Crafting & Tool Durability

As you begin your island life, crafting will become an indispensable skill. Tom Nook provides you with your first DIY Recipes, and you'll quickly learn to gather materials like wood, stone, and iron nuggets to create essential tools and furniture. The workbench, initially found in Resident Services and later craftable for your own home, is where all crafting takes place. Pay close attention to the materials required for each recipe; some, like hardwood and softwood, come from different types of trees.

A crucial aspect of crafting in Animal Crossing: New Horizons is tool durability. Unlike previous titles, tools now have a limited number of uses before they break. This means you'll constantly be crafting new tools or upgrading them. Early on, you'll primarily be making flimsy tools, which break quickly. As you progress and unlock more DIY Recipes, you'll gain access to sturdier versions like the Stone Axe or the regular Fishing Rod. Eventually, you can even craft Golden Tools, which boast sificantly higher durability, though they still aren't indestructible. Always keep a spare set of essential tools in your inventory, especially when venturing out to gather resources or fish, to avoid being caught unprepared.