Smalland is a survival crafting game where you play as a tiny creature (about 2cm tall) in a massive backyard ecosystem. Everyday objects like garden tools, flower pots, and rocks become towering landmarks, while insects ranging from friendly ladybugs to hostile spiders become the wildlife you hunt, tame, and ride. The vertical traversal system using ropes and tamed flying insects adds a dimension most survival games lack. Building bases in elevated locations like on mushroom caps or inside hollowed logs protects against ground-level threats and flooding rain.
Picking the right build determines how your experience plays out. These builds are ranked by overall effectiveness — factoring in damage, survivability, gear requirements, and how well they scale into endgame.
Quick Rankings
| Build | Tier | Playstyle | Core Gear |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mounted Warrior | S | Fight from mountback, use mount's charge attack to open combat, dismount only to loot. | Stag Beetle mount, Stinger Sword, Chitin Armor, Mount Saddle |
| Archer Scout | A | Climb to elevated positions, snipe enemies below, reposition with grasshopper jumps. | Chitin Bow, Grasshopper mount, Light Armor, Rope kit |
| Base Architect | A | Find the perfect elevated location, build a comprehensive base with all stations, expand living space. | Building Hammer, Gathering tools, Rope (for climbing), Storage expansion |
| Gatherer Crafter | A | Gather resources in bulk with pack insects, rush crafting upgrades, supply the team with gear. | Ant Mandible Axe, Gathering upgrades, Pack ant, Crafting stations |
| Explorer | B | Fly over the map on dragonflies, discover all biomes, find rare resource locations and report to the team. | Dragonfly mount, Light Armor, Rope, Portable crafting |
S-Tier: Mounted Warrior
Tames combat insects (beetles, stag beetles) for mounted warfare. A player riding a tamed stag beetle can fight the largest enemies in the game. Mounted combat bonuses add 50% damage and the mount's health absorbs hits.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Stinger Sword | Crafted from wasp stingers, this is the best one-handed melee weapon with 65 damage per swing and a poison effect that deals 20 DPS for 5 seconds. |
| Core Gear | Stag Beetle mount, Stinger Sword, Chitin Armor, Mount Saddle | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Mount Bond, Melee Damage, Mount Health | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | insect taming | Wild insects can be tamed by feeding them specific foods after weakening them in combat. |
How to Play Mounted Warrior
Fight from mountback, use mount's charge attack to open combat, dismount only to loot.
Tames combat insects (beetles, stag beetles) for mounted warfare. A player riding a tamed stag beetle can fight the largest enemies in the game. Mounted combat bonuses add 50% damage and the mount's health absorbs hits.
What makes this build work: The synergy between Stinger Sword and insect taming creates a gameplay loop that outperforms other options. Core gear like Stag Beetle mount, Stinger Sword, Chitin Armor, Mount Saddle amplifies this further.
Pros:
- Highest overall performance
- Clear stat priority (Mount Bond, Melee Damage, Mount Health) makes gearing straightforward
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Popular pick, resources may be contested
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Archer Scout
Ranged combat build using the chitin bow from elevated positions. Tamed grasshoppers provide rapid repositioning with their jump ability. Stays above ground level to avoid melee threats.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Chitin Bow | Ranged weapon crafted from beetle chitin with 45 damage per arrow. |
| Core Gear | Chitin Bow, Grasshopper mount, Light Armor, Rope kit | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Ranged Damage, Elevation Advantage, Movement Speed | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | vertical traversal | The tiny scale makes the world extremely vertical. |
How to Play Archer Scout
Climb to elevated positions, snipe enemies below, reposition with grasshopper jumps.
Ranged combat build using the chitin bow from elevated positions. Tamed grasshoppers provide rapid repositioning with their jump ability. Stays above ground level to avoid melee threats.
What makes this build work: The synergy between Chitin Bow and vertical traversal creates a gameplay loop that offers reliable performance. Core gear like Chitin Bow, Grasshopper mount, Light Armor, Rope kit amplifies this further.
