Once Human
Gold Farming Route Guide
Best gold ore farming routes for Once Human - Salt Flats, Way of Winter, and Red Sands loops with world hopping, smelting for Energy Links, and passive Digby income.
All Levels
Gold & Silver Ore
Energy Links Income
Why Gold Farming Matters
Gold ore smelts into ingots that sell for massive Energy Links (the main currency). Silver ingots sell for ~6k, Gold ingots for ~12k each. The meta is looping open-area routes where nodes are visible from afar, clearing all ore types to force rare respawns, and world-hopping after full clears.
Best Farming Routes
1
Salt Flats (Early to Mid Game)
Level 30+
Large white open area west and north of White Cliff, top of the map. Nodes are highly visible with minimal trees or obstacles. Drive the edges in loops. Best starting route for newer players.
2
Way of Winter (Mid Game)
Level 40+
Northern teleports with clear line of sight. Frozen lake north and NW areas offer visible node clusters. Community-favorite route for consistent gold and silver yields.
3
Red Sands / Blackfell (Late Game)
Level 50+
Northern parts around North Fort Eyrie, rivers, and mountain canyons near Blackfell and Shadowfall Frontier. PVP-adjacent zones with highest yield. Run loops on foot or vehicle, use cliffs for vantage points. One hour yields substantial ore.
Route Execution: Step by Step
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1Prep your character and tools Be at least level 40+ for safer high-yield zones. Equip an upgraded pickaxe for speed and quantity. Bring a vehicle for quick traversal. Pack consumables like Canned Seafood for detection or range boosts. Set up a nearby base with Gold Digby for passive daily ore income.
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2Choose your route based on level Salt Flats for early game (safe, visible). Way of Winter for mid game (consistent yields). Red Sands or Blackfell for late game (highest volume but PVP-adjacent). Pick the route that matches your gear and comfort level.
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3Clear all ore nodes in a loop Mine every visible Gold and Silver node plus surrounding lower ores (iron, tungsten, aluminum) in a big loop. Clearing lower-tier ores increases chances of silver and gold respawns on your return. Mine everything you see, not just the valuable nodes.
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4World hop after full clears After clearing the entire route, change worlds or fast travel away and back. Nodes respawn on instance change. Repeat the loop in the new instance. Do not hop randomly, only after a full clear for maximum efficiency.
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5Smelt and sell for Energy Links Smelt ore into ingots at your base. Gold Ingot sells for approximately 12k Energy Links, Silver Ingot for approximately 6k. Prioritize selling Silver if you need Gold Ingots for crafting (drills, ammo). Use passive Digbies at base in good ore areas for extra daily pulls.
Key Decision Points
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Early vs late game routes: Stick to visible safe spots like Salt Flats early. Move to Red Sands or Blackfell for volume once you have proper gear and a vehicle. Do not enter PVP-adjacent zones under-leveled.
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Ore farming vs mob farming: Focus on ore nodes for consistent ingot income. Some recent meta shifts suggest mob farming (zombies, wolves, dragons) for raw gold drops at roughly 1:200 chance. Test both on your server to see which yields more per hour.
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World hopping frequency: Only hop after a full route clear. Hopping mid-route wastes time and does not maximize respawns. Community consensus is that full-clear-then-hop is the most efficient pattern.
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Sell vs craft: Sell Silver Ingots for Energy Links if you need currency. Save Gold Ingots for crafting high-tier items like drills and ammo. Adjust based on your current needs.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Staying in one world too long. Spawns are limited per instance. After a full clear, the route is empty. World hop to reset nodes immediately.
- Ignoring lower-tier ores. Clearing iron, tungsten, and aluminum nodes helps force better gold and silver respawns. Mine everything in your path.
- Using poor visibility routes. Brushy or forested areas make nodes hard to spot. Stick to open flats, frozen lakes, and clear terrain where nodes are visible from a distance.
- Not marking good clusters on your map. When you find a productive node cluster, mark it on your map for repeat runs. Unmarked routes waste time on subsequent passes.
- Under-gearing for contaminated or PVP zones. Red Sands and Blackfell are high-level areas. Entering without proper gear and consumables leads to deaths and wasted time.
Video: Way of Winter Gold & Silver Route
Community-shared demonstration of the best gold and silver farming route in the Way of Winter area: