Hooked tool for extracting grub made and used by ravens

[OneZombieHorde]

Ravens can make and use a hooked pick to extract grubs and other bugs from hard to reach places. This is usually just a simple hook shaped branch, but they put a lot of care and effort into finding and making it just right. Something easily made from things lying around but crafted into an effective precision instrument. Add a simple  sprig/thistle hooked spear that can be made and used early game to acquire grubs before acorn is available to craft the shovel. This makes the grub set easier to get immediately after the clover set and more viable before the acorn set. As well as make grubs an easier food source in the starting area. Grub hunting would be simpler with one tool to extract and execute the grub in early game, and beating grubs to death with a shovel is still an option later in the game. The best part is the Raven could then actually use a hooked tool (in combat) to catch or extract children from their hiding places or to outright abduct them using a meat hook. 

[ScritchOwl]

Can you explain this a little more? I'd your grub hunting wouldn't you be right by the place to gather said pieces to the shovel. The game tries to guide you to the oak tree.   Are you wanting this tool so you can avoid burgle?

[OneZombieHorde]

Yeah, essentially it's an issue with progression. You need acorn to get grubs, except grub armor comes before and is weaker than acorn. This encourages players to skip the grub set and go straight to the acorn set. Changing the tool needed to get grubs to the (clover/sprig) tier would facilitate more natural progression.

[ScritchOwl]

I'm not gonna lie but I tend to get ladybug armour and crow crossbow before ant and insect bow. The grub armor has a use or did before the upcoming update in that it reduced consumption rates which was good for base enhancement days kinda poor for everything else

[OneZombieHorde]

I agree the insect bow is probably too hard to make, and the crow crossbow too easy (also cheap to repair). I'm usually in acorn armor sniping because of the low cost to maintain. There are some balancing issues for sure, but it's fun to see how it changes over time.