User:ELLIOTTCABLE/Starting build

This is my tweaked alternative to Tatter's build. As with his, I try to optimized such that each starting dwarf has A) only one moodable skill, and B) basically only one ‘time-intensive’ labor.

ELLIOTTCABLE's Twerking Band
	Primary skill(s)	Secondary skill(s)	Tertiary skill(s)
Commander / Broker	Miner†: 0	Negotiator: 3 Judge of Intent: 2	Armor User: 5
Carpenter / Brewer	Carpenter: 5	Brewer: 5
Farmer / Jeweler	Grower: 5	Gem Setter: 5
Doctor	Diagnostician: 5	Bone Doctor: 1 Surgeon: 1 Suturer: 1 Wound Dresser: 1	Record Keeper: 1
Armorsmith / Cook	Armorsmith: 5	Cook: 5
Mason / Architect	Mason: 5	Building Designer: 5
Weaponsmith / Mechanic	Weaponsmith: 5	Mechanic: 5

† (Mining is so easy to train that it's not worth spending at-embark levels on; nonetheless, it is both an intensive task, and the primary (intensive) labor of the militia commander.)

Post-embark preperation:

As soon as your dwarves reach the site, you can follow these steps to optimally configure your (currently) few dwarven resources.

1. Turn on the mining labor for your commander (u, select dwarf, c, p-l, select labor, return).
2. Choose at least one (temporary) secondary miner; probably either the Doctor or Carpenter. Enable Mining for them as well.
3. Immediately disable the various Hauling labors for your most important dwarves, that have better things to be doing (definitely the Architect, and probably the Farmer).
4. Set the commander as your militia commander and broker in the nobles screen. (He'll probably already be your expedition leader, but you can't control that.) Set the Doctor as your chief medical dwarf.
5. The exact order of initial tasks you undertake can vary on circumstances; but you have the skills in this set to do all of the following important tasks:
   • Plant some underground farms with the seeds you brought (right?).
   • Start cooking lavish meals from any food you brought.
   • Get a Carpenter's Workshop or Mason's Workshop built, whichever material is more abundant for you; start churning out high-quality furniture for the basics of your fortress (chairs, tables, beds.)
   • If you chose to DIY your embarkation (i.e. didn't bring any pre-built weapons or picks or axes with you), get your Wood furnace, Smelter, and Metalsmith's Forge built to start pumping out those items. You may temporarily enable the Wood burning and furnace operating labors on one of your dwarves (Doctor, or one of the Armorsmith / Weaponsmith, are good choices for this).
   • Get your Mechanic's Workshop up, and start churning out the dozens of Mechanisms you'll need to construct all the trap-related items one needs for a functioning, safe fortress.
6. As soon as you can (i.e. after you receive otherwise-useless immigrants), disable all of the hauling labors for most of the rest of these dwarves, as they should be forming the backbone of your economy.

Notes:

• This makes no provision for immediate defense, other, perhaps, than the militia commander. If you're embarking to a dangerous location, this may not be the best build. :P
• As with Tatter's build, the caveat about Armor User applies: we're simply spending our extra points on our commander, trying to make them a better combatant. If you prefer to give them a specific weapon skill, go ahead. (The advantage of Armor User is being able to later promote them to Sheriff, without them being über-deadly to your criminals.) Similarly, it's debatable whether Armor User (which basically makes them faster in that full suit of steel armor that you're embarking with (right?)) or Shield User (which makes their blocks more successful) is a better choice.
• Leatherworking, Bowyer, or Clothier may be almost as desirable as Armorsmith or Weaponsmith, in some circumstances. If it applies to you (map with few metals, but may trees, for instance), you may consider those as replacements.
• Similarly, Engraver is an extremely valuable skill for engendering happiness in your dwarfs; I decided on Mason over it, simply because it's less wasteful to train Engraver up (have them follow your miners around, engraving all your exploratory-mining tunnels, before he goes and engraves your living quarters) after embark. However, it's still worth considering switching them out.
• I chose Gem Setting over the Gem Cutting from Tatter's build, because the skill-level in Cutting has no effect on value; whereas high skill-levels in Setting add value to the final product.
• Your record-keeping doctor will desire an office. Why not tack one on your hospital? :P
• The Mechanic has two moodable labors. I couldn't figure out a way around this.

~~ Thanks for reading! If you liked my build, or have suggestions, let me know! <3