Info on stopping enemy spawns

[Atma]

Just to start off, this is NOT originally my post, I am just copy/pasting from a Reddit thread that had some useful info that people may be interested in. All credit goes to u/dredknought who did the testing for this.

Original thread can be found here: https://www.reddit.com/r/valheim/comments/m8sjbc/workbenches_are_not_the_only_structure_that_block/

Workbenches are not the only structure that block enemy spawns

Discussion
I have read a lot of conflicting information on what does and does not block enemy spawns. So I went into debug mode and conducted my own experiment. I have no spreadsheet of data or pictures or video evidence, so feel free to repeat my experiment or expand upon it yourself. Hope this information is as helpful for you as it was for me!

My findings
I confirmed that workbenches, as well as several other player objects, block enemy spawns. The blocked area seems to be a 20m bubble, just like the workbenches build range (I should note that these are probably separate values though). Wards are one of the blocking structures, but they are deceptive. Their ward range is more like 30m, but their spawn block is still only 20m. Here is a full list of confirmed objects, ordered by build tab.

Misc:

Campfire
Bonfire
Hearth
Portal
Ward
Crafting:
Workbench
Stonecutter
Artisan table
Forge
Smelter
Blast furnace
Kiln
Windmill
Spinning wheel
Fermenter

Building:
None

Furniture:
Bed
Dragon bed
Sconce
Standing iron torch
Standing wood torch
Standing green-burning iron torch
Hanging brazier

My procedure
Control test: Placed a new spawner with no player objects using console commands (spawn Spawner_Greydwarf). A greydwarf spawned within a few seconds of placing the invisible spawner. Waited a few minutes and no more dwarves spawned, so I decided to use a new spawner on each subsequent test.

Confirmation test: Placed a workbench, placed a spawner next to it, and waited for results. No greydwarf spawns after waiting for 30 seconds, so I break the workbench. Greydwarf then spawns almost immediately.

Experimental test: Placed a workbench to block the spawn, placed another spawner, and then placed my test object. Broke the workbench and waited 30 seconds for results. Repeated this test with each buildable object to produce the list above.

Range test: Placed a workbench or other test object, placed a new spawner inside the 20m build range and another outside the 20m build range. Spawner out of range spawns. Spawner within range does not.

Some reflections
I made several assumptions here because I was not totally concerned with the purity of my data, just personally curious. I am assuming that the block range is a sphere because I didn't want to repeat the test vertically. I am also assuming the block range is the same for all the confirmed objects, but I only tested the range of about a 3rd of them before my curiosity was satisfied. I was mainly concerned with the Ward since it had a larger visible range than the workbench. I am assuming that biome is irrelevant to the test because others have done similar tests in other biomes. I am assuming that this experiment applies to all spawners, but I did not test other creatures or the 30 sec respawn variants. I did, however, test nests and body piles with workbenches. You can not block their spawns.

[Macdallan]

Nice to see some test info. I read that the ward has a 32m radius for its effects, but 20m spawn blocking just like the workbench so your info is probably correct.

[Voronja]

What was your test results on grassed area? I’ve heard player done grass areas do not prevent spawns. Can you confirm this?

[Atma]

Originally posted by Voronja:

What was your test results on grassed area? I’ve heard player done grass areas do not prevent spawns. Can you confirm this?

Like the other poster said, this wasn't my testing, and it doesn't look this was tested at all.

I do know that when I tried to hoe my entire area (which took a very long time) and replanted the grass via cultivator, this did not stop spawns in my area.

I saw that Youtube video too. But for my own results, it didn't work at all.

[SkyNet]

Do the torches/fire pits need to be ignited? I'm wondering if stuff spawns the second they go out.

[Frozztastic]

Originally posted by SkyNet:

Do the torches/fire pits need to be ignited? I'm wondering if stuff spawns the second they go out.

This is a very good question.

Why not pop a pit down and find out? Seems like you could test this one pretty easy while just playing

[Atma]

Originally posted by SkyNet:

Do the torches/fire pits need to be ignited? I'm wondering if stuff spawns the second they go out.

They don't need to be lit. I saw this from another tester who showed that they don't need to be lit on video.