Setting up in the best Palworld base locations will help you gather resources quickly and efficiently, and survive raids. Getting your base of operations established can be a chore, but it's essential if you want to survive and catch as many Pals as possible and keep them happy too. While Palworld lets you build a base pretty much anywhere, there are certainly some places that are better than others, and you'll then want to consider focusing on particular upgrades to gather ore, food and resources without you even having to be around. With all that considered, I've explained the best base locations in Palworld below, as well as what you should build when you settle.
Best base location in Palworld
Palworld bases can be built anywhere by putting down a Palbox, but we found that the best location for a base in Palworld is on the Plateau to the West of the Fort Ruins. It matches all of the conditions we'll mention below, and is pretty close to the game's starting point, so new players will be able to reach it relatively easily.
That being said, there are many great places to build bases in Palworld. If you want to find your own location to build a base, we recommend keeping the following factors in mind:
- Close proximity to Ore Deposits. It won't be long before you can set up base facilities that generate wood and stone, but there's nothing built in a base that can generate Palworld Ore, which you'll want in huge quantities. Look for large, shiny boulders with a copper tint to them, and build near those (they respawn over time once destroyed). It also helps to be close to Palworld coal deposits, though this is less essential.
- Flat, empty terrain. Because buildings and structures often can't be built on slopes, you'll want even, flat space with no obstacles - especially obstacles you can't break apart to make room, like old ruins. A big, empty field is ideal here.
- Mild weather. Struggling with the Palworld cold and hot weather mechanics isn't ideal, and while there are ways to handle those sorts of things easily enough, it's better if you don't have to at all.
- High ground advantage with few access points. Your base is periodically attacked in Raids by enemies ranging from wild Pals to Syndicate goons. When that happens you want to make it as hard for them to reach you as possible. Building up high on cliffs and mountains will make it harder for them and easier for you, especially if you build defenses and barricades on the few paths they can use. This can be annoying for you to clamber back up, but later you'll get one of the few Palworld Flying Mounts and can just soar up there easily anyway.
There's other factors to keep in mind, like proximity to Settlements, Dungeons and Alpha Bosses, but most of those can be handled by just using the Palworld fast travel system to-and-from the relevant points. You can't be close to everything in Palworld, so focus on the four points above as a priority and consider everything else to be a bonus.
How to move your base in Palworld
If you've already built a base, you can build another one once you upgrade your base to level 10, and a third base at level 15. Alternatively, if you want to move your base, you can do so by dismantling the Palbox via Disassembly Mode from the Build Menu - but this doesn't transfer the whole thing.
The idea is that you basically shut down the base you have, then start a new one somewhere else. Sadly, it won't bring all the facilities and constructions with you. You'll have to start those anew, though if you dismantle all your creations too you'll at least have the raw material to make them again at the new location.
Good Palworld base design and what to build first
When building your base in Palworld, your design should focus on making the most of what space you have, as well as providing for your workforce to make them self-sufficient and defending yourself accordingly. Here are your absolute essentials to focus on once your base is created, and the right order to prioritise them.
- Pal Beds and a Campfire. Basic survival first - giving your pals somewhere to sleep and not freezing to death when they do.
- Berry Plantation and Feedbox. These two facilities, combined with Pals that can sow, water and harvest seeds, mean that suddenly your Pals can survive forever on the food that they produce.
- Resource Production. Now that your base is self-sustaining, it's time to put it to work. Stone Pits, Logging Site, Furnaces and Crushers, as well as the ever improving variety of workbenches - these are the next thing to focus on.
- Defenses. Even a couple of walls will do a lot to hold back Raids and buy time for you to run in - throw up some barriers when you get the chance.
From that point on you have the essentials covered, and can start building a more elaborate or fun base to work from, adding non-essential things like Incubators, Breeding Farms and more besides.
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