Riverside Stronghold 101: Dominate Zomboid’s Apocalypse Now
Riverside Base Bootcamp: Rule the River in Project Zomboid B41/B42
Ready to turn Riverside into your zombie-proof stronghold? This guide spills the secrets to building the best base in Riverside – one of Project Zomboid's most coveted towns – for both Build 41 and Build 42. We'll cover prime base locations, step-by-step setup (solo or with friends), and how to survive those early days and late-game chaos.
Whether you're fending off PvE hordes or sneaky PvP raiders, we've got you covered with vanilla (no mods!) tactics refined by the community.
TL;DR: Pick an upstairs base by water, secure stairways, stockpile essentials, and adapt to Build 42's new challenges.
Build 41 vs Build 42 – Base-Building Changes At-a-Glance
| Aspect | Build 41 (Stable) | Build 42 (Unstable) |
|---|---|---|
| Map & Towns | Knox Country map with 5 towns (incl. Louisville expansion) – static world. Riverside unchanged since B41. | Map expanded on all sides – +3 new towns (e.g. Echo Creek) and many new rural locations. Riverside region gains nearby cabins/farms. |
| Zombie Spawns | Traditional spawning (zeds even in forests by default); can adjust via sandbox. | More Romero-like distribution – fewer wilds spawns, more city hordes (still tuning spawn "heat map"). Outskirts of Riverside are safer in B42. |
| Base Structures | Wood and metal construction; no basements. Indestructible metal fences (zeds can't break). | Basements & multi-story buildings added. New build menu with more options (stone walls, clay bricks). Metal fences can be made breakable via new settings. |
| Farming & Food | Farming, fishing, trapping available. No animals; food preservation via jarred pickles, etc. | Animals introduced – raise chickens, cows, etc for eggs & milk. New fishing system and food drying/preserving methods. Farming tweaked (more depth). |
| Electricity & Water | Power shuts off ~0-2 months; use generators. Rain collector barrels for water; can wash with water in inventory. | Similar generator needs, but B42 brings darker nights (consider base lighting). No "infinite water pot" exploit – need rivers/ponds for bathing. Some new map areas have wells. |
| Multiplayer | Full MP support; Safehouse claim system for player bases. No NPCs. | MP in testing (initial B42 unstable is SP only). Upcoming profession rebalances encourage co-op. No NPCs yet (planned for Build 43). |
As you can see, Build 42 shakes things up – bigger map, deeper crafting, farm animals, and some balance changes. Keep these in mind as we dive into our Riverside base guide.
Quick-Start: Secure a Riverside Safehouse in 5 Days
- Spawn smart in Riverside. If you have the choice, spawn in Riverside's west side suburbs or near the riverfront. The west side has smaller zombie populations and quick access to farms and a gas station, while a riverfront start puts water and fishing at your doorstep. Avoid spawning deep in downtown Riverside on Day 1 – there are too many zeds to survive initially.
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Rush to the riverfront bar (The Sky Haven). One of the best base locations in Riverside is the two-story glass-walled restaurant by the Ohio River. It's north of the main shops and has these perks from the get-go: an upstairs area (for safety), multiple exits, tons of storage (kitchen + bar), and immediate water/fishing access. Jog there quickly, sneaking when close. Check the Riverside map for exact positioning.
Riverside town map with the riverfront restaurant (arrow) where you can establish a strong early base.
- Clear and claim the building. Before settling, eliminate any zombies in and around the restaurant. Lure them out one-by-one (use a shouted "Hey!" or car horn if needed, but be ready to run). Once the coast is clear, do a room-by-room sweep. The ground floor has big glass windows – check those for lurking zeds. Shut all doors for now. Congratulations, you have a (temporarily) zombie-free safehouse!
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Barricade the ground floor (improv style). You likely don't have nails and wood yet on Day 1, so use furniture to secure the place. Drag tables, chairs, or shelves in front of doors and stairs to slow zombies down.
- Flip any nearby tables on their side and shove them against the bottom of the stairs. This creates a crude barricade.
- In the back room, there's usually a metal shelf and some crates – loot them and then push them to block the back door.
A makeshift barricade using two diner tables and a counter to block the staircase in the bar.
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Secure your escape route (sheet ropes!). Head upstairs and pick a second-story window overlooking a clear spot (back of the building is ideal). Use a sheet (rip clothing if needed) plus nails and hammer to add a sheet rope out the window. Do this for two different upstairs windows if possible. This gives you two emergency exits – crucial if zombies flood the downstairs.
Sheet ropes hung from two second-floor windows (highlighted) of the riverfront base.
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Loot essentials, prioritizing survival items: With your base secured for the moment, use the next few days to gather critical supplies from Riverside's points of interest:
Food
Hit the small grocery store (blue building) a block or two south. Grab perishable food first (to stuff in your base's fridge upstairs) and non-perishables for later.
