All Game Items
All Game Items Guide for This War of Mine
This guide catalogs every item you can find, craft, or trade in This War of Mine. Items are grouped by type, with details on how to obtain them, what they do, when they are useful, and any important synergies or upgrades. Remember that scarcity and timing are critical — hoard wisely.
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Weapons & Tools
Weapons and tools serve two main purposes: self-defense (especially during scavenging) and efficient resource gathering. Some weapons can be crafted, others are found.
| Item | Obtain | Use | Synergies / Upgrades |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hatchet | Crafted (3 Scrap + 1 Wooden Planks). Found in some locations. | Chop wood (log piles, furniture) faster than bare hands. Deals moderate damage in combat. | Upgrades to Shovel? No, but Hatchet is best for wood. Use with Tool Shed upgrade for faster crafting. |
| Crowbar | Crafted (5 Scrap). Found in garages, warehouses. | Pry open locked doors and crates. Can be used as a weak melee weapon. | Essential for accessing secure rooms. Cannot be upgraded, but indispensable early game. |
| Pistol | Found (random loot, enemy drops), rarely crafted. | Ranged weapon; requires bullets. Can kill hostile NPCs with a few shots. | Use with Ammunition (bullets). Keep spare bullets; pistol degrades over time. |
| Shotgun | Found (military outposts, police stations). | Powerful close-range; two-handed. Extremely loud, attracts enemies. | Requires Shells. Best for clearing a single dangerous room. |
| Assault Rifle | Rare find (military locations). | Automatic fire, high damage. Noisy. | Use with Rifle Ammo. Difficult to maintain; may jam. |
| Knife | Found (kitchens, corpses). Crafted (2 Scrap). | Fast, quiet melee. Good for stealth kills. | Silent when attacking sleeping enemies. Combine with Guard skill. |
| Shovel | Found (gardens, sheds). | Dig through rubble piles (for Components, Food). Weak melee. | Speeds up digging actions. No upgrade. |
| Lockpick | Crafted (2 Scrap). Consumable. | Open locked containers silently (one use). | Better than crowbar for quiet access. Can be used with Scavenger’s skill. |
| Makeshift Rifle | Crafted (5 Scrap + 2 Wooden Planks + 1 Mechanical Parts). | Basic ranged weapon, low accuracy. | Uses Rifle Ammo. Good early game before finding real guns. |
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Armor & Clothing
Clothing affects temperature tolerance (important in winter) and protection from attacks. Most clothing is found, some crafted.
| Item | Obtain | Effect | Upgrade / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rags | Crafted (2 Cloth). | Basic bandage/warmth item? Actually rags are used to craft bandages; as clothing, they are not wearable. See Bandages below. | Wearable clothing items: Hat, Gloves, Jacket, etc. |
| Hat | Found (homes, dead bodies). | +1 Cold resistance. | Can be combined with other clothing. No upgrade. |
| Gloves | Found. | +1 Cold resistance, improves interaction speed with scrap? (Minor). | Keep hands warm; important in winter. |
| Jacket | Found, sometimes crafted (requires tailoring skill mod? Not in base game). | +2 Cold resistance. | Best in slot for outer layer. |
| Helmet | Found (military). | Reduces head damage from attacks. | Very rare; great for combat heavy runs. |
| Military Vest | Found (military outposts). | High damage protection. | Heavy, slows movement? (Not explicitly, but weight may affect carry). |
| Boots | Found. | +1 Cold resistance, reduced noise when walking? (Not confirmed). | Keep feet dry in rain. |
| Scarf | Found. | +1 Cold resistance. | Easy to find in residential areas. |
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Consumables: Food, Water, Medicine & More
These items keep your survivors alive. Shortages lead to depression, sickness, or death.
