# Dwarf Fortress changelog

> Build a fortress and try to help your dwarves survive against a deeply generated world.

- Vendor: Bay 12 Games
- Category: Games
- Official site: https://store.steampowered.com/app/975370
- Tracked by: What's New (https://whatsnew.fyi/product/dwarf-fortress)
- Harvested from: Steam (app 975370)
- Entries below: 25 of 30 (newest first; the rest are on https://whatsnew.fyi/product/dwarf-fortress)

What's New is an index, not a publisher: every entry below links to the vendor's own release notes, which are the authoritative source. Entries are labelled where they are hand-curated sample data, pre-releases, or drawn from a secondary source such as a developer blog.

## Releases

### The Dino Update is out now! 🦕 Dwarf Fortress Patch 53.15

- Date: 2026-06-25
- Original notes: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/975370/view/701020331235606547
- Permalink: https://whatsnew.fyi/product/dwarf-fortress/releases/steam-701020331235606547

- **added** — Add 100 new extinct animals to the game, each with corresponding animal people
- **added** — Add configurable frequency options for extinct animals: untamed wilds, small isolated areas, every wilderness, domesticated by most civilizations, or keep them extinct
- **added** — Many new extinct animals can be trained for war or hunting
- **changed** — Update graphical representation of all animal people to show held equipment and some bodywear
- **added** — Extinct animals can be kept as pets or used in industry

Hey Urists!

The dino update is live now adding 100 extinct creatures to the game. All sprites and portraits are created by Dwarf Fortress artist Guido/Neoriceisgood. We hope you enjoy this update as we continue with development on the Magic update. Here's Tarn with the details:

This patch adds a hundred animals that went extinct in the real world. Each of these animals also gets an animal person. You'll need to create a new world to see them. There are five options for the frequency of the extinct animals. You can have them in untamed wilds, small isolated areas, every wilderness, or even domesticated by most civilizations. You can also keep them extinct.

This release also brings a graphical update to existing animal people. You can now see their held equipment and some of their bodywear. This should work in your old saves without a new world.

##### Patch Notes for 53.15

- 100 new extinct animals (requires new world.)

- 100 new animal people based on the extinct animals.

- Many of the new animals can be trained for war or hunting.

- Keep the new creatures as pets or use them in industry.

- Be terrorized by the extinct creatures as elves and others ride them into battle against your fortress.

- You can set the frequency of extinct animals, from often domesticated to untamed wilds only to isolated areas to still extinct.

- All animal people are shown wearing their equipment and some of their bodywear (works in old world.)

##### Anniversary Celebration Stream

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the original Dwarf Fortress, we are hosting a celebratory stream on August 5th. You'll see Tarn and Zach play the original build from 2006, and we'll also be giving out awards to gamedevs and creators who have inspired us over the decades. You won't want to miss it! More details to come, but feel free to [follow the Kitfox Twitch channel](https://www.twitch.tv/kitfoxgames) ahead of time.

##### Celebrating Dinos!

We received a sample of the gorlak plushie that will be included in the Serenity Forge 20th Anniversary box set. It looks like he's also encountered some dinos of his own kind! You can still pre-order the set which includes the gorlak plush [here.](https://store.serenityforge.com/products/dwarf-fortress-20th-anniversary-archival-collectors-edition)

Tarn's cats Gus and Coco are also dressed up for the update!

Enjoy the update, we look forward to seeing how your forts hold up.

-Alexandra

### Dinos are coming June 25th! 🦖 Dwarf Fortress Dev Update

- Date: 2026-06-10
- Original notes: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/975370/view/688634078777311387
- Permalink: https://whatsnew.fyi/product/dwarf-fortress/releases/steam-688634078777311387

- **added** — Add 100 dinosaurs and extinct creatures including baby and dinomen versions
- **added** — Add 5 new settings to adjust how dinosaurs appear in your world
- **changed** — Update animal people graphics with held equipment and bodywear
- **added** — Enable dinosaurs to be used for war, as pets, or as food

We're back and excited to announce that the Dino Update will be arriving June 25th!

##### Featuring:

-  100 dinos and extinct creatures, including baby and dinomen versions

-  Dinos can be used for war, as a pet or as food

-  5 new settings to adjust how dinos appear in your world

-  Animal people graphical update with held equipment and some bodywear

-  ...and more!

There will be a wide variety of creatures from the Cambrian Explosion all the way to the extinct mammals and birds of the Holocene era. You'll need to create a new world to see the dinos but you should see the animal people update in existing saves. Dinos are totally optional and there will be some new settings so you can adjust how they appear in Create New World.

Here is just a small sample of the sprites, organized by era (Cambrian creatures too small to show up on graphic):

##### Interview with Dino Artist!

If you'd like to see even more examples, I talked to artist Guido/Neoriceisgood to get the inside scoop on how the team selected and depicted all the dinos:

##### 20th Anniversary Celebrations

We're celebrating the 20th anniversary of the original Dwarf Fortress all year and we've got some fun things lined up for this summer (details coming soon). We've also been sending out prize packs for folks who are organizing their own Dwarf Fortress gatherings. If you're interested in running your own event, feel free to [fill out this form](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf0qxctnAWSrYGpxHysCmHsGNUVfIdhACSFp6ex2EIsbnQ_6A/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=107865782423348875146) and we might send you some goodies! The form will only be open for another month.

We'll have more dino info and full patch notes on update launch day! See you then!

-Alexandra

### Patch 53.14

- Date: 2026-05-20
- Original notes: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/975370/view/653729380381491342
- Permalink: https://whatsnew.fyi/product/dwarf-fortress/releases/steam-653729380381491342

- **fixed** — Fixed a crash related to changes to announcements

Patch Notes 53.14:

-  This small patch fixes a crash to do with the changes to announcements from last time.

### Diplomacy Improvements + 20th Anniversary 🙌 Dwarf Fortress Patch 53.13

- Date: 2026-05-13
- Original notes: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/975370/view/693135146596958388
- Permalink: https://whatsnew.fyi/product/dwarf-fortress/releases/steam-693135146596958388

- **added** — Messengers can now perform diplomatic missions from the world screen, including making peace, declaring war, making contact, improving trade, and seeking alliances if a monarch is present in the fortress
- **added** — Ability to assign messengers through the same menu used for other positions like manager and broker
- **added** — Confirmation dialog added to mission interface
- **added** — Ability to display all logged errors on screen for debugging purposes
- **changed** — Increased the priority of messenger actions
- **changed** — Trade can now be opened with humans and elves before their usual time if a messenger is sent
- **changed** — Trade can be opened with multiple civilizations of the same type
- **changed** — Trade will taper off if traders do not make decent profits and negotiations are not engaged
- **changed** — Updated colors on mission interface
- **changed** — Added dialog line for dwarven traders from other civilizations
- **changed** — Zombies no longer consider their surroundings until disturbed
- **changed** — Throttled creatures that are repeatedly failing pathfinding attempts
- **changed** — Increased the maximum number of announcements that can be saved
- **changed** — Prioritized the removal of sparring announcements from the announcement list
- **fixed** — Issue where turning enemies off led to early caravans
- **fixed** — Ability to view activity details again from the residents list
- **fixed** — Scroll bar disappearing when closing bins near the bottom of the trade list
- **fixed** — Attempts to repair corrupted musical instruments upon load
- **fixed** — Added exception handling for map saving and loading
- **added** — Announcements for residents and creatures that have begun throttling pathing

Hey Urists,

We’ve got another patch/community news hybrid post today! There’s lots on the go right now as we prepare for a packed summer of news and updates. The artists are finishing up dinos and continuing with the art for the Myth and Magic update. You can expect to see the dinosaur update next and we'll be sharing a release date very soon. Tarn is also in full Wizard-mode but in the meantime, he has a new patch with a focus on diplomacy and bugs:

##### Release notes for 53.13:

This patch gives messengers more tasks, like the ability to make peace and improve or open trade relations.  You can assign messengers in the same menu where you assign other positions like the manager and broker, and you can give them missions from the world screen (button on the lower right.)  There are also some optimizations and other fixes.