Tools
Go to the hardware store (green building) nearby. Look for a hammer, nails, saw, axe, and a screwdriver – these will let you barricade, build, and disassemble furniture for wood.
Books & Skills
Check the bookstore (yellow building) for skill books (Carpentry, Electricity for Beginners, etc.) and the all-important "How to Use Generators" magazine.
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Establish long-term defenses by Day 5: Use your gathered supplies to start fortifying properly:
- Barricade ground floor windows and doors with planks (carpentry 0 is fine for basic barricades).
- Build rain collector barrels (Carpentry 4 required in vanilla) as soon as you level up enough.
- Set up a lookout: The bar base has a rooftop balcony area – use it for farming and as a vantage point.
- Plan for the helicopter: Have an evacuation route ready for when the helicopter event occurs (around 6-9 days in).
By following these steps, you'll survive the critical first week and have a secure foothold in Riverside. Now it's time to tackle the finer points – from advanced base upgrades to Build 42's new features and multiplayer strategies.
Overcoming Early Challenges in Riverside (Pain Points & Solutions)
Clearing the Neighborhood: Zombie Control 101
Riverside's zombie population ranges from sparse on the outskirts to dense in downtown. Early on, clearing the area around your base is priority:
- Start silent: Use knives for stealth kills or one-hit "jaw stab" takedowns when possible. Fewer noises means fewer zombies wandering over. In Build 42, be extra careful – combat is rebalanced so you get exhausted after just a few kills.
- One house at a time: Clear adjacent houses methodically. Open doors quietly, shout to lure zombies out one by one, then dispatch them in open ground. Use the in-game map to mark houses as "cleared".
- Watch for respawns: By default, Project Zomboid respawns zombies over time. Consider lowering respawn in Sandbox settings if you prefer permanent clearings.
- Corpses management: After a big fight, pile up corpses away from your living space or burn them to prevent the spread of flies and sickness.
Base Selection: Finding "The One" in Riverside
Where you set up shop in Riverside can make or break your run. New players often wonder, "What's the best base location here?" The truth: it depends on your playstyle and goals.
| Location | Pros 🌟 | Cons ⚠️ | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riverfront Bar | - Upstairs = easy to secure with sheet ropes - Near water (fishing + infinite water) - Huge storage & kitchen appliances |
- Many windows (needs barricading) - Initial zombie clearing needed - Not fenced, open from multiple sides |
Solo or Co-op who can fortify quickly; long-term base planners |
| Gated Community Park | - Pre-fenced large area - Low zombie spawns inside - High-end houses nearby (good loot) |
- Far from downtown shops - Wooden fences can be broken eventually - Needs car for supply runs |
Builders, farmers, PvE groups; PvP players wanting a hidden base |
| West Suburb Houses | - Low zombie density area - Close to gas station, warehouse - Multiple small houses (expandable) |
- Spread-out — harder to defend - Fewer "special" buildings - No high walls by default |
Beginners, small MP teams; those who want a calm start with expansion potential |
"Zombies Can't Climb, Right?" – Securing Upper Floors
Taking advantage of multi-story buildings is one of the strongest survival tactics in Project Zomboid. Here's how to make an upstairs virtually impenetrable:
- Remove or block stairs: If you find a sledgehammer, you can destroy stairs entirely – rendering the upper floor inaccessible except by sheet rope. If no sledge, barricade the stairway heavily with furniture.
- Multiple sheet ropes: One is not enough. Have at least two ropes on different sides of the building. If a horde is at your front door, maybe the back rope is clear.
- Second-floor living: Keep all your essential supplies upstairs. Treat the ground floor as a buffer zone. If things ever go south, retreat upstairs and pull up the sheet ropes behind you.
The Helicopter and Meta-Game Events
Warning: The helicopter event occurs randomly around one week in. This helicopter will follow you around for a day, attracting zombies to wherever you go. The worst thing you can do is stay at your base – a conga line of zombies will besiege it.
As soon as you identify it (you hear it or see the "Air Activity" on a walkie-talkie broadcast), grab some supplies and drive or run far out of town. Riverside has some perfect "lose the heli" zones:
- The farm country west towards Rosewood (sparsely populated)
- Across the river (if you mod in a way to cross, but in vanilla you can't without a boat mod)
- South along the highway toward the Mall – you'll lead the horde away from Riverside
Other meta events like gunshots or screams sometimes occur randomly – these are audio cues that attract zombies similarly. If you hear a distant bang or scream, be alert: zombies might start migrating.
Level-Up Your Base: Advanced Strategies for B41 & B42
Carpentry & Construction: Fortify Like a Pro
Nothing says "home sweet home" in the apocalypse like wooden walls and barbed fences! Leveling Carpentry should be high on your list.
Level Carpentry to 4 ASAP
This gets you rain collectors and sturdy walls. The fastest way is mass-disassembling furniture. Riverside is full of houses – go on a demolition spree. Every chair, bed, and door you dismantle gives XP.
