[203] Big Builder Guide - Updated Frequently

Builder mind set
You may start a game and be unsure of what to do as a builder besides build. You should be looking at the location. Would a tall tower make sense here? Or is that unnecessary? Filling up the grounds with traps make sense or is there gold available underneath? How can I make it difficult for the enemies to get in to our base but make it easy for our team get to the front lines? (keeping in mind of if some of the base breaks from bombs or catapult or falling building parts can the team can still get back) at which point should I leave the base to start building on the hill. And what else can I do as a Builder?

First ill the name the things you shouldn’t do building over top of the trees doing so will prevent them from growing back so avoid doing so.
Making huge towers with the doors at the top is very unnecessary it will greatly slow the building of your base and frustrates many members on your team.
Don’t build multiple doors in a row this slows down your team and doesn’t provide much defence against enemies.
Don’t put ladders on the enemies side of the base you can easily place trapdoors and spikes under each layer(except the top) for both helping with any enemies that decides to run head on in to your base but still allowing your team mates in to or over the object. (There are still times for ladders but not when it endangers your team)
Don’t build 1 block high towers make it thicker or on an angle so if it gets hit by a catapult or bombs it won’t crumble on your teammates.
In the beginning of the fight don’t cut down trees or mine stone.( you can get all your resources just by running past the tent as a builder)
Don’t dig from the back of the base to the front (easy access for the enemies to get in)
Don’t tear down other peoples work unless you are very confident that your method will give you an advantage (like removing a couple doors from someone who stacked multiple doors beside each other)
Avoid putting traps in your own base( a couple is fine but if it’s all traps then it gets annoying if a bomb or a catapult damages the trap and makes it dangerous for your own team.
Don’t build 1 block wide bridges unless you’re going to use it as a weapon or there is no knights with bombs or catapults that can topple it down.
Aright there are more don’ts then that but after a while you get the idea of what’s not such a good idea.
Your jobs as a builder can be broken down in to 3 main parts
Stage 1
Build up your base
You may communicate (gasp I said communicate) with other members on your team don’t automatically assume you have all the ideas different people means different ideas.
You can chose a spot that you would like to handle and make it clear what your building there(example Hey I’m building a trap, or I’m building an archer tower I’m going to build the workshops over here)
If you’re going to make a trap outside of your base MAINTAIN it, it’s not hard for it to be damaged and now becomes a hassle to your team more than your enemy (your team has to cross this trap more than your enemy).
Be aware of what’s ahead by zooming out on the mouse wheel and knowing what is going to need to be built for the future.(also by checking for bed rock when your building your base entrance will stop the enemy’s from digging under)
Stage 2
The attack begins for the hill
The first set of people there can place a fortress to prevent the enemies from getting over (Use the knowledge from the first phase for building)
After having a set up there make sure you provided all the necessary workshops your team enjoys having.(Arrow workshop, bombs, the beds so people can heal, even make a catapult so you can pelt the enemy base)
If you don’t get the hill and they have the advantage you have several options you can bring some catapults in to range and topple there stuff and go over the walls or you can go dig underground be aware that both methods will be difficult. (Yes your team will need some builders on the front line to get them over the enemy’s defense or disarming traps)
There should also be digging out side of your front gates (preferably not right outside) getting gold from underground so you can construct outposts.
By the end of the 2nd stage going on the 3rd you should have way more gold then you can put to use so offer giving free items to members who can put it to use( this gold is different from the gold you dig up from the ground).
Stage 3
You have pushed to the gates of your enemy base
Hammer it away with stone even if it means your job is to get more stone for the person firing the catapult(s) if the enemy base towers are crumbling on the opponents then it’s even better.
Bring forth the ladders so your team can climb over the walls that haven’t collapsed
Dig under some structures because some times it’s just easier to do so. (And you can bring down entire buildings)
Rinse and repeat
Grab that flag and run back to the base (if someone else gets it ,slow down the enemies by placing towers in the way or even traps or assisting them getting back to your own base with ladders and removing objects)
You have dug to the enemy’s base
For the most part someone is bound to see your team tunneling to the other side so expect the opponents going after you.
Avoid the bedrock and make a mental plan or communicate with any allies that are with you for your plan at getting in and out.
Place traps and make it difficult for your enemies to chase after you(trap bridges, team only ladders, pits that will take them forever to get out of etc., remember to use the trap guidelines in stage one).
You have lost the hill and they are attempting to storm your walls.
Build up your defense see if there is anything you can do to improve your odds .(building over hanging blocks of 1 stone wall and 1 stone brick allows it to fall easily on the enemy’s at your front gate).
Repair your walls and buildings it only costs half the material it takes to build it so fix it before it is completely gone.
Check underground for anyone attempting to tunnel in either blocking the entrance or trapping it up. (Keep in mind you’re going to need to decide if it’s worth blocking of that area or if your team can go squish them).
With experience you’ll figure out what your team needs and were it should be placed and how to maximize your effectiveness.

