Crafting Basics
Before diving into specific recipes, it's important to understand the fundamental mechanics of crafting in SCUM. This section covers the basic knowledge you need to get started.
How Crafting Works
Crafting in SCUM is primarily done through the crafting menu, which can be accessed by pressing the 'Tab' key and navigating to the crafting tab. To craft an item, you need to have the required materials in your inventory or vicinity. Some recipes also require specific tools or crafting stations.
Crafting Skills
Your character's crafting abilities are influenced by several skills:
- Survival: Affects your ability to craft basic survival items like improvised tools and shelters.
- Engineering: Influences your ability to craft more complex items like locks, traps, and advanced structures.
- Medical: Determines your effectiveness at crafting medical supplies.
- Cooking: Affects food preparation and cooking recipes.
Finding Materials
Crafting materials can be found throughout the game world:
- Natural Resources: Wood, stone, plants, and animal parts can be gathered from the environment.
- Scavenged Materials: Metal scraps, cloth, and other materials can be found in buildings and vehicles.
- Broken Down Items: Many items can be broken down into their component parts using tools.
Beginner Crafting Tips
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Start with Basic Tools
Focus on crafting basic tools like stone knives and improvised axes first. These will help you gather materials more efficiently and unlock more crafting options.
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Collect Everything
In the early game, collect all materials you come across. Even seemingly useless items like rags and small stones can be crucial for crafting essential survival tools.
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Prioritize Shelter
After basic tools, focus on crafting a simple shelter. This will protect you from the elements and provide a safe place to store your items.
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Learn by Doing
Your crafting skills improve with practice. Even if you fail at crafting something, you'll gain experience that will make future attempts more likely to succeed.
Crafting Stations
Crafting stations are specialized structures that allow you to create more advanced items. Each station has specific requirements and enables different types of crafting.
Campfire
The most basic crafting station, essential for cooking food, boiling water, and providing warmth and light.
Materials Needed:
- Small Stones x5
- Wooden Sticks x5
- Tinder or Paper
Cooking Pot
Used with a campfire to cook more advanced meals, stews, and soups. Also allows for water purification.
Materials Needed:
- Metal Pot (Found)
- Campfire (Placed)
Improvised Grill
Used to preserve meat and fish through smoking, significantly extending their shelf life.
Materials Needed:
- Metal Scrap x2
- Wooden Sticks x8
- Soda Can x4
- Crafting Tools (Knife, Axe)
Workbench
Advanced crafting station that allows for the creation of complex items, weapons, and base components.
Materials Needed:
- Wooden Planks x10
- Nails x20
- Metal Scrap x5
- Crafting Tools (Hammer, Saw)
Tools & Basic Items
Tools are essential for gathering resources and crafting more advanced items. This section covers the basic tools you'll need to start your survival journey.
Stone Knife
Materials:
- Small Stone x2
Combine two small stones in the crafting menu. The stone knife is one of the most basic tools but essential for early survival. It allows you to cut cloth, harvest animals, and craft other basic items.
Improvised Axe
Materials:
- Stone x1
- Long Wooden Stick x1
- Rope/Plant Rope x1
Combine a stone, a long wooden stick, and rope in the crafting menu. The improvised axe allows you to chop trees more efficiently, gathering wood for fires and construction.
Hand Drill
Materials:
- Wooden Stick x2
- Bark x1
Combine two wooden sticks and bark in the crafting menu. The hand drill is a primitive fire-starting tool that allows you to create fires without matches or a lighter.
Improvised Water Container
Materials:
- Animal Bladder x1
- Rope/Plant Rope x1
Combine an animal bladder and rope in the crafting menu. This container allows you to store and carry water, essential for survival in the wilderness.
Improvised Rope
Materials:
- Rags x6
Combine six rags in the crafting menu. Rope is a versatile crafting material used in many recipes, from tools to shelters and traps.
Tree bark Rope
Materials:
- Plant Fiber x12
Combine twelve plant fibers in the crafting menu. Plant rope functions similarly to regular rope but can be crafted entirely from foraged materials.
Weapons & Ammunition
Crafting weapons is essential for hunting and self-defense. This section covers various craftable weapons and ammunition.
Improvised Bow
Materials:
- Long Wooden Stick x1
- Rope/Plant Rope x1
Combine a long wooden stick and rope in the crafting menu. The improvised bow is a silent ranged weapon that uses wooden arrows. Effective for hunting and stealth combat.
Wooden Arrow
Materials:
- Wooden Stick x1
- Stone Knife (Tool)
- Feathers x2 (Optional for better accuracy)
Use a stone knife to craft a wooden stick into an arrow. Adding feathers improves accuracy. Wooden arrows are basic ammunition for bows with moderate damage.
