So you’ve crash-landed on Rook Island and you’re wondering how to last more than a few hours without being eaten alive or gunned down. Forget the main story for now—if you want to survive Far Cry 3, it all starts with your arsenal and your ability to craft the tools of survival. This isn’t just about firepower, it’s about turning the island’s ecosystem into your greatest ally—or at least, something you can kill before it kills you.

Step One: Ignore the Story. Go Hunting.

When you first boot up the game, you’ll notice something horrifying: you only have one weapon slot. That’s not just inconvenient—it’s unacceptable. There are four glorious weapon slots, and you’re going to want to fill them with a sniper rifle, a silenced SMG, a bow for stealth, and maybe even a repair tool. To do that, you’ll need to dive headfirst into Rook Island’s brutal wildlife.

Start by crafting. You’ll need health stims, hunting syringes, holsters, wallets, ammo pouches—the list goes on. And to craft those, you’re going to need hides. A lot of them. But first, you’ve got to get into botany.

Green and Yellow: The First Leaves of Survival

Before you start tracking anything with a heartbeat, get familiar with the flora. Green leaves are essential—they’re the base for health stims, and you’ll burn through them faster than you’d think. Yellow leaves are for hunting syringes, which come in handy real quick.

Find the hunting grounds on your mini-map (select on PS3), and get ready to meet your first prey: Billy the Goat. Two arrows or bullets to the chest should do it. Once you’ve got a few hides, you can craft your first simple holster. Now you can carry two weapons—progress.

Hunt Smarter, Not Harder

You can run around like a maniac hoping to catch a bleat in the distance, or you can use a hunting syringe and get a tactical advantage. These syringes let you see nearby animals and keep tabs on them through walls using your camera. Tagging animals lets you see their position even at a distance, and trust us, this is vital.

Some animals don’t die easily. Unlike squishy human NPCs, they can take a full clip and keep running. That’s why it’s crucial to spot them, fire carefully, and try to take them down in open areas. If they die in the bushes, you’ll spend half your play session kicking through weeds trying to find the carcass.

Once you’ve got your goat hides, head to the crafting menu and upgrade your holster. Next? Deer.

Deer and Sharks: Unlocking More Weapon Slots

Deer are skittish. You’ll want to tag them from a distance with your camera. Don’t miss your shot. Bag a couple of these and you can craft a rugged holster to hold three weapons.

For that final, heavy-duty holster, you’ll need to take down sharks. This sounds cool until you’re in the water, bleeding, with your HUD blinking red. Sharks are no joke—and melee doesn’t work on them unless you’ve unlocked the right skill later in the game.

Instead, here’s the play:

1. Clear out a nearby outpost so you can fast travel there.
2. Scout the shoreline for sharks using your camera.
3. Wait until they’re near the shore, or even better, hop on a boat and use the turret.
4. You can also go Mad Max and jet ski over them.

Either way, once you’ve taken out a few, you should have what you need to unlock all four weapon slots. Now you’re ready for some serious hunting.

Invest in a Repair Tool (No, Seriously)

It costs $400 and it’s available at vending machines. This humble tool will save your butt more times than you expect. Vehicles take damage, and you’ll find yourself stranded at the worst times. Sure, fast travel is forgiving, but when you’re in the middle of nowhere chasing a rare animal, a busted truck can ruin your session.

The tool’s other bonus? Flames. It can be used offensively in a pinch, and it’s a lot of fun to wield.

Wallets, Ammo, and the Hunt for Upgrades

You’ll burn through ammo quickly, so crafting bigger ammo pouches becomes a top priority. That means more hunting—this time, bigger and nastier game. Hit a southern radio tower to open the map and spot some suitable prey.

Buffalo are a particular challenge. They’re tanky and often roll with tigers. That’s not a joke. If you’re not prepared, you’ll get gored in seconds. One very effective tactic? Get in a Jeep and run them down. Not glamorous, but it works.

Pro tip: remember that repair tool you scoffed at earlier? Yeah, now you’re glad you have it.

You can also use gliders to scout from above and line up your approach. This is a great tactic for both hunting and setting up attacks on enemy outposts.

Advanced Tips and Animal Warnings

• Tigers: You need their pelts for higher-level ammo pouches. If you find one in a cage, consider giving it an honorable death—but only from a safe distance.
• Buffalo: As mentioned, they’re brutal. Don’t approach unless you’re in a vehicle or loaded for war.
• Silenced Weapons: Always hunt near uncleared outposts with a silenced weapon. The last thing you want is every guard in the area bearing down on you because you fired a loud shot at a boar.

Final Word: You’re Not Vaas Yet, But You’re Getting There

Your first hours in Far Cry 3 are about one thing: survival. It’s not about the flashy missions or scripted drama. It’s about turning yourself from prey into predator. You now have the guns, the gear, the knowledge, and the pelts to make that happen.

So go ahead, skin that tiger, tag that shark, and give that buffalo the business end of a Jeep. And once you’re fully geared, maybe then—maybe—you can start thinking about taking on the second most dangerous animal on the island: that lunatic Vaas.

Good luck, survivor. You’ve earned your stripes.