Picking the right place to call home in Enshrouded 1.0 can shape the entire pace of your run. The full release expanded the map, added the Cinders Cradle volcanic region, raised the altar cap, and introduced new biome content, which means there are more viable base spots than ever. This guide walks through the top base locations from the Springlands all the way to Cinders Cradle, plus a full starter base construction plan you can follow step by step.
Enshrouded 1.0 Best Base Locations for Start & All Levels
The 1.0 update kept the core base system intact while opening up far more usable territory. Every player still starts near the Cinder Vault with a tiny level 1 Flame Altar, and the altar's build zone grows as it is upgraded. A level 2 to level 3 jump moves the zone from 80x80x80 up to 120x120x120, meaning the area you choose becomes more valuable as you progress because more surrounding resources, pre-built structures, and natural features fall inside the border.
Flame Altars also act as fast travel points, and 1.0 preserved the system where leveling your altar lets you place more total bases across the map. Pre-built villages, farms, taverns, and towers can be claimed by dropping an altar nearby, and the hammer's remove function can be used to tear down crumbled walls and recover their resources, including advanced building blocks like weathered stone brick that you would not normally have access to early on.
Below is a ranked list of the top base locations in Enshrouded 1.0, starting with the strongest overall pick. Each entry breaks down the region, biome and level range, nearby resources, available building space, who the spot is best suited for, and a short overview describing what makes it worth settling at.
1. Woodgard
Region: Springlands, just left of the first Ancient Spire drop-down point
Biomes & Levels: Springlands, levels 5 to 10
Resources: Naturally regrowing tomatoes and corn, infinite plant fiber from dried crop fields, honey nearby, golden chest spawn in the church basement, close access to a tower and scrap camp, shroud not far away
Building space: Six pre-built structures to claim, plus a large flat flower-covered courtyard outside the church for free building
Best For: New players who want the strongest early-game headquarters and renovators who like having multiple pre-built options
Woodgard is the single strongest base location in the early game and arguably the best spot on the entire map when weighing resources, pre-built value, and accessibility. You can take over any of the six existing buildings, build on the open church courtyard, or do both using multiple altars. The farm plots feed you plant fiber for bandages and string indefinitely, the regrowing crops keep your pantry stocked, and the golden chest hidden in the church basement gives you a repeatable loot source. Everything you need in the first 10 hours of the game is within walking distance.
2. Harvest Homestead
Region: Springlands, northwest of the starter Cinder Vault
Biomes & Levels: Springlands, levels 1 to 5
Resources: Infinite plant fiber from destroyed crop fields, pre-built farm plots with growing crops, basic early-game materials from barrels and rubble
Building space: Two full pre-built houses (one mansion-style farmhouse with upstairs and basement, one secondary building), expanding to a third building as the altar levels up
Best For: Solo players and anyone wanting a chill, low-pressure first base extremely close to the starting zone
Harvest Homestead is the perfect first permanent base after you leave the Cinder Vault tutorial area. The main farmhouse is stunning right out of the box with a stove, bookcase, shelves, bedroom, basement, and attic space. A secondary building across the way can house villagers while you live in the main one, and the pre-made farm plots give you ongoing produce. Only a few low-level wolves and rats need clearing, making it a safe and relaxing takeover for solo runs.
3. Cinders Cradle Lava Platform
Region: Top-right corner of the map in the new volcanic region
Biomes & Levels: Cinders Cradle, levels 40 to 50 (endgame)
Resources: Direct access to shroud for farming, Celestium mining site to the north, elixir well above Event Hall Four, nearby lava and volcanic materials
Building space: Large platform suspended over lava with pre-built automation lines, interior sections, and a backside opening leading straight into the shroud
Best For: Endgame builders looking for the most atmospheric late-game base in 1.0
The signature endgame location in the 1.0 expansion. Unlike the snow biome, Cinders Cradle does not cause overheat damage, so building freely over lava is fully viable. The pre-built automation lines moving you around the structure make it feel alive, and the backside shroud entrance turns farming trips into a quick walk. No immediate enemies in the base footprint means setup is painless once you survive the trek in.
