Flame Altar rules
You don't define a base with walls — you define it with a Flame Altar. It costs 5 stones (the recipe comes from the quest "Claim A Spot For Your Base").
| Rule | How it works |
|---|---|
| Base area | level 1: 40 × 40 × 40 m; level 2: 80 m (1 Shroud Core); level 3: 120 m (5 Shroud Cores); level 4: 160 m (5 Shroud Nexus) — costs from the wiki, pre-1.0 |
| Permanence | inside the altar's area, buildings and terrain changes stay; outside it they disappear after 30 minutes or a game restart |
| The Shroud | you can't place an altar in the Shroud; it also needs fairly flat ground with no obstacles |
| Moving it | not possible — you extinguish the altar and place a new one; the new one does not keep size upgrades |
| What it gives you | a fast travel point, warmth for resting (Rested), 5 Comfort to start with, skill tree reset, Flame upgrades |
| No-build zones | in 1.0 most former no-build zones are open for bases (changelog); the developers didn't list which ones |
From Flame level 11, altars push back the Shroud — you can lower that threshold in the world settings.
How many altars you can place
The number of altars grows with your Flame level (Strengthen the Flame), and the limit applies to the whole world, not to each player — on a server you share it with your group.
| Flame level | Altars |
|---|---|
| 1 | 2 (Gamer Guides, pre-1.0) |
| 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 | 4 / 6 / 7 / 8 (TechRaptor, pre-1.0) |
| the level before Cinder's Cradle (1.0) | 15 |
| 11 (1.0, after defeating the biggest threat) | 16 |
The wiki and some guides still say 10 altars — that's pre-1.0.
What to look for in a base location
| Factor | Why (game mechanics) |
|---|---|
| Flat ground | the altar needs level ground, and flat land makes foundations and fields faster to build |
| Nearby resources | changes outside your base reset after 30 minutes, so you mine and chop outside it — the closer, the less hauling |
| Distance from the Shroud | you can't place an altar in the Shroud; BisectHosting and players say Shroud creatures wander into bases right next to it (they don't destroy buildings) |
| Fast travel | every altar is a fast travel point; Gamer Guides advises against a big base right next to an Ancient Spire, since you already have a travel point there |
| Height | from a high spot you can take off with your Glider straight away |
| Water | water in your base helps with potions and crops; you can build a well yourself, but flooded crafting stations stop working and beds lose their assignment — be careful by a lake (water and wells) |
You don't need to worry about defense: Enshrouded has no base raids. Prima Games and 4Netplayers say enemies aren't programmed to destroy buildings (Prima adds that you can't place an altar too close to enemies). At most, an animal or monster may walk into your base and attack you.
The most recommended spots in every biome
All the guides below were written before 1.0. Version 1.0 reworked the terrain shape, plants and forests in the Springlands, Revelwood, Blackmire and Nomad Highlands, and added new areas near the edges of the map. Specific spots may look different now — check them before you place an altar.
| Biome | Spot | Recommended by | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Springlands | plains near Longkeep (the quest spot) | BisectHosting, Gamer Guides | flat, with stone, wood and fiber on hand; Gamer Guides says not to build it up much |
| Springlands | Fort Kelvin | MacResearch | ready-made buildings (you have to clear out the Vukah), wax, resin, fur; close to the Pillars of Creation — the way to the Nomad Highlands |
| Springlands | around Ferndale (between Rookmore, Woodgard and Ferndale) | BisectHosting, DoomHosting | ruins to restore, flint, Saline Quarry; close to the Shroud |
| Revelwood | Pikemead's Reach (just south of the town) | Gamer Guides, MacResearch, DoomHosting | the region's capital; 3 Flame Shrines and 2 Flame Sanctums nearby, copper, hardwood, amber; a large Shroud patch south of the town makes it hard to reach, so an altar saves you the trip |
| Revelwood | Blue Goblet Tavern | Windows Central, BisectHosting | a ready-made three-story tavern on a plateau west-northwest of the Revelwood Ancient Spire; an altar in the middle of the main floor covers everything except the cave, and one upgrade adds the cave and room for a field; downside — it's out of the way |
| Nomad Highlands | the south side of Umber Hollow | MacResearch | travel points in both the north and south of the region, lots of copper ore |
| Nomad Highlands | a small altar near Rattlebleak or Pondsworth | DoomHosting | copper, tin, limestone; BisectHosting recommends the region for a bigger mid-to-late-game base |
| Kindlewastes | the north before the Haunted Sun Temple and the south by Ridgeback Mine | MacResearch | north — before the Fell Sicklescythe fight; south — lapis lazuli and iron near the Ancient Spire |
| Kindlewastes | Brittlebush and East Lapis | DoomHosting | lapis lazuli, iron and sulfur; both guides suggest outposts here, not a home |
| Albaneve Summits | Wickmouth, Rothstep, Polaris Falls | DoomHosting only | iron, silver, coal, amethyst, obsidian and granite nearby |
| Veilwater Basin | an altar right after you enter the region | Metaforge, Dot Esports | you don't have to fly in from the Albaneve Summits spire every time; nobody recommends a spot for a big base |
| Cinder's Cradle | — | no guides yet | a new 1.0 biome — nobody has covered base spots yet |
Strategy: one main base and small altars
Almost every guide (BisectHosting, Gamer Guides, DoomHosting) gives the same advice:
- One main base — that's where your craftspeople, chests, factories and fields go. You expand it to 160 m.
