where should i build a base on island as a beginner?

[GONDAL]

I am new to this game (xbox gamepass pc) and I have died many many times trying to find a spot. I have gone into this game totally blind and it feels like there are predators that can 3-shot me in every location. Is there some trick or place that makes a location safe or do i need to just get good?

[Vesuvius]

Assuming u are on SP or anything but an official server...
Herbivore island... as the name implies... no predators... has metal spawn

https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/848642904703762442/857024522901520464/images_25.jpeg

You can get there by raft or swimming.

[SpeedFreak3]

There is an island to the south-east where only herbivores dwell. The rest would be the beaches on the southern coast, where raptors would be your greatest threat.

[GONDAL]

update: i went to the southeast corner of the map and tried swimming to the island but got kileld by jellyfish. how do I kill them?

[Cobretti]

Jellies are slow, just avoid them.

If you get mods that allow access to other DLC engrams, I'm a huge fan of building on the water on The Island. Ocean platform, walls down to ocean floor for water pen, platform plus to build a huge floating base above. Go about your day with 360 degree ocean views, ahhhhh

[esthergray]

As Vesuvius said, build a raft.

[Sternitzky]

The peninsula in the South 1 spawn region is the best spawn region for a beginner. The biggest threat are dilophosaurus. When they spit at you, you can avoid their spit by a good timed strafing. But beware, they will calculate your strafing, so strafe only a bit and stop at the right moment. If your not spit at, you can easily punch them with your bare fists, though a spear, stone pickaxe or hatchet would be easier.

The secluded herbivore island in the southeast is good too, but you need a raft. And it's better to use it near the shorelines to avoid being attacked by the giant Leedsichthys. When you drive with your raft at the shortest distance from the mainland to the island, the risk is minimized to nearly zero. The Leedsichthys dwell only in the deeper ocean. And build your structures not too close to invaluable metal deposits, or your structures will prevent them from respawning.

[GONDAL]

Originally posted by esthergray:

As Vesuvius said, build a raft.

How do I get a raft?

Also I keep getting killed by big predators on the southeast edge of the island. I think I might stick to the south 1 area because I have died at least 15 times trying to get to the herbivore island

[klassakla]

I’m also new to this game and I built my first base on the beaches of the southern islets, which is on the bottom part of the map. Press M for the map.

[Dracon]

South 2 spawn usually puts you near the main river from there leading north that branches off. Down at the end of that though in the south, where the delta forms out to the ocean. There is a small semi island with a big upside down V shaped rock formation. I always loved to build a base there and wall that off, using the shape of the landmass as a template for the walls.
Usually predator free, maybe a single sarco at most. But was a fun place to build early.

These days I love the Hidden Lake waaay up north east. Literally on the coast from Predator Island. It can be tough, but it has only 3 access ways that are easily Gated off. With a nice big lake spawning lots of fish and plenty of room. Its great

[Vesuvius]

Originally posted by spaciousspace:

Originally posted by esthergray:

As Vesuvius said, build a raft.

How do I get a raft?

Also I keep getting killed by big predators on the southeast edge of the island. I think I might stick to the south 1 area because I have died at least 15 times trying to get to the herbivore island

Raft is a Very early engram... harvest as a beach bob.... spawn as close to herbi island as you can and just run your terrified butt to the beach nearesy Herbi.... build a beach shack/starter base till u can get to the island.

[Vesuvius]

Maybe check out Phoo Phlinger solo vanilla gameplay.

[🦊 Hermit]

I like the sand dunes in the SW, around 87, 17ish. Raptors can spawn in the forests over the river, and you may get the occasional carno inland, but in the dunes themselves you'll rarely get anything massively dangerous. Fence off the entire dunes patch and you should be pretty safe for a while.

[eclipse]

North Spawn 2 is the best ive found. Once spawn dont go south around the beach as you will run into raptors, or rexes, or maybe even a spino. Instead stay you can head north a bit. There is a pretty big area where no predators spawn. There is also a small pond that in my game had a sarco in it, but once lured out everything was good and i built my base right in that pond. Never had any troubles in that spot.

[retsam1]

Originally posted by spaciousspace:

I am new to this game (xbox gamepass pc) and I have died many many times trying to find a spot. I have gone into this game totally blind and it feels like there are predators that can 3-shot me in every location. Is there some trick or place that makes a location safe or do i need to just get good?

A common place people build a base is on a small islet at the mouth of a river in the Southern Isles 2 Section of the map(about bottom middle). There is a distinct elbow shaped rocky outcrop on the islet to help find it.

Said location is just a short walk from 8 nodes of metal on a small mountain north of it(right river side). At the mouth of the river are 2 beaver spawns(careful not to build into or close to the river to prevent their spawns) so paste etc can be gotten from there dams.

It is also close to one artifact cave to the nw.

You also have access to the ocean and can build a water pen for water dinos too.

If you build right, you can wall off(use stone gates) the entire islet. If you prevent spawns on the islet, then the most dangerous thing around you that can spawn are carno and raptor or their alpha versions on rare rare occasions. Crocs can also spawn in the river(its a spawn rotation with fish in the river).

Only resource that you're far from is obsidian. Oil and pearl nodes can be found in the ocean south of the islet and crystal can be found to the west on another metal mountain another river over.

The islet is also good as a starter base because you can climb the top of the elbo rock and be out of the way of predators.

Outside of that, herbivore island to the bottom se of the map is common but its hard to get to at the start for some and if you build too much on there, you lose the metal nodes. No predators spawn there.

Otherwise, for resource considerations, you have to start building in the ne or nw of the map where there are considerable more predators and challenges.

[Dr. Smith]

Originally posted by spaciousspace:

update: i went to the southeast corner of the map and tried swimming to the island but got kileld by jellyfish. how do I kill them?

When you create a new character on the Island, you should complete a note run in order to obtain level points. You should spend them in order to increase movement speed (150% or more).
With 200 stamina and 150-170% movement speed you can easily outswim jellyfish and megaladons when you cross the ocean.