Building Tips

Welcome to the Building Tips page. Here you can find tons of advice for building using the Lord of the Rings mod. If you see a faction that has lacking, out-dated, or non-exsistant information, please feel free to edit or add in what is needed.

NOTE: If adding pictures, please make sure they highlight some of the tips listed in a faction's section. Also, please don't upload a screenshot that still has the same name generated when it was taken. Try to make it so if only the name is shown, a user can tell exactly what the picture is of. (This applies to any image added to the wiki, not just this page.)

General Advice
Be careful with doors, because NPCs can open them!

Plan the layout beforehand, possibly in a temporary creative world, then build. This is good for all of Minecraft, not just Middle-earth.

It is a good idea to look at pictures from the movies if you want a movie style, but bear in mind that this may differ very strongly from what Tolkien had in mind when he wrote the books. You can find a gallery of Tolkien's artwork for his own writings at Tolkien Gateway.

You can find a step by step instruction how to build in creative mode on the Building Tips/Building in Creative subpage!

Building a Castle or Fortress
A castle is meant to protect a certain area; therefore, it should be near an area of significance, such as a road or a river – or even a source of raw materials. This may sound trivial, but it will enhance the realism.

A castle will usually have two gates; an inner gate and an outer gate, both being part of an encircling wall. The outer gate will usually be the larger of the two. The outer gate should have battlements, places for the archers to hide while they are being shot at; these can be simple or very complex. The gate could be made out of different materials depending on the faction. Gondor and most Elven factions will use a stone, wood or metal gate. Civilisations based on Germanic societies, such as Rohan or the Beornings, would use wood. Half-troll and Moredain would most likely use wood as well. Inside the outer gate, there should be the barracks, the armouries, the smithies, and most other buildings. The second gate will be smaller, and protect key buildings, such as the keep. The keep will usually have a tower, depending on the faction (Half-trolls would most likely not have a tower). Also, around the outer gate, you should put towers. Remember, this also depends on the size of your fortress.

A castle has multiple defences, besides the walls and the men defending them. In the Middle Ages, men would often pour molten tar, pitch or boiling oil through holes above the gate (these were called murder-holes) onto their enemies, to burn them to death. In Minecraft, you can use lava. A moat is also very useful; whether the moat is dry with stabbing thorns or cacti on the bottom or filled with lava or water it is guaranteed to work especially against hired units.The best material to line the bottom of your moat is quagmire which is a readily available resource in swamp biomes such as Midgewater Marshes, Swanfleet, Nindalf or Far Harad Swamp.

For additional detail, visit the pages of Defensive Traps and Fort Defence Tips.

What materials should I use in building?
The following is a basic guide to materials to use for faction-specific builds. Going to each Faction/Sub-Faction's own section will be able to further explain how to best use the following materials. Those sections may also include a broader range of possible blocks that can be used for Faction specific builds.
 * Angmar: Angmar Brick, Orc Steel Blocks and Bars, Gulduril Blocks, Charred wood
 * Hillmen of Rhudaur: Clay, Spruce and Dark-Oak Wood, Angmar and Stone Bricks.
 * Blue Mountains: Sarlluin Brick, Dwarven Brick, Stone Bricks, Sarlluin
 * Gundabad: Cracked Stone and Dwarven Brick, Cobblestone, Scorched Stone, Wood, Dirt, Angmar Brick
 * High Elves: High Elven Brick, High Elven Steel and Wooden bars, Beech and Birch Wood
 * Hobbits: Pear Wood, Cherry Wood, Apple Wood, Oak Wood, Shire Pine Wood, and Chestnut wood
 * Rangers of the North: Spruce wood, Arnor Brick, Stone Brick, wool
 * Dale: Dalish Bricks, Clay Tiles (Blues, Reds, and Browns), Oak Wood, Wooden Gates, and Iron or Bronze Bars.
 * Dol Guldur: Dol Guldur Brick, Stone, Cobblestone
 * Durin's Folk: Dwarven Brick, Stone Bricks, Glowing Dwarven Bricks
 * Galadhrim: Mallorn, Galadhrim Brick, Galadhrim Steel and Wooden Bars


 * Wood-Elves: Wood-Elven Brick, Mirk-Oak Wood and Leaves (Both Green and Red), Wood-Elven Steel and Wooden Bars
 * Dunland: Hardened clay, Wood
 * Fangorn: Stone, Leaves, no wood!
 * Gondor: Gondor Brick (Both Black and White), Gondor Rock
 * Isengard: Uruk Brick, Dirt, Wood, Uruk Steel Bars
 * Mordor: Mordor Brick, Orc Steel Blocks and Bars, Gulduril Blocks, Gulduril Bricks
 * Rohan: Oak Wood, Thatch, Rohan Brick and Pillars
 * Half-Trolls: Hardened clay, Iron Bars, dirt
 * Moredain: Moredain Brick, Acacia Wood, Thatch, Hardened Clay, Dirt
 * Near Harad: Sandstone, Harad Brick, clay
 * Tauredain: Tauredain Brick, Mahogany Wood, Vines
 * Dorwinion: Dorwinion Bricks, Dyed Harden Clay and Clay Tiles (Purples, Reds, Yellows, Whites, and Blues), and Oak, Cyrprus, or Olive Wood.
 * Bree: Cobblestone, Wood
 * Lossoth: Ice, Packed Ice, Wargskin Rugs, snow
 * Beornings: Cobblestone, Wood, hay
 * Northmen: Wood, Brick
 * Druedain: Stone, Thatch, Wood
 * Enedwaith: Wood, Clay
 * Khand:Stone, Golden dwarf bricks
 * Cerinrim: Wood, Thatch, Clay
 * Limwaith: Mangrove Wood, Thatch
 * Umbar: Harad Brick, Red Near Harad Brick, Black Gondor Brick
 * Avari: Wood, Dirt
 * Easterlings: Rhûnic Brick and it's red variant
 * Free Easterlings:
 * Red Mountains: Sarngaran Brick, Dwarven Brick, Stone Brick, Sarngaran

