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Difference between revisions of "40d:Strange mood"

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Periodically, individual dwarves are struck with an idea for a [[legendary artifact]] and enter a '''strange mood'''. Dwarves which enter a strange mood will stop whatever they are doing and pursue the construction of this artifact to the exclusion of all else. This will be based on a particular [[skill]] that creates a finished end product that can have a [[quality]], rather than intermediary material such as bars of metal or raw food.  They will not stop to eat, drink, sleep, or even run away from dangerous creatures. If they do not manage to begin construction of the artifact within a handful of months, they will go [[Strange mood#Failure|insane]] and die soon afterward.  
  
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'''Help! A crazy dwarf is in my metal shop and I need to make giant axe blades to fend off the [[Undead|skeletal]] [[elephant]]s!'''
+
A dwarf will only be struck by a mood once in their lifetime.  Upon completion of their artifact they will usually become [[legendary]] in that skill, and will then return to their normal life in the fortress with their newfound skill. A fortress can have at most one dwarf in a strange mood at any one time.
  
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Periodically, individual dwarves in your fortress will be struck with an idea for a [[legendary artifact]] and enter a '''strange mood'''.  Dwarves which enter a strange mood will stop whatever they are doing and pursue the construction of this artifact single-mindedly.  They will not stop to eat, drink, sleep, or even run away from dangerous creatures.  If they do not manage to begin construction of the artifact within three months or so, they will go [[Strange Mood#Failure|insane]] and die soon afterward.
+
==Overview==
 +
The entire process can be summarized as follows:
 +
# Strange moods can only occur when the below necessary [[#Conditions|conditions]] are met. [[baby|Babies]] and activated [[Soldier]]s with military skills cannot enter moods, nor [[Noble#Immigrant_Nobles|immigrant nobles]], but any other dwarf can, including [[child]]ren.
 +
# The game will pause, center on a dwarf, and announce that the dwarf has entered one of five different types of strange moods.  The [[#Types of moods|types of moods]] are listed below.  While in a mood, a dwarf will display a blinking exclamation point (see [[status icons]]).
 +
# For the duration of the mood, the dwarf will claim a workshop related to the skill that the mood affects (not all skills are eligible), kick out any dwarf who was using it, and render it otherwise unusable until the mood has been resolved. If a moody dwarf does not claim a workshop, it is because the appropriate workshop does not exist.  (See [[#Skills and workshops|skills and workshops]] below to determine which workshop(s) might be required.) A moody dwarf will ''not'' be available to build a needed workshop; another dwarf with the appropriate [[labor]] designation must do so for them, if one is necessary.
 +
# After claiming a workshop, the dwarf will set about collecting the required materials for their artifact.  If the dwarf remains idle inside the workshop, it's because they cannot find the right material. Reference the [[#Demands|demands]] section to determine what may be required.
 +
# Once all materials have been gathered, the game will once again pause and center, and the moody dwarf will begin construction.  Upon completion the dwarf will create a semi-random artifact related to the skill affected and gain [[legendary]] (or higher) status in that skill (unless the mood type is [[#Possessed|possessed]]).  See the [[#Skills and workshops|skills and workshops]] for information on which skills can be gained, or the [[#Artifacts created|artifacts created]] section for more details on the artifacts themselves.
  
−
However, if a dwarf does manage to create an artifact, he or she will gain one [[legendary]] [[skill]] (with one exception: "possessed" dwarves will create an artifact but gain no skill from it).
+
== Types of moods ==
 +
For each of the following types of moods, the first message is how the mood is [[Announcement|announced]]; the second message appears in the dwarf's profile when he or she is viewed with the {{K|v}} key.  All moody dwarves will have "Strange Mood" listed as their active task and are "quite content", regardless of any recent [[thought]]s they may have had.
  
−
== Strange-mood behavior ==
+
=== Fey ===
 +
* {{Gametext|<dwarf> is taken by a fey mood!|7:1}}
 +
: ''Has the aspect of one fey!''
  
−
When a dwarf is struck by a strange mood, the game will automatically center the map on the moody dwarf, pause, and alert you to his or her particular mood.  While in a mood, a dwarf will display a blinking exclamation point (see [[status icons]]).
+
This is the most basic strange mood.  Fey dwarves will clearly state their demands when the workshop they are in is examined.
  
−
=== Workshops ===
+
=== Secretive ===
 +
* {{Gametext|<dwarf> withdraws from society...|7:0}}
 +
: ''Peculiarly secretive...''
  
−
After entering a mood, a dwarf will stop whatever he or she is doing, head to a [[workshop]], and "claim" it, kicking out any other dwarf who may be using it.  The workshop a dwarf takes over will usually depend upon the dwarf's highest "trade" [[skill]]: a Bone Carver, for instance, will generally take over a [[craftsdwarf's workshop]]; a Jeweler will take over a [[jeweler's workshop]]; a Mechanic will take over a [[mechanic's workshop]]; and a Metalsmith will take over a [[forge]].
+
Secretive moods are the same as fey moods, except a secretive dwarf will sketch pictures of their required materials instead of clearly stating their demands if they cannot find what they need.  Descriptions of all these [[Mood#Demands|secretive requirements]] can be seen only by viewing the workshop that the moody dwarf has claimed, with {{k|q}}, and then only while the dwarf is waiting inside it.  More than one "picture" is likely; these will cycle through the entire list automatically if any one is not available.  (Since materials are gathered ''in order'', it's quite possible that only one of a long list is needed to allow the moody dwarf to continue on their project.  If the dwarf has gathered some of the materials (seen as "tasked" when looking at the workshop with {{k|t}}), then the next in the list is what they are looking for.)
  
−
Most farming-, fishing-, trapping-, and combat-related skills (grower, thresher, brewer, fish cleaner, animal trainer, axedwarf, etc.) do not count as "trade" skills (although Tanners can enter strange moods, and will take over a [[tanner's shop]]).
+
=== Possessed ===
 +
* {{Gametext|<dwarf> has been possessed!|5:1}}
 +
: ''Possessed by unknown forces!''
  
−
Active [[soldiers]] can enter a strange mood if they have any trade skills from before they were conscripted.  A soldier will be removed from his or her [[squad]] during the course of a mood and returned to it upon successful completion of an artifact.  If a soldier has gained a legendary skill, you may wish to make use of it by removing that dwarf from the military.
+
Possessed dwarves have cryptic material requests, and have the unfortunate distinction of not receiving any experience upon successful construction of an artifact.  It is unknown if controllable circumstances lead to a possessed mood instead of one of the more desirable fey or secretive moods. Possessed dwarves will mutter the name of the artifact they are working on once they have all the materials they need.
  
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If the right workshop is not available, a moody dwarf will stand idle instead (in their bedroom, outside the fort, in a [[sculpture garden]] or [[meeting hall]], etc.) waiting for you to construct the right workshop.  You can usually tell which workshop a moody dwarf wants by {{key|v}}iewing their skills; their highest trade skill will dictate which workshop you should build for them.  
+
A possession is the only mood that does ''not'' result in a jump in [[experience]].
  
−
Moody Glassmakers will require a [[glass furnace]] instead of a workshop, but Furnace Operators will require a [[forge]].  If your miners have reached the [[magma flow]], any dwarf requiring a forge will insist on a [[magma forge]], and will ignore any existing charcoal-powered forges.{{verify}} Glassmakers will use either a charcoal- or a magma-fuelled glass furnace.{{verify}}
+
=== Fell ===
 +
* {{Gametext|<dwarf> looses a roaring laughter, fell and terrible!|5:0}}
 +
: ''Has a horrible fell look!''
  
−
Moody dwarves will occasionally seize a random workshop and proceed to create their artifact there. Following completion of the artifact, this workshop will often be converted into the type originally desired by the dwarf.{{verify}}
+
A dwarf that goes into a fell mood will always take over a [[butcher's shop]] or a [[tanner's shop]]. If neither are available, any other workshop will be used instead. The dwarf will then ''murder'' the nearest dwarf, drag the corpse into the shop and make some sort of object out of dwarf [[leather]] or [[bone]]. Once the artifact is completed, the fell dwarf will become a legendary [[bone carver]] or [[leatherworker]].  Strangely, none of the other dwarves seem to mind the murder.  Only unhappy dwarves may enter a fell mood.
  
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=== Skills ===
+
Aside from the potential loss of an important dwarf in the wrong place at the wrong time, there doesn't seem to be any downside to a fell mood. The end result is always an artifact and a legendary craftsdwarf. Since the only ingredient used (a dwarf) is available in abundance, a fell mood will only fail if the fell dwarf is completely isolated from other dwarves, or if the proper workshop does not exist.
  
