- Trollheim: Gnomes base building revolves around small-scale gnome construction in a dark Nordic forest
- Start with a compact ground shelter, then upgrade to treehouses and hollow-tree homes
- Zone your base into storage, crafting, cooking, and rest areas early to avoid costly rebuilds
- Co-op teams of up to 8 players should centralize one shared base with assigned build roles
- Respect the forest: trolls are neighbors, not simple enemies, so placement and distance matter
Base Building Fundamentals in Trollheim: Gnomes
Building in Trollheim: Gnomes is shaped by one defining factor: scale. You play as a tiny Sprýg gnome inside the Dark Forest, a Nordic-folklore wilderness where the world is deliberately oversized. A fallen branch becomes a wall, a tree hollow becomes a bedroom, and a canopy becomes a fortress floor. Your base is not just storage—it is your safe harbor between expeditions into a forest where trolls and other Väsen may be friendly, neutral, or dangerous.
Before placing your first structure, understand the confirmed building systems from the official Steam page and Trollheim World:
| Building System | What It Covers | Early Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Basic shelter | First roof, walls, resting spot | ★★★★★ |
| Storage | Chests and material organization | ★★★★★ |
| Crafting stations | Tool and supply production areas | ★★★★ |
| Treehouses | Canopy-level homes and platforms | ★★★ |
| Bridges and walkways | Vertical and horizontal connections | ★★★ |
| Decor and lighting | Ambiance, lanterns, comfort | ★★ |
Trollheim: Gnomes is still in its pre-release stage on Steam (Coming Soon, with Early Access planned for roughly 12–18 months). Exact recipes, part counts, and structural stats may change. This guide focuses on layout principles, zoning logic, and co-op planning that will remain useful regardless of balance patches.
Because the game supports solo play and online co-op for up to 8 players, every building decision should start with one question: how many gnomes will this home serve?
Choosing Your Base Location
Location is the single most impactful base-building decision, and it is much harder to fix later than a bad wall layout. The Dark Forest offers several distinct site archetypes, each with trade-offs for a small gnome crew.
Ground Clearing
- Easiest to start
- Close to berries and twigs
- Exposed to wandering creatures
- Best for first-night shelter
Hollow Tree / Rock Crevice
- Natural walls save materials
- Sheltered from weather and cold
- Limited expansion space
- Great mid-game upgrade
Canopy / Treetop
- Strongest defensive position
- Room for multi-level builds
- Requires bridges and climbing routes
- Ideal co-op headquarters
Use this comparison when scouting candidate sites:
| Site Criteria | Ground Clearing | Hollow Tree | Treetop Canopy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build speed | Fast | Fast | Slow |
| Material cost | Medium | Low | High |
| Expansion room | High | Low | High |
| Safety from ground threats | Low | Medium | High |
| Access to resources | High | Medium | Medium |
| Best for | Days 1–3 | Solo / small team | Full 8-player co-op |
Do not commit to a permanent base next to a troll territory or heavy creature traffic. In Trollheim, large beings are treated as neighbors rather than static mobs—observe movement patterns for a full day-night cycle before placing permanent structures. Relocating a full base later costs far more than a day of scouting.
Step-by-Step Base Construction
Follow this progression from landing in the forest to a functioning co-op headquarters. The stages mirror the confirmed gameplay loop of gathering, crafting, shelter expansion, and advanced construction.
Claim a Foothold (Day 1)
Pick a defensible, easy-to-reach spot near confirmed resources. Build the minimum: a roof, a rest point, and one storage container. Keep the footprint small—your first shelter is temporary by design.
Establish a Gathering Loop
Mark repeatable routes for berries, twigs, wood, and stone near your shelter. Store materials between trips rather than carrying everything into the forest. Separate building supplies from survival consumables in storage.
Zone the Interior
Divide the base into functional areas: crafting corner, cooking spot, storage row, and sleeping space. Zoning early prevents the classic "one giant cluttered room" problem that forces full rebuilds later.
Expand Vertically
Once basic needs are stable, move into hollow trees or up into the canopy. Add bridges, ladders, and walkways so every platform connects without ground-level exposure.
Build the Co-op Headquarters
For group play, consolidate into one shared base with duplicated crafting stations, organized shared storage, and clear build assignments so eight players are never idle or duplicating work.
Build tight and vertical first, wide later. Compact multi-level bases are cheaper to light, heat, and defend than sprawling single-floor layouts—especially important when cold and night survival are pressing concerns.
Base Zones and Co-op Planning
A well-zoned base lets a team operate in parallel. This recommended zone breakdown works for both solo players (compress the zones) and full 8-player groups (duplicate the busy ones).
| Base Zone | Purpose | Solo Priority | 8-Player Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Storage hall | Centralized materials | ★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
| Crafting stations | Tools, arrows, gear | ★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
| Kitchen | Cooking and food prep | ★★★ | ★★★★ |
| Sleeping quarters | Rest and respawn point | ★★★ | ★★★ |
| Expedition staging | Packs, maps, exit route | ★★ | ★★★★★ |
| Lookout post | Spotting approaching Väsen | ★★ | ★★★★ |
For cooperative teams, assign roles before construction begins. The developer's co-op design supports up to eight players, and clear division of labor is the difference between a headquarters and a pile of unfinished platforms:
Gatherer
- Runs resource routes
- Keeps storage stocked
- Flags rare materials
Builder
- Executes layout plans
- Manages structural projects
- Approves placement changes
Scout
- Maps new territory
- Watches creature movement
- Plans safe expedition routes
Quartermaster
- Organizes shared storage
- Tracks supplies
- Prevents material waste
One shared base beats eight scattered shelters. A central headquarters gives your team a common storage point, a unified planning space, and a single structure to invest decoration and lighting effort into.
Advanced Building Goals
Once your headquarters is functional, shift focus from survival to long-term projects. Trollheim's crafting reportedly spans everything from arrows to instruments, so a mature base should support comfort as well as utility.
Base Milestone Checklist:
- Establish first-night shelter with storage
- Zone interior into crafting, cooking, storage, and rest areas
- Complete a vertical expansion (hollow tree or canopy)
- Connect all levels with bridges or walkways
- Build a shared co-op headquarters with organized storage
- Add lighting and decor to key base areas
- Set up an expedition staging and lookout post
Building materials, recipes, and structural mechanics will be detailed during Early Access, planned for a 12–18 month iteration cycle per the Steam page. Watch the Steam Community hub for patch notes and playtest announcements that may change optimal base layouts.
Base Building FAQ
Q: Is base building in Trollheim: Gnomes solo-friendly?
Yes. The game supports both single-player and online co-op for up to 8 players. Solo builders should compress the zone layout, prioritize a hollow-tree or compact shelter design, and expand more slowly than a full team.
Q: Should my first base be on the ground or in a tree?
Start on the ground near resources, then move upward. Treetop bases offer better safety and expansion room but require more materials, bridges, and climbing infrastructure—too costly for day one.
Q: Do I need to defend my base against trolls?
Treat trolls as neighbors rather than standard enemies. The developers have emphasized coexistence over pure combat, so smart placement and respectful distance matter more than walls when choosing a base site.
Q: How many bases should a co-op team build?
One shared headquarters is generally best. Centralizing storage, crafting, and planning keeps eight players coordinated and prevents duplicated construction effort across scattered shelters.