Rough Hides are the backbone of crafting equipment in Windrose. Weapons, armor, clothing, tools, backpacks - all of the best and most useful bits of gear will require some of this material.
Unfortunately its popularly is not especially matched with its abundance or ease of acquirement. It can hard to find Rough Hides early, especially when (and we're not exaggerating here) you can get literally one shot by a Boar in the early game.
So here's how you can find Rough Hides and some tips for getting it early.
Drops Sources
Rough Hide drops from pretty much any fuzzy mammal you encounter in Windrose. To a certain extent, gathering the material is as simple as trawling through the undergrowth looking for animals, but there are pockets where these beasts are more common and ways to make grabbing the hides easier.
Rough Hide Drop Sources:
Boar (including Charging Boars and Savage Boars)
Sow
Goat (including Goat Leader and Nanny Goats)
Wolf (including Alpha Wolf)
Best Farm Method
You'll find the beasties of the Archipelago aren't so willing to part with their hides, so it can be tricky to gather them while keeping your limbs in tact.
The best method, however, is to farm Sows.
These are a sub-species of Boar that are the best for a few reasons:
They are notably easier to kill since they are a lowever level than Boars
They have less health and deal less damage
They are often found in groups letting you kill two or three pigs together
They are less aggressive
They are located in the first zone
Just be careful - they are also often joined by a Boar that may prove a tougher challenge!
To reliably find groups of Sows simply explore a little further on your island and those surrounding it. You will frequently encounter boar dens home to a couple of Rough Hide holders. Again, be careful of the lurking Boar.
To defeat Sows and Boars safely, it's recommended to weave attacks with dodging. Your combat pattern should look like this:
Swing - Swing - Dodge - Kite - Repeat
If you're feeling confident you can also try to Perfect Block their attacks, but it's not really necessary and is risky if you mess up the timing. Dodging is far easier and safer.
Wolves and Goats
The other animals of Windrose will get the job done but are not prime targets for Rough Hides. Wolves are aggressive, Goats are durable, and both are found in the Foothills and beyond - not somewhere you have access to early on.
Sometimes you'll find them duking it out between themselves however, which can make for an easy loot session!
Image credit: HeRo Survival Guides on YouTube
Rough Hide Crates
As you progress in the game and find Tortuga, you'll gain access to its various vendors, one of which will sell you crates of 20 Rough Hide.
It'll cost you 40 Piastre, the currency of the realm, but it's a small price to pay to avoid the grind of fetching it for yourself.