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If a dwarf manages to successfully complete an artifact, the dwarf's highest trade skill will be elevated to "legendary". More specifically, 20,000 [[experience]] will be added to that skill. This will also give the dwarf several [[attribute]] boosts. ("Possessed" dwarves, however, gain no experience.)
+
=== Macabre ===
 +
* {{Gametext|<dwarf> begins to stalk and brood...|0:1}}
 +
: ''Brooding darkly...''
  
−
This fact can be utilized to maximize the possibility of getting dwarf with a legendary skill you want: where possible, make sure each dwarf's highest trade skill is one of the kinds you want.  Have all your peasants, growers, soldiers (you will have to temporarily deactivate them from the military), and other dwarves without trade skills do a tiny bit of work in the skill(s) you most want (Armorsmith is possibly the most-desired legendary skill); if a "dabbling" trade skill is the highest they have, that is the skill that will be used.
+
Macabre moods are similar to fell moods, but the dwarf will not murder a fellow dwarf.  A macabre dwarf will demand bones, skulls, or [[chunk]]s or vermin remains; if you do not happen to have any, you will have to "make" some, or let the moody dwarf go insane.  Like fell moods, only unhappy dwarves can enter macabre moods.
  
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The type of artifact created will also depend on the dwarf's highest trade skill.  Masons will always create some kind of [[stone]] object; Bone Carvers, a [[bone]] or [[shell]] object; Carpenters, a [[wood]] object, etc.
+
== Demands ==
 +
Once a workshop is claimed, the dwarf will begin collecting materials.  Each artifact will require between one and ten materials to complete - 1-3 "primary" components (with certain exceptions) and up to 7 additional items based on your fortress's population (up to 1 per 20 dwarves eligible to enter a mood) and previous moods (up to 1 per artifact successfully produced). If the moody dwarf remains idle, then the necessary materials are not available.  [[Forbidden]] items must be reclaimed ({{K|d}} - {{K|b}} - {{K|c}}) before they may be used, but moody dwarves will ignore settings regarding [[economic stone]]. Press {{K|q}} and highlight the workshop to receive a series of clues about what the dwarf needs.  Hints that stay active for longer than 2 seconds mean that multiple pieces of that material will be required; each single demand will be displayed for 2 seconds, so if it says "gems... shining" for 6 seconds, 3 gems are demanded. Materials will always be fetched ''in order'', so if at least one item has already been retrieved (the items will show up with "TSK" ("task") next to them when the workshop is viewed with the {{K|t}} context menu), it will usually be possible to tell what item is required next.
  
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For the purposes of strange moods, [[mining]] and [[engraving]] are considered trade skills: moody miners and engravers will usually take over a craftsdwarf's or mason's workshop, turn out a stone craft or piece of furniture, and gain legendary skill as miners or engravers respectively (not as stone crafters or masons).  Furnace operators will turn out a metal craft or piece of furniture and become legendary furnace operators. Weavers will take over a [[clothes maker's shop]] and produce an article of clothing.
+
You can use this to your advantage to get your dwarf to pick specific types of items, even if the moody dwarf has already started storing materials in their workshop: if a fey weaponsmith starts piling up copper bars, forbid those bars and he'll go pick another bar instead. If you forbid all metals except say steel (the stocks screen makes this fairly convenient), then he'll skip all those other metals and make his artifact weapon out of strong, valuable steel instead of whatever random inferior metal he might have picked otherwise.  Don't forbid any of his materials after your dwarf has begun building his artifact - he won't go back to collecting materials once started and will end up going insane.
  
−
Dwarves with no trade skills whatsoever (including [[children]], sometimes) can go into strange moods. Such dwarves generally gain one of the crafting skills (wood crafter, bone carver, etc.).
+
In somewhat rarer cases, a dwarf with a personality preference for a specific material, such as steel or silver [[bar]]s, will demand exactly that specific sub-type of material. For this reason, it is a good idea to keep as many types of material on hand as possible, including the three different kinds of glass. Forbidding materials won't let you get around this either: if they want a specific material subtype and you forbid it in favor of something else, they'll just sulk in their workshop until you unforbid the material or they are able to find it some other way - or they go [[insane]]. Asking a liaison for likely materials ''in advance'' is a good plan - "next year" is far too long for a moody dwarf to last. Check your dwarves' [[preference]]s if you care.
  
−
=== Materials ===
+
If you have any unforbidden [[adamantine]] wafers or cloth in your stockpiles, moods which use cloth or metal as their primary component will insist on using them over all other materials; metal decorations will use any bars that are available, and cloth decorations will only use plant fiber or silk (whichever the dwarf demands). Moods involving stone crafting or masonry will not prefer [[raw adamantine]] over other stones.
  
−
In addition to requiring a specific workshop, dwarves will also demand specific raw [[material]]s in order to complete their artifact.  Each artifact will require between one and ten items to complete.{{verify}}
+
The various demands are translated here:
  
−
After claiming a workshop, a moody dwarf will set about collecting these materials. If the supplies are not at hand, the dwarf will sit in the workshop until the items become available, or go insane if they do not become available before long.
+
:{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left;width:90%;"
 +
|-
 +
! Material
 +
! Fey
 +
! Secretive
 +
! Possessed
 +
|-
 +
|
 +
| <dwarf> screams "I must have <demand>!"
 +
| <dwarf> sketches pictures of <demand>.
 +
| <dwarf> mutters "<artifact> needs <demand>..."
 +
|-
 +
| [[Stone]]
 +
| rock
 +
| a quarry
 +
| stone... rock
 +
|-
 +
| Stone [[block]]
 +
| rock blocks
 +
| square blocks
 +
| blocks... bricks
 +
|-
 +
| [[Wood]]
 +
| wood logs
 +
| a forest
 +
| tree... life
 +
|-
 +
| Metal [[bar]]
 +
| metal bars
 +
| shining bars of metal
 +
| bars... metal
 +
|-
 +
| [[Gem]]s (cut)
 +
| cut gems
 +
| cut gems
 +
| gems... shining
 +
|-
 +
| [[Gem]]s (raw)
 +
| rough gems
 +
| rough gems
 +
| rough... color
 +
|-
 +
| [[Glass]] (green)
 +
| raw green glass
 +
| glass
 +
| raw... green
 +
|-
 +
| [[Glass]] (clear)
 +
| raw clear glass
 +
| glass and burning wood
 +
| raw... clear
 +
|-
 +
| [[Glass]] (crystal)
 +
| raw crystal glass
 +
| rough gems and glass
 +
| raw... crystal
 +
|-
 +
| [[Bone]]
 +
| bones
 +
| skeletons
 +
| bones... yes
 +
|-
 +
| [[Shell]]
 +
| shells
 +
| a shell
 +
| a shell...
 +
|-
 +
| [[Leather]]
 +
| tanned hides
 +
| stacked leather
 +
| leather... skin
 +
|-
 +
| [[Cloth]] (plant)
 +
| plant fiber cloth
 +
| stacked cloth
 +
| cloth... thread
 +
|-
 +
| [[Cloth]] (silk)
 +
| silk cloth
 +
| stacked cloth
 +
| cloth... thread
 +
|}
  
−
Jewelers will usually only require one item: a rough [[gem]], which they will fashion into a "perfect" gem.  Metalsmiths will usually use [[ore]] (not [[metal bars]]).{{verify}}
+
Dwarves in macabre moods will list their demands in the same fashion as those in fey moods (though with them brooding "Yes. I need <item>." instead of screaming "I must have <item>!"). They may also say "Leave me. I need... things... certain things", in which case they want either a [[skull]] or some vermin [[remains]].
  
−
Glassmakers will always require at least one piece of raw glass, usually clear. Since they will usually take over your glass furnace, you will either have to build another glass furnace or make sure you have the right types of raw glass ahead of time. The steps involved in glass production are fairly time-consuming: you must first collect sand, which requires an empty [[bag]] and an "Item [[hauling|Haul]]er" who is not busy hauling finished goods, then haul the sand to the furnace and melt it into glass. Clear glass is even more time consuming (the above steps plus: make [[potash]] out of [[wood]], bake it into [[pearlash]] in a [[kiln]], haul it to the furnace). It is therefore recommended you make several pieces of raw glass of each type as early as you can, reserved for use by moody dwarves. Furthermore, any dwarf may require raw glass, not just glassmakers. ''Why is this here? Make a seperate article about glassmaking. --[[User:Mizipzor|Mizipzor]] 06:19, 6 November 2007 (EST)''
+
Once all materials have been gathered, viewing the workshop with {{K|q}} will display a special message depending on the type of mood:
 +
* Fey - "<dwarf> works furiously!"
 +
* Secretive - "<dwarf> works secretly..."
 +
* Possessed - "<dwarf> keeps muttering <artifact>..."
 +
* Macabre - "<dwarf> works, darkly brooding..."
 +
* Fell - "<dwarf> works with menacing fury!"
  
