If you’ve spent even a few hours exploring the cursed valleys of Enshrouded, you know how quickly basic resources can make or break your survival run. One of the most underrated early-to-mid game materials you’ll need for everything from furnaces to storage chests is clay, and many new players struggle to figure out how to make clay Enshrouded without wasting hours wandering the wrong biomes. I’ve put in over 120 hours of playtime across three solo saves and two co-op worlds, so I’ve tested every method of farming, refining, and using clay to cut out the guesswork for you. This guide will walk you through every step, from finding raw clay deposits to turning them into usable crafted items for your base and loadout.
How to Make Clay Enshrouded: Core Requirements First
Many new players assume you can craft clay from dirt or rock, but that’s not how the game’s crafting system works. To get usable clay, you first need to mine raw clay nodes, then refine them if needed for higher-tier crafts. The core prerequisites you’ll need before you start are:
- A stone or better pickaxe to mine raw clay nodes (bronze is recommended for faster farming)
- Access to at least one surface water body in the Revelwood or starting meadow biomes
- A constructed furnace if you plan to turn raw clay into fired bricks for building
- At least 3 empty inventory slots to carry raw clay, fuel, and extra resources you find along the way
Raw clay nodes are not found underground, so you don’t have to waste time digging through caves to find them. I made the mistake of spending two hours searching for clay in the lower Shroud layers during my first run, only to find a massive deposit 10 minutes from my starter base right on the edge of a small lake. Raw clay nodes are light brown, slightly bumpy, and stand out against the darker dirt and grass near water, so they’re easy to spot once you know what to look for. If you’re still struggling to get the hang of the process, starting with these basic requirements will eliminate most of the early frustration.
Best Locations to Farm Raw Clay Fast
You don’t have to travel to remote, high-risk areas to stock up on clay. The best farming spots are easily accessible even for players under level 10, with almost no dangerous enemies to fight off. First, check the small lake southwest of the first Flame Altar you activate in the starting meadow. There are 12+ clay nodes along its northern shore, and you can farm 50+ units of raw clay in less than 15 minutes without straying far from your base. For larger batches, head to the large river that runs through the eastern side of the Revelwood biome. Both banks are lined with dense clay deposits, and you can often find wax and plant fiber growing nearby, so you can stock up on multiple resources in one trip. If you’re playing co-op, mark large clay deposits on your shared map so you don’t have to search for them again later. I also recommend placing a small outpost with a chest near the Revelwood river deposit if you plan to build a large base. It cuts down on travel time significantly, and you can farm hundreds of units of clay in an hour without running back to your main base to unload.
Step-by-Step Refining Process for Usable Clay
Once you’ve mined raw clay, you have two options depending on what you want to craft. Raw clay can be used directly for low-tier items like planting pots, crude storage bins, and basic fire pits, so you don’t have to refine it if you’re just making early-game supplies. But for more durable items like fired brick walls, metal smelting furnaces, and weather-resistant storage chests, you’ll need to refine raw clay into fired bricks. The refining process is straightforward. First, collect at least 5 units of raw clay per batch of fired bricks. Load your furnace with wood or coal as fuel—coal burns 3x longer than wood, so it’s far more efficient for large batches. Place the raw clay in the input slot of the furnace, and wait 30 in-game seconds per unit to process into fired clay. That’s all there is to it. I made the mistake of mixing raw clay with stone in the same furnace slot once when I was in a hurry to build a new furnace for iron smelting, and it canceled the refining process entirely, wasting 20 units of raw clay. Don’t make that same mistake: keep raw clay in its own input slot, and don’t add other materials until it’s done processing.
Top Uses for Clay You Should Prioritize Early Game
A lot of new players hoard clay for decorative building projects, but there are a few high-impact uses that will make your survival run way easier right away. First, build a second furnace as soon as you have 20 units of fired clay. Running two furnaces at once lets you smelt metal and process clay at the same time, cutting down on wait times for crafting essential gear. Second, make 3-4 large storage chests from fired clay. Wood chests break easily if you’re raided by enemies or caught in a Shroud storm, but clay chests are 70% more durable and won’t take damage from rain or fire, so your supplies stay safe no matter what. Third, craft planting pots for your farm. Clay planting pots retain moisture 2x longer than wood ones, so you don’t have to water your crops as often, which saves you time for exploration and combat. Most importantly, clay is required to unlock the alchemy bench, which lets you make healing potions, resistance potions, and buffs that are essential for exploring deeper Shroud layers. Don’t skip making that bench as soon as you have enough clay; it saved me from dozens of unnecessary deaths during my first run through the mid-game Shroud areas.
At the end of the day, learning how to make clay Enshrouded isn’t about complicated crafting recipes or hidden unlocks—it’s about knowing where to look and how to process the resource efficiently to fit your playstyle. Whether you’re building a massive castle base or just trying to get enough supplies to take on your first Fell Warden, keeping a steady supply of clay on hand will make every part of your run smoother. Don’t be afraid to test out different farming routes or uses for the material, either; I’ve seen co-op teams use clay to build temporary barriers against boss attacks, and solo players use it to make hidden stashes of resources across the map. Experiment with what works for you, and you’ll be a clay farming pro in no time.