4. Three-Biome Border Plateau
Region: Northwest of the Nomad Highlands Ancient Spire
Biomes & Levels: Border of snow biome, jungle, and Nomad Highlands, levels 25 to 35
Resources: Tin, granite, ice, flame sanctum just below, abundant jungle and savanna materials
Building space: Massive high-altitude plateau above almost everything else in the world, except the summit peaks and floating islands
Best For: Players who cannot pick a single favorite biome and want strategic access to three climates at once
A rare three-way biome border perch with yaks on the front doorstep and sweeping views of the jungle, savanna, and snow regions. Being perched above the surrounding map means you look down on nearly everything, and the flame sanctum sitting just below adds utility. The climb up is lengthy without summit access, but once you set up, this is one of the most tactically positioned bases in the entire game.
5. Wescott
Region: Northwest of the starter base, past the first Springlands spire
Biomes & Levels: Springlands, levels 5 to 10 (goblin camp around level 9)
Resources: A well right at the front door (rare early-game water), free plant fiber crops, catacomb loot
Building space: Pre-built tavern-style main building with upstairs, giant attached catacomb, multiple side buildings, tents around the perimeter for temporary housing
Best For: Groups and solo players who want a renovation project and a clear town layout with distinct profession zones
Wescott is a goblin village you clear around level 5 or 6 to claim. The well out front solves the biggest early-game headache (water access), and the layout naturally splits into profession zones so you can designate a blacksmith house, a cooking house, and a farming area as the altar grows. The tavern main building is compact and clean compared to Harvest Homestead, and the attached catacomb gives you a giant underground storage vault from day one.
6. Chromeville Throne Room
Region: Top-left corner of the map at the Veil Water Basin Ancient Spire
Biomes & Levels: Veil Water Basin, levels 40 to 45
Resources: Rich Veil Water Basin loot pool, late-game materials across the surrounding region
Building space: Massive pre-built castle with gated entrance, furnished interior rooms, pre-mounted trophies, courtyard space, and interior decor already in place
Best For: Castle builders and roleplayers who want the most impressive takeover in the game
The Chromeville Throne Room is the ultimate castle takeover in 1.0. The pre-mounted trophies, furnished rooms, and dramatic gated entrance need only minor patchwork before the place feels fully lived-in. The trade-off is danger (level 45 enemies and aggressive bees in the area), so expect to die several times during setup. Two or three altars are needed to cover the whole footprint, but the final result is unmatched.
7. Lush Cliff View
Region: Revelwood, next to a golden-lined cliff face
Biomes & Levels: Revelwood, levels 10 to 20
Resources: Abundant clay and copper from the cliff, flax for clothing, food foraging, nearby town with a golden chest, shroud just below the cliff
Building space: Decently flat open area with light terraforming needed, sized for a mega-base
Best For: Mid-game players planning a large ambitious free-build with heavy resource demands
Lush Cliff View is the strongest resource-adjacent spot in Revelwood. The gold-lined cliff next door provides clay and copper on tap, and the shroud running underneath lets you dip in for shroud materials without a long trip. Flax growing in the area covers clothing production, and the nearby town supplies a repeatable golden chest. If you want a true kingdom-scale build in the mid game, this is the location.
8. Fern Meadows
Region: Springlands
Biomes & Levels: Springlands, levels 5 to 15
Resources: Tranquil pool for water, foliage and foraging around the site
Building space: Extensive flat land next to a pre-built pier with a road already running past it
Best For: Creative free-build players who want one of the prettiest Springlands locations
Fern Meadows is the most scenic free-build spot in the starting biome. Butterflies drift around a tranquil pool with a pier already in place, and the surrounding ground is some of the flattest terrain available in the Springlands. You will need to clear some foliage to reveal the full footprint, but once you do, you get a settlement-ready site that is as peaceful as it is practical.
9. Blue Goblin Tavern
Region: Revelwood
Biomes & Levels: Revelwood, levels 15 to 25
Resources: Hidden secret cave under the base, Revelwood region materials nearby
Building space: Fully pre-decorated tavern with three upstairs rooms, two balconies, a cellar with a hidden bookshelf doorway leading into a secret cave
Best For: Players who do not want to build or decorate and just want to explore
The Blue Goblin Tavern is the ultimate "possess a perfectly built base" option. Pre-decorated furnishings, balconies, upstairs sleeping rooms, and a hidden bookshelf passage leading to a secret cave below mean you can drop an altar and immediately have everything you need. Zero construction required, which is extremely rare in Enshrouded.
