Metal ores and economic stone will still produce multiple stone blocks if cut in a mason's workshop. Metal bars already have a base value of 5. Blocks have a base value of 5, compared to the raw material value of 3 for stone, wood or glass. A minecart can carry up to 83 blocks.īlocks are more valuable than rocks. This also can improve hauling time between stockpiles. Unlike raw stone or wood, up to 5 blocks can be stored in each bin in bar/block stockpiles. The use of blocks is indicated by the floor tile +, and the use of rocks is indicated by a rough ground tile ≈. The appearance of bridges and paved roads will be different depending on whether blocks or rocks are used. This difference in building time presumably extends to other buildings and constructions where you can choose between blocks and rocks. Forming metal bars into blocks makes no difference in regards to weight, though it does simplify the tracking of resources - if you use metal bars to build workshops and constructions, your stocks screen will still list them in the summary view, potentially misleading you into believing you have more available bars than you actually have.īuilding a bridge out of blocks instead of rocks also cuts the building time by two thirds, independent of clearing and hauling time. This weight difference can dramatically reduce hauling time, especially if you are using large amounts of materials. Note that this does not apply to wood, glass, or ceramic blocks/bricks, which are only made in sets of 1 metal blocks are made in sets of 1, but since you get 4 bars at a time from smelting ore, the end result is equivalent to stone.īlocks have less volume and thus weigh much less than raw forms of construction materials - stone blocks weigh only 6% as much as a boulder, and wooden blocks weigh 12% as much as the log from which they are carved.

The clearest distinction between a building built with a boulder and building built with a stone block is that more buildings can be built of blocks, as each stone produces four blocks. Stone blocks are sometimes used as materials during strange moods. Bridges, supports, roads, and constructions built from rocks are called 'rough' while the same built from blocks are not given that adjective. Blocks can also be used in place of raw stone or wood in roads, bridges, workshops and constructions (but not in items like crafts or furniture). Blocks do not have quality levels.Ī single block is required in order to build a well, screw pump, or ashery.

Blocks are mostly equal to bars, but are used differently and counts as a different type of items. Glass can be formed as blocks at a glass furnace, ceramic blocks (labeled as 'bricks') can be made at a kiln, and metal blocks can be made at a forge from a single metal bar by a blacksmith (or, in the case of adamantine, from four wafers). Stone and wood can be shaped into blocks at a mason's workshop or carpenter's workshop. For 'blocking' in combat, see Armor.Ī block is a type of building material. For area blocks of 48x48 tiles on a game map, see Region.

Dwarf fortress blocks