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Why you can’t build more—and how to fix it
In Enshrouded, base building is essential for survival. Crafting stations, storage, NPC housing, and comfort items all require space—but many players quickly run into an invisible wall where building is suddenly blocked.
If you’re wondering why you can’t place structures or how to expand your base, the answer lies entirely with the Flame Altar.
Why Your Building Area Is Limited
You can only build within the radius of a Flame Altar.
When you place your first altar, the game gives you a limited starting build zone (roughly a 40×40×40 space).
This is enough early on, but once you:
- Rescue NPCs
- Unlock more crafting stations
- Start building storage and comfort items
Space quickly becomes an issue.
The Only Way to Increase Building Range in Enshrouded
There is only one method to expand your base building area:
✅ Upgrade the Flame Altar
Upgrading a Flame Altar:
- Increases its build radius
- Gives you more room to place structures
- Allows larger, more complex bases
There are no perks, skills, or items that increase build range directly—only Flame Altar upgrades.
How to Upgrade the Flame Altar
To upgrade the Flame Altar, you need a special item:
Required Item: Shroud Core
Each Flame Altar upgrade requires Shroud Cores.
How to Get Shroud Cores
- Defeat bosses and minibosses found in Elixir Wells
- The first guaranteed Shroud Core drops from the Fell Thunderbrute
- Elixir Wells are located in Shroud-covered regions
After defeating a boss and looting the Shroud Core:
- Return to your Flame Altar
- Interact with it
- Choose the upgrade option
Your build area will immediately expand.
When Should You Upgrade Your Base Size?
You should upgrade your Flame Altar when:
- You can’t place new crafting stations
- NPC housing no longer fits
- Storage and decoration clutter your base
- You’re forced to stack objects inefficiently
Upgrading early saves time and prevents unnecessary base rebuilding.
Extra Tip: More Bases vs Bigger Bases
Later in the game, you’ll be able to:
- Place multiple Flame Altars
- Create separate bases for different purposes
Early on, however, it’s usually better to:
- Upgrade one main base
- Keep NPCs and crafting centralized
Final Takeaway
If your base feels cramped, you’re not doing anything wrong—you’ve simply hit the Flame Altar limit.
Upgrade the altar using Shroud Cores, and your building range will expand instantly.
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