Every Building in Shadowbane can be classified by three basic attributes: the Building's Type, Rank, and Stage.

Type refers to the Building's ultimate purpose, and determines which types of Tradesmen can be assigned to it. A Weaponsmith can't produce wares in a Tavern, for example. He requires a Forge.

Rank is similar to the Rank characters have: think of it as the rough measure of a Building's "level." Rank measures how well-outfitted and equipped the building is, and the basic characteristics of a Building improve each time its Rank increases. All Buildings begin at Rank One, and take time and money to upgrade. A Building can hold one Tradesman for each rank it has, and as the Rank of a Building increases, the Tradesmen within it will work more quickly and efficiently.

Stage is a byproduct of Rank, and along with the Type, determines the actual appearance of a Building. Most Buildings in Shadowbane have three distinct Stages, and at each successive Stage the Building grows larger and more ornate. Buildings change to Stage Two at Rank Three, and transform into Stage Three buildings at Rank Five. Guild Halls are the only Buildings that lack distinct Stages: they are built at the peak of their beauty, and their appearance never changes, regardless of their Rank.

To build a Building, a Character must commission and purchase a Deed from an Architect, then activate the Deed to place the new structure. The purchaser of the Deed is the owner of the Building, and has total control over the production of the Tradesmen assigned to it unless they relinquish ownership to another character.

The following building types are well-known throughout the Realm: