Against the Storm is a roguelike city-builder where you establish settlements in a perpetually stormy fantasy world on behalf of the Scorched Queen. Each run drops you into a new procedurally generated map with different biomes, species compositions, and available buildings. You must balance the Queen's Impatience (a loss timer) against Reputation (a win condition) while managing three to four different species with conflicting needs. Between runs, the meta-progression Citadel grows with permanent upgrades. It's the game that answered the question: what if city-builders had permadeath?
Your choice of equipment defines your damage output and playstyle. This guide ranks every major option, explains what makes each one strong, and tells you which builds they pair best with.
Equipment Rankings
| Equipment | Tier | Best For | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trading Post | S | Foxes provide trade bonuses, but all species benefit from trade infrastructure | The Trading Post allows you to buy and sell goods with visiting traders. |
| Cookhouse | A | All species — produces food varieties that satisfy multiple species desires | One of the most versatile food buildings, the Cookhouse produces multiple recipe types including Skewers, Biscuits, and Porridge depending on available ingredients. |
| Brewery | A | Humans and Beavers both benefit from Ale as a Leisure service | Produces Ale from grain or berries, satisfying the Leisure need for multiple species. |
| Workshop | B | Beavers for production efficiency, essential for any settlement's industry | Produces Planks, Fabric, and other processed goods from raw materials. |
| Rain Collector | B | All builds — free water input for cooking and brewing production chains | Collects rainwater during storms, providing a free water source that can be used for cooking, brewing, and farming. |
S-Tier: Trading Post
The Trading Post allows you to buy and sell goods with visiting traders. Selling excess resources provides Reputation and income, while buying scarce materials solves production gaps. Traders visit periodically with different inventories. A well-stocked Trading Post can compensate for missing production buildings.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | S |
| Best For | Foxes provide trade bonuses, but all species benefit from trade infrastructure |
| Key Mechanic | roguelike city building |
| Recommended Build | Humans |
How to get it: Available from mid-game onward. See our walkthrough for the exact progression point.
Best builds using Trading Post: Pairs naturally with Humans thanks to stat scaling synergies.
A-Tier: Cookhouse
One of the most versatile food buildings, the Cookhouse produces multiple recipe types including Skewers, Biscuits, and Porridge depending on available ingredients. Having a Cookhouse early solves food needs for multiple species simultaneously. It's often the highest-priority blueprint pick.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | All species — produces food varieties that satisfy multiple species desires |
| Key Mechanic | reputation system |
| Recommended Build | Beavers |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Cookhouse: Pairs naturally with Beavers thanks to stat scaling synergies.
A-Tier: Brewery
Produces Ale from grain or berries, satisfying the Leisure need for multiple species. Ale provides strong Resolve bonuses, keeping villagers happy during storm intensification. The Brewery is a Reputation engine when combined with species that desire Ale.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Humans and Beavers both benefit from Ale as a Leisure service |
| Key Mechanic | blueprint drafting |
| Recommended Build | Lizards |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Brewery: Pairs naturally with Lizards thanks to stat scaling synergies.
B-Tier: Workshop
Produces Planks, Fabric, and other processed goods from raw materials. Planks are needed for most advanced buildings, making the Workshop a critical production building. Beavers work 20% faster in Workshops, making them the ideal workforce here.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Beavers for production efficiency, essential for any settlement's industry |
| Key Mechanic | storm cycle |
| Recommended Build | Harpies |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Workshop: Pairs naturally with Harpies thanks to stat scaling synergies.
B-Tier: Rain Collector
Collects rainwater during storms, providing a free water source that can be used for cooking, brewing, and farming. Since rain is abundant in Against the Storm's world, Rain Collectors are nearly free resources. Place them near production buildings that use water.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | All builds — free water input for cooking and brewing production chains |
| Key Mechanic | species management |
| Recommended Build | Foxes |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Rain Collector: Pairs naturally with Foxes thanks to stat scaling synergies.
Equipment Progression Path
The order you should acquire equipment as you progress:
- Starting gear → Enough to clear Royal Woodlands
- Cookhouse → Your first real upgrade, available early
- Brewery → Mid-game upgrade with good scaling
- Trading Post → Best-in-slot, aim for this by late game
- Upgrade to max → The power spike from max upgrades is enormous
Equipment Tips
- Always upgrade your primary equipment before diversifying — one strong option beats three mediocre ones.
- Match your equipment to your build's stat priorities for maximum scaling.
- Pick blueprints that match your species composition — if you have Lizards, prioritize buildings that produce Skewers or provide warmth. Mismatched blueprints waste production capacity.
- Check our tier list for how equipment rankings affect overall build effectiveness.
More Against the Storm Guides
- Against the Storm Against the Storm Overview
- Against the Storm Best Builds
- Against the Storm Tier List
- Against the Storm Walkthrough
- Against the Storm Beginner's Guide
- Against the Storm Tips & Tricks
- Against the Storm Combat Guide
- Against the Storm Boss Guide
- Against the Storm Maps & Locations
- Against the Storm Crafting Guide
- Against the Storm Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy Against the Storm, check out these related guides:
- Sid Meier's Civilization V Weapons Guide — strategy game with similar mechanics
- Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord Weapons Guide — strategy game with similar mechanics
- RimWorld Weapons Guide — strategy game with similar mechanics
