Density

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v53.10 · 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

Density is a material property that, along with volume, affects the weight/mass of an object made from the material.

Density influences weight, which influences how easily dwarves can carry things. Density affects the momentum of weapon attacks, but only so much; 600 density has 80% the momentum of something of infinite density, and all normal metals have significantly greater densities than this, meaning that you can usually ignore it for deciding which weapons are stronger. Density also affects fall damage. DF simulates falling by shooting the ground at you, so denser floors do more damage. Density in Dwarf Fortress is in units of kg/m³*.

(* For example, in the real world, the density of pure gold is 19.32 grams/cm³, which works out to be 19,320 kg/m³, the same numeric value as the density of DF gold (see table below).)

Density of some materials

Note that not all forms of items are the same size, and so are not comparable when considering actual weight for practical applications, such as a door prize. A stone (including raw ore) has a size of 100,000 cm³ and a log of wood 50,000 cm³, while a bar of metal (or a block of stone or wood) have a size of only 6,000 cm³, a difference of ~16.67:1 for stone vs. metals, or ~8.33:1 for wood vs. metals.

Note that, as of v.50, "density" is no longer the primary factor for blunt (and other) damage. Heavier weapons are (often*) swung more slowly, creating "momentum" (mass x velocity), which is a large part of what now is used in determining damage.

(* depending on the strength of the creature swinging the weapon, and other factors, including a coded hard "cap" on that momentum. See Density vs. weapon momentum sub-section, below)

Name	Type	Density	Notes
Feather tree	Wood	100	Least dense wood, found only in good biomes
Papaya	Wood	130	Second least dense wood, found only in tropical biomes
Candlenut	Wood	140	Third least dense wood, found only in tropical biomes
Adamantine	Metal	200	Least dense metal, light enough that it has much lower momentum* in weapon attacks than others (about 57% for a normal dwarf)
Raw adamantine	Stone	200	Least dense stone
Kapok	Wood	260	Fourth least dense wood, found only in tropical biomes
Willow	Wood	390	Fifth least dense wood, found near water, most widespread of "light" wood
Bone	Organics	500
Leather	Organics	500
Silk	Organics	500
Yarn	Organics	500
Tunnel tube	Wood	500	Least dense underground wood, found only in caverns
"typical" wood	Wood	600	There are nearly about twenty varieties of wood at 600+/-20, about twenty (unlisted here) that weigh less, and about twenty (unlisted here) that weigh more. See Wood for a full list and discussion.
Persimmon	Wood	835	Densest wood found in temperate biomes
Olive	Wood	990	Densest "normal" wood, found only in tropical biomes
Divine metal	Metal	1000	Second least dense metal, about 86.6% momentum on attacks*
Glumprong	Wood	1200	Densest above-ground wood (by far), found only in evil biomes
Blood thorn	Wood	1250	Densest wood, underground, found only in caverns
Lignite	Stone	1250
Jet	Stone	1320	Least dense non-economic stone
Earthenware	Ceramic	1360
Plant cloth	Organics	1520
Stoneware	Ceramic	2000
Saltpeter	Stone	2105
Petrified wood	Stone	2200	Least dense "magma-safe" stone
Gypsum relatives	Stone	2300
Gypsum	Stone	2320
Porcelain	Ceramic	2403
Glass	Gem	2600
(General) stone	Stone	2670
Ordinary gem	Gem	2670
Aluminum	Metal	2700	Least dense "normal" metal
Limestone	Stone	2710
Marble	Stone	2780
Calcite	Stone	2930
Diamond (any)	Gem	3520
Cobaltite	Stone	6295
Zinc	Metal	7135
Tin	Metal	7280
Lay pewter	Metal	7280
Galena	Stone	7500	Ore of lead
Pitchblende	Stone	7600	Most dense "magma-safe" non-economic stone, excepting Slade
Iron	Metal	7850	standard weapons-grade metal, 98.125% max momentum*
Steel	Metal	7850	standard weapons-grade metal, 98.125% max momentum*
Cinnabar	Stone	8100	Densest non-economic stone, excepting Slade
Bronze	Metal	8250	standard weapons-grade metal, 98.2% max momentum*
Nickel	Metal	8800
Copper	Metal	8930	standard weapons-grade metal, 98.35% max momentum*
Silver	Metal	10490	standard weapons-grade metal, 98.59% max momentum*
Lead	Metal	11340
Gold	Metal	19320
Platinum	Metal	21400	Densest metal, 99.3% max momentum*
Native platinum	Stone	21400	Densest economic stone (and ore)
Slade	Stone	200,000	Densest stone, cannot normally be mined.

(* re "momentum" in determining damage for a weapon or collision, see next sub-section)

Density vs. weapon momentum

In previous versions, the denser the material the heavier a weapon was, and the more damage that weapon would do in combat, especially blunt weapons - simple. However, that difference has been largely limited in the current combat system by determining "momentum", which is {weight x velocity}. Heavier weapons tend to be swung less quickly, so the old "heavier = more" rule is no longer that simple. There are many variables, significantly including size and strength of the combatant, but "momentum" is now the go-to value for determining "best" metal for blunt attacks.

And with a variation for maximum (based on strength/etc) momentum of between 98.125 (iron/steel) to 98.59 (silver), that's a difference of < .005, less than half of one percent. And steel remains the "hardest" of the standard metals, which, while a small factor, is enough to offset the weight. Even platinum, the old, rare moody holy grail of blunt weaponry, is capped at a max 99.3%, only a 1.2% increase over steel. Meanwhile, the significant increased weight of such weapons does count directly at tiring a combatant, making "heavier" weapons even less attractive for all but the strongest, most indefatigable dwarves.

Bottom line, against unarmored opponents (i.e. most animals, kobold thieves, undead, etc.), any metal is overkill and will merrily break bones and crush skulls with ease. Against armored targets, all metals now works about the same. You can safely save your steel (and even iron and bronze) and use whatever metal(s) you have in surplus, and you're not hurting your hammer-/mace-dwarves by any amount that anyone would notice in game play; and weaker warriors don't have to lug around silver weapons, fatiguing themselves half-way through an encounter.

Note that it's been reported that these "maximums" are not capped in weapons traps which, presumably, have no variable "strength", and so heavier weapon materials, certainly for blunt but also for slashing/piercing attacks, do perform better (accounting for the superior metal rule for the latter).

• See also Material science#Attack Momentum for more technical details

See also

• Size
• Weight
• Material science