How to make and use armor in Dwarf Fortress

No expedition in Dwarf Fortress is ever complete without a little conflict. Whether you are assaulted by terrifying monsters, nearby elves, or just each other, they will get into a fight at some point. When things get violent, it’s best to make sure your dwarves are protected, and the best way to protect them is with some armor.

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How to make armor in Dwarf Fortress

Armor can be crafted at a few different places, depending on what type of material it’s made from.

• Leather armor is made at the Leatherworks.
• Metal armor is made at the metalsmith’s forge.
• Cloth armor is made at the clothier’s shop.
• Bone and shell armor is made at the craftsdwarf’s workshop.
• Wood armor is made at the carpenter’s workshop.

These all require different types of material to make, each of which requires a slightly different process to obtain.

Depending on the local wildlife, bone and shell armor are probably the easiest to craft early since these materials don’t require any extra processing to use. Leather armor, on the other hand, will need both animal hides and a tannery to make leather. Metal armor will require both raw ore and a smelter to make metal bars. Whatever armor you decide to make, however, you can craft it at the necessary workshop by selecting the shop and choosing the armor in the tasks menu.

If you’re early in the life of your fortress, note that the easiest way to get armor will likely be by trading for it when traders arrive at your settlement. Alternatively, you can also trade for the materials and then craft the armor at a workshop.

How to use armor in Dwarf Fortress

Getting your dwarves to use armor is, like many things in Dwarf Fortress, primarily up to the dwarves themselves. Generally, any dwarves that have been assigned to a squad in the squad menu “s” will equip your best armor. From this menu, you can also set a uniform or a specific equipment loadout for the squad members by checking the boxes next to their names in the squad list. In some cases, dwarves won’t keep their full uniform on unless they’re being ordered to train or fight. Dwarves will gain experience toward their armor skill whenever they attack or are attacked while wearing armor.

Related: How to trade goods in Dwarf Fortress

Note that clothing items like shirts and robes function the same as armor, albeit at lower protection values. This means that even if you don’t have access to armor, getting layers of clothing for your dwarves is still extremely useful.