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Dwarf Fortress characters running in the background of its cover image
Image via Bay 12 Games

Best Metal for Weapons in Dwarf Fortress

A warrior is only as good as their equipment.

Dwarf Fortress is a very complex game. And its weaponry is no different. The huge variety of weaponry doesn’t simply boil down to ‘what does more damage’, but to details such as the type of hit the weapon does, to attack speed, to weight, to critical hit chances and more. One defining factor of a weapon, however, is the metal it is made out of. Here are the best materials for your weapons in Dwarf Fortress.

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The best metals for edged weapons in Dwarf Fortress

Edged weapons are those that focus on slicing, thrusting and cutting. Any weapon that insists on using sharp edges to attack opponents, in other words. These weapons need metals that are strong and sharp, as they will have to penetrate armor. As long as the metal is of better quality than the metal of the armor according to the following hierarchy, then you should typically be fine. However, try not to use lower quality metals as you’ll have to quickly replace them to fight most other threats.

  • Best – Adamantine
  • Great – Steel
  • Good – Iron
  • Okay – Bronze
  • Bad – Copper
  • Terrible – Silver

Consider this guide when making your weapons for your troops. Better metals are expensive and not always necessary for your means, so it’ll pay to know what armor your most persistent threats are using.

Related: Dwarf Fortress Best Armor

The best metals for bludgeoning weapons in Dwarf Fortress

Bludgeoning weapons are those that your dwarves will use as clubs to bash against your enemies. There is hardly a difference between metals when it comes to this, as you don’t have to worry about penetrating armor as much. Here is the hierarchy:

  • Best – Silver and Steel
  • Good – Iron, Bronze, Copper
  • Terrible – Adamantine

It is worth noting that silver bludgeoning weapons have a higher chance of penetrating armor, and steel bludgeoning weapons have a higher rate of causing critical wounds.


We hope you enjoyed our Dwarf Fortress guide. You can head on over to our Facebook page to keep up with the latest of video game content. You may also be interested in our other Dwarf Fortress content, such as how to make steel, or how to equip weapons.

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