Game library

Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead

A practical guide to what matters across CDDA’s scavenging, crafting, equipment, and specialist systems.

9,894objects64families7,787recipe routes

Tools

⌕Sort

ShowPlanning stage

Per page

Introduction history determines newest order. Undated objects follow dated additions; download dates do not make an object new.

Compare

Tools

acetylene cooker

Tools

A simple heater powered by acetylene welding gas. It is designed for cooking food.

1 recipe

Compare

Tools

acoustic guitar

Tools

A simple wooden acoustic guitar with a strap so you can wear it around, even when not playing.

1 recipe

Compare

Tools

aluminum pot

Tools

A cooking pot, useful for boiling water and making all kinds of food. Made from aluminum.

2 recipes

Compare

Tools

atomic coffeemaker

Tools

This is a Curie-G coffeemaker, by CuppaTech. It famously uses a radioactive generator to heat water for coffee, reducing the amount of total electricity it consumes. Consumer safety concerns led to it being banned in the EU as well as many other countries, but don't let that stop you from brewing your morning Joe with the power of the atom™!

2 recipes

Compare

Tools

atomic lamp

Tools

Powered by the magic of nuclear decay and low-energy LEDs, this very expensive lamp will emit a small amount of light for at least a decade. Before the Cataclysm, it was mostly an expensive way to show off your preparedness. Now, it's actually really useful. Use it to close the cover and hide the light.

2 recipes

Compare

Tools

atomic reading light

Tools

Powered by the magic of nuclear decay and low-energy LEDs, this extremely expensive little light will provide just enough light to read by for at least a decade. It is also available with a cute cartoon bear cover to turn it into a nightlight for a very wealthy child with a fear of the dark. Use it to close the cover and hide the light.

2 recipes

Compare

Tools

basic chemistry set

Tools

A basic chemistry set including glass containers, hoses, and a pair of safety glasses. It might be used to craft some chemistry projects if you're so inclined, but you'll need a source of heat.

4 recipes

Compare

Tools

basic fishing rod

Tools

'Fishing rod' might be a bit too charitable of a description. In truth, this is a stick with a piece of string and a hook.

8 recipes

Compare

Tools

basic laboratory analysis kit

Tools

A hefty kit containing some basic things you should probably not try to do precise chemistry without: a small balance scale, a spectrophotometer, cuvettes, a melting point apparatus, a pH meter, and a set of paper for thin layer chromatography. This makes it a lot easier to feel confident that the chemical you've made is what you think it is.

1 recipe

Compare

Tools

biogas cooker

Tools

A simple heater powered by biogas. It is designed for cooking food.

1 recipe

Compare

Tools

blood draw kit

Tools

A kit for drawing blood, including a test tube for holding the sample. Use this tool to draw blood, either from yourself or from a corpse you are standing on.

1 recipe

Compare

Tools

bone needle

Tools

A sharp needle made from a bone. Useful for making rough clothing and items. Its low quality makes it rather unsuitable for anything requiring speed or precision.

1 recipe

Compare

Tools

bow fire drill

Tools

A simple item for starting fires with friction between a notched plank and wooden shaft. The shaft is spun rapidly with a sawing motion by a bowstring wrapped around it. Very slow to acquire a usable ember.

1 recipe

Compare

Tools

brazier

Tools

A large metal stand used to contain a fire. Fires set in a brazier will not spread to surrounding flammable objects.

1 recipe

Compare

Tools

bronze chisel

Tools

A short, stout metalworking chisel made of bronze. It's used in some metalworking fabrication recipes. Bronze chisels spark less than their steel counterparts, but are less durable.

1 recipe

Compare

Tools

bronze fileset

Tools

A set of tools commonly used to remove small amounts of material from the surface of metal objects.

1 recipe

Compare

Tools

bronze nail puller

Tools

A crude nail puller made of bronze. Not really as good as its steel alternative but it gets job of pulling out nails good enough.

1 recipe

Compare

Tools

bronze wood saw

Tools

A simple wood saw made of bronze. Not as great as its steel equivalent, but it's good enough.

1 recipe

Compare

Tools

canning pot

Tools

A very large 20 liter pot, primarily meant for canning food in glass jars via the water bath method, though it can cook normal foods just as well. Canning foods with it will require a lot of water. If you're only canning a couple of jars at a time, you'd fill it up with rocks or something to displace the water above the lids.

1 recipe

Compare

Tools

carding paddles

Tools

A pair of toothy wooden paddles used to clean fibers for use in textile production.

2 recipes

Compare

Tools

charcoal forge

Tools

A portable, charcoal-fired metalworking forge. With the right tools, you could use this for metalworking.

1 recipe

Compare

Tools

charcoal smoker

Tools

A portable charcoal smoker. Good for weekend barbecuing and preserving meat with smoke. Cannot be used with coal; the toxic fumes would ruin the meat.