10. Dragon Dream Lake
Region: Veil Water Basin, just above the "E" on the map label
Biomes & Levels: Veil Water Basin, levels 35 to 45
Resources: Freshwater lake, bamboo-like trees for building, Veil Water Basin region materials
Building space: Massive flat space on multiple sides of the lake, central island, room for two altars to cover a sprawling village
Best For: Village-scale builders who like lush tropical scenery and want a safe high-level base
A paradise lake with crystal-clear water, bamboo trees, and only a handful of small crabs in the area, which is extremely unusual for a Veil Water Basin spot. The central island plus the flat land on either side makes this the ideal sprawling village location, with enough room for two altars to connect into a single mega-settlement.
11. Nomad Pier Base
Region: Just south of the Nomad Highlands Ancient Spire past the shroud route
Biomes & Levels: Nomad Highlands, levels 20 to 30
Resources: Tin ore in the nearby Fulca Caves (needed for bronze bars), fishing waters, shroud below for farming
Building space: Pier-ready waterfront with glowing yellow pillars behind and red fog from the canyon as a backdrop
Best For: Mid-to-late game players wanting a visually striking base with easy shroud and ore access
The Nomad Pier Base is the most atmospheric mid-game location. Yellow-glowing pillars behind the base and the red canyon fog in the distance create a cinematic skyline, and the tin ore in the nearby Fulca Caves covers bronze bar crafting for a major stretch of progression. Shroud access is a short glide away, making farming trips painless.
12. Kindlewaste Pier
Region: Just right of the Kindlewaste Ancient Spire
Biomes & Levels: Kindlewaste, levels 25 to 35
Resources: Heavy sulfur deposits (best XP-per-swing ore), lapis veins, sand patches
Building space: Big pool of water with a pier, massive cliff faces behind, a cool little tower to take over
Best For: Players grinding mining XP and anyone who wants a desert beach setup
Kindlewaste Pier combines a desert beach aesthetic with one of the fastest XP farming spots in the game thanks to the sulfur deposits (each hit breaks the node and grants XP). Armadillo critters wander the area, lapis sits ready to mine, and the pier plus water pool give you fishing access in the middle of a desert biome.
13. Mountain Peak Castle Spot
Region: High up on a mountain top accessible via climbing
Biomes & Levels: Varies by mountain, generally mid-to-late game
Resources: Limited at the peak itself, but views cover every surrounding biome
Building space: Large flat mountaintop with pre-built viewpoints
Best For: Castle builders who want a 360-degree panoramic view
A classic castle-on-the-mountaintop location. The climb up is the only real obstacle, but once a shrine is placed, you have a perfect vantage point looking down on every biome around you. The flat footprint on top is unusually generous for a mountain peak.
14. Peaceful Acres
Region: Revelwood
Biomes & Levels: Revelwood, levels 10 to 20
Resources: Free corn on the cob from the farmland, planting space for your own crops
Building space: Two pre-built structures for crafting stations plus a large farmhouse with a full kitchen, sleeping room for five, and a huge basement with a chest room
Best For: Mid-game players who want a homely farmstead with everything already laid out
Peaceful Acres is Harvest Homestead's older sibling in Revelwood. The main farmhouse comes with a kitchen, sleeping arrangements for an entire crew of five, and a surprisingly massive basement that includes a chest room and (strangely) a nest. The attached farmland produces free corn and extra planting space. A fixer-upper by nature, but the end result pays off.
15. Waterfall Mining Base
Region: Just northwest of the Revelwood Ancient Spire
Biomes & Levels: Revelwood, levels 10 to 20
Resources: Mining materials in the pre-built mining area, chest tucked in a cave behind the waterfall
Building space: Pre-built mining structure with existing stone walls serving as a ready-made basement
Best For: Players who want a basement without digging it themselves
The waterfall mining base is the easiest way to get a basement without any excavation work. The stone walls are already in place, and the replace technique (chiseling out crumbled blocks and swapping them for clean versions) lets you tidy it up without starting from scratch. A hidden cave chest behind the waterfall is a nice bonus.