What Are Good Places to Build Faction Builds?
The following is list of Biomes that would best make sense for building a Faction specific build in. Some of these would be for ruins rather than actual builds: looking at each Faction's specifics or the Biome's page should help decide what type of build is best in each Biome.
 * Angmar: Angmar and its Mountains, Ettenmoors, Misty Mountains
 * Hillmen of Rhudaur: Angmar, Ettenmoors, Lone-lands
 * Blue Mountains: Blue Mountains
 * Gundabad: Misty Mountains, Grey Mountains, Lone-Lands, Eriador, Vales of Anduin, Coldfells
 * High Elves: Lindon, Eregion, around the Rivendell waypoint
 * Hobbits: Shire
 * Rangers of the North: Eriador, Lone-Lands, Minhiriath, the Angle
 * Dale: Dale, Northern Wilderlands
 * Dol Guldur: Dol Guldur, Mirkwood Corrupted
 * Durin's Folk: Iron Hills, Erebor, Grey Mountains, Misty Mountains
 * Galadhrim: Lothlorien, Field of Celebrant


 * Wood-Elves: Northern Mirkwood, Woodland Realm, Mirkwood Corrupted
 * Dunland: Dunland, Enedwaith, Nan Curunír
 * Fangorn: Fangorn
 * Gondor: Gondor, Dor-en-Ernil, Ithilien, Harondor, Mouths of Anduin
 * Isengard: Nan Curunír, Rohan Uruk Highlands, Fangorn Wasteland
 * Mordor: Mordor, Ithilien Wasteland
 * Rohan: Rohan
 * Half-Trolls: Pertorogwaith, Far Harad Volcano
 * Moredain: Far Harad Savannah
 * Near Harad: Near Harad Fertile, Near Harad
 * Tauredain: Far Harad Jungle, Far Harad Cloud Forest
 * Dorwinion: Dorwinion, Emyn Winion
 * Bree: Breeland, Chetwood
 * Lossoth: Tundra, Forodwaith, Future Biome(s)
 * Beornings: Vales of Anduin around Carrock and Old Ford Waypoint, Future Biome(s)
 * Northmen: Central to Northern Vales of Anduin, Wilderland, Northern Mirkwood, East Bight
 * Druedain: Forest north of Minas Tirith Waypoint in Gondor, South-western part of Enedwaith, Future Biome(s)
 * Enedwaith: Enedwaith, Swanfleet
 * Khand: Western Rhûn, Future Biome(s)
 * Cerinrim: Far Harad Bushland
 * Limwaith: Far Harad Mangrove
 * Umbar: Umbar
 * Avari Elves: Rhûn Forest alongside the Red Mountains [Future Biome(s)]
 * Khagante: Rhûn, Wilderland, Future Biome(s)
 * Wainriders: Western Rhûn, Wilderland, Future Biome(s)
 * Northern Easterlings: Northern Rhûn, Eastern Taiga/Tundra
 * Free Easterlings: Eastern Rhûn, Future Biome(s)
 * Red Mountains: Red Mountains

Building a Village or Settlement
Villages will be common in certain areas. This is primarily based on how the civilization gains wealth. If the village survives on trade, you should make it near a port or a major roadway. A village will usually have different buildings, each centred around a square. This gathering place should have a promenant marker in its center, such as a fountain or statue. Different buildings can include a butcher's, a smithy, a library, homes, etc. This all depends on the faction, however.

A settlement should be smaller, and look less permanent than a village, although it is similar in almost all other aspects. A mod example of a settlement would be the huts of the Hillmen of Rhudaur.

Building a Ruin
A Ruin, depending on the faction it was made for, should be in general disrepair. According to the surroundings, it should have vines creeping up it (but no vines in Near Harad). Depending on the state of the ruin, most of the bricks should be mossy or cracked. It could have missing blocks, but not too many of these. Bats are an option for underground ruins.

Opposite Factions
All of these tips are great, but in the mod you have to have the alignment to use crafting tables and craft building materials. So, what if you have a negative alignment with angmar, but want to do an Angmar themed build? Well, there are two things you could do. The first is to gain positive alignment with them. As this is very difficult once you already have negative alignment with that faction, the other and best option is to find the faction's generated structures (e.g. Wood-Elves- Wood-Elven Towers). Tear them down for resources. You would be surprised how many blocks are contained in these structures. It is also a good way to earn alignment, as these buildings are usually crawling with foes. Try taking them out before you start demolishing the building.

Alternatively, if you play on a server, you can sometimes buy those resources from other players.

Eriador
Under this section you can find information on factions located between the Western Oceans and the Misty Mountains.

Angmar
Angmar builds should be made out of Angmar Brick and Orc Steel, with jagged edges. Try to go for a Black Gate or Gundabad from the Hobbit look.

A tower is a good idea for any follower of the Witch-King. Angmar Brick should be used to build it. Add walls to the top of the tower to look like spikes, and put skulls around the entrance. Orc and Morgul Steel looks nice here. Fly a banner from the top.

Living areas should consist of tents for a lower-ranking individual or a room off the side of a tower for a captain. The room should have Angmar banners, skulls, and an Orc bed. A fire works well here. The floor can be made of charred wood or stone.

The whole build should be surrounded by a stone and Orc steel wall with spikes and skulls. A space should be left between the build and the wall for tents, smaller buildings, pillars, fires, and ruins.

Smaller buildings around the main one can include Warg stables, barracks, dungeons, and a forge. The forge should have Angmar and Morgul armour sets and a fire.

Light should come from fire, Orc torches, and Morgul torches.

Morgul and Orc steel can be used as decoration, as can Gulduril Bricks.

Hill-Men Of Rhudaur
The Hill-Men, like their distant kin the Dunlendings, live in crude, dark wooden houses. The floor should be stone, Angmar Brick, or darkish hardened clay.

On the floor, you can place a mottled red, black and brown carpet, a fireplace, thatch flooring, or a Wargskin rug. Furniture should include: an orc/straw bed, Angmar banners, and skulls. Mismatched armour on armour stand stand with axes displayed in item frames also add to that barbarian vibe.

Use the ideas in the Dunlending section as well to make this house.

Blue Mountains
Blue Mountain builds are unlike Durin's Folk builds in many different ways. They build more above ground than the Longbeards, with fortresses and walls rather than just a cavern entrance. Their mines would also be horizontal strip mines, not vertical holes.

