Surviving the mysterious island in Sons of the Forest is no easy task. One wrong move can set you back hours. To help you stay alive and progress efficiently, here are 15 common mistakes new and seasoned players should avoid—along with smart tips and tricks to thrive instead.
1. Don’t Waste Meds on Minor Injuries
Medical supplies are limited and should be saved for emergencies. Instead, heal using food—especially raw fish, which quickly restores HP. Assign Kelvin to fish for you while you handle other priorities.
2. Always Use Storage Containers
Asking Kelvin to drop materials on the ground creates clutter and makes them easy to lose. Build storage containers to neatly manage sticks, stones, logs, and more.
3. Cook Spoiled Food
Rotten meat and fish can still be salvaged. Simply cook them to make them edible again—but don’t overcook, as burnt food provides fewer benefits.
4. Burn Cannibal Bodies for Resources
Toss cannibal corpses into a campfire to collect bones and skulls for crafting. Pale cannibals offer extra resources like skin. Always keep yourself armored up for increased survivability.
5. Aim for the Head
Headshots are your best friend—they conserve ammo and take down enemies faster. Time your shot after an enemy’s attack animation. You can often recover arrows from the ground or enemy bodies.
6. Build a Feather Farm
Feathers are essential for crafting arrows. Create birdhouses or stick skulls on poles to attract birds. Then, use a slingshot to harvest feathers quickly and quietly.
7. Stockpile Before Winter
When snow hits, small rocks and other resources become harder to find. Visit the coast and gather essentials like stones, arrows, and logs before winter begins.
8. Don’t Harm Virginia
Virginia, the multi-limbed friendly mutant, becomes a valuable ally if treated well. She can defend your base and even point out threats. Don’t scare her off by attacking.
9. Customize Your Backpack for Quick Access
Right-click the backpack in your inventory to assign key items. This lets you switch tools, weapons, and healing items on the fly without opening your entire inventory.
10. Chop Trees with Purpose
Control the direction trees fall by starting on one side and finishing on the opposite. This helps guide logs toward your base or away from hazards.
11. Use Traps for Deer and Cannibals
Flyswatter traps near deer watering holes make for efficient hunting. They also work great for base defense, catching unsuspecting cannibals.
12. Mark Important Map Locations
While early access currently offers only one marker icon, use it wisely. Mark graves, caves, or high-yield resource areas so you can return later without getting lost.
13. Upgrade from Tarp Shelters
Tarp shelters are great in a pinch, but building a bed inside a proper structure is safer. Beds are more durable and offer reliable saves and time skips.
14. Skip Seasons with Sleep—but Be Cautious
Repeatedly sleeping in tarp shelters lets you fast-forward seasons. However, extended rest can trigger hostile events. Listen for warning sounds and don’t overuse this trick.
15. Use Save/Reload Farming Wisely
Manually saving and reloading near item spawns can restock your inventory—but it also despawns objects like loose logs and sticks. Use this exploit sparingly to avoid losing important building materials.
Final Thoughts
By avoiding these common mistakes and implementing these survival strategies, you’ll gain a huge advantage in Sons of the Forest. Found these tips helpful? Let us know in the comments, and don’t forget to subscribe for advanced guides on traps, building, and combat. Stay sharp, and good luck out there, survivor!
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