Crafting

Crafting is how you create equipment of your own, plus additional varieties of food. Crafting is the main use of materials, and is also the main way to gain Advancement Points for research.

Crafting recipes can be grouped by what equipment slot they use:

* **Food:** crafting meals increases food variety. Crafted foods generally weigh less.
	+ Cooked Meals: Unlocked at the beginning of the game.
	+ Roasted Meals: Uses a lot of animal foods, as well as fuel.
	+ Baked Meals: Uses a lot of Grains and/or Nuts.
* **Tools:** increases your gathering and **crafting** rates.
	+ Gathering Tools
	+ Craft Tools
* **Weapons:** primary source of  Damage in combat
	+ 1-Handed and 2-Handed Swords: Shielding capability.
	+ 1-Handed and 2-Handed Axes: Extra damage relative to other weapon types.
	+ Clubs and War Hammers: blunt damage (unused damage from killing foe overflows onto next enemy).
	+ Staves and Pikes: piercing damage (does half damage immediately when played and moves the played card before the damaged card).
* **Ranged Weapons:** give Support Ally tactical ability in Fight and Hunting challenges
	+ Bows
	+ Crossbows
* **Shields:** give  Shielding, and increase defense in combat
* **Armours:** increase defense in combat
	+ Clothes: Very light (good for low strength characters)
	+ Light armours: Sometimes light enough for use by non-combat classes.
	+ Medium armours
	+ Heavy armours: For your strongest warriors!
* **Jewellery:** Gives various special abilities in non-combat challenges, and small bonuses to skills
* **Artifacts:** Give bonuses to skills

## Basics

Recipes are grouped into categories, such as Light armours. Crafting categories are unlocked through research. Once a category is unlocked, you can craft anything from the most basic to the most advanced item within that category. The difference is all in what materials you use: if you use low-tier materials, a basic item is created, and if you use high-tier materials, an advanced item is created.

In your settlement, go to the Crafting tab and choose the category of item you want to craft. You then have to designate the materials from which your villagers will craft the item. Specific combinations of materials give different results - be sure to experiment!

## Material Slots

The primary material is what shapes the look and attributes of an item. The secondary material boosts its primary attributes and might add another. The primary and secondary materials both effect the item's weight.

Note that the effects of secondary materials are weaker than the ones of primary materials. (For example, a 1-handed sword with obsidian as a primary material gives its wielder +2 Stealth, while a sword with obsidian as a secondary component only gives +1 Stealth.)

The catalyst has neither an effect on the finished product nor on the crafting process. It represents material consumed by the production, e.g. fuel for a fire or furnace. However, constructing a Smithy  lets you use higher-value catalysts to improve the chance of creating a good-quality item.

## Equipment vs Food

*Main articles: Equipment, Food*
Equipment is the most important element of the game which will not only help you survive but finish the game and save the world. A well-equipped expedition can withstand most of dangers in Thea.

Crafting equipment is a very fast way to gain research points/Advancement Points, which in turn allow you to unlock more gathering materials and crafting categories.

Food does not have different levels of quality; instead, your characters receive bonuses for having a greater variety of foods available to eat (up to 10). Unlike most recipes, for food recipes, the primary and secondary materials together determine which item is crafted. Crafting food also does *not* earn research points.