Attacks on bases ... info needed

[Black Album]

Hi,
I've just beaten Bonemass and since then the 2 bases I've visited have come under serious attack.
One of them was a stone structure that was destroyed by 2 trolls. (I was in the process of redesigning the inside and was low on health (25) when attack started. Trolls smashed the stone wall of house then took out Workbench, Bed and Portal with one swipe ... I was dead seconds later)

I accept that this maybe part of the game and I'm not complaining.
I fully understand that I can build a trench/moat around my bases to keep the baddies at bay ... that isn't the reason for my question ...

In my RP gameplay I was going to build a nice little village somewhere and was hoping not to "clutter the view" with stockades and stone walls everywhere.

So ... will these types of attacks continue and must I alter my plans going forward.
Build on an island, up a mountain etc etc.

I was a little bit shocked about how quickly my stone structure was destroyed and if trolls can take down any stone barricades and enter my "village" to do further destruction with only poor little me to defend the place then I'm in trouble.
I'm rubbish at the fighting element of this game ... I freely admit that.

It's a bit of a shame because the area I'd chosen for my main base had a great view both east and west (sunrise and sunset) and I'd build 3 great structures there ... nicely spaced ... and was about to fill in the gaps with trees/vegetation/paths etc.
If I have to scrap it and start again somewhere safer then so be it.

Would it be possible for some of the regulars to give me a few little tips or overview so I can make a few plans.
I mean ... this all happened shortly after I killed Bonemass ... do things get even worse if/when I take out the other bosses?

Thank you.

[Intellect Inside]

The more bosses you defeat, the more types of enemies will attack during raid events. Just wait until drakes start to join the fun! You could use devcommands to do away with the raids. If you want to play the game as is, you'll need to incorporate defenses into your building plans. I'd say the least ugly way is either digging moats, or building in naturally isolated places as you suggested.

[Liam_Monaghan]

Yes the attacks will continue and gradually become more difficult as you progress further, however if the location you have found is worth fighting for then fight for it, you don't need trenches if you can defend well enough I know you said your rubbish at fighting on Valheim but you can leave a path open for mobs to funnel down and use sharp stakes to do the work (unless a update has changed the mob path finder). Enemies will look for a route that gives the least amount of resistance so leaving them path will force them down that path instead of flattening your walls, there are videos on this so it might be worth checking them out, slight terraforming wouldn't harm to save your village, pickaxe a slight cliff around your base to force the mobs down that path even more
With practise and failed experience such as what you've dealt with, you'll get the hang of it

[Professor Hugedix]

Easiest way to defend against troll raids destroying your structures is to go outside so they target you instead. The first time a pair of big boys rolled up to my house I was still hesitant to fight them in close quarters, but they caught me when I was out of arrows so I had no choice. Turns out they're not as tough as they look, they just do insane damage to buildings, you can easily parry them with just a bronze buckler while waiting out the raid timer.

[Jitatha]

To troll proof is hard, however its doable. Remember that trolls have a large reach, so the ditch needs to be set back far enough from anything valuable you want to keep. This way you can use stockade walls instead of stone walls. If you look at many viking settlements, wood stockades are not out of place. I also built a lovely building, ground shook, and it got trashed, thats when i started building moats. You can hide moats behind trees, and put lilly ponds in not too deep water to make it more attractive, and reed beds.

Oh and raids can be anywhere, mobs from the wrong biome can show up, so you can't move away from the problem.
As Intellect said, only option, disable raids, if it bothers you.

[Ryzilynt]

I have seen bases where people offset the moat/trench in elevation so that when you are looking out of your base you don't even see it. You can find examples on popular Valheim forums (hint : I consider Steam to be one of 3). Also remember that you can use the cultivator to replace grasses and other things on modified terrain.

[Weaver]

As a side note, if you ever want a world just for a chill relaxing building experience, you can create one, even with the same seed, and bring your character over for building while not fighting bosses. This will keep raids at the bambi and friends level in that world.

[Black Album]

Thank you all for the advice.

I obviously can't build my rural retreat and live at peace with nature ... not in my main game anyway.

