Overview
The purpose of this guide is to show a few convenient places to stock up on crafting materials and iron.
Introduction
Greetings! In this guide I will show you my favourite farming runs and what you can expect to get from them. It is a work in progress as I plan on expanding it in the future. Keep in mind that in order to open a Treasure Trove (TT), you need to have a dynamite at the ready. They are worth the hassle, for they can drop rare crafting materials and blueprints, along with lods of emone thousands of iron bits. Onward!
Primordian
Route: Foggy Bank -> Cavern
Possible drops: Ancient Heart, claw, spike, fur, jaw
Additional info: The Slith and Rifthounds tend to drop chipped claws so if claws are a bottleneck in your crafting, this is a good place to farm them.
Gutworm
Route: Burrwitch Village -> backtrack to Smuggler’s Basin
Possible drops: Ancient Heart, Gutworm Seal (epic medal)
Additional info: You can find the map with Smuggler’s Basin locations here: http://grimdawn.wikia.com/wiki/Smuggler%27s_Basin
Warden’s Lab
Route: Warden’s Laboratory -> 1. backtrack to get 10-15 aether crystals (and possibly some shards and clusters) or 2. forward to Warden
Possible drops: Tainted Brain Matter (Warden & Aetherial heroes), aether crystals/shards/clusters, embers, lodestones, ichors, chilled steel
Additional info: You might run into Valdaran if you have the Nemesis status with Aetherials.
Arkovian Foothills
There’s a few locations you can go to from there. To the west, we have Staunton Mine.
Possible drops: dynamite, arsonist’s, and murderer’s gear (MIs), scrap, Royal Jelly, shells, spikes
Additional info: N/A
To the north, a small gang camp.
Possible drops: dynamite, scrap, arsonist’s and murderer’s gear (MIs)
Additional info: This is one of the Cronley’s Nemesis spawn points.
To the north-east, Crumbling Watch.
Possible drops: corpse dust, embers, lodestones, plating
Additional info: This is one of the Undead Nemesis spawn points.
To the south-east, Spined Cove.
Possible drops: corpse dust, ectoplasm, vengeful wraith, Spectral MIs
Additional info: Ectoplasm is a really rare material for me* and this is one of the best places to go if that’s the bottleneck in your crafting, due to the Haunted monsters density. Plus, it’s fast to get there.
*I can more reliably get rare crafting materials like Brains and Hearts than Ectoplasm for whatever reason.
Cronley
Route: Cronley’s Hideout
Possible drops: Tainted Brain Matter (Cronley), dynamite, ascended, arsonist’s, and murderer’s gear (MIs), scrap, Royal Jelly, shells, spikes
Additional info: You might run into Fagius Fabius if you have the Nemesis status with the Gang.
NOT THE BEES! (Wasp nest)
Route: Twin Falls -> Swarming Hive
Possible drops: Ancient Heart, loadsa Royal Jelly, shell, spike, plating
Additional info: 100 pieces of Royal Jelly = 30k iron bits; You can extend the run to the Old Arkovian Ruins to farm Undead gear and components (Spectral MIs, ectoplasm, corpse dust, etc.). Bear in mind that you may meet Moosilauke there if you have the Nemesis status.
Mogara
Route: Pine Barrens -> Jagged Waste
Possible drops: Manticore Eye, fur, claw, jaw
Additional info: You can extend the run to Shaded Basin (more beast heroes) and Tyrant’s Hold (for a TT).
Mountain Deeps (Updated)
Route: Prospector’s Trail -> backtrack to Mountain Deeps or Deadman’s Gulch -> forward to Mountain Deeps (suggested by Old Iron Johnson)
Possible drops: Ancient Heart, Bone weapons (MIs), shell, claw, spike, ichor
Additional info: Treasure Trove, might be the fastest one to get to.
Bloodsworn (Updated)
Route: Blood Grove -> Village of Darkvale
Possible drops: Blood of Ch’thon, Chthonic Seal of Binding, Bloodsworn gear (MIs), wrappings, inscriptions
Additional info: Treasure Trove in Village; You can extend the run to the Darkvale Gate for more Ch’thonic items. You also may run into Benn’Jhar if you have the Nemesis status with Ch’thonians.
For some reason, I’ve had the best luck with getting the seals in the Tomb of Korvaak. In order to get there, teleport to Astekarn Valley and backtrack a little bit to the Tomb. It’s inhabited by the Bloodsworn, Ghouls, and the Haunted, so be prepared.
While this isn’t exactly the norm, it has proven to be a very reliable place to get them.
Derpanians… I mean, Dermapterans.
Route: Rotting Croplands -> Royal Hive
Possible drops: Ancient Heart, Dermapteran Slicer (MI), shell, spike, claw, plating
Additional info: You can find Royal Hive locations here: [link]
Ashes of Malmouth
Carraxus
Route: Gloomwald Crossing -> Den of Carraxus
Possible drops: Ancient Heart, Udgenbloom; Udgenbog rifles; shell, spike, claw, frozen heart
Additional info: Quick bounty.
Janaxia
Route: Coven’s Refuge -> Udgenbog -> Janaxia’s Den
Possible drops: fur, claw, scales, shell, frozen heart, ectoplasm (wraiths)
Additional info: Quick bounty; very few heroes on the way
Barrowholm Mine
Route: Barrowholm -> Udgenbog -> Barrowholm Mine
Possible drops: Ancient Heart, Udgenbloom; Dynamite (one guaranteed); Basilisk Mark, Leafmane Horn; fur, carapace, claw, shell, frozen heart
Additional info: Treasure Trove and hidden remains in the mine.
Ekket’Zul
Route: Barrowholm -> Altar of Rattosh -> Desolated Wastes -> Void’s Edge
Possible drops: Blood of Ch’thon; Obsidian Axes, Bulwarks, Ryloks’ Crests, and Servitors’ Claws (MIs); soul shard, roiling blood, searing ember, consecrated wrappings, claws, jaws
Additional info: You may run into Grava’Thul if you have nemesis status with Chthonians; Convienient route for doing Barrowholm bounties; Lots of spongy enemies.
Sewers
Route: Either Malmouth Sewers and backtrack, or Malmouth Outskirts -> Malmouth Sewers
Possible drops: Tainted Brain Matter,Aetherial Missive; Aether crystals/shards/clusters; chilled steel, cracked lodestone, searing ember; plating, corpse dust, soul shard
Additional info: Galakros the Mountain
Bonus (SPOILER ALERT)
There’s a secret merchant in Blood Grove named Benevald who sells MIs (Monster Infrequents), some blueprints (nothing worthwhile IME), Kymon’s badges (good for getting chaos resistance), and common components (claws, spikes, shells, etc.). In order to get to the island he resides on, cross the bridge, turn left, keep close to the rocks, and turn left again to enter the stream. You should see the island from there.
Final Notes
Thank you for reading, I hope you find this guide helpful. I am always up for trying out a good farming route so why don’t you share your suggestion? Cheers!
P.S. Feel free to check out my other guides here: [link]
(Grim Dawn) My Favourite Builds: [link]
(Grim Dawn) Guaranteed Dynamite Spawns: [link]
Additional Resources
Here’s a Steam guide for Treasure Troves (it might be missing a couple of locations, though): [link]
(WIP) Here’s a spreadsheet containing a list of common components, sorted by location: [link]
Another spreadsheet with a list of components: [link]
Here’s an item database: [link]
Monster Infrequent Items guide (incomplete): [link]