In Grounded, the Tier 2 Insect Hammer is the next level up from the basic pebblet hammer that beginner players first craft. Making the Insect Hammer enables players to bust their way to new and exciting materials and mine objects they may otherwise wistfully skulk past, from Milk Molars for ability boosts like stamina and strength to Sturdy Quartzite for those all-important armor upgrades.
The Insect Hammer is an essential and valuable tier 2 tool for players to craft as they progress up the tier system in their Grounded adventures. Additionally, its sturdy, chunky appearance shows it means business. This guide outlines how to make the Insect Hammer and describes its many uses.
How To Get The Insect Hammer
To make the Tier 2 Insect Hammer, players first need to unlock the recipe by analyzing Berry Leather or a Boiling Gland at a Resource Analyzer. To make the Insect Hammer, players need 4 Stinkbug Parts, 1 Boiling Gland, and 4 pieces of Berry Leather crafted together using a workbench. Players also need to craft a Spinning Wheel and Jerky Rack to make all the resources they need. Berry leather is an ideal starting point as it's not necessary to defeat bugs to get it.
Berry Leather
To get Berry Leather, players first need to head to the dark tree area near the Hedge Lab at the southeast corner of the map to get Berry Chunks. Here, players must find and chop berries hanging from the trees using a chopping tool, such as the pebblet axe. Lucky players may find berries on the ground or in small puddles of water, which can be rolled onto land and chopped. Alternatively, the quickest way to get berries is to use a bow and arrow to shoot them to the ground.
This area of the map is dominated by Orb Weaver Spiders and Larva bugs, so it's best not to venture too deep. Return to base camp and use the Jerky Rack to make Berry Leather, which dries out 3 berries at a time.
Stinkbug Parts
To get Stinkbug Parts, players need to track down and defeat Stinkbugs, one of the toughest bugs in Grounded and often found patrolling dry grass areas of the map, particularly near the Haze. They are tough to kill as they disperse a toxic gas cloud that quickly drains player life unless wearing a Gasmask. Sometimes players can find dead Stinkbugs around the perimeter of the Haze and loot their Parts and Gas Sacks. However, it's likely players need to fight them for the goods. It's often best to equip a bow and arrow to deal damage from a distance to avoid their stinky surprises, plus avoid their charge attack in close combat.
Boiling Gland
Players can get Boiling Glands by defeating Bombardier Beetles. They often creep around the east of the Mysterious Machine and near dry grass areas. Its main attack is to charge and hurtle pools of acid toward the player and around itself, so it's crucial to dodge before aiming for its rump weak point as listed in its Creature Card. Bombardier Beetles also drop Bombardier Parts required to make the Tier 2 Insect Axe.
Once players have all the ingredients, they must return to a workbench to craft the Insect Hammer.
What The Insect Hammer Does
The Tier 2 Insect Hammer is used to get various handy resources in Grounded to enable players to unlock new recipes, level-up abilities, and build armor. This includes the following discoverable objects in the backyard world:
- Ice Cap Mints - Just behind the first Resource Station near the Mysterious Machine players can find a pack of Ice Cap Mints which they can venture inside by tapping open the door barehanded or with a tool, but they need the Insect Hammer to bust the mints inside to obtain Mint Shards. When first analyzed, Mint Shards unlock the Mint Arrows recipe for minty damage and later to make Mint Jewels and Mint Globs for upgrades or craft new weapons, such as the Mint Mace.
- Milk Molars - There are many Milk Molars to discover in the yard, including gold varieties, and players can crack standard ones open with the Insect Hammer to get upgrade points to spend at an ASL Terminal. Players can choose from various upgrades from their character to spend Milk Molar points on, including Max Health, Max Stamina, Hunger/Thirst Drain, Healing, and Max Active Mutations. There are even upgrades that help a team of players too if playing as a group.
- Sturdy Quartzite - Players can mine Sturdy Quartzite to obtain Brittle and Sturdy Quartzite Shards used to upgrade weapons or armor. Players also need Brittle Quartzite Shards to make Brittle Whetstone for weapon upgrades.
- Sturdy Marble - Busting up Sturdy Marble with the Insect Hammer gives players either Brittle Marble or Sturdy Marble Shards, which are used for armor upgrades. Like Sturdy Quartzite, players can find Sturdy Marble relatively easily deep inside ant tunnels in the dry grass area or near the Great Oak Tree.
- Cookie Sandwich - Who doesn't love the excitement of getting a cookie? Equipping the Insect Hammer, players can mine Cookie Sandwich Bits, Fresh Cookie Sandwich Bits, and Rotten Food. Players can find these in several locations across the yard, including to the east of the Mysterious Machine, not far from the huge rusty-nailed wooden plank.
- Candy Corn - Players can harvest Candy Cornlets to replenish hunger by chopping up Candy Corn found in various locations throughout the world, such as near food areas and around the Shed.
- Cooler Box Handle - players also need to use the Insect Hammer to bust the Cooler Box handle when they climb the picnic table.
- Hot Chachas Candy - This is a fiery candy that gives players Spicy Shards for eating or upgrading using Spicy Globs, such as the Spicy Coaltana weapon.
- Salt Clusters - Players can mine Salt Clusters to get Salt Shards used to make Salt Globs, Salt Arrows, and Salty Jewels.
Grounded is available to play on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S, and is free to play on Xbox Game Pass.