Stairs

Stairs are essential vertical movement structures that allow beavers and Bots to ascend or descend exactly one block in height. Unlocked for 250 Science Points, Stairs are one of the first structures you should research to enable multi-level construction in your colony. Despite their visual appearance, Stairs occupy two units of height internally, which means only Double Platforms and Triple Platforms can be built directly on top of them. They can, however, be placed underneath regular Platforms, making them a key component of spiral staircase designs.

The classic use of Stairs is building compact spiral staircases by alternating Stairs and Platforms in a tight footprint. This design allows beavers to climb to significant heights while using minimal horizontal space, which is critical in crowded settlements near rivers. Stairs connect seamlessly to Paths on both their upper and lower ends, maintaining district connectivity across elevation changes. Without Stairs (or their variant, the Spiral Stairs), your colony would be limited to a single ground level, severely restricting building options and resource access on maps with varied terrain.

When placing Stairs, consider the flow of beaver traffic in your colony. Position them at natural transition points between elevation levels, near frequently accessed buildings like warehouses, production facilities, and housing. Avoid creating bottlenecks by providing multiple staircase access points for busy upper-level areas. For more advanced vertical transit, consider upgrading to Spiral Stairs (which use Treated Planks for a more compact footprint), or investing in Zipline Stations (Folktails) or Tubeway Stations (Iron Teeth) for rapid transit across large elevation differences.