What should I build first at my base?

Build your crafting table first, then your campfire, and your bed. Once those are down, start collecting dirty water and turn it into clean water. Do not waste hours making a huge house or decorating it, because a much better base comes later in the game.

Do I need to defend the base?

Yes. Monster raids are a big part of Dragonwilds, so having a wall at least is going to keep your base from getting vandalized or destroyed. Once you have a basic base, get a crafting table as soon as you can, since it is the foundation for creating your early starter tools and structures.

How do I unload loot faster after an expedition?

Use the Storage Ledger. Interact with it and any items in your inventory that have an existing stack in any linked chest will auto-sort and be filed away correctly. Instead of running around your entire base or storeroom filling stacks on every chest, you walk up to the ledger and drop everything off at once.

Runescape: Dragonwilds Base

What the Base Is For

A starter base is your early operations hub for resting and crafting. The supplied guides favor a resource-dense site with nearby wood and ore nodes, since there is a lot of foot travel at least in the beginning.

Another supported choice is building near water, because you need a constant supply for drinking, cooking, farming, and later potion making. Having it right outside your base saves a lot of time.

Base Setup, Defense, and Storage

What should I build first at my base?: Build your crafting table first, then your campfire, and your bed. Once those are down, start collecting dirty water and turn it into clean water. Do not waste hours making a huge house or decorating it, because a much better base comes later in the game.
Do I need to defend the base?: Yes. Monster raids are a big part of Dragonwilds, so having a wall at least is going to keep your base from getting vandalized or destroyed. Once you have a basic base, get a crafting table as soon as you can, since it is the foundation for creating your early starter tools and structures.
How do I unload loot faster after an expedition?: Use the Storage Ledger. Interact with it and any items in your inventory that have an existing stack in any linked chest will auto-sort and be filed away correctly. Instead of running around your entire base or storeroom filling stacks on every chest, you walk up to the ledger and drop everything off at once.