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v0.34:Maximizing value
| This article is about an older version of DF. |
Value is important for trade with caravans, ensuring your dwarves happiness, attracting migrants, and luring in visitors. One reliable way to increase value is creating items. Not all items are equal, or even close to equal, in value, however. The tables below are ordered by value, to help you select optimum furniture and trade goods to maximize your fortress's value.
Metal
Weapon-grade metals
| Item | Value | Bars | Value/Bar | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spiked Ball | 126 | 1 | 126 | (weapon trap) |
| Large Serrated Disc | 126 | 1 | 126 | (weapon trap) |
| Menacing Spike | 66 | 1 | 66 | (weapon trap) |
| Giant Axe Blade | 66 | 1 | 66 | (weapon trap) |
| Enormous Corkscrew | 66 | 1 | 66 | (weapon trap) |
| Battle axe | 34 | 1 | 34 | (weapon trap) |
| Mechanisms | 30 | 1 | 30 | (lever, trap) |
| Shield | 27 | 1 | 27 | |
| Ammo (stack of 25) | 25 | 1 | 25 | |
| High boot (2) | 24 | 1 | 24 | |
| Leggings | 23 | 1 | 23 | |
| Pick | 22 | 1 | 22 | (weapon trap) |
| Gauntlet (2) | 22 | 1 | 22 | |
| Spear | 18 | 1 | 18 | (weapon trap) |
| Low boot (2) | 18 | 1 | 18 | |
| Mace | 17 | 1 | 17 | (weapon trap) |
| Short sword | 14 | 1 | 14 | (weapon trap) |
| Buckler | 14 | 1 | 14 | |
| Helm | 12 | 1 | 12 | |
| Greaves | 23 | 2 | 11.5 | |
| Crossbow | 10 | 1 | 10 | (weapon trap) |
| Mail shirt | 20 | 2 | 10 | |
| War hammer | 9 | 1 | 9 | (weapon trap) |
| Breastplate | 15 | 3 | 5 | |
| Cap | 5 | 1 | 5 | |
| Anvil | 10 | 3 | 3.3 | (forge) |
For weapon-grade metals, spiked balls and serrated discs are much more valuable than any other products. They can be traded to caravans or installed in weapon traps to give passing dwarves happy thoughts, while lower-quality products can be melted without loss of material.
All metals
| Item | Value | Bars | Value/Bar | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flask, Goblet (3) | 30 | 1 | 30 | trade goods |
| Minecart | 50 | 2 | 25 | |
| Wheelbarrow | 50 | 2 | 25 | |
| Trade Goods (1-3) | ~20 | 1 | ~20 | variable |
| Chain | 10 | 1 | 10 | (restraint) |
| Nest box | 10 | 1 | 10 | |
| Hive | 10 | 1 | 10 | |
| Bucket | 10 | 1 | 10 | (well) |
| Jug | 10 | 1 | 10 | |
| Pot | 10 | 1 | 10 | |
| Animal trap | 10 | 1 | 10 | |
| Statue | 25 | 3 | 8.3 | |
| Traction bench | 20 | 3 | 6.7 | |
| Armor stand | 10 | 3 | 3.3 | |
| Barrel | 10 | 3 | 3.3 | (dyer's shop) |
| Bin | 10 | 3 | 3.3 | |
| Cabinet | 10 | 3 | 3.3 | |
| Cage | 10 | 3 | 3.3 | |
| Chair | 10 | 3 | 3.3 | |
| Chest | 10 | 3 | 3.3 | |
| Coffin | 10 | 3 | 3.3 | |
| Crutch | 10 | 3 | 3.3 | |
| Door | 10 | 3 | 3.3 | |
| Floodgate | 10 | 3 | 3.3 | |
| Grate | 10 | 3 | 3.3 | |
| Hatch cover | 10 | 3 | 3.3 | |
| Pipe section | 10 | 3 | 3.3 | |
| Splint | 10 | 3 | 3.3 | |
| Table | 10 | 3 | 3.3 | |
| Weapon rack | 10 | 3 | 3.3 | |
| Blocks | 5 | 1 | 5 | no quality |
For all non-weapon-grade metals, flasks and goblets are the optimum trade goods. The best choice for furniture is probably a chain--they can be decorated as "finished goods" and installed in restraints and wells, both of which can be admired by passing dwarves. Lower-quality chains can be melted without loss of material.
