What comfort actually does — and what it doesn’t
The single most useful thing to know: comfort does not make your Rested buff stronger. It makes it last longer.
- Duration comes from comfort: one extra minute per comfort level.
- Strength comes from your character level: the buff scales up as you level, not as you decorate. At level 1 it grants roughly 40 extra stamina.
So furniture is a duration investment, not a power one. But in 1.0 that duration is worth more than it used to be.
Why this matters more in 1.0
Every swing, dodge and block now costs stamina. That change makes the Rested buff — which raises maximum stamina and stamina regeneration — a combat stat rather than a convenience.
More stamina means you can run, dodge, glide and grapple more often. If you have been running out of stamina mid-fight since the 1.0 update, this is one of the two fixes (the other being the Airborne Ranger skill, which cuts glider stamina use by 12% per rank).
How to trigger the Rested buff
You need all four conditions at once:
- Sheltered — under a roof.
- Warm — near a heat source such as a campfire or fireplace.
- No nearby threats — no hostiles.
- Sitting or sleeping.
You can check your current buff and comfort level in your character’s status menu.
Away from base: you can still get Rested by sitting near a campfire in a safe spot, or by digging a hole and sleeping or sitting in it. That is genuinely useful before entering a dangerous area — rest up before a Hollow Hall run rather than after.
How to raise your comfort level
Craft and place furniture from the comfort categories.
- The Flame Altar itself provides 5 comfort before you do anything.
- Beds, chairs, fireplaces and rugs each raise it further.
- As you rescue more survivors you unlock more furniture recipes — lighting, rugs, trophies and other items that contribute.
The mistake everyone makes
Placing several items from the same comfort category does not stack them.
Five benches will not give you five times the comfort. Sources describe it plainly: if several items belong to the same basic comfort category, you should not expect each bench, stool or table to stack its bonus individually.
The rule: one suitable item from each available comfort category. When you are crafting, check the category on the recipe and aim to cover as many different categories as you can. That gets you more comfort from ten items placed well than from thirty placed badly.
Decorative items that do not contribute to comfort still make your base look better — just do not expect them to move the number.
Building tips that make this easier
- Rescue the Carpenter, Cade Hawthorn, early. He makes most of the beds, chairs and chests that raise comfort, which is why base builders should prioritise him.
- Flame Altar level 4 expands the build area to 160×160×160. The final step costs 5 Shroud Nexus.
- Terrain edits outside your Flame Altar’s zone reset. Tunnels and cellars must be built inside the boundary or they will not survive.
- Airborne Architect, in the centre of the 1.0 skill tree, lets you build in free-flight mode — no scaffolding needed.
A practical comfort checklist
- Place your Flame Altar (5 comfort, free).
- Rescue Cade Hawthorn, the Carpenter.
- Add one bed, one chair and one fireplace.
- Add a rug.
- Add lighting and a trophy as you unlock them.
- Check the status menu, then sit by the fire before you leave base.