Room Tier List
Which rooms feed which resources. S to D rankings.
See tier listBlue Prince Resource Economy — The Math Behind Every Run
Blue Prince has four resources: Steps, Keys, Gems, and Coins. They look interchangeable in the inventory bar but they are not — each has a different generation rate, a different scarcity profile, and a different conversion path. Understanding how they actually flow is the difference between a player who reaches Room 46 in 6 days and one who is still rolling Pantries on day 11. This page breaks down the real numbers: where each resource comes from, what it converts to, and which conversions are actually worth doing.
One-line summary: Steps are abundant, Keys are scarce, Gems are pseudo-currency, Coins are puzzle fuel. The Workshop's 4-Gems-for-1-Key trade is the single most important conversion in the game.
Resource Overview
| Resource | Daily Cap | Main Source | Main Sink | Scarcity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steps | None (regenerate) | Pantry, Bedroom rest | Drafting rooms, walking | Low |
| Keys | ~6 per day | Library, Workshop, Closet | Steel doors, Vault | High |
| Gems | ~25 per day | Mine, Greenhouse, Conservatory | Workshop, shops | Medium |
| Coins | ~10 per day | Bathroom, Sitting Room, drops | Dartboard, Vendor, gambling | Medium |
Steps — The Time Resource
Steps are the closest thing to "stamina." Every action costs Steps: walking between rooms (1 Step per tile), drafting a new room (2-5 Steps depending on rarity), and engaging with most puzzles (1 Step per interaction). You start each day with 30 Steps and the day ends when you hit zero.
Step generators
- Pantry — refunds 3 Steps every entry. The single most important Step generator. Always draft.
- Bedroom (sleep) — full reset to 30 Steps, but ends the day. Trade-off only worth it when stuck.
- Coin → Step trade at Vendor — 2 Coins for 5 Steps. Decent if you're Coin-rich and Step-poor.
Step efficiency rule: If a room costs more Steps to draft than it gives back over the day, it's a Step sink. Pantry, Library, and Workshop are the only three rooms that reliably return their Step cost within a single day.
Keys — The Bottleneck
Keys are the one resource that will actually stop your run. You can have 200 Gems and 50 Coins, and still be locked out of progression because every steel door in your path needs a Key you don't have. Tracking Keys is the single highest-impact habit a Blue Prince player can build.
Key sources
| Source | Yield | Reliability |
|---|---|---|
| Library (first visit) | 1 Brass Key | Guaranteed |
| Workshop (craft) | 1 Key per 4 Gems, 1× per day | If you have 4 Gems |
| Closet | 0 or 1 Key | ~50% chance |
| Random drop on draft | 1 Key, ~10% chance | Unreliable |
| Vault opening | 2-3 Keys | Once per save |
Key sinks
- Steel doors — 1 Key per door. Most East/West Wing doors.
- Vault door — 1 Key (separate from the 4558 code).
- Mine drops — Layer 2 needs 1 Key to descend, Layer 3 needs 2 Keys.
- Antechamber chest — 1 Key (post Room 46 only).
A typical day burns 4-5 Keys. A typical day generates 3-4 Keys. The difference is usually covered by the Vault opening on day 4-5, which dumps 2-3 Keys into your stockpile. If you skip the Vault, expect Key starvation by day 6.
Gems — The Conversion Currency
Gems are the closest thing Blue Prince has to gold. They sit in your inventory in large numbers and convert into nearly anything you actually need. Their primary value isn't intrinsic — it's the conversion to Keys at the Workshop.
Gem sources
- Mine layers — Layer 1: 1/pickup. Layer 2: 2/pickup. Layer 3: 3/pickup (4 with Boiler bonus). Layer 4 (Cellar): 5/pickup.
- Greenhouse — +2 Gem multiplier on every future pickup, permanent.
- Conservatory — flat 8 Gems on first visit.
- Garden — flat 5 Gems on first visit.
Gem conversion ratios
| Trade | Ratio | Effective Value |
|---|---|---|
| Workshop: Gems → Key | 4 Gems = 1 Key | Best trade in the game. Always take. |
| Vendor: Gems → Coin | 3 Gems = 1 Coin | Bad. Skip unless desperate. |
| Vendor: Gems → Step | 5 Gems = 5 Steps | Mediocre. Use only on day-end emergencies. |
| Mine descent: Gems → access | 10 Gems gate Layer 4 | Required for True Ending. Save Gems for this. |
Coins — Puzzle Fuel
Coins are the smallest stack but the most situational. They have one critical use — the Dartboard puzzle requires 3 Coins to guarantee 180. Outside of that, they trickle into Vendor purchases and a few minor outcomes.
Coin sources
- Bathroom — +1 Coin per visit. Stacks with Pantry adjacency.
- Sitting Room — +1 Coin on first visit only.
- Smoking Room — +1 Coin on first visit.
- Billiard Room reward — flat 20 Coins on first solve.
- Drop on draft — ~15% chance of 1-2 Coins.
Coin sinks
- Dartboard steady-hand buff — 1 Coin per dart, 3 per puzzle attempt. Mandatory for guaranteed 180.
- Vendor — random items, mostly junk.
- Slot machine (rare room) — gambling, EV-negative.
Coin hoarding rule: Bank at least 5 Coins by day 4. The Dartboard pays out 20 Coins on first solve, which then funds future Vendor purchases for the rest of the run.
Conversion Map
The cleanest way to think about resources is the conversion graph:
| From | To | How | Worth It? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gems | Keys | Workshop, 4:1 | ✓ Always |
| Coins | Marksman's Pin | Dartboard, 3 Coins | ✓ Once per save |
| Coins | Steps | Vendor, 2:5 | ~ Day-end only |
| Steps | Anything | Bedroom (full reset, but day ends) | ~ Stuck-run only |
| Gems | Coins | Vendor, 3:1 | ✗ Skip |
| Keys | Anything | — | Keys never convert away. Use them. |
Daily Budget Template
A solid daily budget for days 2-5:
- Steps: Open with 30. End with ≥5 (for one panic re-roll). Spend ~25.
- Keys: Open with 2-3, gain 2-3, spend 4-5. Net: -1 to 0 per day.
- Gems: Open with 0, gain 15-25, spend 4-8 at Workshop. End with 10+.
- Coins: Open with whatever yesterday left. Gain 2-3 per day. Spend only on Dartboard solve day.
Resource FAQ
What's the most important resource?
Keys. They're the bottleneck. Everything else can be substituted; Keys can only be earned or crafted.
Should I always craft Keys at the Workshop?
Yes, every day you have 4+ Gems. The 4:1 trade is the best conversion in the game.
How many Coins do I need before the Dartboard?
3 Coins. Two is not enough — see the Dartboard guide.
What's the best room to start a day with?
Pantry-adjacent rooms. The +3 Step refund per visit pays for itself by mid-day.
Do resources carry between days?
Keys, Gems, and Coins carry. Steps reset to 30 every morning.
Related Guides
Day 1 Strategy
How to set up your resource economy from move one.
Plan day 1Common Mistakes
The resource-burning errors that cost runs.
Read moreItems List
Permanent items that change the economy (Pool Cue, Marksman's Pin, Brass Key).
Item index