Outside fortifications are key. Try low bunkers and walls built into the rock, leading to towers that protect the flanks and the entrance of the stronghold. The stone used would, of course, be Sarlluin Brick and the occasional Dwarven Brick.

Inside, make a long and winding entrance with side passages. Place banners and armour sets at intervals along it. This should lead to a great hall, though not as large as a Durin's Folk hall. Use arches here. A feasting table, bar, fire, and throne should be in here. Position banners on the walls. If creating a more humble dwarven abode, such as a small settlment, one should utilize more spruce wood in their build.

Side passages may lead to several side rooms. They should be neatly hewn, with a banner, barrel of ale, and a bed. Wood can be used for the floor.

Other side passage rooms can include a guardhouse, dungeon, shrines to Durin and/or Mahal, forges, mines, an armory, and of course an ale storage!

Forges should have fire, weapons, armours, and anvils, while an armoury would have just tools of war. These rooms can be combined to save space.

Mines could be strip mines, lit by glowstone. Mine all ore and use it to decorate the great hall.

Gundabad
There are several styles used when building a Gundabad home, allowing for much creativity on the builder's behalf.

Basic Shelter
A basic Gundabad dwelling is a cave in the side of a hill or mountain. The edges of the cave should be jagged, not smoothed in any type of way. Orc beds should be located in small, dark corners of the cave. For decoration, mismatched armour sets, skulls, and pieces of wood or thatch give the tunnel an Orcish look. Orc Torches and skulls on spikes are a must outside the caves, but keep lighting to a minimum inside the build.

If you are building in a less mountainous area then an above ground shelter may be more befitting to your tastes. Create an ruin (See Building a Ruin) or find a ruin from the mod such as an abandoned Arnor tower or an abandoned house. After this, "repair" the structure using materials such as cobblestone and different types of wood to give the shelter a ramshackle look. It is suggested that you also add to the build using the same techniques to make it look truly hostile.

Less Basic Shelter
For a larger home, create a Durin's Folk home and distress it. Add remains to the floor, mine up the exposed ores, and dig smaller tunnels under the halls for sleeping areas. Replace some Dwarven items with Orc equivalents, but keep some Dwarven things Dwarven to keep the captured Dwarven look.

There are not really any bounds to larger fortresses, other than being disheveled, which is great for survival players, as there is no real brick type that you should use.

Mount Gundabad style fortress
This style is based off the movie Mount Gundabad. Fortresses built in this style not only look cool, but are unique and truly say "Gundabad." To build this style of fortress, build a dwarven fortress in all of its glory, and then corrupt it. Replace dwarven pillars with Mordor pillars. Add cracked bricks. Put in lots of bronze bricks, or Sarngarnan bricks. The outer walls should look like blades, made out of red, orange, or rusty colored bricks. The basic premise of the fortress is to repair the ruined dwarven fortress by distressing it and then adding onto it using the "Gundabad" style.

Goblin-Town style fortress
Goblin-Town style fortresses are very haphazard and rickety in design. They are built with mixes of various wood plank types, cobblestone, fences, wooden bar gates, and gravel in some places. Staircases should have full blocks in place of stairs in places, making the staircase seem broken. Utilize lots of different wood types to make your dwelling look truly ramshackle. Goblin-Town fortresses should be made in and around the walls of a vast, orc bomb-created cavern, with bridges, platforms, rock outcrops, and houses scattered throughout. Many of the pathways should interconnect and long, twisted tunnels should branch off the main fortress. True fortresses in this style are made with lots of hidden passageways and torture devices.

Moria-style fortress
Moria-style fortresses are basically dwarven fortresses, but with little to no lighting and far more cracked brick. An easy way to accomplish this is to make a grand, Moria-style dwarven fortress underground, then break out the light bricks, scatter cobwebs around, and make the lower levels thick with orcs. It can sometimes be cool to use lava for a subtle lighting system in your fortress, but this style only really works in the lower levels. Orc-made tunnels should be made as if they were blasted into the walls of the main fortress, and should be completely unlit.

Caradhras-style fortress
Named for the infamous fortress at Mount Caradhras on the official server, Caradhras-style fortresses should be mixes of all other orc building styles, utilizing various Mordor, Angmar, Dol Guldur, and Gulduril blocks to make a positively evil-looking fortress. Naurite ore can give the fortress an evil effect. Lava pits and lighting systems only improve the look. The premise of the fortress is to give off a "Utumno" vibe, and, unlike other Gundabad fortresses, it should look more like a Mordor fortress or temple in the inside rather that than a ruin.

High Elves
The High Elven buildings are usually very elegant, made of High Elven Brick with arches, banners, and carved bricks. A Greek or Roman style is one way to start.

Elven builds should reflect nature, and should seem like a forest, even inside. Pillars and walls help tremondously to achieve this.

All the roofs should be made of light blue tiles.

Rooms should have high, arching ceilings. At least two sides of each room should be pillared; the pillars should have at least one carved brick. The solid walls should have at least a few banners.

Stairs should be in a gentle spiral with slabs.

Domes, with a covered tower topped with an arch, are another good feature. Have at least one Elven guard in the tower.

Open air balconies are great places for dinner tables.

An underground extension with a fireplace, forge area, and armour stands can add the sense of a forging area – crafting was a Noldorin hobby. Tool racks can display swords there.

An interior, open-air courtyard with a fountain and garden can give an Elven atmosphere. Fangorn plants look nice here along with some other unique biome-specific flora such as Elanor flowers, shire heather or athelas.

An Eregion style build should use holly wood and leaves with red carpets. Roofs should be light grey tile. More mineral blocks are another good idea. Ruins should use vines, cracked bricks, mossy brick and should be missing the occasional block here and there. The unrefined structures should look like the meeting place between Rivendell and High Elven structures. See above and below sections for more information

Rivendell builds should use Galadhrim brick instead of High Elven and use red decorations more than blue. Wood should be of reddish variety; remember to use beams to uphold the ceiling. The roof itself should be made of red tile.

Hobbits
Hobbit homes are easiest to make when built into an already existing hill, but can also be built to look like a hill. Just like anything, the more you practice, the easier it is to build a hobbit hole into a natural hill.