−
The first object grabbed by the dwarf will be the "primary" substance; all other materials will be used to decorate the artifact.  If a dwarf grabs onyx and makes a bed, for instance, it will be an "onyx bed".  In addition to the primary substance, many other materials will often be used to construct an artifact.  An artifact can potentially be composed of bone, cloth, gems, leather, metal, shell, stone, and wood all at once.{{verify}}
+
== The mechanics of moods ==
  
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==== Demands ====
+
=== Frequency===
 +
When a fortress is started, an internal counter is set to 1000.  Every 100 frames (12 times per day), this counter is decremented by 1, running down to zero in about 3 months.  When the counter would ordinarily be decremented when it has already reached zero, there is a 1 in 500 chance that a strange mood will strike.  This means that, once all conditions are met and the clock is ticking, while there is approximately a 2.4% chance of a strange mood per day, or ''very approximately'' a 50% chance of a strange mood per month, there is no guarantee when a mood will strike - might be sooner, might be (almost) never.
  
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While a moody dwarf is in a workshop, you can get an idea of what materials he or she wants by pressing {{k|q}} and moving the cursor over the workshop. (If the dwarf is busy fetching objects instead of "waiting" for unavailable materials, you can still see this display by catching the dwarf in the workshop just as he or she is dropping off an object.)
+
=== Conditions ===
 +
In order for a dwarf to be struck with a strange mood, three conditions must be met:
 +
:* There is no currently active strange mood,
 +
:* The maximum number of artifacts is not met,
 +
:* There are at least 20 eligible dwarves ''(see below)''.
  
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The message will change every few seconds if the dwarf demands several different items. The dwarf will list all the materials he or she demands even if most of them have already been fetched. If a demand lasts longer than about 2 seconds, that means multiple items of that type will be required. Sometimes a dwarf will also mutter an unfamiliar word, such as "Kerging". This word is the name of the artifact he or she intends to create.
+
If all three of these conditions are true, the game may trigger a strange mood according to the frequency.
  
−
Moody dwarves collect their items in a fixed sequence, so if they have already collected at least one item (it will be lying in the workshop, viewable under the {{k|t}} menu), you can see what item in the sequence they will need next to continue.  
+
==== Maximum number of artifacts ====
 +
The maximum number of artifacts in any one fortress is limited by the lower of:
 +
* The number of items created divided by 100.<sup>1</sup>  Mined-out rock '''does''' count as an "item created", though it is not clear whether bolts or units of drink are counted individually.
 +
* The number of revealed [[subterranean]] tiles divided by 2304 (this is an area equivalent to a 48x48 square).  Using [[Exploratory mining|exploratory methods]] is a great way to increase your artifact limit.
 +
:<sup>1</sup> - actually the sum of all items by type '''and''' by type+subtype+material+matgloss, divided by 200.
  
−
Things dwarves demand include:
+
==== Eligibility ====
 +
The deciding factor for eligibility is a dwarf's actual [[profession]]. ''(Note that "[[Skill#Custom profession labels|custom professions]]" have no effect on this!)'' Thus, dwarves may enter strange moods regardless of what skills they have or don't have, so long as they are of an acceptable profession.  Dwarves who have already created an artifact are not eligible to create another, and since every mood ends in either an artifact or death, every dwarf may enter at most one mood.  Dwarves who have obtained one or more legendary skills without creating artifacts may enter strange moods. 
  
−
* [[Bones]] - "bones... yes", "pictures of skeletons"
+
Appointed [[noble]]s may enter moods as per their default profession, but [[Noble#Immigrant Nobles|immigrant nobles]] are '''not''' eligible for moods.  That includes:
−
* [[Cloth]] (not thread) - "cloth... thread", "pictures of stacked cloth"
+
:Advisor, Baron/ess, Baron/ess Consort, Count/ess, Countess Consort, Duke/Duchess, Duke/Duchess Consort, Dungeon Master, Hammerer, King/Queen, King/Queen Consort, Philosopher, and Tax Collector.
−
* Cut [[gem]]s - "gems... shining", "gems". ''These must be ordinary cut gems, not "large" gems.''
 
−
* [[Leather]] - "leather... skin", "pictures of stacked leather"
 
−
* Metal [[ore]] - "ore... particular ore", "picture of an ore mine", "the correct ore"
 
−
* Metal [[bar]]s - "shining bars... metal", "shining bars of metal"
 
−
* Rough [[gem]]s - "rough... color". ''Sometimes when they request rough gems they are looking for a specific type of raw [[glass]].''
 
−
* Raw crystal [[glass]] - "rough gems and glass" (I think this is right.  I have raw types of both green and clear glass, but not crystal glass)
 
−
* Raw clear [[glass]] - "raw... clear", "glass with burning wood"
 
−
* [[Shell]] - "a shell"
 
−
* [[Stone]] - "stone... rock", "pictures of a quarry", "the right stone"
 
−
* Stone [[block]]s - "blocks... bricks", "the proper surface to work on", "square blocks"
 
−
* [[Wood]] - "tree... life", "pictures of a forest", "a tree"
 
−
* Dwarven bones/[[refuse|remains]] - "things... certain things". ''This demand is only seen during "Macabre" moods.''
 
  
 +
Further, dwarves with a [[Soldier#Soldier professions|military profession]] other than "Recruit" can '''not''' enter moods.  Incidental military skills make no difference - eligibility (and weighting) depends purely on the actual ''[[profession]]'', as listed at the time.  Military professions include:
 +
:Axedwarf, Axe Lord, Champion, Crossbowdwarf, Elite Crossbowdwarf, Hammerdwarf, Hammer Lord, Macedwarf, Mace Lord, Marksdwarf, Elite Marksdwarf, Speardwarf, Spearmaster, Swordsdwarf, Swordmaster, Wrestler, and Elite Wrestler.
  
−
Sometimes the required item(s) will be very specific (for instance, rough [[emerald]]s); other times, very general (leather from any type of creature). Sometimes when dwarves are waiting for a specific material, it will be listed in the dwarf's [[thought|thoughts and preferences]]. For instance, a dwarf that "likes platinum" will sometimes use one or more platinum nuggets in the construction of an artifact. This is not always the case, however, and they may want a completely unrelated item.{{verify}}
+
Babies may '''not''' enter moods.
  
−
Once the dwarf has assembled all the materials he or she needs, the game will announce that the dwarf "has begun a mysterious construction!". The artifact should be completed within a day or two.
+
Any other profession is eligible to enter a mood, but not all have the same ''chance'' to enter a mood...
  
−
Dwarves which have created an artifact will hold on to it for a very long time (or the loss of the limb in which it is held{{verify}}) after which one of three events can occur.
+
:''('''Note''' - Specifically, and to avoid previous misunderstandings, [[Strand extractor]], [[Clerk]], [[Administrator]], [[Trader]], [[Building designer|Architect]], [[Alchemist's laboratory|Alchemist]], [[Soldier#Recruits|Recruit]] and [[Child]] '''are''' moodable professions.)''
−
* The dwarf can become [[obsessed]] with the item and will keep hold of it until death.{{verify}}
 
−
* Become nervous and hide the artifact.{{verify}}
 
−
* Become uneasy and drop the artifact wherever he currently stands.{{verify}}
 
  
−
If it is a heavy object (such as a floodgate), it will [[speed|slow]] them substantially unless they have several levels of [[strength]]. This is a bigger problem with a possessed dwarf, as the legendary status resulting from other moods will provide a good [[attributes|attribute]] boost.
+
=== Chance ===
 +
When determining who will have a strange mood, each eligible dwarf is put into a weighted lottery.  The odds are assigned a higher or lower weight based on the dwarf's [[profession]]. The default weight is 6, but some professions are more likely to enter a strange mood than others. (This is like most dwarves getting 6 tickets to the lottery, and others getting more.)
  
