Wood Age
The start of everything. Use primitive tools to gradually build a small base.
Starting point
It begins by spawning into the world and chopping down the first tree. Only the most basic tech can be crafted but it will be helpful nonetheless.
Major goals
Wooden tools
The wooden pickaxe unlocks the possibility of mining stone for cobblestone and coal ore for coal. Wooden hoes make it possible to create farmland to grow food and hemp. Shovels and axes speed up digging and chopping while the wooden sword makes it easier to defend against monsters.
Furnace
While the furnace can not smelt ore in this mod, it is still important and useful. Cobblestone can be smelted into stone for a millstone and logs into charcoal for torches.
Millstone
The millstone is needed in order to grind hemp down into hemp fibers which are needed for stone tools. The best option for powering the millstone is the hand crank which will stay relevant until the Iron Age.
Final steps
The Stone Age becomes accessible by fully growing a hemp plant and milling the leaves down into fibers to unlock stone tools.
Stone Age
Better tools allow for faster resource gathering and more refined material processing. These tools are good enough for building metal processing infrastructure.
Starting point
Being able to craft hemp fibers marks the starting point of this age. The most important tools are the stone chisel and stone pickaxe. Other tools are also practical to craft as they can speed up some tedious tasks like farming and mining.
Major goals
Stone chisel
The stone chisel makes it possible to mine stone blocks for stone bricks. These bricks are used to build the metal forge.
Fire pile
A fire pile is a temporary but fairly long lasting fire source made from ground coal and wooden planks. It can be reused infinitely by refilling a depleted fire pile by placing wooden planks into the block. A torch can be used to easily light it on fire. A permanent fire source is needed to heat up a Metal Forge so this block is very important.
Stone pickaxe
Iron ore becomes obtainable by mining it with a stone pickaxe. This pickaxe also makes mining faster with fewer crafting interruptions.
Metal Forge
A multiblock capable of smelting metals into ingots. It is required in order to smelt iron ore into iron ingots in this age. A fire source is needed in order to use the Metal Forge. Iron ore needs to be milled down into iron ore gravel in order to be smelted.
Final steps
Smelting iron ingots is the goal of this age and iron opens up a massive amount of new possibilities when it comes to tools and machines.
Iron Age
Having access to durable metal is key to building mechanical devices. This is an age of mechanical industry and basic automation.
Starting point
Smelting iron ore gravel into iron ingots defines the beginning of this age. They can be used to craft new tools and machines.
Major goals
Cauldron
Unlocks the ability to create tanned leather which is needed for more advanced machines.
Windmill and axles
A continuous power source is required to operate a saw. Gear boxes require redstone so they are hard to obtain before crafting iron tools which do however require moulding made in a saw. The saw can be placed directly onto the axle powered by the windmill.
Saw
Can be used to cut wooden planks into smaller pieces. Mouldings are one of these pieces which can be used for crafting iron tools. This also unlocks more efficient recipes for some blocks and a far more efficient gear recipe.
Iron pickaxe
Makes it possible to mine redstone and gold ore. Redstone is important in order to build gear boxes to further automate the base. Gold ore will be of major importance in the next age.
Turntable and rotary sieve
A turntable can be used to spin up a rotary sieve on top of it. Gold ore gravel needs to be sifted before it can be smelted and it is done using this machine.
Final steps
Successfully smelting a gold ingot means this age has been completed. Gold unlocks a basic magic system which gets expanded with lapis lazuli later on.
Gold Age
Enter a magical age where new materials become obtainable through gold tools.
Starting point
Smelt gold ore blocks to obtain gold ingots. Gold can expose the magical side of many resources and is therefore of key importance despite easily deforming.
Major goals
Gold tools
Each gold tool can be used on a different block to get unique resources. Some gold tools require magical parts obtained using other tools, with one tool only requiring regular materials. Their drops are described further in New game mechanics.
Monster siphon
Monster spawners are filled with an eldritch energy. A monster siphon can be placed above the spawner to charge mystical rocks. Automation is possible by powering the monster siphon with redstone. It will drop charged mystical rocks below the spawner if there is an empty space. Uncharged mystical rocks are automatically inserted if they are dropped from above.
Final steps
Find lapis lazuli and process it into lapis crystals. Combine them with iron and magic materials to create lapis ingots and unlock more advanced magic crafting.
The following section has not been overhauled yet
Lapis Age
Starting point
Major goals
Final steps
Diamond Age
Starting point
Major goals
Final steps
Craft a diamond pickaxe and mine obsidian with it. Create diamond gears for higher tier machines. Craft a diamond saw from diamond gears to saw obsidian into plates. Craft a diamond mill stone to unlock new milling recipes. Process the obsidian into smooth obsidian using the diamond mill stone and infuse it into chiselsed obsidian with obsidian plates for a Nether portal frame. Place the chiseled obsidian blocks into the corners and light the Nether portal. This marks the beginning of the Nether age.
Nether Age
Starting point
Major goals
Final steps
This is where Harder Than Wolves itself concludes and the rest of the progression continues with the end goal of Better Than Wolves which is to craft steel. Most notable changes are infusion recipes for some blocks and items.