Hobbit homes often have more rooms focused on food (one for eating, one for cooking, one for storage, etc.). As well, a random plate or mug may be found throughout the rest of the home. Glass windows looking out the side of the hill are common for lighting, as well as iron chandeliers (or silver/gold for wealthier homes). Lit earth stones or skylight windows are also an option for bigger houses. Only put the windows in the front and some on the side if you must. Wooden planks with some brick of some sort are generally the best when picking materials for the build. For your hobbit home, think relaxed, stylistically.

Hobbit homes usually have at least 1 brick chimney on top, possibly with the addition of a flower pot as a smoke exit.

If your hobbit hole has any business parts, these are typically made rectangular out of wood, and are either disconnected from or sticking out of your hill. All hobbit holes should have only one floor. A hobbit hole should be built more horizontally than vertically. In larger smials, a circular corridor would run around the side of the hill, the best rooms being situated on the outer side so as to have windows, as according to the books. Remember, a hobbit hole is just a home tunneled into a hill. A hobbit hole's interior generally is 3 blocks high. A hallway will generally be 5 blocks wide with stairs on the top and bottom parts of the hallway's edge. To give rooms a tunnel look, put slabs on either side of the longer lengths' ceiling. The exterior should have a 2X2 hobbit "door" (AKA, Hobbit Gate). Brick, Harden Clay, or Wool around that looks nice, with some wood planks and beams around it. A clay tile "lip" should be added to hold back dirt from above the top of the hill.

The exterior should also have tons of plant life and a nice path of some sort (cobblestone, gravel, stone bricks, etc.).

Rangers of the North
Rangers typically do not settle in one place for long, so building a Ranger of the North themed build would probably need to be either a tent or some sort of outpost like a watchtower. Wood and thatch work well for towers.

For a building in the time of Arnor in it's hayday, you'll want to have something like a Gondor structure, but then with Arnor brick, oak and spruce.

Another option is to make a small settlement, like those seen in Born of Hope. Small, dark wood and thatch houses surrounded by a palisade fence would be a wise choice. A small farm around it is nice, and some armour stands and item frames with bows are nice additions as well.

One building should be larger, with banners in it. This should be the chieftain's home.

Every house should have a Warg skin rug (or warg-fur colored carpet) and a fire. A large, communal firepit should be located outside in the public area.

If you want to make an Arnor building, build a Gondorian-style structure out of Arnor Brick. Change anything Gondorian to Ranger gear.

For a ruin, break down walls and place mossy and cracked brick throughout

Bree
The people of Bree-land live in wooden houses. A dark wood for floors and roofs contrasts well with a light wall. The Breeland houses often used a technique called timber framing. These houses are often white and have a wooden frame around them and often some form of wooden pattern in the walls. Each higher floor often hung a little over the lower floor.

Every house should have a carpet, fire, and windows. If the building is to have an upper floor, make it overhang the lower floor.

Lighting should come from torches. There should be no tools of violence at all.

Another Bree-land structure is a Hobbit Hole. See the Hobbits of the Shire section for more info.

Lossoth
The Lossoth would likely live in a igloo-shaped building. Their villages may consist of several igloos, around a central hearth or square, with a Lossoth Shaman or Chieftain igloo. A Shaman igloo would likely contain bones, and other sacred Lossoth objects. A Cheftain igloo would be larger, and have more valuables. Igloos should be built of either snow or packed ice. Bone armor around on stands in the chieftain igloo is a good idea.

Rhovanion
Under this section you can find information on factions between the Misty Mountains and Rhûn.

Dale
In the Hobbit film, Dale is built in the style of medieval Italian cities. If you are building a Dalish city, make sure you pick a hilly region, because different elevations make your city come to life even more.

Dale builds are made of Dalish brick and its variants, as well as oak and spruce wood, and are typically large and comfortable. For the roofing, clay tiles are a great choice, and if you want to follow the mod's style, use the colours brown, blue and red for optimal results. For a fortress or watchtower like structure, it is a good idea to have Dalish Banners at prominent locations, such as above an entrance or at the topmost level of the structure.

A tower is a good feature. It should have a brick roof on the top of it. Streets(made of Dalish bricks, dirt and mud) throughout a settlement should be twisting. They should be full of market stands, crates, carts and goods. There should be houses on each side with balconies overlooking the street. Light should come from torches and chandeliers. Windows should just be openings. They should be surrounded by chalk blocks/walls. Smaller windows however should have Wood Elven Wooden Bars in them.

Have lots of greenery and plants to give a summery vibe, for example use a mix of cypress and larch leaves.

Make buntings hang through the streets for a festive appearance.

Dol Guldur
There are two ways to do a Dol Guldur build: using the style in the mod, or the style in the Hobbit film.

For the mod style, use Dol Guldur bricks and Mirk-Oak wood. A spike-topped tower is a good way to start. Also, have a dungeon section for Elves and other enemies. A ditch filled with thorns and Webs of Ungoliant makes a good trap. Be sure to make a bridge across to the entrance of the tower!

For a bedroom, use a floor of the tower and use an orc bed.

Decorations can be made with Gulduril blocks, skulls, and Dol Guldur armour.

Windows should have Orc Steel bars. Lighting should come from Morgul and Orc torches.

A Dol Guldur banner should fly from the top of the tower.

For the Movie style, make a maze-like fortress with uncomfortable angles and lots of vertical descents. Ruined towers, statues, and walls should be built randomly.

Use thorns and charred wood throughout the fortress to represent withered trees. There should be absolutely no lighting, except possibly a fire in the lower levels.

Copper and bronze spikes or scaffolding work well to make the whole building a tetanus hazard.

Hang gibbets from ruined stone towers. Place skulls and remains everywhere.

A bedroom should be in the lowest levels of the building. It should just be an Orc bed in a small corner. A Mordor or Dol Guldur armour stand might work here. A torture room with piston traps and piston knives should be on the same level.

The fortress as a whole should look very depressing.

Durin's Folk
Durin's Folk have less above-ground options than the Dwarves of the Blue Mountains. They usually dwell in cavernous spaces under the mountains, with massive pillars holding the ceiling up. These cities usually have vertical descents down halls and mines, as well as long and forking horizontal passages linking the many halls of stone. It's a good idea to map out your fortress before you start when working underground.

