Vintage Story Alloy Calculator

Easily calculate the required metal units for creating Bismuth Bronze, Tin Bronze, Black Bronze, Brass, and Electrum in Vintage Story. Enter the alloy type and either the amount of one metal or the total alloy desired.

Alloy Calculator

Alloy Composition

Metal	Target Percentage (%)	Typical Ratio Range (%)
–	–	–

Composition of the selected alloy.

What is a Vintage Story Alloy Calculator?

A Vintage Story Alloy Calculator is a tool designed specifically for players of the game “Vintage Story”. It helps players determine the correct amounts of different base metals needed to create specific alloys like Tin Bronze, Bismuth Bronze, Black Bronze, Brass, and Electrum. In Vintage Story, alloys are made by melting the correct ratio of metals together in a crucible, and getting these ratios right is crucial for successful smithing and progressing through the game’s technological tiers.

This calculator simplifies the process by taking the desired alloy and either the amount of one metal you have or the total amount of alloy you wish to produce, and then outputs the required amounts of the other metals.

Who should use it? Anyone playing Vintage Story who is involved in smithing and metalworking will find this Vintage Story Alloy Calculator extremely useful. It’s particularly helpful for new players learning the alloying system or for experienced players who want to make precise amounts of alloys without wasting resources.

Common misconceptions: This calculator is based on the in-game mechanics of Vintage Story and the specific alloy recipes within the game. The ratios and metal combinations are specific to the game and do not necessarily reflect real-world metallurgical practices. It is not a tool for real-world alloy creation.

Vintage Story Alloy Formula and Mathematical Explanation

The calculations performed by the Vintage Story Alloy Calculator are based on the target percentage ratios of metals for each specific alloy within the game. For a given alloy, each constituent metal has a target percentage.

For example, Tin Bronze aims for roughly 90% Copper and 10% Tin. If you want to make 100 units of Tin Bronze, you’d need 90 units of Copper and 10 units of Tin.

If you have 90 units of Copper and want to make Tin Bronze, the calculator determines that Copper is 90% of the mix, so the total alloy will be 100 units, requiring 10 units of Tin (10% of 100).

The general formula for a two-metal alloy (Metal 1 and Metal 2) with percentages P1 and P2 (where P1 + P2 = 100):

• If you know Amount1 of Metal 1: Total Alloy = Amount1 / (P1/100), Amount2 = Total Alloy * (P2/100)
• If you want TotalAlloy: Amount1 = TotalAlloy * (P1/100), Amount2 = TotalAlloy * (P2/100)

Similar logic extends to three-metal alloys like Bismuth Bronze or Black Bronze.

Variables Table:

Variable	Meaning	Unit	Typical Range (in-game)
Alloy Type	The specific alloy to be created (e.g., Tin Bronze)	N/A	Tin Bronze, Bismuth Bronze, etc.
Metal 1 Amount	Amount of the primary metal available or needed	units	1 – 1000+ (depends on crucible)
Metal 2 Amount	Amount of the secondary metal needed	units	1 – 1000+
Metal 3 Amount	Amount of the tertiary metal needed (if any)	units	1 – 1000+
Total Alloy	Total amount of alloy produced or desired	units	1 – 1000+
P1, P2, P3	Target percentages of metals 1, 2, and 3	%	5 – 95%

Practical Examples (Real-World Use Cases)

Example 1: Making Tin Bronze with Available Copper

A player has 180 units of Copper and wants to make Tin Bronze (90% Cu, 10% Sn).

• Alloy: Tin Bronze
• Input Mode: I have Copper
• Copper Amount: 180 units

The Vintage Story Alloy Calculator will show:

• Copper Needed: 180 units
• Tin Needed: 20 units (180 / 0.90 * 0.10)
• Total Tin Bronze: 200 units

The player needs to add 20 units of Tin to their 180 units of Copper in the crucible.

Example 2: Making a Specific Amount of Black Bronze

A player wants to make exactly 500 units of Black Bronze (60% Cu, 20% Au, 20% Ag).

• Alloy: Black Bronze
• Input Mode: I want total alloy
• Total Alloy Amount: 500 units

The Vintage Story Alloy Calculator will calculate:

• Copper Needed: 300 units (500 * 0.60)
• Gold Needed: 100 units (500 * 0.20)
• Silver Needed: 100 units (500 * 0.20)
• Total Black Bronze: 500 units

The player needs to combine 300 units of Copper, 100 units of Gold, and 100 units of Silver.

