Hardwood is an important resource in Windrose that you will need as you move into mid and late-game crafting. It’s mainly used for making stronger weapons, upgrading your base, and building ship parts. However, you won’t be able to get it right away, since it’s locked behind story progression. In this guide, we will tell you how to unlock Hardwood, where to find it, and the different ways you can collect it.
How to get Hardwood
Hardwood will only appear after unlocking the Foothills biome. First, you have to beat Thomas Richards. Only after beating him will you be able to access the Foothills biome. In the Foothills biome, there are blue-colored trees known as Divi-Divi Trees. This is where Hardwood appears. You will need a minimum of a Copper Axe to chop Divi-Divi Trees. However, a more advanced axe, such as an Iron Axe, will make the job faster. Cutting Divi-Divi Trees will give you Hardwood and Tree Bark.
You may find Hardwood as loot items in some storage containers. Some of these chests include captain storage chest and material crates belonging to the British faction. There will be 10 to 14 pieces of Hardwood on average when looting such crates. However, the drop rate is only 25-30%.
In addition, there are some unique types of containers and trade goods that will always give Hardwood as their drop item. These items are significantly more consistent, and some of them can even provide you with 20 or even up to 50 Hardwood in one single try. If you happen to find these, they’re definitely worth grabbing.
Alternatively, if you aren’t interested in grinding out your own Hardwood, you can easily collect it through purchasing. Simply head over to the Handyman Trader and take a look at the Resources tab. They sell Hardwood for 50 Piastre each, and the best part is that it’s available at any level. So whenever you’re short on materials, you can just purchase what you need without any extra requirements.
How to use Hardwood
You will mainly use Hardwood to craft a Workbench once it’s upgraded to Level 3 (you will need a Sawhorse and a Toolbox for that). It’s also used to craft a variety of weapons, including Blunderbuss, Muskets, Pistols, Clubs, and Halberds. On top of that, Hardwood comes in handy for building ship parts and other advanced utility items, making it an important resource as you progress further in the game.
