the Hospital Information screen when one object of that type is stored. For example, if one bolt of cloth is stored in the hospital zone, the hospital will report that it contains 10000 cloth.''

In addition to furniture and medical supplies, a {{L|Water|source of water}} is more or less mandatory, as sick dwarves need it for drinking as well as cleaning. The water source need not be in the hospital zone, although the shorter the distance between the two the better.

When the Zones menu ({{k|i}}) is open and the cursor is in a hospital zone, {{k|H}} will bring up the Hospital Information screen. This screen shows the quantity of each type of furniture piece and medical equipment present in the Hospital, and allows you to set the desired quantity of each type of equipment. Note that you must have boxes or bags constructed in the hospital zone for supplies to be stored for medical use; items in a stockpile do not count for the hospital, even if the stockpile is in the hospital zone.

===Hospital Beds===

When a dwarf becomes sick or wounded, he will be carried to a bed in a hospital zone by a dwarf with the Recovering Wounded labor set, assuming such a bed is available; otherwise, he may be carried to a bed in a {{L|barracks}} or {{L|dormitory}}, or to an unassigned bed. If an injured dwarf is resting in a bed outside a hospital zone, he will remain there even if hospital beds become available. Deconstructing the sick dwarf's bed may cause him to be move to a hospital bed, however, and it may be possible for doctors to treat patients who are resting outside of a hospital zone, so long as adequate supplies are available.{{verify}}

== Pit/Pond ==
:Shortcut {{k|p}}

A Pit/Pond requires a {{L|ramp}} or hole with adjacent flooring on which a dwarf can stand. Designate the zone from the top of the ramp or hole. By default, the zone will be a pit. To change it to a pond, press {{k|P}} then {{k|f}}. It can be changed back to a pit the same way.

Animals can be assigned to a pit through the {{k|P}} menu. A dwarf will lead the beast to the pit and leave it there. (If the pit is a ramp rather than a hole, the animal will then wander off)

Dwarves will attempt to fill a pond with {{L|water}}, carried by {{L|bucket}} from a water-gathering zone. They will stand on the floor adjacent to the top of the ramp or hole, and toss the water onto the ramp or into the hole. Each bucketful increases the depth of the water in the pond by 1/7. Once the water is dumped from the bucket, the dwarf will either drop the bucket and perform a different task, or choose to fill a pond zone tile again using the bucket (s)he currently holds.

v0.31:Acorn fly

2010-05-10T23:05:29Z

Cohortes: not prop. cat.

{{av}}
{{Quality|Fine}}
{{VerminInfo|name=Acorn fly|symbol=·|color=6:0:0|biome=
* Any pool|seasons= * Spring
* Summer
* Fall
* Winter}}

:''An insect many times the size of its peers. It is known for its deafening buzz.''

A type of {{L|vermin}} which spawns around the [[DF2010:Murky_pool|murky pools]] in {{L|savage}} areas.

It is 20 times the size of a normal {{L|fly}}. However, being vermin, it is not butcherable and never gets into fights so it doesn't really make any difference.

{{Game_Data|[CREATURE:FLY_ACORN]
[DESCRIPTION:An insect many times the size of its peers. It is known for its deafening buzz.]
[NAME:acorn fly:acorn flies:acorn fly]
[CASTE_NAME:acorn fly:acorn flies:acorn fly]
[CREATURE_TILE:250][COLOR:6:0:0]
[NATURAL]
[BIOME:ANY_POOL]
[VERMIN_ROTTER][VERMIN_GROUNDER][VERMIN_MICRO][FREQUENCY:100]
[VERMIN_NOTRAP]
[SAVAGE]
[POPULATION_NUMBER:2500:5000]
[CLUSTER_NUMBER:100:200]
[SMALL_REMAINS]
[SPEED:2900]
[PREFSTRING:deafening buzz]
[FLIER]
[DIURNAL]
[NO_SLEEP]
[HOMEOTHERM:10071]
[SWIMS_INNATE][SWIM_SPEED:2500]
[NOT_BUTCHERABLE]
[NOBONES]
[BODY:INSECT:2EYES:HEART:GUTS:BRAIN:MOUTH:2WINGS]
[BODY_DETAIL_PLAN:CHITIN_MATERIALS]
[BODY_DETAIL_PLAN:CHITIN_TISSUES]
[BODY_DETAIL_PLAN:EXOSKELETON_TISSUE_LAYERS:CHITIN:FAT:MUSCLE]
[BODY_DETAIL_PLAN:STANDARD_HEAD_POSITIONS]
[USE_MATERIAL_TEMPLATE:SINEW:SINEW_TEMPLATE]
[TENDONS:LOCAL_CREATURE_MAT:SINEW:200]
[LIGAMENTS:LOCAL_CREATURE_MAT:SINEW:200]
[HAS_NERVES]
[USE_MATERIAL_TEMPLATE:ICHOR:ICHOR_TEMPLATE]
[BLOOD:LOCAL_CREATURE_MAT:ICHOR:LIQUID]
[CREATURE_CLASS:GENERAL_POISON]
[GETS_WOUND_INFECTIONS]
[GETS_INFECTIONS_FROM_ROT]
[USE_MATERIAL_TEMPLATE:PUS:PUS_TEMPLATE]
[PUS:LOCAL_CREATURE_MAT:PUS:LIQUID]
[BODY_SIZE:0:0:20]
[MAXAGE:1:1]
[CASTE:FEMALE]
[FEMALE]
[CASTE:MALE]
[MALE]
[SELECT_CASTE:ALL]
[SET_TL_GROUP:BY_CATEGORY:ALL:CHITIN]
[TL_COLOR_MODIFIER:BROWN:1]
[TLCM_NOUN:chitin:SINGULAR]
[SET_TL_GROUP:BY_CATEGORY:EYE:EYE]
[TL_COLOR_MODIFIER:BLACK:1]
[TLCM_NOUN:eyes:PLURAL]}}

{{Vermin}}
{{Category|Vermin}}

v0.31:Bridge

2010-05-10T22:57:50Z

Cohortes:

{{av}}{{Quality|Fine}}

'''Bridges''' are extremely useful buildings for crossing dangerous terrain and also for fortress defence.

==Building Bridges==

Bridges can be built ({{k|b}} -> {{k|g}}) of metal, stone or wood. They are first designed by an architect, then require a specialist worker for the material used (e.g. a mason for a stone bridge). The size of the bridge can be altered with {{k|u}}{{k|m}}{{k|k}}{{k|h}} while placing it. The bridge must be anchored to a solid surface on at least one edge. Before placing the bridge ensure that the bridge raises in the direction you want it to using {{k|w}}{{k|a}}{{k|d}}{{k|x}} or retracts using {{k|s}}.

==Raising/Retracting Bridges==

All bridges in DF can be raised or retracted by linking it to a {{L|lever}}. This requires a mechanics workshop and a dwarf with a the mechanic labour activated.

If a bridge is set to retract when the lever is pulled, the bridge essentially disappears dropping anything (friend, foe, or object) on the bridge onto whatever is underneath. Clearly this can be used to drop your enemies to rocky/watery/fiery deaths (or anything more imaginative you can think up!).

If a bridge is set to raise when the lever is pulled, the bridge becomes a wall along the edge selected with the {{k|w}}{{k|a}}{{k|d}}{{k|x}} keys when placing the bridge. The resulting wall is always one z-level tall, regardless of the width of the bridge. The bridge also "moves" to this position very fast, firing anything on the bridge into the air. The key advantage to raising bridges is the creation of a wall when the bridge is raised. This can be used to block fortress entrances/corridors. Using 2 bridges at opposite ends of a corridor creates a very large and simple trap by walling in enemies.

the lowering of a drawbridge can also be used as a waste desposal for unwanted stones, refuse, goblins (dead or alive) and nobles, to name a few.

==Bugs==

Retractable bridges (possibly raising bridges, but this is untested) will not retract when a mounted unit (a unit riding another) is on the bridge. Attempting to do so will create odd results if multiple bridges are connected to the same lever[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mS5f_Snz-Y8].

It is impossible to channel out stone that is directly under a raiseable bridge when its in the raised position.

{{buildings}}

Dwarf Fortress Wiki:Quality

2010-05-10T22:56:17Z

Cohortes: i went ahead and modified the criteria a little - makes sense?

{{main page progress bar}}
{{#expr: ({{PAGESINCAT:Fine Quality Articles|R}}/({{PAGESINCAT:Fine Quality Articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCAT:Exceptional Quality Articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCAT:Masterwork Quality Articles|R}})) * 100 round 1}}% [[#Fine|Fine]] articles ({{PAGESINCAT:Fine Quality Articles|R}}) 
{{#expr: ({{PAGESINCAT:Exceptional Quality Articles|R}}/({{PAGESINCAT:Fine Quality Articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCAT:Exceptional Quality Articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCAT:Masterwork Quality Articles|R}})) * 100 round 1}}% [[#Exceptional |Exceptional]] articles ({{PAGESINCAT:Exceptional Quality Articles|R}}) 
{{#expr: ({{PAGESINCAT:Masterwork Quality Articles|R}}/({{PAGESINCAT:Fine Quality Articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCAT:Exceptional Quality Articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCAT:Masterwork Quality Articles|R}})) * 100 round 1}}% [[#Masterwork |Masterwork]] articles ({{PAGESINCAT:Masterwork Quality Articles|R}}) 
{{#expr: (({{PAGESINCAT:Fine Quality Articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCAT:Exceptional Quality Articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCAT:Masterwork Quality Articles|R}}))}} Total rated articles

'''{{#expr:({{#expr: ((({{PAGESINCAT:Fine Quality Articles|R}} * 0) +({{PAGESINCAT:Exceptional Quality Articles|R}} * 50) + ({{PAGESINCAT:Masterwork Quality Articles|R}} * 100))/(({{PAGESINCAT:Fine Quality Articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCAT:Exceptional Quality Articles|R}} + {{PAGESINCAT:Masterwork Quality Articles|R}})))}}) }} out of 100''' overall wiki [[Dwarf Fortress Wiki:Quality|quality]] rating without rounding
==Fine==
[[:Category:Fine Quality Articles|Fine Quality Articles]] have many of the following characteristics:
* May be a stub article
* Lacks information
* Has a substantial number of redlinks, very few links or no links at all
* Contains inaccurate information
* Contains information that needs to be verified
* Is not categorized

To insert this template, type <nowiki>{{Quality|Fine}}</nowiki> anywhere in the page.

==Exceptional==
[[:Category:Exceptional Quality Articles|Exceptional Quality Articles]] have ALL of the following characteristics:
* Is properly categorized
* Has a decent amount of information
* Has all appropriate templates
* DOES NOT have any pink text at the bottom of the Article Version template (these indicate some kind of problem; for details, view the [[Template:ArticleVersion]] page)
* Is properly/sufficiently linked to other articles
* Contains no inaccurate information

and most of the following characteristics:
* May contain some redlinks
* But most links are functional
* May have a small amount of information that needs to be verified
* Has multiple editors

To insert this template, type <nowiki>{{Quality|Exceptional}}</nowiki> anywhere in the page.

==Masterwork==
[[:Category:Masterwork Quality Articles|Masterwork Quality Articles]] are the best of the best. Masterwork quality articles have ALL of the following characteristics:
* No redlinks are present
* Has an appropriate number of outbound links
* Links only contain links of type <nowiki>{{l|linkname}}</nowiki> except where a link to another namespace is required
* Is properly categorized
* Contains no unverified information
* Is comprehensive on the subject
* The article has multiple editors

To insert this template, type <nowiki>{{Quality|Masterwork}}</nowiki> anywhere in the page.

==Unknown==
[[:Category:Unknown Quality Articles|Unknown Quality Articles]] have been tagged with a quality level not recognized by the wiki, whether accidentally (incorrect spelling or capitalization) or intentionally (to request that somebody else rate the article).

If you encounter these, please evaluate and rate them according to the criteria above.

[[Category:Wikiprojects]]

v0.31:Basalt

2010-05-10T22:50:30Z

Cohortes:

v0.31:Experience

2010-05-10T22:50:07Z

Cohortes:

{{av}}{{Quality|Fine}}

{| style="margin: 0 auto; border: 1px solid black; border-spacing: 0"
|-
| width="33%" style="border-right: 1px solid black;" |
{| width="100%"
! Lvl !! Title !! XP
|-
| 0 || Dabbling ||align="right"| 1
|-
| 1 || Novice ||align="right"| 500
|-
| 2 || Adequate ||align="right"| 1100
|-
| 3 || Competent ||align="right"| 1800
|-
| 4 || Skilled ||align="right"| 2600
|-
| 5 || Proficient * ||align="right"| 3500
|-
| 6 || Talented ||align="right"| 4500
|}
| width="33%" style="border-right: 1px solid black;" |
{| width="100%"
! Lvl !! Title !! XP
|-
| 7 || Adept ||align="right"| 5600
|-
| 8 || Expert ||align="right"| 6800
|-
| 9 || Professional ||align="right"| 8100
|-
| 10 || Accomplished ||align="right"| 9500
|-
| 11 || Great ||align="right"| 11000
|-
| 12 || Master ||align="right"| 12600
|-
| 13 || High Master ||align="right"| 14300
|}
| width="33%" |
{| width="100%"
! Lvl !! Title !! XP
|-
| 14 || Grand Master ||align="right"| 16100
|-
| 15 || Legendary ||align="right"| 18000
|-
| 16 || Legendary+1** ||align="right"| 20000
|-
| 17 || Legendary+2** ||align="right"| 22100
|-
| 18 || Legendary+3** ||align="right"| 24300
|-
| 19 || Legendary+4** ||align="right"| 26600
|-
| 20 || Legendary+5** ||align="right"| 29000
|}
|}
::::''Notes:''
:::::<nowiki> *</nowiki> This is the highest skill level possible for one of your starting dwarfs.
:::::<nowiki> **</nowiki> These levels are only ''assumed'' to exist - they existed in 23a and 40d but were never visible in game (they were confirmed via an examination of the game code, and they had visible effects on {{L|quality}} of goods produced), but it's unclear if they still do in 31.01.{{verify}}

v0.31:Goblin

2010-05-10T22:48:16Z

Cohortes:

{{CreatureInfo v0.31
|name=Goblin
|symbol=g
|color=7:0:0
|biome=
* Any
|butcher=no
}}
{{av}}{{Quality|Fine}}

:''A medium-sized humanoid driven to cruelty by its evil nature.''

Goblins are intelligent, mean-spirited humanoid creatures that live in mountains. They often establish settlements in Dark Fortresses within regions touched by evil (though it is hard to imagine that goblins themselves created the obsidian monoliths they inhabit). They are not playable as adventurers without [[modding]]. They are a constant threat to any fortress.

Goblins will start harassing a fortress early in its life, first with babysnatchers and ambushes, and later with [[sieges]]. Goblin babysnatchers carry a bag for their purpose. Their [[soldiers]] are commonly armed with [[copper]] and [[iron]] [[armor]] and [[weapons]]. Defeating a majority of an attacking force usually sends the rest of them running.

In [[Adventurer mode]], "goblin" settlements will sometimes be completely goblin free, having been displaced by the descendants of children that were captured in ages past.

{{Creatures}}
{{Category|Races}}
{{Category|Humanoids}}

40d:Advisor

2010-05-10T22:43:59Z

Cohortes:

{{av}}{{Quality|Fine}}
{{Noble
| noble=Advisor
| quarters=Great Bedroom
| dining=Great Dining Room
| office=Throne Room
| tomb=None
| stands=2
| racks=2
| chests=3
| cabinets=2
| arrival=
* Arrives with the King
| function= None
}}

The '''advisor''' is an {{L|Noble#Immigrant Nobles|immigrant noble}} who arrives with the {{L|King}}. Astute observers will note that the Advisor is your former Outpost {{L|Liaison}}.

{{Category|Nobles}}

v0.31:Material science

2010-05-10T22:43:36Z

Cohortes:

{{av}} {{Quality|Fine}}
{{L|Material|Materials}} have a number of properties representing real world variables that describe how they respond to inputs. In particular, the game now has a number of variables that describe what happens to a material when it's put under stress.

