Unturned is Nelson Sexton's free-to-play zombie survival game with blocky visuals that belie its surprisingly deep mechanics. Built in Unity with a single developer, the game features crafting, base building, vehicles, farming, and PvP across multiple official and community maps. Despite its simple graphics, Unturned offers complex survival systems including skill trees, vehicle repair, and raids. The game's modding community has created thousands of custom maps, weapons, and servers.
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
PEI
Key resources: Learn game mechanics, frequent loot, manageable size Farming efficiency: Low value per run, but safe and consistent
Focus on gathering materials for Grizzly upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Washington
Key resources: Military weapons, vehicles, larger base building area Farming efficiency: Good early-game farming spot
Focus on gathering materials for Grizzly upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Russia
Key resources: Storyline completion, Liberator APC, deadzone loot, underground bunkers Farming efficiency: Best mid-game farming, worth revisiting
Focus on gathering materials for Grizzly upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Germany
Key resources: Coalition gear, unique weapons, German military vehicles Farming efficiency: High-value materials for late-game upgrades
This is where you farm materials for Maplestrike max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Greece
Key resources: Naval vehicles, unique weapons, island exploration Farming efficiency: Best resources in the game, requires strong build
This is where you farm materials for Maplestrike max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Upgrade Path
Early Game (PEI — Washington)
- Upgrade your starting equipment to functional level
- Craft basic defensive gear
- Save specialty materials — you'll need them later
- Focus on Grizzly once accessible
Mid Game (Russia)
- Push Grizzly to mid-level upgrades
- Start collecting materials for Maplestrike
- Craft situational consumables for boss fights
- Upgrade build-specific gear pieces
Late Game (Germany — Greece)
- Max out Maplestrike — 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 Russia 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
- Craft metal walls early for a secure base — wooden structures can be destroyed with basic tools, but metal requires explosives or significant effort.
- Farm Russia 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 Unturned Guides
- Unturned Unturned Overview
- Unturned Best Builds
- Unturned Tier List
- Unturned Walkthrough
- Unturned Beginner's Guide
- Unturned Tips & Tricks
- Unturned Weapons Guide
- Unturned Combat Guide
- Unturned Boss Guide
- Unturned Maps & Locations
- Unturned Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy Unturned, 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