Metal Arrow
Materials:
- Wooden Stick x1
- Metal Scrap x1
- Feathers x2
- Knife (Tool)
Combine a wooden stick, metal scrap, and feathers using a knife. Metal arrows deal more damage than wooden arrows and have better penetration against armored targets.
Wooden Club
Materials:
- Long Wooden Stick x1
- Stone Knife (Tool)
Use a stone knife to shape a long wooden stick into a club. The wooden club is a basic melee weapon that deals blunt damage and has moderate durability.
Spiked Wooden Club
Materials:
- Wooden Club x1
- Nails x8
- Hammer (Tool)
Use a hammer to attach nails to a wooden club. The spiked wooden club deals more damage than a regular club and causes bleeding damage to targets.
Improvised Spear
Materials:
- Long Wooden Stick x1
- Stone Knife x1
- Rope/Plant Rope x1
Combine a long wooden stick, stone knife, and rope in the crafting menu. The improvised spear has good reach and can be used for both melee combat and hunting.
Advanced Weapons
| Weapon | Materials | Tools Required | Difficulty | Crafting Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Improvised Handgun | Metal Pipe x1, Metal Scrap x3, Spring x1, Wooden Stick x1 | Screwdriver, Pliers, Workbench | Advanced | 3 minutes |
| Improvised Shotgun | Metal Pipe x2, Metal Scrap x5, Spring x1, Wooden Plank x1 | Screwdriver, Pliers, Saw, Workbench | Advanced | 5 minutes |
| Metal Spear | Long Wooden Stick x1, Metal Scrap x2, Rope x1 | Knife, Pliers | Intermediate | 1 minute |
| Recurve Bow | Long Wooden Stick x2, Rope x2, Metal Wire x1 | Knife, Pliers, Workbench | Advanced | 2 minutes |
| Improvised Lockpick | Metal Wire x1 | Pliers | Intermediate | 30 seconds |
Medical Supplies
Crafting medical supplies is crucial for treating injuries and diseases. This section covers various medical items you can craft to maintain your health.
Aseptic Rag
Materials:
- Rags x1
- Alcohol x1
Disinfecting Rags prevents Contamination from occurring due to Injuries. To disinfect rags, left-click on a valid alcoholic beverage (alcohol content of Wine and Beer are not strong enough, so they will not work), then right-click on Rags and select Disinfect. Rags must be clean (have less than 50% Dirtiness) for the Disinfect option to appear. Rags can be washed with Soap, though it's more efficient to wash clothing before cutting them into Rags so that all Rags obtained from it are clean.
Aloe Vera Leaf
Materials:
- Aloe Vera Leaf can be obtained by searching Aloe Vera plants found in warmer areas of the island.
Aloe Vera serves two main purposes: you can eat it to gain a bit of food and water, and you can use it to bandage and patch wounds
Shelter & Base Building
Building shelter is essential for protection from the elements and other players. This section covers various structures you can craft to establish a base.
Improvised Shelter
Materials:
- Long Wooden Stick x4
- Rope/Plant Rope x2
- Bushes/Leaves x10
Combine long wooden sticks, rope, and bushes in the crafting menu. The improvised shelter provides basic protection from rain and can be used as a spawn point if equipped with a bed.
Improvised Bed
Materials:
- Wooden Sticks x6
- Rope/Plant Rope x2
- Rags x8
Combine wooden sticks, rope, and rags in the crafting menu. The improvised bed allows you to set a spawn point and rest to recover energy faster.
Wooden Chest
Materials:
- Wooden Planks x8
- Nails x16
- Hammer (Tool)
Use a hammer to combine wooden planks and nails. The wooden chest provides storage space for your items and can be locked with a padlock for security.
Wooden Door
Materials:
- Wooden Planks x10
- Nails x20
- Hinges x2
- Hammer (Tool)
- Saw (Tool)
Use a hammer and saw to combine wooden planks, nails, and hinges. The wooden door can be installed in doorframes and can be locked for security.
Iron Lock
Materials:
- Padlock x10
- Toolbox
Using 10 Padlocks and a toolbox, The Basic Lock is the lowest level of lock, superseded by the Silver Lock and the Gold Lock
Wooden Wall
Materials:
- Wooden Logs x4
- Wooden Planks x8
- Nails x16
- Hammer (Tool)
- Saw (Tool)
Use a hammer and saw to combine wooden logs, planks, and nails. The wooden wall provides a barrier around your base and can be connected to form a perimeter.
Food & Cooking
Proper nutrition is vital for survival. This section covers various food recipes and cooking methods to maintain your character's health and energy.
Cooked Meat
Materials:
- Raw Meat (Any type) x1
- Campfire (Station)
- Skewer (Optional)
Place raw meat directly on a campfire or use a skewer for better results. Cooking meat eliminates the risk of food poisoning and increases its nutritional value.
