Once Human: Essential Base Building and Defense Guide for Beginners

You want to build a strong base in Once Human, right? Start with smart choices. Pick a safe spot and gather resources often. Watch out for common mistakes like wasting ammo or forgetting to explore. Use every tool and reward you find. ManaBuy helps players get the resources they need to get started. Essential Base Building means staying prepared and learning from each step.

Essential Base Building Steps

Location Selection

Picking the right spot for your base can make everything easier. You want to stay safe and have quick access to resources. Here are some things you should look for:

Check the Terrain

Flat ground helps you build faster. Hills and cliffs can give you a height advantage, but they might slow down your building. Try to avoid swampy or uneven areas because placing structures there can get tricky.

Stay Close to Resources

Look for places near water, trees, and rocks. You will need wood, stone, and food all the time. If you set up too far from these, you will waste time running back and forth.

Watch Out for Threats

Stay away from enemy spawn points and high-traffic paths. If you build too close to these, you might get attacked often. You want a spot that feels quiet but not too isolated.

Tip:
Many beginners build right in the open. That makes your base an easy target. Try hiding your base behind rocks or trees. This gives you cover and makes it harder for enemies to spot you.

Plan for Expansion

Your territory starts small, but you can expand it later. Make sure you leave space around your base for future upgrades. You do not want to rebuild everything just to add a new room.

Use Double Foundations

Double Foundations add stability. If you stack two layers of foundations, your base can handle more weight and resist attacks better. This trick helps you avoid collapsing floors and keeps your stuff safe.

Resource Gathering

You need lots of materials to keep your base strong. Gathering resources is a big part of Essential Base Building. Here are some smart ways to get what you need:

Fight Low-Level Enemies

Gnawers and Charred Maniacs drop Acid, which you need for crafting. You can find them in areas where they spawn often. Take them out quickly and collect the loot.

Break Down Unwanted Items

Use Disassembly Benches to turn old gear into Acid. This helps you clear your inventory and get extra resources without leaving your base.

Boost Your Drops

Eat Preserved Deviated Chops before you go farming. These items increase the Acid you get from enemies. You will gather more in less time.

Note:
Always keep an eye on your inventory. If you carry too much, you move slower and become an easy target. Drop or break down items you do not need.

Here is a simple table to help you remember what to gather and where to find it:

Resource	Where to Find	How to Get It
Wood	Forests, near trees	Chop with axe
Stone	Rocky areas	Mine with pickaxe
Acid	Enemies, benches	Fight, disassemble gear
Food	Bushes, animals	Pick, hunt

If you follow these steps, you will unlock building pieces, set up your territory, and create a camp for crafting and respawning. As you level up, you can build solar panels for power and expand your territory for more space. Essential Base Building means staying organized and always looking for ways to improve your setup.

Base Layout

Planning for Defense

You want your base to stand strong when enemies attack. Start by dividing your base into zones. Each zone has a job. The core zone sits in the center. It holds your Territory Core, workbenches, and storage. Protect this area at all costs. The crafting zone should be close by. You need quick access to forges and cooking equipment during a fight. Place your storage area near crafting stations. This keeps your supplies organized and easy to grab.

Here’s a table to help you plan your layout:

Zone Type	Description
Core Zone	Central area with Territory Core, workbenches, and storage; must be protected.
Crafting Zone	Contains forges and cooking equipment; should be easily accessible.
Storage Area	Large lockers and shelves for organized storage near crafting stations.
Living Quarters	Beds and furniture; enhances base aesthetics but has no gameplay impact.
Perimeter Zone	Walls, turrets, and traps; serves as the first line of defense.

Build your perimeter zone with strong walls. Use wood first, then upgrade to stone or metal. Place auto-turrets where they can target enemies. Add traps like barbed wire to slow down invaders. Elevated platforms give you a better view and help you defend manually.

Tip:
Always keep your Territory Core hidden behind layers of defense. If enemies reach it, you risk losing everything.

Efficiency Design

You want your base to work for you, not against you. Keep paths clear between zones. Put crafting stations near storage so you don’t waste time running around. Beds and furniture look nice, but focus on function first. Essential Base Building means making every space count. Use shelves and lockers to keep items sorted. This saves time when you need gear fast. With a well-stocked base, thanks to resources you can gather or get from services like ManaBuy, you'll be ready for anything. A smart layout helps you survive longer and makes defending easier.

Defenses

Walls and Barriers

You want to keep enemies out, right? Start with strong walls and barriers. Wood works early on, but stone and metal last longer. Barricades do more than just block—they slow down enemies and force them into tight spaces. This creates a “fatal funnel” where you can hit them hard. Place barriers at choke points and around your core zone. Upgrade walls as soon as you can. Stone structures give you double durability and let you build more defensive items. Wood gets a boost too, but it’s not as tough as stone.

Tip:
Mix barriers with traps. This combo stops enemies and gives you time to react.

Guard Towers and Traps

Guard towers help you see farther and shoot from a safe spot. When you put a ranged unit in a tower, you get an 80% cover bonus and two extra range. That means you can hit enemies before they get close. Only ranged units can use towers, so plan your defense around them. Wooden guard towers work early, but they fall apart later. If lots of enemies attack, especially with ranged weapons, wood won’t hold up. Switch to barricades and stone towers for better protection.