==What is stress?==
In the real world, an object is stressed when a force is applied to the object. Depending on the nature of the force applied, this stress can take a number of forms, and the object can respond differently based on its material and how that material handles different stresses.

In the material raws, whenever you see 'yield', 'fracture', or 'elasticity', that property is a stress-related quality.

==When does Dwarf Fortress make stress calculations?==
At present, DF seems to only apply forces during combat, and thus only stresses objects (generally armor and various body layers) at that time.

==There's a lot of stress-related properties, what do they mean?==
The first thing you'll notice is that the second word in each stress variable is one of Yield, Fracture, or Elasticity. These are mechanical performance terms.

The first set of words are things like Impact, Bending, and so forth. These describe modes of applying force.

The following explanations assumes real world physics sort of apply (since [[Toady One]] chose real world properties).

===Mechanical Performance Properties===
Yield: This is almost certainly 'Yield Strength', which is the amount of stress needed to cause a material to go from elastic deformation to plastic deformation. (That is, if you cease stressing the object, does it revert to its original shape or not). Since most objects only elastically deform over small distances of deformation, high Yield values generally means it takes a lot of force to noticeably 'stretch' them (but see elasticity).

Fracture: The fracture point is the amount of stress or force necessarily to cause the material to fail, or in other words, to break.

Elasticity: This variable tells you how much deformation occurs to the material while it is deforming elastically. That is, as long as the force is less than the yield strength, stress * elasticity = deformation distance. The smaller the elasticity, the less deformation occurs under stress.

Note: Elasticity is the inverse of the Elastic Modulus. Thus a highly elastic material has low elastic modulus, and engages is less elastic collisions. Yes, its confusing.

===Modes of Applying Force===
Impact: Force applied by a sudden strike, like a hammer.

Compressive: Force applied by exerting pressure on an object, like trying to squish something between your hands.

Tensile: Force applied by pulling on something, like suspending one object via another. (Ie, if you suspend a fan from a metal pole, you are applying a tensile force to the pole).

Torsion: Force applied by twisting something. Note that you're twisting some portion of the object relative to itself to cause a torsion stress to be applied to it. (Consider trying to twist a metal rod by grasping at either end and attempting to wring it - yes, you'd have to apply a lot of force to succeed).

Shear: Force applied by pushing part of the material so it tries to slide relative to another part of it. Ie, pushing at the top of an object when the bottom part is fixed to the ground is going to primarily apply a shear stress to it (the top part will try to move in the direction you push, and the lower part will resist this shear stress).

Bending: Force applied by bending a material.

==I'm mostly here to learn about combat... How does this work in game?==
Since we don't have access to the code, we need to use Science to figure out how the game actually uses these variables.

===Hypotheses based on Real World===
*High elasticity should reduce the effectiveness of a weapon. (the more it deforms, the longer it takes to break contact with the struck surface and thus the more inelastic the collision is).
*High elasticity should be good for armor, because it decreases the force transferred by a weapon (to a point - it can't be so inelastic as to render the armor useless!)

===Believed Interactions===
Remember, we need data before we add anything here.

===Open Questions===
*When you strike something, does the striking object (ie, weapon) test for damage as well as the struck target?
*lots of specific performance questions and when the game uses particular variables
*How well do real world hypotheses actually describe game mechanics regarding these variables

Main Page

2010-05-10T22:40:28Z

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<h1 style="text-align: center;">The Dwarf Fortress Wiki</h1>

{{Main page progress bar|height=10}}
[[40d:Main_Page|Click here to view the main page for Dwarf Fortress version 40d.]]
 

Welcome to the Dwarf Fortress Wiki. This is a collection of user-submitted guides, information and advice for  [http://www.bay12games.com/dwarves/ "Dwarf Fortress"]. Dwarf Fortress is a game for Windows, Linux and Mac, developed by [http://www.bay12games.com/ Bay 12 Games] featuring two modes of play, distinct, randomly-generated worlds (complete with terrain, wildlife and legends), gruesome combat mechanics and alcohol dependency. The wiki currently has '''{{TEMPLATE:NUMBEROFARTICLES}} articles'''.
 

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{| style="width: 90%; max-width: 50em; margin: 0 auto; border-spacing: 1em; clear: both"
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{| style="width: 100%; background: #fdc; border: 1px solid #a44; border-left-color:#faa; border-top-color:#faa; text-align: center"
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{| style="width: 100%; background: #ccf; border: 1px solid #24a; border-left-color:#79f; border-top-color:#79f; text-align: center; margin-bottom: 1em"
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{| style="width: 100%; background: #ccf; border: 1px solid #24a; border-left-color:#79f; border-top-color:#79f; text-align: center; margin-bottom: 1em"
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|-
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| [http://jreengusoccurring.blogspot.com/ Jreengus Occuring: A Dwarf Fortress blog], [http://dfc.smackjeeves.com/ Strike the Earth!]
|-
! style="text-align: left; padding: 0.1em 0.5em" | [[IRC|IRC Channels]]:
| [irc://irc.newnet.net/bay12games #bay12games] on newnet.net, [irc://irc.synirc.net/df #df] on synirc.net, [irc://irc.quakenet.org/DwarfFortress #DwarfFortress] on quakenet.org, [irc://irc.tellaerad.net/DF #DF] on tellaerad.net and [irc://irc.rizon.net/brofortress #brofortress] on rizon.net.
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v0.31:Domestic animal

2010-05-10T22:37:54Z

Cohortes:

Modification:New hats

2010-05-10T22:37:23Z

Cohortes:

{{Quality|Fine}}Just paste into your objects folder
19 new hats, 2 of which are [[armor]].

===New===
Widebrim hat

Pointy hat

Headband

Bowler Hat

Headdress

Tophat

Tricorner hat

Mortarboard

Skullcap-chain level head armor

Greathelm-plate level head armor

Conical Hat

Fez

Frontier Cap

Coif

Bonnet

Beer Helm

Goggle

Lense

Trilby

http://rapidshare.com/files/75829663/item_helm_mod.txt.html

Add this to entity default.txt of your chosen race and generate a new world-make sure there are no dupplicates.

[HELM:ITEM_HELM_HELM:COMMON]
[HELM:ITEM_HELM_SKULLCAP:COMMON]
[HELM:ITEM_HELM_GREAT:COMMON]
[HELM:ITEM_HELM_BEER:UNCOMMON]
[HELM:ITEM_HELM_CAP:COMMON]
[HELM:ITEM_HELM_TRILBY:COMMON]
[HELM:ITEM_HELM_GOGGLES:UNCOMMON]
[HELM:ITEM_HELM_LENS:UNCOMMON]
[HELM:ITEM_HELM_BAND:COMMON]
[HELM:ITEM_HELM_TOP:COMMON]
[HELM:ITEM_HELM_POINTY:COMMON]
[HELM:ITEM_HELM_BONNET:COMMON]
[HELM:ITEM_HELM_WIDEBRIM:COMMON]
[HELM:ITEM_HELM_BOWLER:COMMON]
[HELM:ITEM_HELM_COIF:COMMON]
[HELM:ITEM_HELM_FRONTIER:COMMON]
[HELM:ITEM_HELM_HOOD:COMMON]
[HELM:ITEM_HELM_FEZ:UNCOMMON]
[HELM:ITEM_HELM_TRICORNER:COMMON]
[HELM:ITEM_HELM_DRESS:RARE]
[HELM:ITEM_HELM_MORTARBOARD:RARE]
[HELM:ITEM_HELM_CONICAL:UNCOMMON]

[[Category:Mods]]

v0.31:Ammo

2010-05-10T22:36:47Z

Cohortes:

v0.31:Tame

2010-05-10T22:36:29Z

Cohortes:

v0.31:Chain

2010-05-10T22:34:00Z

Cohortes:

{{av}}{{Quality|Exceptional}}'''Chains''' are created at the {{L|metalsmith's forge}} with one {{L|metal}} {{L|bar}} (or four {{L|adamantine}} wafers), using the {{L|metal crafter|metal craft}} {{L|skill}} (but are found listed under "Furniture" and not "other objects" in that menu).

They are used in traction benches, {{L|well}}s and {{L|restraint}}s.

40d:Unconscious

2010-05-10T22:33:09Z

Cohortes:

{{av}}{{Quality|Fine}}

A dwarf will go '''unconscious''' for a variety of reasons. When a {{L|Dwarf}} or other animal is caught by a dust cloud from a collapsing roof or sustains serious enough injuries, it will fall unconscious. This means that the animal or Dwarf cannot move or enter combat. It is vulnerable to attacks. The most common source of a dwarf being unconscious is that they are sleeping.

Any unconscious creature has the "unconscious" label listed at the top right of their {{k|w}}ounds menu (as seen when {{k|v}}iewing them). Although this is shown next to "upper body", it is separate from that location, and applies to the general creature itself (This also applies to other labels in that column like "thirsty").

An unconscious dwarf may need to be carried back to a {{L|bed}} by a conscious dwarf with the {{L|Health care}} {{L|labor}} enabled. (Animals require the {{L|animal care}} labor.) If the dwarf or animal was injured in combat it will require food and water until its {{L|wound}}s have healed.

Unconscious dwarfs cancel any job orders they are currently attempting to fill, with the sole exception of a {{L|Strange mood}}.

It should also be noted that {{L|trap}}s will activate for any unconscious entity.

If a dwarf seems to continually go unconscious, it most likely has a wound to its head, an eye, or other organ. View that dwarf, and see their {{k|w}}ounds menu - use the {{k|+}} & {{k|-}} keys to scroll up/down to check areas not usually listed.

'''See also''': {{L|wounds}}

{{Category|Thoughts}}

40d:Ranger

2010-05-10T22:32:51Z

Cohortes:

{{av}}{{Quality|Fine}}
'''Ranger''' is a category profession for dwarves that work with live animals, both {{L|creature}}s and {{L|vermin}}.

An adult {{L|dwarf}} whose best {{L|skill}} is in this category, and who has accumulated ranks in one or more other ranger skills (exactly how much is not clear) will be known as a Ranger.

Once he has achieved "grand master" skill in one of these skills, but not in the others, he will be known by this skill.

If a dwarf has experience in only one ranger skill he will be known by his or her highest skill.

The ranger skills are:

{{Skill Box|Ranger|#080|#080|
* {{L|Ambusher}}
* {{L|Animal caretaker}}
* {{L|Animal dissector}}
* {{L|Animal trainer}}
* {{L|Trapper}}
}}

==See also==
:* {{L|Skill#Professions.2C_colors.2C_.26_skill_categories|Skill categories}}

{{Category|Professions}}

40d:Adamantine

2010-05-10T22:32:33Z

Cohortes: has redlink

{{Metal|color=3:3:1|name=Adamantine|
|ore=
* {{L|Raw adamantine}}
|properties=
* {{L|Damage}}% 500
* {{L|Armor|Block}}% 500
* {{L|Material value}} 300
|uses=
* {{L|Weapon|Melee Weapons}}
* {{L|Crossbow}}s
* {{L|Bolt}}s
* {{L|Pick}}s
* {{L|Armor}}
* {{L|Anvil}}s
* {{L|Metalsmith's forge|Metal crafting}}
* {{L|Clothing}}
}}{{av}}{{Quality|Exceptional}}

'''Adamantine''' is by far ''the'' most rare and valuable {{L|material}} in the game. The raw ore, {{L|raw adamantine}}, can only be found in mountainous areas, and only in small amounts.

Although usually referred to as a {{L|metal}}, it also has some properties of a {{L|cloth}} - it is truly unique among materials.

Adamantine metal has a {{L|Item value|material multiplier}} of x300 ({{L|raw adamantine}} has a multiplier of x250).
__TOC__

==Uses==
Adamantine can serve as a metal or a "fabric" - adamantine {{L|Clothing#Articles|cloak}}s are amazingly protective and valuable ''(if also, to some players, an amazingly extravagant waste of this ultimate material!)''. Raw adamantine may also be processed into {{L|stone}} goods in the same way as other economic stone.

Adamantine items are incredibly light: they weigh about 2.5% as much as an equivalent article crafted from iron. {{L|Weapon}}s and {{L|armor}} made from adamantine are 5 times stronger/more deadly than equivalent {{L|iron}} objects, and almost 4x that of {{L|steel}}.*

:''(* It's not clear if this matters as much for {{L|weapon}}s as much as for armor, especially in the hands of a {{L|Soldier#Heroes_and_Champions|hero}} or {{L|Soldier#Heroes_and_Champions|champion}} - if an *exceptional steel axe* is lopping off heads and limbs with every stroke, there's not much more you can do - gone is gone. {{L|Megabeast}}s may be the obvious exception to this unproven theory. However, for {{L|armor}}, there is no upper limit to how much {{L|damage}} you want to '''avoid'''.)''

Adamantine is one of the few {{L|magma-safe}} materials. Raw adamantine is the only {{L|stone}}, aside from {{L|bauxite}}, that can be used to make magma-safe {{L|mechanism}}s. (To do this, you must lift the {{L|economic stone|restrictions}} on its use via the Stone submenu of the {{L|status}} screen.) Mechanisms can also be made from three adamantine wafers at a {{L|forge}} or {{L|magma forge}} (under "trap components") by a mechanic - though this cannot be done with any other metal, it is far more efficient to use the raw stone.

==Storage==
Raw Adamantine is stored in stone stockpiles with "Raw Adamantine" enabled in that stockpile's 'other stone' category.

However once strands are extracted, they are stored in a cloth pile. It is unfortunately impossible to directly segregate adamantine from plant fiber and silk cloth, because all cloth apparently counts as non-plant/animal products as far as the game is concerned, and adamantine does not appear as a thread/cloth type in the cloth custom stockpile menu. To create a stockpile for adamantine strands designate a cloth stockpile set to accept no types of thread or cloth and tell this stockpile to take from all other cloth stockpiles.

Wafers are stored in bar/block piles with adamantine enabled. All other goods can be stored in any stockpile with the adamantine metal enabled.

== Processing ==

Adamantine strands are extracted from {{L|raw adamantine}} at a {{L|craftsdwarf's workshop}}. The {{L|strand extraction}} labor must be enabled for a dwarf to perform the extraction. The process is extremely slow for an unskilled laborer. Adamantine strands are worth 1800☼ each, while the raw adamantine is worth 750. 1 ore => 1 strand => 1 wafer.

Subsequent processing of the strands requires no adamantine-specific skills or labor permissions. Adamantine strands are processed into adamantine wafers at any [[smelter]]. Adamantine wafers are worth 1500☼ each - curiously, less than the strands they are smelted from. Adamantine wafers are treated much like [[bar]]s of other metal, and can be forged into a variety of useful items. Adamantine strands may also be woven into cloth using the Weave Metal Cloth task in a [[loom]]. The cloth needed varies by article of clothing: 6 cloth is required for a robe, 5 for a cloak or a dress, 3 for trousers or a shirt, 2 for a vest or hood, but 1 cloth produces a pair of gloves, mittens, socks or shoes. No matter what the cost to make, all adamantine clothing seems to be worth 36000☼ for masterwork, 15000 and 12000 for the next grades down. Surprisingly, adamantine clothing ''does'' wear out and lose its value over time like other clothing. Adamantine strands may be dyed for a very small increase in value, but if they are melted into wafers they will return to their normal color and value.

Forging things out of adamantine requires a number of wafers equal to item's MATERIAL_SIZE. This is usually about three times as many as are needed for constructions with bars of other metals, since one metal bar counts for 3 MATERIAL_SIZE. For instance, plate mail has [MATERIAL_SIZE:9] and normally requires three metal bars to forge; adamantine plate mail requires nine adamantine wafers. Helm has [MATERIAL_SIZE:2] and normally requires one metal bar to forge; adamantine helm requires two adamantine wafers. Large furniture takes 9 full wafers and small furniture (buckets, animal traps) takes 3 full wafers (compare to 3 bars and 1 bar respectively for other metals), though there are some exceptions - chains, blocks, and ballista arrow heads require 4 wafers, despite requiring either 1 (for chains and blocks) or 3 (for ballista arrow heads) metal bars. Miscellaneous craft items are only 1 wafer, and you still get a full set of 3 goblets. This makes goblets far and away the best option if you want to maximize your adamantine wealth, even moreso than in other materials.

