Summary
Choosing a location for the Castle Heartis the first big decision players make inV Rising. Building the clan base in a good location is important, because whilechanging a bases' locationis easier in the full release, it is still tricky. The game only allows two Castle Hearts per clan, and players will need to dismantle a previous base piece by piece.
To reduce the need to relocate, players must balance access to early-game resources while keeping in mind that this base must carry them into the mid- to late-game as well. It’s not easy to find such a location, but here are somegreat Castle Plots in Vardoran, each of which are an excellent place to start.
10East Of The Monastary, Dunley Farmlands
A Central Location For Resources
The first location is inDunley Farmlands, which lies in the central section of the map. This area is the one players will spend most of their time in after defeatingQuincey the Bandit King, and enemies typically range from level 40 to level 55. Many of the best base locations will be in Dunley Farm, because it has roads leading directly into six of the game’s seven regions. This is particularly important if gamers have Teleportation with Bound items turned off on their server (the default setting).
However, what makes this location in particular so great is its proximity to the Haunted Iron Mine, Dunley Farmer’s Market, and Dunley Monastery. Iron will be the first ore in the game that’s hard to find in the Overworld, and players will have to go on targetediron-farmingexpeditions. The Iron Mine is by far the best location to do that, and, as a plus, there are three V Blood Enemies that patrol there if players need tofarm Unsullied Hearts. As for the Trading District and Monastery, not only will they provide sources of blood for a hungry vampire, but they are treasure troves of crafting loot such as paper, thread, and glass (and later, vendors). The only downside to this location is how difficult it will be to move around here until players reach a higher level.
While playing on a PvP server where raiding is encouraged, be prepared to defend this location early and often. This base location and the plot directly above Dunley Monastery are highly coveted and well known.
9West Of The Forgotten Cemetery, Farbane Woods
A Neverending Supply Of Alchemical Resources
If the enemies in Dunley Farms are too bothersome, there are also some great base locations inFarbane Woods. Specifically, players should turn to the area immediatelyWest of The Forgotten Cemetery. This area is close enough to Dunley Farms for easy travel, but remains in the starting zone where enemies are weaker. In addition, it is sandwiched between the Bandit Copper Mine and the Forgotten Cemetery, making it perfect for farming Bones, Grave Dust,Scourge Stones, and Copper.
These resources will be key to reaching the Act 1 V Blood Bosses, but they are also relevant in the late game forAlchemy Crafting. For instance, Grave Dust is required to craft Scourge Stones and Potions of Holy Resistance. The main downsides of this base are, of course, that the local enemies are low level, and it is centrally located. That makes this base very vulnerable to raiding if it is on a server that allows such things.
8Northeast Of Dawnbreak Village, Dunley Farmlands
Perfect For Farming Cotton & Stygian Shards
There are three large Castle Plots available to theNortheast outside of Dawnbreak Village, which are top locations for a starting base. Patrols here are slightly smaller and less frequent, which makes moving around in the early game easier. There are several Cotton Farms in the area, making it a natural solution to theCotton YarnBottleneck most players encounter at the beginning of Act 2. Additionally, this is a base that will age well into the level 60 range, when players will need to venture into the Ruins of Mortium tofarm Stygian Shards. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, Dawnbreak Village is home to Beatrice the Tailor, whom players can easily farm for Unsullied Hearts because she doesn’t fight back.
However, the problem with this location as a starting base is its distance from the usual gem-farming locations. This will become problematic as players steadily need more gems for crafting, because vampires cannotteleport while carrying gemswith default settings. The closest location is Bedrock Pass, but reaching it, farming the pass, and returning home could easily take an hour of real-world time.
7South Of The Gleaming Meadows, Farbane Woods
A Relaxed PvE Location Near The Silverlight Hills
This location is right next to the entrance to theSilverlight Hills, which connects to both Dunley Farms and the Gloomrot zones fairly easily. This gives players all the resources they could possibly want within easy reach. Additionally, players can avoid having to garden so many types of plants if they build here, as the Gleaming Meadows spawns most flowers reliably. Instead, players will be able to concentrate their efforts on cotton, sunflowers, and Hell’s Clarion. Less obviously, it is a hop and skip away from the cave entrance in the Bandit Sulfur Quarry, which gives players a fast way to reach the Cursed Forest once they get their Bat Form.
Despite being so connected to the higher level areas, enemies in the region around these plots are pretty weak. Players will be plenty equipped to handle them by the time they have copper weapons, which can be done in only a few hours of game time. Finally, the plots here are numerous, so there should still be room even on more populated servers. This can make for a fun atmosphere, on roleplay or PvE servers especially, as it is like a little vampire neighborhood.
6South Of Brighthaven, Silverlight Hills
A Fantastic Choice For A PvP Server
However, while players want to prioritize resources and convenience above all on a PvE server, PvP servers have different considerations. The last thing most players want on aV RisingPvP Server is for people to routinely go past their castle - they may stop to do some looting, after all. As a result, the best places for a base on these servers is far off the beaten path.This makes the area just south of Brighthaven ideal.
