Refining in Albion Online is the process between gathering and crafting. It consists of converting raw materials into a refined resource that can be used for crafting equipment, selling in the market, or distributed to dedicated crafters to help sustain your guild. Check out the Crafting and Marketplace guides for more information on how crafting and the marketplace work in Albion Online!
Refining and Albion’s Economy
In order to craft equipment, you need to obtain refined resources. Prices continuously fluctuate in Albion Online due to its player driven economy; some players take advantage of this by finding the lowest prices for raw materials, refining them, then reselling them at a profit. Refined materials are in constant demand due to the Black Market buying equipment, players studying items, and PvP combat where equipment may break.
Raw materials can always be gathered in the open world. Gathering these materials in the correct ratios to refine higher-level resources poses a challenge and may not always be possible. Therefore, most refiners use the Marketplace to source raw materials in bulk.
The Refining Process
Players can convert raw materials into refined products at a refining station. Refining a resource above Tier 2 will require a refined resource of the tier below, as well as an increasing amount of raw materials for each tier. The following table shows the quantities of raw resources required to produce a single piece of refined material:
| | Refined materials of tier below needed | Raw materials needed | [/tr]
| Tier 2 | - | 1 | [/tr]
| Tier 3 | 1 | 2 | [/tr]
| Tier 4 | 1 | 2 | [/tr]
| Tier 5 | 1 | 3 | [/tr]
| Tier 6 | 1 | 4 | [/tr]
| Tier 7 | 1 | 5 | [/tr]
| Tier 8 | 1 | 5 | [/tr]
Refining an enchanted resource requires an enchanted refined material of the tier below, except Tier 4 which uses regular Tier 3 material.
Stone blocks are an exception to this rule as they cannot be enchanted. Instead, when using enchanted rocks, the amount of refined materials needed and the amount of stone blocks created increases. Using Uncommon rocks requires twice the input of refined blocks, while providing double the output; Rare rocks four times the input and output; and Exceptional rocks eight times the input and output.
If you use Focus while refining, you will get back a fairly substantial quantity of resources during the refining process. Check out the Focus Points guide for more in-depth information on refining efficiencies!
Transmutation
If there is ever a low supply of unrefined materials, you can buy low-tier resources (minimum Tier 4) and transmute them one tier or enchantment level higher. This can be done in the second tab at the appropriate Crafting Station. Resource transmutation thus places an upper limit on resource costs at the Marketplace, and allows players access to higher-level resources even when they are scarce. The cost of transmutation increases with tier and enchantment level, and is also affected by Global Discount and Station Taxes.
Where to Refine
Once raw materials have been obtained through gathering, transmutation, looting, or the Marketplace, players can take them to the dedicated building for the material they want to refine. It’s very important to note that, depending on the crafting location, you may get a different resource return. This is because of Local Production Bonuses, and is particularly significant for refining. Below is a table showing the buildings and cities with the highest return rate for each resource:
| Resource | Crafting Station | City with highest return rate | [/tr]
| Planks | Lumbermill | Fort Sterling | [/tr]
| Cloth | Weaver | Lymhurst | [/tr]
| Stone Blocks | Stonemason | Bridgewatch | [/tr]
| Leather | Tanner | Martlock | [/tr]
| Metal Bars | Smelter | Thetford | [/tr]
These buildings can be found within cities, Hideouts, and on guild or personal islands. Cities will always yield the best return rates, but may require players to pay higher taxes for using player Crafting Stations. Make sure to check the tax rate before refining larger quantities.