Building a mine is a good idea. For Durin's Folk, vertical mines work best. Leave the cliff edges rough with ores visible to show off the riches. A treasure room can be a good way to display gold.

Leave ores showing on the walls of the halls on important structures to show off the geological wealth. Use trimmed brick to add detail along with pillars, but do not overuse it. Personal rooms will be off to the side of the main hall. Have a fireplace in it, and maybe a vertical tunnel to the surface for lighting. This can also work with dining rooms.

A forge room is a seriously Dwarf style addition. A huge fireplace, surrounded by forges, crafting tables, and armour stands looks great.

When building in this style it is important to note that Durin's Folk differs from the Blue Dwarves in that everything the create is big, bolstering the large gates, the magnificent feasting halls, and endless storages of gold and alcohol.

Build lots of vertical caverns! Use pictures of Erebor as reference.

Another tip: you can choose between only dwarven brick or dwarven brick with all its variants with stone bricks as a detail here and there.

Galadhrim
Galadhrim builds are usually made of Mallorn wood, and are built among the boughs of the huge Mallorns. On the forest floor, more Galadhrim Brick can be used.

For a richer home, a spiral staircase, with periodic races along it, up the mallorn tree side looks nice. For less wealthy folk, try a ladder.

A hole in the floor, looking down to the ground, is a great decoration, but also a hazard.

Apple wood is often used as a nice border to Mallorn wood.

No windows! Just leave open spaces. This looks great, but is a potential danger.

Lighting should be from torches or well-hidden glowstone. Galadhrim chandeliers suspended from branches is a good idea as well.

No fires! Wood should be the main material, and you don't want fire in the building.

Some types of Galadhrim flets that are built are very simple circular or ovular platforms built with Mallorn wood slabs and stairs ringing the tree, with Apple wood slabs used as a border. This type is very hazardous(expect to fall often) but are quite beautiful in their simplicity. No lighting should be used on these types of platforms(unless it is in a city or village), and certainly no roof. They should be almost in the crown of the tree, and well-hidden. Use Mallorn or Hithlain ladders to reach the flet, rather than a staircase. Galadhrim-aligned players often use these types of flets to ambush enemies, shooting at them from safety.

Woodland Realm
The Silvan Elves of Mirkwood live in underground houses with aboveground extensions.

Be sure to plan out your underground part before you build. The underground portions should be more expansive, with curving pillars, hanging stairs, and springs coursing below the airborne paths. Wood should be dominant here, with orange and amber colored decorations. The whole thing should be made vertically, with stairs and bridge or walkways.

Light should come from torches. No fire!

Bedrooms should be circular, built into the rock face, small rooms with a fire and bed. At least one banner should be placed in the room.

Bronze blocks look good to highlight specific areas and to create designs.

The above ground part should be a tower or small stone house in a copse of trees.

Other Northmen (Not Yet Implemented)
There are three styles of Northmen builds: Lake-men, Men of Rhovanion, and Beornings.

The Lake-men settlements should be situated on a lake (of course) or a body of water. The buildings would be made out of wood, held up by wooden pillars.

Have canals for boats to pass through the town. The houses should be made out of dark wood, as stone will sink into the water. There should be two levels of the town: mooring and business on the lower levels, living on the upper. Use lots of pillars and balconies.

Lighting should come from fire or torches. Every home should have a fireplace. Use glass for windows, or have none at all.

If you want to build Lake-men ruins, you should make rotting pilings everywhere.

A Rhovanion or Vale of Anduin build should use the same techniques as the Rohirrim houses, just without gold, banners, or horse decor. The people of Rhovanion often lived in stables with their horses, who they value highly.

A Beorning house should be similar to a Rohirrim one, but with more stone. Wargskin rugs or a skull or two are musts. Use all types of wood that grow in the north. Do not use anything animal-based - no wool, meat food, leather or anything. Use natural alternatives, like dyed clay and veggies. No mineral blocks or vanilla iron blocks, or any metal at all, except maybe for a weapon in an item frame or weapon rack.

Greater Gondor
Under this section you can find information on factions south of the Misty Mountains, north of Harad, and west of Rhûn.

Dunland
The Dunlendings are somewhat savage and crude men, and their builds should use little to no metal, and not much stone except for the floor.

These people mostly live in small wooden huts with wood or dirt floors, with a fire, a chest full of weapons, and a bed. These people enjoy their liquor, so barrels of rum or other types of alcohol are a nice touch.

Flooring can include Warg skin rugs, ragged carpet, or thatch. Skulls and weapons in item stands make good decorations.

This design can also be used for Hill-Men of Rhudaur.

Fangorn
An Ent home is simple: A huge cave under the outcrop of a hill.

A waterfall down the side of the cave with a small pool creates a natural atmosphere.

It should have a tall, broad stone table, topped with Ent Jars filled with different kinds of Ent Draught. No food should be there, Ents live on their drinks alone! (For survival, you might want a chest of food just in case.)

The bed should just be a stone ledge, but an actual bed should be there for the player's convenience.

Absolutely no wood!

Gondor
The people of Gondor live in stone houses and fortresses. It's a good idea to use mossy and cracked bricks, because Gondor was falling into disrepair during the War of the Ring.

The building should have a thick and tall Gondor Brick wall with Black Gondor Brick to trim it. Stairs should ascend parallel to the wall.

The building should have at least one large tower with a covered top, and taper as it goes towards the summit. Some smaller towers, resembling Beacon Towers, should be built along the wall. Domes should be built along the corners of the main building.

In a rectangle around the large tower, but not touching it, should be the yard with a barracks, a stable, an optional archery range, a mess/dining hall and an armoury/smithy. Gondorian armour on stands and banners should be positioned at intervals along the walls. The walls should have pillars and arches along the side facing the tower, looking across the garden surrounding the tower.The bedroom should be in one corner of the rectangle under a dome. It should have beds, armour stands, and a barrel of ale. The crafting room, also under a dome, should resemble a blacksmith building, with a pool of lava and anvils. it should also have item frames and armour stands nearby. There should be at least one Gondorian or Dol Amroth banner in every room. The above is just one way to make a Gondorian home. Be as creative as you want!

