Skip to content

Best Buildings

Buildings are better read as roles, not a fixed order. Buy the building that opens the system you are missing, then push the upgrades that solve the thing currently slowing the run.

Recommended Order

Stage	Buy	Why It Matters
First stable loop	Khazad Greathold -> Miner's Guild -> The Great Maw	This gives you settlement unlocks, basic damage, and runners so ore reaches storage.
First branch	Demolition Shack or the damage building your run can actually fund.	Do not buy every building just because it appears. A focused branch beats five unfunded side systems.
Rare currency	Spelunker's Guild and The Great Forge	Use these when mithril, artifacts, runes, or Forge Artifact become the wall.
Late support	Grand Laboratory and Manufactorum	Science and machines are excellent after the core loop can pay for their follow-ups.

Building Plan

Stage	Buildings	Player Use	Move On When
Core unlocks	Khazad Greathold · Miner's Guild · The Great Maw	Greathold opens the settlement, Miner's Guild supplies early damage and luck, and The Great Maw gives runners so ore actually reaches storage.	You can break mountains and collect most ore without constantly losing it to reclaim.
Mithril and artifacts	Spelunker's Guild · The Great Forge	Spelunkers, Treasure Hunters, dens, Forge Artifact, runes, and mithril-related upgrades turn runs into artifacts and rare currency.	Dens and mithril are no longer the main blocker.
Main damage branches	Demolition Shack · Ballistics Workshop · Artillery Hall · Flameworks	Pick one or two weapon lines and support them deeply instead of spreading gold everywhere. Bombs, harpoons, cannons, rockets, and fire each want their own upgrades.	Your chosen weapon line is carrying mountain clears and you need economy or permanent progress instead.
Science and machines	Grand Laboratory · Manufactorum	Laboratory adds science, alchemy, laser/cyber tools, and late utility. Manufactorum adds machines, bulldozer hauling, repairs, gyrocopters, and anti-rock support.	The machine/science tools you wanted are already unlocked and the next cost is better spent on damage or mithril.
Special scaling	Shrine · Meadhall · Geode Sanctum	Shrine handles priests, rituals, and altars. Meadhall adds brew and keg effects. Geode Sanctum improves gems, geysers, and Stonecaller-style economy.	These are strongest once the basic damage and hauling loop already works.

Do Not Overbuild Everything

Question	Better Choice
Are mountains slow?	Put gold into one damage building and its support upgrades first.
Is ore disappearing?	The Maw, runner speed, capacity, dodge, shields, or bulldozer support matter more than another damage branch.
Are mithril costs blocking you?	Spelunker's Guild, dens, mithril-luck, and Great Forge matter more than raw gold income.
Are you chasing gates or ascension?	Prestige, key/gate artifacts, Forge Artifact, and special mountain prep become the priority.

Common Building Unlocks

Missing Building	Check
Manufactorum	Manufactorum prestige plus The Great Forge.
Grand Laboratory	Buy the Laboratory path when you need Scientists, Alchemy, Cyberdwarf, and late science scaling.
The Great Forge	Opens Runesmiths, mithril upgrades, runes, Ritual Power, and Forge Artifact support.
Spelunker's Guild	Opens Spelunkers, Treasure Hunters, dens, mapping, mithril routes, and artifact support.