Marsh, often referred to as the Swamp biome is good for a lot of things, but I would recommend it as a base to experienced players who want some challenge. The swamp is considered the most dangerous biome as everything there is ‘out to get you’. It is optimal to base close to a swamp area because of the reeds since they are a static resource and can’t be relocated. If you do choose the swamp as your base, here is what would benefit you:
Spiky bushes and trees
Spiky bushes are an amazing source of twigs, as they grow even in winter. After harvesting, it takes them 4 in-game days to grow. However, it damages you by 3 points, so make sure you wear some kind of armor. Spiky trees, on the other hand, drop twigs with a 20% chance of dropping a log, so it isn’t a very good log source.
Reeds
Reeds are one of the static resources in the game, which means they cannot be relocated. Once harvested, they regrow after 3 in-game days. They are one of the most important resources in the game as they are used to make papyrus and with that every Wickerbottom book there is.
Mushrooms
The swamp contains a lot of blue and green mushrooms, which are good for health and sanity points. Raw blue cap gives 20 health points and 12.5 hunger, but with a cost of 15 sanity. Green cap is one of the best early-game sanity manipulators. Raw green cap costs you 50 sanity points - if you want to hunt shadow creatures - and cooked green cap restores 10 sanity points.
Purple ponds
Purple ponds are a good source of fish. Every pond contains 10 fish. During dusk and night, purple ponds spawn mosquitos. They are hostile mobs that have 50% of dropping a mosquito sack when killed.
Spider dens, merms, and tentacles
Since spiders, merms, and tentacles all ‘hate’ each other, you could use that to your advantage and just let them fight and pick up the loot. My advice is not to fight merms on your own since they are fast, and the loot is not worth it. Tentacles are definitely the most valuable of them all since there is a 50% chance of a tentacle spike and 20% of a tentacle spot drop.
9. Forest biome
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It’s not so hard to distinguish the forest biome. It has a bunch of trees that you could barely walk in. It is usually connected to a small grassland area where you can start building your base. Let’s see why the forest biome could work as a potential base.
Huge amount of trees (perfect log resource)
Boulders (source of flint, rocks, and minerals)
Spider dens (source of silk, spider glands, and monster meat)
Tree guardians
If you chop a lot of trees you can wake up a tree guardian. It is a mini-boss that drops living logs when killed. If you want to farm living logs, this is the easiest method.
Occasional pig houses
Pigs can be befriended and used as protection from various mobs. When killed, pigs drop 1 meat or 1 pig skin. They respawn from their houses after 4 in-game days after being killed. Be careful during the full moon, since pigs transform into werepigs and will attack you.
Occasional graves
Graves can be dug up for various trinkets, gems, gears, and even the life amulet, but it will cost you 10 points of your sanity. There is also a good chance that the grave will spawn a ghost once dug up. Make sure you don’t make a base in the eyesight of the graveyard because during the full moon all the Graves will spawn ghosts, aggressive mobs that could attack you when you’re not expecting it.
Potential walrus camp
Walrus camp usually spawns within grassland or the forest biome, but technically can spawn in any biome except the Marsh. You don’t want to put your base anywhere near it. I repeat, DO NOT put your base near the walrus camp. During winter, it spawns MacTusk, Wee MacTusk, and Blue Hounds. When killed, MacTusk drops 1 meat, 1 blow dart, 50% chance of dropping a Walrus Tusk, and 25% chance of dropping a Tam o’ Shanter. The real treasure here is the Walrus Tusk out of which the walking cane is made, increasing your movement speed by 25%.
8. Rockyland
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Sometimes, the game can be a little stingy and not generate a nice rockyland biome. Don’t worry, you always have the mosaic and the desert biome, although you would have to save on those minerals and flint. But if you are lucky enough to get proper rockylands, you hit the jackpot. Especially if you find it early in the game. When it comes to building a base here - it could work, however, if you want to plant something you need to change the turf in some places. The only thing you should be aware of is the meteor marks on the ground which indicate where the meteor shower is going to be. The meteors can hit your base and therefore ruin every bit and piece of your precious base. I don’t want to be all negative, so here are the good sides of living in the rockyland biome:
Boulders/Gold Vein
Boulders drop 3 rocks, 1 Flint plus a 60% chance to get 1 extra, and 1 Nitre plus a 25% to get 1 extra. Gold vein drops 3 Rocks, 1 Flint plus a 60% chance to get 1 extra, and 1 Gold Nugget plus a 25% to get 1 extra.
Glaciers
When mined, glaciers drop ice. It is essential during summer and a good filler for various crockpot recipes, along with twigs.
Tallbirds
Tallbirds are aggressive mobs that chase you 3-5 screens but are easily killed and drop 2 pieces of meat. Their egg does not spoil and can be cooked for 37.5 hunger or used for various crockpot recipes. The Tallbird egg can also be put near a fireplace which will turn it into a hatching Tallbird egg and eventually hatch a Smallbird.
Grass Gekkos
Grass Gekkos are passive mobs that, when startled, drop grass. This grass regenerates every 2 in-game days. When killed, they drop 0-2 grass and 1 leafy meat.
