Before You Search for Tin Ore
- Enter Fractured Plains. The starting point is entry into this region, and the first objective there is to find either a Copper Ore node or a Tin Ore node.
- You do not actually need both Copper and Tin immediately. Simply mining one of them unlocks the Furnace and Bronze Bars.
Finding Tin Ore in Fractured Plains
- As soon as you enter Fractured Plains, begin searching for either a Copper Ore node or a Tin Ore node.
- Spend a little time exploring and being safe, and get as much Copper and Tin Ore as you can before heading back to the base.
- Before leaving Fractured Plains, make sure you visit Valgar's Rise and speak to Cathan's ghost. This progresses the Dragon Slayer quest and introduces the challenge horn.
What Tin Ore Unlocks and How to Use It
Mining either Copper or Tin unlocks the Furnace and Bronze Bars. Build the Furnace, and you will also need some charcoal, which you can get from the Kiln using any type of log.
Once you have smelted your first Bronze Bar, you get some major upgrades. You will have access to the Blacksmith Bench, the Armor Bench, the Mystic Forge, and the Fletching Bench.
This gives you access to the Bronze Pickaxe and the Bronze Logging Axe. The Bronze Pickaxe makes gathering Bronze a lot faster because you will need plenty of Bronze Bars in this area, and the Bronze Logging Axe helps you unlock Oak trees, which are the next tier of bows and battle staffs. Next, unlock the Sawmill so you can start producing Ash Planks.