If you’re tired of constantly repairing and replacing your torches and canteens in Grounded, the backyard survival RPG from Obsidian Entertainment, then you may be interested in getting your tiny little hands on some charcoal. Charcoal is one of the more versatile resources you can find in the game, as it is used to build ovens as well as crafting the incredibly sturdy ash walls and long-lasting torch. Those toasty little nuggets do require quite a bit of prep to acquire, however.
Similar to the Sandbox biome, the BBQ spill where charcoal spawns is incredibly hot and can inflict the “Sizzle” status effect on the player just from standing among the ash and coals. The longer the player is in the area the higher the “sizzle” meter gets. A full meter spells trouble and even the beefiest of players will see their stats tank quickly when sizzling. However, a full set of Tier 3 Antlion armor can slow down the pace at which the sizzle meter fills. It is not full proof protection, though, and players may want to consider additional protection from the heat.
- Charcoal can only be found in the BBQ spill biome nestled between the Upper Yard Ascent and the Woodpile. You will need a bratburst or splatburst bomb in order to explode a cracked rock before you can reach the BBQ spill unless you choose to build a path over the wall.
- Equipping Tier 3 Antlion armor, consuming a Quesadillantlion meal, selecting the Fresh Defense mutation, and equipping an Insulating Larva Spike trinket can all help mitigate the Sizzle status effect.
- Once in the BBQ spill area, a level 2 Insect Hammer or level 3 Black Ox Hammer is required to bust the charcoal.
- Bustable charcoal is considerably smaller and darker than the environmental charcoal briquettes that inflict sizzle. Getting close enough to bust them does put the player closer to the fire hazard, increasing the rate at which the sizzle meter fills.
- If your sizzle meter is filling to dangerous levels, practice a “Smash and Dash” technique. Bust the charcoal and then run to safety to allow your meter to slowly deplete before going back to grab the charcoal chunks. If your health begins to drop, take a dip in the Charcoal Hot Springs to regenerate some life.
- Once outside of the BBQ spill the charcoal you are carrying does not inflict Sizzle.
After you make it to the relative safety of a field station you can analyze charcoal to unlock the EverChar Torch and Charcoal Canteen recipes for crafting. The EverChar Torch gives players the option to repair and maintain a semi-permanent light source rather than simply discarding a basic torch which fizzles out much more quickly. The Charcoal Canteen allows players to effectively purify water from any source for safe drinking, eliminating the need to build dew collectors and hunt for fresh dew on grass stems. Charcoal is also used to craft the oven and Spicy Coaltana weapon and can be turned into charcoal ash using the grinder.
