Dave the Diver is a genre-blending indie hit combining underwater diving exploration with sushi restaurant management. By day, Dave dives into the Blue Hole to catch fish, fight sea creatures, and explore mysteries. By night, he runs a sushi restaurant using his catches as ingredients. The Blue Hole changes layout every dive, keeping exploration fresh. The game continuously surprises with new mechanics — farming, photography, racing, rhythm games, and a full RPG storyline involving an ancient sea people civilization. Despite its pixel art simplicity, Dave the Diver has more content variety than most AAA games.
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
Blue Hole Shallows
Key resources: Basic fish, starter recipes, diving fundamentals Farming efficiency: Low value per run, but safe and consistent
Focus on gathering materials for Red Sniper Rifle upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Medium Depths
Key resources: Mid-tier fish, combat encounters, recipe variety Farming efficiency: Good early-game farming spot
Focus on gathering materials for Red Sniper Rifle upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Deep Zone
Key resources: Rare fish, ancient ruins, story progression, high-value catches Farming efficiency: Best mid-game farming, worth revisiting
Focus on gathering materials for Red Sniper Rifle upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Volcanic Area
Key resources: Volcanic fish, unique recipes, story events Farming efficiency: High-value materials for late-game upgrades
This is where you farm materials for Hush Dart max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Glacial Area
Key resources: Glacial fish, unique materials, lore content Farming efficiency: Best resources in the game, requires strong build
This is where you farm materials for Hush Dart max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Upgrade Path
Early Game (Blue Hole Shallows — Medium Depths)
- Upgrade your starting equipment to functional level
- Craft basic defensive gear
- Save specialty materials — you'll need them later
- Focus on Red Sniper Rifle once accessible
Mid Game (Deep Zone)
- Push Red Sniper Rifle to mid-level upgrades
- Start collecting materials for Hush Dart
- Craft situational consumables for boss fights
- Upgrade build-specific gear pieces
Late Game (Volcanic Area — Glacial Area)
- Max out Hush Dart — 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 Deep Zone 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
- Wasabi and soy sauce multiply dish selling price by 1.5-2x. Always apply condiments to expensive dishes for maximum revenue. Buy condiments in bulk.
- Farm Deep Zone 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 Dave the Diver Guides
- Dave the Diver Dave the Diver Overview
- Dave the Diver Best Builds
- Dave the Diver Tier List
- Dave the Diver Walkthrough
- Dave the Diver Beginner's Guide
- Dave the Diver Tips & Tricks
- Dave the Diver Weapons Guide
- Dave the Diver Combat Guide
- Dave the Diver Boss Guide
- Dave the Diver Maps & Locations
- Dave the Diver Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy Dave the Diver, check out these related guides:
- Red Dead Redemption 2 Crafting Guide — adventure game with similar mechanics
- Sea of Thieves Crafting Guide — adventure game with similar mechanics
- Dredge Crafting Guide — adventure game with similar mechanics