Note that if you try to melt down adamantine objects, you recover wafers at the same rate that you would normally recover bars, so trying to melt down lower-quality adamantine items to reforge them gets prohibitively expensive in a hurry - adamantine plate mail takes 9 wafers to forge and yields slightly less than a single wafer when melted for scrap.

Engravings in adamantine are not exceptionally valuable, increasing Architecture created wealth by 120 for masterwork or 50 for exceptional quality.

{{gamedata}}
{{Category|Metals}}
{{Category|Spoilers}}

40d:Farmer

2010-05-10T22:31:24Z

Cohortes:

{{av}}{{Quality|Fine}}
'''Farmer''' is a category profession. It contains skills relating to the production of {{l|food}} through {{l|creature|animals}} and {{l|plant|plants}}, and the processing of animal and plant byproducts. It also contains skills relating to the production of {{l|ash}} and its byproducts.

An adult {{l|dwarf}} whose best {{l|skill}} is in this category, and who has accumulated ranks in other farmer skills (how much is not clear) will be known as a Farmer.

Once he has achieved 'grand master' skill in one of these skills, but not in the others, he will be known by this skill.

If a dwarf has {{l|experience}} in only one farmer skill he will be known by his or her highest skill.

The farming skills are:

{{Skill Box|Farmer|#880|#880|
* {{l|Brewer}}
* {{l|Butcher}}
* {{l|Cheese maker}}
* {{l|Cook}}
* {{l|Dyer}}
* {{l|Grower}}
* {{l|Herbalist}}
* {{l|Lye maker}}
* {{l|Milker}}
* {{l|Miller}}
* {{l|Potash maker}}
* {{l|Soaper}}
* {{l|Tanner}}
* {{l|Thresher}}
* {{l|Wood burner}}
}}

;See also:
:* {{l|Skill#Professions.2C_colors.2C_.26_skill_categories|Skill categories}}
{{Category|Professions}}

40d:Lignite

2010-05-10T22:17:28Z

Cohortes:

{{av}}{{Quality|Fine}}
{{Stone|name=Lignite|tile=*|color=0:7:1
|uses =
* Create 2 {{L|coke}} at {{L|smelter}}
|location =
* {{L|Sedimentary layer}}s
* Found as veins
|properties =
* Can {{L|ignite}}
* {{L|Economic stone}}
* {{L|Material value}} 1}}

One of the two mineral sources of {{L|fuel}}, '''Lignite''' is found in {{L|vein}}s in {{L|sedimentary layer}}s. When processed at a {{L|smelter}} or {{L|magma smelter}}, one unit of lignite produces 2 units of {{L|Fuel#The_two_sub-types_of_fuel|coke}}. If done at a regular {{L|smelter}}, this processing requires one pre-existing unit of fuel (either {{L|Fuel#The_two_sub-types_of_fuel|charcoal}} or coke), leaving a ''net'' production of 1 fuel.

Lignite is flammable. (It should not be necessary to add that it is ''not'' a {{L|fire-safe}} material.)

;See also:
:* {{L|bituminous coal}}

{{Rocks}}
{{Category|Stone}}
{{Category|Economic Stone}}
{{Category|Sedimentary Stone Layers}}

v0.31:Black opal

2010-05-10T22:17:07Z

Cohortes:

v0.31:Advanced world generation

2010-05-10T22:15:59Z

Cohortes:

{{av}}{{Quality|Fine}}
= Advanced Parameters =

To access advanced parameters, press {{key|e}} when at the screen for creating new worlds with parameters screen. This will bring you to an editable list of various guidelines the world-gen process will use when creating your new world.

Parameter sets are stored in ''world_gen.txt'' in the ''\data\init'' folder, using [[world tokens]]. You can copy and paste other player's sets of parameters into your ''world_gen.txt'' to use their parameter sets, and some are provided at [[Pregenerated worlds]]. Another place to find parameter sets is the [http://www.bay12games.com/forum/index.php?topic=20638.0 Worldgen cookbook] thread on the official forums.

== Caverns Parameters ==

=== Cavern Layer Number ===

This parameter determines how many cavern systems will be generated, not including the Magma layer or the Bottom layer. Defaults to three.

If this is 0 then you will not have Caverns on your map.

=== Layer Openness min\max ===

Still unknown. It doesn't seem to affect whether there's a wall at the edge of the map, but it may affect whether creatures will come in through the edges.

=== Layer Passage Density min\max ===

This determines whether caverns will be large open spaces (at 0), or broken up into a number of small vertical shafts(at 100).

=== Layer Watern min\max ===

Determines how many caverns will have water at the bottom. Note that, even at 100, there will be some amount of ground in caverns, but each cavern 'bubble' will contain some amount of water.

At 0, there will be no water in your caverns. This may impact future underground plant growth, although maps will still start with underground flora.

=== Magma Layer ===

Magma sea 4-5 layers at the bottom of map.

=== Bottom Layer ===

Cavern below magma sea.
if "yes" the "HFS" layer is always present.

=== Z Levels === '''[This table is confusing, please elaborate.]'''

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Setting
! Description
|-
| Above ground
|-
| Ground
|-
| Above layer 1
|-
| Cavern Layer 1
| 1 have some level
|-
| Above layer 2
| 1
|-
| Cavern Layer 2
| 2 have some level
|-
| Above layer 3
| 2
|-
| Cavern Layer 3
| 3 have some level
|-
| Above Layer 4
| 3
|-
| Magma Layer
| 4 have up to 5 level
|-
| Above Layer 5
| 5
|-
| Start Bottom Layer
| 5
|-
| Levels At Bottom
| 5
|-
|}

*1 if Cavern Layer Number > 0.
*2 if Cavern Layer Number > 1.
*3 if Cavern Layer Number = 3.
*4 if Magma Layer = Yes or Bottom Layer = Yes.
*5 if Bottom Layer = Yes.

40d:Wood crafter

2010-05-10T22:15:35Z

Cohortes:

{{av}}{{Quality|Fine}}
{{Skill
| color = #00F
| skill = Wood Crafter
| specialty = Woodcrafter
| profession = {{L|Craftsdwarf}}
| job name = Woodcrafting
| tasks =
* Make Wooden {{L|Craft}}s
* Make Wooden {{L|Toy}}
* Make Wooden {{L|Instrument}}
* Make Wooden {{L|goblet|Cup}}
* Make Wooden {{L|Bolt}}s
| workshop = {{L|Craftsdwarf's workshop}}
}}

The '''Wood crafter''' makes {{L|wood}}en {{L|bolt}}s, {{L|crafts}}, {{L|cup}}s, {{L|instrument}}s and {{L|toy}}s at a {{L|craftsdwarf's workshop}}. Like in all other jobs, higher skill means faster performance and higher {{L|item quality}}. Wood's low material value and high usefulness for other purposes makes a woodcrafter somewhat less useful than a stonecrafter or bone carver, but if wood is plentiful, then wooden bolts can be a useful supplement to bone for training purposes.

{{Skills}}
{{Category|Skills}}
{{Category|Jobs}}

v0.31:Spiny dogfish

2010-05-10T22:15:18Z

Cohortes:

{{av}}{{Quality|Fine}}
{{CreatureInfo|name=Spiny Dogfish|symbol=s|color=6:0:0|
biome=
* [[Temperate]] [[Ocean]]
* [[Tropical]] [[Ocean]]
}}

:''A large fish found in coastal temperate waters.''

{{Game_Data|[CREATURE:SHARK_SPINY_DOGFISH]
[DESCRIPTION:A large fish found in coastal temperate waters.]
[NAME:spiny dogfish:spiny dogfish:spiny dogfish]
[CASTE_NAME:spiny dogfish:spiny dogfish:spiny dogfish]
[CHILD:1][GENERAL_CHILD_NAME:spiny dogfish pup:spiny dogfish pups]
[CREATURE_TILE:'s'][COLOR:6:0:0]
[LARGE_ROAMING]
[AQUATIC][UNDERSWIM][IMMOBILE_LAND]
[BENIGN][MEANDERER][NATURAL]
[PETVALUE:200]
[BIOME:OCEAN_TEMPERATE]
[BIOME:OCEAN_TROPICAL]
[POPULATION_NUMBER:15:30]
[PREFSTRING:dorsal spines]
[BODY:BASIC_2PARTBODY:BASIC_HEAD:SIDE_FINS:DORSAL_FIN:TAIL:2EYES:HEART:GUTS:ORGANS:NECK:SPINE:BRAIN:SKULL:MOUTH:RIBCAGE:GENERIC_TEETH]
[BODY_DETAIL_PLAN:STANDARD_MATERIALS]
[REMOVE_MATERIAL:HAIR]
[REMOVE_MATERIAL:BONE]
[BODY_DETAIL_PLAN:STANDARD_TISSUES]
[REMOVE_TISSUE:HAIR]
[REMOVE_TISSUE:BONE]
[BODY_DETAIL_PLAN:VERTEBRATE_TISSUE_LAYERS:SKIN:FAT:MUSCLE:CARTILAGE:CARTILAGE]
[SELECT_TISSUE_LAYER:HEART:BY_CATEGORY:HEART]
[PLUS_TISSUE_LAYER:SKIN:BY_CATEGORY:THROAT]
[TL_MAJOR_ARTERIES]
[BODY_DETAIL_PLAN:STANDARD_HEAD_POSITIONS]
[BODY_DETAIL_PLAN:HUMANOID_RIBCAGE_POSITIONS]
[USE_MATERIAL_TEMPLATE:SINEW:SINEW_TEMPLATE]
[TENDONS:LOCAL_CREATURE_MAT:SINEW:200]
[LIGAMENTS:LOCAL_CREATURE_MAT:SINEW:200]
[HAS_NERVES]
[USE_MATERIAL_TEMPLATE:BLOOD:BLOOD_TEMPLATE]
[BLOOD:LOCAL_CREATURE_MAT:BLOOD:LIQUID]
[CREATURE_CLASS:GENERAL_POISON]
[GETS_WOUND_INFECTIONS]
[GETS_INFECTIONS_FROM_ROT]
[USE_MATERIAL_TEMPLATE:PUS:PUS_TEMPLATE]
[PUS:LOCAL_CREATURE_MAT:PUS:LIQUID]
[BODY_SIZE:0:0:2000]
[BODY_SIZE:1:0:10000]
[BODY_SIZE:5:0:30000]
[BODY_APPEARANCE_MODIFIER:LENGTH:90:95:98:100:102:105:110]
[BODY_APPEARANCE_MODIFIER:BROADNESS:90:95:98:100:102:105:110]
[MAXAGE:20:30]
[ATTACK:BITE:CHILD_BODYPART_GROUP:BY_CATEGORY:HEAD:BY_CATEGORY:TOOTH]
[ATTACK_SKILL:BITE]
[ATTACK_VERB:bite:bites]
[ATTACK_CONTACT_PERC:100]
[ATTACK_PENETRATION_PERC:100]
[ATTACK_PRIORITY:MAIN]
[ATTACK_FLAG_EDGE]
[ATTACK_FLAG_CANLATCH]
[ATTACK:SLAP:BODYPART:BY_CATEGORY:TAIL]
[ATTACK_SKILL:STANCE_STRIKE]
[ATTACK_VERB:slap:slaps]
[ATTACK_CONTACT_PERC:100]
[ATTACK_PRIORITY:SECOND]
[ATTACK_FLAG_WITH]
[ALL_ACTIVE]
[NO_DRINK]
[HOMEOTHERM:10067]
[SWIMS_INNATE][SWIM_SPEED:500]
[MUNDANE]
[CASTE:FEMALE]
[FEMALE]
[CASTE:MALE]
[MALE]
[SELECT_CASTE:ALL]
[SET_TL_GROUP:BY_CATEGORY:ALL:SKIN]
[TL_COLOR_MODIFIER:GRAY:1]
[TLCM_NOUN:skin:SINGULAR]
[SET_TL_GROUP:BY_CATEGORY:EYE:EYE]
[TL_COLOR_MODIFIER:BLACK:1]
[TLCM_NOUN:eyes:PLURAL]
}}
{{Creatures}}

{{Category|Creatures}}

v0.31:Starting build

2010-05-10T22:14:32Z

Cohortes: /* Which skills do I need, really? */

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

A '''starting build''' is a personal ''strategy'' for choosing the initial supplies, equipment, and {{l|skill}}s of your initial seven dwarves when starting a new game in {{l|fortress mode}}. These skills and items which you assign to your dwarves will have a large impact on life in your new fortress, especially in its first year.

This page attempts to give advice on some of the many gameplay elements which influence the flow of your game based on your goals. These include: choosing a ''fortress site'', the ''starting build'' itself, as well as ''challenge builds'' aimed at providing new or unusual challenges to advanced players.

But one thing should be made clear - there is no "best" build, no "perfect" or "clearly superior" final mix of skills and items. There are too many variables to connect, not the least of which is... you! Your play style, what you, as an individual player, consider preferable for the proper mix of fun and challenge. And then there is the environment, where your dwarves will arrive, the creatures, the resources available, and so forth.

Items are tied to starting skills, and starting skills are tied to the expected environment for your chosen embark, and all are tied to your preferences for playing the game - not all sites require (or invite) the same approach, and no two players would take the same approach to the same environment.

So while suggestions can be made, and new ideas presented for your consideration, ultimately the final "best" mix for you will have to come from your experience, which will begin to grow during your first game. Without understanding "everything", some decisions will just have to be guesswork - and even later you never know "everything".

__TOC__

== Components of a Starting Build ==
A starting build must be seen as a whole - the embark location affects the needed supplies, and influences what skills may be most needed or useful. Along with this is player preferences - if you wish an economy based on {{l|prepared meal}}s, {{l|glass}}, or {{l|steel}}, each of those have very different requirements. Likewise, if you want to play a military game, fighting off sieges with huge battles, that's a very different mix (and different site requirements) than if you want a calm location to build your perfect {{l|mega construction}}.

=== Skills ===
With only 7 dwarves, you can't take every {{l|skill}}, so you have to balance what you do take. At this starting phase, each dwarf can only be assigned a maximum total of 10 skill levels, with no single skill starting higher than "5". With 7 starting dwarves, you could no skills at all, or take 70 skills all at level 1, or 14 skills all at level 5* (2 per dwarf), the highest allowed at embark, or (most likely) something close in between the last two, but closer to that last.

:''(* Note that an unskilled dwarf starts with all Skills at Level '''0'''. Adding +5 Levels is then Level '''5'''. This is true regardless of how many "points" a level costs when first buying skills at embark.)''

Once play starts, dwarves can learn any and all skills - these choices only determine what sort of "head start" they have, what they are good at when they first hit the ground. See {{l|experience}} for a discussion of increasing skills during game play.

The considerations are several:

:* Maximizing starting skill ranks vs. generalizing and having more skills covered at lower levels.
:* Balancing multiple skills for a single dwarf, so they aren't constantly needed for two different tasks at critical periods
:* Military vs economic needs
:* Your goals vs "basic survival needs" to keep your fortress healthy and happy.
:* Speed that a skill can be trained in game
:* Demand for a skill during a game
:* Whether quality or speed are significant considerations for tasks/final product
:* Balancing the desire to create {{l|wealth}} ''(with high-value products)'' with the need to maintain {{l|thought|morale}} ''(with low-value but commonly used products, like {{l|bed}}s, which normally are made from {{l|wood}})''.
:* & most importantly - ''your playstyle'' - what '''you''' think is "fun"!

While there are some arguable "no-brainer" choices (or are for each player, according to their playstyle), the final few selections are often a coin toss, or close to. And there is often more than one way to skin a cat - in fact, while many players recommend ''never'' starting with more than one cat, starting with many cats (breeding them for leather, bones and meat) and a skilled {{l|leatherworker}} and/or {{l|bone carver}} is one way to go with (part of) a starting build. Until you have some personal experience, the various suggestions and advice may mean little, but will have more meaning after your first fortress inevitably fails - {{l|Losing|losing is fun}}.

So don't over-think it at first - you'll make a good guess, dive in, and learn far more than we can explain here.

=== Items ===
The starting items are what is needed for your dwarves to survive until they are self-sufficient, or at least until the first yearly {{l|caravan}}s will keep them afloat. The first won't show up until Autumn, so that's more than 2 seasons your dwarves are on their own.