A ruin should be similar, but crumbling and with lots of mossy brick with less lighting, furniture and decorations.

If you feel like creating a provincial Gondorian settlement, build an Arnor settlement, then switch the banners and remove any Warg fur rugs. See the Arnor section for more details.

When building a provincial settlement, bear in mind that each area has it's own colors. Here are some pointers for various ones to use. Note that Dol Amroth has it's own section.

(Please note that you should use regular gondor brick and black gondorian brick)

Lossarnach: Red, White, Brown

Anorien: Yellow, Orange, Black, White

Dol Amroth: White, Blue, Grey

Ithilien (not the Rangers): Black, White, Green

Lamedon: Red, Blue

Blackroot Vale: Black, White

Pinnath Gelin: White, Green

Anfalas: Blue, Light Blue, Yellow

Ringlo Vale: White, Red, Light Blue

Pelargir: Black, Cyan, White

Lebennin: White, Light Blue

Lebennin
The architecture of Lebennin is very similar to that of the rest of Gondor, but it does have it's differences. There is a comparative lack of Black Gondor Brick, and the building's layout is generally more open, somewhat similar to a High Elven Hall. Any place where you would put Gondor pillars, you should instead put stone pillars. There is also more wood than conventional Gondorian architecture, which is almost always Lebethron. Finally, try incorporating more colorful tiling as the roofing, which should be a combination of green and light blue, or white and cyan for a Pelargir settlement. Other than that, Lebennin architecture is not much different than Gondorian architecture.

Dol Amroth
The people of Dol Amroth have a similar style to the people of Gondor in certain aspects, but there style is much more influenced by High Elven and Galadhrim culture. They also use Dol Amroth Brick instead of Gondor Brick. See the High Elven section to learn about their design. All blue types of blocks are good, as it is the chief colour of the Swan Knights.

Ithilien
The Rangers of Ithilien live in underground halls beneath the forest. If you want to, it can be built behind a waterfall similar to Henneth Annun.

There should be a table with wine and bread, along with Ranger armour and bows on stands. A Gondor banner should be positioned on one wall.

Isengard
The Uruk-hai live mostly underground, in mines and pits made of dirt and stone.

The main hall should be a irregular, dirt cavern with patches of evil biome ores such as orc steel, durnaur and gulduril. Parts of it should be exposed to the light, and it should not be that deep underground. It is reached from the surface by Uruk Brick stairs, and Uruk Brick and wooden bridges criss-crossing through the pit, above the cavern floor which should be a patchwork of stone and Uruk brick. On the walls small patches of quagmire is a good idea, as it adds a bit of contrast.

The main hall doubles as a forge. There should be many furnaces, anvils, crafting tables, and armour sets strewn throughout. Lava and fire should supply the main lighting.

A "bedroom" consists of a small room off to the side of the main cavern. It has an Orc bed and an armour stand next to it.

Mordor
Mordor designs are usually dark and grim in appearance. The main component is usually a tower made of Mordor Brick. This can be designed somewhat similar to the Towers of the Teeth. It should have an open, jagged top with lower levels.

Use uruk or orc steel bars instead of windows to create a hostile vibe. A dungeon, torture room, and forge work well to create a dark, evil feel. The forge should have a large fire with armour stands and anvils. The torture room should have lava, skulls, and poisoned daggers. It should be connected to the prison, which should have cells with bars (of course) and skulls on the floor.

A bedroom should be underneath the tower, with an Orc bed, skulls, and torches.

Another option is to build a taken Gondorian fortress. This should be made of Gondor Brick, Dark Gondor Brick, and Gulduril Mordor Brick. The style should be based off that of Minas Morgul-corrupted and decay over a foundation of glory. Build all of the rooms mentioned above into it. See the Gondor section for more info.

Núrn
Buildings in Núrn should usually be open spaces. A central tower, taller than surrounding buildings, is usually where the head Slaver would reside. Usually, the buildings should be made of mainly charred wood and stone, Angmar Brick if you want a non-vanilla look. Try to avoid using too much Mordor Brick for non-towers, as these buildings are meant for trading and farming, not for defense.

Walls should surround the buildings so slaves don't escape. Watchtowers made of Mordor Brick and some Angmar Brick should be in positions where the whole area is able to be observed.

Tarps made of wool should be used as well, since most structure in Nurn is hastily constructed for minimal comfort.

Of course, there should be small farms.

An alternative approach is to make a Slaver-fortress. These should be made of mostly Mordor Brick, or alternatively Angmar Brick. Instead of having individual buildings in an enclosure, it would be a mostly interior fortress in Mordor style. These should not focus too much on farming, but if so, it should be outside.

Rohan
The Rohirrim live in wooden halls with thatched roofs. Stone should only be used for floors and chimneys. Houses should be made of spruce or other dark wood such as Chestnut. The architecture should have a strong Anglo-Saxon influence, featuring colourful wooden pillars, and arches. The roof should be made of sloping thatch or wooden slabs; supported by long and stout wooden beams. Torches should be the main source of light, but houses should have at least one hearth or fireplace with brick surrounding it.A watchtower near the main hall is a good way to watch for enemies. It should have an open top, with no cover from the elements.

There should be no windows at all, or openings, or bars. The Rohirrim did not make use of windows for light or watching enemies.

A Warg-skin rug or dyed woolen carpet looks visually appealing in a wealthier home, as do banners and more costly decorations such as silver or gold chandeliers. Poor houses should have dirt and wooden floors with a sagging thatch roof without beams supporting it and with an irregular pattern to it.

There should be a stable for the famed and treasured horses of the Rohirrim, made like a larger Rohirric house.

A stockade of wood around a small settlement gives the impression of a fortress. It should keep the enemies out, but people cannot go onto the walls and thus it should keep them in.

Remember, the Rohirrim read no books, so no libraries. Although they often built great mead-halls to accommodate many people and a bard who would recite poetry; similar to Scandinavian people during the Dark Ages as well as during the early Middle-Ages and late Roman age.

Druedain
The Druedain weren't an advanced group. They lived in small thatch huts around large trees. Alternatively, make a storage cave with various food supplies.

Do not use any metal or appliances like furnaces.