Stone
| Item | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanisms | 30 | (lever, trap) |
| Mug (3) | 30 | trade goods |
| Statue | 25 | |
| Trade Goods (1-3) | ~20 | variable |
| Traction bench | 20 | |
| Short sword | 14 | (weapon trap) |
| Armor stand | 10 | |
| Cabinet | 10 | |
| Throne | 10 | |
| Coffer | 10 | |
| Coffin | 10 | |
| Door | 10 | |
| Floodgate | 10 | |
| Grate | 10 | |
| Hatch cover | 10 | |
| Table | 10 | |
| Weapon rack | 10 | |
| Quern/Millstone | 10 | (quern/mill) |
| Nest box | 10 | |
| Hive | 10 | |
| Jug | 10 | |
| Pot | 10 | |
| Blocks (4) | 20 | no quality |
For stone, mugs are the optimum trade goods. The best choice for furniture is mechanisms, followed closely by statues. Both can be decorated and, when built, admired by passing dwarves. Thanks to the 4x bar multiplier, metal ores are always more valuable when smelted to bars than when worked as stone (assuming equivalent quality).
Glass
| Item | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Spiked Ball | 126 | (weapon trap) |
| Large Serrated Disc | 126 | (weapon trap) |
| Menacing Spike | 66 | (weapon trap) |
| Giant Axe Blade | 66 | (weapon trap) |
| Enormous Corkscrew | 66 | (weapon trap) |
| Goblet/Vial (3) | 30 | trade goods |
| Statue | 25 | |
| Window | 25 | |
| Trade Goods (1-3) | ~20 | variable |
| Traction bench | 20 | |
| Armor stand | 10 | |
| Cabinet | 10 | |
| Throne | 10 | |
| Box | 10 | |
| Coffin | 10 | |
| Portal | 10 | |
| Floodgate | 10 | |
| Grate | 10 | |
| Hatch cover | 10 | |
| Table | 10 | |
| Terrarium | 10 | |
| Weapon rack | 10 | |
| Tube | 10 | (screw pump) |
| Nest box | 10 | |
| Hive | 10 | |
| Jug | 10 | |
| Pot | 10 | |
| Blocks | 5 | no quality |
For glass, trap components top the list again. They're so valuable they make reasonable trade goods, even though goblets and vials are much lighter. The best non-trap-component furniture is probably a statue, since it seems to be admired more often than a window.
Wood
| Item | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Spiked Ball | 126 | (weapon trap) |
| Menacing Spike | 66 | (weapon trap) |
| Enormous Corkscrew | 66 | (weapon trap) |
| Minecart | 50 | |
| Wheelbarrow | 50 | |
| Shield | 27 | |
| Ammo (stack of 25) | 25 | |
| Crafts (1-3) | ~20 | variable |
| Traction bench | 20 | |
| Training axe | 17 | (weapon trap) |
| Buckler | 14 | |
| Armor stand | 10 | |
| Bed | 10 | |
| Cabinet | 10 | |
| Chair | 10 | |
| Chest | 10 | |
| Casket | 10 | |
| Door | 10 | |
| Floodgate | 10 | |
| Grate | 10 | |
| Hatch cover | 10 | |
| Table | 10 | |
| Cage | 10 | |
| Weapon rack | 10 | |
| Pipe section | 10 | (screw pump) |
| Nest box | 10 | |
| Hive | 10 | |
| Crossbow | 10 | (weapon trap) |
| Bucket | 10 | (well) |
| Barrel | 10 | (dyer's shop) |
| Jug | 10 | |
| Pot | 10 | |
| Training spear | 9 | (weapon trap) |
| Training sword | 7 | (weapon trap) |
| Blocks | 5 | no quality |
For wood, trap components top the list yet again. They're also the best trade goods, even though crafts are much lighter. All of the non-trap-component furniture has similar value (except traction benches, but they require additional material).
Pottery
| Item | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Statue | 25 | |
| Crafts (1-3) | ~20 | variable |
| Hive | 10 | |
| Jug | 10 | |
| Pot | 10 | |
| Bricks | 5 | no quality |
For pottery, the options are quite limited. Statues are the most valuable furniture, though a set of three crafts can be more valuable overall.