A dwarf eats about 2 meals a season, and drinks a little more than 4 drinks in that same time. If you add your expected {{L|migrant}}s, multiply that by the number of seasons, you can estimate how much food and booze will be needed to get you safely through to the first {{L|caravan}} - barring {{L|losing|the unforeseen}}. In your starting build, you can bring all of that, or your {{l|hunter}}s, {{l|Plant gathering|plant gatherers}}, {{l|fisherdwarf}}s, {{l|grower}}s and {{l|brewer}}s can provide some or most of it.

Similarly, most of the finished products are expensive to buy pre-embark, and so a minimum is recommended - maybe a pick or two for immediate mining and basic defense, maybe a (cheap?) axe* or two for better defense and cutting wood, thread, cloth or a rope for a {{l|well}}, maybe a few leather to make bags, and call it good.

:''(* "Wooden practice axes" cost only 17P, and cut down wood just fine. They will be significantly weaker than metal axes in combat, but still far superior to {{L|wrestling}}, and you can {{l|Make your own weapons|DIY}} quickly enough.)''

You can produce any and all of those from scratch if you are willing to wait - and your {{l|surroundings}} don't kill you first. Raw materials are much cheaper, in the form of {{l|ore}}s, {{l|wood}}, {{l|leather}} and so forth, but whether you want to take the time at the start of the game is the question. The trade-off is always a balance of cost savings vs. time savings when you first strike the earth. Everything else depends on your strategy and on how tough or leisurely a challenge you want the game to be.

====Your civilization====
On the map menu, if you hit {{k|Tab}} twice, you will see a list of possible {{l |Civilization}}s that your dwarves can start from, if there is more than one. Each can have access to different starting equipment and material to offer you - some will be significantly better or worse supplied, and some may be lacking one key item you desire, while another will lack something else equally critical to your plan. Unfortunately you will only find out when selecting your items, after selecting a {{l|location}}. To chose another Civilization requires a start-over. Another important difference is whether your civilization is at {{l|war}} with one of the neighbours; This results in early attacks on your fort and, obviously, no trade {{l|caravan}}s from them.

If you don't like the civilization you chose, or wish to compare what each has to offer, you must either finish the embark, "abandon" the fortress and then re-embark in the same location (using a '''saved''' copy of the game world!), or use {{k|Ctl}}+{{k|Alt}}+{{k|Del}} (or the equiv for your OS), shut down the game and restart it from scratch, then Start again, reload the game world, and find the same embark site - this is not difficult if you made careful notes, but is still a pain, no doubt.

Every such re-start gives you a different mix of dwarves with different names, {{L |attribute|attributes}}, {{L |personality|personalities}} and {{L |preferences}}, but the civilizations are part of the map and stay constant. The default civilization chosen for you will vary, however.

===Saving a starting mix===
Once you have the mix of items and skills that you like, you can hit {{k|s}} and save it to a template with a custom name. In a later game, you can pick that profile when you embark. If your selected civilization does not have some of the desired items in your template, this is announced clearly, and a different civilization can be tried as described above, or you can continue and change your mix.

If you match skills to the {{l|preferences}} and {{L |personality|personalities}} of your dwarves, it may be an idea not to include any skills in such a template, as they will simply be applied in the original order to the current dwarves as they appear on the list.

If you find additional items that you wish to add (perhaps another type of cheap meat, or an ore not previously available), you can edit those in by hitting {{k|s}}, overwriting your old template.

:''(You can also go into the .txt file, located at data/init/embark_profiles, and edit in the SKILLS or ITEMS as you want - the syntax is fairly straightforward.)''

= "Play Now!" =
This option gives you an automatic, low-powered and generalized starting mix with no thinking involved. If you select this option, you are ''immediately'' advanced to the game map with no chance to alter your starting skills or items.

When you pick this option, you currently{{version|0.31.01}} start with:

'''dwarves:'''
:* one Adequate" {{l|Miner}} (+2 {{l|Experience|skill levels}})
& five dwarves with Novice (+1 skill level) in each of the following skills...
:* {{l|Carpenter}}/ {{l|Bowyer}}
:* {{l|Engraver}}/ {{l|Mason}}/ {{l|Mechanic}}/ {{l|Building designer|Building Designer}}
:* {{l|Gem cutter|Gem Cutter}}/ {{l|Gem setter|Gem Setter}}/ {{l|Wood crafter}}/ {{l|Stone crafter}}/ {{l|Bone carver|Bone Carver}}
:* {{l|Fisherdwarf}}
:* {{l|Fish cleaner|Fish Cleaner}}/ {{l|Butcher}}/ {{l|Tanner}}/ {{l|Weaver}}/ {{l|Clothier}}/ {{l|Leatherworker}}

:And one "Leader", with Novice in:
:* {{l|Wood cutter|Wood Cutter}}/ {{l|Brewer}}/ {{l|Cook}}/ {{l|Grower}}/ {{l|Herbalist}}/ {{l|Wood burner|Wood Burner}}/ {{l|Furnace operator|Furnace Operator}}/ {{l|Lye maker|Lye Maker}}/ {{l|Potash maker|Potash Maker}}
::''plus'' Adequate in:
:: {{l|Wound dresser|Wound Dresser}}, {{l|Diagnostician}}, {{l|Surgeon}}, {{l|Bone doctor|Bone Doctor}}, {{l|Suturer}}.

:''(Note that that last dwarf has far more "levels" in starting skills (by twice!) for a single dwarf than are allowed by "Planning Carefully", below!)''

'''Items'''
:* 2 Copper {{l|pick}}s
:* 2 Copper battle {{l|axe}}s
:* 1 Iron {{l|anvil}}
:* 60 units alcohol (20 each of 3 random types1, 12 free barrels)
:* 5 ''each'' {{l|seed}}s2 (& 6 bags)
:* 15 units of meat (one random type, 10 + 5 units in 2 barrels3)
:* 15 units of fish (one random type, 10 + 5 units in 2 barrels3)
:* 15 units of plump helmets (10 + 5 units in 2 barrels3)
:* 5 pig tail fiber thread
:* 5 pig tail fiber cloth
:* 5 pig tail fiber bag
:* 3 pig tail fiber ropes
:* 3 wooden4 buckets
:* 3 wooden4 splints
:* 3 wooden4 crutch
:* 2 dogs (random sex)
:* 2 cats (random sex)
:* 1 random cow/ox/mule/horse (random sex)

::''Notes:''
:::1. ''There are only 4 different {{L |alcohol}}s possible at this stage, so if two or three of the same are randomly chosen, it's quite possible to start with 40 or 60 of the same type. (A wider variety is usually better.)''
:::2. ''The six underground crops are: dimple cup, cave wheat, plump helmet, sweet pods, pig tail, quarry bush.''
:::3. ''A barrel can hold up to 10 dry items (or 5 wet). One of these barrels is only half full. ''
:::4. ''All wooden items will be of 1 type of wood.''

As a challenge for an experienced player, this is not an uncommon choice. But even as a starting player you can do much better if you choose the "'''Prepare for the journey carefully'''" option and do just that - prepare carefully, as described below...

="Prepare for the Journey Carefully"=
Good advice. This option allows you complete control over your starting mix of skills and beginning items. By default, your dwarves start with no skills, and you are offered the following items, which are very similar to the "Play Now" mix, but all are optional and can be sold back and changed according to your preferences. Each item costs a number of "points" - you will buy ''both'' your starting items ''and'' the starting {{L |skills}} for your dwarves with one pool of combined points, 1274 total.

(This choice also allows you to select/create the {{l|Fortress name}} yourself, rather than have it randomly generated.)

The point costs for the default items are listed below.

::{|cellpadding="2" border="1"
! Default Items !! Cost (in "points") !! Comments
|-
| 2 Copper {{l|pick}}s || 88 (44 each) || for {{l|mining}}
|-
| 2 Copper battle {{l|axe}}s || 136 (68 each) || weapons and {{l|woodcutting}}
|-
| 1 Iron {{l|anvil}} || 100 || required for any metal working
|-
| 20 alcohol, random1 || 40 (2 each) || 4 free barrels
|-
| 20 alcohol, random1 || 40 (2 each) || 4 free barrels
|-
| 20 alcohol, random1 || 40 (2 each) || 4 free barrels
|-
| 5 of each underground seed2 || | 30 6*5 (1 each) || 6 free bags
|-
| 15 meat of one random (cheap) type || 30 (2 each) || 2 free barrels3
|-
| 15 fish of one random (cheap) type || 30 (2 each) || 2 free barrels3
|-
| 15 {{l|Plump helmet}}s || 60 (4 each) || 2 free barrels3
|-
| 5 pig tail fiber thread || 60 (12 each) ||
|-
| 5 pig tail fiber cloth || 70 (14 each) ||
|-
| 5 pig tail fiber bag || 100 (20 each) ||
|-
| 3 pig tail fiber ropes || 60 (20 each) ||
|-
| 3 wooden4 buckets || 30 (10 each) || medical
|-
| 3 wooden4 splints || 30 (10 each) || medical
|-
| 3 wooden4 crutch || 30 (10 each) || medical
|-
| No dogs, no cats || ||
|-
|}
:1. There are only 4 different {{L|alcohol}}s possible at this stage, so if two or three of the same are randomly chosen, it's quite possible to start with 40 or 60 of the same type. (A wider variety is usually better.)
:2. The six underground crops are: dimple cup, cave wheat, plump helmet, sweet pods, pig tail, and quarry bush.
:3. A barrel can hold up to 10 dry items (or 5 wet). One of these barrels is only half full.
:4. All wooden items will be of 1 type of wood.

With the above items, your point pool starts at '''300''' (visible in the lower right corner). This is not ''close'' to enough points to buy full skills for all your dwarves, but you can sell back any or all of the above items that you choose and recover the points, spending them as you prefer. There is no quick and easy solution to this, but the possible options are infinite*. Returning all equipment is worth 1274 points total, but unused points are of no use after embark, once the actual gameplay starts, so spend now or waste them.

:''(* Note that an anvil is needed to do any metalworking, and in turn cannot be created without another anvil. Selling your anvil back means you will not do any metalworking at least until the Autumn {{L |caravan}}, and then only if they bring one - which they 'usually' do, but not always. Next dwarven caravan is a year after that, and so on.)''

=====Using the menu=====
Use {{k|Tab}} to switch between selecting Skills and Items. Use the 4 directional keys or number pad to navigate to highlight the different choices/columns, and {{k|+}} or {{k|-}} to choose more or less of the highlighted item or skill. When viewing items, hit {{k|n}} to go to a menu for any "new" items, that are not currently listed, including any you removed by reducing the number to 0; select the item, hit {{k|Enter}}, then increase the number desired as above ({{k|+}} or {{k|-}}) in the main menu.

If you cannot buy additional skill levels, you are out of points and must return some items for additional points. Higher-priced items will automatically be removed from viewable new items if you do not have enough points for those selections, showing only what you can afford with your current points.

=== Skills ===
At this stage, pre-embark, skills cost a number of starting points, equaling monetary value. Later, during fortress mode, all skills will be trained by practice, and "cost" is no longer a concern. All dwarves start with "No Skill" and the first additional skill level (Novice) costs 5 points. To buy the next level would cost 6, and so on. To buy up Proficient (the max allowed to start with), costs 5+6+7+8+9, or 35 points.

A dwarf can start with up to 10 additional levels, regardless whether that's 10 skills at Novice, or 2 skills at Proficient. So, if you are going to buy the maximum skills allowed (highly recommended), that can cost from between 50 to 70 points each, but is usually around 400-450+ for all 7 dwarves.

Each {{l|dwarf}} can (over time) learn any or all {{l|skills}}. Dwarves with little experience in a skill will work slowly and ineffectively, while dwarves with higher skill work faster and/or produce a significantly higher quality product. Some skills are not used often, and/or produce no "quality" in the final product, or produce qualities that have little impact on the game - for these it's questionable whether investing in high starting levels is worthwhile, but that's often a judgment call.

* For example inexperienced {{l|herbalist|herbalists}} will gather stacks of only one or two {{l|plant}}s, and often nothing at all, and inexperienced {{l|farming|farmers}} will often plant stacks of only one or two plants. This results in a small overall output which takes many {{l|container#container|containers}} to store in, less effective {{l|food}} preparation in the {{l|kitchen}}, and more space needed for {{l|stockpiles}}.
* Inexperienced {{l|miner}}s work very slowly and are less likely to recover mined gems or valuable ores. Mining can be leveled up quite quickly by mining {{l|soil#soil|soil}}, but taking two dwarves with at least some points in mining is recommended in many cases.
* In nearly all {{l|workshop}}s, inexperienced dwarves who create items will only rarely produce high-quality goods, and take a long time doing so. Skilled dwarves work quickly and produce high-quality items far more reliably.
** {{l|Quality}} is a central concept in the game - it affects {{l|food}}, {{l|alcohol}}, and almost anything you will have your dwarves create in the game: {{l|trading}} goods, {{l|barrel}}s, {{l|clothing}}, {{l|armor}}, {{l|furniture}}, {{l|weapon|weapons}}, and so on. Quality also has a large effect on the worth of an item while {{l|trading}}.

Dwarves improve their skills on a learning-by-doing-basis. Dwarves who have specific labors will attain Dabbling status as soon as they complete one job of that type. (Certain jobs, such as building workshops, won't make your dwarves more experienced. But most will.) As the number of jobs they do increases, their skill will increase as well. Overall, "leveling up" the dwarves' skills quickly is a good game goal to set. Doing so may result in your dwarves efficiently creating a magnificent fortress filled to the brim with valuable items and {{l|furniture}}. (Or it might {{l|losing|not}}.)

Using and seeing high-quality items gives dwarves happy {{l|thought}}s. This tends to decrease the incidences of {{l|tantrum}}s, increasing a fortress's longevity.

==== Which skills do I need, really? ====

The only thing that you absolutely must do in the first year is get your food supplies into a food stockpile, preferably inside, otherwise your food will rot on the ground and your dwarves will starve. Anything else you want to do can be accommodated by sufficient investment in initial food supplies and/or skills. This means the options for possible starting builds are vast because virtually any set of starting skills for your dwarves is viable (and that's before you even think about equipment, which adds more variables). So the short answer is: none.

That said, there are some skills which will be '''used''', to one extent or another, by virtually every fortress - but that doesn't mean you '''need''' or even want to invest points in them to start. You could even manipulate the fortress (see {{l|challenge}}) to completely avoid one or more of the following, but these are the skills you will find it exceptionally hard to avoid creating jobs for:
:{{l|Mining}} - to dig your fortress, and gain stone for projects. Only possible to avoid using if you're secretly an elf.
:{{l|Carpentry}} - {{l|bed}}s can only be produced from {{l|wood}} (rare {{l|mood}}s aside)
:{{l|Masonry}} - to build walls and stairs, and fashion dwarven furniture from stone. Possible to work around, but incredibly hard and annoying to do.
:{{l|Grower|Growing}} - your farmers' work echoes throughout so many other tasks, it's stunning
:{{l|Brewing}} - all dwarves "need alcohol to get through the working day"
:{{l|Mechanics}} - if you want traps, and most people will. Also needed for most machinery, now more essential than ever since irrigating is no longer optional.
:{{l|Architecture|Building Designer}} - mandatory for some buildings and constructions, but skill only improves speed a tad and increases structure {{l|value}}
:{{l|Broker skills}} - most importantly {{l|appraiser}} - for {{l|trade|trading}}
:{{L|Record keeper}} - Lets you be able to see the exact amount of things you have much faster than training one, and is necessary to view the stocks screen.

''Note! - Some new skills in 01.30.01 are unclear as to their use/need - Observer, Fighter, Leader and so on.''

