How to Make and Use Tools in Manor Lords?

Tools serve two main purposes in Manor Lords: they are used by the population to construct buildings and upgrades, and they can be sold as a profitable commodity. This guide will walk through the process of producing tools and turning them into a source of income for the settlement.

Crafting Tools in Manor Lords

Making tools in Manor Lords involves a three-step production chain:

1. Mine Iron Ore The first requirement is to build a Mining Pit on top of an iron deposit. This allows workers to extract raw iron ore from the ground. The amount of iron in the deposit is shown by the pickaxe icon when hovering over the location.

If the starting region lacks an iron deposit, tools or iron ore can be imported through trade until the settlement expands to an area with iron. Setting up trade routes costs regional wealth but provides access to resources not locally available.

For the best results, try to mine from a rich iron deposit, indicated by a crown icon. Researching the Deep Mining development upgrade turns rich deposits into an infinite resource.

2. Smelt Iron Slabs Once iron ore is stockpiled, construct a Bloomery to smelt it into iron slabs. Supply the Bloomery with a worker and sufficient firewood each month to keep it operating. Soon there will be a steady flow of iron slabs ready for the next step.
3. Craft Tools at the Smithy With iron slabs in stock, it is time to build a Smithy. Assign a family to work the Smithy and, as with the Bloomery, make sure it has enough fuel. The Smithy will use the iron slabs to craft tools at a constant rate.

There is also a second option for tool crafting. Upgrading a burgage plot house to level 2 unlocks the Blacksmith extension which can make tools in addition to weapons. This is more costly than the dedicated Smithy but offers extra production flexibility.

Tools produced at the Smithy or Blacksmith are stored until needed for construction projects or sold for regional wealth.

Selling Tools for Profit

Tools are one of the most lucrative resources to sell in Manor Lords. They have limited use within the settlement but high trade value.

To sell tools, a trade route must first be established at the Trading Post. This costs 216 coins but opens up the ability to export. Tools sell for 6 coins each, more than their component resources. Iron ore only sells for 3 coins and iron slabs for 4, so tools provide the greatest return on investment.

The best tool production strategy is to utilize a rich iron deposit that has been upgraded with a deep mine. This creates an infinite supply of iron, meaning tools can be produced and sold without depleting the raw materials.

It is important not to focus solely on tool production though, as iron is also needed for weapons and armor. Make sure there is sufficient supply for those essentials first. Then direct any excess iron to tool crafting and export the surplus for added income.