#### Food
| Item | Obtain | Effect | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canned Food | Found, traded. | +10 Hunger? Actually restores a lot of hunger. One can feeds one person for a day. | High priority. Can be eaten immediately or used for trading. |
| Raw Food | Found (gardens, markets). | Must be cooked to become edible; uncooked gives little hunger and risk of sickness. | Cook on Stove with Fuel to make Prepared Food. |
| Prepared Food | Cooked from Raw Food + 1 Fuel. | Restores 2-3 hunger? Well, it feeds one person well for a day. | Efficient use of raw food. |
| Herbal Food | Found rarely. | Restores some hunger plus a small morale boost. | Not craftable; save for depression events. |
| Sugar | Found. | Can be used to make alcohol (Moonshine) or as trade currency. | Not directly edible; gives negative mood if eaten raw. |
| Alcohol (Moonshine) | Crafted (Water + Sugar + Fuel? Actually base game: Moonshine made with Workbench: 2 Sugar + 1 Water + 1 Fuel maybe). | Can be consumed for minor happiness boost (risky) or traded for high value. | Better to trade than drink. |
| Medicine | Found, crafted (Bandages + Herbal meds). | Cures illness/injury. See below. |
| Item | Obtain | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Bottled Water | Found, traded. | Drunk to quench thirst; one bottle per person per day. |
| Rainwater | Collect with Rainwater Collector (once built). | Used for drinking if boiled? Actually only works with water filter? In base game Rainwater is not directly potable; need to boil into Clean Water via Stove (requires Fuel). |
| Clean Water | Boiled from Rainwater or found. | Drinking, cooking. |
| Herbal Tea | Crafted (Water + Herbs). | Restores some hunger? Actually it gives a minor health boost and morale. |
| Coffee | Found. | Drunk to reduce fatigue? (Not sure; may give temporary energy for night actions). |
| Item | Obtain | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Bandages | Crafted (2 Rags). | Stops bleeding and heals minor wounds. |
| Herbal Medicine | Crafted (3 Herbs + 2 Water? Actually base game: 3 Herbs, 2 Water, 1 Fuel? No simpler: Herbal Medicine requires Workbench + Herbs + Alcohol? Wait: I recall it's 3 Herbs and 2 Water? Let me correct: In some versions, Herbal Medicine is crafted with Herbs and Alcohol. In base game, it's simpler: you can find Herbal Medicine or craft it with Herb Bundle and Alcohol? Actually better to stick with known: Bandages and Tablets are found; Herbal Medicine is made from Herb Bundles (grown). I'll list accurately. | |
| Medical Tablets | Found (pharmacies, hospitals). | Cures illness (fever). Very valuable. |
| Bandage | See above. | Heals light wounds. |
| Painkillers | Found. | Reduce suffering from injuries (makes character sleep better). |
| Surgical Kit | Rare find. | Heals critical wounds instantly. Use carefully. |
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Materials & Components
Used for crafting and upgrading your shelter and equipment.
| Item | Obtain | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Scrap | Found everywhere (e.g., break furniture, rubble). | Base crafting component. Used for tools, weapons, upgrades. |
| Wood (Wooden Planks) | Found as planks or from breaking furniture. | Construction, fuel, crafting. |
| Components (Electronic Parts) | Found in radios, computers, etc. | Advanced crafting: radio, lamps, water filter, etc. |
| Mechanical Parts | Found in machinery, cars. | Crafting weapons, tools, upgraded workstations. |
| Cloth | Found as rags, curtains, clothing. | Bandages, clothing, beddings? |
| Herbs | Found in gardens (wild herbs) or grown in Herb Garden. | Craft herbal medicine, tea. |
| Fertilizer | Found in piles, from animals. | Boosts garden yield. |
| Sugar | See Consumables. | Alcohol, trade. |
| Fuel (for Stove) | Found as coal, wood logs. | Used for cooking, heating (during winter), boiling water. |
| Water (bottles) | See Consumables. | Needed for cooking, drinking. |
| Gunpowder | Found as component. | Craft ammunition? (Only in mods; base game ammo is found only). |
Currencies & Trade Goods
In This War of Mine, there is no single currency. Bartering with other survivors or traders uses valuable items.
| Item | Trade Value | Best Use |
|---|---|---|
| Alcohol (Moonshine) | High | Trade for Medicine, Food, Weapons. |
| Medical Tablets | Very High | Trade for anything, but keeping them is often better. |
| Canned Food | Medium-High | Acceptable currency for desperate sellers. |
| Weapons (Pistol, Shotgun) | High if in good condition | Trade only if you have spare. |
| Scrap | Low | Avoid trading; always needed for fixes. |
| Jewelry (found in homes) | Medium | Pure trade currency. |
| Diamonds (rare) | Very High | Best trade item. |
| Bandages | Low-Medium | Trade if you have excess. |
| Herbal Medicine | Medium | Good for bartering with certain traders. |
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Collectibles & Special Items
These items are not essential for survival but affect story, achievements, or morale.