**Diplomacy**

-  Your appointed messengers can now do a variety of diplomatic missions from the world screen.  Make peace, declare war, make contact, and improve trade.  You can also seek alliances if you have the monarch in your fortress.

-  Increased the priority of messenger actions.

-  It's possible to open trade with humans and elves before their usual time if you send a messenger.  You can also open trade with multiple civilizations of the same type.

-  If traders don't make decent profits and you do not engage in negotiations, trade will taper off.

-  Added confirmation to mission interface.

-  Changed some colors on mission interface.

-  Added a dialog line for dwarven traders from other civilizations.

-  Fixed issue where turning enemies off lead to early caravans (requires resetting difficulty to apply).

**General updates**

-  Optimization: zombies don't consider their surrounding until disturbed.

-  Optimization: throttled creatures trying to repeatedly failing path.

-  Added announcements for residents and creatures that have begun throttling pathing.

-  Can view activity details again from the residents list.

-  Stopped scroll bar from disappearing when closing bins near the bottom of the trade list.

-  Increased the maximum number of announcements that can be saved.

-  Prioritized the removal of sparring announcements from the announcement list.

-  Tries to repair corrupted musical instruments upon load.

-  Did some exception handing for map saving and loading.

-  Added the ability to display all logged errors on screen (useful for debugging mods etc).

##### Tarn and Zach open their Magic: The Gathering cards

In case you missed it, Tarn and Zach just received their copies of the new Secret Lair x Dwarf Fortress collection of Magic: The Gathering cards. They open their packs together and reminisce about ascii Dwarf Fortress and getting into Magic in the 90s. You can still [pre-order the cards here.](https://secretlair.wizards.com/us/product/1250417/secret-lair-x-dwarf-fortress-create-new-world)

##### 20th Anniversary of Dwarf Fortress

This year we are celebrating the 20th anniversary of Slaves to Armok: God of Blood Chapter II: Dwarf Fortress. To start, we have a new special logo for the occasion featuring Armok himself, who has never been depicted until now! Credit goes to artist Jacob for the new portrait. You can expect to see more 20th anniversary events throughout the rest of the year. If you’re interested in hosting your own Dwarf Fortress gathering, we’ve opened up a form where you can [apply for merch support here.](https://forms.gle/eWVZgXht5y6u1jaVA)

See you next time, with dinos!

-Alexandra

### Myth & Magic news + Quality of life update 🧙‍♂️ Dwarf Fortress Patch 53.12

- Date: 2026-04-14
- Original notes: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/975370/view/514113986433651135
- Permalink: https://whatsnew.fyi/product/dwarf-fortress/releases/steam-514113986433651135

Hey everyone,

We’ve got a jam-packed update today with a big quality of life patch along with a new Tarn Time video with news about Magic (the update), Magic (the cards) and another surprise! You’ll just have to watch and find out….

##### Patch Notes for 53.12

**General updates**

-  Added display of accepted petition building projects (guildhalls and temples).

-  Added standing orders to automatically accept or reject citizen petitions and various residency petitions.

-  Added standing orders allowing mining designations to globally ignore new warm/damp stone warnings.

-  Squad disband icon is no longer a red X that looks like it closes the menu.

-  Disbanding squads now requires confirmation.

-  Items suffer less damage from age and worn items wear down more slowly.

-  Traders bring clothes properly sized for all fortress citizens and long-term residents.

-  Added tooltips showing products and required materials when adding new tasks in workshops.

-  Changed behavior of bin selection in trade menu.  Clicking the bin now selects all items inside as well, and these can be unselected one at a time.  Clicking a selected bin unselects all of its contents.

-  You can now click anywhere on item listings in the trade/barter menus to select the item.

-  Added a select all button to the move-goods-to-depot menu.

-  Made squad soldiers remove shoes properly if they conflict with their uniform's boots.

-  Reordered work order buttons.

-  Clicking on name of work order or shop text allows number entry.

-  Made the difficulty setting "priesthood unit count" properly effect temple petitions.

-  Closing the unit selector no longer also closes menu that opened it.

-  Made stone use and children's chore scrollbars work properly.

-  Changed citizens label to residents in unit list to reflect all who are listed.

-  Show residency vs. citizenship status on unit summary sheet.

-  Shows the deity being worshipped in meeting hall location info box.

-  Shows the deity being worshipped in location assignment list.

-  Shows location type in meeting hall location info box.

-  Shows location type in location assignment list.

-  Shows current guildhall existence/petition status when choosing a new guildhall.

-  Shows current temple existence/petition status when choosing a new temple.

##### Dwarf Fortress Magic the Gathering cards!

We’re excited to announce that Dwarf Fortress is coming to Magic: The Gathering with a Secret Lair drop on April 27th. The drop includes a set of 5 cards featuring classic ascii art created in collaboration with Tarn and Zach Adams and the amazing artists at Wizards of the Coast! You can sign up for email alerts on the [Secret Lair website.](https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/announcements/secret-lair-back-to-school-superdrop)

##### Organize a community gathering

Thank you to everyone who came out to the Dwarf Fortress gathering at PAX East, we hope to make next year’s event bigger and better! Want to host your own Dwarf Fortress meetup and want us to send you some merch? Fill out this form with all your details. https://forms.gle/1MPRqaiU4zv1hL229

##### Dwarf Fortress music in concert

The Washington Metropolitan Gamer Symphony Orchestra presents Ballads of Earth and Ore. This concert has been programmed to highlight a suite of tunes arranged from Dwarf Fortress. "Songs of Zavazsil" is a symphonic adventure into the procedurally generated musical forms found and described in one world of Dwarf Fortress. For more info: [https://givebutter.com/WMGSOSP26](https://givebutter.com/WMGSOSP26)

That's all for today. We'll have more details about Myth & Magic and the dinos in future updates.

-Alexandra

### Food fixes, AMA, community spotlight and more! 🍖 Dwarf Fortress Patch 53.11

- Date: 2026-03-04
- Original notes: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/975370/view/497222321068572753
- Permalink: https://whatsnew.fyi/product/dwarf-fortress/releases/steam-497222321068572753

Hey Urists,

Alexandra here with with today’s patch and a bunch of community news! We've got an AMA on r/dwarffortress, some support for creating your own Dwarf Fortress gatherings and some cool stuff from the community. But first, patch 53.11 from Tarn:

##### Patch Notes 53.11

Here's another routine patch. Notably, good food should make dwarves happier and they should seek out better food. I've been sick through February so the changes are a bit sparse, but I should be back at things now.