−
=== Failure ===
 
  
−
If you can't provide all the required items within a couple of months, the dwarf will go insane and cancel the artifact.  This insanity can take several forms:
+
{| class="wikitable" cellspacing="0" border="2" cellpadding="5"
 +
|-
 +
! Weighting
 +
! Professions
  
−
* Become melancholy. The dwarf will either refuse to eat or drink until dead, or drown themselves at some point.  They may also hurl themselves into the [[river]], [[chasm]], or [[magma]] immediately.{{verify}}
+
|-
−
* Become a babbling wreck.  A dwarf experiencing this will drop all the items he or she is wearing, one by one, and eventually starve to death.
+
| 21 ||Armorer, Blacksmith, Bone Carver, Clothier, Craftsdwarf, Jeweler, Gem Cutter, Gem Setter, Glassmaker, Leatherworker, Metalcrafter, Metalsmith, Stonecrafter, Weaponsmith, Weaver, Woodcrafter
−
* Go on a murderous rampage.
+
|-
 +
| 11 ||Bowyer, Carpenter, Stoneworker, Mason, Woodworker
 +
|-
 +
| 6 ||Engraver, Mechanic, Miner, Tanner, & all other [[profession]]s.
  
−
The first two outcomes are harmless (except to the moody dwarf, who will die), but you may want to station a squad nearby or assign a few war dogs to the dwarf on the chance that they will lash out.  If you build your workshops inside enclosed rooms (with doors), you can also lock the moody dwarf in the room until he or she starves.
+
|}
  
−
Anything that would cause the dwarf to cancel the strange mood job (like being attacked or having the workshop destroyed) will cause insanity. Note that the insanity can happen even when the dwarf is not deadlocked on an item; there have been observed instances where a dwarf goes insane while in the process of carrying a required item back to the commandeered workshop.
 
  
−
== Types of strange moods ==
+
:'''''Example:''' What this means is: if you had 21 dwarves, made up of 20 eligible farmers, furnace operators, miners, woodcutters etc. (with 6 chances each) plus one Armorer (with 21 chances), that one Armorer would have a 21 in 141 chance <small>(20 dwarves x 6 chances each = 120 + 21 chances more = 141 total)</small> of the mood striking them.  That's about 1 in 7, while the other 20 have a 6 in 141 chance each, or about 1 in 24.  The odds are still against the armorer, but much better than for any other single dwarf.''
  
−
The first message in the following sections is how the mood is [[announcements|announced]]; the second message appears in the dwarf's profile when he or she is ['''v''']iewed.  All dwarves in a strange mood will have "Strange Mood" listed as their active task.
+
Note that not every profession is from a moodable skill.  An Alchemist, Architect, Furnace Operator or Strand Extractor can be taken by a mood, but that will not make those skills legendary, nor will they create an artifact bar of soap, building, bar of metal or wafer of adamantine.
  
−
=== Fey ===
+
:NOTE: ''If your game was saved shortly before one of you dwarves acquired a mood, reloading that game will most likely cause the chances to be completely re-figured, resulting in a different mood at a different time for a different dwarf with different materials. This is true for most all random events and results in Dwarf Fortress.''
  
−
* ''Taken by a fey mood!''
+
=== Skills and workshops ===
−
* ''Has the aspect of one fey!''
 
  
−
This is the basic strange mood.  Fey dwarves will clearly state their demands when the workshop they are in is examined.
+
{| class="wikitable" cellpadding="4" style="border:1px solid black;border-collapse:collapse;text-align:left;float:right;margin:0 0 20px 30px;"
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#eee;border-bottom:1px solid black;text-align:center;" | Artifact Skill Rewards
 +
|-
 +
! Highest skill
 +
! Workshop used
 +
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
 +
| [[Armorsmith]]
 +
| [[Magma forge]] or [[Metalsmith's forge]]
 +
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
 +
| [[Bone carver]]
 +
| [[Craftsdwarf's workshop]]
 +
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
 +
| [[Bowyer]]
 +
| [[Bowyer's workshop]]
 +
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
 +
| [[Carpenter]]
 +
| [[Carpenter's workshop]]
 +
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
 +
| [[Clothier]]
 +
| [[Clothier's shop]]
 +
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
 +
| [[Engraver]]
 +
| [[Craftsdwarf's workshop]]
 +
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
 +
| [[Gem cutter]]
 +
| [[Jeweler's workshop]]
 +
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
 +
| [[Gem setter]]
 +
| [[Jeweler's workshop]]
 +
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
 +
| [[Glassmaker]]
 +
| [[Glass furnace]]
 +
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
 +
| [[Leatherworker]]
 +
| [[Leather works]]
 +
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
 +
| [[Mason]]
 +
| [[Mason's workshop]]
 +
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
 +
| [[Mechanic]]
 +
| [[Mechanic's workshop]]
 +
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
 +
| [[Metal crafter]]
 +
| [[Magma forge]] or [[Metalsmith's forge]]
 +
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
 +
| [[Metalsmith]]
 +
| [[Magma forge]] or [[Metalsmith's forge]]
 +
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
 +
| [[Miner]]
 +
| [[Mason's workshop]]
 +
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
 +
| [[Stone crafter]]
 +
| [[Craftsdwarf's workshop]]
 +
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
 +
| [[Tanner]]
 +
| [[Leather works]]
 +
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
 +
| [[Weaponsmith]]
 +
| [[Magma forge]] or [[Metalsmith's forge]]
 +
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
 +
| [[Weaver]]
 +
| [[Clothier's shop]]
 +
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
 +
| [[Wood crafter]]
 +
| [[Craftsdwarf's workshop]]
 +
|}
  
−
=== Secretive ===
+
A dwarf will claim a workshop according to their highest applicable skill, and upon completion of the artifact, gain 20,000 [[experience]] in that skill (excepting [[Strange mood#Possessed|possessed]]  dwarves). This will give the dwarf a legendary-level [[skill]] (specifically, "legendary+1" or higher, depending on the dwarf's initial skill level) and a number of [[attribute]] gains.  The table to the right describes all applicable skills and their potential workshop requirements - there are only 20 skills that determine the workshop and that can be affected by a mood (sometimes referred to as '''moodable''' skills.)  If a dwarf does not possess at least one of the moodable skills listed to the right, they will take over a [[craftsdwarf's workshop]] and gain one of [[bone carver]], [[stone crafter]], or [[wood crafter]] skills, producing an artifact [[craft]].
  
−
* ''Withdraws from society...''
+
When selecting the desired mood skill, only the level itself is checked, and if the highest level found is shared by multiple skills, then one will be selected randomly.  
−
* ''Peculiarly secretive...''
 
  
−
Secretive moods are the same as fey moods, except instead of loudly proclaiming his demands, a secretive dwarf will sketch his or her ideas.
+
If any [[magma forge]]s exist in your fortress, even if they haven't actually been ''constructed'' yet, all moody metalworkers will insist on using one instead of a coal-powered [[metalsmith's forge]]. Whether or not they want a magma forge is determined the instant the strange mood begins, so you should wait until the magma supply is completely full before even '''designating''' it for construction, since a magma forge losing power for even a moment will cause its strange mood to instantly fail. Note that this does ''not'' apply to Glassmaker moods, which will always demand a coal-powered [[glass furnace]] regardless of how many [[magma glass furnace]]s you might have.
  
−
=== Possessed ===
+
Below is a list of all ''non''-moodable skills; if all of a dwarf's skills are found on this list and none from the table to the right, then they have no moodable skills and will construct their artifact at a [[Craftsdwarf's workshop]], producing an appropriate craft as described above:
  
−
* ''Has been possessed!''
+
{|
−
* ''Possessed by unknown forces!''
+
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
 +
| style="padding-right:30px;" |
 +
* [[Ambusher]]
 +
* [[Animal caretaker]]
 +
* [[Animal dissector]]
 +
* [[Animal trainer]]
 +
* [[Appraiser]]
 +
* [[Building designer|Architect]]
 +
* [[Brewer]]
 +
* [[Butcher]]
 +
* [[Cheese maker]]
 +
* [[Cook]]
 +
* [[Dyer]]
 +
* [[Fish cleaner]]
 +
* [[Fish dissector]]
 +
* [[Fisherdwarf]]
 +
* [[Furnace operator]]
 +
* [[Grower]]
 +
* [[Herbalist]]
 +
|
 +
* [[Lye maker]]
 +
* [[Milker]]
 +
* [[Miller]]
 +
* [[Potash maker]]
 +
* [[Pump operator]]
 +
* [[Record keeper]]
 +
* [[Siege engineer]]
 +
* [[Siege operator]]
 +
* [[Soaper]]
 +
* [[Strand extractor]]
 +
* [[Thresher]]
 +
* [[Trapper]]
 +
* [[Wood cutter]]
 +
* [[Wood burner]]
 +
* All [[military]] skills
 +
* All [[social skill]]s
 +
|}
  
−
Possessed dwarves behave the same as fey dwarves, but will not gain any skill once the artifact is complete.  Their thoughts are also cryptic, but are harder to understand than dwarves who withdraw from society.
+
This fact can be utilized to maximize the possibility of getting a dwarf with the specific legendary skill you want: since ''non''-moodable skills are ignored, when ever possible make sure that each dwarf's highest ''moodable'' skill is one of those you want*.  Have all your peasants, [[farmer]]s, non-professional military and other dwarves without any moodable skills do a tiny bit of work in the skill(s) you most want; if a "[[experience|dabbling]]" skill is the highest moodable skill they have, that is the skill that will be used.
  
