Columns, Pillars And Pedestals (Oh My!)

How to make vertical constructions in Tibia with ordinary in-game items

By our creative guest, Monzcarro Murcatto 

This article will explore some ways to make vertical constructions in Tibia. Tall structures are useful for covering wall fixtures like lamps or windows, filling in corners you can't carpet or just for making a bit of drama and ambience in a big room. They are also fun and challenging to make, and inventing new ones is a good exercise for enhancing your deco skills.

In real life architecture, a column is a functional vertical element that supports something heavy, like a beam or a roof, whereas a pillar has a more decorative function and can be seen on either side of doors or with statues on top. A pedestal is a lower structure intended for displaying another object. In Tibia we don't have to worry about supporting our roofs, but I have used the architectural terms for naming the various structures I have made. Basically, if the top of the structure is flat it is a column, and if it has some ornament on top it is a pillar.

Columns in Tibia are constructed either with items that build vertically and are put together to form the body of the column or with items that build vertically alternated with other items that form the body of the column. The 25th anniversary update brought us two items that revolutionised vertical construction, namely the blue present and the small blue present. These items have their visual mass in the north west corner of the sqm, which makes them nearly invisible under other items, in contrast to for example chess pieces which are placed in the south east corner of the sqm and therefore are very visible when stacked. The drawback with the new presents is that they give very little height, so in most cases I have had to use two of them together in the columns.

Vertical construction is limited by three factors: the height of the vertical items, the placement in the sqm of vertical items, and the limit of 9 visible items per sqm. I always stribe to make my constructions less than 9 items so that it is possible to carpet under them, but in some cases this is not possible.

 

1. The Las Vegas Column

Items: black token, used globe kit, fafnar symbol

This column was originally made with small golden taborets, but I find that the used globe packages work just as well, and they are much easier to get hold of. To me, this looks like a fake gold column that could be found in  Las Vegas casino.

 

2. The Crystal And Marble Column

Items: white token, blue present, crystal pedestal

I have tried to make something out of the crystal pedestals for years. They look very nice stacked on top of each other, but the grey top has always been an issue. They are also placed in the south east corner of the sqm, which means they don't work well with other items, but the (small) blue presents make it possible to center them on the game tokens. This column is very tall despite the fact that it uses only 7 spaces on the sqm, which makes it very good for covering up unwanted wall fixtures.

 3. The Phoenix Pillar

Items: artefact box, phoenix eggs, small blue present, phoenix statue

I absolutely adore the phoenix statue. The way it stretches its burning wings towards the sky is just magnificent. The phoenix eggs burn with a very delicate flame and I have always preferred these to other flaming items. In combination I think they make a very striking flaming pillar.

 

  4. The Tardis Pillar

Items: artefact box, curious matter, used globe kit, stone tablet with ley lines, luminous orb

The Heart Of Destruction quest brought us so many strange and wonderful items, and I am glad I finally found a way to put them to good use. I haven't used any special items in this one on purpose, because I want to show some column designs that are accessible for anyone. The topmost used globe package can be switched with a small blue present if you so wish. This pillar was just a happy accident while playing around with items, and I think it resembles The Tardis from Doctor Who.

 

 5. The Snowlady

Items: large snowball, blue present and/or small blue present, crown (plant)

I have been looking for ways to construct a snowman out of the big snow balls introduced with the Percht Island update. Despite not having a carrot nose or coal eyes (yes I have tried, but they do not fit), I think this snowlady looks quite good with her pink lace collar. Leave out the crown and the topmost small blue present if you just want a neat stack of giant snowballs.

 6. The Pink Disco Pillar

Items: artefact box, dangerous proto matter, small table, stone tablet with ley lines, energy ball

Sometimes items fit so well together it looks like they are made for each other. I have been using the various proto matters with the small table as tables and bar counters, but they also work as decorative pillars and they become extra festive with an energy ball on top. 

 7. The Gothic Dracoyle Pillar

Items: pot, plums, dracoyle statue

My first column was the triple cooking pots with plums and a dracoyle statue on top. It is still a go-to construction in dark or gothic settings and it has the advantage that the dracoyle statue can be rotated to face two directions, which makes it very versatile.

I used pink light under this column (giant amethyst) to make it appear more purple.The colour changes slightly with the use of red (giant ruby) or blue (giant sapphire) light.

Variation: Switch the plums with a giant emerald and 25 viper stars and enchant the dracoyle statue to change the mood of the column to a sickly green.

 

 8. The Square Pedestal

Items: artefact box, zaoan chess box

This handy dandy pedestal was invented together with Norelli for an article illustration. It is simple and functional and so good for displaying rares in a gallery room.

