Dwarf Fortress Bone Armor: Crafting & Uses

Dwarf Fortress is a video game. Bone armor is a type of armor in Dwarf Fortress. Bone armor provides protection for dwarves. The bones of various creatures like animals, goblins, or even forgotten beasts are the raw materials for bone armor. Bone armor is craftable by bone carvers. Bone carvers use a crafting skill. Bone carvers produce bone armor in workshops. Bone carvers require bones. Bone carvers are typically dwarves.

Alright, folks, let’s talk bone. Not the kind you bury in the backyard, but the kind you wear into battle! In the hilariously brutal world of Dwarf Fortress, where survival is a punchline and FUN is always capitalized, sometimes you gotta get creative with your defense. Forget about waiting for that elusive iron vein; your dwarves are getting pummeled now. Enter: bone armor, the surprisingly effective, readily available, and delightfully macabre early-game solution to all your goblin-squashing needs.

Think about it: your dwarves are tough, but not that tough. Metal armor? A distant dream for most fledgling fortresses. What is readily available? A whole lot of skeletons waiting to be repurposed.

Now, don’t get me wrong, bone armor isn’t going to win you any fashion contests (unless the theme is “Post-Apocalyptic Chic”). It’s no match for a masterwork steel breastplate, BUT it’s way better than sending your dwarves out in their birthday suits. We’re talking the difference between a flesh wound and, well, no flesh left.

We’ll dive into the nitty-gritty later, but here’s the gist: bone armor is a fantastic early-game option. It’s cheap, relatively easy to produce, and can keep your dwarves alive long enough to get those metal industries up and running. Plus, let’s be honest, there’s a certain charm to outfitting your militia in the remains of their enemies. This guide will focus on using bones obtained from creatures with a Closeness Rating between 7 and 10 – the sweet spot for accessible and plentiful materials. So, let’s embrace the grim reality of Dwarf Fortress and turn those skeletons into stylish (and functional) protection!

From Corpse to Craft: The Sources of Bones

So, you’re diving headfirst into the delightfully morbid world of bone armor, eh? Excellent choice! But before your dwarves start strutting around in their freshly-crafted bony ensembles, you’ll need, well, bones. Luckily, Dwarf Fortress provides ample opportunities to acquire this crucial resource. Think of your fortress as a bustling, if slightly gruesome, bone-harvesting operation. Let’s get into where these bony treasures come from!

Creatures Yielding Bones: A Vertebrate Variety

Practically anything with a skeleton is fair game! I’m talking about nearly any creature that breathes (or doesn’t, as we’ll see later) and has a bony structure. Upon meeting their untimely demise and subsequent trip to the butcher’s shop, these critters will happily (or, you know, not) donate their bones to your cause.

Goblins: The Bone Orchard

Ah, goblins. Those green-skinned nuisances that seem to love raiding your fort as much as they love poorly-made crafts. Turns out, their frequent visits aren’t entirely unwelcome! Goblins are a plentiful and often unavoidable source of bones, especially in the early game when sieges and ambushes are a regular occurrence. Think of them as a renewable, albeit hostile, resource. A Bone Orchard ripe for the picking!

Domesticated Animals: Controlled Bone Production

For a more controlled approach to bone acquisition, look no further than your livestock! Pigs, turkeys, and other butchered animals provide a sustainable source of bones. Raising livestock offers the benefit of predictability. Careful herd management is key – you don’t want to run out of food or end up with more bones than you know what to do with (although, is there really such a thing?).

Undead Hordes: A Bony Bonanza (with Risks)

Feeling adventurous? Undead, particularly skeletons, represent a significant source of bones. However, acquiring them comes with considerable risk. Skeletons don’t tend to line up politely for processing. Engaging with undead hordes is a dangerous endeavor, but the rewards (in terms of bone yield) can be substantial. Just be sure your military is up to the task.

The Butcher’s Shop: Processing Your Harvest

Now that you’ve got a pile of corpses, it’s time to put your Butcher’s Shop to work. This humble workshop is where the magic (or, rather, the butchery) happens. Dwarves assigned to the butchering labor will skillfully (or, sometimes, not so skillfully) transform animal corpses into meat, skulls, and bones. The quality of the butchered products depends on the skill level of the butcher. So, train your dwarves, or, at least hope, they won’t make a mess out of it! A skilled butcher will yield higher quantities of materials from each carcass.

Safety Note: Miasma Management

A word to the wise! Rotting corpses generate miasma, a foul-smelling cloud that can negatively impact your dwarves’ happiness. Keep your butcher’s shop clean to prevent miasma buildup. Proper ventilation and regular cleaning are crucial for maintaining a happy (or at least less grumpy) fortress. Store corpses in designated refuse stockpiles away from living areas and consider building the butcher’s shop outdoors or with ventilation shafts. A clean fortress is a happy fortress, and a happy fortress makes more bone armor!

The Raw Materials: Bones, Skulls, and More

So, you’ve got your butcher shop churning out corpses like a grim piñata, but what do you actually do with all those bits and bobs? Let’s break down the essential ingredients for turning death into dwarf-approved defense.

• Bones: The Foundation: Bones, plain and simple. These are your workhorses, the bread and butter of your bone armor operation. They’re going to form the bulk of your breastplates, gauntlets, boots, and greaves. Think of them as the LEGO bricks of dwarven death fashion.

• Skulls: Helmets of the Fallen: Now, skulls are a bit special. You don’t just want to waste a good skull on, say, a pair of boots. These bad boys are destined to become helmets. Skulls offer potentially better head protection than just slapping some femurs together. Plus, it sends a message, doesn’t it? “Yeah, I’m wearing your friend’s head. What of it?”

• Teeth, Ivory, and Horns: Decorative Touches

  • Alright, let’s talk bling. Teeth, ivory, and horns aren’t structurally necessary, but they’re vital for morale. A plain bone breastplate is functional, but a breastplate adorned with goblin teeth? That’s art. That’s a statement. That’s +5 to happiness right there. Elephants are your go-to for ivory, if you can wrestle one, and Unicorns… well good luck getting horns from them.

• Thread: Binding it All Together: You can have all the bones in the world, but without thread, you’ve just got a pile of spooky clutter. Thread, whether made from cloth or silk, is what holds everything together. It’s the glue (or, rather, the stitches) that transforms scattered remains into wearable armor.

• Leather and Hide: Padding for Protection

  • Okay, imagine wearing bone armor without padding. Sounds comfy, right? Like sleeping on a bed of nails. That’s where leather and hide come in. Tanned at a tanner’s shop from animal hides, they provide a crucial layer of cushioning that makes the armor bearable, and more importantly, helps absorb impact during combat. Because a dwarf with bruised ribs isn’t going to be swinging his axe with much enthusiasm. Think of it as the difference between riding a bike with a seat and riding the frame.

The Bone Armor Production Line: Workshops and Skills

So, you’ve got a pile of bones and a burning desire to protect your dwarves with the finest (read: only) armor available. Where do you even begin? Well, grab your hammer and chisel because we’re diving headfirst into the workshops and skills you’ll need to become a bone-armored powerhouse!

Craftsdwarf’s Workshop: The Heart of Production

Think of the Craftsdwarf’s Workshop as your bone-crafting central. It’s here where the magic (or perhaps the macabre) happens. This is where your dwarves will transform those gruesome remains into shiny new armor pieces. What recipes will you use? Well, you will need to select the order to make bone armor.

• Craft bone helmet
• Craft bone breastplate
• Craft bone gauntlets
• Craft bone boots
• Craft bone greaves
• Craft bone bolts

Leather Works: Crafting the Padding

Let’s be honest, strapping bones directly to your body sounds about as comfortable as sleeping on a bed of rocks. That’s where the Leather Works comes in! Here, your leatherworkers will take those raw hides (from hunting or butchering) and transform them into supple leather padding. This padding goes underneath the bone armor, providing a much-needed layer of comfort and shock absorption. Don’t skip this step, unless you want your dwarves complaining more than usual!

Clothier’s Shop/Loom: Weaving the Thread of Survival

You’ve got bones and padding, but how do you hold it all together? Thread, of course! The Clothier’s Shop or Loom is where your dwarves will spin plant fibers or silk into sturdy thread. This thread is essential for assembling the armor pieces, ensuring they don’t fall apart mid-battle. Imagine the embarrassment of losing your breastplate while facing down a goblin horde!

