What’s the best way to defend a base during raids in co-op?

Defending a base during raids in Valheim''s co-op mode requires careful planning, teamwork, and understanding of game mechanics. Raids are triggered by events like the appearance of the "The ground is shaking" or "A foul smell from the swamp" messages, which spawn waves of enemies. To prepare, ensure your base is fortified with strong walls, defensive structures, and traps. Start by building a perimeter wall using stone or reinforced wood, as these materials are more durable than basic wood. Stone walls are ideal for late-game raids, while reinforced wood works well in the early to mid-game.\n\nNext, create a moat or trench around your base to slow down or block enemy movement. Digging a deep trench with a pickaxe is an effective way to prevent melee enemies from reaching your walls. However, ranged enemies like Draugr or Fulings can still attack from a distance, so pair this with raised earth walls or palisades for added protection. Ensure your team has access to high ground or elevated platforms to shoot arrows or throw spears at incoming enemies.\n\nAssign roles to each player during a raid to maximize efficiency. For example, one player can focus on repairing walls and gates, while others handle ranged attacks or melee combat. Equip your team with the best weapons and armor available for your current biome progression. For early-game raids, bronze weapons and troll armor are sufficient, while late-game raids require iron or black metal gear. Stockpile arrows, healing meads, and stamina potions to ensure your team can sustain prolonged battles.\n\nUse defensive structures like stake walls, ballistae, or fire pits to create choke points and deal passive damage to enemies. Ballistae, unlocked in the late game, are particularly effective against large groups of enemies but require careful placement to avoid friendly fire. Fire pits can deter weaker enemies like Greylings and provide light during nighttime raids. Additionally, tame and breed wolves or lox to create a defensive army that can attack invaders automatically.\n\nCommunication is key in co-op raids. Use in-game chat or voice communication to coordinate strategies, such as focusing fire on high-priority targets like Trolls or Fuling Berserkers. If your base is overwhelmed, retreat to a fallback position or portal to a secondary base. Always have a backup plan, such as a hidden storage room or a portal network, to protect valuable resources.\n\nFinally, practice and adapt your defenses based on the types of raids you encounter. For example, swamp raids require poison resistance meads to counter Blobs and Oozers, while mountain raids demand frost resistance meads to survive Drakes and Wolves. Regularly upgrade your base and equipment to stay ahead of increasingly difficult raids. By combining strong defenses, teamwork, and preparation, your co-op team can successfully defend your base against any threat.