I will take the tip about building my defences and then disguising them with plants/trees. I like that idea.
I just need to continue looking around ... maybe I'll find an ideal spot somewhere that will allow me to build what I'm after.
Until then I'll have to learn to live with putting up some better defences and grouping my structures together. It's all good practice and part of the game.
And stop hiding/running away and get out there and distract/fight the baddies.

If I ever get around to using "Build Share" then I suppose I can duplicate my buildings in a duplicate seed that I haven't fought the bosses.

[Ryzilynt]

Not sure if anyone mentioned it but island bases are immune to raids if properly constructed.

[Starwing]

Originally posted by Black Album:

Hi,
I've just beaten Bonemass and since then the 2 bases I've visited have come under serious attack.
One of them was a stone structure that was destroyed by 2 trolls. (I was in the process of redesigning the inside and was low on health (25) when attack started. Trolls smashed the stone wall of house then took out Workbench, Bed and Portal with one swipe ... I was dead seconds later)

When reclaiming a stone tower, keep in mind that all the stone blocks are weakened unless you build a stone cutter and repair them. I had 2 trolls smash down a reclaimed tower early in our game and it was quite a surprise!

I like to reclaim towers that are in good locations for a scout base, or just somewhere to rest or wait through the night. Whether I build a teleporter or just use the tower as a scouting location, I always build a circular stockade wall around the perimeter of the workbench's radius. Then there's always plenty of space to keep the trolls from hitting the tower if they come while we're at the tower.

I used to think the stockade walls wouldn't look nice, but I've come to appreciate the look a lot. It's nice to plant some trees around the outer walls also--it's lovely but also makes another barrier for the trolls. I think you could avoid the walls and plant a few rows of trees around the base to keep them from getting at your village before you wipe them out.

[endsequence]

I planted tight beech trees around my base. Trolls cannot get near it.

[kirisute]

As others have said: build a moat.
Most of my bases; main and forward bases, have moats and they block pretty much everything.
Late game mobs can still cause issues but trolls are defeated perfectly.
Trick really is to learn from history; build on a hill, build a moat, only 1 or 2 small access points and double gates offset with a distance between them.
My main village (it’s far to big to be a base these days) even has free roam wolves outside and wolves breeding in its moat.
Raid and mob fighting is now my choice; I can Wade in for supplies or just sit back and watch or just ignore them
https://steamuserimages-a.akamaihd.net/ugc/1705158559063215779/55D6C7EBBEE2D548E2ECC5A9054D4133EFDF0172/?imw=5000&imh=5000&ima=fit&impolicy=Letterbox&imcolor=%23000000&letterbox=false

[Shmendric]

Originally posted by Ryzilynt:

Not sure if anyone mentioned it but island bases are immune to raids if properly constructed.

I want to agree to Ryzilynt.
I was lucky to find an island dircetly at the spawn with a second one a little farer from coastline.
Built a footbridge (around 25 baseplates) to the first and a dam to the second.
On the coastline are fields and a "wolfhouse" with palisades around.
A big pack of 2- and 1-star wolves there protect my base completely

Meanwhile, when ground is shaking, I dont even interrupt cooking soup

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2540871529

[Darkdaze]

when the trolls or any of the raids attack i run out of my base to drawn them away, then i take the trash out. make sure you have rested and food buffs.

[>< V ><]

My solutions to hide defenses are:

A cliff. Dig a trench, flatten out one side, then use the cultivator to make it look natural again.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2532973343


Workbenches everywhere. Since workbenches stop spawning, I created a massive base area with strategically placed workbenches to stop all spawning within the base. I did place a low level, 1 stone piece high wall around the entire base to stop wanderers from wandering in. I also placed little stone huts along the wall that have a workbench inside it to increase the spawn protection beyond the walls. As long as you aren’t too close to the wall during a raid, then nothing will spawn. There simply is no available spawn point within the red raid circle.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2532973414

I did exploit this by creating a pit within the base that has no workbench cover. So if a raid does happen, then enemies will spawn in the pit and get stuck. They will despawn though once the area is reloaded.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2518693019

[Black Album]

Ohh ... Thank you
That's very interesting.

So, in theory, I could bury worktops or put them in huts all around the area and that will push the spawn points back away from my base.
I also like the idea of raising the the land before I start my building. I wouldn't need walls so the view would still be ... serene.
I'd like a bit of zen when I get home from a day in the swamp.