Enedwaith
Similar to the Dunlending and Rhudaur techniques is the Enedwaith Fisher-Folk style. Basically, make a Dunlending house with light wood and a dirt floor. Reeds should be used for roofing. Use Dunlending armor with wargskin leggings and Half-Troll helmets as decoration. Use water products like fish and ink sacs, and frame a fishing rod or trident (this or a non-faction spear should be your weapon). Build it near a beach or on a riverside

For a chieftain house, make a house on stilts out of light wood and add the aforementioned decorations. Place a large fire in the middle of the hall near the feasting table, and add private rooms in the back.

Khand
Though little is known of the land of Khand and its inhabitants, the Variags, one possible inspiration for them is Medieval Persia. Their architecture wouldn't be unlike the architecture found in Near-Harad, but perhaps with more wood, clay and horse-oriented motifs and structural accommodations (more stables and the like).

Harad
Under this section you can find information on factions belonging to the continent of Harad.

Half-Trolls
The Troll-men live in clay huts decorated with skulls. A simple clay hut with thatch flooring and skulls on spikes gives a crude, cruel feeling. Hardened clay and/or brown stained clay would work.

There should be some fire in the house for light and heat, but the house should be rather bare and unsophisticated. This fire should be one block under the floor, with an iron bar above it, if you want to follow the mod's style.

Moredain
The Moredain are a tribal folk who dwell in small to medium sized huts.

Use Moredain Brick and acacia wood planks in the houses with thatch for the roof. Flooring is made of dirt and thatch. Lion fur beds should be used, as the Moredain worshiped the lions. With a hole in the roof. For a wealthier Moredain house, use more hardened clay and Moredain Brick. This makes the home seem more sophisticated.

Moredain situated in baobab forests may have their houses carved into the massive trees, or could have treehouses in its upper branches.

A Moredain Warlord House should have trophies of war, and plenty of gold and silver decorations. REMEMBER, these should be very rare.

A stable can be built to hold the Moredain zebra mounts.

Near Harad
The Near Haradrim have two major designs: The Haradrim and the Mahud.

The Haradrim mostly live in Near Harad Fertile, in Harad Brick houses with pillars and open roofs. Sandstone (smooth), hardened clay and red harad brick can also be used. A tower is another option, as is a pyramid with several halls. The beds are located on the roof surface, to get the fresh air. No need to worry about rain in a desert!

Decoration usually consists of skulls, bronze, or banners. Flower pots containing tropical flowers usually ornament a rich mansion. A set of Haradrim armour on a stand is another possible item.

Iron bars can be used along with glass panes, but most Near Harad building have open windows.

A camel stable is a good idea for a larger build, as is a Melkor or Sauron temple.

Mahud Nomads[1] live in hardened clay huts in the desert. These people are the ones who tamed the mumakil. Their houses could be similar to that of the Sand People from Star Wars.

No windows – the Mahud huts have only one opening at the top to let in light and to let out smoke from the hearth fire.

Mahud decoration consists of semi-precious/precious items (such as copper or other semiprecious brick) on display, along with skulls.

[1] ''Mahud is an inofficial name for a Haradrim tribe, coined by Games Workshop. For more information, see here''

Tauredain
A good inspiration is Aztec, Inca, and Mayan structures. Gold and normal/mossy cobblestone work well with this design. The Tauredain are in decline, so a ruined city is a nice touch.

Mod Tauredain use open designs with Mahogany and Tauredain Brick. The obsidian and gold Tauredain Bricks are nice for temples and nobility builds. Stone and Cobble should fit in quite nicely among the other blocks. Be sure to use lots of mossy and cracked blocks, as they reflect on the jungle they are in.

Some other, difersified ideas are listed below:

The Northern Tauredain have more Central American architecture, such as pyramids and farms on lakes called Chinampas. Northern Tauredain cities should be densely packed, with simple huts for peasants and Tauredain Brick buildings for nobility and the priesthood.

The Southern Tauredain have more South American styles, such as terrace farms on hills and stone buildings. Cobblestone and Mossy Cobblestone are best for this style. Make sure to have several large trees along paths.

The Tol Hith style consists of jungle treehouses connected with bridges made of wooden planks in a gentle "U" shape with fences along the sides to simulate a sagging rope bridge, and with platforms built on top of some of the trees. Baobab trees can also be used, and should be hollowed out with rooms inside.

Cerinrim
These Far Haradrim have also not been added either, but their houses might be based on the Zulu thatch homes, which are small and shaped like a half-sphere.

Limwaith
The Limwaith have not yet been added, so the best guess is to make thatch houses resembling those of the Maori and Polynesians.

Umbar
The City-State of Umbar has a caste system, with the high-ranking Black Numenorean families at the top, and the Corsairs and Haradrim at the bottom, also if you're building near the sea don't forget beacon houses, docks and shipyards.

The Umbarans, being a mix of King's Men and Haradrim, use those appropriate bricks. Harad Brick is a good undercoating, with highlights from Red Harad brick and Black Gondor brick (which should also make up the roof).

There should be an armory in the home of a High-ranking noble, while for a Corsair there should just be an armor stand next to the bed. For the houses of lords, and just stand-alone buildings, there should be temples to Morgoth and the Haradrim gods with Morgul Torches, an Orc Steel altar, and bloodstains and skulls from the unfortunate sacrifices. A bedroom should have a chest, lion fur or normal beds, and Haradrim and Mordor banners.

Decorations can include treasure, red, yellow, and black carpets, skulls, Haradrim and Mordor banners, and golden U-tengwas on the floor or wall.

Light should come from from torches or fire. Windows should be left open in Haradrim style.

Rhûn
Under this section you can find information on factions belonging to the continent of Rhûn.

Dorwinion
The folk of Dorwinion use both Elvish and Mannish styles in their decorations.

Build the house out of Dorwinion Brick and Dyed Harden Clay, with wooden beams for the frame. The floors can be made from Dyed Harden clay or, for a poorer home, cobblestone. The roofs would be made out of Clay Tiles. Both the Clay tiles and Harden Clay should be chosen out of colors that go along with purple, red, or blue. Any structural wood should be the same type, but then make the "furniture" a different type for contrast.

The Elves will generally have the smaller homes. The men of Dorwinion wouldn't use cobble for their floors, and would have larger homes.