Of the above, Masonry, Growing, Brewing, Cooking, and Mechanics are generally worth considering as "highly desirable" starting skills for your dwarves. Carpentry is used, but opinions differ - on one hand, wood items are just not worth that much {{l|value}}-wise ''(10's of dwarfbucks vs 100's for stone furniture or 1000's for armor or prepared foods, for instance)'', so the difference in monetary value between high-quality and no-quality is minor for wood products. However, high-quality {{l|bed}}s are one of the easiest ways to help make and keep your dwarves {{l|thought|happy}} (since every dwarf will encounter a bed regularly), so some players swear by it. Mining is important but also fast to train, so one or two unskilled miners is usually ample. A minimum of Broker skills are highly recommended to start with at the Novice (1 pt) level - it'll make your life much easier (especially Novice level of {{l|Appraiser}}, at least, as it greatly facilitates trading).

Of course, even near-certainty that you will use these skills doesn't mean you have to start with dwarves already skilled in them. Remember, '''any skill can be used untrained, and/or get trained on the job''' - it just means a slower process and/or average lower quality product than if done by a dwarf with a higher {{l|experience|skill level}}. All of the above skills can be used untrained if you so choose, but you will use them.

Ultimately the answer to "What skills do I need?" is "Whichever ''you'' want". Choosing a mixture of these commonly used skills and your desired specialized skills will make starting up your fortress easier and more efficient.

==== What considerations could inform my skill selection?====
Every skill not listed in the preceeding section is only used if you want it to be, and the benefits of experience in skills vary considerably. Skills you choose have to be balanced against your play-style, the environment (danger, ores, other resources), the relative value of the final product, and what you must give up to gain those skills. You will often want some optional skills, often vastly more than something as useful and desirable as even masonry. For example, any player intending to do more than dabble in the metal industry may well want to start with multiple dwarves each highly skilled in at least one metal industry skill, especially those that produce goods with {{L|Quality|quality}}.

The following may influence your choices of skills:

#Some skills are harder to gain experience in than others - requiring valuable resources or taking an extended period of time, and thus inconvenient to train from the ground up. Investing in some of these extensively in your initial dwarves can make those industries much less painful to start. For example, metal-related skills generally eat metal bars, and thus the less time you spend training metal workers up to a decent level, the faster they'll be churning out high-quality items for you, and the fewer bars they'll waste becoming skilled. On the other hand, despite its importance, skills like mining train relatively quickly and barring extenuating circumstances (expected need to accomplish particular digging projects in the first month or you'll get mauled by a Giant for example) there's little need to actually invest your starting skills in it - they can learn on the job.
#Keep in mind that some skills are used to make {{l|legendary artifact}}s, and successfully making an artifact will give the dwarf a lot of experience in the used skill. It can be worth investing in some skills solely to bias your artifact skill pool in the hopes of getting a legendary dwarf in an industry you want to really get working on a year or two in. (See {{l|Strange mood}}s for more info.)
#While its possible to feed your fortress on nothing but caravan goods, you'll never come by enough alcohol that way, so you'll eventually need to grow crops for brewing, and dwarves will literally go crazy if forced to drink nothing but water for long periods. Thus you'll want to plan for farming eventually - not that you need to bring a highly skilled {{l|Grower}}, but it'll certainly be ''very'' helpful. Likewise, a skilled {{l|brewer}} produces higher quality {{l|alcohol}} (''though the quality is hidden!)'', which improves your dwarves' mood, as does a skilled {{l|cook}} with the foods they prepare. However, most food can be eaten raw, and so long as they are not starving there is life.
#If you plan on settling in a dangerous area, consider including at least some military skills, if not a dedicated {{l|soldier}}, or several. The nature of the environment should dictate the military skills chosen (for example, marksdwarves will be an ineffective counter to expected roving hordes of {{l|skeletal}} wildlife).

====Generalist vs Specialist====
Any dwarf can have any labor designated, and they will perform that task and learn or improve that skill, even if they have no skill related to that labor when they start. So you don't need an example of every skill. A skilled dwarf will produce a better {{l|quality}} product, and/or do it faster, but if that's rarely used, "faster" doesn't mean as much. Many jobs have no real "product", and so no quality modifiers - plant gathering, wood cutting, wood burning, smelting, animal trainer, etc. etc. merely produce "stuff", not "quality stuff", or may not be used very often, and/or not be used much after the first year of the fortress. There are as many opinions about balancing generalists with specialists as there are players.

Some skills are also trained up fairly quickly or cheaply, especially where the task consumes no (valuable) materials, or doesn't matter in the final product - mining, furnace operator, wood cutting, butcher, tanner, glass making and (especially) {{l|administrator}} skills being only a few examples.



==== Combining Skills ====
Some {{l|skills}} are highly time-consuming, and working at different jobs levels up specific {{l|attribute}}s. One could level up a miner until he becomes mighty and ultra-tough - and then turn him into a soldier, or retire him to haul stone. If you plan on doing so, it may not be a good idea to give this guy a second critical job that will demand a lot of time away from their focus. There are many parts to a suit of armour, so armoursmithing will take more time than weaponsmithing - once you have one weapon per soldier, he's done. Masons, miners, growers, and any craft that your fortress will base their economy off of (glass, stonecrafts, armour, etc) will take a lot of time.

Since tasks will take place in specific areas, another approach is to combine tasks into dwarves who will take care of a specific industry, or spend all their time in one generally narrow part of the fortress - the forges, or the kitchens, or outdoors, for instance. So combining Farming with cooking, rather than mining, for example, and turn on only Haul Food, not Haul Stone. Woodcutter/Herbalist/Mason/Axedwarf (for outdoor walls/projects) might be another combination - the possibilities are endless.

Some combinations follow naturally in sequence to each other, but also can conflict with each other. One animal is butchered, then the leather is tanned, and the meat is cooked. But if you have 5 animals, several will rot before one dwarf can process all of those. A highly skilled craftsdwarf is often better suited at sitting in their {{l|workshop}} and having others deliver raw materials to them, than going out and obtaining their own raw materials themselves.

Many builds recommend combinations such as:

* '''Outdoors''': Woodcutter/Plant Gatherer. Add {{l|axeman|Axedwarf}} for added security.
* '''Mason+____''' : In many fortresses, the Mason is a very busy dwarf. He could be a spare miner, have abilities that are only rarely needed, or do tasks that can be accomplished quickly like {{l|building designer}}.
* '''Farmer/Cook, Farmer/Brewer'''. Basic two-person food team.
* '''Farmer/Herbalist, Farmer/Brewer/Cook'''. One bold dwarf to farm and venture outside looking for wild plants, the other to keep busy in the {{l|still}}, kitchen, and indoor farms.
* '''Boss''': Novice {{l|Negotiator}}/Novice {{l|Judge of intent}}/Novice {{l|Appraiser}}. This guy will be your {{l|Leader}} and {{l|Trader}}; you can make him {{l|record keeper}} too (the default), at least to start with. Combine this with a single time-intensive task such as {{l|Masonry}} and optionally turn off all hauling tasks right at the start of the game. Or keep him a generalist, or combine with one of the other options.
* '''Weaponsmith/Leatherworker''': If they're not arming your military, they're making leather armor for them.
* '''{{l|Craftsdwarf}}''', depending on your strategy - e.g. {{l|glass}} maker, {{l|weaponsmith}} or {{l|armorsmith}}, sometimes combined with related tasks from that industry ({{l|furnace operating}}, {{l|wood burner|wood burning}}). Typically an item hauler in the initial months of your fortress, this dwarf may become one of your most valuable dwarves later.

Not all combinations have to "look right" together. A weaponsmith will most probably not spend nearly 100% of their time creating weapons - what they do with the other part of their time may have nothing at all to do with forges or smithing.

* '''Grower/GemCutter''' (or Grower/x-Craft): When gems are found, he's there, otherwise he's outstanding in his fields.
* '''Mechanic/Brewer''': usually produces the mechanized defenses, but does moonshining when it's called for.
* '''Miner/______''': This dwarf will quickly become legendary in mining, and then retire to pursue something else full time. On call for important veins of high-value ore.
* '''Brewer/Appraiser/Leatherworker''': several typically low-demand skills
* '''StoneCrafter/Herbalist''' - after quickly finding above-ground plants for seeds for the first season, they never go back unless something goes wrong.
* '''(x-Craft)/Armor User''': Plan for the future - armor using is slow to train in if this dwarf is ever going to join the military.

You can max out one skill and have several lower-level skills additionally, or just several skills that are not maxed out - the combinations are (almost) infinite.

Combinations like these often have one {{l|moodable}} skill and one non-moodable (or a less desired moodable skill at lower level), so any mood will improve the desired one.

==== Combining Skills for Moods ====

{{l|Strange mood}}s will create a Legendary skill of the "moodable" skill with the highest level, and moods take hold of dwarves with different professions at different rates. Some skills are "moodable" where others are not. Another consideration is to place desired moodable skills with non-moodable, to ensure that both the professions and highest skills stay as preferred. Usually this involves one "craft" skill and one "farmer" type skill, such as Armor/Cook, or Weapon/Brewer. This can take some manipulation, and is not of primary concern to many players.

=====Matching skills to a dwarf's personal profile=====
Once you have your optimal skill mix for all 7 starting dwarves, you can, if you wish, take the time to {{k|v}}iew each of your individual dwarves and match skills to their {{l|preference}}s. This can be very advantageous: if you have a dwarf who likes {{l|steel}}, {{l|clear glass}}, {{l|crossbow}}s, {{l|siege engine}} parts, or something else equally interesting, they're an ideal candidate for matching skills (specifically for these examples, {{l|armorsmith}}, {{l|glassmaker}}, {{l|bowyer}}, or {{l|siege engineer}}).

Likewise, if they have any obviously relevant {{l|personality}} strengths or weaknesses, those should be factored in. Some are obscure or ambiguous, but some ("Is constantly active and energetic") are a clear sign.

=== Items ===

An experienced player can start out with no skills for their starting dwarves, 1 copper nugget and an anvil - and nothing else - and have {{l|Make_your_own_weapons#Minimalist_challenge_build|everything they need}}. So what is "needed" is up to what you think is "fun" vs. "too hard" etc. etc. etc.

Some basics are recommended for all builds. Unless you plan to {{l|Make your own weapons|DIY}}, you definitely need to bring one {{l|pick}} for each {{l|miner}}, and if you plan to gather wood, you need an {{l|axe}}, which will become a weapon in wartime. Also a minimum of about 25-30* {{l|food}} and about 55-60* {{l|alcohol}}, which should get 7 dwarves through to the first {{l|caravan}} in Fall. Everything else depends on your strategy and on how tough or leisurely a challenge you want the game to be.

::''(* A single dwarf eats about 2x/season, and drinks about 4x/season. With 7 dwarves that's ~approximately~ 14 meals per season and 28 alcohol per season, or ~28 meals and ~56 alcohol until the end of Summer. The Caravan is due sometime in Autumn, usually early Autumn, in the second week or so, but the first won't have enough to keep you going until whenever the next one arrives. Hopefully you'll have some food and brewing industry going by the first, or soon after.)''

Note: Many builds recommend that you bring many different cheap foods, in quantities ending in a "1" (1, 11, 21, etc.), and alcohols in amounts ending in a "1" or "6". This is to maximize the number of free {{l|barrel|barrels}} you start with; dry foodstuffs fit 10/barrel, and (pre-embark) alcohol fits 5/barrel. More barrels will let you build a larger stockpile for your first winter and conserves the {{l|wood}} you need to cut and shape in the early game for beds and other necessities. (Seeds are 100/bag, and you don't need near that many of any one type, so 6 bags max with this approach. Even if you don't plan on growing much {{l|cave wheat}}, starting with 1 seed and getting the free bag, and planting that one see later and dumping the result could be worth it.)

===== Items for moods =====
When a dwarf is taken by a {{l|strange mood}}, they often need obscure material or they will go insane and die, possibly with severe consequences to an entire fortress. Bringing along some of the harder to find ores ({{l|cassiterite}}, {{l|sphalerite}}, {{l|bismuthinite}}, {{l|garnierite}}) and shells ({{l|cave lobster}}, {{l|turtle}}), and putting those aside, forbidding their use "just in case", is spending a few points on an insurance policy. Bringing along a few bits of cloth thread is a good idea. Just in case.

===== Free Equipment =====

Dwarves who start with the ambusher skill may get some leather {{l|armor}}, a crossbow and some bolts for free.





====Different starting cultures====
Before actually hitting "embark", you often have the option to choose one of several starting dwarven cultures (one of the options shown when you {{k|Tab}} through the various sub-screens). Different cultures will have different meats, fish, stones and etc to offer, and occasionally even different types of armour. The only way to know which is "best" is to remember ''exactly'' where on the 3 maps your embark site is, select one culture, embark and see what they have to offer, then hit {{k|Esc}} and "abandon game", and try it again with a different culture and compare. A real pain, sometimes. (Make a note about your exact starting location, don't trust it to memory.) In general, civilizations that occupy more world-map tiles offer more types of goods, both for embark and for trade. 

= Site considerations =
Each fortress {{l|location}} offers particular challenges and opportunities, and can make different demands on your starting build. The starting builds below should be adjusted depending on the {{l|region}} your fort occupies, the specific vision you have of your fortress, and what it will take to {{l|losing|stay alive}} where you're going!

The differences include what {{l|biome}}s, {{l|region}}s and stone {{l|layer}}s are present in your chosen embark site, as viewable on the starting menu.

=== General Surroundings ===
Simply put, if your {{l|surroundings}} are {{l|evil}} or {{l|savage}}, your dwarves have a higher risk of suddenly facing personal combat before they are safely behind their defenses. Consider bringing extra weaponry, in the form of axes, picks or crossbows (see {{l|Starting_builds#Free_Equipment|free equipment}}). Hand in hand with those, consider skill mixes that include {{l|axedwarf}}, {{l|mining}} (the skill used to wield a pick), {{l|marksdwarf}}, or {{l|wrestling}} (a solid unarmed-combat skill).

The same is true if you are embarking near an exposed magma vent or an open chasm - these features can be seen on the embark map, but it's impossible to tell if they are "open" to the surface or not, until you are there in person.

Be sure to include some source of {{l|water}} on the map, preferably running {{l|water}}. Water is (almost) essential for any fortress. In Cold and Freezing climates streams and {{l|lake}}s will often be frozen year-round and your dwarves may quickly die of exposure, in Hot climates {{l|murky pool}}s will dry up, and in Dry ones rain will only rarely re-fill them, if ever. Choose Temperate or tropical zones for an easier game.

===Aquifers===
If an {{l|aquifer}} is present in the first soil or stone layers (visible on the pre-embark menu), it may bar all access to {{l|stone}} and {{l|ore}} until you find a way through the water barrier. Consider bringing some stone for building, and ore for your first basic needs, may be critical.

=== Mountains ===
Mountains often have abundant {{l|ore}}s, but at the loss of trees and plants. {{l|Magma}} and rare {{l|metal}}s lure settlers here, but {{l|giant eagle}}s and {{l|chasm}} dwellers are potent threats. You'll want to include a sufficient amount non-mountainous areas in your embark area to obtain lumber and food - or, failing this, to pack a lot of extra food and logs.

Depending on the exact layers, it's common to find exposed {{l|vein}}s of useful {{l|ore}}s that can be immediately mined for {{l|Make your own weapons|DIY}} weapons and tools.

=== Wooded/Plains ===
Flatlands with at least some trees and gatherable plants can also make for highly successful fortresses. Advantages over mountain zones include abundant trees and plants and (unless frozen) more abundant water. There are even (rare) magma vents. More water also means a high likelyhood of an {{l|aquifer}} being present. Make sure to check on embark.

The greatest disadvantage is the potential lack of exposed {{l|stone}} to mine. The first level(s) below the surface is often {{l|soil}} of some type, which offers no building materials. However, soil is mined much more quickly than stone (x3-x4 faster), and expansive accommodations (rooms) can be achieved quickly even by untrained miners. You will find stone, you just have to go down a bit for it - but that's what dwarves do, isn't it?

{{l|Experience|Training}} a {{l|Miner}} from No Skill to Proficient takes <NEED NEW TIME> in soil, and to Legendary in less than <DITTO>.

=== Oceanside ===
With many features in common with some of the above locations, {{l|beach}}es are often a mix of ease intermingled with bouts of extreme difficulty. Minerals and trees are often abundant, as well as farmland and sand, but there is often no drinking water unless the biome has a flowing {{l|water}} of some sort.