- Small altars in each new biome as fast travel and resting points — with no upgrades, or just one.
- When you run out of slots, extinguish an old altar (for example your first one at Longkeep) and place a new one further out.
In 1.0 you can also fast travel from a bed, and 15–16 altars give you more freedom than the old 10.
Building basics
- You unlock the Construction Hammer right after the tutorial. Open the shape menu with Tab (PC): walls, floors, roofs and stairs in 4 m, 2 m and 1 m sizes.
- You craft blocks at the Workbench, 100 at a time — for example Rough Stone Block from 2 stones, Rough Wood Block from 2 logs (pre-1.0 recipes). You can also place blocks straight from the action bar, but in 1.0 the game hints that the hammer is faster.
- Biome materials: in 1.0, recipes that need stone use the stone from the region you're in (before, almost everything relied on Springlands stone). Biome rubble was added to the terrain materials, and 1.0 added new blocks, furniture and plants.
- Terrain: inside your base you can dig, flatten and undo changes (since 1.0, undo also works with a full backpack).
- Airborne Architect — a new 1.0 skill in the middle of the skill tree: you build in a free-flying mode, no scaffolding needed.
- Sparkworks — the 1.0 logic system (levers, traps, doors): Sparkworks guide.
Comfort and Rested
- You get Rested when no enemies are nearby, you have some Comfort, it's warm (altar, campfire) and you're sitting, sleeping or under a roof. It gives you more stamina and faster stamina regeneration.
- Comfort extends Rested: each level adds +1 minute. The altar alone gives 5.
- Only the best item in each category counts — two campfires don't add up. Place different furniture: a bed, a table, a chair, a fireplace, lighting. We don't give a maximum Comfort value because sources disagree.
Survivors in your base
- You move a rescued survivor to your base with the Summoning Staff (1 twig, recipe after freeing the Blacksmith).
- A craftsperson needs a bed under a roof — that's what the "… Needs Shelter" quests are about. A bed is assigned to the nearest free survivor, and the staff lets you reassign it.
- In 1.0 you set the roaming distance before placing a survivor for the first time. Survivors are better at finding beds, chairs and spiral staircases, but tight passages still give them trouble.
Chests, factories and water (1.0)
- You can upgrade chests and turn them into magic chests in place, without emptying them. 24-slot and magic chests unlock earlier, and you can name every chest. The Quick Stash Station also comes earlier.
- Factory limit per world: the developers say it's "very generous" and the game warns you before you hit it. They didn't give a number.
- Late in the game you can place a Gem Forge in your base.
- If you flood your base, use the "Remove water" button at the altar.
FAQ
Do enemies attack your base in Enshrouded?
No. The game has no raids or base defense. A monster or animal can walk into your base and attack you, but it won't destroy buildings.
How many altars can I have in version 1.0?
Up to 15 after the Flame level you unlock before Cinder's Cradle, and 16 after level 11. The limit is shared by the whole world.
Where should I build my first base?
The easiest choice is near Longkeep — flat, with resources on hand and water in the well. For a main base, guides recommend the area around Pikemead's Reach or the Blue Goblet Tavern in Revelwood.
Can I move my base?
No. You extinguish the altar and place a new one, but size upgrades are lost. Buildings outside the new altar's range disappear after 30 minutes.
Can I build in the Shroud?
You can't place an altar in the Shroud. From Flame level 11, altars push the Shroud back — you can lower that threshold in the world settings.
Where do I start in 1.0?
Our beginner's guide walks you through it step by step.