−
=== Fell ===
+
:''(* [[Armorsmith]], [[Weaponsmith]], [[Metal crafter]] and [[Metalsmith]] are possibly the most-desired legendary skills, but much depends on your fortress, your current mix of skills, and your play style.)''
  
−
* ''Looses a roaring laughter, fell and terrible!''
+
:''(Note that [[Tanner]] is a moodable skill, the only [[Farmer]] category skill that is moodable.)''
−
* ''Has a horrible fell look!''
 
  
−
A dwarf that goes into a fell mood will take over a [[butcher's shop]] or a [[tanner's shop]] instead of one of the craft shops. The dwarf will then ''murder'' the nearest dwarf, drag the corpse into the shop and make some sort of object out of dwarf [[leather]] or [[bone]]. Once the artifact is completed, the fell dwarf will become a legendary Bone Carver or Leatherworker.  Strangely, none of the other dwarves seem to mind the murder.  
+
== Artifacts created ==
 +
The type of artifact created will depend on the skill selected for the mood and will be selected from the table below. If your dwarf does not have a preference for any possible items, the game will randomly select one from the list. Entries with "any" are treated as a single item which will randomly select a subtype which your civilization is capable of making, while "each" is treated as ''multiple'' entries, one for every possible subtype - this explains why bowyers and clothiers regularly produce foreign artifacts, while weaponsmiths do not.
  
−
Aside from the potential loss of an important dwarf in the wrong place at the wrong time, there doesn't seem to be any downside to a fell mood. The end result is always an artifact and a legendary craftsdwarf. Since the only ingredient used (a dwarf) is available in abundance, a fell mood will only "fail" if a hermit has a horrible fell look or if the proper workshop does not exist.
+
{| class="wikitable" cellpadding="4" style="border:1px solid black;border-collapse:collapse;text-align:left;"
 +
|-
 +
! Mood / Skill
 +
! Artifact type
 +
|-
 +
| [[Armorsmith]]
 +
| Each equipment item with [METAL] (plate mail, chain mail, greaves, leggings, gauntlet, high boot, low boot, ''shoe, high boot, sandal<sup>1</sup>''), any shield
 +
|-
 +
| [[Bone carver]] (bone)
 +
| rowspan=3| Each equipment item with [BARRED] (leggings, greaves, gauntlet, helm), any shield, ''any helm'', instrument, toy, door, bed, chair, table, statue, coffer, bin, armor stand, weapon rack, cabinet, coffin, floodgate, hatch cover, grate, chain, cage, animal trap, figurine, amulet, scepter, crown, ring, earring, bracelet, any weapon, any trap component<sup>2</sup>
 +
|-
 +
| Macabre Mood (bone)
 +
|-
 +
| Fell Mood (bone)
 +
|-
 +
| [[Bone carver]] (shell)
 +
| Each equipment item with [SCALED] (leggings, gauntlet, helm), figurine, amulet, crown, ring, earring, bracelet, chain, cage, animal trap, instrument, toy
 +
|-
 +
| [[Bowyer]]
 +
| Each ranged weapon (crossbow, bow, blowgun)
 +
|-
 +
| [[Carpenter]]
 +
| Door, bed, chair, table, statue, chest, bin, armor stand, weapon rack, cabinet, casket, floodgate, hatch cover, grate, cage, barrel, bucket, animal trap
 +
|-
 +
| [[Clothier]]
 +
| rowspan=2| Each equipment item with [SOFT] (coat, shirt, cloak, tunic, toga, cape, vest, dress, robe, trousers, loincloth, thong, skirt, short skirt, long skirt, braies, glove, mitten, shoe, sandal, chausses, cap, hood, turban, mask, head veil, face veil, headscarf), bag, rope
 +
|-
 +
| [[Weaver]]
 +
|-
 +
| [[Engraver]]
 +
| rowspan=3| Figurine, amulet, scepter, crown, ring, earring, bracelet, goblet, instrument, toy
 +
|-
 +
| [[Stone crafter]]
 +
|-
 +
| [[Wood crafter]]
 +
|-
 +
| Fell Mood (leather)
 +
| rowspan=3| Each equipment item with [LEATHER] (dress, shirt, tunic, toga, vest, robe, coat, cloak, cape, armor, trousers, loincloth, thong, short skirt, skirt, long skirt, braies, leggings, glove, mitten, sandal, shoe, chausses, high boot, low boot, cap, hood, mask, turban, head veil, face veil, headscarf, helm), any shield, bag, backpack, quiver, instrument
 +
|-
 +
| [[Leatherworker]]
 +
|-
 +
| [[Tanner]]
 +
|-
 +
| [[Gem cutter]]
 +
| rowspan=3| Large gem<sup>3</sup>, door, bed, chair, table, statue, box, armor stand, weapon rack, cabinet, coffin, floodgate, hatch cover, grate, figurine, amulet, scepter, crown, ring, earring, bracelet, chain, flask, goblet, cage, barrel, bucket, animal trap, window, instrument, toy
 +
|-
 +
| [[Gem setter]]
 +
|-
 +
| [[Glassmaker]]
 +
|-
 +
| Macabre Mood (skull)
 +
| Totem
 +
|-
 +
| Macabre Mood (vermin remains)
 +
| Amulet, bracelet, earring
 +
|-
 +
| [[Mason]]
 +
| rowspan=2| Door, bed, chair, table, statue, quern, millstone, coffer, armor stand, weapon rack, cabinet, coffin, floodgate, hatch cover, grate
 +
|-
 +
| [[Miner]]
 +
|-
 +
| [[Mechanic]]
 +
| Mechanisms
 +
|-
 +
| [[Metal crafter]]
 +
| Figurine, amulet, scepter, crown, ring, earring, bracelet, chain, flask, goblet, instrument, toy
 +
|-
 +
| [[Metalsmith]]
 +
| Door, bed, chair, table, statue, coffer, armor stand, weapon rack, cabinet, anvil, coffin, floodgate, hatch cover, grate, cage, barrel, bucket, animal trap, pipe section
 +
|-
 +
| [[Weaponsmith]]
 +
| Any weapon, any trap component<sup>2</sup>
 +
|}
 +
:<sup>1</sup> ''these are intended to be headgear types, but the code incorrectly specifies an item type of SHOES instead of HELM''
 +
:<sup>2</sup> ''chance of selection for this entry is reduced by 90%''
 +
:<sup>3</sup> ''this item may only be selected at the beginning of the mood (50% chance)''
  
−
=== Macabre ===
+
The first object grabbed by the dwarf will be the "primary" substance; all other materials will be used to decorate the artifact. If a dwarf grabs a piece of [[chalk]] and makes a statue, for instance, it will be a "chalk statue", but an artifact can potentially be composed of bone, cloth, gems, leather, metal, shell, stone, and wood all at once.  As seen above, a moody dwarf can sometimes produce an item which normally cannot be made from that material, leading to such odd constructions as an [[obsidian]] [[bed]], [[ruby]] [[floodgate]], or turtle [[shell]] [[cage]], but the actual item types available for each mood type are still very much restricted (e.g. only a glassmaker or jeweler can make a [[window]], and a moody clothier cannot produce an article of clothing that could not normally be made from cloth).
  
−
* ''Begins to stalk and brood...''
+
Once created, most [[artifact]]s will be available for use just like a normal item of its type. Artifact furniture is useful for high value [[noble]] rooms. [[Weapon]]s and [[armor]] will only be used by heroes and champions. Artifact weapons in [[Trap#Weapon Trap|weapon traps]] can also boost a room's value considerably, as in the case of artifact trap components.
−
* ''Brooding darkly...''
 
