Naughty Dog rebuilt the 2013 original on the Part II engine, so Joel and Ellie's trip across a fungal-collapsed United States now runs on modern AI, lighting and animation. The package includes the Left Behind chapter and drops the original Factions multiplayer entirely. The PC port shipped in July 2023 through Iron Galaxy and took several patches before shader compilation and memory use settled down.
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 weapons | Biggest damage increase per resource spent |
| 2 | Core build gear | Enables your role's key combinations |
| 3 | Defensive upgrades | Survivability for boss fights |
| 4 | Secondary weapons | Situational options for specific content |
| 5 | Consumables | Temporary boosts for hard content |
Resource Farming by Area
Boston Quarantine Zone
Key resources: First pistol, first shiv, early Firefly Pendants Farming efficiency: Low value per run, but safe and consistent
Focus on gathering materials for Hunting Rifle upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Bill's Town
Key resources: Nail bomb training manual, Parts caches, the truck battery detour Farming efficiency: Good early-game farming spot
Focus on gathering materials for Hunting Rifle upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Pittsburgh
Key resources: Shorty shotgun, large Parts caches, Henry and Sam Farming efficiency: Best mid-game farming, worth revisiting
Focus on gathering materials for Hunting Rifle upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
University of Eastern Colorado
Key resources: Assault rifle, comics, workbench upgrades Farming efficiency: High-value materials for late-game upgrades
This is where you farm materials for 9mm Pistol max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Lakeside Resort
Key resources: Hunting rifle ammo, machete, Ellie's story resolution Farming efficiency: Best resources in the game, requires strong build
This is where you farm materials for 9mm Pistol max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Upgrade Path
Early Game (Boston Quarantine Zone to Bill's Town)
- Upgrade your starting weapons to functional level
- Craft basic defensive gear
- Save specialty materials, since you'll need them later
- Focus on Hunting Rifle once accessible
Mid Game (Pittsburgh)
- Push Hunting Rifle to mid-level upgrades
- Start collecting materials for 9mm Pistol
- Craft situational consumables for boss fights
- Upgrade build-specific gear pieces
Late Game (University of Eastern Colorado to Lakeside Resort)
- Max out 9mm Pistol. This is your top priority
- Complete your build's core gear set
- Craft endgame consumables
- Optional: upgrade secondary weapons for variety
Crafting Mistakes to Avoid
- Spreading upgrades across multiple weapons: 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 Pittsburgh 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
- Parts do not respawn and a single playthrough never funds every upgrade. Pour them into the Hunting Rifle scope and the Shotgun clip first, because those two weapons carry the Fall and Winter encounters where ammunition pressure is worst.
- Farm Pittsburgh 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 The Last of Us Part I Guides
- The Last of Us Part I The Last of Us Part I Overview
- The Last of Us Part I Best Builds
- The Last of Us Part I Tier List
- The Last of Us Part I Walkthrough
- The Last of Us Part I Beginner's Guide
- The Last of Us Part I Tips & Tricks
- The Last of Us Part I Weapons Guide
- The Last of Us Part I Combat Guide
- The Last of Us Part I Boss Guide
- The Last of Us Part I Maps & Locations
- The Last of Us Part I Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy The Last of Us Part I, check out these related guides:
- Helldivers 2 Crafting Guide: action game with similar mechanics
- Black Myth: Wukong Crafting Guide: action game with similar mechanics
- Monster Hunter Wilds Crafting Guide: action game with similar mechanics
