What does the tanning rack unlock?

Unlocking the Secrets of the Tanning Rack in Stranded Deep

The tanning rack in Stranded Deep is a crucial crafting station that opens up significant possibilities for survival and advancement. Essentially, the tanning rack allows you to transform rawhide into worked leather, a vital material for crafting enhanced items and tools. Without it, you’ll be stuck with basic gear, making survival much more challenging. The tanning rack is not just a step up in crafting but a gateway to higher-tier equipment and improved stats, vital for facing the harsher elements and threats in the game.

The Core Function: Transforming Rawhide into Leather

The primary function of the tanning rack is the conversion of rawhide into worked leather. Rawhide is obtained by harvesting certain animals, specifically, boars and giant crabs in Stranded Deep. This material, in its raw state, has very limited uses, primarily in very basic crafting recipes. The tanning rack is necessary to unlock the material’s true potential, allowing the player to craft items of higher grade and quality.

What does the Tanning Rack Unlock?

The tanning rack unlocks the ability to craft a wide range of items, primarily improved weapons, tools, and clothing. This upgrade is not merely cosmetic; it translates into real, tangible benefits for the player. Specifically:

  • Weapon Upgrades: With leather, players can upgrade their weapons, such as spears and axes, to higher levels. This means more damage inflicted upon enemies, which can be crucial for survival, especially when dealing with the more aggressive wildlife and bosses of the game.
  • Tool Upgrades: Leather allows for the crafting of higher-tier tools, which are more durable and efficient. For instance, upgrading a crude axe to a refined axe makes gathering resources much faster and more convenient. This directly impacts the speed at which you can progress through the game.
  • Clothing Upgrades: Leather is also a key component in crafting improved clothing. These provide enhanced protection against the elements and physical damage. In an environment like the tropical setting of Stranded Deep, these increases to durability can make all the difference in the long-term survival of the player.

In short, the tanning rack is a cornerstone in the game’s progression. It enables players to transition from rudimentary equipment to more capable tools, weapons and more defensive clothing, which is crucial for overcoming the challenges the game presents.

Tanning Rack Construction and Importance

The tanning rack itself is not too complicated to build; it requires a handful of basic resources like sticks, lashings, and planks. However, while simple to make, it becomes one of the most essential crafting stations in Stranded Deep. Players are encouraged to build it early in their playthrough to unlock its significant benefits. It acts as an essential stepping stone in your journey through the game. It will allow you to craft many things that will aid the player in their quest to survive.

Further Considerations: The Loom and Crafting Hierarchy

The article here mentioned that the loom could be considered another variant of the tanning rack, because they both allow the crafting of one rare item. The loom, primarily used for crafting cloth from plant fibers, shares the function of a specialised material processing. This highlights the game’s hierarchy within the different crafting stations, with each station ultimately unlocking new possibilities for the player. This makes strategic planning necessary. Players must use the tanning rack to get leather, then this will unlock other crafting stations, such as the loom.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the Tanning Rack

1. How do I unlock the Tanning Rack in Stranded Deep?

The Tanning Rack is unlocked early in the game, generally upon reaching a particular crafting level. The recipe is easy to access through the player’s crafting menu, requiring sticks, lashings and planks as its main construction ingredients.

2. What materials are required to build a Tanning Rack?

You’ll need a combination of sticks, lashings, and planks to build the Tanning Rack. These resources can be easily obtained by exploring your surroundings and by cutting down different types of trees on the island.

3. Where do I get Rawhide in Stranded Deep?

Rawhide is obtained by hunting certain animals. The primary sources are wild boars and giant crabs, which can be found on various islands. Once these animals have been killed, they can be harvested for their rawhide.

4. What can I craft with Leather besides Tools and Clothing?

In addition to tools and clothing, leather can be used to craft other essential items, like better spears, which are the primary weapon for most of the early-to-mid game content. Furthermore, it can also be used to craft some upgraded tools.

5. Does the Tanning Rack need maintenance or fuel to operate?

No, the tanning rack does not require any maintenance or fuel. Once built, it is ready to process any rawhide available to the player, turning it into worked leather at any time.

6. Can I move the Tanning Rack after it’s built?

Yes, like most structures in Stranded Deep, you can move the Tanning Rack after you have constructed it. This is especially useful if you are redesigning the layout of your base, or are looking to optimise your resource processing areas.

7. Is the Tanning Rack needed to upgrade my shelter?

No, the tanning rack is not directly used to upgrade your shelter. However, the improved tools that the tanning rack allows you to craft can be used to increase your gathering efficiency, and ultimately allow you to acquire the materials required to upgrade your shelter more effectively.

8. How does the Tanning Rack relate to crafting levels?

Using the tanning rack directly enables access to upgraded crafting recipes that will allow you to level up your craftsmanship skill. This is because the recipes the player will be using with the tanned leather are more complex than those before it, thus granting the player more exp.

9. Can multiple tanning racks speed up the leather crafting process?

While you can build multiple tanning racks, they do not speed up the leather crafting process. The speed of processing rawhide into worked leather is fixed, regardless of how many tanning racks you have.

10. Does crafting leather increase the player’s craftsmanship skill?

Yes, crafting worked leather from rawhide with the tanning rack will contribute to your player’s overall crafting skills experience. This experience will ultimately allow the player to get better crafting recipes.

11. How often do boars and giant crabs respawn?

Boars and giant crabs will respawn after a few in-game days. There is no precise timer, so players may find them respawning anywhere from 2-5 game days, depending on their island.

12. Can I use something else to make leather without the tanning rack?

No, the tanning rack is the only way to process rawhide into usable worked leather in Stranded Deep. This makes it an essential crafting station for any player that is looking to progress and get better gear.

13. Does leather provide a damage reduction stat on clothing?

Yes, clothing made with leather provides additional damage reduction and protection from the elements, compared to base or more rudimentary cloth.

14. Is the Tanning Rack available on both PC and Console versions of the game?

Yes, the tanning rack is available on all platforms that support Stranded Deep. The core game features are consistent across PC and console versions, as it’s a vital progression tool for all players.

15. Can you use the tanning rack in the early game?

Yes, the tanning rack is intended for early to mid-game usage. This encourages players to start crafting it as early as possible, so they can get the benefits and improvements it provides as soon as possible.

Conclusion

The tanning rack in Stranded Deep is much more than just a crafting station. It is an essential element that empowers players to upgrade their gear, and ultimately, their chance of survival. From transforming rawhide into worked leather to unlocking superior weapons, tools, and clothing, the tanning rack is key to advancing through the game. Understanding its importance and using it effectively will vastly improve your chances of thriving in the harsh, unforgiving world of Stranded Deep.

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