Here’s a quick look at automated defenses you can build:

Defense Type	Functionality
Memetic Specialization	Reinforced structures heal after combat; durability restored to 80%.
Rifle Turret: Two Birds One Stone	Boosts damage and durability by 30%; attacks bounce to other targets.
Shotgun Turret: Volley Fire	Raises damage by 30%; uses less power; chance to hit with shrapnel.
Stone Structures: Intense Defense	Doubles durability; lets you build more defensive items.
Wood Structures: Tough Plant	Increases wood durability by 150%.

You need power for turrets and special defenses. Set up solar panels or generators early. Watch how enemies move. If you learn their pathing, you can place traps and towers where they work best. Sometimes, you can lure enemies away from your core by fighting them yourself. Use rocks, trees, and walls to block dumb enemies and make smart ones work harder.

Essential Base Building means thinking ahead. Use every tool, upgrade, and trick to keep your base safe.

Upgrades

Expansion

You want your base to get bigger, right? Expansion gives you more room to build and defend. You can also store more loot. When you unlock territory expansion, you can move walls and add new rooms. You can set up extra defenses too. Some players think they must stay in the small square they started with. That is not true! Once you expand, you can spread out. This makes your base much safer.

OH, you mean the starchrom refining base defense thing. It is best to wait until you have some defenses like spikes and turrets. You can also wait until you unlock territory expansion. Then you have more space to build and defend.

I just found the territory expansion. I thought we were stuck in the small square we started with. This should make things easier. I will move my important stuff so it is not near the ground.

When you expand, move your important stuff away from the ground. Put your Territory Core, storage, and crafting stations in the center or on higher floors. This makes it harder for enemies to reach them. Build more walls and add new traps as you grow. Expansion lets you fix mistakes and make your base stronger.

Reinforcement

Reinforcement means making your base strong enough to survive big attacks. You want to use special upgrades and smart building tricks. Add sandbags, shelters, and high walls to make your defense better. Use traps like flamethrowers and turrets to do more damage. Some upgrades heal your buildings after a fight. You do not have to fix everything by hand.

Here is a table with some top reinforcement techniques:

Specialization	Details
Artillery Marshall	Sandbags, Shelters, and High Fortifications get Battle-Hardened effect. Durability goes up by 100%. Durability recovers after combat.
Artillery Marshall	Flamethrower Traps do 30% more damage and explode when they kill, causing blast damage.
Artillery Marshall	Gatling Cannons do 30% more damage. Durability recovers after combat.
Artillery Marshall	Rifle Turrets get 30% more damage, 30% more durability, and attacks bounce to other targets.
Artillery Marshall	Shotgun Turrets get 30% more damage, use less power, and can trigger shrapnel.
Tinkerer	Reinforced buildings heal after combat, restoring 80% durability automatically.

Upgrade your defenses as soon as you can. Strong walls and powerful traps help you survive raids. They keep your loot safe. You will feel more confident when you hear enemies coming.

Maintenance

Repairs

You want your base to last, right? Keeping everything in top shape makes a huge difference. Don’t wait until something breaks. Check your walls, turrets, and machines often. Fix small problems before they turn into big ones.

Here are some smart routines to help your base last longer:

• Use gravity for water flow. This trick cuts down on the need for pumps and keeps your water system simple.
• Set up automated logging and mining platforms. These machines gather resources for you and save a lot of time.
• Install water purification systems. Clean water keeps your base running and your resources safe.

Tip:
Automated systems do the hard work. You get more time to explore or defend your base.

If you spot damage after a fight, repair it right away. Strong walls and working machines mean you’re always ready for the next challenge.

Attack Response

When enemies attack, you need to act fast. Don’t panic—have a plan and stick to it. Work with your team to build defenses near the Staroid Restrainer. This keeps it safe from heavy damage.

Try these strategies during a raid:

• Place foundations around the Silver Puddle to distract the Boss.
• Set up Level 1 and Level 2 Turrets to break the Boss’s Shield quickly.
• Fire Biomass Missiles for extra damage.
• Use a Turbo Pickup or Trailer with Gatling Cannons for more firepower.
• If you’re low on health, join a Prime War to heal and earn points.
• Dismantle a Gatling Cannon at home if you need quick materials.

Stay alert and keep your defenses strong. Quick repairs and smart teamwork help you survive any attack.

 

You can make your base strong in Once Human. Power up your settlement and set up defenses. Work with other players to get better results. Use blueprints to help you build faster. Change your territory to fit your needs. Always lay foundations before you build anything. Gather materials like wood and stone often. Learn from other players on communities like Reddit to get new ideas. Always try to find ways to make your base better!

FAQ

How do you move your base in Once Human?

You can use the Territory Core to relocate your base. Pick a new spot, then rebuild your structures there. This helps you avoid threats.

What should you upgrade first for better defense?

Start with walls and turrets. Strong walls keep enemies out. Turrets help you fight back. Upgrade these before anything else.

Can you play solo or do you need a team?

You can play solo. Teaming up makes defense easier, but you can build and protect your base alone if you want.