How to Get Coal

Coal is a resource with many different uses in 7 Days to Die. It's a better fuel source than wood, but is also harder to find. It's not a rare material but finding some requires searching in the correct places, so here's our breakdown of exactly where you can find it.

• Where to Find Coal
• How to Use Coal
• How to Improve Your Coal Harvest

Where to Find Coal

You can mine Coal from Coal Nodes scattered throughout the 7 Days to Die's many biomes. Coal Nodes share a similar appearance to Stone Nodes, but are smaller and darker. Like with other resource nodes, Coal Nodes indicate an ore vein lies below. Use tools like axes or pickaxes to gather the material from the node and deeper below the surface.

Coal can also be harvested from burnt trees in areas like the Burnt Forest biome. Chopping down burnt trees using an axe will reward you with Coal and Wood. You can also harvest Coal from the smoldering wood piles in the Burnt Forest.

It's rare, but you can also find Coal via looting. For the best chances, check for Coal in barbecues and kitchen ovens.

How to Use Coal

Coal can be used as a Fuel, but it's also found in a few recipes. Gunpowder is made in the crafting menu by combining Coal and Nitrate Powder – a resource that can be looted or harvested. Once unlocked by reading Wasteland Treasures Vol. 4, you can craft Pure Mineral Water with Coal, Goldenrod Flower, and Chrysanthemum Flower.

There are more recipes that use Coal, so be sure to check the list by clicking on Coal in your inventory and selecting "Recipes."

How to Improve Your Coal Harvest

Harvesting Coal, much like any resource in 7 Days to Die, takes time and burns Stamina – but there are ways to make things easier on yourself.

You can gain more coal depending on your tool type and level (quality). For example, a Stone Axe at Quality 1 can't compare to the superior Iron Pickaxe for mining Coal from Coal Nodes and veins.

Equipping the Wood Splitter Mod on your axe allows you to dish out an additional 15% damage to Wood if you're hunting for Coal in the Burnt Forest. Adding the Bunker Buster Mod to your Steel Pickaxe gives you 25% more damage when used on stone.

There are two Perks you can unlock under the Strength Skills menu to improve harvesting. Adding points to Miner 69'er increases tool damage to blocks, and Mother Lode allows you to harvest more resources with every swing.