📖 Limestone Woes? Shipwrecked Survival Hacks (That Actually Work)
Limestone in Don't Starve: Shipwrecked
Acquisition & Survival Guide – Everything you need to know about this crucial resource
Guide Contents
Don't Starve: Shipwrecked introduces Limestone, a crucial refined resource made from coral, used in everything from storm-proof fire pits to hardy boats. This guide compiles all you need to know about obtaining Limestone, crafting dependencies, where to find coral, and leveraging Limestone in early, mid, and late-game strategies. We also highlight recent updates affecting Limestone's role and note useful community mods for veteran players.
Limestone Basics – How to Get It
What Limestone Is: Limestone is a Refined Item exclusive to Shipwrecked. It's crafted from Coral (3 Coral = 1 Limestone) and requires a Science Machine to prototype. You won't find Limestone lying around – you'll have to gather coral and refine it, or obtain Limestone by other means via coral reefs.
Wickerbottom mining Coral Reefs in Shipwrecked – coral is the raw material for Limestone. Each reef yields a few coral pieces when mined. Planning boat trips to coral biomes early will ensure you have enough Limestone for essential structures.
Where to Find Coral:
Coral comes from Coral Reefs, typically found in shallow ocean biomes often near starting islands or marked by turquoise waters. You can obtain coral through several methods:
Mine Coral Reefs
Use a Pickaxe while on a boat to mine reef formations. Each reef rock drops 2–4 Coral. The reef remains in place and will regrow coral after ~12 days (even faster during heavy rain) if left intact. This is your primary early-game source of coral.
Trawl for Coral
Craft a Trawl Net (requires Science Machine) and drag it behind your boat in coral-rich waters. Trawling often yields coral among other ocean loot. This can supplement mining, especially if you've located a coral biome.
Befriend Ballphins
You can hire Bottlenose Ballphins (dolphin-like mobs) by feeding them fish, and they will mine coral for you during the day. This efficient method saves pickaxe durability – a few friendly ballphins can clear a reef quickly, leaving coral for you to collect.
Destroy Reefs for Limestone
If you fully break a reef, you'll get Limestone directly. After mining a reef, use a Hammer on the remaining reef rock to smash it – this yields 1–3 Limestones plus a Coral Larva. The larva lets you replant a reef elsewhere, but remember this permanently destroys the original reef. This desperate measure can provide Limestone without a Science Machine, but it's usually better to preserve reefs for renewable coral.
Note: To refine Coral into Limestone in the Refine tab, you must prototype it at a Science Machine. (Wickerbottom can do this without a station due to her perk.) While the Chiminea (fireplace) itself needs no Science Machine to build, you'll still need one to prototype its ingredients like Limestone. Plan to gather Gold and make a Science Machine early.
Limestone Acquisition Methods – Summary:
✓ Tip: Coral Reefs regrow their coral over time if not destroyed – try to leave at least one piece of reef unhammered so it regenerates. You can revisit the same reef every couple of weeks for a sustainable coral supply (rainy seasons accelerate growth). Use reef destruction (hammering) only when you're prepared to replant reefs or urgently need Limestone.
Uses of Limestone – Crafting & Item Dependencies
Once you have Limestone, a variety of crafting options open up. Limestone is used in structures that counter Shipwrecked's unique threats (storms, flooding, sea traversal) and in crafting sturdy gear. The table below lists the main items/structures that require Limestone:
Buoyant Chiminea
Tar Extractor
Sea Lab
Dependencies: Most Limestone crafts require other resources that may need planning. For example, Sand (for Chiminea, Buoyant Chiminea, Sea Lab) is obtained by digging sand piles on beaches; Tar (for Sea Yard, Buoyant Chiminea) requires finding tar slicks and a Tar Extractor setup; Dorsal Fins for Ballphin Palaces mean hunting Ballphins. Be mindful of these when setting your goals.
✓ Pro Tip: Don't convert all your Coral into Limestone at once. Coral has its own direct uses: it's needed for Anti-Venom (2 Coral per dose) to cure poison, and for crafting Particulate Purifiers (gas mask) and Mussel Beds (mussel farming). Balance your refining – secure enough Limestone for survival structures, but keep some Coral in reserve.
Early-Game Strategies (Days 1–15): Setting Up for Success
In the early game, your primary objective with Limestone is to secure a Chiminea before the bad weather hits. The Mild season gives you a grace period to prepare, but Hurricane season (wind and rain) and Monsoon season (flooding) will arrive soon. Here's how to tackle Limestone acquisition early:
Locate Coral Reefs ASAP
As you explore your starting island(s), keep an eye out for shallow turquoise waters on your map. Plan a boat trip by Day 3–5 to find a coral biome. Even a basic Log Raft or Row Boat will do to start island-hopping. Bring a Pickaxe (and a spare) to mine coral. You need at least 6 Coral for 2 Limestone to make a Chiminea, so aim to find a reef with two or more coral rocks.
