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[TheVerySpecialK]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to Dwarf Fortress (just started playing yesterday), and I've run into an issue with the skill point system. As you probably know, each dwarf has 10 skill points to distribute before embarking in Dwarf Fortress mode. Now, here's the thing: When I have distributed around 39-40 skill points amongst my dwarfs collectively, I am suddenly unable to allocate further skill points (it's as if the "+" key has suddenly stopped responding). However, I can remove previously distributed points (i.e., the "-" key still works) and then re-distribute them (at which point the "+" key will start working again until I reach the mysterious 39-40 point "limit").

Any help is much appreciated: It would be great to be able to allocate those extra 30 skill points! I'm playing vanilla Dwarf Fortress v0.34.11 with no tile packs or other game-altering modifications. Just to clarify, the rest of the game is working fine; I've even constructed my first fort(ress-ish)! 

[toomanysecrets]

You have to spend your embark points to increase skills. You're probably out of embark points.

[GiglameshDespair]

You have to spend your embark points to increase skills. You're probably out of embark points.

Both skills and material goods cost embark points.
I never bring a wheelbarrow, or any pig-tail thread/cloth/bags to save points.

[TheVerySpecialK]

Thanks, guys. I didn't realize that skill points used embark points!

[ancistrus]

my slightly related opinion: do not spend too much time coming up with a "perfect" embark skillset or itemset, its not that important

[FrankMcFuzz]

my slightly related opinion: do not spend too much time coming up with a "perfect" embark skillset or itemset, its not that important

Taking metal nuggets to save points on axes/picks or taking specialized dwarves for higher quality goods DOES make all the difference, though. But as soon as you get your second/third migrant wave (Which obnoxious usually contains about 17 dwarves for some reason) this won't really matter anymore.

[GiglameshDespair]

Hell, if you really want you can take lignite or (preferably) bitumanous coal, and the raw ore, and smelt'n'smith the weapons yourselves.

If you do take weapons, silver warhammers are relatively inexpensive yet some of the best you can get.

[Cobbler89]

Taking wood is almost as good as taking coal (you need to build the ashery I think to convert wood to coal, but wood is much cheaper in embark points).

If you really want to make the game easy and noob-friendly, you can always generate a world you like, export its map/generation data, then add the worldgen data from that world (it comes out in a text file in the DF folder) to the advanced worldgen parameter sets ([DF folder]/data/init/worldgen.txt or something like that I think), then go into advanced worldgen, edit the set and don't change anything except increasing the embark points, then save it and use that advanced gen set to regenerate the same world as before with more embark points. Ok, maybe noob-friendly is stretching it for that technique, but it should allow you to allocate all ten of your dwarves' skill points like you were originally wanting to. ;^)

[Skuggen]

my slightly related opinion: do not spend too much time coming up with a "perfect" embark skillset or itemset, its not that important

Taking metal nuggets to save points on axes/picks or taking specialized dwarves for higher quality goods DOES make all the difference, though. But as soon as you get your second/third migrant wave (Which obnoxious usually contains about 17 dwarves for some reason) this won't really matter anymore.

'
Oh how I WISH it only contained 17. My latest fort went from 17 to 63 dwarves. Not entirely unexpected since the stonecrafter had managed to make a ton of obsidian crafts by the time the first caravan arrived.

Wood oven converts wood to charcoal (or ash). Ashery is for processing the ash further.

[sal880612m]

If your civ has access to iron ore, bituminous coal and flux you can take enough materials to craft
a set of equipment that contains a steel weapon, steel shield, steel breastplate, steel gauntlets, steel greaves, steel boots, steel helm, steel mail shirt for less than 60 points. With Lignite instead of b. coal it would likely be less than 100. If you don't have either of those your next best bet would probably be to take wood and make charcoal yourself.

[slothen]

Hell, if you really want you can take lignite or (preferably) bitumanous coal, and the raw ore, and smelt'n'smith the weapons yourselves.

If you do take weapons, silver warhammers are relatively inexpensive yet some of the best you can get.

I bring like 50 logs, even if there are trees.  I bring ores for bronze.  Very fuel efficient, get a couple dozen bars out.  Plenty for tons of picks, axes, and trap components.

[sal880612m]

I messed up the value of a set of steel consisting of a weapon, helm, breast plate, mail shirt, gauntlets, shield, greaves and boots. I have looked over the data again and assuming I didn't screw up again I came up with:

Metal	Set Value	Mat. Cost for Set*	Num Sets**	Total Cost
Copper***	0212-0308	027-060	1	027-060
Bismuth Bronze***	0636-0924	027-066	4	108-264
Bronze***	0530-0770	024-051	2	048-102
Iron	1060-1540	081-105	1	081-105
Steel	3180-4620	159-249	1	159-249

* This is the number of sets you would need to make in order not to have any metal bars left over. There may still be coke remaining though.
** This is the range the embark cost of the materials required to craft a set of equipment can take depending on ore and bituminous coal availability. The high end of the range is based on taking wood to turn into charcoal not taking charcoal or coke as in most cases doing so would double the embark cost. For bronze and bismuth bronze this figure was generated by making complete sets and dividing the cost of doing so by the number of sets created, so the actual cost of creating a single set is going to be higher than the value presented.
*** The values in Mat. Cost for Set should cover using Copper Nuggets/Malachite as well as Tetrahedrite. It should also be noted that the figures for bronze are based on smelting it from ore not bars.

Final note: All figures are based on taking ores at embark not on bars.

[Hurkyl]

Taking wood is almost as good as taking coal (you need to build the ashery I think to convert wood to coal, but wood is much cheaper in embark points).

Wood is cheaper than taking refined coal, but taking the ores is far cheaper than taking wood. 3 embark points gives you a single log that you can turn into 1 refined coal, or it gives you one chunk of bituminous coal, which nets you 8 refined coal.

[JAFANZ]

It can be worth bringing some wood if you want more than 3 garaunteed beds before the Caverns/Caravan though.

[Magnumcannon]

Here is very useful tip. Check for the embark items. The anvil is often made out of iron, which costs 100 points, but sometimes it is made out of steel, which costs 300, and that drains your points a LOT. Don't bring threads, cloth, quivers or wheelbarrows, as you can make them with ease at your fortress bry farming and getting wood. Also, you will problably want just one woodcutter, so instead of bringing two battleaxes, bring just one.