Free rocks, minerals, and flint on the ground
Spider dens
7. Mosaic biome
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If you happen to find yourself in a place that is a complete mess with a lot of different turfs, things are that you are probably in the mosaic biome. It is a mix of the forest, rockyland, grassland, and even swamp biomes sometimes. Again, just like in rockyland, one main issue could be the meteor shower, so make sure you base away from the meteor marks on the ground. Here are the reasons why you should make a base here:
Klaus’ Loot Stash
The loot stash is an object usually found in the mosaic or deciduous forest biome. Attempting to open the stash with a deer antler spawns Klaus and a very challenging boss fight. After defeating Klaus, a stag antler will be dropped. The stag antler will properly unlock the loot stash and you can then collect the 4 bundled supplies. There is a variety of loot that can be collected from the bundled supplies. See the picture for the reference (taken from the Don’t Starve Wiki).
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Grass Gekkos (drop grass when startled)
Graveyard (access to various trinkets)
Boulders (access to rocks and minerals)
Tallbirds (Tallbird egg)
Mixed turf (gets you mixed resources)
6. Grasslands
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Grasslands biome is a common biome, rich with resources. You can easily collect basic resources like twigs, grass, logs, food items, even occasional flint. There are usually a few pig houses in this biome, as well as rabbit holes. Overall, a pretty much safe area for a base. The main issue in grasslands can be spiders, killer bees, and the frogs that spawn out of green ponds.
Beehives
They spawn bees or killer bees if aggravated. When destroyed, a beehive drops 3 honey and 1 honeycomb. The bees can be caught and used to make your own beehives for farming honey. Honey is one of the best food sources as it can be used with meat to make the Honey Ham recipe, and a decent health boost as a Honey Poultice, that restores 30 health points.
Gigantic Beehive
This beehive looks similar to a normal beehive but much larger in size. If you hammer it repeatedly, it spawns the Bee Queen and starts a boss fight. Upon death, the Bee Queen drops 3-4 Honey, 1-2 Honeycomb, 1 Stinger, 6-7 Royal Jelly, a Bee Queen Crown, and the rare Blueprint for Bundling Wraps.
Green Ponds
These ponds are a source of fish, just like purple ponds in the swamp biome. Although these ponds do not spawn mosquitos, they spawn frogs during the day.
Flowers
When picked, they restore 5 sanity and turn into petals. You can eat petals to get 1 health point. Flowers also spawn butterflies, whose wings are a good health restore early in the game, giving 8 health points. They can be caught in a bug net and planted as new flowers.
Moleworms
They are passive mobs usually found in grasslands and deciduous forests. When building a base you have to be careful not to leave your rocks, minerals, gems, and gears on the floor, rather putting them in a chest, because the moleworms are going to steal them.
Basic resources (grass, twigs, logs, flint)
Food resources (carrots, berry bushes)
5. Savanna biome
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You are walking and you see nothing but grass, more grass, and only grass? Welcome to the Savanna biome. Savanna is one of the favorites when it comes to base building. Yes, when it comes to resources you are limited only to grass, however, most resources can be relocated and therefore you could bring them to your base as per need.
Beefalos
When building a base, you want to have beefalos close, but not as close. They should be nearby, but not exactly in your base because during springtime they become aggressive and will attack anything that is not their kind. During the night, they can be shaved with a razor to get the beefalo wool. If killed, they drop 4 meat and 3 beefalo wool, with a 33% chance to drop a beefalo horn, which can be used to make a Beefalo hat, or used to move the herd wherever you want.
Rabbits
Rabbits are passive mobs, easily caught by placing a trap above (or close to) a rabbit hole. They drop 1 morsel and therefore they are a decent food source. During spring, however, the rabbit holes collapse and do not spawn any rabbits.
4. Dragonfly desert
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If you want to build your base in a dragonfly desert, you need to pick your spot carefully. The dragonfly resides in an area surrounded by magma ponds, so you don’t want your base anywhere near that. The dragonfly could easily attack you and your base, or the tumbleweeds could pass the magma ponds, catch on fire and that way easily light up your entire base. However, the desert does have its positive sides.
Spiky bushes/trees (twigs, logs)
Cacti
Cactus is an amazing food source. When picked it costs you 3 health points, so make sure you have some kind of armor on you. The cactus flesh can be cooked for 10 sanity points. But the ultimate cactus power is its flower which grows in the summer. Mixed with vegetables, the cactus flower can be cooked in the crockpot for a Flower Salad recipe, which restores 40 health points, 12.5 hunger, and 5 sanity.
Tumbleweed
Tumbleweeds only spawn in this biome. You can harvest the tumbleweed to get 3 random items, including grass, twigs, logs, food items, gems, gears etc. It’s a good way to get some non-renewable items later in the game.
Buzzards
Buzzards are neutral mobs that can be found in the desert and the rockyland biome. They circle the sky and appear as shadows on the ground which can easily indicate their location. You can bait them with meat. They will land on the ground and you can then attack them for 1 drumstick, 1-2 morsels, and possibly one jet feather.
