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Image via Bay 12 Games

Dwarf Fortress – What Does the Hammer Do and How Do You Use It?

What is this mysterious role?

In Dwarf Fortress, you get the opportunity to assign roles to your dwarves, with official titles and obligations. Having one dwarf of each role will quickly become important, and you’ll want to use each of their bonuses to your advantage. The Hammerer is one such role. However, its role isn’t very self-explanatory. What is the Hammerer in Dwarf Fortress, and what does the role do?

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What is the Hammerer in Dwarf Fortress?

Unlike most nobles in Dwarf Fortress, the Hammerer does not require an office, or a burial, or any such room or demand. All the Hammerer needs is access to a chain a war hammer. This is because the Hammerer is your executioner.

If a dwarf is arrested and sentenced for a rather serious crime, such as murder or being a vampire, then they will be sentenced to the Hammerer. The Hammerer will chain down the victim, and then deliver numerous strikes of the war hammer. This will most likely kill the dwarf. This, however, is not a death sentence. Sturdy dwarves may survive the hammering, at which point they will be released.

You needn’t appoint a Hammerer if you don’t want such a force in your fortress. If you want a Hammerer, but don’t want so many dwarves dying, you can make sure that the Hammerer only has a poor quality war hammer at their disposal.

Related: How to build a dungeon in Dwarf Fortress

How to assign a Hammerer in Dwarf Fortress

To assign a Hammerer, go into your Nobles/administrations menu as accessed from the bottom right of your screen, with an icon of a crown. Along that list will be the Hammerer role. Click the ‘plus’ symbol to open up all the dwarves in your fortress.

You can select any dwarf you want to become the Hammerer, as long as you have a war hammer, they’ll be happy.


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