This area has no nearby roads, and there are few reasons to enter the area unless players are going to this castle plot. Additionally, high-level patrols will act as discouragement for interlopers. However, it is still near one of the largest settlements on the map. This means it has unique loot, vendors, and humans to convert into servants. Finally, it isn’t too far from the Silver Mines, which will be key in the late game. However, it is notable that the high-level enemies who protect this base will also attack the player, meaning this choice is best left to vampires experienced with remaining unseen while they grow in power.
If this spot is taken, try the plot to the North of Brighthaven instead. It has many of the same benefits, although it will be more difficult to walk in and out of the Silverlight Hills due to the Castle’s distance from any entrance. This spot is also great for building a second base later on.
5North Of The Harpy Nest, Silverlight Hills
Transitions Beautifully Into A Late Game Base
The spotsNorth of the upper Harpy Nestmay appear to be far off the beaten path, but these locations are well known and wanted by players because of their late-game potential. As a result, it pays to settle there early. In addition to being defensible and resource-dense, this area lacks a Waygate, so building one in the castle provides players with much better Fast Traveling through the Silverlight Hills region.
Once players have their castle built, the high-level patrols and location will help repel any raiders, while the plot’s position on the map will provide ample opportunities for farming Silver and Gems. Players will also have all of Gloomrot’s unique resources at their fingertips. Choosing this base as a starting location, however, can be tricky for inexperienced players due to the nearby enemy level. It is advised that only veteran players take this spot as a first base, while other players make it their second base.
4North Of The Church Of The Damned, Gloomrot South
A Central Location With Moody Atmosphere
While settling inGloomrotisn’t what most players think of for a starting base, it pays to reconsider. This area is tucked nicely into the corner of the region, just off the road from the entrance to Dunely Farms. This means settlers get the atmosphere of Gloomrot without having to venture too far into this dangerous region before they are ready. It is also one of the largest Castle Plots on the map, which makes it perfect for builders.
As for resources, this area is chock-full of Oily Wood,Plague Brier, and not far from a number of Dunely Farms. Players can expect gems from the Bedrock Pass to be relatively close by, and several Trancendeum Camps to loot later on in the game. If they’re looking for high-blood purity individuals, those who surround Lord Styx the Night Champion in the nearby arena typically do the trick, or players can venture into the Bastion of Dunely further South. However, it may be difficult to obtain and keep servants for this base before players have access to Dusk Caller stones.
3North Of The Western Waygate, Farbane Woods
A Roleplay Welcome Wagon & Sparkly Benefits
JustNorthwest of the Western Waygate, there are a number of Castle Plots players on cooperative and social servers should consider. This area is immediately west of the bestfarming route for Crude Gems, something that will come in handy for players in the early game. Additionally, gems can be upgraded using the Gem Cutter’s Table, meaning players can keep farming at this location into the late game.
Furthermore, players in this region will be very safe because it is the tutorial area. Enemies are low level and lack complex combat mechanics in this area, meaning it will welcome low-level players into a local clan at any stage. Then there’s this location’s final positive characteristic: it is an excellent way to introduce players to everyone new on the server - a welcome wagon of sorts. As for downsides, this area is far from entrances to other regions, with no caves nearby to ease this burden. Players who build here should be prepared for a lot of walking unless they have teleportation with bound items turned on.
2North Of Dunley Monastery, Dunley Farmlands
The Most Coveted Location In The Game
This location is widely known as one of the best base building locations in the game, regardless of level. It has resources that will remain relevant long into the late game, as well as a very efficient and large building plot. The principal resources available to players here are gems from Bedrock Pass, and unfettered access to the Vendors at the Dunley Farmer’s Market. It is also only a short distance away to farm the resources of Gloomrot, such asTech Scrapand Depleted Batteries. Finally, and perhaps most interestingly, it is basically on top of a cave leading to the Cursed Forest, meaning players can traverse to the other side of the map in seconds (even while holding bound items).
However, this location is difficult to get and hold on to on most multiplayer servers. Players tend to rush this plot because it is so good, so it is often already taken. Then, even clans who secure the plot need to prepare to defend it. Constant raids and sniping from other clans is common if the server allows it. The area is high-traffic, and most enemy players will assume anyone here will have something worth stealing because the location is so resource-rich.
1Southwest Of The Bandit Copper Mine, Farbane Woods
Perfect For Early Game Crafting Resources
Readers may be surprised to see a base location ranked more highly than the one previous, since that one is so good. However, this location has many of the same upsides to the Dunley Farms plot without the incredibly high competition. Resources near this plot include Copper, Sulfur, and Coarse Thread as well as the typical cemetery resources. The game’s best gem farming route outside Bedrock Pass is also just across the road.
At first glance, the only thing this location lacks is unique resources, but that is because players may not know about the nearby cave. At the northern point of the copper mine is a cave leading to the Gloomrot North region, coming out right between the Trancendeum Machine Factory and Thunderstrike Peak. This area is chock-full of valuable resources, such as Mutant Grease, Batteries, and Tech Scrap.