16. Black Mire Massive Tree Overlook
Region: Black Mire, near the biome entrance
Biomes & Levels: Black Mire, levels 15 to 25
Resources: Natural blue flowers for aesthetic value, access to higher-level resources via gliding over nearby hills
Building space: Slightly slanted but manageable slope with a giant tree at the center
Best For: Players who want a mystical forest base with a signature central tree
This location is defined by the enormous tree sitting at the heart of the build footprint. Views stretch across the forest, floating islands, and the distant summit, and the slanted terrain is gentle enough to work with easily. Gliding over the hills gives sneaky early access to higher-level loot pools.
17. Bitter Mount Lake
Region: Snow biome
Biomes & Levels: Summit area, levels 30 to 40
Resources: Ice farming, water access, frozen waterfall nearby
Building space: Frozen circular lake with a central island shaped like a natural castle foundation
Best For: Castle builders who want a frozen aesthetic without freezing damage
Bitter Mount Lake looks like it was designed for a castle keep. The central island is already shaped to carry a tower, the frozen waterfall surrounding the lake is one of the prettiest sights in the game, and once a flame shrine is placed, cold damage stops being a concern.
18. Summit Frozen Lake
Region: Summit area
Biomes & Levels: Summit, levels 35 to 45
Resources: Farmable ice, natural vent (usable for a tower chimney), plateau resources above
Building space: Giant frozen lake footprint with a central vent and white cliffs in the background
Best For: Late-game builders who want a dramatic alpine base
Patrolling enemies make this harder to set up than Bitter Mount Lake, so an upgraded altar is a must. The payoff is the natural vent in the center, perfect to work into a tower design, and the surrounding plateau for extra building space.
19. Snow-Meets-River Waterfall Base
Region: Northeast of the Veil Water Basin Spire
Biomes & Levels: Veil Water Basin / snow biome border, levels 40 to 45
Resources: River water, waterfall, snow biome materials, shroud wraith aesthetic
Building space: Build directly over the river with a waterfall pouring down the side into a ravine
Best For: Players who want a dramatic ravine-overlook base straddling two biomes
A dangerous location but visually unmatched. Build over the river itself for a base perched over a waterfall and a full ravine view. Patrolling enemies wander in freely, so walls or barriers are needed to keep them out of your workspace.
20. Cliffs of Dust
Region: Nomad Highlands
Biomes & Levels: Nomad Highlands, levels 20 to 30
Resources: Copper hole on the side, tin mine directly below
Building space: Flat multi-tiered cliff spot large enough for a kingdom build
Best For: Mid-game players who need direct access to copper and tin for bronze progression
The Cliffs of Dust pair a huge flat multi-tiered footprint with the two most important mid-game ores (copper and tin) within arm's reach. The only hurdle is getting up there (gliding or tunneling), but once you are set, bronze bar production is effectively unlimited.
21. Rough Step
Region: Snow biome
Biomes & Levels: Snow region, levels 30 to 40
Resources: Insane concentration of nearby resources, tiny fishing pond on the property
Building space: Pre-built with intact and refurbishable buildings, large courtyards, and a cave for a secret lair
Best For: Underrated prefab lovers who want everything built-in on the mountainside
Rough Step is one of the most underrated locations in the game. You get intact buildings, courtyards for planting, a small fishing pond, a cave on the property for a secret room, and absurd resource density all over the surrounding area. Clear out the baddies and the whole place is yours.
22. Desert Palace of Sure Watch
Region: Kindlewaste
Biomes & Levels: Kindlewaste, levels 25 to 35
Resources: Kindlewaste region materials, interior pool
Building space: Fully pre-built sun-baked palace with multiple well-decorated rooms, small garden lots around the structure, and an interior pool
Best For: Desert-themed builders who want a full palace takeover
A spectacular pre-built palace with its own indoor pool. Clearing it out (including a matron) takes work, but once the rubble is patched, the place truly shines. Multiple well-decorated rooms mean you can distribute NPCs and benches without any added construction.
