My fort is built over water so I rarely have any problems with them. I have it built based on four pillars, one on a small island, the other three at the corners of a small L-shaped island. All floorspace is above water, and the pillars are about four cubes high. No monsters spawn on the island itself, but some spawn on a sand-island just off it and try to walk over. It used to be connected but I simply made a little moat that traps them as they try to come over - the water flows there for some reason and they end up stuck in a place that I can just attack their heads from and then walk away.

I love the game but I desperately want a map function so I can figure out where the hell I am after walking long distances.

We should make an EoFF server if enough people are intersted. =]