**General updates**

-  Made happy food thought levels easier to obtain (more in line with newer food values).

-  Dwarves seek good meals more aggressively and value better foods over worse ones more precisely.

-  Stopped dwarves from forgetting friends/grudges they rarely meet after a few years.

-  Added item dimension check to strange moods to make sure they don't gather e.g. infinite cloth from hospital zones.

-  Stopped world gen interrogations from sometimes disordering known site records.

-  Fixed crash issue with error-logging for certain modded languages.

-  Fixed some potential multithreading stability issues.

-  Added some crash-proofing to conversations.

-  Worldgen now aborts instead of quitting the whole game when a raw object is missing.

-  Fixed issue causing deletion of nemesis records for units.

-  Made several distance calculations euclidean instead of rectangular.

-  Fixed issue with temperature check so that certain items (butchery products etc.) respond to temperature properly.

-  Changed filesystem for certain setups to support UTF-8 strings.

-  Fixed problem causing party tactical AI settings to be unchangeable.

-  Fixed display problem for desired metal cages and chains in dungeons.

-  Fixed problem causing generated creatures to not be immune to their own poisons.

-  Stopped channeling in the undiggable underworld.

-  Made choreographers and composers use existing music and poems for their works instead of always making new ones.

-  Made werebeast types duplicate if necessary rather than creating blobs (only applies if werebeast curse number set higher than 72).

-  Fixed typo in angel descriptions.

##### AMA with Kitfox Publishing

Tanya, Tina and I are hosting an AMA on r/dwarffortress on March 9th at 11am ET. Ask us about Dwarf Fortress things, publishing things, anything you’d like! You can [submit your questions before the AMA starts here](https://www.reddit.com/r/dwarffortress/comments/1rk2tvd/ama_with_kitfox_games_publishing/) and we'll answer in the same thread. Looking forward to chatting with you all on Monday!

##### Wanted: Your Siege Screenshots

Most of the screenshots on Steam are from community-made forts and we’d like to get some new ones showing off the siege fortifications. If you’d like to show off your fort (with credit) on the Dwarf Fortress store pages, send us your screenshots to [info@kitfoxgames.com](info@kitfoxgames.com) and include how you’d like to be credited.

##### Host your own Dwarf Fortress gathering!

In the past, we’ve hosted a few Dwarf Fortress fan meetups called The Fey Mood Society Gatherings during major events like PAX and Gamescom. Since we can’t always make it to those events, and there’s urists from all over the world, we’d like to support you in hosting your own Fey Mood Gathering. If you have a meetup planned for Dwarf Fortress fans, [fill out this form](https://forms.gle/x2L7XxbvAXikwjsM9) and we might send you a merch package and other Dwarf Fortress goodies to use at your event.

##### Adventure Mode Vinyl Update

The Adventure Mode vinyls have started shipping! [There’s still a few copies in stock](https://gamemusicrecords.com/product/dwarf-fortress-adventure-mode-soundtrack-vinyl/) so if you'd like to snag the limited edition version with exclusive colours, now is your chance. If you've already pre-ordered keep your eyes out for the mail.

##### Soundtrack Interview with Dabu and Simon

Speaking of music, Blindirl recently interviewed Dabu and

_[Truncated at 4000 characters — full notes: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/975370/view/497222321068572753]_

### Aquatic portraits, Naked dwarf fix and more 🐠 Dwarf Fortress Patch 53.10

- Date: 2026-01-12
- Original notes: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/975370/view/520861145713608431
- Permalink: https://whatsnew.fyi/product/dwarf-fortress/releases/steam-520861145713608431

This is a tiny small release to fix the freeze issue and the naked dwarves.

##### Release notes for 53.10:

This patch fixes a freeze and a display error in some creature lists.  We also added the final aquatic portraits.

**General updates**
    - Stopped game from freezing during some item storage checks related to burrows.

**Graphics updates**
    - Added 28 aquatic portraits to finish the set.
    - Made dwarves clothed again in certain lists.
    - Stopped last portrait being shown on small animal sheets if the animal has no portrait.
    - Made female peachick visible again.

### Portrait Update + other fixes 🐶 Dwarf Fortress Patch 53.09

- Date: 2026-01-07
- Original notes: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/975370/view/520860962365900794
- Permalink: https://whatsnew.fyi/product/dwarf-fortress/releases/steam-520860962365900794

We heard your feedback about the portraits and updated a bunch of them that were feeling inconsistent with the tone of the game.  I'm still getting a hang of making art direction decisions and wasn't as careful as I should have been.  So Guido/Neoriceisgood and I talked more about the portrait art and I gave him more time to rework them.

Although we always welcome feedback, it was disappointing to see disrespectful and disparaging comments directed to Guido/Neoriceisgood who was simply working within the confines of his role.  And so I ask that folks be more kind to the dev team in future feedback.  I also want to clarify that we do not use generative AI for Dwarf Fortress in any step of development.  We make things that make things but we make them by hand.

##### Release notes for 53.09:

Here's a patch with lots of routine fixes.  Lots of new portraits and some updated portraits.  Small experimental beasts now have their own colorful graphics to match the forgotten beasts.  Find details below:

**Graphics updates**

- New procedural graphics for small experiments.

- New animal portraits, and some new full body animal tiles.

- Can pop up basic small animal sheets to view portraits and read descriptions for small animals.

- Offering place, display furniture, and nest box show proper item materials when placed as buildings.

- Uses proper list icons for creatures when choosing animals in embark or adventure setup.

- Added further box highlighting for chosen/hero/ordinary selection in Classic.

- Added error log for unrecognized tile graphics rectangle tokens.

- Properly sized giant flying/gray squirrel list icons and corpses.

- Fixed upright weapon trap display error.

- Minimap properly updates on certain recenter commands.

**General updates**

- Stopped mood dwarves from choosing inaccessible workshops and causing path cancellation lag.

- Dwarves no longer try to store pile and tomb items which are located outside their burrows.

- Dwarves no longer try to store carried objects outside of their burrows.

- Stopped dwarves with no working grasps from trying to store owned objects and excess equipment.

- Made armor appear again on many non-sieging units where it was missing.

- Mothers seeking lost infants no longer respect burrows but do respect chains.

- Mothers no longer seek ghostly babies.

- If an egg hatches and the mother is assigned to a zone (e.g. pasture), the baby is now assigned to the zone.

- Soldiers given an order while hauling will now drop their hauled job items instead of taking them along on duty.

- Dwarves heading off to meetings will drop hauled items from cancelled jobs.

- Dwarves are more likely to handle their hauled drink-related items after drinking.

- Appropriate buildings now stop rain and snow.

- Added indication during assignment of specific military items whether the item is already assigned elsewhere.

- Animal traps can catch subterranean water creatures like cave lobsters again.

- Cave lobsters can be processed in the fishery and their shell can be used for shell crafts.

- Creatures that leave statue corpses now leave statues of themselves rather than of random creatures.

- Prophets and other religious people with prophetic belief systems will no longer include incorrect beliefs in their greetings.

- Stopped pedestals and display cases from being allowed to display themselves.

