diff --git a/andy.json b/andy.json
index 8d2654e..1b11cce 100644
--- a/andy.json
+++ b/andy.json
@@ -153,8 +153,8 @@
             {"role": "assistant", "content": "I found an oak log and I am now standing next to it. What next?"}
         ],
         [
-            {"role": "user", "content": "234jeb: build a little tower"},
-            {"role": "assistant", "content": "```let pos = bot.entity.position;\nfor (let i = 0; i < 5; i++) {\n    await skills.placeBlock(bot, 'dirt', pos.x, pos.y + i, pos.z);\n}\n```"},
+            {"role": "user", "content": "234jeb: build a little tower with a torch on the side"},
+            {"role": "assistant", "content": "```let pos = bot.entity.position;\nfor (let i = 0; i < 5; i++) {\n    await skills.placeBlock(bot, 'dirt', pos.x, pos.y + i, pos.z);\n}\nawait skills.placeBlock(bot, 'torch', pos.x + 1, pos.y + 4, pos.z, 'side');\n```"},
             {"role": "system", "content": "Successfully placed 5 dirt."},
             {"role": "assistant", "content": "I built a little tower!"}
         ],
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index b2912b1..79829e4 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
         "mineflayer-pvp": "^1.3.2",
         "openai": "^4.4.0",
         "patch-package": "^8.0.0",
+        "prismarine-item": "^1.14.0",
         "replicate": "^0.29.4",
         "vec3": "^0.1.10",
         "yargs": "^17.7.2"
diff --git a/src/agent/library/skills.js b/src/agent/library/skills.js
index b848304..47f4d1a 100644
--- a/src/agent/library/skills.js
+++ b/src/agent/library/skills.js
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ async function autoLight(bot) {
     if (world.shouldPlaceTorch(bot)) {
         try {
             const pos = world.getPosition(bot);
-            return await placeBlock(bot, 'torch', pos.x, pos.y, pos.z, true);
+            return await placeBlock(bot, 'torch', pos.x, pos.y, pos.z, 'bottom', true);
         } catch (err) {return false;}
     }
     return false;
@@ -482,7 +482,7 @@ export async function breakBlockAt(bot, x, y, z) {
 }
 
 
-export async function placeBlock(bot, blockType, x, y, z, no_cheat=false) {
+export async function placeBlock(bot, blockType, x, y, z, placeOn='bottom', dontCheat=false) {
     /**
      * Place the given block type at the given position. It will build off from any adjacent blocks. Will fail if there is a block in the way or nothing to build off of.
      * @param {MinecraftBot} bot, reference to the minecraft bot.
@@ -490,31 +490,65 @@ export async function placeBlock(bot, blockType, x, y, z, no_cheat=false) {
      * @param {number} x, the x coordinate of the block to place.
      * @param {number} y, the y coordinate of the block to place.
      * @param {number} z, the z coordinate of the block to place.
-     * @param {boolean} no_cheat, overrides cheat mode to place the block normally. Defaults to false.
+     * @param {string} placeOn, the preferred side of the block to place on. Can be 'top', 'bottom', 'north', 'south', 'east', 'west', or 'side'. Defaults to bottom. Will place on first available side if not possible.
+     * @param {boolean} dontCheat, overrides cheat mode to place the block normally. Defaults to false.
      * @returns {Promise<boolean>} true if the block was placed, false otherwise.
      * @example
-     * let position = world.getPosition(bot);
-     * await skills.placeBlock(bot, "oak_log", position.x + 1, position.y - 1, position.x);
+     * let p = world.getPosition(bot);
+     * await skills.placeBlock(bot, "oak_log", p.x + 2, p.y, p.x);
+     * await skills.placeBlock(bot, "torch", p.x + 1, p.y, p.x, 'side');
      **/
     if (!mc.getBlockId(blockType)) {
         log(bot, `Invalid block type: ${blockType}.`);
         return false;
     }
 
-    if (bot.modes.isOn('cheat') && !no_cheat) {
+    const target_dest = new Vec3(Math.floor(x), Math.floor(y), Math.floor(z));
+    if (bot.modes.isOn('cheat') && !dontCheat) {
+        // invert the facing direction
+        let face = placeOn === 'north' ? 'south' : placeOn === 'south' ? 'north' : placeOn === 'east' ? 'west' : 'east';
+        if (blockType.includes('torch') && placeOn !== 'bottom') {
+            // insert wall_ before torch
+            blockType = blockType.replace('torch', 'wall_torch');
+            if (placeOn !== 'side' && placeOn !== 'top') {
+                blockType += `[facing=${face}]`;
+            }
+        }
+        if (blockType.includes('button') || blockType === 'lever') {
+            if (placeOn === 'top') {
+                blockType += `[face=ceiling]`;
+            }
+            else if (placeOn === 'bottom') {
+                blockType += `[face=floor]`;
+            }
+            else {
+                blockType += `[facing=${face}]`;
+            }
+        }
+        if (blockType === 'ladder' || blockType === 'repeater' || blockType === 'comparator') {
+            blockType += `[facing=${face}]`;
+        }
+
         let msg = '/setblock ' + Math.floor(x) + ' ' + Math.floor(y) + ' ' + Math.floor(z) + ' ' + blockType;
         bot.chat(msg);
-        log(bot, `Used /setblock to place ${blockType} at ${x}, ${y}, ${z}.`);
+        if (blockType.includes('door'))
+            bot.chat('/setblock ' + Math.floor(x) + ' ' + Math.floor(y+1) + ' ' + Math.floor(z) + ' ' + blockType + '[half=upper]');
+        if (blockType.includes('bed'))
+            bot.chat('/setblock ' + Math.floor(x) + ' ' + Math.floor(y) + ' ' + Math.floor(z-1) + ' ' + blockType + '[part=head]');
+        log(bot, `Used /setblock to place ${blockType} at ${target_dest}.`);
         return true;
     }
 
     let block = bot.inventory.items().find(item => item.name === blockType);
+    if (!block && bot.game.gameMode === 'creative') {
+        await bot.creative.setInventorySlot(36, mc.makeItem(blockType, 1)); // 36 is first hotbar slot
+        block = bot.inventory.items().find(item => item.name === blockType);
+    }
     if (!block) {
         log(bot, `Don't have any ${blockType} to place.`);
         return false;
     }
 
-    const target_dest = new Vec3(Math.floor(x), Math.floor(y), Math.floor(z));
     const targetBlock = bot.blockAt(target_dest);
     if (targetBlock.name === blockType) {
         log(bot, `${blockType} already at ${targetBlock.position}.`);
@@ -533,12 +567,32 @@ export async function placeBlock(bot, blockType, x, y, z, no_cheat=false) {
     // get the buildoffblock and facevec based on whichever adjacent block is not empty
     let buildOffBlock = null;
     let faceVec = null;
-    const dirs = [Vec3(0, -1, 0), Vec3(0, 1, 0), Vec3(1, 0, 0), Vec3(-1, 0, 0), Vec3(0, 0, 1), Vec3(0, 0, -1)];
+    const dir_map = {
+        'top': Vec3(0, 1, 0),
+        'bottom': Vec3(0, -1, 0),
+        'north': Vec3(0, 0, -1),
+        'south': Vec3(0, 0, 1),
+        'east': Vec3(1, 0, 0),
+        'west': Vec3(-1, 0, 0),
+    }
+    let dirs = [];
+    if (placeOn === 'side') {
+        dirs.push(dir_map['north'], dir_map['south'], dir_map['east'], dir_map['west']);
+    }
+    else if (dir_map[placeOn] !== undefined) {
+        dirs.push(dir_map[placeOn]);
+    }
+    else {
+        dirs.push(dir_map['bottom']);
+        log(bot, `Unknown placeOn value "${placeOn}". Defaulting to bottom.`);
+    }
+    dirs.push(...Object.values(dir_map).filter(d => !dirs.includes(d)));
+
     for (let d of dirs) {
         const block = bot.blockAt(target_dest.plus(d));
         if (!empty_blocks.includes(block.name)) {
             buildOffBlock = block;
-            faceVec = new Vec3(-d.x, -d.y, -d.z);
+            faceVec = new Vec3(-d.x, -d.y, -d.z); // invert
             break;
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/agent/library/world.js b/src/agent/library/world.js
index 0e32014..dc64599 100644
--- a/src/agent/library/world.js
+++ b/src/agent/library/world.js
@@ -261,6 +261,8 @@ export function shouldPlaceTorch(bot) {
     const pos = getPosition(bot);
     // TODO: check light level instead of nearby torches, block.light is broken
     let nearest_torch = getNearestBlock(bot, 'torch', 6);
+    if (!nearest_torch)
+        nearest_torch = getNearestBlock(bot, 'wall_torch', 6);
     if (!nearest_torch) {
         const block = bot.blockAt(pos);
         let has_torch = bot.inventory.items().find(item => item.name === 'torch');
diff --git a/src/agent/modes.js b/src/agent/modes.js
index 2d201d4..8459508 100644
--- a/src/agent/modes.js
+++ b/src/agent/modes.js
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ const modes = [
                 if (Date.now() - this.last_place < this.cooldown * 1000) return;
                 execute(this, agent, async () => {
                     const pos = agent.bot.entity.position;
-                    await skills.placeBlock(agent.bot, 'torch', pos.x, pos.y, pos.z, true);
+                    await skills.placeBlock(agent.bot, 'torch', pos.x, pos.y, pos.z, 'bottom', true);
                 });
                 this.last_place = Date.now();
             }
diff --git a/src/utils/mcdata.js b/src/utils/mcdata.js
index ad83963..c260325 100644
--- a/src/utils/mcdata.js
+++ b/src/utils/mcdata.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import minecraftData from 'minecraft-data';
 import settings from '../../settings.js';
 import { createBot } from 'mineflayer';
+import prismarine_items from 'prismarine-item';
 import { pathfinder } from 'mineflayer-pathfinder';
 import { plugin as pvp } from 'mineflayer-pvp';
 import { plugin as collectblock } from 'mineflayer-collectblock';
@@ -10,7 +11,7 @@ const armorManager = plugin;
 
 const mc_version = settings.minecraft_version;
 const mcdata = minecraftData(mc_version);
-
+const Item = prismarine_items(mc_version);
 
 export const WOOD_TYPES = ['oak', 'spruce', 'birch', 'jungle', 'acacia', 'dark_oak'];
 export const MATCHING_WOOD_BLOCKS = [
@@ -236,4 +237,8 @@ export function getBlockTool(blockName) {
         return null;
     }
     return getItemName(Object.keys(block.harvestTools)[0]);  // Double check first tool is always simplest
+}
+
+export function makeItem(name, amount=1) {
+    return new Item(getItemId(name), amount);
 }
\ No newline at end of file