Hound mounds
Hound mounds can be very dangerous so I would recommend putting your base away from them. They spawn hounds - aggressive mobs, which, when killed, drop monster meat and a chance to drop a Hound’s tooth. This tooth is used to make a dapper vest, sewing kit, tooth trap, and a blow dart.
Bones
Bone structures can be hammered for bone shards. Some bigger bone structures can also have the Hound’s tooth. The bone shards are used to make a saddlehorn.
Flintless boulders
These boulders are slightly different from the other boulders and gold veins since these only drop rocks. No flint and no minerals. It can be a good source of rocks in case the game doesn’t generate a proper rockyland biome.
3. Deciduous forest
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The name of the game says it all. Don’t Starve! Well, if you build your base in a deciduous forest biome, it would be practically impossible to ever run out of food. This biome is full of various mushrooms, meat sources as well as the birchnut trees which drop, well, birchnuts, and can be cooked for a rewarding ‘Trail Mix’ meal. Just be careful not to chop a lot of trees, to avoid spawning a poisonous birchnut tree which can be a real headache to get rid of. The deciduous forest is usually right next to the Pig King, therefore you would have protection from the pigs. Other pros of living in the deciduous forest are:
Mushrooms (sanity and health control)
Klaus’ loot stash
Fireflies
Fireflies spawn in almost every biome, but they only spawn in this amount in the deciduous forest. When caught with a bug net, the fireflies can be used to fuel the Miner Hat, as well as crafting several items that provide light.
Catcoons
Catcoons are neutral mobs, which can be befriended with pretty much anything you have in your inventory. If befriended, they follow you around and occasionally cough up items that are gifts for you. These items can be anything, from rot, grass or birchnuts to even some better things like flint or feathers.
Glommer
Glommer is a neutral mob that spawns next to the Glommer Statue along with the Glommer Flower on a Full Moon. If you pick up the Glommer Flower, Glommer will start following you around. He isn’t that good in combat, so I wouldn’t recommend bringing him to any dangerous places. Glommer does regenerate your sanity with 6.25 points per minute. The good use of Glommer is his goop which drops every 2-4 days. This goop can be used as fuel, and if you are really desperate, you can eat it for 40 hunger points, but with the cost of 50 sanity.
2. Oasis desert
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The oasis is a perfect summer base if you don’t like the caves. It has similar resources to the dragonfly desert, including spiky bushes, cacti, boulders, buzzards, bones, and volt goats. Sometimes the oasis and the dragonfly desert are combined into one big desert. If that happens, you are in luck, because you get the tumbleweeds, too, which are an amazing source of grass, twigs, and other trinkets and resources. If, however, you do get them separately, here is what oasis desert has that dragonfly desert doesn’t:
Lake
This lake is a part of the oasis setpiece, but it only has water during summer. Other times it can be walked over. If you want to stay in the Oasis for your base, you have to fish out the blueprint for the Desert Goggles. The reason why is because the Oasis desert is the only dessert that has a sandstorm during the summer and therefore being an impossible one to walk through because of limited vision and movement. Wearing desert goggles cancels this out and you can see and walk normally.
Antlion
Antlion is a mob that doesn’t necessarily need to be killed, just contained. You do this by visiting the Antlion occasionally and giving him trinkets, similarly to the Pig King. He then gives you a gift, too. However if you give him a stage 1, 4, or 5 thermal stone, he will become enraged and a boss fight will start. If you don’t give him gifts for a certain amount of time he will become violent and create sinkholes on the surface and cause cave-ins in the caves.
1. In the Center of the World
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The perfect base is the one with accessible resources from all biome types. What is the best way to accomplish that? Build a base that is relatively in the center of the generated world, or close to important wormholes that lead you to biomes with static resources (swamp, rockylands, deserts). Here is what an optimal base needs to have:
Easy access to the swamp biome
Easy access to the dragonfly desert biome
Food resources
There are a lot of ways you can get the food for your base. First, you should definitely start with making a kitchen, with 2 ice boxes surrounded by 6 crockpots. When it comes to food sources, you should dig up berry bushes for a berry farm, make beehives for honey, put drying racks for jerky, and if you want also put up a farm with birdcages close by.
Basic resources
Basic resources like twigs, grass, and logs can be relocated. Using the shovel on the grass and saplings digs them up and you can move them into your base. When it comes to logs, after chopping a full-grown tree you get 2 pine cones that you can plant into your base.
Wormholes
Wormholes are somewhat teleportation devices that bring you from one biome to another. Since the marsh and desert biomes are the ones with the most static resources, you want your base to be close to wormholes that lead you to those two areas.
Sinkholes
You should have several sinkholes close to your base to get some necessary things from the caves or ruins. Just note that open sinkholes spawn batilisks at night which are aggressive mobs. So make sure you don’t put your base close to that. Let the sinkholes be at least 2 screens away from your base.
And that would be it, pal. Please note that base locations are subject to opinion and preference, and with that in mind, you may not like these locations and prefer making yours elsewhere. Don’t Starve is all about creativity so if you want to build a base even on the sea itself, I totally support you on that. As a matter of fact, go, make one now! Charlie’s waiting!
