SteamWorld build items will make you demand more ways to strengthen your units and buildings. There are a few that will help you collect more resources if you don’t get them right away. Here’s our guide on how to trade and buy items in SteamWorld Build.
How to trade and buy items in SteamWorld Build
You can trade and buy items in the SteamWorld Build after you have renovated the Train Station. This requires you to have 120 workers and 4 boards (ie you must have a forester and a lumber mill to produce this material). Once you’re done, you’ll notice that the train arrives every five minutes. Click on the train station to see more features.
Additionally, you can also search for treasure chests in the mines. They contain random items, including blueprints for unlockable infrastructure.
How to initiate an item trade
You can trade for items in SteamWorld Build by selecting a train station and clicking on the plus sign (+) in the Current Trades tab. You can have up to five active trades at any given time. However, the trade will only take place after the next train arrives (ie not instantly).
Generally speaking, it is not recommended to trade goods with money, as the money you earn is often required for almost every construction project. The items are also quite expensive due to the ratio (ie 1000 money for one charge).
So we offer a “barter” instead, where you exchange one type of item for another material. Naturally, the exchange rate varies depending on the selected goods. For example, to get one board, you can exchange 25 sand, five scrap or two irony. You’ll also get a better trade-off if the item is rarer, like two boards for one Robo Burger.
![It is better to exchange an item that you have excess than to spend cash.](https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/original/1816/18167535/4223700-steamworld-build-items-trading-guide-2b.jpg)
List of SteamWorld Build items
You can purchase Steamworld Build items through the train station item shop. The selection is updated every five minutes, essentially every time a train arrives. Also note that they cost money and rubies.
- Resource: Gold – get a certain amount of gold.
- Resource: Rubies – Get a certain amount of Rubies.
- Warehouse goods: Deliveries from the warehouse – +1 simultaneous delivery.
- Service Item: Service Income – Increases the service tax bonus by 75-150%.
- Service Item: Service Residents – Gains +5 citizen bonus.
- Production Item: Production Chance – Increases item production bonus by 25%; the best options also increase production speed by 80%.
- Production Item: Production Speed - Increases the production speed of the item.
- Miner Equipment: Gold Mining – Miners periodically find gold.
- Miner Equipment: Digging Bonus – Increases miners’ speed.
- Miner Equipment: Garbage Bonus – Receives a bonus when clearing garbage.
- Miner Equipment: Bonus Miners – Automatically recruits three miners.
- Prospector Equipment: Finding Tools – Prospectors periodically find tools.
- Miner Gear: Miner Speed - Increases Miner movement speed.
- Prospector Equipment: Bonus Prospectors – Automatically gains three prospectors.
- Mechanical Equipment: Sheet Metal Cleaning – Mechanics periodically find sheet metal.
- Mechanical Equipment: Machine Repair Bonus – Mechanics receive a machine repair bonus.
- Mechanical Equipment: Bonus Mechanics – Automatically gains three mechanics.
- Guard Equipment: Flamethrower – Guards burn creeps.
- Guard Equipment: Shovel and Shield – Guards periodically taunt enemies.
- Guard Equipment: Revolver – Guards can deal decent ranged damage.
- Guard Equipment: Rifle – Guards can deal more damage at range.
- Guard Equipment: Bonus Guards – Automatically gains three guards.
![You will find more items every time the train arrives in town.](https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/original/1816/18167535/4223701-steamworld-build-items-trading-guide-3.jpg)
How to equip items
You can equip items in SteamWorld Build by selecting a specific building (such as Service, Manufacturing, Warehouse, Housing, or Quarters) and clicking the Edit button. This allows you to select a specific item that grants a buff.
Likewise, pay attention to the category so that you know which items are suitable for certain buildings. For example, you can only give a Production Chance item to a production-type building (such as a moonshine factory, lumber mill, etc.). As for the equipment type items, they can only be selected for certain quarters (eg the digging bonus for the miner’s quarter).
![Click on a specific building to see the types of item enhancements that apply to it.](https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/original/1816/18167535/4223702-steamworld-build-items-trading-guide-4b.jpg)
Anyway, that does it for our guide on how to trade and buy items in SteamWorld Build. If you’re just getting started, you can check out our citizen satisfaction/needs management and Workshop extractor manual. We also discuss other topics related to further progress in the mines, e.g access to doors and shaftsalso how find old technical rocket parts.
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