Best buildings & developments to unlock first in Manor Lords

Building order is crucial for every city-builder game, and Manor Lords is no exception; I've restarted the game many times until I figured out what buildings to unlock first (a syndrome familiar to anyone experienced in this genre). Use this list of best buildings to unlock first in Manor Lords to save yourself some trouble.

Best Buildings to make first in Manor Lords (Build Order)

Your first task in Manor Lords is to ensure that your villagers are fed and warm. To ensure that everything runs smoothly, follow the build order for the early structures below.

• Well - Villagers need water, so build the well in the area where underground water is (marked with blue color)
• Hunting Camp or Forager Hut - Food is the next thing to worry about.
• Logging Camp - You'll need timber for new buildings, so don't skip this one.
• Woodcutter's Lodge - Firewood is essential for keeping your people warm.
• Marketplace—Villagers need a place to sell their goods, so reserve a large space for a market. While it will be small at first, it will quickly expand as your town grows. I recommend a 24-stall marketplace.
• Houses (Burgage Plots) - We are building six houses for now, but we are planning for more very soon. One family uses one house. You need at least one family per building. Build Burgage Plots near the market and make sure every house has a big enough yard (to grow food in the near future). Build houses all the time, but be sure to have enough food.
• Granary - You need it to store your food.

Related: How to get more villagers and families in Manor Lords

• Sawmill - Builds planks.
• Storehouse - Storage for items you own.
• Trade Post - You're now ready to trade! Build a post next to the main road and focus on selling planks and food. Sell as much as you can so you have enough wealth to invest in other resources you must import. This will help you upgrade your backyard extensions for more food offers (eggs and vegetables) on the market.
• Church - You need religion in your village so you can improve your house level.
• Upgrade Burgage Plots to level 2 - You must upgrade your town as you need charcoal, which is essential to keeping your people warm and happy. Hovering over houses, you'll find out what they want (mostly clothing), so import those items to speed things up.
• Build a mine - If it's close to your settlement, build a mine (or quarry), as this is another great opportunity to spam Trade Post with resources to sell.
• Build houses constantly and expand, making sure you have enough firewood and food. At this point, you should decide whether to focus on agriculture or livestock. I prefer sheep because they are easier to upkeep. You'll need both at some point.
• If you're playing a game that includes combat, this is a point where you must start thinking about weapons. You can trade for them or upgrade houses so your villagers become artisans.

Best Development skill tree unlocks to take early - Manor Lords

1. Charcoal Burning - Satisfy basic needs by unlocking the Charcoal Kiln building, which allows you to create charcoal.
2. Trade Logistics - Your progress depends on trading, but trade routes are expensive to open. With this upgrade, they cost only 25 wealth. I would even consider this upgrade as the first to speed up trading.
3. Better Deals - Makes everything you buy cheaper by 10 wealth, which is a lot, especially if you order more expensive items.

For more on Manor Lords, check out How to always have enough food and fuel in Manor Lords on Pro Game Guides.