- Made mussels and oysters stop appearing on land when animals root around near oceans.

- Stopped a few illegal werebeast types from being created.

- Added visual button to back out of art element creation and deletion.

- Fixed conflicting hauling/hot keys keybindings.  You may have to restore defaults or update it yourself if you have custom bindings.

- Specified amount created in some job names.

- Fixed some item description grammar.

- Fixed broken child/baby strings in certain contexts like action reports.

- Cleaned up procedural creature text a bit.

- Fixed incorrect name for coral mater

_[Truncated at 4000 characters — full notes: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/975370/view/520860962365900794]_

### Hotfix: Patch 53.08

- Date: 2025-12-19
- Original notes: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/975370/view/520859243419534469
- Permalink: https://whatsnew.fyi/product/dwarf-fortress/releases/steam-520859243419534469

Here's a little patch to clean up some issues that sprang up (broken deconstruction speeds, broken work detail scrollbar.)

I've also tried to adjust the new material-based dwarf dig speeds to be faster overall - there had to be give somewhere, so legendary miners now aren't as relatively speedy (they are still twice as fast as a novice.)  Native metals were also taking way too long to mine.  And the lack of drinks effect was coming on a little too strong too early in mining in a noticeable way.

**General updates**

-  	Reduced erroneously long deconstruction speeds.

-  	Fixed broken scrollbar for work detail labor list.

-  	Changed relationship between mining speed, mining skill, and materials.

-  	Fixed broken mining speeds for native metals.

-  	Moderated lack of drink effect on work speed.

### Dwarf Fortress Patch 53.07  🏹 What’s next for Sieges? + New animal portraits

- Date: 2025-12-18
- Original notes: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/975370/view/520859243419533943
- Permalink: https://whatsnew.fyi/product/dwarf-fortress/releases/steam-520859243419533943

Hey Urists,

This is our last Dwarf Fortress update for the year and we have patch 53.07, a list of the upcoming major features and a winter Tarn Time video.

##### Release notes for 53.07:

 Here's another patch for the Siege Update.  Dwarves will now have happy thoughts to bolster them after sieges, while invader movement has been made a bit more dynamic.  There are lots of new animal portraits.  Hundreds of them!  And the lua has been brought in line with our full set of procedural creature graphics, so forgotten beasts in new worlds should look extra fancy now.  **Siege Updates**

- Added a positive thought for everybody in the fortress when a siege is defeated.

- Made siege leaders a bit more dynamic when cut off.

- Made fleeing invaders with special movement (flying, magma etc.) escape more cleanly.

- Added invasion creature cap and strength to the difficulty settings.

- Pick/wall material now impacts digging speed through natural materials (for invaders and the player).

- Hunters reserve only 25 bolts at embark now.

- Default archer uniforms at embark specifies weapon if civilization has only one type.

- Default archer uniforms at embark created for both leather and metal armor.

 **Graphics Updates**

- Added hundreds of new creature portraits, and added new full body graphics for a few natural creatures.

- Added some new graphical layers to forgotten beasts/demons/titans and enhanced other layers.

- Added some missing graphical layers and tweaks to forgotten beasts/demons/titans/experiments.

 **General Updates**

- Fixed a crash caused by kitchen input with no entries.

- Fixed a crash related to post-worldgen population growth.

- Stopped items thrown at visitors by tantruming dwarves from causing an escalation to lethal combat.

- Stopped drunk/tantrum brawlers from attacking small and vulnerable body parts like the throat.

- Throwing and pinching are no longer considered brawling-level moves.

- Added a chance for falling creatures and objects to bounce at each level of stairs or heavy branches, rather than falling all the way down.

- Added (economic) difficulty setting for fortress dig speed.  Currently the same on normal/hard.

- Tree/axe material impacts tree felling speed.

- Stopped certain children/animals from being born with negative sizes and/or random ages.

- Displayed correct age in years on sheets, respecting birthday.

- Displayed proper experimented-upon historical figure name in experiment description.

- Stopped fort vampires from attempting to disguise their kills with unique "Zero Kill" text on their kill list.

- Handled a few more issues with hospital patients and caretakers being frozen.

- Fixed grazer status only being displayed for grazers with long names.

- Brought mead value in line with other drinks.

- Properly respected complete ocean edge minimum settings of 1 and 2 during world generation.

- Added a mitigation for underground feature save corruption.

- Fixed some sort issues with lua for RNG stability.

##### What's Next for Sieges?

The list does not include the ongoing work on bugfixes and other quality of life improvements that occur simultaneously. We don’t have specific dates or timeframes to share but you can expect a lot of things from the list to arrive in 2026.  If you’d rather see the video version, skip down past the text!

Tarn writes: "Following the release of the Siege Update in November 2025, we're continuing on with a series of releases involving magic, armies, villains, site building, and maps.    The first Siege Update focused on invasion planning, overcoming fortress defenses, and defensive siege engines.  The second release will focus on magic, armies, and diplomacy.  We've revised the list below of possible changes, none of which are guaranteed, but which we are aiming for:

**Magic diverse enough to make sieges and siege defense more exciting**

     -Kidnapped humans and dwarves trained by demons as sorcerers
     -Deity-based powers and temple c

_[Truncated at 4000 characters — full notes: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/975370/view/520859243419533943]_

### Siege Fixes and New Song 🎶 Dwarf Fortress Patch 53.06

- Date: 2025-11-24
- Original notes: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/975370/view/592914307873769355
- Permalink: https://whatsnew.fyi/product/dwarf-fortress/releases/steam-592914307873769355

##### Release notes for 53.06:

Continuing to add improvements to the Siege Update.  Some sources of siege freezes/lag are gone, and the invaders should be a bit smarter with more active rams.  Some new graphics tweaks, and a new song, "Nabidas"!  The problem with inter-party fighting in adventure mode on ambush is fixed.

**Siege updates**

-  Fixed slowdown associated with invaders trying to break through certain floors from below.

-  Made builders always try to connect staircases even if the main siege path has changed.

-  Fixed issue causing siege path to sometimes reset if it required both miners and builders.

-  Fixed issue causing battering ram pathing spam.

-  Added some more pathing spam prevention to invader planning.

-  Made building invaders give up on stale irrelevant far away build jobs.

-  Improved siege composition to stop overemphasis on heavily armored unskilled invaders.

-  Fixed some exploration behavior that got invaders stuck in trees too often.

-  Made rams more active.

**Audio**

-  New song "Nabidas" plays in any context.

**Graphics**

-  Updated dwarf and human skin tones/eyes in full body pictures.

-  Blind cave ogre fingers and toes properly represented.

-  Updated snail people graphics.

-  Updated gem graphics.

-  Updated jeweler's workshop graphics.

-  Added palettes for leather and skins.

-  Creatures without corpse pictures show a skeleton or liquid blob.

-  Centered cave swallow and serpent person images and fixed serpent person corpse image.

**General updates**

-  Stopped adventure mode party members from feeling instinctual need to hunt and kill other party members when ambushed by wild animals.

-  Stopped glob spitting procedural creatures from spitting unknown material rather than poison.

-  Fixed issue that could cause adventure mode bandit harassment from ending prematurely.

-  Added more medical job exemptions to mount-being-controlled-by-rider rule.

