Best Crafting Tips for 7 Days to Die Early Game

Crafting is crucial for survival in 7 Days to Die, and having a strong understanding of it in the beginning will greatly benefit you in the long run.

Crafting may not always reveal its essential factors at first, but certain recipes available in the early stages can provide assistance in challenging scenarios. Proper allocation of skill points can also provide an advantage, so continue reading for all the necessary tips.

Crafting in 7 Days to Die

To create weapons and tools in 7 Days to Die, one must gather the required materials for the desired recipe and utilize the crafting menu to complete the crafting process.

To access the crafting menu on PC, press Tab or hold R1 on a controller. The left-hand side will display all available recipes. Choose the recipe you wish to craft and add it to the crafting queue. Once completed, the newly crafted item will appear in your inventory.

To utilize the item or weapon, just drag and drop it into the quick menu located at the bottom of the screen. You will then be able to choose and use it.

Crafting menu in 7 Days to Die — The Fun Pimps

You’ll craft everything you need from the crafting menu.

Upgrading and Repairing Gear in 7 Days to Die

In 7 Days to Die, there is a set durability for most items, meaning they will eventually need to be repaired. To do this, simply follow these steps:

Access the inventory screen.
To view the repair material, click on the damaged item and ensure it is present in your inventory.
From the options on the item’s menu, select repair or use the shortcut key.
The item will be added to the crafting queue and, when finished, will be restored to its original Durability without any decrease in quality.

Keep in mind that in addition to your gear, you’ll also need materials for repairs. For instance, if your Wooden Club is damaged, you’ll require wood to fix it.

To upgrade your gear, you will need to obtain Mod Recipes and create a Workbench before you can proceed. It is also possible to discover mods while searching through containers. Once you have acquired a mod, you can easily apply it in the same menu where you repair your tools or weapons.

Important early game recipes

Upon beginning a new server or character in 7 Days to Die, you will receive the initial task of creating a Bedroll, Stone Axe, Wooden Club, Campfire, Building Block, and Bow and Arrow. In order to make each of these items, you must gather the required materials.

Bedroll: 10 Plant Fibers
Stone Axe: 2 Small Stone, 2 Plant Fibers, 2 Wood
Wooden Club: 5 Wood
Primitive Bow: 3 Plant Fibers, 8 Wood
Stone Arrow: 1 Small Stone, 1 Wood, 1 Feather
Building Block: 2 Wood
Campfire: 5 Small Stone

Once you have acquired these initial items, you will be ready to venture out and search for a suitable location to establish your base. However, you should be prepared to encounter zombies along the way. Therefore, it will be crucial to have knowledge of crafting more advanced weapons and tools.

Crafting tools

In the initial stages of 7 Days to Die, obtaining the Stone Axe should be your top priority. This versatile tool can be used to chop wood and cut stone, making it essential for gathering most of the necessary materials during the early game.

It is not necessary to prioritize upgrading your axe before obtaining other tools such as a Shovel and a Pickaxe. A Shovel is essential for harvesting Clay Soil, Sand, Snow, and Forest Ground. Additionally, it is the most efficient tool for harvesting Cobblestone Rocks and Cement.

The initial Pickaxe you will receive is most likely the Iron Pickaxe, which will be essential for collecting Stone, Bricks, and other Metals to upgrade equipment and create more powerful tools and weapons.

Crafting Weapons

Obtaining the necessary materials for basic weapons in the early stages of 7 Days to Die is quite simple. You will acquire the Wooden Club and Primitive Bow, along with the requirement of crafting arrows for use.

To craft Simple Stone Arrows, you will need to gather stone, wood, and feathers. Feathers can be found in nests scattered throughout the map, while wood and stone can be obtained from trees and rocks using your Stone Axe.

In the early game, you can opt to craft a Stone Spear as an alternative. While it shares the same basic stats as a Wooden Club, it is a more suitable choice for a Perception-based character rather than a Strength-based one.

Armor and clothing crafting in 7 Days to Die

It is common to come across armor and clothing when searching through luggage, bags, or other items, but they can also be crafted. While armor plays a crucial role in shielding you from enemies, clothing is necessary to safeguard you from the elements.

Clothing crafting menu in 7 Days to Die — The Fun Pimps

Clothing will protect you from the elements.

Armor

Regardless of your choice, you have the option to obtain both light and heavy armor. While light armor offers less durability and protection compared to heavy armor, heavy armor also affects your noise levels and speed. Ultimately, your decision should be based on your preferred playstyle and survival strategies.

