59 articlesUpgrading your gear in Grounded gets more and more important as you explore some of the tougher areas in the backyard. Though you can find lots of upgrade materials early on, they will eventually run it. As such, you have to unlock the crafting recipes for Whetstones and Plating as you progress through the game.
In this guide, we’ll show you how to do that so you can enhance your weapons and armor as you play the game.
How to Unlock and Craft Upgrade Materials, Whetstones and Plates in Grounded
Start by getting the Smithing Station at the Science Shop first, then upgrade your whetstones and platings afterward. After speaking with BURG. L, you can purchase the Smithing Station from the Science Shop by heading to the Advanced System Library and selecting it.
Use the Smithing Station to access the Brittle Whetstone and Brittle Plating.
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You can then unlock these upgrade if you visit every base until the Black Ant Lab. There, defeat the Assistant Manager so you can earn the Super BURG. L Chip and the Assistant Manager Keycard. This simultaneously grants you access to the next stage of smithing research.
After turning in the aforementioned chip and buying the new Science Shop upgrades, you can now access Advanced Smithing. With that unlocked, Sturdy Plating and Sturdy Whetstone will also be available. The Mighty Glob can be used to give your tools extra effects as well.
At the same time, you can now make the Brittle Whetstone and Brittle Plating in the oven.
Later in the game, head over to the Stumb Lab Outpost in the Upper Yard to purchase the Stump BURG. L Chip. This grants you access to Advanced Smithing: Mighty Jewel. By doing so, the tier 3 Supreme Plating and Supreme Whetstone become available.
This also unlocks Mighty and Flavored Jewels, not to mention you can now craft tier 2 Sturdy Plating and Sturdy Whetstone in the oven. One of the biggest benefits of these later unlocks is access to renewable crafting recipes for both Plating and Whetstones.
Since Marble and Quartzite deposits don’t respawn once mined, these renewable recipes will be your main method of upgrading multiple armor and weapon sets throughout the rest of the game.
Conclusion
Once you’ve unlocked every smithing tier in Grounded, all you have to do is buy the corresponding recipes from the Science Shop. Afterward, craft the required upgrade materials at the Workbench or Oven (depending on which is applicable).
By doing so, you should be able to upgrade all of your armor and weapons as you go through your playthrough.