Prototype Essentials Early
Gather Gold and build a Science Machine as soon as possible on your main island. This allows you to prototype the Limestone recipe in the Refine tab. It also lets you make other early necessities (like a Shovel for sand digging, a Hammer, etc.). If you found coral, refine what you need into Limestone once the Science Machine is up. (Wickerbottom players can skip this step due to starting tech.)
Craft the Chiminea
Once you have 2 Limestone (plus 2 Sand and 2 Logs), build a Chiminea at your base. Position it centrally where you do your cooking and crafting. The Chiminea will not be extinguished by wind or floods, unlike normal fires. This means when the first storms of Hurricane Season arrive (~Day 16) your fire stays lit, and in Monsoon Season you won't be left in the dark on a flooded camp.
✓ Actionable tip: Also consider building a Palm Leaf Hut (4 Palm Leaves, 4 Bamboo, 3 Rope) next to the Chiminea. This inexpensive shelter, placed just adjacent, gives 100% rain protection when you stand under it. The combo of Chiminea + Palm Leaf Hut means during storms you can stay dry and warm by your fire, avoiding both wetness and darkness penalties.
Harvest Extra Coral
If your first reef had plenty of coral, grab extra (total ~8–10 coral) before sailing home. This can be used to refine a Limestone Suit later or at least to craft an Anti-Venom now (requires Seaweed and Venom Gland too). Poison can happen early (e.g. from spider warriors or snakes in jungles), so having Anti-Venom ready or a Seashell Suit for poison immunity is wise.
Avoid Premature Reef Destruction
It might be tempting if you're short on Limestone to smash a reef for quick Limestone pieces, but in early game this can hurt you long-term. Without a Coral Nubbin (unavailable until you have a Science Machine and more Limestone), that reef is gone for good. Generally, only destroy a reef early if it's absolutely your only way to get a Chiminea in time.
Early Game Checklist
By the end of Mild season (day ~10), you should ideally have:
- ◆ A Chiminea built and stocked with fuel
- ◆ A Science Machine (or Alchemy Engine) at base
- ◆ Some Limestone or coral stored for emergencies
- ◆ A poison protection plan (Anti-Venom brewed or Seashell Suit)
- ◆ A decent boat ready for the next seasons
Mid-Game Strategies (Days 16–50): Expanding and Optimizing
Mid-game in Shipwrecked is about solidifying your survival and exploring more of the world – including dangerous areas like deep sea and volcano. Limestone-related projects in this phase revolve around improving your seafaring capabilities and fortifying your base for the harsher seasons to come. Here's how to leverage Limestone in mid-game:
Upgrade Your Boat & Repairs
With resources flowing, it's time to consider a better boat. The Encrusted Boat (Armored Boat) should be on your list if you plan extensive sailing or boss hunting. Gather Logs to refine Boards and kill some spiders or jungle mobs for Rope. Crafting the Encrusted Boat (6 Boards, 3 Rope, 4 Limestone) at an Alchemy Engine will give you a nearly unsinkable vessel.
Pair this boat with a Sea Yard at your base or a strategic spot: the Sea Yard will auto-repair your boat even while you're off doing other tasks (as of the latest patch). Ensure you have Tar to fuel the Sea Yard. With an Encrusted Boat and a fueled Sea Yard, even the dreaded Quacken (ocean boss) is much easier to handle – you can literally park for repairs mid-fight.
Build Weather-Resistant Structures
Mid-game seasons include Monsoon (heavy flooding) and Dry Season (volcanic eruptions). Your Chiminea covers the fire in rain, but what about your base layout? Use Limestone to craft Sea Walls if your base is near the shore and getting hit by big waves in Hurricane Season.
Placing a line of Sea Walls out in the shallow water can break incoming waves so they don't douse your drying racks or fling your items inland. For Monsoon flooding, remember Limestone walls won't stop ground water – instead, refine Sand to make Sandbags for that purpose, or turf over your base with flooring.
You can, however, use Limestone Walls to create pens/traps for creatures (e.g., pen in Wildbores or trap Crocodogs pathing) since they're strong as stone.
Coral Farming (Long-term)
By mid-game you might notice coral reefs starting to run low if you've revisited them. It's a good time to set up renewable coral closer to home. If you haven't already, fully destroy one reef with a hammer to get a Coral Larva. Use 3 Limestone to craft a Coral Nubbin and plant it in a safe shallow-water spot.
The new reef will take time to grow, but eventually it will become a multi-stage reef providing coral. This investment ensures you're not forced into longer and longer voyages as natural reefs deplete. When planting, make sure the spot is clear of other objects and let it fully mature before harvesting.