By definition, the settlement will fall between (at least) two {{l|biome}}s (one land, one water), potentially hazardous if the player expects a peaceful oceanside meadow, without realizing the {{l|terrifying}} ocean is full of amphibious zombie {{l|whale}}s.

=== Desert, Glaciers, and Barren ===
Treeless (or near-treeless) {{l|biome}}s are challenging sites for a fortress: you get most of the disadvantages of a flatland site without having access to nearly as many trees and plants. However, near-lifeless zones such as {{l|glacier}}s are wonderful for those with slower machines, as there's little to burden the CPU but your dwarves and livestock. {{l|Desert}}s and barren areas often have sand; with a sufficient source of energy (preferably magma), you can build almost anything out of unlimited glass.

Hunters should be replaced with fisherdwarves and a fish cleaner (although the latter can be easily trained). Depending how much water vs. land, more starting wood and ores might be helpful. Swimming is rarely useful in Fortress mode, even at the beach, and can be trained.

==Sample starting builds==
To use an example starting build, open data/init/embark_profiles.txt and paste the text into it. Next time you embark, the profile will appear as a possible group to take. Using embark profiles is faster than planning carefully, but totally skips dwarf personality. Dwarves are simply assigned first come, first served.
=== BillyBob and the Rock Nuts ===
{| class="wikitable" cellspacing="0" border="1" cellpadding="5"
!Profession
!Skills
|-
|FarmerBrewer
|Grower-5, Brewer-5
|-
|MinerMason
|Mining-5, Masonry-3, Engraving-2
|-
|MinerJeweller
|Mining-5, Masonry-2, GemCutting-4
|-
|LumberjackHerbalist
|Woodcutting-4,Herbalism-4, Axedwarf, Armor, Carpentry
|-
|CookDoctor
|Cook-3, Threshing-2, Diagnose, DressWounds, Suture, SetBones, Surgery
|-
|CarpenterLeader
|Carpentry-4, Leadership-3, Negotiate, Appraisal, Record Keeper
|-
|CrafterArchitect
|Stonecraft-5, Building Designer-3, Mechanic
|}
The lumberjack is the only one that _has_ to go outside, and all the rest can work indoors. Two main sources of income are farming (Sweet Pods->Dwarven Syrup) and Rock Crafting (to buy elven wood/barrels).

<pre>
[PROFILE]
[TITLE:BillyBob and the Rock Nuts]
[SKILL:1:MINING:5]
[SKILL:1:DETAILSTONE:3]
[SKILL:1:MASONRY:2]
[SKILL:2:MINING:5]
[SKILL:2:MASONRY:1]
[SKILL:2:CUTGEM:4]
[SKILL:3:WOODCUTTING:4]
[SKILL:3:CARPENTRY:1]
[SKILL:3:HERBALISM:3]
[SKILL:3:AXE:1]
[SKILL:3:ARMOR:1]
[SKILL:4:CARPENTRY:4]
[SKILL:4:NEGOTIATION:1]
[SKILL:4:APPRAISAL:1]
[SKILL:4:RECORD_KEEPING:1]
[SKILL:4:LEADERSHIP:3]
[SKILL:5:BREWING:5]
[SKILL:5:PLANT:5]
[SKILL:6:PROCESSPLANTS:2]
[SKILL:6:COOK:3]
[SKILL:6:DRESS_WOUNDS:1]
[SKILL:6:DIAGNOSE:1]
[SKILL:6:SURGERY:1]
[SKILL:6:SET_BONE:1]
[SKILL:6:SUTURE:1]
[SKILL:7:STONECRAFT:5]
[SKILL:7:MECHANICS:1]
[SKILL:7:DESIGNBUILDING:4]
[ITEM:2:WEAPON:ITEM_WEAPON_PICK:INORGANIC:COPPER]
[ITEM:2:WEAPON:ITEM_WEAPON_AXE_BATTLE:INORGANIC:COPPER]
[ITEM:1:ANVIL:NONE:INORGANIC:IRON]
[ITEM:11:DRINK:NONE:PLANT_MAT:GRASS_WHEAT_CAVE:DRINK]
[ITEM:11:DRINK:NONE:PLANT_MAT:GRASS_TAIL_PIG:DRINK]
[ITEM:11:DRINK:NONE:PLANT_MAT:MUSHROOM_HELMET_PLUMP:DRINK]
[ITEM:5:SEEDS:NONE:PLANT_MAT:GRASS_TAIL_PIG:SEED]
[ITEM:12:SEEDS:NONE:PLANT_MAT:MUSHROOM_HELMET_PLUMP:SEED]
[ITEM:11:SEEDS:NONE:PLANT_MAT:POD_SWEET:SEED]
[ITEM:11:MEAT:NONE:CREATURE_MAT:MARMOT_HOARY:STOMACH]
[ITEM:11:PLANT:NONE:PLANT_MAT:MUSHROOM_HELMET_PLUMP:STRUCTURAL]
[ITEM:1:THREAD:NONE:PLANT_MAT:GRASS_TAIL_PIG:THREAD]
[ITEM:1:CLOTH:NONE:PLANT_MAT:GRASS_TAIL_PIG:THREAD]
[ITEM:3:BOX:NONE:PLANT_MAT:GRASS_TAIL_PIG:THREAD]
[ITEM:2:CHAIN:NONE:PLANT_MAT:GRASS_TAIL_PIG:THREAD]
[ITEM:3:BUCKET:NONE:PLANT_MAT:ALDER:WOOD]
[ITEM:2:SPLINT:NONE:PLANT_MAT:ALDER:WOOD]
[ITEM:2:CRUTCH:NONE:PLANT_MAT:ALDER:WOOD]
[ITEM:15:MEAT:NONE:CREATURE_MAT:WARTHOG:MUSCLE]
[PET:2:DOG:FEMALE:TRAINED_WAR]
[PET:1:DOG:MALE:TRAINED_WAR]
[PET:2:CAT:FEMALE:STANDARD]
[PET:1:CAT:MALE:STANDARD]
</pre>

{{Starting FAQ}}
[[Category:Guides]]

v0.31:Starting build

2010-05-10T22:12:45Z

Cohortes: /* Which skills do I need, really? */ not true - i never butcher and you can kill them in other ways or just cage them

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

A '''starting build''' is a personal ''strategy'' for choosing the initial supplies, equipment, and {{l|skill}}s of your initial seven dwarves when starting a new game in {{l|fortress mode}}. These skills and items which you assign to your dwarves will have a large impact on life in your new fortress, especially in its first year.

This page attempts to give advice on some of the many gameplay elements which influence the flow of your game based on your goals. These include: choosing a ''fortress site'', the ''starting build'' itself, as well as ''challenge builds'' aimed at providing new or unusual challenges to advanced players.

But one thing should be made clear - there is no "best" build, no "perfect" or "clearly superior" final mix of skills and items. There are too many variables to connect, not the least of which is... you! Your play style, what you, as an individual player, consider preferable for the proper mix of fun and challenge. And then there is the environment, where your dwarves will arrive, the creatures, the resources available, and so forth.

Items are tied to starting skills, and starting skills are tied to the expected environment for your chosen embark, and all are tied to your preferences for playing the game - not all sites require (or invite) the same approach, and no two players would take the same approach to the same environment.

So while suggestions can be made, and new ideas presented for your consideration, ultimately the final "best" mix for you will have to come from your experience, which will begin to grow during your first game. Without understanding "everything", some decisions will just have to be guesswork - and even later you never know "everything".

__TOC__

== Components of a Starting Build ==
A starting build must be seen as a whole - the embark location affects the needed supplies, and influences what skills may be most needed or useful. Along with this is player preferences - if you wish an economy based on {{l|prepared meal}}s, {{l|glass}}, or {{l|steel}}, each of those have very different requirements. Likewise, if you want to play a military game, fighting off sieges with huge battles, that's a very different mix (and different site requirements) than if you want a calm location to build your perfect {{l|mega construction}}.

=== Skills ===
With only 7 dwarves, you can't take every {{l|skill}}, so you have to balance what you do take. At this starting phase, each dwarf can only be assigned a maximum total of 10 skill levels, with no single skill starting higher than "5". With 7 starting dwarves, you could no skills at all, or take 70 skills all at level 1, or 14 skills all at level 5* (2 per dwarf), the highest allowed at embark, or (most likely) something close in between the last two, but closer to that last.

:''(* Note that an unskilled dwarf starts with all Skills at Level '''0'''. Adding +5 Levels is then Level '''5'''. This is true regardless of how many "points" a level costs when first buying skills at embark.)''

Once play starts, dwarves can learn any and all skills - these choices only determine what sort of "head start" they have, what they are good at when they first hit the ground. See {{l|experience}} for a discussion of increasing skills during game play.

The considerations are several:

:* Maximizing starting skill ranks vs. generalizing and having more skills covered at lower levels.
:* Balancing multiple skills for a single dwarf, so they aren't constantly needed for two different tasks at critical periods
:* Military vs economic needs
:* Your goals vs "basic survival needs" to keep your fortress healthy and happy.
:* Speed that a skill can be trained in game
:* Demand for a skill during a game
:* Whether quality or speed are significant considerations for tasks/final product
:* Balancing the desire to create {{l|wealth}} ''(with high-value products)'' with the need to maintain {{l|thought|morale}} ''(with low-value but commonly used products, like {{l|bed}}s, which normally are made from {{l|wood}})''.
:* & most importantly - ''your playstyle'' - what '''you''' think is "fun"!

While there are some arguable "no-brainer" choices (or are for each player, according to their playstyle), the final few selections are often a coin toss, or close to. And there is often more than one way to skin a cat - in fact, while many players recommend ''never'' starting with more than one cat, starting with many cats (breeding them for leather, bones and meat) and a skilled {{l|leatherworker}} and/or {{l|bone carver}} is one way to go with (part of) a starting build. Until you have some personal experience, the various suggestions and advice may mean little, but will have more meaning after your first fortress inevitably fails - {{l|Losing|losing is fun}}.

So don't over-think it at first - you'll make a good guess, dive in, and learn far more than we can explain here.

=== Items ===
The starting items are what is needed for your dwarves to survive until they are self-sufficient, or at least until the first yearly {{l|caravan}}s will keep them afloat. The first won't show up until Autumn, so that's more than 2 seasons your dwarves are on their own.

A dwarf eats about 2 meals a season, and drinks a little more than 4 drinks in that same time. If you add your expected {{L|migrant}}s, multiply that by the number of seasons, you can estimate how much food and booze will be needed to get you safely through to the first {{L|caravan}} - barring {{L|losing|the unforeseen}}. In your starting build, you can bring all of that, or your {{l|hunter}}s, {{l|Plant gathering|plant gatherers}}, {{l|fisherdwarf}}s, {{l|grower}}s and {{l|brewer}}s can provide some or most of it.

Similarly, most of the finished products are expensive to buy pre-embark, and so a minimum is recommended - maybe a pick or two for immediate mining and basic defense, maybe a (cheap?) axe* or two for better defense and cutting wood, thread, cloth or a rope for a {{l|well}}, maybe a few leather to make bags, and call it good.

:''(* "Wooden practice axes" cost only 17P, and cut down wood just fine. They will be significantly weaker than metal axes in combat, but still far superior to {{L|wrestling}}, and you can {{l|Make your own weapons|DIY}} quickly enough.)''

You can produce any and all of those from scratch if you are willing to wait - and your {{l|surroundings}} don't kill you first. Raw materials are much cheaper, in the form of {{l|ore}}s, {{l|wood}}, {{l|leather}} and so forth, but whether you want to take the time at the start of the game is the question. The trade-off is always a balance of cost savings vs. time savings when you first strike the earth. Everything else depends on your strategy and on how tough or leisurely a challenge you want the game to be.

====Your civilization====
On the map menu, if you hit {{k|Tab}} twice, you will see a list of possible {{l |Civilization}}s that your dwarves can start from, if there is more than one. Each can have access to different starting equipment and material to offer you - some will be significantly better or worse supplied, and some may be lacking one key item you desire, while another will lack something else equally critical to your plan. Unfortunately you will only find out when selecting your items, after selecting a {{l|location}}. To chose another Civilization requires a start-over. Another important difference is whether your civilization is at {{l|war}} with one of the neighbours; This results in early attacks on your fort and, obviously, no trade {{l|caravan}}s from them.

If you don't like the civilization you chose, or wish to compare what each has to offer, you must either finish the embark, "abandon" the fortress and then re-embark in the same location (using a '''saved''' copy of the game world!), or use {{k|Ctl}}+{{k|Alt}}+{{k|Del}} (or the equiv for your OS), shut down the game and restart it from scratch, then Start again, reload the game world, and find the same embark site - this is not difficult if you made careful notes, but is still a pain, no doubt.

Every such re-start gives you a different mix of dwarves with different names, {{L |attribute|attributes}}, {{L |personality|personalities}} and {{L |preferences}}, but the civilizations are part of the map and stay constant. The default civilization chosen for you will vary, however.

===Saving a starting mix===
Once you have the mix of items and skills that you like, you can hit {{k|s}} and save it to a template with a custom name. In a later game, you can pick that profile when you embark. If your selected civilization does not have some of the desired items in your template, this is announced clearly, and a different civilization can be tried as described above, or you can continue and change your mix.

If you match skills to the {{l|preferences}} and {{L |personality|personalities}} of your dwarves, it may be an idea not to include any skills in such a template, as they will simply be applied in the original order to the current dwarves as they appear on the list.

If you find additional items that you wish to add (perhaps another type of cheap meat, or an ore not previously available), you can edit those in by hitting {{k|s}}, overwriting your old template.

:''(You can also go into the .txt file, located at data/init/embark_profiles, and edit in the SKILLS or ITEMS as you want - the syntax is fairly straightforward.)''

= "Play Now!" =
This option gives you an automatic, low-powered and generalized starting mix with no thinking involved. If you select this option, you are ''immediately'' advanced to the game map with no chance to alter your starting skills or items.

When you pick this option, you currently{{version|0.31.01}} start with:

'''dwarves:'''
:* one Adequate" {{l|Miner}} (+2 {{l|Experience|skill levels}})
& five dwarves with Novice (+1 skill level) in each of the following skills...
:* {{l|Carpenter}}/ {{l|Bowyer}}
:* {{l|Engraver}}/ {{l|Mason}}/ {{l|Mechanic}}/ {{l|Building designer|Building Designer}}
:* {{l|Gem cutter|Gem Cutter}}/ {{l|Gem setter|Gem Setter}}/ {{l|Wood crafter}}/ {{l|Stone crafter}}/ {{l|Bone carver|Bone Carver}}
:* {{l|Fisherdwarf}}
:* {{l|Fish cleaner|Fish Cleaner}}/ {{l|Butcher}}/ {{l|Tanner}}/ {{l|Weaver}}/ {{l|Clothier}}/ {{l|Leatherworker}}

:And one "Leader", with Novice in:
:* {{l|Wood cutter|Wood Cutter}}/ {{l|Brewer}}/ {{l|Cook}}/ {{l|Grower}}/ {{l|Herbalist}}/ {{l|Wood burner|Wood Burner}}/ {{l|Furnace operator|Furnace Operator}}/ {{l|Lye maker|Lye Maker}}/ {{l|Potash maker|Potash Maker}}
::''plus'' Adequate in:
:: {{l|Wound dresser|Wound Dresser}}, {{l|Diagnostician}}, {{l|Surgeon}}, {{l|Bone doctor|Bone Doctor}}, {{l|Suturer}}.

:''(Note that that last dwarf has far more "levels" in starting skills (by twice!) for a single dwarf than are allowed by "Planning Carefully", below!)''

