Enshrouded Building Guide: Voxel Construction Tips

Voxel Building in Enshrouded

Enshrouded features a powerful voxel-based building system that lets you shape the world itself. Unlike most survival games where you place pre-made structures, Enshrouded lets you carve into terrain, build freeform structures, and create truly unique bases.

Core Building Mechanics

Terrain Manipulation

You can remove and reshape terrain using tools:

• Pickaxe — removes voxel blocks of terrain (dirt, stone, etc.)
• Flatten Tool — smooths terrain to create flat building surfaces
• Raise Tool — adds terrain material back

Terrain changes are permanent and saved on your dedicated server. All players see the same modified landscape.

Building Materials

Materials unlock as you progress through the game:

Higher-tier materials have more health and better resistance to environmental damage.

Structural Stability

Enshrouded uses a stability system similar to Valheim:

• Foundation blocks touching the ground have maximum stability
• Stability decreases the further a block is from a supported foundation
• Blocks lose stability over distance — you can't build infinitely outward without support
• Pillars and walls transfer stability vertically
• Arches and beams help span gaps

Tip: Build support columns every 6-8 blocks when creating large rooms or bridges.

Flame Altar & Build Radius

Your Flame Altar defines your base's territory:

• Level 1 — small radius, basic protection
• Level 2-5 — progressively larger build zones
• Enemies cannot spawn inside your Flame Altar radius
• You can place multiple Flame Altars across the map for different bases
• Upgrading requires specific resources found deeper in the Shroud

On a dedicated server, all players share Flame Altars. Coordinate with your group on placement.

Best Base Locations

Starter Base: Springlands (Near First Flame Altar)

• Safe area with no Shroud
• Close to basic resources (wood, stone, fiber)
• Good for learning building mechanics
• Flat terrain near the initial spawn point

Mid-Game: Revelwood

• Access to better crafting materials
• Near important NPCs for unlocks
• More challenging enemies nearby for combat-focused groups
• Elevated terrain provides natural defense

Late-Game: Kindlewastes

• Proximity to endgame resources and bosses
• Harsh environment requires strong base defenses
• Volcanic terrain offers unique building opportunities
• Close to high-level Shroud zones

Mountaintop Bases

• Naturally defensible with limited access points
• Stunning views of Embervale
• Requires more creative building for flat surfaces
• Can be impractical for resource gathering

Building on a Dedicated Server

Performance Considerations

Voxel building creates persistent world changes that use server resources:

• RAM impact: Each terrain modification is stored in memory. Heavy building with 16 players can push RAM usage to 16-20 GB.
• Save file size: Extensive building increases world save size. Our NVMe SSDs handle large saves without performance issues.
• Render distance: Complex bases with many blocks may cause brief loading for players approaching them.

Recommendation: For groups focused on mega-builds, choose the Standard (16 GB) or Performance (24 GB) plan.

Collaborative Building Tips

• Communicate zones: Assign base areas to avoid players accidentally modifying each other's builds
• Use the Flame Altar: All group members can build within any shared Flame Altar radius
• Back up before major changes: Use the control panel to create a manual backup before demolishing large sections
• Terrain is permanent: Removed terrain can only be restored by adding material back — there's no "undo"

Advanced Building Techniques

Floating Structures

You can build scaffolding, construct your floating structure, then remove the scaffolding. The structure stays as long as it has internal stability connections.

Underground Bases

Carve into hillsides or mountains to create hidden underground rooms. These are naturally insulated from enemies and weather.

Defensive Walls

Build walls with:

• Crenellations (gaps for ranged combat)
• Gates for controlled entry
• Raised platforms for height advantage
• Place your Flame Altar centrally for maximum protection radius

Lighting

Place torches, braziers, and fireplaces for both aesthetics and functionality. Light sources inside the Shroud help visibility and create safe zones.