Knowledge is the key to the Universe. It’s also the key to the survival for primitive civilizations. Only with knowledge points you can unlock new techs and advance eras / ages in Dawn of Man. There are various ways of unlocking knowledge points for techs. Though you can buy techs from traders as well.
Can gain knowledge with general progress, animals hunted, built structures, resources acquired, milestones, and surviving winters
- General Progress: Reaching higher populations, killing raiders, domesticating animals.
- Animals Hunted: Try to hunt at least 1 of all different animals for +1 knowledge bonus. Same bonus will be applied for each animal hunted 5 times, 10 times, 25 times, 50 times, and 100 times.
- Built Structures: Some buildings are required to be built 3 and some 15 times to gain the knowledge bonus. Can see the required number by moving your cursor over it in the knowledge progress window.
- Resources Acquired: Almost all resources give you knowledge point after acquiring them in different numbers. For example, all tools and clothing you craft for 10 times will give you 1 knowledge point. So, I always craft 10 of the new tools I’ve unlocked via tech for knowledge even if I don’t need the tool at the moment.
- Milestones: These are scenario quests that can be viewed by pressing F5 in the Milestones screen. Completing these quests will give you knowledge points.
- Surviving Winters: Just a yearly +1 knowledge bonus given right after the winter.
How to advance era in the Dawn of Man? It’s plain and simple. You must unlock the highlighted advancement technology under the ERA category. Copper smelting unlocks sopper age for example. It’s a highlighted technology, you can’t miss it. So, unlock era techs to advance eras.
Dawn of Man Guide to Eras & Ages
Best Paleolithic techs:
- Food Drying: First tech I unlock for drying / preserving fish and meat.
- Bone Tools: Unlocks bone harpoon and bone spear. Both are better than their wooden counterparts.
- Composite Tools: Unlocks the first axes and picks for woodcutting and mining.
- Dog Domestication: Can domesticate wolves turning them into dogs.
- Dog Training: Dogs will help your hunters during hunts. Very important in the early game.
Mesolithic techs:
- Archery: Unlocks bow which is the second-best hunting tool before the composite bow.
- Bone Polishing: Unlocks best sickle until you reach the bronze age.
- Grain Processing: Can make flour and bread from the wild cereals.
Neolithic techs:
- Cereal Domestication: Can finally plant crops.
- Sheep Domestication: For best winter outfit, wool clothing.
- Thatching: Can build stables, granary, and upgrade houses & storages.
- Flax Domestication: For linen outfits.
- Weaving: For weaving real clothes.
Copper Age tech tier list:
- Cattle Domestication: Ultimate domestic animal for meat, leather, and milk.
Bronze Age tech tier list:
- Composite Archery: Superior bow. Best hunting and fighting weapon in the game.
- Plow: Can finally plow farms. It’s for faster sowing with less people. Very important for workload.
- Masonry: Upgraded houses, storages.
- Horse Domestication: Perfect for pulling carts and plowing.
- Brewing: Unlocks beer crafting for morale.
Iron Age tech tier list:
- Steelmaking: Steel tools are the best available tools in the game.
- Deep Mining: Deep iron mine can access lots of lots of iron which is required in bulk for tools and defensive buildings.
- Staddle Granary: Upgraded granary.
- Hydropower: Faster flour production.
- Baking: Faster bread production.