Best Locations in Smalland: Survive the Wilds

To survive Smalland: Survive the Wilds’ woodland nightmares and elemental curveballs, you’ll need a place to call your own—a home, if you like, that’s not only structurally sound, but also a stone’s throw away from all the natural resources one would need to keep a head above water, so to speak. As luck would have it, the latest survival-crafting game has more than enough great locations to claim and cultivate, so you needn’t worry about trying to survive with little more than the clothes on your back and a clump of mud to call home.

To cut to the chase, if you have just started out in Smalland: Survive the Wilds, then be sure to read on for a few quick pointers on how to find comfort in a world that’s essentially out to kill you. Not sure where to set up your first home? We’ve got you covered.

Best Base Locations

Without doubt, the best place to set up your humble homestead in Smalland is atop a Great Tree—a mushroom-coated oak that not only provides its inhabitants with a cozy place to craft new materials, but also protect them from the nocturnal creatures of the world down below. Safe to say that, as far as reliable havens go, Great Trees are definitely the go-to choice for most newcomers. What’s more, they’re also capable of providing an excellent sightseeing service, which means you can earmark new locations and POI to explore from the comfort of your own home.

To claim a Great Tree of your own, you’ll first to need to ascend to the highest point on the tree, after which you’ll need to activate a Gnome statue. By doing this, you’re essentially marking your territory, and thus, letting the world know that it is you who owns it. Sadly, you may have to invest in a suit of armor that grants you the ability to Glide, as several of the Great Trees will have long gaps and other obstacles to clamber over. Your best bet here, really, is to craft the Ironwing Armor—a high-tier set that Nok from the Greylands region can craft for you.

The reason you’ll want to seek sanctuary in a Great Tree is simple: to avoid the things that go bump in the night. Case in point, most elite critters will roam the lower levels at night, which means any structure that falls within their natural habitat will be destroyed. And while, technically, you could stand your ground and fight through the twilight hours on a nightly basis, you’d certainly be far better off with a safer home, in general. So, play it safe and seek shelter on the higher levels.

Great Trees, Explained

As it stands, there are nine Great Trees to claim, all of which come with their own Tree Butler—a friendly NPC who provides you with a local transportation service. Once you have successfully managed to claim a Great Tree, you will have the option to move every asset in its radius to a new Great Tree. Knowing this, and how you can move your home around between key locations on the map, will help to cut down on those lengthy journeys and scavenging quests.

If you’re playing with others online, then you will need to mark your claimed Great Tree as Private, otherwise they’ll have the option to build on it. If you’re playing on single-player, however, then you needn’t worry about any bugs or ground level creatures interfering with your construction, as you’ll be too high up for them to reach.

Best Resource Locations

So, you’ve managed to claim a Great Tree for your own — so now what? Well, to put it simply, you will need to start pooling your resources into a single pot. And to obtain said resources, you’ll need to venture out into the Wilds—an open world that not only has its share of useful tools and raw materials, but also rarities and other valuable resources, too. That said, as it is indeed a survival game at heart, there are also other obstacles to overcome, such as nocturnal creatures and even the odd arachnid boss. To prevent an early death, aim to gather resources during the day, and then aim to rest at your Great Tree during the night.

Ideally, you’ll want to find a Great Tree that’s located near a body of water, as you’ll not only find berries to consume for health nearby, but additional ingredients to craft stat-boosting Potions, too. To make the best of both worlds, you’ll want to seek out the Great Tree that’s wedged between Herne and The Elder, on the eastern side of the middle river. Not only is this location within close proximity of a blackberry zone, but near a huge body of water, too.

In addition to the basic ingredients, you’ll also find several friendly NPCs on both sides of the river. For example, if you cross to the western side, then you’ll meet Kalev, who can not only patch you in on all the latest issues and rumors, but even craft the Stone Armor for you, too. So again, if you’re looking to find the best spot in the game, then look no further.

Bark, Flint, Metal & Clay Locations

To obtain Bark and Flint, you’ll need to head to the beaches around the map. For the best results, head to the cove that’s located south of Skadi. It is worth noting that beaches, including this one, are known to attract beetles and geckos, so don’t forget to bring some form of weapon with you to fend off any oncoming attacks.

To find Metal, you will need to head to the northern region, to an area where the friendly NPC Nok resides. Again, it’s worth mentioning that this area in particular attracts the likes of Black Hornets — so don’t forget to tool up before heading out to salvage the scrap.

Finally, to get Clay, you will need to head towards the south-west portion of the map, to an area south of the friendly NPC Lisandra. Note that you will need a Spiked Pickaxe to be able to mine the resource and add it to your inventory.

So, what’s your take? Do you have any useful tips for Smalland: Survive the Wilds newcomers? Let us know your thoughts over on our socials here.