Professions and Skills

Okay, you’ve got the workshops, but you also need the right dwarves for the job. Here’s a rundown of the key professions and skills:

• Bone Carvers: Masters of Ossification: These are your primary bone armor crafters. The higher their skill level, the better the quality of the armor. A skilled Bone Carver can even produce masterwork pieces, which will make your dwarves ecstatic.
• Leatherworkers: Padding Perfectionists: A skilled Leatherworker can create high-quality padding that provides superior comfort and protection. Don’t underestimate the importance of good padding!
• Clothiers/Weavers: Threading the Needle: Durable thread is crucial for holding your armor together. Invest in skilled Clothiers/Weavers to ensure your armor doesn’t fall apart at the seams.
• Armorer: Fitting and Maintenance (Optional): While not directly involved in the crafting process, an Armorer can repair and maintain bone armor, extending its lifespan. Think of them as the auto mechanics of your fortress, keeping your dwarves’ gear in tip-top shape.

Equipping Your Fortress: Bone Armor and Beyond

Alright, you’ve got your butcher shop humming, your dwarves are happily (or morbidly) carving away at bones, and now it’s time to get them suited up! Let’s dive into the different types of bone armor and equipment you can craft to keep your dwarves alive (or at least, undead dwarves alive, if things go south).

Bone Armor: A Quick Look

Generally, bone armor offers a decent level of protection, especially in the early game. It’s not going to stop a forgotten beast made of adamantine, but it’ll definitely improve your dwarves’ chances against goblins and other nasty critters. Plus, let’s be honest, nothing says “Dwarf Fortress” quite like a squad decked out in armor made from their enemies’ remains. Think of it as a very unconventional fashion statement.

Specific Pieces: A Bone-ified Breakdown

Let’s get down to the nitty-gritty with the various pieces of armor you can make from bone:

Helmets: Skulls as Headgear

What better way to protect a dwarf’s precious beard than with the skull of a goblin? These ghastly helmets provide crucial head protection. The cool part? You’re literally slapping an enemy’s head on your dwarf’s head. Morbid? Maybe. Effective? Absolutely.

Breastplates: Core Protection

The breastplate is arguably the most important piece of armor. It protects the vital organs. A well-made bone breastplate can be the difference between a dwarf living to drink another ale and becoming goblin fodder. It’s the bread and butter of your defenses.

Gauntlets: Protecting the Hands

Don’t underestimate the importance of protecting those precious dwarven hands! After all, how else are they going to swing a pickaxe or quaff a tankard of ale? Gauntlets keep those digits safe from harm. Essential for survival.

Boots: Footwear of the Fort

Dwarves spend a lot of time on their feet, whether they’re hauling stone, fighting off invaders, or just generally grumbling. Boots protect their feet from injury and the elements (or, you know, magma). You don’t want a dwarf hobbling around with a broken toe – they’ll just complain even more than usual.

Greaves (Shin Guards): Shielding the Legs

Last but not least, we have the humble greaves. They might not seem as important as a breastplate, but protecting those shins can prevent a dwarf from being crippled by a lucky goblin stab. And a crippled dwarf is a useless dwarf. Protect those legs!

Other Bone Items: Beyond Armor

But bone isn’t just for armor! You can also craft a few other useful items:

Bone Bolts/Arrows: Projectile Potential

Need some ammunition for your marksdwarves? Look no further than bone bolts and arrows. They’re cheap, plentiful, and surprisingly effective, especially early on. Just don’t expect them to pierce through steel armor.

Bone Weapons: A Brittle Edge

While you can craft bone weapons, it’s generally not recommended. They’re brittle and break easily, making them a poor choice compared to metal weapons. But hey, if you’re desperate, a bone dagger is better than no dagger, right?

Game Mechanics: How Bone Armor Works in Combat

So, you’ve got your dwarves decked out in their finest bone attire, but how does it actually work when a goblin decides to test its sharpness? Let’s dive into the nitty-gritty of the game mechanics that determine whether your dwarves will live to see another sunrise (or, more likely, another cave adaptation tantrum).

Armor Class (AC): Deflecting Blows

Think of Armor Class (AC) as a dwarf’s personal force field against pointy objects. The higher the AC, the better the armor is at deflecting blows. Bone armor, while not as impressive as steel, still provides a decent AC boost, especially in the early game. Every little bit helps when you’re facing down a horde of goblins armed with rusty picks! Imagine it as the bouncer at the roughest tavern in the mountain, but instead of deciding who gets in, it decides which blows get through.