'''Items'''
:* 2 Copper {{l|pick}}s
:* 2 Copper battle {{l|axe}}s
:* 1 Iron {{l|anvil}}
:* 60 units alcohol (20 each of 3 random types1, 12 free barrels)
:* 5 ''each'' {{l|seed}}s2 (& 6 bags)
:* 15 units of meat (one random type, 10 + 5 units in 2 barrels3)
:* 15 units of fish (one random type, 10 + 5 units in 2 barrels3)
:* 15 units of plump helmets (10 + 5 units in 2 barrels3)
:* 5 pig tail fiber thread
:* 5 pig tail fiber cloth
:* 5 pig tail fiber bag
:* 3 pig tail fiber ropes
:* 3 wooden4 buckets
:* 3 wooden4 splints
:* 3 wooden4 crutch
:* 2 dogs (random sex)
:* 2 cats (random sex)
:* 1 random cow/ox/mule/horse (random sex)

::''Notes:''
:::1. ''There are only 4 different {{L |alcohol}}s possible at this stage, so if two or three of the same are randomly chosen, it's quite possible to start with 40 or 60 of the same type. (A wider variety is usually better.)''
:::2. ''The six underground crops are: dimple cup, cave wheat, plump helmet, sweet pods, pig tail, quarry bush.''
:::3. ''A barrel can hold up to 10 dry items (or 5 wet). One of these barrels is only half full. ''
:::4. ''All wooden items will be of 1 type of wood.''

As a challenge for an experienced player, this is not an uncommon choice. But even as a starting player you can do much better if you choose the "'''Prepare for the journey carefully'''" option and do just that - prepare carefully, as described below...

="Prepare for the Journey Carefully"=
Good advice. This option allows you complete control over your starting mix of skills and beginning items. By default, your dwarves start with no skills, and you are offered the following items, which are very similar to the "Play Now" mix, but all are optional and can be sold back and changed according to your preferences. Each item costs a number of "points" - you will buy ''both'' your starting items ''and'' the starting {{L |skills}} for your dwarves with one pool of combined points, 1274 total.

(This choice also allows you to select/create the {{l|Fortress name}} yourself, rather than have it randomly generated.)

The point costs for the default items are listed below.

::{|cellpadding="2" border="1"
! Default Items !! Cost (in "points") !! Comments
|-
| 2 Copper {{l|pick}}s || 88 (44 each) || for {{l|mining}}
|-
| 2 Copper battle {{l|axe}}s || 136 (68 each) || weapons and {{l|woodcutting}}
|-
| 1 Iron {{l|anvil}} || 100 || required for any metal working
|-
| 20 alcohol, random1 || 40 (2 each) || 4 free barrels
|-
| 20 alcohol, random1 || 40 (2 each) || 4 free barrels
|-
| 20 alcohol, random1 || 40 (2 each) || 4 free barrels
|-
| 5 of each underground seed2 || | 30 6*5 (1 each) || 6 free bags
|-
| 15 meat of one random (cheap) type || 30 (2 each) || 2 free barrels3
|-
| 15 fish of one random (cheap) type || 30 (2 each) || 2 free barrels3
|-
| 15 {{l|Plump helmet}}s || 60 (4 each) || 2 free barrels3
|-
| 5 pig tail fiber thread || 60 (12 each) ||
|-
| 5 pig tail fiber cloth || 70 (14 each) ||
|-
| 5 pig tail fiber bag || 100 (20 each) ||
|-
| 3 pig tail fiber ropes || 60 (20 each) ||
|-
| 3 wooden4 buckets || 30 (10 each) || medical
|-
| 3 wooden4 splints || 30 (10 each) || medical
|-
| 3 wooden4 crutch || 30 (10 each) || medical
|-
| No dogs, no cats || ||
|-
|}
:1. There are only 4 different {{L|alcohol}}s possible at this stage, so if two or three of the same are randomly chosen, it's quite possible to start with 40 or 60 of the same type. (A wider variety is usually better.)
:2. The six underground crops are: dimple cup, cave wheat, plump helmet, sweet pods, pig tail, and quarry bush.
:3. A barrel can hold up to 10 dry items (or 5 wet). One of these barrels is only half full.
:4. All wooden items will be of 1 type of wood.

With the above items, your point pool starts at '''300''' (visible in the lower right corner). This is not ''close'' to enough points to buy full skills for all your dwarves, but you can sell back any or all of the above items that you choose and recover the points, spending them as you prefer. There is no quick and easy solution to this, but the possible options are infinite*. Returning all equipment is worth 1274 points total, but unused points are of no use after embark, once the actual gameplay starts, so spend now or waste them.

:''(* Note that an anvil is needed to do any metalworking, and in turn cannot be created without another anvil. Selling your anvil back means you will not do any metalworking at least until the Autumn {{L |caravan}}, and then only if they bring one - which they 'usually' do, but not always. Next dwarven caravan is a year after that, and so on.)''

=====Using the menu=====
Use {{k|Tab}} to switch between selecting Skills and Items. Use the 4 directional keys or number pad to navigate to highlight the different choices/columns, and {{k|+}} or {{k|-}} to choose more or less of the highlighted item or skill. When viewing items, hit {{k|n}} to go to a menu for any "new" items, that are not currently listed, including any you removed by reducing the number to 0; select the item, hit {{k|Enter}}, then increase the number desired as above ({{k|+}} or {{k|-}}) in the main menu.

If you cannot buy additional skill levels, you are out of points and must return some items for additional points. Higher-priced items will automatically be removed from viewable new items if you do not have enough points for those selections, showing only what you can afford with your current points.

=== Skills ===
At this stage, pre-embark, skills cost a number of starting points, equaling monetary value. Later, during fortress mode, all skills will be trained by practice, and "cost" is no longer a concern. All dwarves start with "No Skill" and the first additional skill level (Novice) costs 5 points. To buy the next level would cost 6, and so on. To buy up Proficient (the max allowed to start with), costs 5+6+7+8+9, or 35 points.

A dwarf can start with up to 10 additional levels, regardless whether that's 10 skills at Novice, or 2 skills at Proficient. So, if you are going to buy the maximum skills allowed (highly recommended), that can cost from between 50 to 70 points each, but is usually around 400-450+ for all 7 dwarves.

Each {{l|dwarf}} can (over time) learn any or all {{l|skills}}. Dwarves with little experience in a skill will work slowly and ineffectively, while dwarves with higher skill work faster and/or produce a significantly higher quality product. Some skills are not used often, and/or produce no "quality" in the final product, or produce qualities that have little impact on the game - for these it's questionable whether investing in high starting levels is worthwhile, but that's often a judgment call.

* For example inexperienced {{l|herbalist|herbalists}} will gather stacks of only one or two {{l|plant}}s, and often nothing at all, and inexperienced {{l|farming|farmers}} will often plant stacks of only one or two plants. This results in a small overall output which takes many {{l|container#container|containers}} to store in, less effective {{l|food}} preparation in the {{l|kitchen}}, and more space needed for {{l|stockpiles}}.
* Inexperienced {{l|miner}}s work very slowly and are less likely to recover mined gems or valuable ores. Mining can be leveled up quite quickly by mining {{l|soil#soil|soil}}, but taking two dwarves with at least some points in mining is recommended in many cases.
* In nearly all {{l|workshop}}s, inexperienced dwarves who create items will only rarely produce high-quality goods, and take a long time doing so. Skilled dwarves work quickly and produce high-quality items far more reliably.
** {{l|Quality}} is a central concept in the game - it affects {{l|food}}, {{l|alcohol}}, and almost anything you will have your dwarves create in the game: {{l|trading}} goods, {{l|barrel}}s, {{l|clothing}}, {{l|armor}}, {{l|furniture}}, {{l|weapon|weapons}}, and so on. Quality also has a large effect on the worth of an item while {{l|trading}}.

Dwarves improve their skills on a learning-by-doing-basis. Dwarves who have specific labors will attain Dabbling status as soon as they complete one job of that type. (Certain jobs, such as building workshops, won't make your dwarves more experienced. But most will.) As the number of jobs they do increases, their skill will increase as well. Overall, "leveling up" the dwarves' skills quickly is a good game goal to set. Doing so may result in your dwarves efficiently creating a magnificent fortress filled to the brim with valuable items and {{l|furniture}}. (Or it might {{l|losing|not}}.)

Using and seeing high-quality items gives dwarves happy {{l|thought}}s. This tends to decrease the incidences of {{l|tantrum}}s, increasing a fortress's longevity.

==== Which skills do I need, really? ====

The only thing that you absolutely must do in the first year is get your food supplies into a food stockpile, preferably inside, otherwise your food will rot on the ground and your dwarves will starve. Anything else you want to do can be accommodated by sufficient investment in initial food supplies and/or skills. This means the options for possible starting builds are vast because virtually any set of starting skills for your dwarves is viable (and that's before you even think about equipment, which adds more variables). So the short answer is: none.

That said, there are some skills which will be '''used''', to one extent or another, by virtually every fortress - but that doesn't mean you '''need''' or even want to invest points in them to start. You could even manipulate the fortress (see {{l|challenge}}) to completely avoid one or more of the following, but these are the skills you will find it exceptionally hard to avoid creating jobs for:
:{{l|Mining}} - to dig your fortress, and gain stone for projects. Only possible to avoid using if you're secretly an elf.
:{{l|Carpentry}} - {{l|bed}}s can only be produced from {{l|wood}} (rare {{l|mood}}s aside)
:{{l|Masonry}} - to build walls and stairs, and fashion dwarven furniture from stone. Possible to work around, but incredibly hard and annoying to do.
:{{l|Grower|Growing}} - your farmers' work echoes throughout so many other tasks, it's stunning
:{{l|Brewing}} - all dwarves "need alcohol to get through the working day"
:{{l|Mechanics}} - if you want traps, and most people will. Also needed for most machinery, now more essential than ever since irrigating is no longer optional.
:{{l|Architecture|Building Designer}} - mandatory for some buildings and constructions, but skill only improves speed a tad and increases structure {{l|value}}
:{{l|Broker skills}} - most importantly {{l|appraiser}} - for {{l|trade|trading}}
:{{L|Record keeper}} - Lets you be able to see the exact amount of things you have much faster than training one, and is necessary to view the stocks screen.

''Note! - Some new skills in 01.30.01 are unclear as to their use/need - Observer, Fighter, Leader and so on.''

Of the above, Masonry, Growing, Brewing, Cooking, and Mechanics are generally worth considering as "highly desirable" starting skills for your dwarves. Carpentry is used, but opinions differ - on one hand, wood items are just not worth that much {{l|value}}-wise ''(10's of dwarfbucks vs 100's for stone furniture or 1000's for armor or prepared foods, for instance)'', so the difference in monetary value between high-quality and no-quality is minor for wood products. However, high-quality {{l|bed}}s are one of the easiest ways to help make and keep your dwarves {{l|thought|happy}} (since every dwarf will encounter a bed regularly), so some players swear by it. Mining is important but also fast to train, so one or two unskilled miners is usually ample. You will almost certainly have animals to butcher, but skill in {{l|butchery}} produces nothing of "quality" (meat is meat) and speed is usually not a consideration for the typical demand (butchering unwanted offspring, like kittens). A minimum of Broker skills are highly recommended to start with at the Novice (1 pt) level - it'll make your life much easier (especially Novice level of {{l|Appraiser}}, at least, as it greatly facilitates trading).

Of course, even near-certainty that you will use these skills doesn't mean you have to start with dwarves already skilled in them. Remember, '''any skill can be used untrained, and/or get trained on the job''' - it just means a slower process and/or average lower quality product than if done by a dwarf with a higher {{l|experience|skill level}}. All of the above skills can be used untrained if you so choose, but you will use them.

Ultimately the answer to "What skills do I need?" is "Whichever ''you'' want". Choosing a mixture of these commonly used skills and your desired specialized skills will make starting up your fortress easier and more efficient.

==== What considerations could inform my skill selection?====
Every skill not listed in the preceeding section is only used if you want it to be, and the benefits of experience in skills vary considerably. Skills you choose have to be balanced against your play-style, the environment (danger, ores, other resources), the relative value of the final product, and what you must give up to gain those skills. You will often want some optional skills, often vastly more than something as useful and desirable as even masonry. For example, any player intending to do more than dabble in the metal industry may well want to start with multiple dwarves each highly skilled in at least one metal industry skill, especially those that produce goods with {{L|Quality|quality}}.

The following may influence your choices of skills:

#Some skills are harder to gain experience in than others - requiring valuable resources or taking an extended period of time, and thus inconvenient to train from the ground up. Investing in some of these extensively in your initial dwarves can make those industries much less painful to start. For example, metal-related skills generally eat metal bars, and thus the less time you spend training metal workers up to a decent level, the faster they'll be churning out high-quality items for you, and the fewer bars they'll waste becoming skilled. On the other hand, despite its importance, skills like mining train relatively quickly and barring extenuating circumstances (expected need to accomplish particular digging projects in the first month or you'll get mauled by a Giant for example) there's little need to actually invest your starting skills in it - they can learn on the job.
#Keep in mind that some skills are used to make {{l|legendary artifact}}s, and successfully making an artifact will give the dwarf a lot of experience in the used skill. It can be worth investing in some skills solely to bias your artifact skill pool in the hopes of getting a legendary dwarf in an industry you want to really get working on a year or two in. (See {{l|Strange mood}}s for more info.)
#While its possible to feed your fortress on nothing but caravan goods, you'll never come by enough alcohol that way, so you'll eventually need to grow crops for brewing, and dwarves will literally go crazy if forced to drink nothing but water for long periods. Thus you'll want to plan for farming eventually - not that you need to bring a highly skilled {{l|Grower}}, but it'll certainly be ''very'' helpful. Likewise, a skilled {{l|brewer}} produces higher quality {{l|alcohol}} (''though the quality is hidden!)'', which improves your dwarves' mood, as does a skilled {{l|cook}} with the foods they prepare. However, most food can be eaten raw, and so long as they are not starving there is life.
#If you plan on settling in a dangerous area, consider including at least some military skills, if not a dedicated {{l|soldier}}, or several. The nature of the environment should dictate the military skills chosen (for example, marksdwarves will be an ineffective counter to expected roving hordes of {{l|skeletal}} wildlife).

====Generalist vs Specialist====
Any dwarf can have any labor designated, and they will perform that task and learn or improve that skill, even if they have no skill related to that labor when they start. So you don't need an example of every skill. A skilled dwarf will produce a better {{l|quality}} product, and/or do it faster, but if that's rarely used, "faster" doesn't mean as much. Many jobs have no real "product", and so no quality modifiers - plant gathering, wood cutting, wood burning, smelting, animal trainer, etc. etc. merely produce "stuff", not "quality stuff", or may not be used very often, and/or not be used much after the first year of the fortress. There are as many opinions about balancing generalists with specialists as there are players.

Some skills are also trained up fairly quickly or cheaply, especially where the task consumes no (valuable) materials, or doesn't matter in the final product - mining, furnace operator, wood cutting, butcher, tanner, glass making and (especially) {{l|administrator}} skills being only a few examples.



==== Combining Skills ====
Some {{l|skills}} are highly time-consuming, and working at different jobs levels up specific {{l|attribute}}s. One could level up a miner until he becomes mighty and ultra-tough - and then turn him into a soldier, or retire him to haul stone. If you plan on doing so, it may not be a good idea to give this guy a second critical job that will demand a lot of time away from their focus. There are many parts to a suit of armour, so armoursmithing will take more time than weaponsmithing - once you have one weapon per soldier, he's done. Masons, miners, growers, and any craft that your fortress will base their economy off of (glass, stonecrafts, armour, etc) will take a lot of time.

Since tasks will take place in specific areas, another approach is to combine tasks into dwarves who will take care of a specific industry, or spend all their time in one generally narrow part of the fortress - the forges, or the kitchens, or outdoors, for instance. So combining Farming with cooking, rather than mining, for example, and turn on only Haul Food, not Haul Stone. Woodcutter/Herbalist/Mason/Axedwarf (for outdoor walls/projects) might be another combination - the possibilities are endless.

Some combinations follow naturally in sequence to each other, but also can conflict with each other. One animal is butchered, then the leather is tanned, and the meat is cooked. But if you have 5 animals, several will rot before one dwarf can process all of those. A highly skilled craftsdwarf is often better suited at sitting in their {{l|workshop}} and having others deliver raw materials to them, than going out and obtaining their own raw materials themselves.

