Dupes ability to kill themselves in the oddest ways

[Jastiari]

Do your dupes get constantly get stuck places where they shouldn't be, or you don't know how they got there?  There are a couple key things to remember in dupe behavior that will help you outsmart your dupes urge to commit suicide.

1. Dupes prefer to complete dig orders from the top down, they climb to the top of the pile and start digging, when the tile they are standing on is dug out they continue to climb up.  Normally this gets them stuck up out of reach and in need of a rescue.

2. Dupes prefer to build from underneath, if there is even a 1 block space they can stand in under the structure to build they will, this normally leads to them being trapped under what they just built, or more often than not, another dupe building their head into the newly constructed tile.

3. Dupes are incredibly ADD, they cannot focus on one task if more than one is qued at a time.  They will deliver sandstone to this ladder, then completely cross the map to build a different ladder.

If you want to outsmart your dupes keep these things in mind as you que jobs for them to complete, as their desire to commit suicide by stupidity seems to be the strongest attribute they have.

[Left4twenty]

I find specializing jobs when a decent troupe of 8 or more dupes are going can help with wasted time too.  Dupes can increase speed of work (at least in some jobs) at higher levels, and decrease travel times by staying close to certain areas.  If one dupe is an amazing cook, they basically live in the kitchen and do delivery, usually to their musher.  I usually rename my scientist "Dr (name)" for fun and set them dedicated to research/deliver until the tech tree is filled. Construction/digging is a great combo.  And then there's the poor gophers/hamsters..