Have wine barrels in every room. Windows should be left open, but wooden elven bars would also work nicely. Use Dorwinion equipment to decorate with. Lighting should be gold chandeliers or Wood-Elven torches.

The house should have a small vineyard and orchard outside. These would also help show wealth, so even though elves would have a smaller home, they could have a huge orchard/vineyard.

The outside should use a large variety of flowers, along with Olive and Cypress trees as decoration. Cypress leaves also make a nice "bush" decoration.

Avari
Not much is yet known about the Avari, so feel free to be creative! They might have lived in trees, like the Galadhrim, or underground like the Silvan elves. They were divided into six tribes, but there were two races among them: The fewer Tatyar, ancestors of the Noldor and the more numerous Nelyar, ancestors of the Teleri, Sindar, and Silvan Elves.

One possible colour option for the Avari is a russet-orange and green. This is based on their forest living, their proximity to the Red Mountains, and the Wood-elven love of amber. However, anything works. The Tatyar living among them might prefer blue to green.

Stone should not be the main material, as the Avari were not as good with it as the other elves. It can be used as a highlight, though. A Tatyarin style home might have more stone.

Light should come from Wood-elven torches.

Try not to use much metal, and don't have a forge. The Nelyar were not skilled at metalworking. Leather armour, dyed red or green, does work for armour stands. Tatyarin have a higher skill with metal, so Wood-elven helmets can be used with leather if you are going for Tatyarin style.

As with all Elves, do not use glass at all! The elves used thin, curving wood or stone bars. Just use blocks arranged in a natural pattern.

Wainriders
Wainriders, being mostly nomadic, should have their builds consist mostly of large campsites. These campsites should be composed of many Yurts and Wagons, looking to Mongolian and Central Asian influence. Yurts of higher ranking easterlings should have better furnishings and be larger. Don't be afraid to include rich decoration on the insides of these, as the Wainriders likely were fond of looting and trade. When they do have settled structures, a style akin to Asian would work best.

Wagons/Wains can be open-topped, a simple large wheeled cart for carrying a yurt on, or a covered roofed wooden one. The covered-top and yurt-mounted ones could have furnishings on the inside for living and homeliness, while the open-topped ones could be filled with chests and cargo.

Much like the Rohirrim they would have many horses for riding and for pulling their chariots, so be sure to include stables and pens for these.

Northern Easterlings
Please include some information about building a Northern Easterling build.

Khaganate
The "golden easterlings" are based on West and Central-Asian influence, drawing upon the Islamified Turkic cultures of Central-Asia, thus showing a mixture of Middle-Eastern and Central-Asian influence.

Their houses have a very unique roof. It's kind of like an Japanese roof. If you add a second layer it should be a bit thinner than the first one. Then you fill up the free space with a small roof. The Easterlings are a wealthy people. To show that you can use the rare redwood and red Rhûnic bricks in their buildings. Gardens and fountains work well as well!

Free Easterlings
Please include some information about building a Free Easterling build.

Red Mountains
You can be as imaginative as you want with the Dwarves of the Orocarni, as they were never described in full. As the Orocarni are rumoured as to being very wealthy (Shown in the mod by 2x ore spawn) these dwarven halls will be more akin to those of Durin's folk. Tibetan influences may also help, as Tibet is a mountainous place with stout architecture that could go nicely with familiar Dwarven styles.

These dwarves use a lot of Sarngaran Brick in their buildings, which would probably be mostly underground, but do not be scared of using other materials. Stone brick and Dwarven Brick work well with Sarngaran when utilized in the proper manner. Even harad brick has been used with astounding results.

Make use of the extra blocks (Pillars, Walls) in your structures, as well as the carved variant of Sarngaran.

A forge room, with fire, armour stands, and furnaces always gives structures a Dwarven flair. Remember to use lots of Sarngaran!

Water works surprisingly well with Sarngaran and when used properly will give your halls the grandeur you seek!

Other factions
Here you can find advice for building with the other people of Middle-earth.

Númenóreans
The Númenóreans were master seafarers, so their buildings could be in a island or coastal stronghold. They should function as a port as well.

If a Faithful settlement, athelas should be found in large amounts. The build could be made out of Gondor Brick.

For a normal house it should be quite small. It could contain two large chests and a wooden chair (oak stair) and have gondor brick staircase (not spiral) going up into the bedroom this would have blue carpet and a vanilla bed in the corner. Feel free to add a chest.

For a rich person's house it would be bigger and have more expensive/fancy blocks.

If it is a ruin, it should be in disrepair, with vines climbing all over it.

Windows should be iron bars. Light should come from high elven torches.

For a King's Men or Black Númenórean settlement, use jagged designs of an Orcish metal and Dark Gondor Brick.

Ruins should have vines over it or be broken down.

Windows should be orc iron bars. Light should come from fire, lava, or naurite or morgul torches.

A Black Numenorean design can also be used for Umbar as well.

Utumno
Utumno buildings should either be a tall tower or in huge underground pits. Utumno materials are very useful, as they have high blast resistance and are very evil looking. An Utumno building should be very imposing, and be decorated with skulls, torches, and other evil decorations. It should have a large gate, and many chambers.

A cool idea is the torture chamber. You could make many pistons suffocating, drowning and lava traps. These should be performed on either prisoners or Tormented Elves.

Barracks, prisons full of High Elves, and storage rooms to hold materials are other good building ideas. A major source of lighting could be lava, as this fits in with the fire element of Utumno. Now, a good suggestion is to not build it in the actual Utumno dimension. You will not be able to get back to it, and a lot of time and resources will be wasted. Build it under the Pits in the overworld part of it, or farther east underground in Forodowaith.

Opposite Factions
All of these tips are great, but in the mod you have to have the alignment to use crafting tables and craft building materials. So, what if you have a negative alignment with angmar, but want to do an Angmar themed build? Well, there are two things you could do. The first is to gain positive alignment with them. As this is very difficult once you already have negative alignment with that faction, the other and best option is to find the faction's generated structures (e.g. Wood-Elves- Wood-Elven Towers). Tear them down for resources. You would be surprised how many blocks are contained in these structures. It is also a good way to earn alignment, as these buildings are usually crawling with foes. Try taking them out before you start demolishing the building.