In The Survivalists, a vibrant survival and crafting game from the creators of The Escapists, players must gather resources, tame monkeys, and explore dangerous islands to thrive. One of the most essential mid-to-late-game materials is the metal ingot. Though simple in concept, crafting and managing metal ingots plays a critical role in progression. Whether you’re looking to upgrade your tools, build advanced crafting stations, or create powerful weapons, understanding how to obtain and use metal ingots in The Survivalists is crucial for long-term survival and success.
Understanding the Importance of Metal Ingots
What Metal Ingots Are Used For
Metal ingots serve as one of the primary crafting ingredients in the game’s more advanced recipes. Once players move past wooden tools and primitive structures, metal becomes the cornerstone for building stronger tools, defensive weapons, and high-tier stations.
Some of the most important uses for metal ingots include:
- Crafting durable tools like metal pickaxes and metal axes
- Forging advanced weapons for combat, such as swords and maces
- Constructing essential structures like the Forge and advanced crafting benches
- Upgrading monkey tools for automation and productivity boosts
Without a steady supply of metal ingots, your progress in The Survivalists can quickly stall, especially as enemies become tougher and challenges grow more complex.
How to Get Metal Ingots
Finding Metal Ore
To craft a metal ingot, you first need raw metal ore. This material can be gathered by mining metal veins scattered around the island. These veins are most often found in caves or mountainous regions. They appear as dark rocks with metallic flecks and require at least a basic pickaxe to mine.
As you explore further from your starting point, you’ll find richer resource zones with more frequent metal deposits. Keep your eyes peeled, and don’t forget to bring tools and food for extended trips.
Using the Forge
Once you have collected enough metal ore, you’ll need to smelt it into ingots using a Forge. The Forge is an advanced crafting station that becomes available after you’ve unlocked enough technology through experimentation and progression.
To craft and use a Forge, you’ll need:
- Stone
- Charcoal
- Rope or other binding material
- A safe and established base with storage
Once the Forge is built, you can interact with it and insert metal ore along with a fuel source, usually charcoal or wood. After a short smelting process, the Forge will output shiny, usable metal ingots.
Monkey Automation for Smelting
One of The Survivalists’ most unique features is the ability to train monkeys to perform tasks. This becomes especially useful for smelting metal ingots, as the process can be automated to save time and energy. You can train a monkey to use the Forge, feed it fuel, and collect the finished ingots into a storage chest.
To automate metal production efficiently:
- Train one monkey to deliver ore to the Forge
- Train another monkey to fuel the Forge
- Train a third monkey to collect finished ingots and deposit them
Once this system is in place, you can venture out to gather more resources or complete quests while your automated smelting operation continues back at base.
Crafting with Metal Ingots
Tools and Weapons
Metal ingots unlock a significant upgrade path in your toolset. Early wooden tools are serviceable, but they break quickly and harvest materials inefficiently. Metal tools not only last longer but also gather resources faster, giving you a major productivity boost.
Weapons made from metal also drastically improve combat effectiveness. Whether you’re fending off wild animals, aggressive tribes, or dungeon monsters, a well-crafted sword or club can mean the difference between victory and defeat.
Upgrading and Expanding Your Base
As you progress through the game, you’ll have the opportunity to upgrade your base with stronger walls, more durable chests, and advanced workbenches. Many of these structures require metal ingots, either directly or indirectly through their components.
For example, crafting a stronger chest to hold rare loot might need metal hinges or reinforced plates all of which come from smelted ingots. The more ambitious your base becomes, the more vital metal will be to your plans.
Efficient Metal Farming Tips
Scout and Establish Resource Outposts
Rather than always hauling ore back to your main base, it can be smart to establish forward camps near rich mining zones. Set up a mini base with shelter, storage, and even a Forge so you can smelt ingots on-site and transport the finished products back when convenient.
Use Storage Wisely
Metal ingots take up valuable inventory space. Keep your storage organized by having dedicated chests for ore, ingots, fuel, and tools. This ensures you always know where your materials are, especially when you’re in the middle of large-scale crafting sessions.
Upgrade Monkeys Regularly
As your monkeys become more skilled, they’ll perform smelting and crafting tasks more quickly and accurately. Don’t forget to equip them with better tools yes, monkeys can use metal pickaxes too! This will increase the overall speed of ore collection and metal production.
Challenges Related to Metal Ingots
Limited Early Access
In the early stages of The Survivalists, you may find that metal ore is scarce or difficult to reach. This can slow down your development if you rush into trying to craft advanced items. Patience and exploration are key during this phase. Focus on building up your base infrastructure before diving into heavy metal use.
Fuel Management
Smelting ore into ingots requires constant fuel. Charcoal is more efficient than wood, but it takes time to produce. Managing your fuel reserves is just as important as gathering ore. If you run out, your entire production chain can come to a halt. Always have a backup stockpile of wood or charcoal to keep the fires burning.
Long-Term Metal Ingots Strategy
Craft in Bulk
Rather than smelting ingots one at a time, it’s wise to wait until you have a large stockpile of ore and then smelt a batch. This is particularly efficient when your monkeys are trained, and you can supervise the entire process with minimal involvement. Batch processing also makes it easier to plan large builds or mass tool production.
Reserve Metal for Key Items
Don’t waste your early metal ingots on frivolous items. Instead, prioritize crafting essential tools and weapons that will support your ability to gather more resources and survive harsher enemies. As you gain more resources and establish reliable farming systems, you can afford to use ingots more freely.
The metal ingot is more than just a crafting ingredient in The Survivalists it’s a symbol of your progress. Moving from sticks and stones to durable metal gear marks a major turning point in the game. It enables you to fight stronger enemies, build more complex bases, and automate systems through your monkey companions. Mastering the production, usage, and storage of metal ingots will not only make your gameplay smoother but also unlock your full potential on the island. Keep mining, keep smelting, and let your survival empire flourish with every ingot forged.