Enshrouded Building Guide
Building in Enshrouded uses a voxel-based system with full structural integrity physics. Unlike many survival games, your base must obey realistic support limits — build too wide or too high and your roof collapses. This guide covers everything from your first shelter to endgame mega-bases.
Getting Started: The Flame Altar
The Flame Altar is the heart of any base. It defines your buildable area, respawn point, and flame level.
Flame Altar Levels
| Level | Build Radius | Max Floors | Upgrade Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 40m | 3 | Default |
| 2 | 60m | 5 | 10 Shroud Cores + 5 Resin |
| 3 | 80m | 7 | 20 Shroud Cores + 10 Metal Bars |
| 4 | 100m | 10 | 40 Shroud Cores + 20 Hollow Cores |
| 5 | 120m | 12 | 60 Shroud Cores + 30 Dragon Scales |
Tip: You can place multiple Flame Altars for more build area, but each requires Shroud Cores to upgrade. Build one main base and satellite outposts for resource gathering.
Flame Altar Placement Tips
- Central location — Build near the center of the map for fast travel to all biomes
- Flat ground — Voxel terrain is easy to flatten, but starting on flat ground saves time
- Near water — You need water for farming and alchemy
- Cliff-adjacent — Cliff walls provide natural defense and can be carved into
- Avoid shroud — Shroud areas damage your structures over time
Structural Integrity System
Every building material has a support value and weight. Each floor away from a foundation (ground contact) reduces support by 50%.
Material Support Limits
| Material | Max Floors from Ground | Support Value | Weight | How to Craft |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dirt | 3 | 10 | 8 | Shovel (any terrain) |
| Wood | 5 | 18 | 5 | Workbench (5 Wood logs) |
| Stone | 8 | 30 | 10 | Masonry Table (10 Stone) |
| Stone Brick | 10 | 38 | 12 | Masonry Table (5 Stone blocks) |
| Steel | 12 | 50 | 15 | Blacksmith (4 Steel bars) |
| Obsidian | 16 | 65 | 20 | Blacksmith (4 Obsidian bars) |
| Shroud Wood (special) | 7 | 25 | 7 | From Shroud enemies |
| Flesh Block (cosmetic) | 4 | 12 | 6 | Alchemist (Underworld materials) |
Structural Rules
- Every floor from ground: Support is halved. A steel beam at ground = 12 floors max. At 1 floor up = 6 more, at 2 floors up = 3 more, etc.
- Corner support: Walls support 50% less than pillars. Use pillars (1x1 columns) for tall structures.
- Overhang: Any block not directly above a support block reduces total support by an additional 25%.
- Cantilevers: Maximum 2 blocks of unsupported overhang before collapse.
Warning: If structural integrity fails, the entire unsupported section collapses. This can cause chain collapses. Always build from the ground up with adequate support pillars.
Pro Building Techniques
- Column skeleton: Build a frame of pillars first (every 4 blocks), then fill in walls. This maximizes height potential.
- Tapered towers: Widen the base of tall towers. A wider base distributes weight better than a narrow tower.
- Underground bases: Terrain counts as infinite support. Carve into cliffs for unlimited height underground.
- Arch bridges: Arches distribute weight better than flat spans. Use stone or steel for bridge arches.
- Double-layered floors: Two layers of flooring doubles support capacity at the cost of materials.
Room Bonuses System
Placing certain crafting stations and furniture in enclosed rooms (4 walls + ceiling + door) activates room bonuses. These are essential for efficient base operations.
Complete Room Bonuses Table
| Room Type | Bonus Effect | Required Items |
|---|---|---|
| Bedroom | +20% Rest efficiency | Bed + any light source + chest |
| Workshop | -20% Crafting time | Workbench + anvil + tool rack |
| Kitchen | +25% Food duration | Campfire/oven + cooking pot + table |
| Smithy | +15% Armor durability | Blacksmith bench + forge + anvil |
| Laboratory | +20% Potion duration | Alchemy station + shelf + water source |
| Library | +15% Skill point gain rate | Bookshelf + study desk + candle |
| Greenhouse | +25% Crop growth speed | Farm soil + water source + planter boxes |
| Storage Room | +25% Stack size for all chests | 5+ chests + shelf + any light |
Room Requirements
- Must be fully enclosed (ceiling, 4 walls, floor, door)
- Minimum size: 3x3x3 interior
- Maximum size: 10x10x5 interior (larger rooms don't get bonuses)
- All items must be within the room
- Door must be placed and functional
- Windows are OK as long as the room is over 50% enclosed
Strategy: Build a central "bonus hub" with small 3x3 rooms branching off a central hallway. Each room gets its bonus, and you can access all bonuses quickly.