Smoked Fish
Materials:
- Raw Fish x1
- Smoker (Station)
Place raw fish in a smoker and wait for it to process. Smoked fish has a much longer shelf life than cooked fish and maintains good nutritional value.
Vegetable Stew
Materials:
- Vegetables (Any type) x3
- Water x1
- Cooking Pot (Tool)
- Campfire (Station)
Combine vegetables and water in a cooking pot over a campfire. Vegetable stew provides balanced nutrition and hydration in a single meal.
Meat Stew
Materials:
- Raw Meat (Any type) x2
- Vegetables (Any type) x2
- Water x1
- Cooking Pot (Tool)
- Campfire (Station)
Combine raw meat, vegetables, and water in a cooking pot over a campfire. Meat stew provides excellent nutrition with high protein content and balanced vitamins.
Improvised Bread
Materials:
- Flour
- Milk
- Water
- Baking Soda
- Yeast
- Salt
- Animal Fat
- Sugar
Bread is a oven-crafted food in SCUM using the Cake Cookbook.
Improvised Rain Collector
Materials:
- Gasoline Can x2
- Raincoat
- Metal Pipe x2
- Hose
- Ductape (12 uses)
- Sharp Tool
You can craft an Improvised Raincoat Water Collector which has a whopping 30 L of capacity.
Advanced Crafting
Once you've mastered the basics, you can move on to more complex crafting projects. This section covers advanced items that require higher skills and more specialized materials.
| Item | Materials | Tools Required | Crafting Station | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metal Base Wall | Metal Scrap x20, Nails x30, Wooden Planks x10 | Blunt Tool | Workbench | Advanced |
| Metal Door | Metal Scrap x15, Screws x10 | Blunt Tool | Blueprint | Advanced |
| Advanced Lock | Padlock x 15 | Toolbox | Workbench | Advanced |
| Improvised Scope | Metal Tube x1, Glass x2, Screws x4 | Sharp Tool | Workbench | Advanced |
| Improvised Silencer | Metal Tube x1, Cloth x5, Duct Tape x1 | Sharp Tool | Workbench | Advanced |
| Metal Chest | Metal Scrap x15, Lock x1 | Blunt Tool | Workbench | Intermediate |
Advanced Base Building
Creating a secure and functional base requires planning and resources. Here are some tips for advanced base building:
- Location Selection: Choose a location that balances accessibility with defensibility. Consider proximity to resources, water sources, and potential threats.
- Layered Defenses: Create multiple layers of walls and barriers to slow down potential raiders.
- Resource Management: Establish efficient systems for collecting and storing resources like water, food, and crafting materials.
- Security Measures: Use advanced locks, traps, and strategic placement of storage to protect your valuables.
- Sustainability: Build facilities like rainwater collectors, gardens, and animal traps to ensure long-term survival.
Tips & Tricks
Master the art of crafting with these expert tips and strategies that will help you survive and thrive in the world of SCUM.
Expert Crafting Tips
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Skill Investment
Invest Fame Points in crafting-related skills early on. Higher skill levels increase crafting success rates and unlock more advanced recipes.
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Resource Caches
Create small hidden caches of essential crafting materials around the map. This ensures you always have access to resources even if your main base is compromised.
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Tool Maintenance
Keep multiple sets of essential tools. Tools degrade with use, and being caught without a critical tool can severely limit your crafting options.
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Crafting Stations
Prioritize building advanced crafting stations like workbenches and smokers. These unlock more efficient recipes and higher quality items.
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Material Breakdown
Many found items can be broken down into basic materials. Always check if an item you don't need can be disassembled for valuable crafting components.
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Crafting Order
When establishing a new base, craft items in this order: basic tools, water source, shelter, storage, defenses. This prioritizes your most immediate survival needs.
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Specialized Roles
In group play, consider having players specialize in different crafting skills. This allows for more efficient use of Fame Points and faster progression in advanced crafting.
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Resource Efficiency
Some recipes are more efficient than others in terms of resources used versus benefits gained. For example, smoking meat preserves it longer than simply cooking it, making better use of your food resources.
Common Crafting Mistakes to Avoid
- Neglecting Basic Tools: Don't rush to advanced crafting without having a solid set of basic tools.
- Ignoring Skill Development: Crafting without appropriate skill levels leads to higher failure rates and wasted materials.
- Poor Resource Management: Failing to maintain a steady supply of essential crafting materials can leave you vulnerable.
- Exposed Crafting Stations: Placing valuable crafting stations in exposed or easily accessible areas makes them targets for other players.
- Overlooking Maintenance: Tools and structures degrade over time and require maintenance to remain functional.