A normal game of Dwarf Fortress begins with only a few dwarves and a big dream. Slowly but steadily, you will be able to carve out a domain for them on the map, but you will eventually require more dwarves. Waiting for marriages and baby dwarves takes time, so your fort will have to rely on immigration to keep its population up. How to attract migrants dwarf fortress as well as how to attract more dwarves.
How to attract migrants dwarf fortress
The most natural way to increase the number of dwarves is through seasonal waves of immigrants. There are two fixed waves that appear after the game begins, and you receive the Caravan before the first winter, as well as another opportunity right after the winter ends.
Following that, immigration waves become random, but they can still be influenced by a few factors. These elements are as follows:
- The number of available jobs
- The jobs that are most needed in your fort
- Your fortress wealth
- Ongoing sieges and invasions
- The number of deaths in your fort
- The number of living and dead animals
The wealth of your fortress
The overall wealth of your fortress is one of the most influential factors in determining its attractiveness. The more high-quality, expensive items and furniture you have, the more likely you are to become a target for immigration.
Another factor that correlates with fortress wealth is job and living availability. That is, if you have open positions that require skilled dwarves, they may just show up looking for work. Also, if you have unclaimed bedrooms, it may make your fortress more appealing to new dwarves.
Location
Lastly, the location of your fortress can play a role in getting targeted by immigration waves. For example, if you’ve placed your fortress on the horn of a peninsula and there are kingdoms warring all around you, then an immigrant caravan won’t risk coming all the way there. Similarly, if you’re located in treacherous terrain that’s difficult to reach, that will lower the chance of a caravan heading your way.
The opposite is true as well. If you’re in a prime location, with trade routes nearby and in a prosperous region, then you might just get more immigrant waves as a result.