What makes a good base in 7 Days to Die? A Horde base must be able to defend against regular zombies, flying zombie creatures, spider zombies, spitters, and demolition zombies, the latter of which can decimate your base structural integrity and any traps nearby. Your base should ideally be near a water source, near a trader, and near a city where you can quest and gather resources. 

There is real pleasure in creating your own base from scratch or building up a point of interest (POI) to become your ironclad bunker. What will you prioritize for an ideal base?

Choose wisely and swiftly - the blood moon approaches!

Here are the top 10 best base locations in Alpha 21 to get you through the Horde Nights. 

“Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse is hard enough, now I must build my own shelter?! Don’t tell me I need to cook my own food too!”

10. Grain Silos

The Grain Silos are in the forest biome in Navezgane and in Random Generated Maps. These are multiple, hollow Silos made of cement. Each one elevated, giving you a good view your surroundings and a good vantage point for picking off zombies.

What makes the Silos a Top 10 Base:

• Early-Game Base - best utilized in the beginning of the game for the first few Horde nights and when your character is early level.
• Vantage Points - the elevated silos are a great place to make a stand while shooting zombies and watching them fall prey to your traps.
• Versatility – you could dig a trench around or through the Silos and fill it with various traps or just lay them at the bottom and watch the fun!
• Low/Mid-range Maintenance – This could be low maintenance if you are just using it as an elevated platform from which to kill zombies from. This would be medium maintenance if you decided to fill each hollow silo to prevent any raging zombies from causing a silo to crash to the ground. This would require significantly more material, not to mention any traps, upkeep, and possible rebuilds after a horde night.
• Near Trader and Resources – These Silos can be found near Trader Joel in the Forest Biome and around a plethora of resources to gather including trees, rocks, mineable materials, water sources and anything you can loot in-between.

9. Buddies Grain

Buddies Grain is a Barn structure that has great pathing already set to get you started. There are a few holes and doors that need patching, but it gives you a few places to choose from for where to funnel your zombies. There is plenty of room around the building for a wall, moat, spikes, and anything else your devious mind can think up!

The walls and large door are made of iron. There is a large staircase inside that spirals to a platform at the top – which makes for a great place to retreat to if needed. The staircase has many landing areas that you can defend from or place turrets on to defend for you.

“The Zombies have underestimated you for the last time. This time, you will keep your brains where they should be.”

What makes Buddies Grain a Top 10 Base:

• Early/Mid-Game Base - best utilized for the first few horde nights, but if built and maintained well, can be a sturdy base that lasts 100+ days (based on a 7-day blood moon cycle)
• Great Pathing Opportunities – There are many entrances that you can choose from or close off, the large rolling door in the front is a great funneling path opportunity with iron stairs spiraling around the inside for retreating if needed.
• Iron Stairs Spiral to a Top Platform – There is a large platform at the top of Buddies Grain facility that can serve as a great place for a last stand or just an area to retreat to when things get dicey. You could get creative and make an escape route from the platform as well. If you think you’ll need it!
• Vantage Points – there are platforms between the spirals of the staircases that can be used as great vantage points from which to be elevated above the zombies while you take shots at them out of reach.
• Mid-range Maintenance - The size of the structure inside and out will demand lots of resources, as will the upkeep.

"Watch out for those Vultures!"

8. Judie Witch

Judie Witch is in the forest biome in Navezgane and in Random Generated Maps. It’s conveniently located near Trader Joel, near stores such as Shamway Foods, Pass-n-Gas Station and a few other places waiting for you to loot.  There’s also plenty of resources nearby, such as: water, animals, mineable materials, wood, stone, clay and more. There are lots of resources to harvest at Judie Witch, including Pumpkins, before claiming this as your base.

Note:  zombies will always take the easiest path to you, even if that is knocking down the structure you are on/in.

