Net worth in Stonehearth represents the long term strength of your settlement, combining material wealth, infrastructure, and military readiness. Building a healthy net worth early lets your hearthling population expand, research advanced options, and survive harsh winters and raids.
This guide outlines reliable methods to increase net worth through disciplined planning, efficient production, and smart defensive choices. Follow these steps to steadily grow your settlement without wasting time or rare resources.
| Focus Area | Primary Actions | Impact on Net Worth | Priority Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | Secure food, automate trade, diversify crafts | Stable income and surplus goods | High |
| Defense | Build walls, towers, train soldiers | Reduce losses from raids and monsters | High |
| Infrastructure | Upgrade workshops, storage, carts | Higher efficiency and less waste | Medium |
| Research & Gear | Forge better weapons, research techs | Improved combat returns and trade value | Medium |
Secure Reliable Food And Housing
Balance Production And Consumption
A steady food supply prevents starvation and unrest, directly protecting your net worth. Assign enough farmers, set up gatherers, and build storage that is both accessible and protected from raids.
Plan Settlement Layout
Place workshops, farms, and sleeping quarters to minimize travel time for hearthlings. Efficient paths reduce fatigue, increase productivity, and make it easier to defend key buildings against invaders.
Maximize Production And Trade
Automate Craft Chains
Link raw materials into finished goods so work queues remain full. Use sawmills, forges, and looms to transform logs, ore, and fiber into high value items that boost trade income.
Establish Trade Routes
Trade surplus weapons, armor, and luxuries for food, stone, and rare materials. A well timed caravan can turn excess production into a permanent net worth advantage.
Upgrade Infrastructure And Defense
Build Strong Defenses
Walls, towers, and barracks protect assets and reduce repair costs after raids. Position archer towers on high ground and assign guards to critical storage rooms to deter thieves.
Expand Efficient Storage
Large, organized stockpiles prevent clutter in workshops and homes. Carts that move goods between storage and production sites cut downtime and increase the effective throughput of every hearthling.
Invest In Research And Better Gear
Prioritize Key Technologies
Research armor, weapons, and construction to unlock higher tier gear. Better equipment raises combat returns and lets your traders command higher prices in external markets.
Forge Artifacts And Unique Items
Create legendary weapons and shields that carry immense trade value. These rare items can secure crucial trades or be held as permanent wealth for your settlement.
Long Term Strategies For Higher Net Worth
- Maintain a balanced ratio of farmers, crafters, and guards
- Upgrade key buildings before expanding population
- Secure rare resources through targeted trade caravans
- Fortify choke points and place traps near storage
- Track market prices and adjust export timing
- Research critical techs that unlock high value gear
- Rotate items between storage and trade to avoid obsolescence
- Document successful layouts so future settlements replicate early success
FAQ
Reader questions
How early should I start building walls and training soldiers?
Begin basic walls and a small guard as soon as you have enough resources. Early defense prevents devastating losses that would erase months of progress and keep net worth growth on a stable upward path.
What is the best way to automate trade without losing control?
Set clear caravan schedules and reserve high value goods for special trades. Automate low priority barter while manually approving major deals to maximize profit and limit unnecessary risk.
Should I focus on food surplus or luxury production first?
Secure a reliable food surplus before expanding into luxuries. Once your population is fed and happy, shift focus to luxuries and trade goods to accelerate net worth growth.
How often should I review and adjust my workshop queues?
Review queues each in game week or after a major raid. Tweak production priorities based on current stock, market needs, and upcoming research to keep net worth climbing steadily.