  
−
Like a fell mood, above, but the dwarf will not murder a fellow dwarf.  A macabre dwarf may require dwarf bones, skulls, and chunks/remains; if you do not happen to have any, you will have to "make" some, or let the moody dwarf go insane.
+
== Failure ==
 +
If you can't provide the desired workshop and all the required component materials within a couple of months, the dwarf will go [[insanity|insane]], which cancels the mood and the artifact.  As if that's not bad enough, any dwarf who goes insane will soon die, one way or another.
  
−
Fell and Macabre moods will only happen to dwarves which are [[Thoughts|unhappy]] at the time of entering a mood.
+
A dwarf who is '''stark raving mad''' or '''melancholy''' is harmless to others (until they die and start a [[tantrum]] spiral), but a '''berserk''' dwarf will attack other dwarves and possibly pull levers at random.  You may want to station a squad nearby or assign a few war dogs to the dwarf on the chance that they will lash out.  If you build your workshops inside enclosed rooms with doors you can also lock the moody dwarf in the room until he or she starves.  In extreme cases, building a wall around an open workshop is the best precaution.
  
−
== Multiple Moods ==
+
Most events that would ordinarily interrupt a dwarf will not deter a moody dwarf - for example, while passing out from pain will cancel most tasks, a moody dwarf will continue working as soon as he wakes up. Giving birth while in a strange mood does not interrupt the dwarf either; the new mother will ignore the baby until her mood is resolved and it will happily wander off in the meantime. The only events which ''can'' cancel a strange mood are the destruction of the workshop (including loss of power for a [[magma forge]]) or a severe injury which leaves the dwarf unable to use its hands.
  
−
Toady stated on [http://www.bay12games.com/cgi-local/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=7&t=000567 this] thread in the forum that two moods at once is a bug. Therefore, it is safe to assume that it is usually impossible to get more than one mood at once. Also, on the buglists: 000317 □ [dwarf mode][moods]  two mood dwarves at once
+
----
  
−
== Unresolved questions ==
+
'''See also'''
 +
:*[[Insanity]]
 +
:*[[Artifact]]
 +
:*[[Profession]]
 +
:*[[Legendary]]
  
−
* ''Does a larger number of dwarves in a fortress increase the chance of strange moods?''
+
{{Category|Dwarves}}
−
** A fortress with a very small number of dwarves (1-3) can go many years without seeing any strange moods, so it would seem so.
 
−
* ''Can the same dwarf go into a strange mood more than once?''
 
−
** Presumably, they cannot.
 
−
* ''Can an already legendary dwarf go into a strange mood?''
 
−
** A Legendary dwarf that hasn't acquired legendary status via creating an artifact ''can'' go into a strange mood.
 
−
* ''How many strange moods can occur in a single fortress?''
 
−
** According to Lightning4, an unlimited number, but once the 15th artifact is made, moods stop. Destruction of an artifact by any means does not decrease the artifact counter.
 
−
[[Category:Dwarves]]
 
−
[[Category:Thoughts]]
 

Latest revision as of 17:27, 1 September 2024

v50.14 · v0.47 · v0.34 · v0.31 · v0.28.181.40d · v0.23
This article is about an older version of DF.
xTATTEREDx  · +FINE+  · *SUPERIOR*  · ≡EXCEPTIONAL≡  · ☼MASTERWORK☼
Dwarf head pixel.png  This article or section contains minor spoilers. You may want to avoid reading it.

Periodically, individual dwarves are struck with an idea for a legendary artifact and enter a strange mood. Dwarves which enter a strange mood will stop whatever they are doing and pursue the construction of this artifact to the exclusion of all else. This will be based on a particular skill that creates a finished end product that can have a quality, rather than intermediary material such as bars of metal or raw food. They will not stop to eat, drink, sleep, or even run away from dangerous creatures. If they do not manage to begin construction of the artifact within a handful of months, they will go insane and die soon afterward.

A dwarf will only be struck by a mood once in their lifetime. Upon completion of their artifact they will usually become legendary in that skill, and will then return to their normal life in the fortress with their newfound skill. A fortress can have at most one dwarf in a strange mood at any one time.

Overview[edit]

The entire process can be summarized as follows:

  1. Strange moods can only occur when the below necessary conditions are met. Babies and activated Soldiers with military skills cannot enter moods, nor immigrant nobles, but any other dwarf can, including children.
  2. The game will pause, center on a dwarf, and announce that the dwarf has entered one of five different types of strange moods. The types of moods are listed below. While in a mood, a dwarf will display a blinking exclamation point (see status icons).
  3. For the duration of the mood, the dwarf will claim a workshop related to the skill that the mood affects (not all skills are eligible), kick out any dwarf who was using it, and render it otherwise unusable until the mood has been resolved. If a moody dwarf does not claim a workshop, it is because the appropriate workshop does not exist. (See skills and workshops below to determine which workshop(s) might be required.) A moody dwarf will not be available to build a needed workshop; another dwarf with the appropriate labor designation must do so for them, if one is necessary.
  4. After claiming a workshop, the dwarf will set about collecting the required materials for their artifact. If the dwarf remains idle inside the workshop, it's because they cannot find the right material. Reference the demands section to determine what may be required.
  5. Once all materials have been gathered, the game will once again pause and center, and the moody dwarf will begin construction. Upon completion the dwarf will create a semi-random artifact related to the skill affected and gain legendary (or higher) status in that skill (unless the mood type is possessed). See the skills and workshops for information on which skills can be gained, or the artifacts created section for more details on the artifacts themselves.

Types of moods[edit]

For each of the following types of moods, the first message is how the mood is announced; the second message appears in the dwarf's profile when he or she is viewed with the v key. All moody dwarves will have "Strange Mood" listed as their active task and are "quite content", regardless of any recent thoughts they may have had.

Fey[edit]

  • <dwarf> is taken by a fey mood!
Has the aspect of one fey!

This is the most basic strange mood. Fey dwarves will clearly state their demands when the workshop they are in is examined.

Secretive[edit]

  • <dwarf> withdraws from society...
Peculiarly secretive...

Secretive moods are the same as fey moods, except a secretive dwarf will sketch pictures of their required materials instead of clearly stating their demands if they cannot find what they need. Descriptions of all these secretive requirements can be seen only by viewing the workshop that the moody dwarf has claimed, with q, and then only while the dwarf is waiting inside it. More than one "picture" is likely; these will cycle through the entire list automatically if any one is not available. (Since materials are gathered in order, it's quite possible that only one of a long list is needed to allow the moody dwarf to continue on their project. If the dwarf has gathered some of the materials (seen as "tasked" when looking at the workshop with t), then the next in the list is what they are looking for.)

Possessed[edit]

  • <dwarf> has been possessed!
Possessed by unknown forces!

Possessed dwarves have cryptic material requests, and have the unfortunate distinction of not receiving any experience upon successful construction of an artifact. It is unknown if controllable circumstances lead to a possessed mood instead of one of the more desirable fey or secretive moods. Possessed dwarves will mutter the name of the artifact they are working on once they have all the materials they need.

A possession is the only mood that does not result in a jump in experience.

Fell[edit]

  • <dwarf> looses a roaring laughter, fell and terrible!
Has a horrible fell look!

A dwarf that goes into a fell mood will always take over a butcher's shop or a tanner's shop. If neither are available, any other workshop will be used instead. The dwarf will then murder the nearest dwarf, drag the corpse into the shop and make some sort of object out of dwarf leather or bone. Once the artifact is completed, the fell dwarf will become a legendary bone carver or leatherworker. Strangely, none of the other dwarves seem to mind the murder. Only unhappy dwarves may enter a fell mood.

Aside from the potential loss of an important dwarf in the wrong place at the wrong time, there doesn't seem to be any downside to a fell mood. The end result is always an artifact and a legendary craftsdwarf. Since the only ingredient used (a dwarf) is available in abundance, a fell mood will only fail if the fell dwarf is completely isolated from other dwarves, or if the proper workshop does not exist.

Macabre[edit]

  • <dwarf> begins to stalk and brood...
Brooding darkly...

Macabre moods are similar to fell moods, but the dwarf will not murder a fellow dwarf. A macabre dwarf will demand bones, skulls, or chunks or vermin remains; if you do not happen to have any, you will have to "make" some, or let the moody dwarf go insane. Like fell moods, only unhappy dwarves can enter macabre moods.