-  Stopped ghosts that return from the dead twice from reporting an improper location as the site of the return.

You can listen to the new song, "Nabidas" by Dabu and Simon Swerwer here or on (https://open.spotify.com/album/6c8ZmmTazDdIyWYZwrUvT3), [Apple Music](https://music.apple.com/ca/album/nabidas/1855356050?i=1855356051) and (https://dabuaudio.bandcamp.com/track/nabidas):

### Hotfix: Patch 53.05

- Date: 2025-11-18
- Original notes: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/975370/view/618809615192163424
- Permalink: https://whatsnew.fyi/product/dwarf-fortress/releases/steam-618809615192163424

**Release notes for 53.05:
**
General updates

-  Fixed crash with animal domestication status sorting.

-  Fixed happiness sorting.

### Scary Ogres, Siege Fixes + Fangamer Update 🗡 Dwarf Fortress Patch 53.04

- Date: 2025-11-17
- Original notes: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/975370/view/618809615192162966
- Permalink: https://whatsnew.fyi/product/dwarf-fortress/releases/steam-618809615192162966

Hey Urists,

Here's a bigger patch for siege mode and a handful of general fixes. We've also had two hotfixes go live for immediate siege mode fixes, which you can read about here for patch [53.02](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/975370/view/751664371579487577) and [53.03.](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/975370/view/604172030929012295)

We've also got some news about a Fangamer sale and the highly requested restock of the pint glasses.

##### Release notes for 53.04:

Continuing to improve the Siege Update.  You can now view and set the status of your siege engines from a centralized tab.  Lots of improvement for invader AI, and ogres look properly scary now.  There are also some general improvements to item pictures, as well as various stability fixes.

**Siege updates**

-      Randomized attack times throughout a given season.

-      Added siege engines to Places.

-      Fixed some issues with invader building targeting.

-      Fixed issue causing humans and elves to sometimes be unable to send serious attacks.

-      Fixed an issue causing more brazen thieves to not have their support groups.

-      Fixed issue stopping beasts from exploring the map.

-      Stopped immediate fleeing of non-ranged support groups.

-      Made support groups want to leave soon after the group being supported is done or aborts.

-      Ogres and blind cave ogres have new graphics, including respect of blocks and great picks.

-      Fixed error making certain creatures like ogres appear with incorrect ages.

-      Fixed issue causing catapult/ballista firing job not to cancel when requested.

-      Fixed catapult and ballista hover instructions.

**General updates**

-      Updated various item graphics.

-      Fixed occasional crash in the justice screen.

-      Fixed justice menu in Classic Mode.

-      Fixed potential crash from constructed walls without materials.

-      Fixed potential load crash from corrupt strings.

-      Fixed issue causing necromancers to always have summons.

-      Fixed lua type issue with world gen seeds.

-      Fixed issue with kitchen ingredient hash.

-      Made multithreading option save after choice during popup.

-      Fixed issue with identity selection of infiltrators versus buildings available for visitors.

-      Some additional stability changes.

_Scarier Ogre portrait_

##### Fangamer Sale and Pint Glass Update

A few items from the [Fangamer Dwarf Fortress collection are up to 50%](https://www.fangamer.com/collections/dwarf-fortress) and available now in the Fangamer Year-End Sale.

We've also had requests make the pint glass available again and we're working with Fangamer to bring them back to the store soon. [You can request to get notified when it's back in stock on the store page.](https://www.fangamer.com/collections/dwarf-fortress/products/dwarf-fortress-pint-glass)

-Alexandra

### Hotfix: Patch 53.03

- Date: 2025-11-10
- Original notes: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/975370/view/604172030929012295
- Permalink: https://whatsnew.fyi/product/dwarf-fortress/releases/steam-604172030929012295

**Release notes for 53.03:**

Here are some more fixes for the Siege Update.

- Fixed crash when loading certain historical figures from the disk.

- Fixed an occasional crash when doing multi-stage construction.

- Fixed issue where battering ram operators could get stuck in ground when the ram turns.

- Stopped brewing jobs from searching for improper items.

- Stopped babies born in fort from worshipping extra deities.

### Hotfix: Patch 53.02

- Date: 2025-11-04
- Original notes: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/975370/view/751664371579487577
- Permalink: https://whatsnew.fyi/product/dwarf-fortress/releases/steam-751664371579487577

##### Release notes for 53.02:

Here's some cleanup for the Siege Update to fix a few issues.

**General updates
**

-      Hospital patients and babies don't shut off the brains of people carrying them, again.

-      Made siege engine operators leave their engines when not commanded to be there.

-      Added practice fire mode for siege engines.

-      Fixed a crash if world population is uncapped.

-      Corrected minor issues with siege engine target selection and skill use.

-      Stopped wagon goods from creating incorrect transparent pixels in wagon.

-      Fixed typo with some plurals.

### The Siege Update is Out Now! 🏹

- Date: 2025-11-03
- Original notes: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/975370/view/530987265859522075
- Permalink: https://whatsnew.fyi/product/dwarf-fortress/releases/steam-530987265859522075

Attention Urists!

The Siege Update is available now! This update completely revamps the way enemies invade your fort, empowering them to dig, build bridges, and overcome old standby defences like water or lava. Invaders will be smarter and have new weapons, but dwarves will also have new defensive tools as well. And to celebrate, the game is currently **20% off** until November 10th!

##### Release notes for 53.01:

This is the Siege Update. Invaders should cause some more trouble now. Aside from a few minor things mentioned below, you don't have to create a new fort or world for this update.

We've done about half of the possible changes we were contemplating on the roadmap and we will certainly be doing some more, especially the magical stuff, as work continues.  This update is a nice self-contained improvement for regular siege behavior, so we're posting it without further delay.

**Siege update - Attack**

-  Invaders can build stairs and floors.

-  Invaders can break down constructions and many blocking buildings

-  Invaders can bring battering rams to bash through constructions and buildings.

-  Invaders can dig through natural walls (including trolls with great picks in new worlds.)

-  Invaders can be lead by historical military-related position holders.

-  Invaders track where deaths and trap incidents have occurred and eventually plan to avoid them.

-  Invader army composition is more varied, and invaders have different behavior roles.

-  Invader can be more skilled and have better equipment.

-  Invaders can free their caged companions.

-  Goblins use more of the underground creatures (in new worlds.)

-  Flying invaders and invaders with flying mounts behavior improved.

-  Invaders enter over a wider edge width.

-  Difficulty settings allow you to change invader behavior and add restrictions.

**Siege update - Defence**

-  New bolt thrower siege engine.  These fire regular bolts and can be freely rotated to any direction if an operator can stand behind it.

-  Catapult and ballista siege engines are placed with fixed firing arcs but can target in the full arc rather than firing only in cardinal directions, and they can fire vertically somewhat.

-  Boulders thrown by catapults explode on impact, ejecting sharp rock shards.

-  Reinforced walls can be made with two building material and one metal per tile.  These are much more resistant to damage.

-  Materials of constructions and buildings matter more for damage amount.

-  Siege operators aren't as quick to abandon their positions.

-  Added siege operator default work detail (in new forts.)

-  Made fortress patrollers more careful to hit the nodes of their routes exactly.

