What makes a good base spot
A base lives or dies on nearby resources. Look for ore, water, and flat ground within a short walk.
Start near the central plateau
The starting region has gentle hills, nearby Pals, and fast travel already unlocked. Build here first to learn the systems.
Check for flat ground
Foundations snap to flat terrain. A clean plateau saves hours of cliff-filling later.
Keep ore close
Ore nodes feed smelting, which feeds every upgrade. A base within reach of a node pays off fastest.
Use water for farms
Crops need watering Pals or a nearby stream. Build farms where water is already on hand.
Watch the build limit
You can claim a set number of bases. Spread them by resource: one for ore, one for farms, one for power.
Later bases by resource
Once traveling is safe, place a mining base on a rich node and a farming base near open ground.
Fast travel matters
A base near a fast-travel point lets you bank loot without a long walk back. See the exploration guide for the network.
Avoid crowded spawns
Some spots sit next to aggressive Pals. Scout first so your workers are not farmed while you are away.
Move, do not marry the spot
Bases can be torn down and rebuilt. If a spot stalls you, relocate and keep the better one. Plan the move in the base building guide.
What a good base spot has
Look for flat ground near ore and wood, within reach of fast travel, and away from aggressive pal spawns. A base on a node you farm daily saves hours of hauling. Build a small forward base at a rich ore vein rather than carting everything home.