Demands[edit]

Once a workshop is claimed, the dwarf will begin collecting materials. Each artifact will require between one and ten materials to complete - 1-3 "primary" components (with certain exceptions) and up to 7 additional items based on your fortress's population (up to 1 per 20 dwarves eligible to enter a mood) and previous moods (up to 1 per artifact successfully produced). If the moody dwarf remains idle, then the necessary materials are not available. Forbidden items must be reclaimed (d - b - c) before they may be used, but moody dwarves will ignore settings regarding economic stone. Press q and highlight the workshop to receive a series of clues about what the dwarf needs. Hints that stay active for longer than 2 seconds mean that multiple pieces of that material will be required; each single demand will be displayed for 2 seconds, so if it says "gems... shining" for 6 seconds, 3 gems are demanded. Materials will always be fetched in order, so if at least one item has already been retrieved (the items will show up with "TSK" ("task") next to them when the workshop is viewed with the t context menu), it will usually be possible to tell what item is required next.

You can use this to your advantage to get your dwarf to pick specific types of items, even if the moody dwarf has already started storing materials in their workshop: if a fey weaponsmith starts piling up copper bars, forbid those bars and he'll go pick another bar instead. If you forbid all metals except say steel (the stocks screen makes this fairly convenient), then he'll skip all those other metals and make his artifact weapon out of strong, valuable steel instead of whatever random inferior metal he might have picked otherwise. Don't forbid any of his materials after your dwarf has begun building his artifact - he won't go back to collecting materials once started and will end up going insane.

In somewhat rarer cases, a dwarf with a personality preference for a specific material, such as steel or silver bars, will demand exactly that specific sub-type of material. For this reason, it is a good idea to keep as many types of material on hand as possible, including the three different kinds of glass. Forbidding materials won't let you get around this either: if they want a specific material subtype and you forbid it in favor of something else, they'll just sulk in their workshop until you unforbid the material or they are able to find it some other way - or they go insane. Asking a liaison for likely materials in advance is a good plan - "next year" is far too long for a moody dwarf to last. Check your dwarves' preferences if you care.

If you have any unforbidden adamantine wafers or cloth in your stockpiles, moods which use cloth or metal as their primary component will insist on using them over all other materials; metal decorations will use any bars that are available, and cloth decorations will only use plant fiber or silk (whichever the dwarf demands). Moods involving stone crafting or masonry will not prefer raw adamantine over other stones.

The various demands are translated here:

Material Fey Secretive Possessed
<dwarf> screams "I must have <demand>!" <dwarf> sketches pictures of <demand>. <dwarf> mutters "<artifact> needs <demand>..."
Stone rock a quarry stone... rock
Stone block rock blocks square blocks blocks... bricks
Wood wood logs a forest tree... life
Metal bar metal bars shining bars of metal bars... metal
Gems (cut) cut gems cut gems gems... shining
Gems (raw) rough gems rough gems rough... color
Glass (green) raw green glass glass raw... green
Glass (clear) raw clear glass glass and burning wood raw... clear
Glass (crystal) raw crystal glass rough gems and glass raw... crystal
Bone bones skeletons bones... yes
Shell shells a shell a shell...
Leather tanned hides stacked leather leather... skin
Cloth (plant) plant fiber cloth stacked cloth cloth... thread
Cloth (silk) silk cloth stacked cloth cloth... thread

Dwarves in macabre moods will list their demands in the same fashion as those in fey moods (though with them brooding "Yes. I need <item>." instead of screaming "I must have <item>!"). They may also say "Leave me. I need... things... certain things", in which case they want either a skull or some vermin remains.

Once all materials have been gathered, viewing the workshop with q will display a special message depending on the type of mood:

  • Fey - "<dwarf> works furiously!"
  • Secretive - "<dwarf> works secretly..."
  • Possessed - "<dwarf> keeps muttering <artifact>..."
  • Macabre - "<dwarf> works, darkly brooding..."
  • Fell - "<dwarf> works with menacing fury!"

The mechanics of moods[edit]

Frequency[edit]

When a fortress is started, an internal counter is set to 1000. Every 100 frames (12 times per day), this counter is decremented by 1, running down to zero in about 3 months. When the counter would ordinarily be decremented when it has already reached zero, there is a 1 in 500 chance that a strange mood will strike. This means that, once all conditions are met and the clock is ticking, while there is approximately a 2.4% chance of a strange mood per day, or very approximately a 50% chance of a strange mood per month, there is no guarantee when a mood will strike - might be sooner, might be (almost) never.

Conditions[edit]

In order for a dwarf to be struck with a strange mood, three conditions must be met:

  • There is no currently active strange mood,
  • The maximum number of artifacts is not met,
  • There are at least 20 eligible dwarves (see below).

If all three of these conditions are true, the game may trigger a strange mood according to the frequency.

Maximum number of artifacts[edit]

The maximum number of artifacts in any one fortress is limited by the lower of:

  • The number of items created divided by 100.1 Mined-out rock does count as an "item created", though it is not clear whether bolts or units of drink are counted individually.
  • The number of revealed subterranean tiles divided by 2304 (this is an area equivalent to a 48x48 square). Using exploratory methods is a great way to increase your artifact limit.
1 - actually the sum of all items by type and by type+subtype+material+matgloss, divided by 200.

Eligibility[edit]

The deciding factor for eligibility is a dwarf's actual profession. (Note that "custom professions" have no effect on this!) Thus, dwarves may enter strange moods regardless of what skills they have or don't have, so long as they are of an acceptable profession. Dwarves who have already created an artifact are not eligible to create another, and since every mood ends in either an artifact or death, every dwarf may enter at most one mood. Dwarves who have obtained one or more legendary skills without creating artifacts may enter strange moods.

Appointed nobles may enter moods as per their default profession, but immigrant nobles are not eligible for moods. That includes:

Advisor, Baron/ess, Baron/ess Consort, Count/ess, Countess Consort, Duke/Duchess, Duke/Duchess Consort, Dungeon Master, Hammerer, King/Queen, King/Queen Consort, Philosopher, and Tax Collector.

Further, dwarves with a military profession other than "Recruit" can not enter moods. Incidental military skills make no difference - eligibility (and weighting) depends purely on the actual profession, as listed at the time. Military professions include:

Axedwarf, Axe Lord, Champion, Crossbowdwarf, Elite Crossbowdwarf, Hammerdwarf, Hammer Lord, Macedwarf, Mace Lord, Marksdwarf, Elite Marksdwarf, Speardwarf, Spearmaster, Swordsdwarf, Swordmaster, Wrestler, and Elite Wrestler.

Babies may not enter moods.

Any other profession is eligible to enter a mood, but not all have the same chance to enter a mood...

(Note - Specifically, and to avoid previous misunderstandings, Strand extractor, Clerk, Administrator, Trader, Architect, Alchemist, Recruit and Child are moodable professions.)

Chance[edit]

When determining who will have a strange mood, each eligible dwarf is put into a weighted lottery. The odds are assigned a higher or lower weight based on the dwarf's profession. The default weight is 6, but some professions are more likely to enter a strange mood than others. (This is like most dwarves getting 6 tickets to the lottery, and others getting more.)


Weighting Professions
21 Armorer, Blacksmith, Bone Carver, Clothier, Craftsdwarf, Jeweler, Gem Cutter, Gem Setter, Glassmaker, Leatherworker, Metalcrafter, Metalsmith, Stonecrafter, Weaponsmith, Weaver, Woodcrafter
11 Bowyer, Carpenter, Stoneworker, Mason, Woodworker
6 Engraver, Mechanic, Miner, Tanner, & all other professions.


Example: What this means is: if you had 21 dwarves, made up of 20 eligible farmers, furnace operators, miners, woodcutters etc. (with 6 chances each) plus one Armorer (with 21 chances), that one Armorer would have a 21 in 141 chance (20 dwarves x 6 chances each = 120 + 21 chances more = 141 total) of the mood striking them. That's about 1 in 7, while the other 20 have a 6 in 141 chance each, or about 1 in 24. The odds are still against the armorer, but much better than for any other single dwarf.

Note that not every profession is from a moodable skill. An Alchemist, Architect, Furnace Operator or Strand Extractor can be taken by a mood, but that will not make those skills legendary, nor will they create an artifact bar of soap, building, bar of metal or wafer of adamantine.

NOTE: If your game was saved shortly before one of you dwarves acquired a mood, reloading that game will most likely cause the chances to be completely re-figured, resulting in a different mood at a different time for a different dwarf with different materials. This is true for most all random events and results in Dwarf Fortress.