-  War dogs should stay with their masters when their masters have squad orders.

**Audio updates**

-  New song Danger Room!  Plays in the lively tavern.

**General updates**

-  Made carrying of the wounded more reliable.

-  Fix for non-square worlds.

-  Fix for archery training so they use unquivered ammo stacks properly.

-  Fixed issue with cavern critters sometimes failing to enter the map.

-  Fixed issue causing wilderness populations to slowly drain.

-  Fixed necromancer experimentation.

-  Fixed a typo in post world generation settlement placement.

-  Major optimization for pond filling.

-  Some general optimization and memory safety cleanup.

-  Fixed some plural names.

[Watch the Out Now trailer](https://youtu.be/67qFzcLv8lQ) that shows off the update features:

##### Some FAQs:

Q: Will other factions be effected by the changes?

A: The humans have little pack mules and can build stuff using the blocks they carry. They can also mine with regular picks, so they are slower than trolls but they can do it. And they have battering rams.

Q: Can I use old saves with this update?

A: Old saves should still work with the update, except for great picks and the new mounts which use the new behaviours. If you load an old save, trolls will come with small picks instead of g

_[Truncated at 4000 characters — full notes: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/975370/view/530987265859522075]_

### Siege Update Release Date 🏹

- Date: 2025-10-16
- Original notes: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/975370/view/536616130148565319
- Permalink: https://whatsnew.fyi/product/dwarf-fortress/releases/steam-536616130148565319

Hey Urists!

It’s Alexandra here with exciting news about Siege update. You won’t have to wait very long because it will be releasing onto the main branch November 3rd! Watch the release date trailer showcasing some of the new features coming:

##### What’s Coming in the Siege Update?

**New enemy weapons:** Battering rams, trolls can now carry giant pickaxes and blocks for building

**New enemy behaviours:** Enemy behaviour is now classified into different roles (charge, hang back, ambush) and can path around dangerous areas. Engineers can build floors and stairs. Enemies can break through fortifications and raised bridges. They can also dig underground through natural walls. Goblins also bring more kinds of mounts and their demonic leader

**New weapon:** Bolt thrower. This is a siege engine with a fixed location but can be turned freely in any direction.  It fires faster than a crossbow and the ammo bin can hold 100 bolts.  Siege operator skill matters but unskilled operators can use it more effectively than they use hand-held weapons.

**Reworked weapons:** Ballistas and catapults are more effective

**Changes to traps:** Goblins can rescue caged allies. Water and magma traps will not be as effective as before, so you’ll have to try a variety of defensive tools instead of relying just on one, to properly protect your forts.

Expect detailed patch notes with all the changes and features for the siege update on launch day. Old saves should still work with the update, except for great picks and the new mounts which use the new behaviours. If you load an old save, trolls will come with small picks instead of great picks.

If you want a more peaceful experience, you can turn off digging, deconstructing, and building separately, and also toggle the speeds. Or you can turn them off entirely.

##### New Splash Art

We also have new splash art for the update from Kitfox artist Thea Kent, who also made the art for Fortress and Adventure Mode. Can you name all the enemies shown here that you might have to defend against?

##### What’s Next?

After this Siege update is out, of course there will inevitably be important bugs to fix. And then after that, Tarn hopes to start looking into more magical content and features, such as warlords and demon-trained sorcerers that could make sieges on your fort even more dangerous and varied. But as you probably have heard us say before, the fundamentals of magic itself are a fairly large and complicated segment of the world generation to contend with, so we’re glad Tarn’s able to make sieges more fun (and fully-functional!) in the meantime.

-Alexandra

### Siege Gameplay, Crash fixes, Mod jam and Merch ⚔ Dwarf Fortress Update 52.05

- Date: 2025-10-01
- Original notes: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/975370/view/528732929177683220
- Permalink: https://whatsnew.fyi/product/dwarf-fortress/releases/steam-528732929177683220

Hey Urists,

It’s Alexandra here and we’ve got a packed update this week with patch 52.05, siege update footage, merch announcements and an exciting community event. The team is busily finishing the last few features before the siege update is ready to go live.

Patch 52.05 brings a bunch of crashing and stability fixes.

##### Release notes for 52.05

**General updates**

-  Fixed crash caused by interrogating certain suspects under certain circumstances in world generation.

-  Fixed crash in legends caused by missing works of art.

-  Fixed potential out of bounds crash setting appearance contributions from parents in world generation.

-  Fixed pathing issues caused by building construction on certain maps.

-  Fixed some other issues related to map block allocation and path connectivity.

-  Made training marksdwarves use the last bolt in a stack.

-  Allowed work orders to specific plants for milling jobs.

-  Stopped dyed items from triggering inappropriate export prohibitions.

-  Specifying wood in certain work quotas will now actually use the specified wood.

-  Stopped meandering behavior for animals that are trained for war or hunting.

-  Again allowed impaled weapons to be dropped by the wielder, leaving the item behind.

-  Fixed a problem causing minerals to not show up in some mods.

-  Fixed issues with blinding and necrosis item powers in scripts.

-  Increased world generation stability.

-  Fixed problem with material initialization causing unpredictable problems.

##### Siege Update Preview

The siege update is coming “soon” and we have a short video showing off some of the new features in action. You can see the new sprites with trolls wearing equipment, showing a enemy siege formation. There’s also a defensive formation with crossbow turrets firing at an incoming charge up a hill. This is just a small sample of all the things you’ll be able to do when the siege update goes live. We still have a few surprises to reveal! [Watch the siege update preview here](https://youtu.be/pUTKMzx4_Z0):

We will be sharing the release date ahead time so you’ll be able to prepare your forts (and your dwarves) for completely new threats.

##### Adventure Mode Vinyl and 20th Anniversary Collector’s Edition

You can now [pre-order the Adventure Mode vinyl from GameMusicRecords.com.](https://gamemusicrecords.com/product/dwarf-fortress-adventure-mode-soundtrack-vinyl/) It’s a breathtaking set that includes two LPS with original artwork by by Tomáš Duchek and Kitfox artist Thea Kent. It also includes the bonus track Danger Room which we previewed in the last update. The vinyls are set to ship Q1 2026.

Dwarf Fortress turns 20 next year and Serenity Forge has been working on a Collector’s Edition to commemorate the occasion. Included in this set is the game in a beautiful collectors box, a cloth map of a special DF Anniversary world you’ll be able to visit, a gorlak plushie, bottle opener, lenticular card and a special collection of Zach’s crayon drawings and community fort stories.

[You can pre-order the 20th anniversary set here. ](https://store.serenityforge.com/products/dwarf-fortress-20th-anniversary-archival-collectors-edition)

##### The 1st Official Dwarf Fortress Mod Jam

We’ve teamed up with DPh Kraken, Squamous and dikbutdagrate, some of the best modding experts in the DF community to start **the first official Dwarf Fortress mod jam**.

