4Game

The general consensus is to build a big one-base-does-everything and then grab and dash the other biomes. I have done that with two playthroughs. So I decided to switch it up and try the build a base in each biome for my current playthrough. I have a new appreciation for the biomes.

Strategy was to finish a biome before beating the boss and then moving on. I was super surprised to find that Eikthyr only scratches you if you craft leather armor and upgrade it. So, I did melee a bit but the best strategy was still the bow I think. I explored and found a Black Forest but it seemed pretty small and I only found one burial chamber. Black Forest #2 was much bigger and had more burial chambers. I ran into where I figured the middle of the forest was and built a hut. Then expanded to a house. There wasn't too much meadows stuff that I had to go back for. There are times when you aren't focused on a single task and in previous playthroughs that always happened at my main base in the meadows. Now those moments happen in black forest. It is pretty subtle but the different sounds, music and scenery during those moments make a bigger difference.

Repeat for swamp. Takeover a small draugr hut after clearing them out, this time I have portals so I have a tiny portal foothold. Go back to my Black Forest Base and load up some copper, tin, bronze and wood and sail it back to my new swamp foothold. Expand into a house. Progress through the iron age kinda nonchalantly. It turns out the swamp is pretty serene and peaceful. No deer bleeting! I am not sure if it is a specific item or the summation of all the player items but some swamp fauna (particularly draugr) would run away from my house. I really only experienced skeletons wandering into the area around my house. I don't have to wait to craft new iron items or give the items upgrades, I can use the iron I gather right away.

I just finished expanding a hut on the top of mountain and gathered enough silver to craft a wolf cape. A foothold in the mountains has been gained. There is an adjacent black forest, swamp and plains. So instead of chucking silver down the mountain, I am going to gather up the closest copper, tin and iron and haul it up the mountain. I am looking forward to using silver as I gather it.

Progression is in a different order and more smooth I think. The grabbing a foothold after beating the previous boss is new. I liked the swamp a lot more than when I was just sprinting in and out of it; in my previous playthroughs I built a tiny camp in an adjacent black forest. I had to scout and plan out where I wanted each base.

Overall, a base in every biome is slower and less efficient I think. Especially if you spend a lot of time and resources on the building(s). I think the experience is better. The biomes feel a lot less like shells for mining the current tier. Maybe the best experience isn't always the most efficient.