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Hit pickaxe-marked caves in Foothills
Most iron lives in Foothills caves. Watch out for boars and roaming pirates on the way in.
Tier 2 · Iron
Iron Progression
The real mid-game tier. Iron unlocks Israel Hands progression, the Brigantine hull, and most of the heavy-duty crafting in the campaign.
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Mountain rock nodes hold rare iron
Rocky outcrops on the Foothills slopes occasionally drop iron without entering a cave.
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Upgrade Furnace to handle iron
Iron requires a higher Furnace tier than copper. Plan the upgrade before your first big haul.
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Craft an Iron Pickaxe ASAP
Iron Pickaxe unlocks sulfur and higher-tier nodes. The single biggest gathering upgrade in mid-game.
Checklist before fighting Israel Hands
- ✓ Iron Pickaxe (unlocks sulfur)
- ✓ Iron Axe + improved Workbench
- ✓ Iron Rapier or Iron Greatsword
- ✓ Iron Musket / Pistol (ranged opener)
- ✓ Iron Armor set (full)
- ✓ Stock of repair kits for the Brigantine
← Previous tier
Copper Progression
Boss at the end
Israel Hands
Next tier →
Steel Progression