Terrain Block

Terrain Blocks are the in-game units of artificial ground used to raise or reshape the map surface. Each Terrain Block occupies one tile and one vertical unit and behaves identically to native terrain: water pools against it, irrigation spreads through adjacent soil, trees can grow on it, and buildings can be placed on its surface. Builders construct Terrain Blocks from Dirt at a cost of 6 Dirt per block. Construction is performed by builders operating from Builder's Huts or the District Center and follows the same 10-tile working range and path connectivity rules as other constructions.

Terrain height in Timberborn is limited. During map creation terrain can be as tall as 16 tiles; in-game the total terrain height limit is 22 tiles, and an additional 11 vertical tiles are reserved above the terrain surface for building structures. This means players can stack Terrain Blocks to reach the 22-block terrain limit and then build up to 11 further blocks of structures above that.

Terrain Blocks are central to water engineering. They form watertight walls for reservoirs and dams, redirect river flow, create causeways and artificial islands, and line canal banks to prevent spillover. When placed they immediately affect water physics in the same way as natural ground. Conversely, removing Terrain Blocks that hold back water will release floods; removing such blocks without checking downstream conditions risks catastrophic inundation. Fluid sources (the map points where water enters) cannot be created, removed, or altered by terraforming — only the channels and containment downstream can be changed.

There are two main material and removal flows tied to Terrain Blocks. Dirt Excavators remove terrain blocks and convert them into Dirt, providing material for Terrain Block construction; six Dirt make one Terrain Block, so excavation supports large-scale fill projects. Dynamite (single, double, triple) and Explosives Factory production provide faster terrain removal but do not return Dirt. Double Dynamite removes two vertical blocks and Triple removes three; single dynamite removes one block. Explosives are produced at the Explosives Factory, while Dirt Excavators require power and workers but yield usable Dirt.

Practical notes:

• Budget Dirt carefully: a 10x10 area raised by 1 block requires 600 Dirt (6 Dirt × 100 tiles). Pair Excavators where you plan to both lower and raise terrain to recycle material.
• Builders must reach placement sites via connected paths and be within 10 tiles of their Builder's Hut or District Center; build temporary paths or a nearby Builder's Hut for remote terraforming.
• Use Dirt Excavators when you need Dirt as a resource; use Dynamite for speed when recovered Dirt is unnecessary.
• When building reservoirs, calculate capacity as surface area in tiles × depth in blocks (e.g., 10×10 at 3 blocks deep holds 300 units).
• Plan canal gradients and line banks with Terrain Blocks or levees to prevent lateral losses; shallower 1-block channels suffice for irrigation, deeper narrow channels maximize Water Wheel power.
• Always check the other side of any terrain you remove for water or infrastructure to avoid unintended floods.