Many builds recommend combinations such as:

* '''Outdoors''': Woodcutter/Plant Gatherer. Add {{l|axeman|Axedwarf}} for added security.
* '''Mason+____''' : In many fortresses, the Mason is a very busy dwarf. He could be a spare miner, have abilities that are only rarely needed, or do tasks that can be accomplished quickly like {{l|building designer}}.
* '''Farmer/Cook, Farmer/Brewer'''. Basic two-person food team.
* '''Farmer/Herbalist, Farmer/Brewer/Cook'''. One bold dwarf to farm and venture outside looking for wild plants, the other to keep busy in the {{l|still}}, kitchen, and indoor farms.
* '''Boss''': Novice {{l|Negotiator}}/Novice {{l|Judge of intent}}/Novice {{l|Appraiser}}. This guy will be your {{l|Leader}} and {{l|Trader}}; you can make him {{l|record keeper}} too (the default), at least to start with. Combine this with a single time-intensive task such as {{l|Masonry}} and optionally turn off all hauling tasks right at the start of the game. Or keep him a generalist, or combine with one of the other options.
* '''Weaponsmith/Leatherworker''': If they're not arming your military, they're making leather armor for them.
* '''{{l|Craftsdwarf}}''', depending on your strategy - e.g. {{l|glass}} maker, {{l|weaponsmith}} or {{l|armorsmith}}, sometimes combined with related tasks from that industry ({{l|furnace operating}}, {{l|wood burner|wood burning}}). Typically an item hauler in the initial months of your fortress, this dwarf may become one of your most valuable dwarves later.

Not all combinations have to "look right" together. A weaponsmith will most probably not spend nearly 100% of their time creating weapons - what they do with the other part of their time may have nothing at all to do with forges or smithing.

* '''Grower/GemCutter''' (or Grower/x-Craft): When gems are found, he's there, otherwise he's outstanding in his fields.
* '''Mechanic/Brewer''': usually produces the mechanized defenses, but does moonshining when it's called for.
* '''Miner/______''': This dwarf will quickly become legendary in mining, and then retire to pursue something else full time. On call for important veins of high-value ore.
* '''Brewer/Appraiser/Leatherworker''': several typically low-demand skills
* '''StoneCrafter/Herbalist''' - after quickly finding above-ground plants for seeds for the first season, they never go back unless something goes wrong.
* '''(x-Craft)/Armor User''': Plan for the future - armor using is slow to train in if this dwarf is ever going to join the military.

You can max out one skill and have several lower-level skills additionally, or just several skills that are not maxed out - the combinations are (almost) infinite.

Combinations like these often have one {{l|moodable}} skill and one non-moodable (or a less desired moodable skill at lower level), so any mood will improve the desired one.

==== Combining Skills for Moods ====

{{l|Strange mood}}s will create a Legendary skill of the "moodable" skill with the highest level, and moods take hold of dwarves with different professions at different rates. Some skills are "moodable" where others are not. Another consideration is to place desired moodable skills with non-moodable, to ensure that both the professions and highest skills stay as preferred. Usually this involves one "craft" skill and one "farmer" type skill, such as Armor/Cook, or Weapon/Brewer. This can take some manipulation, and is not of primary concern to many players.

=====Matching skills to a dwarf's personal profile=====
Once you have your optimal skill mix for all 7 starting dwarves, you can, if you wish, take the time to {{k|v}}iew each of your individual dwarves and match skills to their {{l|preference}}s. This can be very advantageous: if you have a dwarf who likes {{l|steel}}, {{l|clear glass}}, {{l|crossbow}}s, {{l|siege engine}} parts, or something else equally interesting, they're an ideal candidate for matching skills (specifically for these examples, {{l|armorsmith}}, {{l|glassmaker}}, {{l|bowyer}}, or {{l|siege engineer}}).

Likewise, if they have any obviously relevant {{l|personality}} strengths or weaknesses, those should be factored in. Some are obscure or ambiguous, but some ("Is constantly active and energetic") are a clear sign.

=== Items ===

An experienced player can start out with no skills for their starting dwarves, 1 copper nugget and an anvil - and nothing else - and have {{l|Make_your_own_weapons#Minimalist_challenge_build|everything they need}}. So what is "needed" is up to what you think is "fun" vs. "too hard" etc. etc. etc.

Some basics are recommended for all builds. Unless you plan to {{l|Make your own weapons|DIY}}, you definitely need to bring one {{l|pick}} for each {{l|miner}}, and if you plan to gather wood, you need an {{l|axe}}, which will become a weapon in wartime. Also a minimum of about 25-30* {{l|food}} and about 55-60* {{l|alcohol}}, which should get 7 dwarves through to the first {{l|caravan}} in Fall. Everything else depends on your strategy and on how tough or leisurely a challenge you want the game to be.

::''(* A single dwarf eats about 2x/season, and drinks about 4x/season. With 7 dwarves that's ~approximately~ 14 meals per season and 28 alcohol per season, or ~28 meals and ~56 alcohol until the end of Summer. The Caravan is due sometime in Autumn, usually early Autumn, in the second week or so, but the first won't have enough to keep you going until whenever the next one arrives. Hopefully you'll have some food and brewing industry going by the first, or soon after.)''

Note: Many builds recommend that you bring many different cheap foods, in quantities ending in a "1" (1, 11, 21, etc.), and alcohols in amounts ending in a "1" or "6". This is to maximize the number of free {{l|barrel|barrels}} you start with; dry foodstuffs fit 10/barrel, and (pre-embark) alcohol fits 5/barrel. More barrels will let you build a larger stockpile for your first winter and conserves the {{l|wood}} you need to cut and shape in the early game for beds and other necessities. (Seeds are 100/bag, and you don't need near that many of any one type, so 6 bags max with this approach. Even if you don't plan on growing much {{l|cave wheat}}, starting with 1 seed and getting the free bag, and planting that one see later and dumping the result could be worth it.)

===== Items for moods =====
When a dwarf is taken by a {{l|strange mood}}, they often need obscure material or they will go insane and die, possibly with severe consequences to an entire fortress. Bringing along some of the harder to find ores ({{l|cassiterite}}, {{l|sphalerite}}, {{l|bismuthinite}}, {{l|garnierite}}) and shells ({{l|cave lobster}}, {{l|turtle}}), and putting those aside, forbidding their use "just in case", is spending a few points on an insurance policy. Bringing along a few bits of cloth thread is a good idea. Just in case.

===== Free Equipment =====

Dwarves who start with the ambusher skill may get some leather {{l|armor}}, a crossbow and some bolts for free.





====Different starting cultures====
Before actually hitting "embark", you often have the option to choose one of several starting dwarven cultures (one of the options shown when you {{k|Tab}} through the various sub-screens). Different cultures will have different meats, fish, stones and etc to offer, and occasionally even different types of armour. The only way to know which is "best" is to remember ''exactly'' where on the 3 maps your embark site is, select one culture, embark and see what they have to offer, then hit {{k|Esc}} and "abandon game", and try it again with a different culture and compare. A real pain, sometimes. (Make a note about your exact starting location, don't trust it to memory.) In general, civilizations that occupy more world-map tiles offer more types of goods, both for embark and for trade. 

= Site considerations =
Each fortress {{l|location}} offers particular challenges and opportunities, and can make different demands on your starting build. The starting builds below should be adjusted depending on the {{l|region}} your fort occupies, the specific vision you have of your fortress, and what it will take to {{l|losing|stay alive}} where you're going!

The differences include what {{l|biome}}s, {{l|region}}s and stone {{l|layer}}s are present in your chosen embark site, as viewable on the starting menu.

=== General Surroundings ===
Simply put, if your {{l|surroundings}} are {{l|evil}} or {{l|savage}}, your dwarves have a higher risk of suddenly facing personal combat before they are safely behind their defenses. Consider bringing extra weaponry, in the form of axes, picks or crossbows (see {{l|Starting_builds#Free_Equipment|free equipment}}). Hand in hand with those, consider skill mixes that include {{l|axedwarf}}, {{l|mining}} (the skill used to wield a pick), {{l|marksdwarf}}, or {{l|wrestling}} (a solid unarmed-combat skill).

The same is true if you are embarking near an exposed magma vent or an open chasm - these features can be seen on the embark map, but it's impossible to tell if they are "open" to the surface or not, until you are there in person.

Be sure to include some source of {{l|water}} on the map, preferably running {{l|water}}. Water is (almost) essential for any fortress. In Cold and Freezing climates streams and {{l|lake}}s will often be frozen year-round and your dwarves may quickly die of exposure, in Hot climates {{l|murky pool}}s will dry up, and in Dry ones rain will only rarely re-fill them, if ever. Choose Temperate or tropical zones for an easier game.

===Aquifers===
If an {{l|aquifer}} is present in the first soil or stone layers (visible on the pre-embark menu), it may bar all access to {{l|stone}} and {{l|ore}} until you find a way through the water barrier. Consider bringing some stone for building, and ore for your first basic needs, may be critical.

=== Mountains ===
Mountains often have abundant {{l|ore}}s, but at the loss of trees and plants. {{l|Magma}} and rare {{l|metal}}s lure settlers here, but {{l|giant eagle}}s and {{l|chasm}} dwellers are potent threats. You'll want to include a sufficient amount non-mountainous areas in your embark area to obtain lumber and food - or, failing this, to pack a lot of extra food and logs.

Depending on the exact layers, it's common to find exposed {{l|vein}}s of useful {{l|ore}}s that can be immediately mined for {{l|Make your own weapons|DIY}} weapons and tools.

=== Wooded/Plains ===
Flatlands with at least some trees and gatherable plants can also make for highly successful fortresses. Advantages over mountain zones include abundant trees and plants and (unless frozen) more abundant water. There are even (rare) magma vents. More water also means a high likelyhood of an {{l|aquifer}} being present. Make sure to check on embark.

The greatest disadvantage is the potential lack of exposed {{l|stone}} to mine. The first level(s) below the surface is often {{l|soil}} of some type, which offers no building materials. However, soil is mined much more quickly than stone (x3-x4 faster), and expansive accommodations (rooms) can be achieved quickly even by untrained miners. You will find stone, you just have to go down a bit for it - but that's what dwarves do, isn't it?

{{l|Experience|Training}} a {{l|Miner}} from No Skill to Proficient takes <NEED NEW TIME> in soil, and to Legendary in less than <DITTO>.

=== Oceanside ===
With many features in common with some of the above locations, {{l|beach}}es are often a mix of ease intermingled with bouts of extreme difficulty. Minerals and trees are often abundant, as well as farmland and sand, but there is often no drinking water unless the biome has a flowing {{l|water}} of some sort.

By definition, the settlement will fall between (at least) two {{l|biome}}s (one land, one water), potentially hazardous if the player expects a peaceful oceanside meadow, without realizing the {{l|terrifying}} ocean is full of amphibious zombie {{l|whale}}s.

=== Desert, Glaciers, and Barren ===
Treeless (or near-treeless) {{l|biome}}s are challenging sites for a fortress: you get most of the disadvantages of a flatland site without having access to nearly as many trees and plants. However, near-lifeless zones such as {{l|glacier}}s are wonderful for those with slower machines, as there's little to burden the CPU but your dwarves and livestock. {{l|Desert}}s and barren areas often have sand; with a sufficient source of energy (preferably magma), you can build almost anything out of unlimited glass.

Hunters should be replaced with fisherdwarves and a fish cleaner (although the latter can be easily trained). Depending how much water vs. land, more starting wood and ores might be helpful. Swimming is rarely useful in Fortress mode, even at the beach, and can be trained.

==Sample starting builds==
To use an example starting build, open data/init/embark_profiles.txt and paste the text into it. Next time you embark, the profile will appear as a possible group to take. Using embark profiles is faster than planning carefully, but totally skips dwarf personality. Dwarves are simply assigned first come, first served.
=== BillyBob and the Rock Nuts ===
{| class="wikitable" cellspacing="0" border="1" cellpadding="5"
!Profession
!Skills
|-
|FarmerBrewer
|Grower-5, Brewer-5
|-
|MinerMason
|Mining-5, Masonry-3, Engraving-2
|-
|MinerJeweller
|Mining-5, Masonry-2, GemCutting-4
|-
|LumberjackHerbalist
|Woodcutting-4,Herbalism-4, Axedwarf, Armor, Carpentry
|-
|CookDoctor
|Cook-3, Threshing-2, Diagnose, DressWounds, Suture, SetBones, Surgery
|-
|CarpenterLeader
|Carpentry-4, Leadership-3, Negotiate, Appraisal, Bookkeeping
|-
|CrafterArchitect
|Stonecraft-5, Building Designer-3, Mechanic
|}
The lumberjack is the only one that _has_ to go outside, and all the rest can work indoors. Two main sources of income are farming (Sweet Pods->Dwarven Syrup) and Rock Crafting (to buy elven wood/barrels).

<pre>
[PROFILE]
[TITLE:BillyBob and the Rock Nuts]
[SKILL:1:MINING:5]
[SKILL:1:DETAILSTONE:3]
[SKILL:1:MASONRY:2]
[SKILL:2:MINING:5]
[SKILL:2:MASONRY:1]
[SKILL:2:CUTGEM:4]
[SKILL:3:WOODCUTTING:4]
[SKILL:3:CARPENTRY:1]
[SKILL:3:HERBALISM:3]
[SKILL:3:AXE:1]
[SKILL:3:ARMOR:1]
[SKILL:4:CARPENTRY:4]
[SKILL:4:NEGOTIATION:1]
[SKILL:4:APPRAISAL:1]
[SKILL:4:RECORD_KEEPING:1]
[SKILL:4:LEADERSHIP:3]
[SKILL:5:BREWING:5]
[SKILL:5:PLANT:5]
[SKILL:6:PROCESSPLANTS:2]
[SKILL:6:COOK:3]
[SKILL:6:DRESS_WOUNDS:1]
[SKILL:6:DIAGNOSE:1]
[SKILL:6:SURGERY:1]
[SKILL:6:SET_BONE:1]
[SKILL:6:SUTURE:1]
[SKILL:7:STONECRAFT:5]
[SKILL:7:MECHANICS:1]
[SKILL:7:DESIGNBUILDING:4]
[ITEM:2:WEAPON:ITEM_WEAPON_PICK:INORGANIC:COPPER]
[ITEM:2:WEAPON:ITEM_WEAPON_AXE_BATTLE:INORGANIC:COPPER]
[ITEM:1:ANVIL:NONE:INORGANIC:IRON]
[ITEM:11:DRINK:NONE:PLANT_MAT:GRASS_WHEAT_CAVE:DRINK]
[ITEM:11:DRINK:NONE:PLANT_MAT:GRASS_TAIL_PIG:DRINK]
[ITEM:11:DRINK:NONE:PLANT_MAT:MUSHROOM_HELMET_PLUMP:DRINK]
[ITEM:5:SEEDS:NONE:PLANT_MAT:GRASS_TAIL_PIG:SEED]
[ITEM:12:SEEDS:NONE:PLANT_MAT:MUSHROOM_HELMET_PLUMP:SEED]
[ITEM:11:SEEDS:NONE:PLANT_MAT:POD_SWEET:SEED]
[ITEM:11:MEAT:NONE:CREATURE_MAT:MARMOT_HOARY:STOMACH]
[ITEM:11:PLANT:NONE:PLANT_MAT:MUSHROOM_HELMET_PLUMP:STRUCTURAL]
[ITEM:1:THREAD:NONE:PLANT_MAT:GRASS_TAIL_PIG:THREAD]
[ITEM:1:CLOTH:NONE:PLANT_MAT:GRASS_TAIL_PIG:THREAD]
[ITEM:3:BOX:NONE:PLANT_MAT:GRASS_TAIL_PIG:THREAD]
[ITEM:2:CHAIN:NONE:PLANT_MAT:GRASS_TAIL_PIG:THREAD]
[ITEM:3:BUCKET:NONE:PLANT_MAT:ALDER:WOOD]
[ITEM:2:SPLINT:NONE:PLANT_MAT:ALDER:WOOD]
[ITEM:2:CRUTCH:NONE:PLANT_MAT:ALDER:WOOD]
[ITEM:15:MEAT:NONE:CREATURE_MAT:WARTHOG:MUSCLE]
[PET:2:DOG:FEMALE:TRAINED_WAR]
[PET:1:DOG:MALE:TRAINED_WAR]
[PET:2:CAT:FEMALE:STANDARD]
[PET:1:CAT:MALE:STANDARD]
</pre>

{{Starting FAQ}}
[[Category:Guides]]

User:Cohortes

2010-05-10T22:08:39Z

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