23. Wisteria Cottage
Region: Veil Water Basin
Biomes & Levels: Veil Water Basin, levels 35 to 45
Resources: Mini fishing pools outside, tranquil lake views
Building space: Pre-built barn with wisteria-covered walls, upstairs bedroom, interior tunnel opening into a kitchen area
Best For: Cottage-core players who want the prettiest small home in the game
Wisteria Cottage is the prettiest small pre-build in Enshrouded 1.0. The wisteria on the walls creates a storybook look, mini fishing pools dot the yard, and the interior has a cozy upstairs bedroom plus a tunnel that opens into kitchen space. Flattening the side opens up expansion options if you want to grow beyond the cottage footprint.
24. Brief Farm
Region: Veil Water Basin
Biomes & Levels: Veil Water Basin, levels 35 to 45
Resources: Cocoa fields, bamboo and greenery for building, sneaky basement
Building space: Pre-built windmill farm with a decently flat path alongside for village expansion
Best For: Hybrid pre-build and free-build fans who want a windmill as a centerpiece
The windmill at Brief Farm is the standout feature. You can incorporate it into a village built along the flat path running past the farm, and the cocoa fields plus hidden basement add utility. Plenty of nearby bamboo and greenery for building materials, with the main lake not far away.
25. Bounty Barn
Region: Nomad Highlands edge
Biomes & Levels: Nomad Highlands, levels 20 to 30
Resources: Thriving wheat field for farming, small pond up the road
Building space: Pre-built homestead with a decently sized barn and attached crop storage shed
Best For: Solo or duo players who want a cozy wheat farm base
Bounty Barn is the ideal small-scale farmstead. Ideal for solo or two-player setups, with the barn structured to support adding a second floor during renovation. The wheat field in front keeps your crops stocked, and the little pond up the road is a sweet bonus for water access.
26. Cozy Vuca Retreat
Region: Black Mire
Biomes & Levels: Black Mire, levels 15 to 25
Resources: Black Mire region materials, straw house attached
Building space: Pre-built vuca settlement with nest-style beds and an attached straw house
Best For: Players who want a one-of-a-kind themed base full of character
The Cozy Vuca Retreat has personality to spare. Nest-style beds, a straw house annex, and a layout unlike anywhere else in the game give this spot heavy character. Clear the current inhabitants, drop your altar, and you have a themed base that stands apart from any stone-and-wood build.
27. Blackwood Treehouse Base
Region: Black Mire
Biomes & Levels: Black Mire, levels 15 to 25
Resources: Forest materials, wood
Building space: Pre-built treehouse structure with gazebos and vuca houses below, main living space inside the tree itself
Best For: Players who have always wanted to live in a treehouse
The treehouse base at Blackwood is exactly what it sounds like. The main tree already has interior living space you can expand massively, with gazebos and vuca houses nestled below as support buildings. If a treehouse village is on your bucket list, this is where you build it.
28. Spire View Flatland (Honorable Mention)
Region: Springlands, straight north of the starter past the first spire
Biomes & Levels: Springlands, levels 5 to 10
Resources: Fishing dock on-site, nearby elixir well, gem forge access, shroud materials close by
Building space: Giant open flat area between two spires with no obstacles or clearing required
Best For: Players who want a zero-effort flat site for custom builds
A giant flat clearing between two spires with no enemies to fight and no buildings to work around. The fishing dock gives you a water access point in a biome short on water, and the surrounding area is packed with quest content. The simplest site on the map to drop a base and start building from scratch.
29. Abysmal Mountain Peak
Region: Snow biome
Biomes & Levels: Abysmal Mountains, levels 30 to 40
Resources: Silver and coal around the base of the mountain
Building space: Remote snowy peak with beautiful sunset views
Best For: Players who want a snow village entirely to themselves
A charming remote snow spot with silver and coal around the lower slopes. The isolation is the appeal here. The place stays entirely your own with nothing competing for the footprint, and the sunset views across the mountains are some of the best in the game.
30. Revelwood Snow Peak
Region: Revelwood (hidden snowy mountain)
Biomes & Levels: Revelwood, levels 15 to 25
Resources: Standard Revelwood materials, unusual snow access
Building space: Small mountain peak with a tiny building to break down for a flat central footprint
Best For: Players who want snowy aesthetics without going to the actual snow biome
A hidden snow-covered peak sitting above Revelwood. Breaking down the small building on top opens up a flat central footprint, and you get snow aesthetics inside a mid-game biome, which no other location offers.
