Thank you. I'll consider it, although it would mean also farming up 30 more Iron that could just as easily be used to give me better weapons or armor.

I do not consider that to be an exploit, although in swamps, I'm having just as much luck with the stagbreaker as I am using a hoe to "level terrain" on slopes that go out of the swamp, while I'm at the water's edge. More than once leveling terrain like that has exposed scrap piles.

Speaking of the stagbreaker, it is an amazing leech killer. Just stand on dry land beside them, and a few swings later, they are gone. No danger, no fuss, no using up arrows.

I'm more curious about how hard survival is in the mountains with bronze weapons/armor, and should I hold out for iron? (assuming I can even FIND enough iron, with crypts off-limits)