Pros:
- Most versatile option
- Clear stat priority (Ranged Damage, Elevation Advantage, Movement Speed) makes gearing straightforward
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Lower peak damage than S-tier
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Base Architect
Specializes in building elaborate elevated bases with all crafting stations and defenses. Master of the building system's snap-point mechanics. Creates structures on mushroom caps and tree roots that are both functional and creative.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Ant Mandible Axe | Dual-purpose tool and weapon crafted from ant mandibles. |
| Core Gear | Building Hammer, Gathering tools, Rope (for climbing), Storage expansion | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Build Speed, Resource Gathering, Base Location Selection | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | resource scaling | Common materials have vastly different value at tiny scale. |
How to Play Base Architect
Find the perfect elevated location, build a comprehensive base with all stations, expand living space.
Specializes in building elaborate elevated bases with all crafting stations and defenses. Master of the building system's snap-point mechanics. Creates structures on mushroom caps and tree roots that are both functional and creative.
What makes this build work: The synergy between Ant Mandible Axe and resource scaling creates a gameplay loop that offers reliable performance. Core gear like Building Hammer, Gathering tools, Rope (for climbing), Storage expansion amplifies this further.
Pros:
- Best survivability
- Clear stat priority (Build Speed, Resource Gathering, Base Location Selection) makes gearing straightforward
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Slower clear speeds
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Gatherer Crafter
Focuses on efficient resource collection and crafting progression. Tames pack insects (ants, beetles) to carry resources back to base. Unlocks crafting recipes faster than other builds.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Pebble Sling | Simple ranged weapon using pebbles as ammunition. |
| Core Gear | Ant Mandible Axe, Gathering upgrades, Pack ant, Crafting stations | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Gathering Speed, Carry Capacity, Recipe Knowledge | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | base building | Build structures from wood (twigs), stone (pebbles), and chitin (insect shells). |
How to Play Gatherer Crafter
Gather resources in bulk with pack insects, rush crafting upgrades, supply the team with gear.
Focuses on efficient resource collection and crafting progression. Tames pack insects (ants, beetles) to carry resources back to base. Unlocks crafting recipes faster than other builds.
What makes this build work: The synergy between Pebble Sling and base building creates a gameplay loop that provides a unique approach. Core gear like Ant Mandible Axe, Gathering upgrades, Pack ant, Crafting stations amplifies this further.
Pros:
- Strong in group/team content
- Clear stat priority (Gathering Speed, Carry Capacity, Recipe Knowledge) makes gearing straightforward
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- Weaker solo performance
- Requires deep game knowledge
B-Tier: Explorer
Prioritizes discovering all biomes and reaching far corners of the map. Tamed dragonflies provide the best exploration tool — unlimited flight over any terrain. Light equipment for maximum mobility.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Spider Fang Dagger | Fast melee weapon with 35 damage per stab and very fast attack speed (3 hits per second = 105 DPS). |
| Core Gear | Dragonfly mount, Light Armor, Rope, Portable crafting | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Mount Speed, Stamina, Exploration Range | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | weather system | Rain creates flooding that fills ground-level areas with water, drowning any ground base. |
How to Play Explorer
Fly over the map on dragonflies, discover all biomes, find rare resource locations and report to the team.
Prioritizes discovering all biomes and reaching far corners of the map. Tamed dragonflies provide the best exploration tool — unlimited flight over any terrain. Light equipment for maximum mobility.
What makes this build work: The synergy between Spider Fang Dagger and weather system creates a gameplay loop that provides a unique approach. Core gear like Dragonfly mount, Light Armor, Rope, Portable crafting amplifies this further.
Pros:
- Unique, rewarding playstyle
- Clear stat priority (Mount Speed, Stamina, Exploration Range) makes gearing straightforward
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- High skill floor, punishing when misplayed
- Requires deep game knowledge
Build Progression Path
- Start with Archer Scout — the most forgiving option for learning the game
- Transition to Mounted Warrior once you understand core mechanics and have access to Stinger Sword
- Keep a Base Architect setup for content that keeps killing you
- Try Explorer for a fresh experience once you've mastered the basics
Gearing Tips
- Invest in your primary equipment first — it gives the biggest power spike
- Tame a grasshopper before exploring beyond The Garden — its jump ability lets you escape any ground-level threat by leaping to elevation.
- Rain events flood the ground for 5 minutes. Build your base on elevated surfaces (mushroom caps, flower pot edges, tree roots) or lose everything to flooding.
- Don't spread upgrade resources across multiple builds until endgame
See our tier list for current meta rankings, or the beginner's guide if you're just getting started.