31. Cave Base Above Revelwood
Region: Left of the Revelwood biome, near the Ectoplasm press
Biomes & Levels: Revelwood, level 15 enemies inside
Resources: Access to the Ectoplasm press for the Collector quest, natural ambient lighting
Building space: Pre-walled cave footprint with natural sunlight filtering through the top and ambient blue glow at night
Best For: Players who want a hidden lair instead of an open-air base
A cave base above Revelwood is the perfect choice for players who prefer lurking in the shadows. Defeat the level 15 enemies inside and drop your altar so they stop respawning. The cave is naturally walled off at the back, sunlight filters in from above, and a blue glow lights the space in the dark. You are literally sitting above the cloud layer when you look out.
32. Voodoo Pools
Region: Nomad Highlands
Biomes & Levels: Nomad Highlands, levels 20 to 30
Resources: Water from the pools
Building space: Funky plateau with pools at varied heights
Best For: Creative builders who want unusual terrain to play with
The Voodoo Pools give you varied heights and pools of water to work around rather than a flat footprint. A waterfall running through the design would look spectacular, and the layered terrain opens up build options you cannot replicate elsewhere.
33. Desert Oasis on the Border
Region: Border of Nomad Highlands and Kindlewaste
Biomes & Levels: Nomad Highlands / Kindlewaste border, levels 25 to 35
Resources: Mountain lake water, dual biome resource access
Building space: High mountain lake with views over both biomes
Best For: Desert free-build fans who want a sunny oasis base
A desert oasis sitting high on the border between the two desert biomes. The lake water is sweet, the weather stays sunny almost all the time, and the climb up either side is the only real downside. Suited for a lake-centered free-build.
34. Queen Jasmina's Hillside
Region: Veil Water Basin, next to Queen Jasmina's camp
Biomes & Levels: Veil Water Basin, levels 35 to 45
Resources: Nearby water and tower
Building space: Flat spacious hilltop near the camp (which you can clear after setting up)
Best For: Players who want a peaceful flat site in Veil Water Basin
A flat spacious hill with the option to clear Queen Jasmina's camp after you set up shop. Clearing some trees opens up more sunlight, and the location is peaceful and extremely flat compared to the rest of the biome.
35. Black Marsh Cliff Edge
Region: Entrance to the Black Marsh forest
Biomes & Levels: Black Marsh, levels 15 to 25
Resources: Clay in the river woods just behind
Building space: Flat multi-tiered cliff edge high above the forest with sweeping views
Best For: Creative builders who want a dramatic cliff kingdom
A secluded multi-tiered cliff perch high above the Black Marsh forest. The climb up is a project, but once you are set, the views stretch across the trees and the river woods just behind supply clay. Ideal for an ambitious kingdom build on the edge of the cliff.
36. Springlands Southwest Peak
Region: Southwest of the Springlands Ancient Spire
Biomes & Levels: Springlands peak, mid-to-late game
Resources: Minimal, mostly aesthetic
Building space: Tiny mountaintop with a panoramic view of nearly the entire map
Best For: Post-game players who want a quiet retirement home
Not a working base so much as a scenic retreat. The footprint is tiny, but the panoramic view covers nearly the entire map, making it the perfect spot to retire after beating the game and sip coffee overlooking everything you conquered.
Why Base Location Matters for Your Gameplay in Enshrouded 1.0
More Bases Equal More Fast Travel Points
Ancient Spires are spread thin across the map, and travel between them often leaves large gaps you have to cross on foot or by glider. Dropping extra Flame Altars gives you additional teleport destinations, which cuts travel time for quests, resource runs, and multiplayer coordination.
Surrounding Resources Scale With Altar Level
A base in the middle of empty flatland works at level 1, but it wastes potential at level 3 and beyond. Picking a spot adjacent to wells, regrowing crop fields, ore veins, or pre-built structures means that each altar upgrade pulls more free value into your zone.
Pre-Built Structures Save Hundreds of Hours
Taking over a ruined village gives you working buildings, basements, catacombs, and farm plots the moment you drop your altar. You can renovate rather than build from scratch, and the resources you strip from broken walls feed directly back into upgrades.