1 recipe

Compare

Tools

charcoal water purifier

Tools

Using this item on a container full of water will purify the water using layered charcoal. Once the charcoal has purified enough water, it will become unusable and can be disassembled and recycled. Water taken from uncertain sources like a river may be dirty.

1 recipe

Compare

Tools

chemistry set

Tools

A chemistry set stored in a box. It includes glass containers, hoses, metal wire, a hotplate, and a pair of safety glasses. It might be used to craft some chemistry projects if you're so inclined.

1 recipe

Compare

Tools

chicken cage

Tools

A wire container made for transporting chickens, but you can use it to hold any tiny animal. Use it on a suitable animal to capture, use it on an empty tile to release.

1 recipe

Compare

Tools

clamp

Tools

A metal clamp, useful for holding things in place, especially if you have several of them.

1 recipe

Compare

Tools

claw bar

Tools

A small prying tool with a clawed bend at one end for pulling spikes. Use it to open locked doors without destroying them or to lift manhole covers. You could also wield it to bash some heads in.

1 recipe

Compare

Tools

clay oil lamp (off)

Tools

A specialized small clay container with a wick, an ancient form of oil lamp. Unlike newer designs, it isn't windproof, so the flame is likely to be extinguished if exposed to wind; better use it indoors. It does not provide much light, but it lasts a long time. Use it to light it.

1 recipe

Compare

Tools

clay pot oven

Tools

A makeshift oven made of a big clay pot with a lid, containing firebricks to hold heat and a smaller pot to bake in.

1 recipe

Compare

Tools

coal/charcoal cooker

Tools

A little metal tank for holding coal or charcoal, with a pilot light attached and a pipe to vent toxic coal fumes. You could use it for cooking food.

1 recipe

Compare

Tools

coffeemaker

Tools

A heating element with a pot and a frame for holding coffee or other powders. You can use it to make coffee, or other drinks if you so choose.

8 recipes

Compare

Tools

concrete mixer

Tools

A portable concrete mixer. It is large and heavy, but it can be operated solo. Unfold to use.

1 recipe

Compare

Tools

crack pipe

Tools

A fine glass tube with a bulb with a bowl on one end. It's used to partake of certain illicit substances.

1 recipe

Compare

Tools

crystallizing sugar

Tools

Sweet, sweet sugar in the process of crystallizing. It needs two weeks to form solid crystals.

8 recipes

Compare

Tools

curved needle

Tools

A curved, sharp needle made of steel. Its rounded shape allows it to make stitches that only pierce one side of the material. While unsuitable for most tailoring projects, it's a necessity for stitching neoprene.

1 recipe

Compare

Tools

deck chair

Tools

Folded deck chair, deploy to sit down.

4 recipes

Compare

Tools

digging stick

Tools

A large stick with the end carved into a broad blade for digging. It could be used to dig shallow pits, but not deep ones.

1 recipe

Compare

Tools

disconnected oven

Tools

A disconnected electric convection-based oven, commonly used for heating and cooking food. Plug it into a vehicle or power grid to get cooking.

2 recipes

Compare

Tools

distaff and spindle

Tools

A pair of specialized wooden rods used to spin fibers into thread and yarn.

1 recipe

Compare

Tools

draw plate

Tools

A piece of metal with holes of varying size drilled into it. Used as part of wire drawing.

1 recipe

Compare

Tools

drum, percussion

Tools

A standard factory-made percussion drum. Looks to be in working condition.

1 recipe

Compare

Tools

electric firestarter

Tools

A crudely-made electric firestarter, which can function as an inefficient lighter.

1 recipe

Compare

Tools

electric hair trimmer

Tools

A pocket-sized electric trimmer made for cutting hair. You can use it to cut your hair if it's supplied with batteries. It requires 1 unit of charge per use.

1 recipe

Compare

Tools

electric lantern (off)

Tools

A battery-powered lamp. It does not provide much light, but it lasts a long time.

1 recipe

Compare

Tools

electric spinwheel

Tools

A device for spinning thread or yarn from fibers. This particular model is electrically-powered and easily portable.

2 recipes

Compare

Tools

electrohack

Tools

This device has many ports attached, allowing it to connect to almost any control panel or other electronic machine (but not computers). With a little skill, it can be used to crack passwords and more.

1 recipe

Compare

Tools

electrolysis kit

Tools

A set of wiring and electrodes for applying a direct current, usually to a liquid. Useful for crafting. Load with a storage battery or 12 V vehicle battery to use.

2 recipes

Compare

Tools

ember carrier

Tools

A small container for holding tinder, with holes punched in it to provide a controlled airflow. It can nurture a smoldering ember for a long time, to start fires without modern tools.

1 recipe