Timberborn is a city-builder where you lead a colony of beavers surviving in a post-human world ravaged by ecological collapse. The core challenge is water management — rivers periodically dry up during droughts, and your colony must store enough water and food to survive. Unique to Timberborn is vertical building, where structures stack on top of each other like beaver lodges. Two playable factions (Folktails and Iron Teeth) offer different playstyles, and the district system lets you manage sprawling settlements across the map.
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
Plains Map
Key resources: Large building area, straightforward river access, good for first colonies Farming efficiency: Low value per run, but safe and consistent
Focus on gathering materials for Dam upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Canyon Map
Key resources: Natural dam locations, easy water storage, forces vertical building skills Farming efficiency: Good early-game farming spot
Focus on gathering materials for Dam upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Terraces Map
Key resources: Natural terrace farming, cascading water systems, multi-level base building Farming efficiency: Best mid-game farming, worth revisiting
Focus on gathering materials for Dam upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Meander Map
Key resources: Fertile flood plains, natural ox-bow reservoirs, large agricultural area Farming efficiency: High-value materials for late-game upgrades
This is where you farm materials for Floodgate max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Thousand Islands
Key resources: District management challenge, bridge building, resource logistics between islands Farming efficiency: Best resources in the game, requires strong build
This is where you farm materials for Floodgate max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Upgrade Path
Early Game (Plains Map — Canyon Map)
- Upgrade your starting equipment to functional level
- Craft basic defensive gear
- Save specialty materials — you'll need them later
- Focus on Dam once accessible
Mid Game (Terraces Map)
- Push Dam to mid-level upgrades
- Start collecting materials for Floodgate
- Craft situational consumables for boss fights
- Upgrade build-specific gear pieces
Late Game (Meander Map — Thousand Islands)
- Max out Floodgate — 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 Terraces Map 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
- Build water storage before the first drought arrives — check your difficulty settings for drought timing. On Normal, the first drought hits around day 6-8, so have a dam and reservoir operational by day 5.
- Farm Terraces Map 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 Timberborn Guides
- Timberborn Timberborn Overview
- Timberborn Best Builds
- Timberborn Tier List
- Timberborn Walkthrough
- Timberborn Beginner's Guide
- Timberborn Tips & Tricks
- Timberborn Weapons Guide
- Timberborn Combat Guide
- Timberborn Boss Guide
- Timberborn Maps & Locations
- Timberborn Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy Timberborn, check out these related guides:
- Cities: Skylines Crafting Guide — city-builder game with similar mechanics
- Manor Lords Crafting Guide — city-builder game with similar mechanics
- Frostpunk Crafting Guide — city-builder game with similar mechanics