How to Use This Vintage Story Alloy Calculator

1. Select Alloy: Choose the alloy you want to make from the “Select Alloy” dropdown menu. The metal names and target ratios will update automatically.
2. Choose Calculation Mode: Select whether you know the amount of the first metal (“I have [Metal 1 Name]”) or if you want to make a specific total amount of alloy (“I want total alloy”).
3. Enter Amount: Based on your mode, enter the amount of the first metal you have or the total amount of alloy you desire in the active input field.
4. View Results: The calculator instantly updates the required amounts of each metal and the total alloy produced in the “Results” section. The primary result shows the most direct answer, while intermediate results give a breakdown.
5. Check Composition: The table and chart below the calculator show the target composition of the selected alloy.
6. Reset or Copy: Use the “Reset” button to clear inputs to default values or “Copy Results” to copy the calculated amounts.

When reading the results, pay attention to the “Metal Needed” lines to know how much of each metal to add to your crucible. The “Total Alloy Produced” tells you the final amount you’ll get if you use those quantities. Our Vintage Story smithing guide provides more details.

Key Factors That Affect Vintage Story Alloy Results

• Target Ratios: Each alloy in Vintage Story has specific target ratios (e.g., 88-92% Copper for Tin Bronze). While there’s a small range, aiming for the middle (like 90%) is safest. The Vintage Story Alloy Calculator uses these ideal ratios.
• Metal Availability: Your ability to make an alloy depends on having the necessary metals. Some metals like Tin, Bismuth, Zinc, Gold, and Silver are scarcer than Copper. Check our guide on finding ores in Vintage Story.
• Crucible Size: The amount of metal you can melt at once is limited by the size of your crucible (fire clay crucible holds 400 units, refractory 800 units, etc.). You can’t make more alloy than your crucible can hold in one go.
• Desired Tool Tier: The type of alloy determines the tier of tools you can make. Tin Bronze is Tier 2, Bismuth Bronze Tier 2/3, Black Bronze Tier 3, etc. You choose the alloy based on the tools you need.
• Impurity of Nuggets: While the game uses “units” which are pure, remember that ore nuggets you find might not yield 100% pure metal units when smelted, affecting how many units you actually have.
• Game Version: Alloy recipes and ratios can occasionally be tweaked in game updates. This Vintage Story Alloy Calculator is based on current known ratios.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What are the best ratios for Tin Bronze in Vintage Story?

Tin Bronze works best with 88-92% Copper and 8-12% Tin. This calculator uses 90% Copper and 10% Tin for simplicity and reliability.

Can I make alloys with slightly different ratios?

Yes, Vintage Story allows a small range for each metal in an alloy. However, going too far outside the ideal range can result in a different, weaker alloy or “Unknown Metal”. Our Vintage Story Alloy Calculator aims for the ideal center of the range.

What if I don’t have enough of one metal?

You’ll need to gather more of that metal before you can make the desired amount of alloy using the correct ratios. Or, you can reduce the amount of other metals to match what you have, making less alloy.

How many units does a crucible hold?

A fire clay crucible holds 400 units of metal, and a refractory clay crucible (made with fire clay and refractory materials) holds 800 units.

Which alloy is best for early game?

Tin Bronze is typically the first alloy players make after Copper, allowing them to create Tier 2 tools. Bismuth Bronze is also an option if Bismuth and Zinc/Silver are found early. See our early game progression guide.

How do I make Steel?

Steel is not made by simply mixing metals in a crucible like bronze or brass. It involves carburizing Iron in a bloomery or cementation furnace, a different process not covered by this simple Vintage Story Alloy Calculator.

Why is my alloy turning into “Unknown Metal”?

This usually happens if the metal ratios in your crucible are significantly outside the allowed range for any known alloy. Use the Vintage Story Alloy Calculator to get the ratios right.

Where can I find Tin, Bismuth, Zinc, Gold, and Silver?

These metals are found as ores in various rock types and at different depths. Cassiterite (Tin), Bismuthinite (Bismuth), Sphalerite (Zinc), Native Gold, and Native Silver are the ores to look for. Our ore guide can help.