Managing security at bases

[Fret]

Even for early hole-in-the-wall bases, there are tips and tricks that really reduce the tension of the first few nights. In particular, grates, crafted with 4 sticks, make fantastic early-game windows by letting in the moonlight without letting arrows or wolves in, which really helps before you have torches.

Dude, that's genius! I'm using this one from now on.

[EmptyNight]

Even for early hole-in-the-wall bases, there are tips and tricks that really reduce the tension of the first few nights. In particular, grates, crafted with 4 sticks, make fantastic early-game windows by letting in the moonlight without letting arrows or wolves in, which really helps before you have torches.

...
Thanks. I'd forgotten those were a thing.
In my last world I only built 1 as I was testing hopper filters and haven't built any in my current world.

[Xaedblade]

Yea I usually make a little wood/dirt hovel... then I make that hovel into a tower... and then make bridges and other towers until I get to the stage of making nether coal... then I light it all up... and I really don't get any spawns in base... but always keep some scissors on you ;)

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Here is my base... you can see how it has advanced... the only thing I did not show was my underground animal farm... I never did get around to moving them back up yet...

[EtherealWrath]

For those building an overnight shelter heres a neat little tip to keep monsters off your door.
(It does contain a rather large spoiler regarding a different feature mind)

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Try building into a riverbank, with the door/window-hole at water level.
Anything trying to get you ends up in the water...

[Mud]

I'm curious; how do you all handle the "front doors" of your walled-in settlements?

[Dorugami]

I'm curious; how do you all handle the "front doors" of your walled-in settlements?

There's no viable space inside my walls for mobs to spawn in (slabbed or lit up)...so I generally don't need to bother with my doors. They're all wooden.

[Mud]

I'm curious; how do you all handle the "front doors" of your walled-in settlements?

There's no viable space inside my walls for mobs to spawn in (slabbed or lit up)...so I generally don't need to bother with my doors. They're all wooden.

I meant getting in and out of your wall, not the doors of the structures within them.

[Dorugami]

I'm curious; how do you all handle the "front doors" of your walled-in settlements?

There's no viable space inside my walls for mobs to spawn in (slabbed or lit up)...so I generally don't need to bother with my doors. They're all wooden.

I meant getting in and out of your wall, not the doors of the structures within them.

Ah well, this is the setup I use. I was thinking of a deep moat accessible by a descending platform, but hardcore buckets got in the way. I may still do it in the future sans the water, but this setup is aesthetically pleasing and moderately serviceable for the moment.

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The golems cannot pass the arches, as they're 2.9 blocks tall and the arches are 2.5 blocks high. They will attack most mobs that come in. Still figuring out how to deal with the creepers, but they're usually a rare occurence.

[Daisjun]

I'm curious; how do you all handle the "front doors" of your walled-in settlements?

There's no viable space inside my walls for mobs to spawn in (slabbed or lit up)...so I generally don't need to bother with my doors. They're all wooden.

I meant getting in and out of your wall, not the doors of the structures within them.

Ladders are your friend :) Players can jump onto a ladder that is one off the ground but mobs can't. Cheap and effective.

[EmptyNight]

I'm curious; how do you all handle the "front doors" of your walled-in settlements?

There's no viable space inside my walls for mobs to spawn in (slabbed or lit up)...so I generally don't need to bother with my doors. They're all wooden.

I meant getting in and out of your wall, not the doors of the structures within them.

Ladders are your friend :) Players can jump onto a ladder that is one off the ground but mobs can't. Cheap and effective.

Can mobs even climb ladders to begin with?

[Dorugami]

Can mobs even climb ladders to begin with?

They can, but not voluntarily. Melee mobs have the same path-finding as a spider, only the spider acts as if every surface has a ladder. If mobs find no other way but bump themselves onto a wall with a ladder on it, they will be able to climb up.

[Elred]

About your creeper problem Dorugami:

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The golems cannot pass the arches, as they're 2.9 blocks tall and the arches are 2.5 blocks high. They will attack most mobs that come in. Still figuring out how to deal with the creepers, but they're usually a rare occurence.

Can't you just put a cat or two out the arch to keep the creepers from coming too close? Or are BTW cats different from vanilla, or not tameable in any way? (I didn't see anything related to cats in the hardcore modules) I'd understand how dangerous getting a cat in BTW is however.

[TheAnarchitect]

I used to use trap doors as drawbridges and folding staircases, but since zombies started attacking trap doors it became harder to do that.

I still do a setup with a deep pit in front of my door, with a trap door that opens up on "my" side. I've yet to have a zombie reach across the moat to destroy the folded bridge, but I'm not sure they Can't do it, just that they haven't yet.