 

Things you may not know about the Builder:​

• (general) 1. You can switch class at your base or an outpost with the "E" key. There are two other classes, both of which are useful, and because many teams are overrun with builders, you're probably better off with one of the others.

• At the beginning of each round there's a small timer displayed in the middle of the screen that will tell you when the round begins. When the round begins, it's much better to assist your team at the front lines than continue building defenses. The team that is effectively playing offense is beating the team playing defense.

• You can make ladders. Most of the time, you will be assisting your team better by placing ladders so your teammates can get past enemy defenses, than if you stayed back building a huge spike pit and left your teammates to slice their way through solid rock.

• You can prepare for a push. So maybe you're a good builder helping at the front lines, but your current fortifications are holding up well and you can't build anything forward yet. You can go get more resources so that when your combat buddies do push forward, you can build a nice wall behind them so that you save the progress they made.

• Archers need height. Build a small ladder system that overlooks your wall, and voila! Now your archers have a much easier time aiming and holding off the oncoming knights. For the cost of a few ladders, you are going to save your team a ton of stone repairing your nice thick walls.

• Don't place 10 doors next to each other on exit out of castle or in wall.It only slow down players!Make the every second block and place wall block in between.XIXIX X=doors I=empty space

• Don`t lose time building walls. When you build them at warmup, go really thick on ground and as you raise the wall,leave first stone block empty and make 3 blocks high row,and repeat.

Code:

Example:
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########
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More blocks down=higher wall.

• It's always faster climbing ladders up a wall with a space left every ladder. You should be hopping up each one. Movement through continuous ladders is a pain and no-one likes to do it.

• If there's a common area where knights are jumping down onto your teammates, put some ladders down above them. Every knight that jumps down will be stopped by the ladder, and will deal no damage to your own knights. (can work in the opposite way though)

• You can still block drop. Just build two pieces of stone with the second one in the area you want to drop the stone, and remove the first piece of stone, and the second drops down. Can be useful on top of mountains, as builders often ladder up the other side, the single block will destroy all the ladders (or most of them) with little risk destroying them manually.

• On the front lines, especially through mountains, don't fill your side with ladders if the enemy is constantly pushing through, this allows them to push through your side and climb up easily. When possible, using doors or bridges to make a ladder is much more effective at keeping a base that is at the top of the mountain.

• Build catapults in heights, not behind your castles, so that they will have some range.

• Ladders slow down everyone thus can make an effective killzone in front of a well defended wall.

• (general) If you don't see an enemy on your screen you should not fire a catapult.

• Layered tower walls of alternating ladders and stone is a cost effective way to make a tower, instead of a fully stone based tower.

• If you find gold, store it near the forward outpost in order for subsequent forward outpost creation to be more efficient.

• If you are quitting building, give all your resources to other builder.

• Stop building layered traps, THEY DONT WORK! basically speaking a SPIKE NEED A SOLID BLOCK TO FUNCTION!

• When the timer for warm up less than 30 seconds, STOP BUILDING, READY, STEADY, GO

• You cannot destroy bedrock. You are a builder not a knight with bombs. SO STOP HITTING IT!

• Building a large tent castle is not as efficient as building forward walls, ladder rushing, repairing, or building outposts. You are a liability to the team when you stay back to build.

• Use bridges for ladders, they're more effective

• Remember about overhangs - this will prevent [enemy] archers getting on top of buildings.

• Dirt and other tiles are not affected by catapults.

• When a wall is often attacked/approached by enemies, it is often wise to place spike traps on the wall, enemies often jump in there or get pushed into it by knights/explosions (you can also couple them with layered floor ladders, when the ladder retreats the spikes attach to the wall and will still hurt anyone.) Just don't place them directly on teamdoors, otherwise your teammates can't use them from the spiked side.

• Don't forget backwalls! It makes a structure more stable and not as easy to collapse.

• Do not carry all your eggs in one basket. When you are going to pick up stored Gold Bullion to build an outpost up ahead, do NOT take more than 60, because in the event that you die, you will basically be throwing all the surplus gold to the enemy. Don't be a douche.

• If you, for whatever reason, are building a spike pit (Why are you doing this? They are not worth the effort) then at the very least, make sure it's wider than your usual 5-tile wide pit. Make it wide enough so the enemy can't just jump across to the other side.

• Try not to build outposts where it is easily taken by enemies or where you have no protection by your own knights. I've seen games turn because a builder decided to build a very forward outpost and told no one.

