Best Base Locations In Lord Of The Rings: Return To Moria

Summary

• Lord of the Rings: Return To Moria takes players into the halls of the Dwarves as they retake the stronghold from orcs and ancient evils.
• Players can build bases almost anywhere, with a hearth and a bedroll being the only required items. Choosing a location for the main base is crucial for defense and resource management.
• Various locations within the game, such as the Great Forge of Narvi and the Elven Quarter, offer ideal spots for building bases, each with unique benefits and hazards.

The survival crafting game Lord of the Rings: Return To Moria takes players deeper than ever before into the fabled halls of the Dwarves. The game follows a group of Dwarfs, led by Gimli, voiced by John-Rhys Davis, as they attempt to retake the famous stronghold from orcs, goblins, and ancient evils that lurk in the depths.

The procedurally generated game allows players to build almost anywhere, with the only two items required for building a base being a hearth and a bedroll. Choosing a location for the main base is a big choice, as building takes time and resources and must be well-defended from random attacks. Smaller bases can also be constructed along the way as players explore Moria even deeper.

Updated March 21, 2025 by Andy Chapman: Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria may not be a groundbreaking survival experience. However, its fun exploration, simple building mechanics, and basic combat make it the perfect cozy game to play. On release, Return to Moria received average to mixed reviews but would slowly build a loyal fan base soon after.

The game released only a couple of DLC packs, giving basic upgrades to armor. However, Return to Moria has all the makings of a solid cult classic among genre fans. It is undoubtedly one of the better Lord of the Rings video game adaptations in recent years. This article has been updated with additional entries, giving a wider selection of base locations.

1

The Old Camp

A Good Place to Start

• Region: Western Halls
• Space To Build: Small
• Local Hazards: Safe

Many of the locations in Return to Moria that are best suited for base building are the old dwarven settlements scattered around the game. Many of these have a broken hearth that will need to be restored before a base can be built.

Players will discover one of these bases early in the game. The Old Camp is close to the Gate to Durin’s Highway. Within the small room, players will discover Ori’s Chest and learn how to rebuild the hearth. This is an ideal location for a first base as players progress further into the early game.

2

The Great Forge Of Narvi

The First Big Upgrades

• Region: Western Halls
• Space To Build: Small
• Local Hazards: Beasts, Orcs

During a playthrough of Return to Moria, players will craft many items that will help them in building, fighting, and exploring. To help with time and resource collection, it is a great idea to build bases in or around the many forges scattered around Moria.

One of the main forges players will use in the first region is located at the back of the Elven Quarter and is called The Great Forge of Narvi. This will need rebuilding but is an ideal location for a base, as it provides excellent protection against the local dangers and provides access to the forge itself.

3

Elven Quarter

A Good Place to Collect Food

• Region: Western Halls
• Space To Build: Large
• Local Hazards: Beasts, Orcs

One of the best areas for building a main home base within the first region of Moria is the Elven Quarter. This large section is filled with trees and animals and has its fair share of dangers. With its large flat sections and interesting scenery, The Elven Quarter is an idyllic choice for players to settle in.

Finding the Elven Quarter shouldn’t be too difficult, as it is one of the main areas players will reach when exploring the Western Halls. It is also the primary source of Elven Wood for players moving forward.

4

Mines of Moria

A Strong Central Hub

• Region: Western Halls
• Space to Build: Small
• Local Hazards: Orcs, Spiders

The Mines of Moria area is found soon after the Elven Quarter and is a fun section to get lost in, with plenty of orcs to fight and resources to collect. If players head downwards, traversing the dangerous steps and sheer ledges, they will eventually find a broken hearth and mapstone to rebuild.

This location makes for a good possible home base before descending into the Lower Deep region, with many required resources in the area. Players will also find Orc Town close by, where players must face their first Orc boss and find Durin’s Axe fragment.

5

Crystal Descent

Gateway to the Lower Deep

• Region: Western Halls
• Space To Build: Small
• Local Hazards: Deep Drop

Once players have explored the majority of the Western Halls, they will find the Crystal Descent, which serves as the gateway into the lower deep. Before players continue, they will need to collect resources to rebuild the mine hoist, which allows them to continue.

Setting up an additional base at this location and rebuilding the nearby mapstone for fast travel will help players as they explore and collect resources before descending. The entrance that players will need to traverse shines with blue crystals and has a large wooden structure at the side.

