Safe House progression: research, workbenches, and permanent upgrades
The Safe House has several progression gates, not one upgrade tree. Research entries can require a discovery item, specific materials, already-known blueprints, a research-table tool, and a particular workbench. Treat newly found tools and uncommon materials as possible unlock keys until you have checked the table.
What research actually checks
| Requirement | Why it matters | Player habit |
|---|---|---|
| Discovery item | Some research only appears once you have found its named starting item. | Inspect the research table after bringing back unfamiliar materials or equipment. |
| Research-table tool | Some projects need a specific tool installed at the table, such as Multi-Function Pliers. | Do not sell a named tool just because it is not field gear. |
| Materials and blueprints | Research can consume supplies and can also require blueprints you already know. | Keep a small reserve of specialist salvage instead of converting every piece into immediate supplies. |
| Workbench blueprint | Each project names a workbench, and finishing the project needs that workbench's blueprint to be unlocked. | Check the workbench column in the Research Table guide before you gather materials. |
Choose the station for the bottleneck
| Station | Role | When it becomes a useful priority |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Workbench | Processes more materials than Handcraft and supports basic tools and components. | When the research table points you to general materials, tools, or components. |
| Crude Ammo Workbench | Makes ammunition. See Crafting ammo and weapons for every recipe. | When ammunition, rather than weapons, is limiting your next trip. |
| Cooking Station | Turns ingredients into cooked meals and refills Satiety, Blood Sugar and Hydration in the Safe House (2 a second each). | When food ingredients are accumulating and satiety recovery would help your regular routine. |
| Basic Medical Station | Provides early medical support and slowly restores Safe House Health. | When recovery between trips is the problem you are trying to solve. |
| Advanced Cooking Station | Upgrade of the Cooking Station with a 4×4 input grid instead of 3×3. It refills Satiety, Blood Sugar and Hydration in the Safe House the same way. | When you want a larger grid for cooking. Its blueprint comes from the mission Kitchen Renovation. |
| Simple Forge | Makes ingots, steel and charcoal. | When factory ammunition needs iron ingots or steel. The mission Furnace awards its blueprint. |
Handcraft remains its own option for recipes that do not need machinery. A station is a requirement for the recipes and research that name it; it is not a blanket improvement to every craft.
A useful research loop
- Bring back new materials, tools, and blueprints instead of selling them immediately.
- At the Research Table, open a project and read every missing requirement.
- Unlock the named workbench's blueprint only if that requirement is what is stopping the project.
- Complete the research, then check the newly unlocked blueprint or furniture before spending the remaining materials.
These are concrete chains from exploration through research to new crafts, not merely a menu to clear:
| Project | Key requirements | Station | Unlock |
|---|---|---|---|
| High-Frequency Radio | Multi-Function Pliers; broken facility, electronic component, common circuit board, and broken wires. | Basic Workbench | High-Frequency Radio blueprint. |
| Improved Bandage | Medical alcohol, a bandage, and the two basic bandage blueprints. | Basic Medical Station | Improved Bandage blueprint. |
| Repair Manual | Multi-Function Pliers, Repair Manual, abandoned firearm, broken armour, and broken helmet. | Basic Workbench | Patched-helmet and patched-armour blueprints, plus Cook Squad Field Armour. |
| Field Survival Manual 2 | Multi-Function Pliers, Field Survival Manual 2, deer hide, and durable stitches. | Basic Workbench | Deer-skin pouch, gloves, leggings, face armour, and vest blueprints. |
Furniture and corruption systems
Buildable furniture can open entirely separate systems. The Revertor handles Corrupted items, while the Decoherent Reactor is described as a station for special processing of dimensional corruption. Read the blueprint or mission that awards each one before reserving its materials; they are not interchangeable crafting benches.
To rearrange, store or upgrade furniture, see Moving, storing and upgrading furniture. For the bathroom disposal, exchange, and travel fixtures, see Safe House objects explained. For Corrupted gear decisions, see the Corrupted weapons and gear guide.