What I think the OP is asking for is being able to place torches without the need for a workbench. It would be nice if there were at least a few things besides just the campfire that didn't require a bench.

Originally posted by seven:

What I think the OP is asking for is being able to place torches without the need for a workbench. It would be nice if there were at least a few things besides just the campfire that didn't require a bench.

Aye, those mods exist... but since it would be easier and faster to Google it[www.google.com] than to start a discussion thread about it, I figured the OP wanted to talk about it, not just "get an answer".

The "build radius" is also an anti-mob-spawn radius.
https://valheim.fandom.com/wiki/Player_base

Campfires produce light, block spawning, and don't require a workbench to create.

That being said, if you're placing a workbench anyway...
Make "waystations" every 40 meters (a campfire and a place to sit under a couple roof tiles); then you can snag a nice little rested bonus whenever you run out while traveling, as well as mark your paths in a way that is easy to see at a distance.

... just make sure not to place more than 2 "player base" items within 20 meters of each other, or you run the risk of triggering raids while you're hauling your cart full of ore across the countryside.

You can use the console commands to place torches without a work bench but in later biomes the mobs are no longer afraid of fire and will attack your torches.

Torches prevent monsters from spawning in the same radius as a work bench but the disadvantage of doing this is the no-spawn radius isn't displayed by the torch the way it is by the workbench. This can cause a coverage gap that will eventually cost you your torches.