How do you craft items in Modern Warfare 4’s DMZ?

Modern Warfare 4 introduces a new crafting system for its DMZ mode, letting players upgrade their gear at the Forward Operating Base (FOB) and store loot between matches. However, there are some important rules around how this works that aren’t immediately obvious.

Unlocking the 3D Printer

Crafting becomes available once you reach DMZ Player Level 2.

To craft items, go to the FOB’s printer interface (accessed via the left-side blade menu). The printer can make equipment like medkits and armor vests, replenishment supplies such as bandages, components, and permanent FOB upgrades. Not every item is immediately available; some are only unlocked at later levels as you complete DMZ Orders.

Printer Resources

The four common Printer Resources available in MW4 DMZ are:

• Synthetics
• Electronics
• Chemicals
• Metals

When you loot these resources from the battlefield, they automatically break down into their respective pools. The total amount of each resource appears at the bottom-left corner of both your Stash menu (where stored items live) and printer interface, but Printer Resources do not use ordinary item storage. Printer Ingredients, such as Binding Catalyst and Rigid Synthetics, are extracted intact in your Backpack and can be moved to Stash.

Crafting for Operators or Storage

To craft an item:

1. Select a recipe: Highlight it to inspect its requirements.
2. Check owned/required amounts: The numbers turn green when sufficient materials are available.
3. Choose quantity and destination: Choose how many copies to craft at once and whether the items go to your active Operator’s backpack or loadout (Operator) or a shared storage area for later use by your own Operators (Stash).

How do recipes work in DMZ?

To unlock a recipe for an item that isn’t yet craftable, there are three ways:

1. Complete corresponding orders: Some items require completing specific objectives or missions to unlock their crafting recipes.
2. Looting and extraction: You can find new recipes while looting on the battlefield. Successfully extracting with them will permanently add them to your printer menu (and give you 5,000 DMZ Cash as a reward). The found Recipe is consumed at exfil.
3. Progressing through levels: Increasing your DMZ Player Level also grants access to additional crafting options.

Once unlocked, any recipe remains available for use whenever the required materials are sufficient and the printer is active, even if you haven’t yet crafted that item in your current match or session. However, not every craftable product becomes permanent; some items (e.g., medkits) can only be used once before disappearing entirely.

Your first six crafting recipes

Here are some of the most useful starter recipes available at DMZ Player Level 2:

1. Bandage: 15 Synthetics + 15 Chemicals
   Temporary health restoration when wounded; does not repair underlying injuries.
2. Medkit: 30 Chemicals + 1 Binding Catalyst + 5 Biomaterials (restores full health, repairs wounds and restores tourniquet availability).
3. Small Backpack: 25 Synthetics + 25 Metals
   Adds item storage slots for your Operator.
4. Medium Backpack: 50 Synthetics + 5 Rigid Synthetics
   Provides additional secure storage space (protected on failed exfil) and extra item capacity.
5. 1-Plate Armor Vest: 25 Synthetics + 25 Metals (has one armor plate slot).
6. 2-Plate Armor Vest: 50 Synthetics + 5 Reactive Metals
   More durable, with two armor slots and enhanced protection compared to the 1-Plate Armor Vest.

Finding missing ingredients

If you need a specific ingredient but can’t find it on the battlefield:

1. Track a Recipe or Ingredient in your printer menu: This pins it in the Tracked category, with a pin beside tracked Ingredients when looting.
2. Explore the general areas recommended under Ingredient Locations for the Ingredient you need.

Permanent FOB upgrades

The Printer can also craft components that permanently improve the functionality of your base-of-operations. Each upgrade requires multiple prints to complete:

1. Bank capacity: Increase storage space for cash.
2. Stash item storage: Expand shared inventory slots across your own Operators.
3. MIA recovery discount: Reduce costs when rescuing your MIA Operators.

More advanced upgrades unlock as you progress through DMZ levels, including options to craft ingredients from Resources and other crafted items (e.g., Rigid Synthetics). These require unlocked recipes in the printer menu before use.

What loot should you keep instead of selling?

While looted Valuables can be sold for DMZ Cash, some may have crafting uses:

• Gem-marked Valuables: May be required for FOB upgrades.
• Components (e.g., Rigid Synthetics): Useful as inputs in advanced recipes.

Always check your printer menu to see what materials are available for crafting before selling surplus loot.