What makes Judie Witch a Top 10 Base:

• Early-Mid Game Base - Best utilized for the first few horde nights, but if built and maintained well, can be a sturdy base that lasts 100+ days (based on a 7-day blood moon cycle)
• Vantage Point – Staying elevated and away from zombies while shooting or throwing bombs is easy using the 2nd story balcony inside or the rooftop.
• Surrounded by Wood Fence – There is a wooden fence surrounding the property except for one entry way. This gives you a great start for keeping zombies at bay while you begin to fortify the inside of your base. Just remember to make your fence into something sturdier to keep the horde pathing where you want.
• Basement to Fortify – This home has a basement you can enter from a broken wall/hole in the ground on the side of the building. You can use the basement as an underground bunker in addition to the rest of the home.
• Mid-range Maintenance – Including the basement, there are 3 stories to the house and a fence to maintain and upgrade.

7. Tunnel Pass

The Tunnel Pass is in the snow biome in Navezgane. You will not find it in Random Generated Maps. The pass goes through the mountain and has 2 side doors you can use as emergency exits or retreat areas. This tunnel is conveniently located near Trader Hugh and near POIs such as The Gladue Residence and the Town of Perishton.

Demolition zombies could literally bury you here. Your headstone could read: “Here Lies Navezgane character #543,896,721…”

What makes the Tunnel Pass a Top 10 Base:

• Mid-Game Base – This is not an area for level one characters. Best utilized when you are ready to deal with the snow biomes zombies, weather, animals and when you are looking for more of a challenge for questing and hordes.
• Abundance of Space – You can utilize the entirety of the pass including the ceiling for traps if you so desire.
• Concrete Structure – The entire enclosed structure is made of concrete, giving you a base that would be difficult for regular zombies and vultures to get in to at all. Be careful with demolition zombies and AP rounds, as they will do significant block damage.
• Retreat Areas - This is a very large tunnel, giving you plenty of space for traps and turrets. There are 2 rooms you can retreat to and reinforce with steel to create a final stand/retreat box.
• Mid-range Maintenance – Since the structure is mainly concrete, you won’t have to worry about the beginning upgrades, just the upkeep and any additional changes you make to the pathing within.

6. O’Malley Oats

O’Malley Oats is in the Burnt Forest biome in Navezgane, which includes the Desert and the Wasteland. You will not find it in Random Generated Maps. There is lots of space inside to generate the pathing you want, and great vantage points provided to you for the perfect shot. There’s lots of space here, so utilize it well!

Maybe bring some friends along for this one.

Water may be harder to find, but there is an abundance of coal here.

The more friends, the bigger the horde! "Bring on the Zombies!"

What makes O’Malley Oats a Top 10 Base:

• Mid-Game/Late Game Base - Best utilized when you are ready to deal with the Wasteland/Desert biomes zombies, weather conditions, animals, lack of certain resources and when you are looking for more of a challenge for questing and hordes.
• Vantage Points – Similar to Buddies Grain facility, there are stairs with platforms that allow you to create areas to shoot from and you can place doors or bars on the platform between the zombies and yourself to give yourself a safe position for melee combat.
• Lots of Space – This is a very large building, giving you plenty of space for traps, turrets, kill boxes, retreat areas, melee boxes, and more.
• Near Trader and Resources – Close to Trader Hugh, farther from water but an abundance of coal is found in the Burnt Forest (The Wasteland) and oil in the Desert.
• Mid-range/High-range Maintenance – Very large building with a silo like structure will take significant resources to build and maintain.

5. Fire Station 7

Fire Station 7 is in the Forest biome in Navezgane and in Random Generated Maps. There’s no fence or wall out front, but the building walls are made of cobblestone and concrete. This is a 2-story building with a roof and a tall radio tower out back. There should be at least one vending machine inside too, giving you access to items in the vending machine every few days as it replenishes its supplies.

What makes Fire Station 7 a Top 10 Base:

• Mid-Game/Late Game Base – If built and maintained well, can be a sturdy base that lasts until you no longer care to be in the forest biome at all.
• Many Vantage Points – Any window, the roof, and the top of staircases offer great vantage points built in already.
• Solid Structure - The entire enclosed structure is made of concrete, giving you a base that would be difficult for regular zombies and vultures to get in to at all. Be careful with demolition zombies and AP rounds, as they will do significant block damage.
• Near Trader and Resources– Near Trader Joel, resources found in the forest biome such as: water, animals, mineable materials, wood, stone, clay and more.
• Mid-range/High-range Maintenance - Since the structure is mainly cobblestone and concrete, there will be some upgrading needed to keep this as a base long term. Maintenance will require a lot of resources.