Material Properties: Density and Strength

Not all bones are created equal! The density and strength of the bone used to craft the armor directly impact its protective capabilities. A dense, sturdy bone from a cave crocodile will offer better protection than a flimsy bone from a turkey. It’s all about finding the right balance between availability and quality. Think of it like choosing between a paper plate and a ceramic one – one’s going to hold up a lot better when things get messy!

Combat System: Damage Calculation

The combat system in Dwarf Fortress is complex, but here’s the gist: when a creature attacks, the game calculates the potential damage based on the attacker’s strength, weapon, and skill, then compares that to the defender’s armor, material properties, and defensive skill. If the damage exceeds the armor’s ability to absorb it, the dwarf takes damage. Bone armor reduces the amount of damage that gets through, increasing the chances of survival. It’s like a mathematical dance of death, where every variable can tip the scales.

Happiness/Mood: The Aesthetics of Armor

Believe it or not, fashion can play a role in combat effectiveness. A well-crafted, beautifully decorated set of bone armor can significantly boost a dwarf’s happiness and mood. Happy dwarves are more productive, less likely to go berserk, and might even fight harder! A masterwork bone helmet adorned with ivory and teeth? That’s the dwarf equivalent of a power suit.

Masterwork Potential: Don’t underestimate the power of masterwork bone armor. A skilled bone carver can create truly exceptional pieces that not only provide superior protection but also generate significant positive thoughts in the wearer. A happy dwarf is a fortified dwarf!

Strategic Considerations: Integrating Bone Armor into Your Fortress

Alright, so you’ve got your butcher shops humming, your craftsdwarves hammering away, and a stockpile of femurs that would make any necromancer jealous. Now what? Let’s talk strategy, because even the sturdiest bone breastplate won’t save you from bad planning. Bone armor isn’t just about slapping together some femurs; it’s about weaving it into the very fabric of your fortress’s survival.

Early Game Advantage: Bone is Gold (Until You Find Actual Gold)

Let’s face it: early game in Dwarf Fortress is a frantic scramble. You’re digging into a mountain, hoping you don’t anger a forgotten beast, and praying you find some iron before the goblins decide to redecorate your dining hall with dwarf skulls. This is where bone armor shines. Metal? Forget about it. You’re more likely to find a happy goblin than a vein of iron. But bones? Bones are everywhere. Goblins, unlucky wildlife, your own livestock…they’re practically begging to be turned into protective gear. Embrace the macabre efficiency! Equip your initial military with bone armor, and suddenly those goblin ambushes become a lot less terrifying and a lot more…bony.

Resource Management: The Circle of Strife, Death, and Bone

So, you’re swimming in bones now. Great! But don’t get complacent. Managing your bone production is key. Think of it as the “Circle of Strife, Death, and Bone”. Keep those butcher shops busy, but don’t over-hunt your local wildlife into extinction (unless that wildlife is particularly annoying, like giant keas). Domesticated animals are your friends here. A steady supply of pigs, turkeys, or even llamas (if you’re feeling fancy) means a sustainable source of bones without having to rely solely on goblin sieges (though those are certainly reliable).

Trade Considerations: Turning Skulls into…Booze?

Believe it or not, those piles of bone helmets and femur gauntlets aren’t just good for defense. Caravans LOVE weird stuff. Got a surplus of bone armor? Slap a few engravings on it, maybe some decorations made from teeth (bonus points if they’re goblin teeth), and trade it away for valuable resources. Iron, coal, food, booze – whatever your fortress needs, those bones can help you get it. Who knew that the remains of your enemies could be turned into a thriving trade economy? It’s practically capitalism!

Long-Term Viability: Knowing When to Bury the Bones

Let’s be real: bone armor isn’t endgame gear. Once you’ve dug deep enough to find iron, steel, or even the mythical adamantine, those bone breastplates will start collecting dust in your armory. But that doesn’t mean they’re useless. Keep a set or two around for new recruits or emergency situations. And hey, even if they’re completely obsolete, they make great decorations for your fortress entrance. Nothing says “Welcome to our humble abode” like a display of meticulously crafted bone armor. It is Dwarf Fortress after all; style points matter, even when that style is terrifying.

So, next time you’re knee-deep in goblin guts and wondering what to do with all those leftover bones, remember: fashion yourself some armor! It might not be the prettiest, but hey, it’s Dwarf Fortress. Function over form, right? And who knows, maybe you’ll start a new trend in the caverns. Happy fortressing!