Base Defense
While Enshrouded has no traditional horde mode, enemies do attack your base and can destroy structures.
Defense Strategies
Basic Defense (Levels 1–15)
| Method | Effectiveness | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 2-block stone walls | High (stops ground enemies) | Low |
| Spike traps at entrances | Medium | Low |
| Elevated base on cliff | Very High | Free |
| Moat (3 blocks deep) | High | Medium |
Advanced Defense (Levels 15–30)
| Method | Effectiveness | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 3-block steel walls | Very High | Expensive but unbreakable by normal mobs |
| Explosive traps | High | One-shots groups |
| Flame traps + oil | High | AoE fire damage over time |
| Automated arrow turrets | Very High | Requires steel + mechanical parts |
| Layered walls | Extreme | 3 layers of walls with trap corridors between |
Enemy Pathfinding AI
- Enemies target the closest path to you
- They attack the weakest block in their path (wood before stone)
- Flying enemies (Wasps, Banshees) ignore ground defenses — use ceiling traps
- 2-block high walls stop 95% of ground enemies (Fell Wyrms can still jump over)
- Enemy patrols are attracted to light sources — use covered or dim lighting near entrances
Advanced Construction
Voxel Terrain Manipulation
The terrain pickaxe and shovel let you reshape the world:
| Tool | Effect | Best Use |
|---|---|---|
| Pickaxe | Removes terrain | Tunnels, underground rooms, moats |
| Shovel (dig) | Removes loose terrain | Foundations, flattening ground |
| Shovel (fill) | Adds dirt back | Land bridges, filling holes |
| Terrain Hammer | Flattens terrain | Perfect foundations, roads |
Underground Base Building
Building underground has several advantages: - Infinite structural support — terrain provides unlimited support - Natural insulation — no room bonus penalty for underground - Hidden from enemies — patrols ignore underground structures - Constant temperature — no weather effects on underground crafting stations
To build underground: 1. Dig a 3-block deep pit for the foundation 2. Build walls from the bottom up against the dirt 3. Use the terrain hammer to flatten the floor 4. Place a ceiling flush with ground level 5. Add a hidden entrance via hatch or terrain-covered door
Multi-Floor Construction
| Floor Height | Best Use | Support Needed |
|---|---|---|
| 3 blocks | Standard rooms, crafting | Basic |
| 4 blocks | Grand halls, vaulted ceilings | Medium |
| 5 blocks | Multi-level atrium, boss trophies | Steel required |
| 6+ blocks | Cathedrals, mega-bases | Obsidian/pillars required |
Room-by-Room Base Layout
Starter Base (4x4)
Upgrade to Flame Altar Level 2 immediately for more room.Mid-Game Base (8x8)
[Bedroom] [Storage] [Armory] | [Greenhouse]
[Kitchen] [Workshop] [Smithy] | [Garden]
[Lab] [Library] [Portal] | [Entrance]
Endgame Base (15x15+)
| Section | Rooms | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Entrance Hall | Guard post, decon, portal | First line of defense |
| Crafting Wing | Workshop, Smithy, Lab, Library | All crafting stations with bonuses |
| Living Wing | Bedrooms, Kitchen, Dining | Rest and food preparation |
| Resource Wing | Storage (all types), Greenhouse | Materials and farming |
| Defense | Walls, traps, turrets, moat | Outer perimeter |
Building Tips & Tricks
- Snap points are your friend — Hold shift while placing to disable snapping for fine adjustments.
- Rotate with R — Most blocks and furniture can be rotated for better alignment.
- Preview mode — Right-click to place a ghost block. Great for planning without spending materials.
- Copy/paste structures — Use the Building Hammer's copy function (middle mouse) to duplicate blueprints.
- Light placement — Torches on walls use less space than standing torches. Wall sconces count as room light sources.
- Windows provide bonuses — Glass windows count as walls for room bonuses while letting in light.
- Roof slopes matter — Angled roofs shed rain and snow, reducing structural decay over time.
- Decorative blocks work too — Any block counts for structural integrity, not just "structural" ones.
- Elevator shafts — Build a 1x2 vertical shaft with platforms every 3 blocks for quick floor access.
- Use different materials for floors vs walls — Heavy stone walls support lightweight wood floors efficiently, saving materials.