9. The Versailles On Ice Column

Items: white token, blue present, small blue present, snowballs

This column gives me a baroque vibe and I think it is funny that it is made from snow balls. I imagine it in a vast palace made from snow and ice with people dancing in fabulous ball gowns and freezing their butts off. Everything is more fun on ice.

    

10. The Square Rainbow Pillar

Items: artefact box, rare earth, blue present, small blue present, orb

Ever since the rare earth was introduced to the game I have wanted to make something with them, but they are so extraordinary looking that they don't fit well with other items. The small blue presents solves this issue, and as an extra bonus, the very pretty little orb fits perfectly on top.

 

11. The Minoan Column

Items: pot, barrel, ballistic boulder

A very simple column made from materials that are cheap or free. I think it resembles the columns from the Minoan culture on Crete, hence the name.

12. The Crystal And Granite Column

Items: black token, blue present, crystal pedestal

Basically the same as column number 2, but with black game tokens and red crystal pedestals. Can also be used with the chess tokens to add a little more ornamentation.

 13. The Lothlórien Column

Items: small trunk, leaf stars, indoor plant, moon flower

I made this column to look like it could have been made by elves. It is very plain and made from mundane items like small trunks and an indoor plant, but I like the simple elegance of it. When i make several columns of this type in a room I like to vary the number of leaf stars I put in each layer so the columns look slightly different and more organic.

 In this column I use a double locker trick on top of the indoor plant. Any breakable container can be used instead of the locker. The process goeth thusly:
1. Unwrap 2 small trunks with leaf stars between them.
2. Place a wrapped indoor plant, a wrapped small trunk, a wrapped locker, a wrapped small trunk, a wrapped locker - in this order - on top of the unwrapped trunks
3. Unwrap the indoor plant
4. Unwrap the first small trunk and the first locker on top of it
5. Place the leaf stars in the locker and break the locker with a melee weapon (either equipped, in your backpack or placed of the floor next to you). Remove the wooden trash.
6. Unwrap the second small trunk and the second locker
7. Place the moon flower in the locker and break the locker. Remove the wooden trash.

 14. The Tuscan Column 

 Items: pot, barrel, black token

Another simple and nearly free column that resembles a real classical column. The game token on top can be switched with a ballistic boulder from A Pirate's Tail Quest.

 

15. The Crystal Pillar  

Items: artefact box, blue glass plates, crystal pedestal

I love the combination of green or blue glass plates with green or turquoise crystal pedestals. Usually I construct crystal landscapes with them, but with artefact boxes as base and top they become an interesting angular pillar. Unfortunately this pillar doesn't work with less than 3 crystal pedestals, as the artefact box only cover the grey top completely due to a visual displacement that occurs when you construct things over a certain height.

 

 16. The Tower Of Skulls

 Items: skulls, used globe kit

A simple but striking pillar which gives an instant horror film vibe. If you want to hide the used globe packages more you can add bones of Zorvorax on top of them, but this will limit the height of the pillar.

 

 17. The Water Tank

 Items: black token, blue present and/or small blue present, charged ghost charm

Charged ghost charms are awesome and look like they are filled with water. Together with game tokes they make a neat little tank-like structure. You can use magical water orbs from A Pirate's Tail Quest instead, but they are darker blue and don't give the same clear, turquoise light as the charged ghost charms.

 

 18. The Bleeding Skulls Pillar

 Items: skulls, obsidian zaoan pawn, ornate remedy bow

One of my earliest pillars which I have used in a lot of decorations through the years. The ornate remedy bows give the illusion of dripping blood. For a more subtle blood effect they can be switched with valuable remedy bows.

 

 

 Some examples of columns and pillars in decorations

The Las Vegas Column (1) and The Square Pedestal (8) used to make a gallery of curiosities. Monzcarro Murcatto, Premia.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Crystal And Marble Column (2) used in a wedding decoration. Norelli, Premia

 

The Crystal And Granite Column (12) used in a treasure room decoration. Monzcarro Murcatto, Premia

The Gothic Dracoyle Pillar (7) used to cover a white wall. Monzcarro Murcatto, Premia

The Versailles On Ice Column (9) and a variant of The Lothlórien Pillar (13) used in a wedding decoration. Monzcarro Murcatto, Premia

A variant of The Minoan Column (11) used to mark the entrance to a Fremen sietch (reference to Dune). Monzcarro Murcatto, Premia.

The Lothlórien Pillar used as a headboard and hallway decoration in a guildhall on Secura. Monzcarro Murcatto, Premia.

The Bleeding Skulls Pillar (18) and The Gothic Dracoyle Pillar (7) used to cover white walls and tricky corners in Yalahar. Monzcarro Murcatto, Premia.