Don't Starve Together is Klei Entertainment's multiplayer survival game with a distinctive Tim Burton-esque art style where you're trapped in a mysterious wilderness called the Constant. Managing hunger, sanity, and health while surviving through seasons, crafting tools, and fighting bosses creates a uniquely punishing experience. The game features 40+ playable characters each with unique abilities, a deep crafting system with hundreds of recipes, and seasonal bosses that can destroy your entire base.
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
Constant
Key resources: Resources, Set Pieces, seasonal boss encounters, base location Farming efficiency: Low value per run, but safe and consistent
Focus on gathering materials for Ham Bat upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Caves
Key resources: Light Bulbs, Gems, Cave Banana, Mushrooms, Ruins access Farming efficiency: Good early-game farming spot
Focus on gathering materials for Ham Bat upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Ruins
Key resources: Gears, Thulecite, Ancient recipes, Magiluminescence, Star Caller's Staff Farming efficiency: Best mid-game farming, worth revisiting
Focus on gathering materials for Ham Bat upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Lunar Island
Key resources: Moon Glass, Celestial Altar, Stone Fruit, Lunar recipes, Enlightenment mechanic Farming efficiency: High-value materials for late-game upgrades
This is where you farm materials for Dark Sword max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Archives
Key resources: Lore, unique items, Wagstaff questline progression Farming efficiency: Best resources in the game, requires strong build
This is where you farm materials for Dark Sword max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Upgrade Path
Early Game (Constant — Caves)
- Upgrade your starting equipment to functional level
- Craft basic defensive gear
- Save specialty materials — you'll need them later
- Focus on Ham Bat once accessible
Mid Game (Ruins)
- Push Ham Bat to mid-level upgrades
- Start collecting materials for Dark Sword
- Craft situational consumables for boss fights
- Upgrade build-specific gear pieces
Late Game (Lunar Island — Archives)
- Max out Dark Sword — 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 Ruins 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
- Pick a character that matches your playstyle — Wigfrid for combat, WX-78 for power gaming, Wortox for healing, Wolfgang for DPS. Character choice matters more than gear.
- Farm Ruins 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 Don't Starve Together Guides
- Don't Starve Together Don't Starve Together Overview
- Don't Starve Together Best Builds
- Don't Starve Together Tier List
- Don't Starve Together Walkthrough
- Don't Starve Together Beginner's Guide
- Don't Starve Together Tips & Tricks
- Don't Starve Together Weapons Guide
- Don't Starve Together Combat Guide
- Don't Starve Together Boss Guide
- Don't Starve Together Maps & Locations
- Don't Starve Together Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy Don't Starve Together, check out these related guides:
- Palworld Crafting Guide — survival game with similar mechanics
- Rust Crafting Guide — survival game with similar mechanics
- ARK: Survival Evolved Crafting Guide — survival game with similar mechanics
