Engraver

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Skill: Engraver

Association
Profession	Stoneworker
Job Title	Engraver
Labor	Stone detailing
Tasks
Smooth stone Engrave stone Carve fortifications Engrave track Engrave memorial slab
Workshop
None
Attributes
Agility Creativity Spatial Sense Kinesthetic Sense

v50.14 · 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

Engraver is the skill used for engraving walls and floors, carving walls into fortifications, carving minecart tracks into floors and ramps and engraving memorial slabs.

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

Engraving

Only natural stone walls and floors can be engraved. Soil cannot be engraved. Engraving increases the value of a smoothed wall or floor and gives it a quality level, which is dependent upon the engravers’ skill. While experienced dwarves are more likely to engrave historical events than a novice, it is unclear if personality has any effect. Low quality or unwanted engraved floor can be redone by carving a track over it and then smoothing the tile.

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.

Slabs

Slabs are created at a mason's workshop and engraved with the victim’s name at a craftsdwarf's workshop. They are a common alternative to coffins when a body cannot be retrieved (whether due to invaders, an extremely unfortunate accident, or simply large amounts of fun). They can also be used as a more efficient alternative to a statue, as they do not block movement. The engraving on a slab does not have a quality level (though the slab itself does, when made by a mason).

Training

Having engravers 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 engraving via d-a, and de-constructing them afterwards. Since fortifications don’t have quality, this will never cause a negative thought for the engraver.

Stone detailing in an ancient city in Pimai. Made with love and tools, but mostly tools.

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