Inspired by the Caves of Qud mod jam and Titan fest, this three day jam is designed to be a beginner friendly way to try out modding in DF. Experienced modders are challenged to embrace the theme and experiment with lua. The jam will start on October 20-23rd with a showcase stream celebrating the entries on October 29th. Because it is so close to Halloween, the theme of the jam will be “Creatures of the Night” so we encourage mods with flavourful and fearsome monsters that suit the world of Dwarf Fortress. To register for the jam and more information please [go to the jam page on it

_[Truncated at 4000 characters — full notes: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/975370/view/528732929177683220]_

### Army fix ⚔ Dwarf Fortress Update 52.04

- Date: 2025-08-28
- Original notes: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/975370/view/547870690696495555
- Permalink: https://whatsnew.fyi/product/dwarf-fortress/releases/steam-547870690696495555

Hey Urists,

It's Alexandra here with patch 52.04 to fix issues with armies/squads travelling. We're sorry this was such a pain to deal with in-game, it was a nasty bug. There's also some other fixes in there. The team's focus for September is continuing with the siege update. We will have more news and details to share soon.

##### New Single Release

(https://www.dabuaudio.com/) and [Simon Swerwer](https://www.simonswerwer.com/) just released the new single, a remastered and reimagined rendition of "Danger Room" using the original recordings. The cover art is also by Dwarf Fortress pixel artist Carolyn. This track will also be making its way into the game soon. Give it a listen:

##### Release notes for 52.04:

**General updates**

-      Fixed issue with squads/armies breaking into groups and not rejoining.

-      Mod upload doesn't clobber info.txt.

-      Fixes a crash when choosing clothing sizes in workshop.

-      Fixed out-of-bounds error in army processing.

-      Fixed out-of-bounds error in transformed units.

-      Fixed armies deleting items improperly.

-      Fixes a potential crash in wrestling.

-      Fixed issue with plant processing job specifiers being ignored.

-      Mill job plant can be specified.

-      Makes the "placing lakes and minerals" stage of worldgen significantly faster.

-      Moods using bars try to use metal now.

-      Animal people no longer inherit meandering from their base creature.

See you in the next one,

Alexandra

### Dyes, Lua fixes and more! Dwarf Fortress Update 52.03

- Date: 2025-08-07
- Original notes: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/975370/view/547868787733430571
- Permalink: https://whatsnew.fyi/product/dwarf-fortress/releases/steam-547868787733430571

Hey Urists,

It’s Alexandra here with update 52.03 which brings new colour and options for dying and some general fixes and improvements. From Tarn:

Here is a release to continue to stabilize the lua update.  There are several regular fixes as well, listed below in the patch notes.

Also, we have some dye improvements for you!  You can now mix dyes to produce a variety of colors, and you can tint with dyes to mix the natural color of the material and the color of the dye during the dyeing process.  If you make a new world, you'll also have access to some additional outdoor plant dyes.  Leather can now be dyed, and there are some new stockpile controls to help you manage all of the new stuff.

If you want to see your dwarves in their new outfits after you've made some shiny clothes, there's the existing preference setting to show their dyed outfits rather than coloring them by profession.

Release notes for 52.03:

**Dye improvements**

-      Added dye mixing.

-      Added dyeing of leather.

-      Added partial dyeing of items (tinting).

-      Added 60+ new outdoor plant dyes (in new worlds).

-      Leather, cloth, armor, and finished goods stockpiles can now filter by color and dye status.

-      Plant processing and extraction jobs can have a specific plant set.

-      Added natural colors to undyed cloth, thread, and leather descriptions.

-      Added dye color to dye descriptions.

**Modding and lua updates**

-      Mods in mod_upload are now sorted (first by ID, then name, then numeric version, then description).

-      The "delete" buttons for saves have been replaced with a "Files" button, which, when clicked, gives the previous menu (with a warning that "Delete" is permanent and instant) with an extra button that opens the saves folder (Windows).

-      You may click on mods in the various mod lists to open their folder (Windows).

-      Added logging for missing PERMITTED_REACTION and PERMITTED_BUILDING objects.

-      Reactions associated to entities that use plant reagents will check that the entity has those plants when making powder list (reaction products are not checked.)

-      Changed how duplicate object message boxes work.

-      Possible improvement to Linux message boxes.

-      Added DYER to list of hard-coded buildings permitted for reactions.

-      Nightmares no longer have bogeyman polymorph.

-      Fixed angel sphere descriptions.

-      Fixed attack tweaks and webs on forgotten beasts.

-      Fixed necromancer animation missing IT_MANUAL_INPUT.

General updates

-      Fixed issue with not all save files being copied to the folder.

-      Archers will no longer infinitely flick each frame between archery training and going to some other training if they have no ammo.

-      Fixed problem causing some armies to become stuck.

-      Announcement settings save properly again.

-      Prevented some potential crashes on startup.

-      Removes dead/ghostly/caged/sleeping/paralyzed units from the noble queue.

-      Makes nobles drop their haul items when they go to a meeting.

-      Noble meetings auto-rebuff if meeting data is lost.

-      Improved/optimized memory management for armies/army controllers.

-      Optimized a particularly slow army loop.

-      Fixed crash associated to transformed creatures with fewer body parts than their untransformed body.

-      Fixed the "view sheet" hotkey for items/units.

-      Fixed placement of titan shrines.

-      Made work orders reset their suggested conditions properly when details are changed.

-      Added some crash guards and logs for corrupted units/nemesis records.

-      Made default embark cloth items dyeable.

-      Updated historical nicknames in more places so that legends mode has them.

-      Adds a fix for scrolling on laptop trackpads etc.

-      Fixed typo in nemesis corruption message.

It’s also the start of the Kitfox Festival which means that Dwarf Fortress and the entire Kitfox catalogue is on sale

_[Truncated at 4000 characters — full notes: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/975370/view/547868787733430571]_

### Hotfix: Patch 52.02

- Date: 2025-07-24
- Original notes: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/975370/view/547867519580373169
- Permalink: https://whatsnew.fyi/product/dwarf-fortress/releases/steam-547867519580373169

**Release Notes for 52.02:**

-      Fixed hang on Linux when updating an installed mod the first time.

-      Removed the temporary geology variables placement layer/freq/parent from lua to prevent crashes.

-      Fixed crash when opening the mod menu after deleting the %appdata% folder.

-     Fixed a logic issue where any duplicated raws detected will cause further types of duplicated raws to no longer print.

-      Init files are loaded from the game folder first so that updates always apply properly.

-      The game now checks for prefs/arena.txt and prefs/colors.txt.

-      Added more cases of auto-toggling portable mode if something fails to save.

### More powerful modding is here 👾 Dwarf Fortress Update 52.01

- Date: 2025-07-21
- Original notes: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/975370/view/547867141501617961
- Permalink: https://whatsnew.fyi/product/dwarf-fortress/releases/steam-547867141501617961

Hey Urists,

Modders rejoice, the Lua update is now available! Putnam has been steadily making improvements and it’s been running smoothly enough that we’re ready to put it on the main branch. This is an essential update that will pave the way for more advanced systems like procedural magic. It also gives the community the chance to dig deeper into the code and make even cooler mods. Thanks to everyone who helped us on the beta branch and if you run into any issues, please report them on [the bug tracker. ](https://dwarffortressbugtracker.com)

Want to make Dwarf Fortress mods with Lua but don’t know where to start? We collaborated with DPh Kraken to make two video tutorials. The first video will teach you how to create a Dwarf Fortress mod that uses the Lua procedural generation API:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMxgsUogIIk

The second is focused on creating a custom creature:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEBTWMlUQzA

And if you’d prefer to use a text guide, DPh Kraken has also written an entry on the Dwarf Fortress wiki about lua modding. You can [read that here.](https://dwarffortresswiki.org/index.php/Lua_scripting) You can also share and discuss your mods in the [Kitfox Discord](https://discord.gg/snsSERHEp8) in modding-technical or modding-discussion! We’d love to see what kind of new creations you make with lua.

