Darkest Dungeon is a gothic roguelike that punishes overconfidence and rewards careful resource management. Your heroes explore procedurally generated dungeons while accumulating stress from combat, darkness, and eldritch horrors. At 100 stress, heroes develop Afflictions — becoming selfish, paranoid, masochistic, or abusive — sabotaging your party from within. The art style (Mike Mignola-inspired comic panels) and Wayne June's legendary narration create an atmosphere unmatched in gaming. Death is permanent, heroes are expendable, and the Darkest Dungeon itself requires sending heroes to their likely doom. The Crimson Court DLC adds a vampire faction, and Color of Madness adds an endless mode.
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 synergies |
| 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
Ruins
Key resources: Ancestral trinkets, heirlooms (Busts, Portraits), quest rewards Farming efficiency: Low value per run, but safe and consistent
Focus on gathering materials for Dismas' Head upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Weald
Key resources: Ancestral trinkets, heirlooms (Deeds), boss trinkets Farming efficiency: Good early-game farming spot
Focus on gathering materials for Dismas' Head upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Warrens
Key resources: Ancestral trinkets, heirlooms (Crests), Flesh's Heart trophy Farming efficiency: Best mid-game farming, worth revisiting
Focus on gathering materials for Dismas' Head upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Cove
Key resources: Ancestral trinkets, heirlooms, eldritch boss trophies Farming efficiency: High-value materials for late-game upgrades
This is where you farm materials for Ancestor's Pen max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Darkest Dungeon
Key resources: Game completion, Ancestral trinkets, story resolution Farming efficiency: Best resources in the game, requires strong build
This is where you farm materials for Ancestor's Pen max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Upgrade Path
Early Game (Ruins — Weald)
- Upgrade your starting equipment to functional level
- Craft basic defensive gear
- Save specialty materials — you'll need them later
- Focus on Dismas' Head once accessible
Mid Game (Warrens)
- Push Dismas' Head to mid-level upgrades
- Start collecting materials for Ancestor's Pen
- Craft situational consumables for boss fights
- Upgrade build-specific gear pieces
Late Game (Cove — Darkest Dungeon)
- Max out Ancestor's Pen — 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 Warrens 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
- Never send a level 0-2 hero to a Champion dungeon — they'll be traumatized and likely killed. Match hero level to dungeon difficulty: Apprentice (0-2), Veteran (3-4), Champion (5-6).
- Farm Warrens 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 Guides
- Darkest Dungeon Darkest Dungeon Overview
- Darkest Dungeon Best Builds
- Darkest Dungeon Tier List
- Darkest Dungeon Walkthrough
- Darkest Dungeon Beginner's Guide
- Darkest Dungeon Tips & Tricks
- Darkest Dungeon Weapons Guide
- Darkest Dungeon Combat Guide
- Darkest Dungeon Boss Guide
- Darkest Dungeon Maps & Locations
- Darkest Dungeon Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy Darkest Dungeon, check out these related guides:
- Risk of Rain 2 Crafting Guide — roguelike game with similar mechanics
- Hades Crafting Guide — roguelike game with similar mechanics
- Dead Cells Crafting Guide — roguelike game with similar mechanics