Advanced Gear & Prep
With an Alchemy Engine available, you can now craft the Limestone Suit if you desire a durable armor. It's particularly useful if you plan on fighting the Sealnado (a boss that appears around season transitions) or venturing into poisonous areas frequently.
The sanity gain can help offset sanity loss from combat or dusk/night, effectively acting like a wearable Chiminea in sanity terms (+2 sanity/min). Its poison immunity will save you from surprise mosquito or snake bites turning into a death timer. An alternative is the easier Seashell Suit which also blocks poison.
Mid-Game Priorities Table:
Late-Game Strategies (Day 50+): Mastery and Niche Uses
By late game, you've survived all seasons and likely defeated or at least encountered the primary bosses. Limestone is still relevant for base expansion, luxury items, and maintaining your dominance over the world. At this stage you should have an infrastructure that keeps providing you resources. Here's how Limestone plays into late-game:
Megabase Construction
If you're building a long-term base (or multiple bases), Limestone structures add both utility and aesthetics. For instance, you can use Limestone Walls to outline a sturdy perimeter or to decorate specific areas (they have a nice light color). Some players use Sea Walls creatively to reshape coastlines or make harbors for their boats.
Keep in mind building a "dock" with Sea Walls can protect a boat from wave damage when parked. Since you likely have a Coral Nubbin farm by now, you can afford to use Limestone for large-scale building. Also, consider placing Buoys or Buoyant Chiminea in strategic sea locations – these act as waypoints with light to navigate at night.
Automation and Convenience
Late game is about making survival convenient. If you haven't already, set up multiple Sea Yards at different ends of your sailing routes, so you always have a repair station when needed. The April 2024 quality-of-life update made Sea Yards even better by letting them work without player babysitting.
Also, keep an eye (or ear) on your Sea Yard: when it finishes repairs it makes a loud seagull noise – a cue that your boat is fully fixed. Store a stack of Tar and some spare Limestone at each Sea Yard location for refueling and quick wall repairs, respectively.
Full Ocean Exploration
With a robust Encrusted Boat and possibly a Iron Wind (high-tier boat engine) attached, you can traverse the entire map quickly. Use this mobility to collect remaining set pieces, hunt the Quacken (triggered by trawling in deep waters), and even farm the Quacken for loot.
A trick for Quacken or any sea combat: build a quick Sea Base in the fight area. For example, drop a Sea Lab, a Buoyant Chiminea, and a couple of Boat Lanterns or Buoys in the deep ocean where Quacken spawns. This gives you a safe zone to retreat to in the middle of battle to regain sanity. Such tactics are overkill for most fights, but late-game is the time for overkill!
Utilize Allies (Ballphins & Wildbores)
By now you might have a pod of Ballphin pals thanks to Ballphin Palaces. Every morning they'll emerge – you can lead them on hunting trips to kill Jellyfish, Sharks, or even assist in boss fights. Just remember to visit their palaces periodically to keep them loaded in the game (they spawn only when the area is loaded every few days).
One creative use: build a Ballphin Palace near your Sea Yard along with a Buoy. The buoy provides light, and Ballphins provide both light (when they fish, they sometimes have a light effect at dusk) and sanity aura. This means when you park at the Sea Yard at night for repairs, you're gaining sanity and have light to keep working/cooking/fishing nearby. It's the ultimate cozy dock setup.
Mods & Tools (for late-game or fun)
At this stage, you might be thinking of creative projects or even switching things up. The community has developed some mods that can enhance or change how you obtain and use Limestone:
Keep an eye on official updates/patch notes even in late-game. Klei did issue patches that adjusted Shipwrecked balance (for example, the Switch patch in April 2024 that improved Sea Yards and tweaked Limestone Suit's speed). Any future update could further change resource availability or add new content. Staying informed via the Klei forums or subreddit ensures your strategies remain optimal.
Conclusion
In Don't Starve: Shipwrecked, Limestone is life – from the moment you cook your first meal under a Chiminea's safe flames, to the late-game days of sailing an unbreakable boat with an armada of Ballphins at your side. Mastering Limestone acquisition and use will significantly ease your survival and open up advanced strategies that lesser castaways can only dream of.
Remember to adapt these tips to your world's specifics (worldgen can sometimes bless or curse you with coral placement), and don't be afraid to get creative with Limestone structures in your base and beyond.
With this toolbox of information – crafting recipes, locations, recent changes, and strategic uses – you're well-equipped to secure that precious Limestone and bend the tropical isles to your will. Now go forth, mine that coral reef (responsibly!), and may your Chiminea burn bright through every storm. Good luck, survivor!
Sources: The information in this guide was compiled from the Don't Starve game wiki, official Klei patch notes, and community discussions to ensure accuracy and recency. Key references include the Don't Starve Wiki (Limestone, Coral, Coral Reef, Sea Yard, Chiminea, etc.), developer update notes, and player tips from forums/reddit. Happy sailing and stay dry!