How to make money as Dark Elves

Dark Elves's fastest-paying building in Total War: Warhammer III is the Gem Mineshaft (Gem Mining, level 1): 500 gold for +300 gold a turn, its cost back in 1.7 turns once built. The most gold from one building slot is the Gemcutter's Workshop at +600 a turn (3,500 gold to build the chain that far, back in 5.8 turns). 45 Dark Elves building levels make flat income, patch 9.0.4.

Fastest payback

Turns of income to earn the building's cost back (each chain's fastest level).

1Gem MineshaftGem Mining 1 · 500 gold → +300 a turn · Region with the resource1.7turns
2Gold Mining PitGold Mining 1 · 500 gold → +300 a turn · Region with the resource1.7turns
3Animal StoreTusks 1 · 500 gold → +100 a turn · Region with the resource5turns
4Artisan's HouseIndustry 1 · 500 gold → +100 a turn · Any settlement5turns
5Brine Mining PansSaltmaking 1 · 500 gold → +100 a turn · Region with the resource5turns
6Cinnabar Mining PitDye Production 1 · 500 gold → +100 a turn · Region with the resource5turns

Most gold per building slot

Income of each chain's top level; the line shows that level's own cost.

1Gemcutter's WorkshopGem Mining 3 · 2,000 gold → +600 a turn · Region with the resource+600a turn
2Gold SmelterGold Mining 3 · 2,000 gold → +600 a turn · Region with the resource+600a turn
3Dark Elf PortPort 3 · 6,000 gold → +500 a turn · Port settlement+500a turn
4Guild HallsIndustry 3 · 1,500 gold → +200 a turn · Any settlement+200a turn
5DyemakerDye Production 3 · 2,000 gold → +200 a turn · Region with the resource+200a turn
6Eastern BazaarSpice Trading 3 · 2,000 gold → +200 a turn · Region with the resource+200a turn

COMPUTEDIncome = the level's flat gold per turn (the game's “Income generated” effects on the building itself, table building_effects_junction) minus its upkeep (building_levels.upkeep_cost). Payback = cost (create_cost) ÷ income. Upgrade payback = the level's cost ÷ the income it adds over the level below. “Gold back by turn” = build turns (create_time) + payback, counted from the order. Chain total = every level's cost up to this one, and its payback = that total ÷ income. Patch 9.0.4.

ASSUMPTIONS

Base values: technologies, lord skills, commandments, campaign difficulty and faction effects that change income or building costs are not counted.
Percentage boosts (“+4% income from all buildings in the province”, “+20% (local region)”) are not in the payback: they depend on the buildings they boost. They are listed below with the income those buildings need to make.
Conditional income (“When Control is 75 or more”, “When enemy Lord is present”…) is not counted; listed below in the game's words.
Resource buildings need a region with that resource; ports need a port settlement. A slot can hold one building, so late in a campaign gold per slot matters more than payback.

Every Dark Elves building that makes gold (45)