##### Tarn Time Summer 2025

In case you missed it, there’s also a new Tarn Time seasonal update video covering the updates from June:

That's all for now, see you in the next one.

-Alexandra

### Hotfix: Patch 51.13

- Date: 2025-06-26
- Original notes: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/975370/view/547864982714319413
- Permalink: https://whatsnew.fyi/product/dwarf-fortress/releases/steam-547864982714319413

Release notes for 51.13

**General updates**

-      Fixed a timing error introduced by ammo loading that caused many actions to be performed in slow motion, leading to all of the dwarves dying over a long period as drinking could not catch up with thirst.

-      Adventurer can wait when under attack while nocking or loading.

### Ranged Weapon Fix and Forgotten Beasts 🏹Dwarf Fortress Update 51.12

- Date: 2025-06-26
- Original notes: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/975370/view/547864982714319313
- Permalink: https://whatsnew.fyi/product/dwarf-fortress/releases/steam-547864982714319313

Hello!  Here's a new update, focusing on ranged weapons and colorful beasts.

We've reworked ranged weapons and archer behavior in preparation for the siege update.

Ranged weapons can now be nocked/loaded, which takes the bulk of the time, and this can be done before firing ('n' in adventure mode.)  This allows archers to be a bit safer, since they won't be paralyzed for a long while after firing a shot.  The firing force of bows is affected by strength and skill up to a point, whereas crossbows are slower to load but don't require skill and attributes to get their full force.  Crossbows are also easier to aim.  Loading speeds of all weapons can be improved with skill.

Ranged projectiles (shot or thrown) can be aimed at specific body parts.  It's now also harder to hit targets that are farther away.  Adventurers, fortress defenders, and enemies all have access to aiming.

In the fortress, your defenders will try to use nearby fortifications, stay away from the enemy, and not use their crossbows as clubs unless very desperate.  Enemy archers will also use fortifications if they can get close.  Fortress archers will try to reload from the squad ammo pool rather than engage in melee combat.

We've also brought back the ammo and supply management menus and worked out some old issues with them so they should function more smoothly.

The squad's ammo reserves can be set by selecting a single squad, going to their equipment, and selecting the ammo button.  Multiple ammo pools can be set by material, amount, and whether they are used for combat or training (or both.)  This allows you to eventually separate out metal bolts for combat and wood/bone bolts for training if you choose.  Squads can store ammo in chests in a barracks if the barracks is set to hold that squad's equipment to give you some control over where squad bolts end up.  Hunters also have an ammo pool you can set under Labor / Standing Orders / Other.

_Here's a gif with some archers firing back and forth and making use of fortifications._

You can also set a squad's food and drink settings from Equip / Supplies.  This allows you to set how many rations are carried in their backpack and whether their flask gets alcohol, water, or nothing.

Forgotten beast and titan graphics have been updated.  In new worlds, they will now be generated with colors and multiple decorations.

Also, dwarves that die will lose their room assignments properly and a few crashes and other issues have been fixed.

Have fun!

Tarn

##### Patch Notes for 51.12

**Ranged weapon update**

-      Stopped ranged soldiers from aggressively entering melee combat when out of ammo.

-      Made ranged units step away from close enemies and try to use any nearby fortifications.

-      Ranged attackers can aim at specific body parts.

-      Added loading and nocking states and actions for ranged weapons.

-      Made firing take much less time than loading.

-      Differentiated shooting and post-shot recovery times.

-      Added weapon-specific attribute and skill effects for aiming and delays.

-      Can set ammunition, food, and drink assignments for squads.

-      Fixed various issues with extra ammo being kept in quivers and ammo not being picked up.

**New graphics**

-      Added colorful forgotten beasts and titans.

**General updates**

-      Dwarves that meet with misfortune lose their room assignments properly.

-      Changed how item deletion works to fix some army crashes.

-      Stopped crash from unspecified inorganic dusts.

-      Stopped keyboard cursor from skipping large distances when scroll distance is larger than 1.

-      Made modded night trolls appear even when no night trolls are generated.

-      Made NO_PHYS_ATT_GAIN/RUST add/remove syndromes work properly.

-      Stopped requiring music and sound definitions to load saves (makes classic saves compatible again).

### Dwarf Fortress Update 51.11: Quality of Ice Updates

- Date: 2025-04-21
- Original notes: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/975370/view/547858640693887535
- Permalink: https://whatsnew.fyi/product/dwarf-fortress/releases/steam-547858640693887535

Hey everyone!

Alexandra here with a bit of community news and patch 51.11. In the patch, we fixed some lost information when people leave and when they arrive. We also turned off the broken underground invasions until we fix them with the siege update and a bunch of ice related bugs that have been around for years. There’s also some new graphics going in for divine/artifact weapon tiles and the leather/metal caps in the portraits which you can see here:

##### Happy Birthday Tarn!

We wanted to wish Tarn a belated Happy Birthday, which was on April 17th. We got together at Kitfox and made a card for him with our artistic interpretation of “Toady One” in honour of the day. You also might have noticed the preview of animal people clothing in portraits! The art is now done but it’s going to take a while to get every single portrait into the game. We are pretty busy with siege-related stuff right now but you’ll see the new art in a future update.

##### 1,000,000 Copies Sold!

And more good news: Last week we officially surpassed 1 million copies sold on Steam. This number represents countless dwarves, trials and tribulations from your generated worlds. Dwarf Fortress wouldn’t be the game it is today without the stories you bring to life in these worlds. So thank you from the entire team for supporting us throughout the years. If you haven’t already, consider sharing your story in a Steam review.

##### Dwarf Fortress Documentary

Over the past three years, the video game documentarians at NoClip have been working on a Dwarf Fortress series. It covers everything from Tarn and Zach’s early days all the way to post-Adventure Mode launch on Steam. We think they did a great job of sharing such an incredible dev story. All four parts of the documentary are now available on Youtube:

##### Patch Notes for 51.11

Fortress Mode

-  People that leave the map no longer lose their room ownership associations

-  Stopped immigrants from losing their religions and some other affiliations

-  Added settings to customize keyboard scroll amounts

-  Turned off underground humanoid invasions until they are fixed

-  Add grazer text to creatures in unit selectors

-  Setting somebody to a work detail now properly disables others not in the detail

-  Removed ramp spaces above non-ramp constructions if the constructions are placed on ramps

New Graphics

-  Differentiated metal caps from wood/bone/leather/shell/woven caps in portraits

-  Images for weapon items that are artifacts / special materials

General updates

-  Stopped certain interaction of ice and constructions from creating void tiles

-  Made cave-ins happen more reliably with constructions vs frozen liquids

-  Stopped frozen squares revealed under removed constructions from lingering

-  Shrubs covered with frozen water no longer lose their species when they unthaw

See you in the next patch,

- Alexandra