Days at Sea Crafting & Bonfire Tier Requirements

This article answers exactly what you need to know: every crafting item and bonfire tier in Days at Sea requires a specific number of days survived to unlock, and the bonfire has five tiers that unlock at days 1, 3, 7, 14, and 21. You enter your current day count, and the calculator below tells you which crafting recipes and bonfire upgrades are available to you.

Formula

The bonfire tier is calculated as floor(days / 7) + 1, where days is the number of days you have survived. This gives tier 1 at day 1, tier 2 at day 8, tier 3 at day 15, tier 4 at day 22, and tier 5 at day 29. The number of crafting recipes unlocked is estimated as min(floor(days / 2) + 3, 20), meaning you start with 3 recipes and gain one more every two days, capping at 20 recipes total.

Worked Example

If you have survived 10 days, the bonfire tier is floor(10 / 7) + 1 = 1 + 1 = 2. The next tier (tier 3) unlocks at day 15, which is (2 * 7) + 1 = 15. The number of recipes unlocked is min(floor(10 / 2) + 3, 20) = min(5 + 3, 20) = 8. So at day 10, you have a tier 2 bonfire and 8 crafting recipes available.

Bonfire Tier Unlock Schedule

The bonfire is your central crafting station in Days at Sea. Each tier upgrades its capacity and unlocks new crafting options. The exact day thresholds are:

• Tier 1: Day 1 – basic cooking and simple tools
• Tier 2: Day 8 – improved cooking, rope, and simple weapons
• Tier 3: Day 15 – advanced tools, fishing net, and water purifier
• Tier 4: Day 22 – metalworking, sail upgrades, and storage chests
• Tier 5: Day 29 – all remaining recipes, including advanced navigation and end-game gear

These thresholds are consistent across all game modes. Some players mistakenly think the bonfire upgrades every 5 days, but the actual interval is 7 days per tier.

Crafting Item Unlock Requirements

Unlike the bonfire, individual crafting items do not all follow a single day-based rule. Most items unlock at specific day milestones, but some require you to have crafted a prerequisite item first. The general pattern is:

• Day 1–3: Basic raft parts, wooden spear, campfire, and simple fishing rod
• Day 4–6: Stone axe, cooked meat recipes, and basic bandage
• Day 7–9: Bow and arrows, improved raft sail, and water storage
• Day 10–14: Metal tools, spear gun, and advanced bandage
• Day 15–21: Purified water still, advanced bow, and reinforced raft parts
• Day 22–28: All metal armor, advanced fishing net, and navigation tools
• Day 29+: Everything else, including the final raft upgrade and end-game weapons

If you are missing a recipe, check both your day count and whether you have crafted the prerequisite item. For example, the advanced bandage requires you to have crafted a basic bandage at least once.

How to Check Your Current Unlocks

In-game, you can see your current day count at the top of the screen. To see which recipes are available, open the crafting menu (default key Tab on PC, or the crafting icon on mobile). Items that are still locked show a padlock icon with the required day number. The bonfire tier is shown when you approach the bonfire and select “Upgrade� – it displays your current tier and the day required for the next one.

Common Mistakes and Misconceptions

One common mistake is assuming that all recipes unlock exactly on the day shown. In reality, some recipes unlock only after you have crafted a previous item, even if you have passed the day threshold. Another misconception is that the bonfire tier increases your health or damage – it does not; it only expands crafting options and storage. Finally, players often confuse “days survived� with “days played� – the game counts only full days survived, so if you die on day 5, you restart at day 1.

Tips for Efficient Progression

To unlock everything as quickly as possible, focus on surviving without dying, since each death resets your day count. Prioritize building the raft and gathering food early, as hunger and thirst are the main threats. Once you reach day 15, the water purifier becomes available – craft it immediately, as clean water is essential for long-term survival. Do not waste resources on low-tier tools after day 22, because metal tools are strictly better and you will have access to them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to reach day 29 to craft everything? Yes, the final tier of the bonfire and the last few recipes (like the advanced navigation tool) require day 29. However, most useful items are available by day 22.

What happens if I die – do I lose my unlocks? Yes, dying resets your day count to 1, and all crafting recipes and bonfire tiers revert to their day-1 state. You keep any blueprints you found, but those are separate from day-based unlocks.

Can I unlock recipes faster by building more bonfires? No, the bonfire tier is tied to your day count, not the number of bonfires. Building multiple bonfires only gives you more crafting stations, not higher tiers.

Is there a difference between solo and co-op for unlock requirements? No, the day-based requirements are the same. However, in co-op, the day count is shared, so all players progress together.

Why is my recipe still locked even though I have the required day? Check if the recipe requires a prerequisite item. For example, the advanced bandage requires you to have crafted a basic bandage first. Also, make sure you are looking at the correct crafting category.

Does the game tell me the exact day for each recipe? Yes, hovering over a locked recipe shows the required day. The bonfire upgrade UI also shows the next tier’s day requirement.

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in d | Days survived | days | 10 | 0
out tier | Bonfire tier | - | floor(d / 7) + 1 | 0
out next | Next tier at day | days | (floor(d / 7) + 1) * 7 + 1 | 0
out recipes | Recipes unlocked | - | min(floor(d / 2) + 3, 20) | 0