Water Access Shapes Early Progression
Water is one of the rarer resources in the opening hours. Drinking water boosts stamina regeneration, which matters a lot in early combat, and water is required for seed crafting, cooking, and farming. Bases near wells, piers, or lakes carry a permanent edge.
Biome Edges Give You the Best of Both Worlds
Border locations between two or three biomes let you reach different climates, enemy types, and resource pools without long travel. These spots are rarer but extremely strong once found.
Enshrouded 1.0 Perfect Starter Base Build Guide
Below is a complete starter base construction plan that fits five NPCs, has three floors including a basement, and scales as your altar levels up.
Step 1: Flame Altar and Raised Foundation
Drop your Flame Altar, then switch to foundations and turn off the snapping feature so wood pieces do not glue to the altar. Raise the foundation up by one increment, delete the altar, then place it back down so it snaps to the new raised height. Fill in a 3x5 grid of wooden foundations with the altar in the dead center.
Step 2: Dig Out the Basement
Walk to the back right corner of the build and place two foundations. Starting from the third block, break it down to create digging space, then place a lower foundation into that space. Repeat the process, stepping down one foundation at a time until the floor sits two full foundation heights below the main floor. Snap foundations sideways as needed when angles get tight. Fill in the entire 3x5 basement floor with foundations, which clears out the ground above it automatically.
Step 3: Stairwell and Stone Perimeter
Build a staircase from the second back foundation down into the basement. Head back up top and run stone foundations around the entire perimeter, leaving the three middle front spots open for the entrance walkway.
Step 4: Pillar Framework and Door Frames
Switch to the hammer with the 1m wall block and use remove mode to chisel out the corners of the wooden foundations plus the four corners immediately around the altar. Place thick stone pillars in these slots. For the outside pillars, add a second pillar underneath to seal the gap between pillar and ground. Place stone door frames on the outside of every exterior pillar, leaving a visible gap on the inside face. Repeat the chisel-and-pillar process at the back near the stairwell.
Step 5: Walls and Windows
On the left side of the front doorway, grab narrow walls, turn off snapping, and push them back by one small block's width. Place one narrow wall left, one narrow wall right, and one window in the middle. Repeat on the right of the doorway. Fill the left side wall with full wooden walls pushed back the same amount, no windows yet. Repeat on the back wall above the stairwell and on the remaining side.
Between the two back pillars directly above the stairwell entrance, place a shroud wood quarter slab railing two heights above the foundation, running it from pillar to pillar and extending to the stairwell. Add a stone pillar at the railing end and door frames above to enclose the opening.
Step 6: Second Floor and Roof
Use shroud wood quarter blocks to segment the first and second floors by filling in a layer directly above the lower wooden walls, covering the entire 3x5 footprint.
For the roof, use stone shingle roof blocks. Line up the first piece with the shroud wood corner, then shift it two spaces over, pull it out by one, and push it down by one so the shroud wood corner appears to stick through the roof (it will sit flush once placed). Use snapping for subsequent pieces along the back. Repeat on both front corners with single roof pieces, then use the inner roof corner facing the center to join them cleanly, lowering as needed to match height.
Switch to the half roof (2M) size and lower pieces into the existing roof so they form a clean peak. Run half roofs across the back, then four on each side of the front, leaving a middle gap. Fill the gap with inner roof corners on the left and right, then continue half roofs out to the front. Cap the top with the straight roof top piece submerged into the roofline, running it from front to back.
Step 7: Upper Floor Interior and Stairs
Fill in the second floor ceiling of the lower level with wooden flooring, leaving a stairwell opening on the right side. Chisel one layer off the upper floor where the stairs will come up to give clearance. Place shroud wood stairs lowered to the floor level, pushed in by one block for a cleaner look. Swap the basement stairs for matching shroud wood stairs. Fill the gaps between upper walls and roof peak using step wall pieces on both sides.
Step 8: Upper Windows and Walls
On each upper wall, place a full-size window frame pulled in by one width for a dimensional look, then use small step wall pieces on either side pulled back out to match the main wall surface. Fill the top gap with small slanted walls. Repeat on the front and the opposite side wall.