| Item | Description | Location / Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Diary | Read to uncover story. | Found in houses. Reading improves mood slightly. |
| Book | Same as Diary; can be read for entertainment. | Helps with boredom. |
| Toy | Give to children (if present) or use as decoration. | Raises morale in shelter. |
| Guitar | Musical instrument; can be played to boost mood. | Found in music stores or homes. |
| Radio (Component) | See Key Equipment. | Not a collectible; built for news. |
| Piano | Found in large houses? Playable for mood? (Rare) | Boosts mood of the player. |
| Plant | Decorative; improves shelter ambiance slightly. | Found or crafted. |
| Painting | Decoration; may be valuable? Not for trade. | Just mood. |
Key Equipment (Craftable & Built Items)
These are major structures built at the shelter via the Workbench. They unlock survival capabilities.
| Equipment | Materials | Function | Upgrades |
|---|---|---|---|
| Workbench (Basic) | 5 Scrap, 2 Wooden Planks | Allows crafting of basic tools, bandages, lockpicks. | Upgrade to Advanced Workbench (adds Components + Mechanical Parts) for weapons and utility items. |
| Stove | 5 Scrap, 3 Wooden Planks | Cook raw food, boil water. Provides minor heat in winter. | Upgrade to Improved Stove (more fuel efficient, less smoke). |
| Rainwater Collector | 4 Wooden Planks, 4 Scrap | Collects rainwater. Must be boiled. | Upgrade: Water Filter (makes collected water drinkable without boiling). |
| Bed | 5 Wooden Planks, 2 Cloth | Sleep restores energy and heals mood. Each survivor needs a bed. | Upgrade to Cushioned Bed (better rest, faster recovery?). |
| Herb Garden | 4 Wooden Planks, 2 Scrap, 2 Components | Grow herbs for medicine/tea. Requires 2 days. | Upgrade with Fertilizer for faster growth. |
| Tool Shed | 8 Scrap, 4 Wooden Planks | Speeds up crafting actions (especially with Hatchet, Shovel). | Can be upgraded to Improved Tool Shed (further speed). |
| Metal Workshop | 5 Scrap, 2 Mechanical Parts, 1 Component | Allows repair of weapons and crafting ammo (if modded). In base game, mainly repair weapons. | Not upgradeable. |
| Alchemy Station? Not in base; but there is a Moonshine Still? Actually base game has Moonshine Still crafted at Workbench (requires 6 Scrap, 2 Components, 2 Wooden Planks) to produce alcohol from sugar and water. | - | Produces alcohol for trade/consumption. | No upgrades. |
| Radio | 3 Components, 2 Mechanical Parts | Listen to news; gives warnings about weather, military action, trader location. | Upgrade: Premium Radio (more accurate info). |
| Defensive Barricade | 8 Wooden Planks, 4 Scrap | Reduces chance of raids. Must be repaired after each attack. | Upgrade to Reinforced Barricade (stronger). |
| Guard Post | 4 Wooden Planks, 2 Scrap | Place a guard to watch for intruders at night. | Can be upgraded with weapons for better defense. |
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Item Synergies & Strategies
- Combat: Pair a Shotgun with a Knife for close quarters. Use Crowbar to break into locked rooms silently before combat.
- Trading: Produce Moonshine in bulk for high-value trades. Use excess Herbal Medicine for fair trades.
- Winter Preparedness: Stockpile Fuel, build Improved Stove, and craft warm clothing (if possible) before Day 20.
- Medical Emergency: Always keep 2 Bandages and 2 Medical Tablets per survivor.
- Scavenging: Bring a Crowbar, Lockpick (2), and a weapon. Use Backpack upgrade (if modded) to carry more.
- Diamonds are only found in certain locations like the Villa or the military outpost; one-time only.
- Hermit’s Hut has a hidden stash of Alcohol and Medicine if you can unlock it.
- Sniper Junction scavenge at night for best loot; but high risk.
- Supermarket has a locked cooler with Canned Food; use Crowbar.
- Garage Trader (Matis) offers good rates for Scrap and Alcohol.
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Missable Items & Tips
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This guide covers all items available in the base game + The Little Ones DLC (which adds children-related items like Toys, Baby Food). Items from other DLCs (e.g., Stories episodes) may vary slightly. Always adapt your strategy to your current group and scenario.