If you're trying to build up your base in Obsidian Entertainment's survival adventure Grounded, you may be looking for new ways to expand your list of building part crafting recipes. For this, you'll need to seek out the uncommon clay resource, and it isn't immediately obvious how you're supposed to go about doing this. Fortunately, we're here with our latest Grounded guide to show you the way, and tell you exactly how to find and harvest clay in Grounded.
It's a big(ger) world out there.
Obsidian Entertainment makes its exclusive debut on Xbox One and PC with Grounded, a unique survival experience that literally makes all of your problems much, much bigger. Join your friends as you're shrunk down to the size of an ant and are forced to survive in a dangerous backyard.
What is clay in Grounded?
Clay is an uncommon building resource in Grounded and is used primarily in base building, offering a few sturdier building options that are great for any would-be fortress. However, clay isn't nearly as easy to find as grass, and even weeds, and even takes a relatively uncommon basic tool to harvest. To be able to use clay for your building projects, you'll need to find it, have the necessary tool to harvest it, and then know what clay is used for.
Even when all of this comes together, clay is pretty scarce in the world, so it'll need to be used sparingly, at least before you build up a decent supply of this pliable building resource. Fortunately, we have all the tips and tricks you need to successfully find and harvest clay in Grounded:
How can I find and harvest clay in Grounded?
Just like in the real world, clay is most common near and around water sources, so keep this in mind when searching for it. And, before you ask, early on, the pond isn't necessarily the best choice for searching for clay. The pond is surrounded by vicious spiders and is lined by large stones so that no clay can be found. While you may be able to find clay below the surface, that means holding your breath longer than what's possible in Grounded right now. That doesn't mean a future update couldn't change this.
But before you even consider searching for clay, you'll want to have the acorn shovel at your disposal. This handy tool can be used to dig up grubs and for other purposes, but it's also the tool you'll need to harvest clay. To craft an acorn shovel, you'll need two sprigs, one woven fiber, and one acorn shell. All of this is pretty easy to obtain, but you'll need to make a trip to the Oak Tree for acorn shells. Watch out for those pesky spiders!
Once you have your acorn shovel in hand, it's time to start searching. Look for any puddles or medium-to-large bodies of water that you can find. Clay deposits can show up along a puddle's shore, under the water, maybe even a little way away from the water. You won't find clay at every puddle, but it's common enough for larger puddles that it's worth double-checking whenever you take a look. I found my first clay deposit in Grounded underwater, barely visible because of its unassuming brown shade.
Once you've found clay, just whack it with your acorn shovel until it bursts into a bunch of tiny chunks. Pick up these chunks and be on your way! The first time you pick up clay, it'll unlock a few crafting recipes for you, but there's a little more to get out of clay as well. So what all can you use clay for in Grounded? Well, we answered that question for you too:
What can I use clay for in Grounded?
Clay currently has four different crafting recipes available to it now, split between two new building parts for constructing bases, and two new furnishings that can be used to display your favorite weapon or suit of armor. To get the most out of clay, you'll need to do more than collect it, as half of the recipes that use clay require a little bit of analytical work before they can be unlocked.
Source: Windows Central
Once you've collected some clay, take it to the nearest lab with some charges remaining in the day and analyze it. Besides gaining a little bit of Raw Science, this will also gain you two new recipes: the weapon wall mount and the armor dummy. These recipes are for decor, so they don't really add a ton of functionality to your Grounded life, but they can still go a long way towards making your base feel complete.
Source: Windows Central
The two crafting recipes unlocked simply by collecting clay are the clay foundation and the clay ramp. These are both building parts, able to offer a little bit more stability than a simple grass floor or stairs, and can be unlocked earlier on if you're actively looking for clay. These won't replace floors or stairs for multi-story bases, though, so keep this in mind. Clay foundations and ramps are most useful to provide a stable base for your home.
Clay foundations require four clay to craft, and are very simple: they're stable, level, and an excellent foundation for any base. Clay foundations are expensive, though, so don't go crazy with them. Clay ramps require two clay to craft and are the sloped variants of clay foundations. They make for great foundations and can provide a smooth transition into your base if it's placed on an incline, on top of a clay foundation, or is slightly elevated.
Source: Windows Central
Finally, analyzing clay unlocks two pieces of decor for players, the weapon wall mount and the armory dummy. These crafting recipes aren't designed to be "must-have practical additions" to your base, but rather nice-to-have furnishings that add some life to an otherwise utilitarian home. Using the weapon wall mount or armor dummy, players can display their favorite (or retired) weapon or armor for all to see, and decorate their base at the same time. Become attached to the first spear you ever made? Mount it up!
Weapon wall mounts require five clay to craft, making them even more expensive than clay foundations, so these are definitely meant more for late-game flourishes. Armor dummies are the most costly clay-related crafting recipe, requiring five clay, five sprigs, and five woven fibers to add to the world. Unless you have a surplus of clay lying around, best to hold off on these decor items for a while.
It's a big(ger) world out there.
Obsidian Entertainment makes its exclusive debut on Xbox One and PC with Grounded, a unique survival experience that literally makes all of your problems much, much bigger. Join your friends as you're shrunk down to the size of an ant and are forced to survive in a dangerous backyard.
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