• During pre-game building, if you don't have anything in mind or there is not enough space to build, be useful! Build stacks of workshops behind the base outpost so that when the game begins, builders can scoop up wood and stone more quickly than taking time to gather it normally.

• (general) When on a catapult getting ready to launch you are immune to fall damage if the support below you is destroyed.

• You are a slave, essentially. Remember that.

• Place surface outposts as high as possible. Spawning time depends on distance from OP/tent, so placing it high allow you to join battle really quick after death (falling down is always faster than walking horizontally)

• Dont place skybidges too high. ( all the knights and achers will get killed falling a huge distance.)

• Dont place skybridges too low. (the enemy can easily destoy it.)

• Make the ends of skybridges with bridge and reinforce them with back walls. (this wont let the enemy use your skybridge.)

• Always place skybridge at same height or above enemy skybridges especailly if yours is made up of stone.

• Rough up the terrain just outside your fortifications a little. Not only does this make it harder for them to bomb your base, but it also makes bomb-jumping a good deal harder to pull off.

• Quarters, Bomb Workshops and Archer Workshops can be "fused" together right now like this:

​

• Here's a bit of common sense. When you are raising walls during the build phase, add your drawbridges or ladders before adding the stone blocks. Benefits of doing this:
  1. Gives your team a visual aid of what you are building.
  2. Ensures that you don't block them from returning to the spawn.
  3. Allows you to build walls more quickly.

• In order to make a truly archer safe structure you need to build an overhang like this, anything else IS climbable! -Eggnogg
  

 

Since there are not that many buildings for an effective assault,I think that this deserves its own thread.It has been written here that cata can be used outside castle walls(thanks for idea,Monsteri!),well...

...Meet the Trench Warfare!


Actually I've built it ingame,almost without planning ahead - and oh boy - it worked well.12 dead knights,1 collapsed tower,1 pissed off enemy builder.
You can freely enter and leave,rocks fly right through little gap on top and instagib anyone unlucky to attack your position.If there is a knight/archer mass assault,you can block firing gap with stone block and flee.

IMPORTANT! no,srsly,you should read this
Dont fire until you reach shooting power level - 4 - or you'll destroy door! 4 is minimum - you can fire as strong as you need.
If you build according to my instruction,always make backup background walls everywhere,sometimes rocks act weird!

How to :

Find an open area!

Dig a hole!

Add roof!Add defense!Note "X" on where you dont have to put background walls - they'll break anyway

IMPORTANT!
Grab catapult,hug wall with shooty hole,run,release catapult!It'll bounce into perfect postion for shooting.


A human model in this game is 2 blocks high. Im using test dummies - rock blocks.

After 4-5 shots.

Im not sure that this length is exact - maybe its longer or shorter,but you get the idea - this baby has a huge firing range.

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And a little extra extra from Acavado (like it HERE)

As a heads up you might note that the hole can be 3 by 3 if you place something two tiles above the bunker to block it and keep it from floating up. It can have the addition of a bottom row of team bridges and a top row of team doors, or even stone, to make the catapult invisible and to allow it to serve as a hidey hole. It's very small but allows you shoot at low power without destroying the door.

 

Guide to block dropping:​

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Several notable things quoted from [228] Collapsing & Spike orientation:​

The main elements of predicting block drops is the shape you are dropping.​

I made several tests with 3 different shapes from heights over 10 blocks. I always count from (but not including) the lowest block of the shape (so the lower castle wall) for falling distance. So the number means the empty spaces under the shape you are dropping.​

NOTE: The spreading patterns are not reliable and will most likely change every game!​

1st shape:​

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​

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4: 2 blocks jump upwards and fall down about 2 tiles to the left and right.​

5: 2 blocks jump in oposite directions in pretty straight lines (somewhat like in the video)​

6: 1 block flies far to the left.​

7. like 5.​

8. 1 block flies in a huge arc to the right (seen in the video).​

after that all the others just roll around more or less where they hit the ground.​

2nd shape (Yes this makes a difference!):​

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​

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2: 2 blocks fly very fast in oposite directions in a straight line.​

3: nothing.​

4: like 2.​

5: 1 block flies to the right in a medium arc (does not actually do damage!).​

6: nothing.​

7: like 2.​

8: nothing​

9: nothing​

10: like 2.​

3rd shape:​

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3: 2 blocks fly into oposite directions (pretty effective).​

Haven't tried this one out more.​

Generally best results for "spreading" drops comes from dropping the 1st or 2nd shape, the 3rd shape is more unreliable and will often result in no special spreading. Generally clusters of 3 blocks tend to spread out a lot and be very dangerous to the enemies.

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Another small thing to add about block dropping is this handy guide I whipped up:
How to make break away gravity traps!?

This way, like a boss :D