What’s the most efficient way to calculate the number of cores for a stonecutter?

In Valheim, the stonecutter is a crucial crafting station for building advanced stone structures, such as stone walls, floors, and decorative pieces. To craft a stonecutter, you need specific materials, including 10 wood, 2 iron, and 4 stone. However, the most challenging component to acquire is the iron, which requires smelting iron scrap into iron bars using a smelter. This guide will focus on calculating the number of cores needed to efficiently gather and process iron for the stonecutter.\n\nFirst, let’s break down the iron requirement. You need 2 iron bars for the stonecutter, which means you need 6 iron scrap (since 2 scrap smelt into 1 bar). Iron scrap is primarily found in the Swamp biome, inside Sunken Crypts. These crypts are guarded by Draugr and require a Swamp Key to enter, which is obtained by defeating the second boss, The Elder. To mine iron scrap, you’ll need an Antler Pickaxe or better, as well as a workbench nearby to repair your tools.\n\nTo calculate the number of cores needed, you must consider the smelting process. Smelting iron scrap into bars requires a smelter, which itself requires 5 Surtling Cores. Surtling Cores are found in Burial Chambers in the Black Forest biome or dropped by Surtlings in the Ashlands biome. Each smelter can process one iron bar at a time, and each bar takes 30 seconds to smelt. If you’re aiming for efficiency, you’ll want multiple smelters to speed up the process.\n\nFor example, if you plan to smelt 6 iron scrap into 3 bars (2 for the stonecutter and 1 extra for other uses), you’ll need at least one smelter. However, if you want to process larger quantities of iron for future projects, you might build 2-3 smelters. Each additional smelter requires 5 more Surtling Cores, so plan accordingly based on your long-term goals. A good rule of thumb is to gather at least 10-15 Surtling Cores early in the game to ensure you have enough for smelters and other core-dependent items like portals.\n\nTo efficiently gather Surtling Cores, focus on exploring Burial Chambers in the Black Forest. These dungeons are relatively safe compared to Swamp Crypts and contain multiple Surtling Cores per chamber. Bring a weapon, shield, and plenty of food to handle Skeletons and other enemies. Once you’ve collected enough cores, prioritize building a smelter near your base to process iron scrap as soon as you acquire it.\n\nIn summary, the most efficient way to calculate the number of cores for a stonecutter is to determine how many smelters you’ll need based on your iron processing goals. Start with at least 5 cores for one smelter, but aim for 10-15 cores to future-proof your crafting setup. Explore Burial Chambers early, and always keep an eye out for Surtling Cores while gathering other resources. With proper planning, you’ll have your stonecutter up and running in no time, ready to build impressive stone structures in Valheim.