In Dwarf Fortress, when you embark, you’ll be given the option of starting immediately with default skills, equipment, and animals, or you can prepare for the journey carefully. We fully suggest you do the latter and create your own embark profile. To help you get started, here’s our list of the Best Dwarf Fortress dwarf embark profiles.
Dwarves
We suggest two approaches to the Dwarf Skills. The first is a standard build that gives you a good spread of skills and allows you to farm. The second is a more hunting and fishing-focused build that is sometimes better if you’re not planning on farming.
Basic build
- Dwarf 1: Miner 5, Record Keeper 1, Hammerdwarf 4
- Dwarf 2: Miner 5, Organizer 1, Macedwarf 4
- Dwarf 3: Planter 5, Appraiser 1, Stone crafter 4
- Dwarf 4: Carpenter 5, Bone carver 1, Diagnostician 4
- Dwarf 5: Ambusher 5, Butcher 1, Tanner 1, Marksdwarf 3
- Dwarf 6: Woodcutter 5, Mechanic 1, Axedwarf 4
- Dwarf 7: Cook 4, Brewer 4, Judge of Intent 1, Herbalist 1
No farming
- Dwarf 1: Miner 5, Record Keeper 1, Hammerdwarf 4
- Dwarf 2: Miner 5, Organizer 1, Macedwarf 4
- Dwarf 3: Gem Setter 3, Gem Cutter 3, Appraiser 1, Stone crafter 3
- Dwarf 4: Carpenter 5, Bone carver 1, Diagnostician 4
- Dwarf 5: Ambusher 5, Butcher 1, Tanner 1, Marksdwarf 3
- Dwarf 6: Woodcutter 5, Mechanic 1, Axedwarf 4
- Dwarf 7: Cook 2, Brewer 4, Fisherdwarf 2, Judge of Intent 1, Herbalist 1
Related: Should you skip the tutorial in Dwarf Fortress on Steam?
Items
We’d suggest taking at least 120 Drink, and as many varieties of food as you can carry. Food will come in different barrels, so the more varieties you take, the more barrels you’ll have on departure. For this reason, variety over quantity is also good.
If you’re farming, you’ll want to make sure you have seeds, but if you’re relying on hunting, make sure you include a crossbow and around 100 bolts, as there’s no guarantee your Dwarves will spawn with a crossbow.
You’ll need to take all the tools you need with you. So if you have two miners, take two picks. If you have a woodcutter, pack an axe. The biggest choice is whether to bring an anvil. An anvil is heavy, expensive, and will take up a lot of embark points. If you think you can set up your smelting and metalsmithing operation within a single season, then its worth bringing the anvil. However, for most players, you can wait until the first dwarf trade caravan arrives, which will bring at least one anvil every time.
The default choices will also give you a full set of medical supplies. This is a nice addition, but if you’re struggling for points, feel free to drop them and replace them later in your fortress. The things you’ll want to keep are a pair of buckets and a rope. This will mean you can fetch water early in your build and is essential for keeping the fortress alive.
Animals
Animal-wise, it's usually best to depart with a number of War Dogs and Hunting Dogs. The number is up to you, but two of each, with two males and two females, makes for a good start. You’ll also want a breeding pair of cats, as this will keep vermin in your fortress under control. If you have some spare embark points, some animals for husbandry are good, such as yaks, chickens, or similar fowl. Being able to breed and eat animals is essential for your fortress' survival.
For more Dwarf Fortress guides, info and information, check out the Dwarf Fortress section on Pro Game Guides.
Michael lives in the UK, but wishes he lived in Eorzea. A life-long gamer, Four years ago, he ditched a "real" job to write about video games for a living, and hasn't looked back. When not guiding players how to get the latest mounts, crafting recipes, and in-game goodies, he spends his time nurturing an unhealthy addiction to MMOs and gacha games.