Need for Speed Heat is Ghost Games' November 2019 entry, set in Palm City, a fictional Florida sprawl split into 18 districts holding 435 collectible and challenge locations. The day belongs to the Speedhunters Showdown, where sanctioned events pay Bank and the police stay home. The night belongs to illicit street racing, where you earn Rep and Lieutenant Frank Mercer's police force tries to take it off you before you reach a garage.
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
Downtown Palm City
Key resources: Speed traps, billboards and street art clustered tightly enough to clear in one night Farming efficiency: Low value per run, but safe and consistent
Focus on gathering materials for Nitrous upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Port Murphy
Key resources: Drift zones and long jumps, plus straight sections that suit top-speed testing Farming efficiency: Good early-game farming spot
Focus on gathering materials for Nitrous upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Fort Callahan
Key resources: High Heat night events and the volatile parts they drop Farming efficiency: Best mid-game farming, worth revisiting
Focus on gathering materials for Nitrous upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Eden Shores
Key resources: Circuit and sprint events, flamingos and collectibles along the shore Farming efficiency: High-value materials for late-game upgrades
This is where you farm materials for Engine Swap max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Sandino Ranches
Key resources: Off-Road Races, shortcuts through fields, and quiet ground for shaking a pursuit Farming efficiency: Best resources in the game, requires strong build
This is where you farm materials for Engine Swap max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Upgrade Path
Early Game (Downtown Palm City to Port Murphy)
- Upgrade your starting equipment to functional level
- Craft basic defensive gear
- Save specialty materials, since you'll need them later
- Focus on Nitrous once accessible
Mid Game (Fort Callahan)
- Push Nitrous to mid-level upgrades
- Start collecting materials for Engine Swap
- Craft situational consumables for boss fights
- Upgrade build-specific gear pieces
Late Game (Eden Shores to Sandino Ranches)
- Max out Engine Swap. 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 Fort Callahan 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
- Rep is not yours until you park at a garage or safe house. Every point you are carrying at Heat 4 or 5 disappears the moment you are busted, along with a Bank fine, so the correct night is a short one that ends deliberately.
- Farm Fort Callahan 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 Need for Speed Heat Guides
- Need for Speed Heat Need for Speed Heat Overview
- Need for Speed Heat Best Builds
- Need for Speed Heat Tier List
- Need for Speed Heat Walkthrough
- Need for Speed Heat Beginner's Guide
- Need for Speed Heat Tips & Tricks
- Need for Speed Heat Weapons Guide
- Need for Speed Heat Combat Guide
- Need for Speed Heat Boss Guide
- Need for Speed Heat Maps & Locations
- Need for Speed Heat Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy Need for Speed Heat, check out these related guides:
- Stardew Valley Crafting Guide: simulation game with similar mechanics
- Satisfactory Crafting Guide: simulation game with similar mechanics
- The Sims 4 Crafting Guide: simulation game with similar mechanics