4. Pop-n-Pills Pharmacy

The Pop-n-Pills Pharmacy is in the Forest biome in Navezgane and in Random Generated Maps. There’s no fence or wall out front, but the building walls are made of cobblestone and concrete. The large glass windowpane in the front will need reinforced. Rooms inside are separated by iron doors.

Your creativity holds no bounds!

What makes the Pop-n-Pills Pharmacy a Top 10 Base:

• Mid/Late-Game Base - If built and maintained well, can be a sturdy base that lasts until you no longer care to be in the forest biome at all.
• Solid Structure - The entire enclosed structure is made of concrete, giving you a base that would be difficult for regular zombies and vultures to get in to at all. Be careful with demolition zombies and AP rounds, as they will do significant block damage.
• Plenty of Resources – Resources such as: water, animals, mineable materials, wood, stone, clay and more. 
• Mid-range/High-range Maintenance - Since the structure is mainly cobblestone, concrete, and a large glass window in the front, there will a decent amount of upgrading needed to keep this as a base long term. Maintenance will require a lot of resources.

3. The Dead Rooster

The Dead Rooster is in the Forest and/or Desert Biomes in Navezgane and Random Generated Maps. There’s no fence or wall out front but there is lots of open space to utilize how you wish. There’s a 2nd floor balcony for a vantage point. Spinning blade traps, electrical fences, and spike traps are your friend!

What makes The Dead Rooster a Top 10 Base:

• Mid/Late-Game Base - If built and maintained well, can be a sturdy base that lasts you throughout the game or until you decide to move to a different biome altogether.
• Solid Structure - The structure is mainly cobblestone which does provide some protection, but by the time you are seeing spitter zombies, you need concrete.
• Near Trader and Resources – Near Trader Hugh; Resources such as: water, animals, mineable materials, wood, stone, clay and more. 
• Vantage Point – The awning, the roof, and the balcony inside offer great vantage points built in already.
• Mid-range/High-range Maintenance - Since the structure is mainly cobblestone, there will a decent amount of upgrading needed to keep this as a base long term. Maintenance will require a lot of resources.

2. Shotgun Messiah Factory

The Shotgun Messiah Factory is in the Wasteland biome in Navezgane and in Random Generated Maps. There’s no fence or wall out front but there is lots of open space and lots of resources nearby.

What makes Shotgun Messiah Factory a Top 10 Base:

• Mid/Late-Game Base – recommended for a team of zombie hunters rather than an individual, this could be a sturdy base that lasts you throughout the game.
• Near Resources – The Wasteland biome has less water and may lack a few resources, but it is plentiful with coal which is needed for crafting gunpowder and wheels.
• Solid Structure - The structure is mainly cobblestone which does provide some protection, but by the time you are seeing spitter zombies, you need concrete.
• Vantage Points – Staircases, the roof, and the tower offer great vantage points built in already.
• Heavy Upkeep – above and below ground – there is so much here that this is overwhelming to try to do as one person. Your Land Claim Block would not claim the entire area. 

1. Bart’s Salvage

Bart’s Salvage has it all. Located in the Forest Biome in Navezgane and in Random Generated Maps, this POI is fenced in, with a tower and an underground bomb shelter. What more could you want!

What makes Bart’s Salvage a Top 10 Base:

• Early through Late-Game Base - recommended for a team of zombie hunters rather than an individual, this could be a sturdy base that lasts you throughout the game.
• Near trader and resources – Near Trader Joel and the forest biome resources such as:
• Solid Structure – Most of the building is Iron with an iron fence, but there is a plethora of cars to break down, a tower for a great defensive position and a bomb shelter. There is so much in one place!
• Iron Fence – Iron fence surrounding the property is a great start for keeping zombies at bay while you begin to fortify the inside of your base. Just remember to make your fence into something sturdier to keep the horde pathing where you want.
• Vantage Point – There is a tower that makes a great vantage point for early game and beyond.
• Bomb Shelter – There is a small hatch hidden on the ground inside the salvage yard that goes down to a bomb shelter. This would make a great underground Bunker in addition to the base above ground.
• Heavy Upkeep – above and below ground – this is a very resource intensive facility. If done right, I see no reason why anyone would ever leave!

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