6

Lower Deep

Lush and Verdant Caves

• Region: Lower Deep
• Space to Build: Large
• Local Hazards: Orcs, Spiders

Once players have collected enough resources and rebuilt the wooden platforms, they must traverse down the Crystal Descent. Most players will have little issue building and jumping their way down, and once reached, the entrance to the Lower Deep is an ideal area to place a small camp.

A mapstone is close by for fast travel, so players don’t need to descend every time they return. This section is a lot darker than the Western Halls and is the best place to find Ubasam wood, a much-needed resource moving forward. While there are better areas for a larger camp, this serves as a good starting point for the region.

7

Great Drain Pumps of the Lower Deep

A Small Rest Stop

• Region: Lower Deep
• Space To Build: Small
• Local Hazards: Beasts, Water

Once into the Lower Deeps, one of the first areas players will find that will make a perfect base camp is at the steps to the Flooded Forge. Close by there is a ruined mapstone that players can rebuild for fast travel.

Getting over to the forge itself requires building over the water and, once there, repairing the pumps. Building a small base camp in this area will help players plan out their route over to the forge and have a nearby resting point within the lower deep.

8

Library Of Kibil-Nala

An Easily Defensible Location

• Region: Lower Deep
• Space To Build: Large
• Local Hazards: Safe

As players continue to explore the ancient realm of the dwarves, they will come across many wonderful sites within the depths of Moria. One of the most memorable is the Library Of Kibil-Nala, a large room that contains a huge pillar that the dwarves can sing to.

This location makes an excellent base within the Lower Deep region. The library itself is reasonably safe and can be defended easily from attack, as there is only one entrance. It will serve as a strong position to explore the Lower Deep region further.

9

Great Belegost Forge

A Safe Place to Craft

• Region: Lower Deep
• Space to Build: Small
• Local Hazards: Orcs, Spiders, Moths

Once players have defeated the Watcher in the Water, crossed the large lake, and fixed the Great Drain Pumps of the Lower Deep, the Great Belegost Forge will finally be accessible. This large forge, once fixed, will give players access to new weapons and Shanôr Ingots.

This is a great place to make another base camp as it is close to the next region players will explore. Additionally, placing a mapstone here will allow players to quickly travel back and forth as they collect the resources needed for Shanôr weapons.

10

The Eastern Bastion

A Familiar Path

• Region: Dwarrowdelf
• Space To Build: Good
• Local Hazards: Orcs, Trolls

Return to Moria offers players the chance to recreate the famous journey the fellowship took in the Lord of the Rings movies. One of the most iconic moments in that franchise was the escape from Moria over the Bridge of Khazard-dum.

This area of Moria is filled with orcs and trolls and can be dangerous. One of the best spots to build a base within this region is a defensive wall near the famous bridge. This location offers great defense from attacking orcs and convenient access to the rest of Dwarrowdelf.

11

Balin’s Tomb

Perfect for a Short Rest

• Region: Dwarrowdelf
• Space To Build: Small
• Local Hazards: Orcs

Another of the famous locations from the Lord of the Rings films is Balin’s Tomb. In the game, players can learn more about the history of Balin and the Dwarves who settled in Moria.

Creating a small base camp here can be effective, as it is an enclosed area and easily defendable, although there is little space to create a larger home base. Players may want to use this location as a jumping-off point to explore further areas in the region.

12

The Crossroads of Zirakzigil

Moving into the Late Game

• Region: Dwarrowdelf
• Space To Build: Good
• Local Hazards: Random Ork attacks

This section is only available after obtaining Durin’s Axe, which opens the sealed doors scattered around the game. Creating a base in this area can be useful for exploration, as it is a crossroads between three different areas of the game, linking Dwarrowdelf, the Mines Of Moria, and The Western Halls, which is the first region players come to.

There are few local dangers in the area and lots of small rooms and passages to create a well-defended base. It’s possible to create a large base in this area as well as a smaller contained base within one of the rooms.

13

Entrances To The Darkest Deep

Risky Missions for Resources

• Region: Lower Deep, Dwarrowdelf, and Barazinbar
• Space To Build: Small-Medium
• Local Hazards: Orcs, Beasts

Some of the most dangerous areas in the game can be found in the Darkest Deep. These sections are filled with valuable loot as well as dangerous foes, such as orcs, trolls, and named enemies.

The entrances can be found in The Lower Deep, Dwarrowdelf, and Barazinbar via a crack in the ground with two planks of wood covering them. These areas are some of the most high-risk sections players can find in Return To Moria, meaning it is a good idea for players to set up base camps near the entrances.