As with any survival game, locations are the key to having a somewhat comfortable level of existence in the game world. They allow players to build some solid bases and also provide a respite against the elements of nature. Grounded is no exception. This gamified version of the Honey I Shrunk the Kids movie is partly about building bases.
Players will spend around half the game building up their bases, so they might as well pick the most optimal locations in Grounded. The Yard, after all, can be a confusing place with all the tall grass and the invasive spiders. These locations will provide a sanctuary for players with all kinds of bug phobias and the like.
Mysterious Machine
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The Mysterious Machine is one of the earliest points of interest in Grounded and is an integral part of the main questline. Thus, players will be introduced to it early on. The thing is, players don't even need to venture far after seeing the Mysterious Machine.
The spot is already a prime location for the earliest base in the game. There's a nearby research lab, there's plenty of building materials around it, it's elevated a bit, and more importantly, it's in the middle of the map.
Baseball
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If players don't like the Mysterious Machine, then they can always pick a location that's easier to defend and is also easier to find. That would be the Baseball stuck on the ground. Players can certainly build a base around it and even integrate the whole ball into their fortress.
Back in the pre-release days, the Baseball was also one of the most reliable areas in the game since Wolf Spiders couldn't jump on it. Nowadays, they can but that's only if they see the players on top of the ball. It's still a good place to defend oneself against bug attacks.
Near The Oak
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Setting up a spot near the oak is always a good idea even though it comes with many risks. The biggest risk is that it's a hotbed for Orb Weavers and their juniorlings. Even worse, there's usually one mean Wolf Spider patrolling around the fence area near the Field Station.
Sometimes the spiders will attack players while they're building. But it's still a good location since players will be making lots of trips back to BURGL, especially during the early-to-mid parts of the game. It's well worth the risk, for that matter.
Edge Of The Hedge
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The Hedge is a great spot for picking where to build bases though players will do well to pick the area near the flat rocks, just past the Hedge tree lab. It's in a spot near the tall green grass. The reason is that the nearby grasses will provide a source for both water and construction materials.
Moreover, the wide, flat rocks also act as a cliff edge, therefore acting like a natural wall especially since there are quite a number of spiders in the area. If players need to venture lower down the Yard, they can easily access theHedge gate (provided they've opened the switch in the Hedge Lab).
Pond Surface
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Just north of the Oak is a relatively large pond that acts as an open spot once players have acquired the Buoyant Supportsupgrade. This is a floating base which is impressive in itself. The best spot to place this is in the middle of the pond where players can still get easy access to dry land.
Apparently, most of the aquatic enemies won't attack players on the surface, so they're safe on that front. Plus, having easy access to the pond is quite valuable. The risky part is that the base support can break, so players need to be vigilant here.
Juice Box
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A source of water is always one of the most important metrics for picking a base in Grounded. It just so happens that there are a few juice boxes in the game that drop some clean fluids regularly every day. The most notable ones are near the pond. Near the juice box is also a beverage can.
Players can build their fortresses around these juice boxes or cans, and they won't have to worry about finding water after waking up. There's also no need to build those expensive Dew Collectors. The juice boxes or cans themselves also act as natural indestructible walls.
Large Flat Rock
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A large flat space is the most advantageous spot when it comes to building a base in Grounded. It allows players a versatile base design and fewer resources are wasted in making it look functional. To that end, the large flat rock due northwest of the map is the best normal base location in the game. It's just west of the oak tree.
Players can see its rectangular shape on the map, it's quite distinct— hard to miss. The area is elevated too, meaning land bugs won't see the base or the players. It's also surrounded by a lot of resources and some nearby Field Stations.
Near The Sandbox & Picnic Table
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The Sandbox area is one of the best farming locations for weapons in Grounded as players can easily grab themselves some Antlion parts for the greatsword. At the same time, there's also a nearby picnic tablenorth of the Sandbox, and it's filled with actual fresh food.
So, players need only put themselves in the best of both worlds by building a base halfway between the two abundant locations. Anywhere near the Sandbox and the Picnic Table is an awesome spot for players looking to get an edge by the late-game phase.
Grounded is available to play on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S, and is free to play on Xbox Game Pass.