Skills and workshops[edit]

Artifact Skill Rewards
Highest skill Workshop used
Armorsmith Magma forge or Metalsmith's forge
Bone carver Craftsdwarf's workshop
Bowyer Bowyer's workshop
Carpenter Carpenter's workshop
Clothier Clothier's shop
Engraver Craftsdwarf's workshop
Gem cutter Jeweler's workshop
Gem setter Jeweler's workshop
Glassmaker Glass furnace
Leatherworker Leather works
Mason Mason's workshop
Mechanic Mechanic's workshop
Metal crafter Magma forge or Metalsmith's forge
Metalsmith Magma forge or Metalsmith's forge
Miner Mason's workshop
Stone crafter Craftsdwarf's workshop
Tanner Leather works
Weaponsmith Magma forge or Metalsmith's forge
Weaver Clothier's shop
Wood crafter Craftsdwarf's workshop

A dwarf will claim a workshop according to their highest applicable skill, and upon completion of the artifact, gain 20,000 experience in that skill (excepting possessed dwarves). This will give the dwarf a legendary-level skill (specifically, "legendary+1" or higher, depending on the dwarf's initial skill level) and a number of attribute gains. The table to the right describes all applicable skills and their potential workshop requirements - there are only 20 skills that determine the workshop and that can be affected by a mood (sometimes referred to as moodable skills.) If a dwarf does not possess at least one of the moodable skills listed to the right, they will take over a craftsdwarf's workshop and gain one of bone carver, stone crafter, or wood crafter skills, producing an artifact craft.

When selecting the desired mood skill, only the level itself is checked, and if the highest level found is shared by multiple skills, then one will be selected randomly.

If any magma forges exist in your fortress, even if they haven't actually been constructed yet, all moody metalworkers will insist on using one instead of a coal-powered metalsmith's forge. Whether or not they want a magma forge is determined the instant the strange mood begins, so you should wait until the magma supply is completely full before even designating it for construction, since a magma forge losing power for even a moment will cause its strange mood to instantly fail. Note that this does not apply to Glassmaker moods, which will always demand a coal-powered glass furnace regardless of how many magma glass furnaces you might have.

Below is a list of all non-moodable skills; if all of a dwarf's skills are found on this list and none from the table to the right, then they have no moodable skills and will construct their artifact at a Craftsdwarf's workshop, producing an appropriate craft as described above:

This fact can be utilized to maximize the possibility of getting a dwarf with the specific legendary skill you want: since non-moodable skills are ignored, when ever possible make sure that each dwarf's highest moodable skill is one of those you want*. Have all your peasants, farmers, non-professional military and other dwarves without any moodable skills do a tiny bit of work in the skill(s) you most want; if a "dabbling" skill is the highest moodable skill they have, that is the skill that will be used.

(* Armorsmith, Weaponsmith, Metal crafter and Metalsmith are possibly the most-desired legendary skills, but much depends on your fortress, your current mix of skills, and your play style.)
(Note that Tanner is a moodable skill, the only Farmer category skill that is moodable.)

Artifacts created[edit]

The type of artifact created will depend on the skill selected for the mood and will be selected from the table below. If your dwarf does not have a preference for any possible items, the game will randomly select one from the list. Entries with "any" are treated as a single item which will randomly select a subtype which your civilization is capable of making, while "each" is treated as multiple entries, one for every possible subtype - this explains why bowyers and clothiers regularly produce foreign artifacts, while weaponsmiths do not.

Mood / Skill Artifact type
Armorsmith Each equipment item with [METAL] (plate mail, chain mail, greaves, leggings, gauntlet, high boot, low boot, shoe, high boot, sandal1), any shield
Bone carver (bone) Each equipment item with [BARRED] (leggings, greaves, gauntlet, helm), any shield, any helm, instrument, toy, door, bed, chair, table, statue, coffer, bin, armor stand, weapon rack, cabinet, coffin, floodgate, hatch cover, grate, chain, cage, animal trap, figurine, amulet, scepter, crown, ring, earring, bracelet, any weapon, any trap component2
Macabre Mood (bone)
Fell Mood (bone)
Bone carver (shell) Each equipment item with [SCALED] (leggings, gauntlet, helm), figurine, amulet, crown, ring, earring, bracelet, chain, cage, animal trap, instrument, toy
Bowyer Each ranged weapon (crossbow, bow, blowgun)
Carpenter Door, bed, chair, table, statue, chest, bin, armor stand, weapon rack, cabinet, casket, floodgate, hatch cover, grate, cage, barrel, bucket, animal trap
Clothier Each equipment item with [SOFT] (coat, shirt, cloak, tunic, toga, cape, vest, dress, robe, trousers, loincloth, thong, skirt, short skirt, long skirt, braies, glove, mitten, shoe, sandal, chausses, cap, hood, turban, mask, head veil, face veil, headscarf), bag, rope
Weaver
Engraver Figurine, amulet, scepter, crown, ring, earring, bracelet, goblet, instrument, toy
Stone crafter
Wood crafter
Fell Mood (leather) Each equipment item with [LEATHER] (dress, shirt, tunic, toga, vest, robe, coat, cloak, cape, armor, trousers, loincloth, thong, short skirt, skirt, long skirt, braies, leggings, glove, mitten, sandal, shoe, chausses, high boot, low boot, cap, hood, mask, turban, head veil, face veil, headscarf, helm), any shield, bag, backpack, quiver, instrument
Leatherworker
Tanner
Gem cutter Large gem3, door, bed, chair, table, statue, box, armor stand, weapon rack, cabinet, coffin, floodgate, hatch cover, grate, figurine, amulet, scepter, crown, ring, earring, bracelet, chain, flask, goblet, cage, barrel, bucket, animal trap, window, instrument, toy
Gem setter
Glassmaker
Macabre Mood (skull) Totem
Macabre Mood (vermin remains) Amulet, bracelet, earring
Mason Door, bed, chair, table, statue, quern, millstone, coffer, armor stand, weapon rack, cabinet, coffin, floodgate, hatch cover, grate
Miner
Mechanic Mechanisms
Metal crafter Figurine, amulet, scepter, crown, ring, earring, bracelet, chain, flask, goblet, instrument, toy
Metalsmith Door, bed, chair, table, statue, coffer, armor stand, weapon rack, cabinet, anvil, coffin, floodgate, hatch cover, grate, cage, barrel, bucket, animal trap, pipe section
Weaponsmith Any weapon, any trap component2
1 these are intended to be headgear types, but the code incorrectly specifies an item type of SHOES instead of HELM
2 chance of selection for this entry is reduced by 90%
3 this item may only be selected at the beginning of the mood (50% chance)

The first object grabbed by the dwarf will be the "primary" substance; all other materials will be used to decorate the artifact. If a dwarf grabs a piece of chalk and makes a statue, for instance, it will be a "chalk statue", but an artifact can potentially be composed of bone, cloth, gems, leather, metal, shell, stone, and wood all at once. As seen above, a moody dwarf can sometimes produce an item which normally cannot be made from that material, leading to such odd constructions as an obsidian bed, ruby floodgate, or turtle shell cage, but the actual item types available for each mood type are still very much restricted (e.g. only a glassmaker or jeweler can make a window, and a moody clothier cannot produce an article of clothing that could not normally be made from cloth).

Once created, most artifacts will be available for use just like a normal item of its type. Artifact furniture is useful for high value noble rooms. Weapons and armor will only be used by heroes and champions. Artifact weapons in weapon traps can also boost a room's value considerably, as in the case of artifact trap components.

Failure[edit]

If you can't provide the desired workshop and all the required component materials within a couple of months, the dwarf will go insane, which cancels the mood and the artifact. As if that's not bad enough, any dwarf who goes insane will soon die, one way or another.

A dwarf who is stark raving mad or melancholy is harmless to others (until they die and start a tantrum spiral), but a berserk dwarf will attack other dwarves and possibly pull levers at random. You may want to station a squad nearby or assign a few war dogs to the dwarf on the chance that they will lash out. If you build your workshops inside enclosed rooms with doors you can also lock the moody dwarf in the room until he or she starves. In extreme cases, building a wall around an open workshop is the best precaution.

Most events that would ordinarily interrupt a dwarf will not deter a moody dwarf - for example, while passing out from pain will cancel most tasks, a moody dwarf will continue working as soon as he wakes up. Giving birth while in a strange mood does not interrupt the dwarf either; the new mother will ignore the baby until her mood is resolved and it will happily wander off in the meantime. The only events which can cancel a strange mood are the destruction of the workshop (including loss of power for a magma forge) or a severe injury which leaves the dwarf unable to use its hands.

See also

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