At higher carpentry (7+), you can build log walls and tall fences that are much harder for zombies to break. You can create a compound around that Riverside bar or house of yours.
New Build 42 Goodies
- Kilns, forges, workbenches
- Stone or clay bricks for new wall types
- Makeshift shelters (interim tents or shed-like structures)
- Basements and multi-level building
Trap Usage
If you got your Carpentry and found some scrap electronics, set up noise-makers or traps around your base perimeter. For example, an engineer profession can craft pipe bombs or smoke bombs, and anyone can use the alarm clock or car alarm trick.
Sustenance 2.0: Farming, Fishing, and Livestock
Riverside outskirts farmhouse in Build 42, with chicken coop and fenced yard.
Riverside's climate is Kentucky mild – you can grow year-round with winter being slower.
Focus on easy crops: Cabbage (fast growth ~14 days, hardy), Potatoes (versatile, can replant potatoes as seeds), and perhaps some Tomatoes or Strawberries for vitamins.
In Build 42, farming has been improved with more nuanced growth and possibly more plant diseases or fertility considerations.
Rain collection & watering: In Riverside, you'll get a fair amount of rain spring through fall. One rain collector barrel (Carpentry 4) can support a small garden.
Power and Technology: Keeping the Lights On
Generators
The only way to restore electricity after the shutdown is via portable generators. Riverside spawns these in garages, sheds, or the storage lot south of town.
Place the generator outside (never indoors, or you'll gas yourself with carbon monoxide). A common setup for our riverfront base: generator on the roof or a balcony, with a sheet rope to access it.
Fuel Management
One generator can power your base and possibly the nearby gas station. But it guzzles gas – roughly 1 gas can lasts a day or two depending on load.
Pro tip: Only run the generator at needed times. For example, turn it on a few hours a day to cool your fridges and freeze water into ice.
B42 Lighting Changes: Build 42 has darker nights and a new lighting system. This means if you have lights on in your base, they'll realistically glow out windows and potentially attract zombies. Consider using lamps or light only in interior rooms at night, or cover windows with sheets.
What should you prioritize on generator power?
- Fridge/Freezer (to preserve food)
- Lighting or cooking appliances (though you can always use a charcoal barbecue or campfire)
- TV or radio (for emergency broadcasts or skill shows in early game)
Multiplayer Dynamics: Co-op Base vs. PvP Base
Playing with others against the zombie threat means you can specialize and share tasks. A well-run group in Riverside can control the whole town with enough people!
Safehouse Rules
Many servers use the Safehouse system – you can claim a building as your Safehouse. This typically prevents non-members from entering or looting your stuff. On co-op servers, add your friends to your safehouse so you all have access.
Division of Labor
In a group, you might have one person focus on carpentry, another on farming, another on loot runs, etc. Plan a base that accommodates multiple players' projects.
For example, dedicate one house or floor for storage and workshops, another area for farming/gardening, and a garage for cars.
Community Projects
I've seen co-op groups in Riverside do amazing things, like fortifying the entire Riverside Elementary School as a survivor HQ, or building a bridge of cars across a short section of river. Be creative – more manpower means you can undertake large construction.
Anecdotes from the Apocalypse: A Riverside Tale
In one of my runs, I was holed up at the Riverside post office. Things were going great – I'd fortified the place into a mini-fort. One quiet afternoon, I'm farming in the backyard and decide to fry some fish fillets on a propane stove inside. I get distracted sorting my loot… and oops, I set the stove on high and walked away.
Next thing I know, the kitchen's on fire! Flames spread to my stockpile of books (nooo, my skill books!) and then the whole lobby. I had to grab what I could, bust out a second-floor window onto a sheet rope with my duffel bag, and watch my base burn from across the street.
The silver lining? I had a plan B: earlier, I'd fixed up a rusty pickup truck and stashed extra supplies in it. When the post office went up in smoke, I just sighed, loaded my spare loot, and drove off to that farmhouse by the gated community.
The moral: always have a backup and stay flexible. You might meticulously barricade for zombies or PvP, but then burn your own house down with a burnt pork chop (classic Zomboid).
Action Steps Recap 📝
Choose the Right Base Location
Opt for an upstairs or fenced location. (Riverfront restaurant for versatility, suburban house for quiet security, etc.)
Secure Early, Secure Often
Clear immediate zombies, barricade entry points, and set up sheet rope escapes.
Gather Tools & Supplies
Prioritize hammer, saw, nails, generator + mag, water containers, and food.
Fortify & Build Up
Level Carpentry by disassembling; construct rain collectors and walls by week 2.
Have a Plan B
Always have an escape route and a backup stash or vehicle. In Zomboid, anything that can go wrong will – be ready to relocate or rebuild if needed.
Good luck, survivor! Riverside's a lovely place to live – well, un-live for the zombies – and with these tips, you'll turn it into your personal stronghold. Remember: "This is how you died" is the game's tagline, but with preparation and a bit of riverbank luck, maybe this is how you live. 😉