Stonecutter

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v50.15 · v0.47.05 This article is about the current version of DF. Note that some content may still need to be updated. More Info · V

Skill: Stonecutter

Sprite(s)
Association
Profession	Stoneworker
Job Title	Stonecutter
Labor	Stonecutter
Tasks
Smoothing walls Creating rock blocks at a Stoneworker's workshop Carving fortifications Carving minecart track
Workshop
Stoneworker's workshop
Attributes
(Unknown)

Stonecutter is the skill associated with the stonecutting labor. Stonecutters are responsible for smoothing walls, carving walls into fortifications, carving minecart tracks into floors and ramps, and making rock blocks at a stoneworker's workshop.

Graphically, stonecutters wear all white clothes.

Note that Stonecutters are distinct from both Stone Carvers and Stonecrafters. The former, 'Carvers, use a stoneworker's workshop to make quality stone furniture, while the latter, 'Crafters, work at a craftdwarf's workshop and generally create household items, trade goods or decorations out of stone.

Unsmoothed room (left) and a smoothed one (right).

Blocks

Because blocks have no quality and neither do smoothed walls, having a skilled stonecutter is mostly a matter of speed; however, since your entire fortress is likely to start smoothing as soon as you designate an area for smoothing, it may be desirable to use the work detail for it regardless. Once you have a large population in your fortress it may be tempting to have everyone do stone smoothing to speed things up, but in the event of one of your dwarves getting a strange mood they may end up becoming a useless legendary stonecutter vs a more desirable skill since stonecutting is a moodable skill (even if they are just a novice stonecutter).

A single boulder will produce 4 blocks; blocks are lighter/easier to carry than boulders; blocks have a higher value than boulders, increasing the architectural created wealth of the resulting constructions; and block walls are more difficult to climb than rough stone walls, nor do they need to be smoothed before being engraved. Blocks can't be used to make furniture, crafts or other stone objects the way boulders can, though, nor can they be used in reactions such as steelmaking.

Fortifications

Fortifications are semi-permeable walls that allow some objects, such as projectiles and liquids, to pass through them. They can be created in natural and constructed stone walls as well as constructed from the build menu.

Tracks

Tracks can be carved from natural stone floors and ramps, as well as constructed from the build menu. They are used to transport minecarts which are tools used mostly for hauling.

Training

Having stonecutters smooth large areas can be a good way to train them since it doesn’t consume resources, doesn’t create garbage, and will not produce low-quality results. It also builds experience very quickly at higher skill levels.

For repeatable training, minecart tracks can be carved into smooth stone and then smoothed over. This cycle can be repeated indefinitely, and builds experience during both halves of the cycle. Due to minecart tracks only being designated one row/column at a time, this is rather designation-intensive.

Players concerned with using as few non-renewable resources as possible can instead resort to building constructed walls, designating them for fortification via v-f, and de-constructing them afterwards. Since fortifications don’t have quality, this will never cause a negative thought for the stonecutter.

V · T · E Skills
Miner	Miner
Woodworker	Bowyer · Carpenter · Wood cutter
Stoneworker	Engraver · Stonecutter · Stone carver · Mason
Ranger	Ambusher · Animal caretaker · Animal dissector · Animal trainer · Trapper
Doctor	Bone doctor · Diagnostician · Surgeon · Suturer · Wound dresser
Farmer	Beekeeper · Brewer · Butcher · Cheese maker · Cook · Dyer · Gelder · Planter · Herbalist · Lye maker · Milker · Miller · Potash maker · Presser · Shearer · Soaper · Spinner · Tanner · Thresher · Wood burner
Fishery worker	Fish cleaner · Fish dissector · Fisherdwarf
Metalsmith	Armorsmith · Furnace operator · Metal crafter · Blacksmith · Weaponsmith
Jeweler	Gem cutter · Gem setter
Craftsdwarf	Bookbinder · Bone carver · Clothier · Glassmaker · Glazer · Leatherworker · Papermaker · Potter · Stone crafter · Strand extractor · Wax worker · Weaver · Wood crafter
Engineer	Mechanic · Pump operator · Siege engineer · Siege operator
Administrator	Appraiser · Organizer · Record keeper
Military	General Archer · Armor user · Biter · Dodger · Fighter · Kicker · Shield user · Striker · Wrestler Weapon Axeman · Blowgunner · Bowman · Crossbowman · Hammerman · Knife user · Lasher · Maceman · Misc. object user · Pikeman · Spearman · Swordsman · Thrower Other Discipline · Leader · Military tactics · Observer · Student · Teacher
Social	Broker Comedian · Conversationalist · Flatterer · Intimidator · Judge of intent · Liar · Negotiator · Persuader Other Concentration · Consoler · Pacifier
Performance	Music Keyboardist · Musician · Percussionist · Singer · Stringed instrumentalist · Wind instrumentalist Spoken Poet · Dancer · Speaker
Scholar	Critical thinker · Logician · Mathematician · Astronomer · Chemist · Geographer · Optics engineer · Fluid engineer · Wordsmith · Writer
Other/Peasant	Climber · Crutch-walker · Knapper · Reader · Rider · Schemer · Swimmer · Tracker
Unused	Balance · Coordination · Druid · Mod skills