Darkest Dungeon II is not the 2016 game with better art, and readers who expect the Hamlet will be lost inside ten minutes. Red Hook released it on Steam on 8 May 2023, and it throws out estate management, town building, hero recruitment queues and dungeon crawling in favour of a run-based road trip: four heroes, one stagecoach, one road to the Mountain, and either you finish the Confession or the run ends. Progress between runs lives entirely in the Altar of Hope rather than in a town you rebuild.
Resource management and crafting determine how quickly your power scales. This guide covers what to prioritize, where to farm, and how to avoid wasting resources on the wrong upgrades.
Crafting Priority List
The order you should invest resources:
| Priority | Target | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Primary equipment | Biggest damage increase per resource spent |
| 2 | Core build gear | Enables your build's key combinations |
| 3 | Defensive upgrades | Survivability for boss fights |
| 4 | Secondary equipment | Situational options for specific content |
| 5 | Consumables | Temporary boosts for hard content |
Resource Farming by Area
The Valley
Key resources: Starting relics, early trinkets and a safe window to test a new party composition Farming efficiency: Low value per run, but safe and consistent
Focus on gathering materials for Blight damage over time upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
The Foetor
Key resources: Harvest Child lair trophy, Blight themed trinkets and relics Farming efficiency: Good early-game farming spot
Focus on gathering materials for Blight damage over time upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
The Tangle
Key resources: Dreaming General lair trophy, plus the boss trophy required to reach the Mountain in Acts two onward Farming efficiency: Best mid-game farming, worth revisiting
Focus on gathering materials for Blight damage over time upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
The Sprawl
Key resources: Librarian lair trophy, Burn themed items and relics Farming efficiency: High-value materials for late-game upgrades
This is where you farm materials for Bleed damage over time max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
The Shroud
Key resources: Leviathan lair trophy and Shroud specific trinkets Farming efficiency: Best resources in the game, requires strong build
This is where you farm materials for Bleed damage over time max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Upgrade Path
Early Game (The Valley to The Foetor)
- Upgrade your starting equipment to functional level
- Craft basic defensive gear
- Save specialty materials, since you'll need them later
- Focus on Blight damage over time once accessible
Mid Game (The Tangle)
- Push Blight damage over time to mid-level upgrades
- Start collecting materials for Bleed damage over time
- Craft situational consumables for boss fights
- Upgrade build-specific gear pieces
Late Game (The Sprawl to The Shroud)
- Max out Bleed damage over time. This is your top priority
- Complete your build's core gear set
- Craft endgame consumables
- Optional: upgrade secondary equipment for variety
Crafting Mistakes to Avoid
- Spreading upgrades across multiple equipment: Focus one weapon to max before diversifying.
- Hoarding materials: Use them. The game provides enough if you farm efficiently.
- Upgrading the wrong gear: Check our builds guide before investing.
- Ignoring The Tangle farming: This area has the best resource-to-time ratio in mid-game.
- Crafting consumables too early: Save specialty materials for late-game recipes.
Resource Efficiency Tips
- Do not read first game guides for this one. There is no Hamlet, no estate, no roster of twenty five heroes, no stress relief buildings and no week counter. Everything you knew about provisioning and torch management applies to a different game.
- Farm The Tangle during mid-game for the best return on time
- Check the walkthrough to know when each resource becomes available
- Match your farming route to your build. Some classes farm faster in certain areas
More Darkest Dungeon II Guides
- Darkest Dungeon II Darkest Dungeon II Overview
- Darkest Dungeon II Best Builds
- Darkest Dungeon II Tier List
- Darkest Dungeon II Walkthrough
- Darkest Dungeon II Beginner's Guide
- Darkest Dungeon II Tips & Tricks
- Darkest Dungeon II Weapons Guide
- Darkest Dungeon II Combat Guide
- Darkest Dungeon II Boss Guide
- Darkest Dungeon II Maps & Locations
- Darkest Dungeon II Classes & Characters
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- Darkest Dungeon Crafting Guide: roguelike game with similar mechanics