#
1	Gem Mineshaft	Gem Mining	1	500	2	300	1.70	—	3.70	Region with the resource
2	Gold Mining Pit	Gold Mining	1	500	2	300	1.70	—	3.70	Region with the resource
3	Gem Mine	Gem Mining	2	1,000	3	450	2.20	6.70	5.20	Region with the resource
4	Gold Mine	Gold Mining	2	1,000	3	450	2.20	6.70	5.20	Region with the resource
5	Gemcutter's Workshop	Gem Mining	3	2,000	4	600	3.30	13.30	7.30	Region with the resource
6	Gold Smelter	Gold Mining	3	2,000	4	600	3.30	13.30	7.30	Region with the resource
7	Artisan's House	Industry	1	500	1	100	5	—	6	Any settlement
8	Exotic Animal Tamer	Exotic Animals	1	500	1	100	5	—	6	Region with the resource
9	Cinnabar Mining Pit	Dye Production	1	500	1	100	5	—	6	Region with the resource
10	Hunting Camp	Wild Game	1	500	1	100	5	—	6	Region with the resource
11	Iron Mining Pit	Iron Mining	1	500	2	100	5	—	7	Region with the resource
12	Sawyer	Marble Quarry	1	500	1	100	5	—	6	Region with the resource
13	Obsidian Quarry	Obsidian Quarry	1	500	1	100	5	—	6	Region with the resource
14	Clay Pit	Pottery Production	1	500	1	100	5	—	6	Region with the resource
15	Brine Mining Pans	Saltmaking	1	500	1	100	5	—	6	Region with the resource
16	Spice Market	Spice Trading	1	500	1	100	5	—	6	Region with the resource
17	Woodman's Hut	Woodlands	1	500	1	100	5	—	6	Region with the resource
18	Animal Store	Tusks	1	500	1	100	5	—	6	Region with the resource
19	Crafting District	Industry	2	1,000	2	150	6.70	20	8.70	Any settlement
20	Exotic Animal Pen	Exotic Animals	2	1,000	2	150	6.70	20	8.70	Region with the resource
21	Cinnabar Mine	Dye Production	2	1,000	2	150	6.70	20	8.70	Region with the resource
22	Hunting Lodge	Wild Game	2	1,000	2	150	6.70	20	8.70	Region with the resource
23	Iron Mines	Iron Mining	2	1,000	3	150	6.70	20	9.70	Region with the resource
24	Marble Quarry	Marble Quarry	2	1,000	2	150	6.70	20	8.70	Region with the resource
25	Obsidian Trinket Maker	Obsidian Quarry	2	1,000	2	150	6.70	20	8.70	Region with the resource
26	Pottery Maker	Pottery Production	2	1,000	2	150	6.70	20	8.70	Region with the resource
27	Brine Mining Basin	Saltmaking	2	1,000	2	150	6.70	20	8.70	Region with the resource
28	Spice Trading Post	Spice Trading	2	1,000	2	150	6.70	20	8.70	Region with the resource
29	Timber Mill	Woodlands	2	1,000	2	150	6.70	20	8.70	Region with the resource
30	Tusk Market	Tusks	2	1,000	2	150	6.70	20	8.70	Region with the resource
31	Guild Halls	Industry	3	1,500	3	200	7.50	30	10.50	Any settlement
32	Dark Elf Harbour	Port	2	3,000	4	300	10	15	14	Port settlement
33	Exotic Animal Market	Exotic Animals	3	2,000	3	200	10	40	13	Region with the resource
34	Dyemaker	Dye Production	3	2,000	3	200	10	40	13	Region with the resource
35	Tannery	Wild Game	3	2,000	3	200	10	40	13	Region with the resource
36	Iron Smelter	Iron Mining	3	2,000	4	200	10	40	14	Region with the resource
37	Stone Mason's Workshop	Marble Quarry	3	2,000	3	200	10	40	13	Region with the resource
38	Obsidian Amulet Carver	Obsidian Quarry	3	2,000	3	200	10	40	13	Region with the resource
39	Kilns	Pottery Production	3	2,000	3	200	10	40	13	Region with the resource
40	Saltworks	Saltmaking	3	2,000	3	200	10	40	13	Region with the resource
41	Eastern Bazaar	Spice Trading	3	2,000	3	200	10	40	13	Region with the resource
42	Lumberyard	Woodlands	3	2,000	3	200	10	40	13	Region with the resource
43	Tusk Compound	Tusks	3	2,000	3	200	10	40	13	Region with the resource
44	Dark Elf Port	Port	3	6,000	6	500	12	30	18	Port settlement
45	Dark Elf Landing	Port	1	1,500	2	100	15	—	17	Port settlement

Main building levels

Settlement upgrades make gold too, but they also cost growth (population surplus) and open building slots, so payback alone undersells them. Province capitals and minor settlements are separate chains.

#
1	Black Spire	Province Capital	1	1,000	—	100	—
2	Black Spire	Minor Settlement	1	1,000	—	100	—
3	Dark Hold	Province Capital	2	2,000	1	150	40
4	Dark Hold	Minor Settlement	2	2,000	1	150	40
5	Dark Tower	Province Capital	3	4,000	2	200	80
6	Dark Tower	Minor Settlement	3	4,000	2	200	80
7	Dark Citadel	Province Capital	4	8,000	4	250	160
8	Dark City	Province Capital	5	16,000	5	300	320

Percentage income boosts

These add a share to other buildings' income: the province's, every region's you own, or the local region's (the region the building stands in). One pays back in 10 turns when the buildings it boosts make cost ÷ (10 × share) gold a turn — the last column.

#
1	Black Roads	Transportation	2,000	4%	—	—	5,000

Every level's full effects: Dark Elves buildings.