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If you wander the deadly realms of Nightingale in search of a safe place to set up shop, you will encounter challenges and some confusion. The clock is ticking, though, and you want a good idea of the ideal resting point surrounded by resources, not enemies. The best base locations in Nightingale are an exercise in pragmatism, with some being shockingly beautiful.
What Are the Best Locations to Build a Respite in Nightingale?
First, you must understand that the base locations, Respites, are only in Abeyance realms for Nightingale players. This is the lowest challenge tier in the game. However, with access to Sites of Power, you’ll need to revisit this location constantly throughout your run. Since these realms are largely procedurally generated, it’s best to prioritize certain types of areas you can encounter.
However, there are only three unique biomes in the game, so the best locations make the most of each biome’s available resources. You must take into account the different environmental hazards and access to materials when choosing. However, things can come down to preference, so choose wisely.
Desert Cave Respite
This is one of the few naturally-occurring places where you can get unique access to an otherwise deadly realm’s best qualities. The Desert realms are unbearably hot, usually requiring you to have an umbrella equipped or face the consequences. But in the caves, this issue is gone, and in its place, you find veins of precious ores and/or gems.
Even setting up an Estate Cairn just at the entrance is sufficient. However, an even more ideal location beyond this in the Desert Abeyance realm is potentially close by. Craft some lights and make yourself at home!
Oasis Lumber Yard Respite
The Desert is unwelcoming, sure, but between those mountains is a chance for a watery oasis loaded with trees, plant fibre, and more. If you chose the Desert Abeyance as your starting realm as I did, this will quickly become a haven from the unbearable heat. It has all the basics, with caves and ore nearby.
A Cairn can go anywhere near a point where you reach water. The best part of this oasis is that the cooling water makes the umbrella unnecessary. They’re welcome relief between your initial portal’s starting point and any signs of civilization. Without rest stops like these, your stamina is a fraction of what it is due to the heat while you seek your next Site of Power.
Swamp Resort Respite
This one shocked me, as I saw how serene and gorgeous the Swamp biome truly was in Nightingale. Its flooded territory and diseased waters make for thoroughly dangerous exploration, but dry land on pretty much any good vantage point is fantastic. It’s a colorful paradise with tantalizing, gargantuan relics in view. Just don’t stay in the water too long, and don’t drink it.
While it’s usually fun to recommend a specific area if you can find it, in the Swamp’s case, any bit of dry land has excellent access. There’s a ton of plant life, possibly the most plentiful wildlife, as long as you don’t venture too far from your base.
Forest Island Respite
Remote yet surrounded by rocks and potential fishing opportunities, islands to the edge of the Forest biome are solid choices. They allow you to stay in control if you want Bound to come knocking at night and have a good view of where you can go next on the map.
The island I chose was not too far off from the lush wooded namesakes of this realm. You can camp out and create your respite without fear of daylight predators. These are more cut off from crucial areas like Sites of Power or a Fae Portal, but you can always make one of your own. But in setting up here, you might see an even more appealing sight.
Repurposed Bastille Respite
Forest biomes are the perfect base locations for any Nightingale player, regardless of Respite tastes. But settling down among the trees is tricky, as disaster can strike if you chop down a tree over your crafting stations. You see, you want to save a few steps with a safe starting nook to cook your food, smelt your ores, and nod off in safety. With Forests often only having rain, hail, or freezing weather as their hazards, the interior of even a small Bastille is ideal.
Clear a Bastille like, in my case, with the Bastille of Intellect I spotted. If you’re lucky, you’ll find one near a portal to make this the ultimate travel and crafting hub. These will still be nearby forests, giving you room to breathe. They hold plenty of opportunities to build a remarkable home factory where you can store and construct anything you need. The best part? You’ve got some built-in shelter from the Bastille while you ponder how you’ll build your housing around the area.
The best base locations in Nightingale are up to player preference, although some have undeniable Respite advantages. There may be no true area bosses for these realms, but they are safe places to craft your Hunt cards to take down some Apex bosses elsewhere. NPCs for quests will appear in each corresponding Abeyance realm without incident, so if you aren’t happy with your chosen base, you can always change it later.
