Adventure mode quick start

xTATTEREDx  · +FINE+  · *SUPERIOR*  · ≡EXCEPTIONAL≡  · ☼MASTERWORK☼

v52.04 · 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

See Adventure Mode quick reference to quickly look up key commands. If you're a more experienced player (perhaps directed here in error) look up the Tutorial:Powerplay Guide for instruction, instead.

This guide provides step-by-step instruction for those who have never played Dwarf Fortress in Adventure Mode before. It assumes that you have already installed the game and can navigate the menus on your own, but no significant knowledge of how to play adventure mode is required - see the full adventure mode documentation for additional details.

Common UI concepts

Key Reference

Most of the key commands you will need are noted on this page, but you can refer to the in-game help with ? or the quick reference page to look up the key for a particular action.

About key symbols

This wiki uses symbols that look like t or t to indicate what keys or interface buttons are used for an operation. Note that keys are case sensitive and to save space, Shift+t is shown as T. So t means "press the 't' key without the shift key" and T means "hold down shift and press the 't' key". Lowercase and uppercase keys will often perform different functions, so it is important to use the correct key. Sequences of keys will be in separate boxes, so abC means "press 'a', then press 'b', then hold shift and press 'c'"; while bT means "press 'b', then hold shift and press 'T'. A plus sign '+' between the boxes means to press them all together, so Shift+Enter means to hold shift and press 'Enter'. Other separators, such as ',' or '-', might be used but mean the same as no separator: to press the keys in sequence.

Keybindings can be seen and changed on the Keybindings tab in the Settings menu.

Menu navigation and selection

Esc or right mouse	Go back to the previous screen/menu
Mouse wheel	Scroll menu one line
Shift+mouse wheel	Scroll menu one page
Left mouse	Select menu option

Esc or right mouse will almost always return to the previous screen until you get to the top level of the UI, at which point Esc will display the options menu.

World generation

For your first game...

Generate a world using Create New World! with:

• World Size as Small or Medium
• History as Short
• Number of Civilizations as High
• Number of Sites as High
• Number of Beasts as Medium
• Natural Savagery as Low
• Mineral Occurrence as Frequent

When generation is complete, accept with Enter to save this world; once the game finishes that, it will return to the main menu; then choose Start Playing and Adventurer

Some custom worlds which are interesting for fortress mode, may be annoying for adventure mode, for reasons such as: few civilizations, low population, races not existing, lack of metals, or history being so far advanced that many fortresses and towns have been abandoned.

While the default settings might likely produce a useful world, the settings to the right will help; the following explains the suggested changes.

• With a less powerful computer, you may want to change world size to small instead of medium, both to reduce generation time and increase FPS.
• A short history will limit the chance of some civilization destroying cataclysm, and finish generating sooner.
• Increasing the number of civilizations increases the chances of getting ones you want, dwarven or human, though it will slow generation.
• More sites and less savagery allows the civilizations to spread out more, hopefully reducing the FPS effect of site crowding.
• Increasing mineral frequency (to, say, Everywhere) may increase your equipment choices.
• You could increase the number of beasts, but while that would give you more to encounter, it might result in dead civilizations.

It is advised not to stop the world generation before the 125 years of the short history option, as it might reduce equipment options.

Character creation

Race, status and civilization

For your first game...

Demigod dwarven adventurers in dwarven civilizations have the best night vision and access to the best equipment. Use + to highlight Demigod, and the movement keys to make sure Dwarf is highlighted, then Enter. On the next page, highlight a civilization that shows up on the map as mostly blue omegas Ω, and Enter.

After choosing Start Playing and Adventurer, the game will simulate two weeks of game time in the world. After that, the first steps in starting an adventure mode game are to choose the race and status of your adventurer, then their civilization. All major races can complete the same quests, though larger creatures generally do better in combat. What you really want, though, is to start as a member of a dwarven civilization, or at least a human one; this will give you access to the best equipment.

The races available to play as adventurers will vary by world. Status mostly determines the number of points available in character creation, with demigod giving the most. Civilizations can have access to different materials, and while they start with only one race as members, other races can join them throughout world simulation; that can include the other main races, animal people, etc. The main race of a civilization isn't shown on the screen where you choose one, but can be determined by most of the site symbols shown on the map; dwarven are mostly Ω, human are mostly #, and elven are mostly î. Also, on the next character creation page, their sites will be described as dwarven, human, or elven.

Background

For your first game...

Pick a hillocks, town, or hamlet near the middle of the map with not too many people, then the hunter occupation, and use the existing random name, gender, and beliefs.

Your name has little bearing on gameplay, so that can be freely selected with e, c, and r. If you customize your first name, people may comment on how unusual it is. If you define something in every category at the start, then your name won't grow with fame, though it can change with infamy. Similarly; gender rarely makes a difference in gameplay, and can be changed with g. For most playable races, the only differences are the presence of beards and geldables.

A few animal people races have more significant differences, such as moose people, where males are up to 2/3 larger and have a gore attack.

Your home determines where you start, as well as the available occupations and beliefs. Dwarven fortresses, mountain halls, and some sites taken over from other civilizations can be hard to navigate out of, and sites with many inhabitants can negatively affect framerate.

