Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days Guide | Best Shelter Upgrades Order

In Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days, the system you build at the beginning often decides what happens to you. If you don't have a lot of time or resources, changes can slow things down if they aren't done correctly.

Unlocking the stations that safeguard your runs and maintain group functionality is the optimal way.

Best Early Upgrade Order for a Strong Start

It's easier to make progress early on when upgrades fix the greatest problems first. Quickly make Cooking Area a priority so hunger doesn't get too bad. Add Medical Area Level 1 early to stop injuries from getting worse.

Push Weapons Bench updates to make sure you can keep looting safely once you can regularly bring home more junk. Slot this in the Dismantling Area since its value increases with the amount of loot.

A clean early path is Weapons Bench Level 1, then Cooking Area Level 1, then Medical Area Level 1. Reach Level 2 of the Weapons Bench afterwards. When your inventory begins to fill up with objects that can be dismantled, and you have extra actions between journeys, add the Dismantling Area.

Weapons Bench Upgrades and the Best Early Crafts

For added protection, consider getting a Weapons Bench. There will be fewer combats and fewer casualties if the weaponry is improved. The Broken Bottle, Makeshift Knife, and Makeshift Hammer are the main crafts at Weapons Bench Level 1.

For quick and dirty covert killings, the Makeshift Knife is your best bet early on. When it comes to stealthy takedowns, Broken Bottle is a formidable opponent. Although it gets the job done, Makeshift Hammer isn't as responsive or versatile as the stealth choices.

The improvement really starts to show its worth on the second level of the weapons bench. The Makeshift Tomahawk becomes a great stealth weapon when its better longevity over beginner tools is taken into account.

In wild fights, the Makeshift Spiked Bat can turn things around by handling smaller groups of enemies better than light weapons can. One of the greatest early objectives for consistent scavenging is Weapons Bench Level 2, provided that the materials for the shelter permit it.

Crafting firearms becomes an advantage in the late game at Weapons Bench Level 3. When all other means of escape have been exhausted or when the decibel level has skyrocketed, a weapon such as a revolver can swiftly neutralize the danger.

Because guns are so expensive, you shouldn't carry one around every day unless you have a lot of them.

Medical Area Level 1 and Reliable Healing

The first level of stability is medical area level 1. Injuries might occur due to unexpected lunges, faulty pulls, or confined spaces. If Healing Kits are always on hand, the best scavengers stay busy and have less time to heal.

Some people who have survived make medical crafts more valuable. Aubrey is known for being really good at medical hobbies, and Daphne can match her in some areas.

To make sure the early game goes more smoothly, you should build Medical Area Level 1 and add a skilled medical worker to the team. This will keep health issues from getting in the way of growth.

Cooking Area Upgrades and Food Management

Because it transforms raw riches into stronger, safer meals, the Cooking Area is an absolute essential. You can make cheap meals, such as veggie soup and meat stew, in the kitchen on level 1.

It is important to cook meat all the way through because eating it raw can make you sick. Making meals ahead of time lowers the chance of losing control over food and keeps your hunger under control.

When the house is stable, you can buy Cooking Area Level 2, which is a big upgrade. Coffee is a great way to save time when you have a busy schedule because it makes you less tired at the worst possible times. Goulash is great because it fills you up more than starting meals, even though it has a wider range of ingredients.

Level 1 of the Cooking Area should be the bare minimum if upgrades are to remain sparse. Level 2 of the Cooking Area is a powerful mid-game comfort upgrade that, if resources permit, keeps hunger under control for a longer period of time.

Dismantling Area and How to Convert Junk into Progress

When treasure is flowing steadily, the Dismantling Area shines. Many things can be disassembled into various resources, yet they only take up one spot in the inventory.

Once the routes are known and the exits are secure, this can be more efficient than transporting raw goods.

Action cost is the trade-off. You have to take everything apart instead of sleeping, making things, or fixing defenses. Doing the work in batches makes it stronger.

Keep things that can be dismantled until a more peaceful time to process them. Once the shelter has enough space to breathe, a survivor like Joe can boost dismantle efficiency, making the station much more rewarding.

Communal Area, Barricades, and Beds

When morale drops, the Communal Area steps in to save the day. Productivity decreases and recovery times lengthen when stress levels rise. With careful rest time and Communal Area Level 1, early sanity dips are usually stabilized.

When reconnaissance becomes more of a priority than repairs and attacks, barricades become important. Level 1 Barricades can hold up early on, but Level 2 Barricades are better for repair and help when there aren't many survivors to keep defenses up. This improvement becomes extremely useful when resources are very limited, and every action counts.

The main point of beds is to get rid of tiredness. Having one bed for each pair of survivors is a good goal because it keeps everyone rested and avoids wasting time.

It is feasible to provide one bed for every three survivors, but the pressure quickly increases, making scheduling difficult. Unless you're too tired to scavenge, it's usually best to improve your bed as soon as the core stations go live.

Survivor Count and Why Bigger Is Not Always Better

Shelter math can punish players with more than one life, even if it looks like they won. In each phase, you can only accomplish a certain number of items. Your demands for food, sleep, and water will grow as your caregiving duties grow.

Due to their focus on scavenging, crafting, and improvements rather than resting, smaller, more efficient groups frequently achieve faster progress.

Start to hire when the shelter is ready. Keep your community close when you don't have a lot of means. Early growth can make things a little slower, but in the long run, a good shelter with strong stations can help more people.

 

Also, check our Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days Review and other guides below:

• Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days Beginner's Guide | Gameplay Tips & Tricks
• Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days Guide | Best Early Weapons
• Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days Guide | How to Move Your Base (Best Time to Relocate)
• Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days Guide | Relationships & Romance System
• Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days Guide | How to find the Revolver
• Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days Guide | All Survivor Locations
• Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days Guide | Best Loot and Item Priority
• Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days Guide | How to Manage a Massive Survivor Team