For the side wall opposite the stairwell, chisel out a custom window six wide and two tall using the 0.5 single wall block.
Step 9: Front Door and Window Decoration
Place the door at the front, pushed back by one small block. Add two skinny stone pillars on either side of the stairs connecting them into the structure. At this point, replace the remaining wooden front foundations with stone to match the rest of the perimeter.
Using the hammer in chisel mode with the smallest singular block, outline each lower window and replace the chiseled wood with stone to create a curved stone frame. Repeat on the custom side window. Place plant fiber roof blocks directly above each stone-framed window.
Run door frames in stone around the entire base of the build, including the small protrusion by the stairwell, using the small chisel brick to avoid accidentally removing full foundations. Repeat the frame treatment directly above the stairwell.
Step 10: Window Inserts, Benches, and Shutters
Insert the taller crafted window variant into the lower windows, three small square variants into the custom side window, and three tall variants into the upper windows. Chisel a stone archway around the front door, add tall stone pillars connecting the archway to the thick corner pillars, and place plant fiber roof blocks above the doorway. Reinsert the door.
Snap benches onto the small stone layer at the bottom of each lower window as sills. On the custom side window, run two benches meeting in the middle. Add small square windows as wooden railings between the stone pillars outside the front door.
For shutters, shove small square crafted windows halfway into the wall on either side of each lower window, running from window top down to bench top. On the side window, run them into the stone foundations. Use tall crafted window variants as shutters on the three upper windows. Add plant fiber overhangs above the upper windows and run shroud wood blocks across to leave only a thin gap at top and bottom, then snap benches onto the upper window sills (this may take some camera adjustment to place correctly).
Extend lower window plant fiber overhangs by one block left and right. Fill the gap between benches and shutters on lower windows with small tiny stone blocks for support.
Step 11: Perimeter Fencing and Lighting
Place stone pillars at each of the four corners and roughly two along each side, shifting the front pillars over by one so they do not align with the doorway. Fill between pillars with wood banister 2 pieces, letting them overlap naturally. Raise the stone pillars by one tiny block for a nice contrast against the wooden fence, then place firefly lanterns on top of the pillars for ambient lighting around the base.
Fill the small gap in the stairwell exterior with small stone blocks for texture.
Step 12: Fireplace Alcove
Directly below the stairwell, place a skinny stone pillar on the left and another on the right with a gap between them. Add a small tiny stone block on top of each. Place two more skinny stone pillars one block forward, shifted down by one. Connect the fronts of the two sets with small stone blocks running left to right to form the alcove.
Chisel out the wood directly under the fireplace location and a small portion of floor in front of the alcove. Switch to first person and place the fireplace in the dead center of the alcove. Fill the gap behind and above the fireplace with stone blocks, lowering torches into the back layer for a glow effect, then cover the torches with more stone to hide them. Chisel the wooden wall between the pillars to create a vent, running stone pillars up through the wall and out the exterior. Add another decorative layer up top running into the previous stone door frames, then open gaps up top for more hidden torches finished with stone.
Step 13: Stairwell Enclosure and Basement Finishing
Above the basement, fill the remaining space with shroud wood running to the corner. Add a skinny stone pillar at the corner and extend shroud wood over to the thick pillar. Fill the space above the stairway with basic wooden floors as a small roof. Add skinny pillars running up to the top of the wooden roof, then stone door frames along the edges to hide the wooden floor edges. For a back entrance, break down shroud wood directly behind the stairs, add stone pillars, and leave a middle opening.
In the basement, snap a stone foundation to the bottom of the shroud stairs and fill the entire basement floor with stone foundations. Snap wooden walls to the bottom of the perimeter stone foundations to cover the natural stone walls, though leaving one exposed as a natural stone wall gives the basement a cool grounded-in-the-earth feeling.
Step 14: Interior Decoration
Line the back wall near the altar with storage boxes framed by shroud wood accents so they stand out. Group cooking stations around the furnace and run other crafting benches along the opposite wall. Keep decorations minimal until the Farmer NPC unlocks greenery and planters. The basement works well as NPC housing (giving you the cozy upper bedroom), with each villager tucked into a small hotel-style setup. Add lights above windows for ambience and keep the overall vibe simple so there is room to personalize later.