Occupation determines some free starting skills and possibly a starting weapon; hunter and ranger for example, add some skills that are useful in combat. A hearthperson starts as a member of the local military and can receive orders from their superior, if you can find them. Many other occupations cannot currently be practiced in adventurer mode.

Beliefs determine if you worship a deity, and are a member of any religion. Being more than a casual worshiper of a deity can add the need to pray, which can easily be done by talking to them.

Skills

Starting attributes

For your first game...

Recommended starting attributes:

• High Strength
• High Agility
• High Toughness
• High Endurance
• Above Average Focus
• Above Average Willpower
• Above Average Intuition
• High Spatial Sense
• High Kinesthetic Sense

See the Attribute page for descriptions of each; Skills by Body Attribute and Skills by Soul Attribute also show how each attribute is applied. Reducing attributes below the default only gives 1 point; so you would have to lower many to raise one.

An important consideration is that Strength can increase muscle mass, which can decrease speed, so Agility should be as high or higher. Another important attribute is Endurance, as you don't want to tire during a fight.

The value of Social Awareness varies by physical attributes. A peasant of average or lower physical ability benefits greatly from more companions — strength in numbers. But this example demigod combat monster gains very little benefit — at best companions serve as a decoy, so you may as well issue them a red shirt and draft their will upon recruitment.

For the purpose of this quick start, the remaining attributes don't contribute anything to survival. Later, you may want to start with different attributes, but these are a safe starting point. These suggestions focus on attributes used in combat; while combat skills are the easiest to raise in-game, spending time training would not be a 'quick start'.

Starting skills

For your first game...

Recommended starting skills:

• Competent Swordsdwarf
• Skilled Fighter
• Proficient Observer
• Novice Swimmer
• Skilled Shield User
• Proficient Armor User
• Adequate Wrestler
• Novice Reader

As a hunter, you already have:

• Talented Marksdwarf
• Master Ambusher
• Talented Dodger

See the combat skill, swimmer, and reader pages for in depth explanations of the suggested skills. The following explains these particular suggestions. Swords have both slash and stab attacks and are not very expensive; other weapons can be better at one of those attacks, but not both, and, other than the war hammer, are more expensive. Fighter to improve the accuracy of all melee attacks. Observer to see what an opponent is doing, and react to it. Without at least Novice Swimmer, it can be very easy to drown, higher levels just increase speed. Shield User to increase the chance of a successful block, Armor User to reduce the speed penalty of the weight of worn armor. Wrestler for when you want to take down an opponent, or remove their armor. Reader because there is no way to gain the skill in-game. The Hunter occupation is suggested mostly for Dodger, although Ambusher is good for sneaking; crossbows in adventurer mode are not very useful, so Marksdwarf will probably go unused. If you chose an occupation that does not provide Dodger, it is a vital skill for survival, so reduce Observer and Armor User one level, and spend those points on Dodger.

Which skills are available is dependent on the character's civilization, though, combat skills can be developed in-game, even from no skill. For a quick start, these are good skills to keep you alive; to that end, defensive skills are critical to survival, including Observer.

Appearance & Personality

For your first game...

Press y to accept the standard appearance, then f, and set all values to N/A and all personality facets to <, except Quarreler/Flatterer and Austere/Extravagant to >.

Most of the appearance page has no effect in-game, other than general size, with a description such as S/he is short, thin, tall, broad, large, etc.; with the high strength suggested earlier, muscular is also a possibility, but its effect is uncertain. Size can affect what clothing and armor can be worn, how some weapons can be wielded, and can somewhat affect combat, especially wrestling. However, these are not worth randomizing to get for a quick start.

Certain personality traits can add needs, which, if satisfied, can give an adventurer focus - managing needs and achieving higher focus can be valuable in combat and possibly other endeavors. But, with too extreme a personality, an adventurer craves for their urges to be satisfied more - E.g. Someone that highly values nature will become unsatisfied when they do not see animals often enough, although they do not need to have all of their needs satisfied at once to be focused, depending on how unsatisfied the others are.

The suggested changes remove all needs except Be extravagant, which can be satisfied just by putting on an item with any above-standard quality level, even if it was just taken off, and which one can start with. Setting traits to create a Moderate Need may be best, so that any one unmet need does not overpower the satisfied needs. Other needs may be hard or even impossible to satisfy - see the needs page. A need to pray may automatically be added depending on the character's background - this can be satisfied just by talking to their deity, even just a greeting. It is also possible to gain needs in-game by changing values when arguing, and it seems to not be possible to remove them. Not all values and personalities have a corresponding need.

Equipment & Mounts and pets

For your first game...

First use - to remove the weapon, buckler, and clothing; leaving the backpack, meat, and waterskin. Then use n and typing in the names to add:

• steel short sword
• copper shield
• iron helm
• bronze mail shirt
• iron breastplate
• iron gauntlet
• iron gauntlet
• bronze chain leggings
• iron low boot
• iron low boot

To add the second gauntlet and boot, select the first and press +. Finally, since you are a dwarf, add a jug, goblet, and alcohol (in Drinks), using