Investing in leather armor is highly recommended for the early game. The materials required for crafting the pieces in this set include leather, duct tape, and a sewing kit.

One can obtain leather by hunting animals such as snakes and rabbits, while duct tape can be acquired by defeating zombies or searching through different containers. Alternatively, you can create duct tape by combining 1 Glue and 10 Cloth Fragments. Sewing kits can be found in garbage bins, schools, desks, and dumpsters.

Types of Clothing

Wearing clothing is essential in 7 Days to Die as it shields you from extreme temperatures. It is advisable to equip items that offer the highest level of protection against these elements as there are usually no negative consequences to wearing clothing.

Crafting is possible for all types of clothing, although it may be more challenging to find them in containers and buildings during the later stages of the game.

Cooking and Water Sources in 7 Days to Die

If you refrain from eating or drinking water for an extended period, you will begin to experience the consequences. If you are hungry, you will lose the most Stamina, and if you are thirsty, your Stamina will regenerate at a significantly slower rate. Therefore, it is crucial that you learn how to cook and obtain water.

Food

To cook, you will require the following items:

Campfire
Cookware (Cooking Grill, Cooking Pot)
Fuel (Wood, Gasoline)

Cooking menu in 7 Days to Die — The Fun Pimps

You’re going to need utensils to cook by the campfire.

In addition to these three items, you will also require the essential ingredients for the specific recipe you are attempting to prepare. These ingredients can be obtained by searching nests, hunting animals, and rummaging through containers found all over the world.

Additionally, you have the option to cultivate a range of vegetables in a Farm Plot using seeds that you have acquired through discovery or purchase from traders. To construct a Farm Plot, you will need 4 Wood, 10 Rotting Flesh, 25 Nitrate Powder, and 100 Clay Soil.

To create any Cookware, a Forge is necessary. These can be located at Trader Outposts or crafted and placed in your base. In the beginning stages, it is recommended to search for a Forge at a Trader for efficient production of Cookware.

The crafting of both the Cooking Grill and Cooking Pot necessitates the use of Iron and Clay Soil.

Water

To obtain clean water, there are two methods available: utilizing a Dew Collector or boiling Murky Water over a Campfire.

To properly boil Murky Water, one must first acquire a Cooking Pot and follow the same process as when cooking food.

The crafting recipe for the Dew Collector requires a Water Filter, Scrap Polymers, Short Iron Pipe, and Duct Tape. Although the latter three can be obtained from containers, the Water Filter must be acquired from a trader through either purchase or completing a quest for them.

After obtaining the Dew Collector, simply position it in the open world and allow it time to collect water. It typically produces about three jars every 24 hours in the game. You can set up multiple Dew Collectors if needed, but be sure to have an adequate supply of Water Filters for crafting.

Trader menu in 7 Days to Die — The Fun Pimps

Traders have a range of useful items to make survival easier.

Basics for building your base

In 7 Days to Die, you will quickly learn how to construct a Building Block. This will come in handy when you come across an ideal location for building your base.

To construct the Building Block, 2 units of Wood are required. After placement, you can enhance its durability by utilizing your Stone Axe’s alternative hit. Each upgrade will call for a different set of materials.

Wood Block: 8 Wood
Cobblestone Block: 10 Cobblestone Rocks
Concrete Block: 10 Concrete Mix
Steel Block: 10 Forged Steel

Wood blocks in 7 Days to Die — The Fun Pimps

You can upgrade your basic build blocks with materials.

Similarly, just like you can enhance blocks, you also have the ability to enhance your doors. Doors serve as a means to protect all access points in your base, and you can also construct fences around them for added security.

Your base, much like weapons and tools, will also require repairs. In the event of damage to your blocks, doors, or furniture, you can use tools such as the Stone Axe and the appropriate materials to restore them.

Identifying a block that requires repair is a simple task, as the damage will be clearly visible on your screen. With the appropriate tool and materials in hand, approach the block and use the tool to restore it to its original state.

The Most Useful Skills for Crafting in 7 Days to Die

As you progress through the game, you have the opportunity to improve your crafting abilities in 7 Days to Die by investing in various skills. To enhance your crafting speed and overall quality, here are the recommended skills to focus on for each Attribute.

Perception:
- Lucky Looter
- Treasure Hunter
- Salvage Operations
Strength:
- Mine 69’s
- Mother Lode
Fortitude:
- Living off the Land
Intellect:
- Better Barter
- Advanced Engineering

These perks will aid you in either scavenging, crafting, or gathering materials for crafting. After successfully surviving your first night, you will gain confidence and improve your skills in finding and crafting the necessary materials as the days progress.