In Sons of the Forest it’s not only about survival, but also about building. Just like in the predecessor, you have plenty of great recipes to shape the island the way you want. On top of that comes an entirely new building system that gives you more freedom for your own ideas and creative solutions. Both systems blend seamlessly and cover different aspects of the game. We’ll take a closer look at both and show you how to lay the groundwork for your first base.
Sons of the Forest Blueprint System: Get your first base up fast with a plan
When you open the build menu with B and then hold X, the book switches to your left hand and you activate the classic building mode. This works similarly to the first The Forest: you place blueprints in the world and then fill them with the required materials. You already have lots of recipes available early on, though a few rare structures only unlock later.
At the start, this system is great when you want a quick, simple shelter. You can choose from several small structures you can put together in about a day, either on the ground or attached to a tree. However, complex buildings often require a lot of resources, which means time and effort. They’re better suited for later, once you’re stronger, have a better axe for felling trees, and a steady food supply nearby.
Blueprints are essential for several other structures you can’t create with the new free build system, including:
- Furniture: Build tables, benches, chairs, and even a bed to make your home cozier.
- Traps: Use traps to catch animals and fish, and to fend off the locals. Just don’t walk into them yourself!
- Storage systems: Set up storage for building materials and add shelves or other surfaces for all kinds of items, so your inventory doesn’t overflow.
- Decoration: From paths, wall decor, and light sources to animal cages, there are plenty of decorative elements for your base.
- Gardens: With seeds and a planter, you can start a small garden of your own.
The blueprint system is easy to understand and everyone should use it. Required resources need to be added in order. Always pay attention to which material is currently needed. When you look at a placed blueprint, the required material is marked with a white arrow and can be added with E. All remaining resources are listed in a text panel at the bottom left — this count applies to all blueprints you’ve placed in the world. You can remove blueprints by holding X.
Sons of the Forest Free Build System: Create without blueprints
When you move the guidebook back to your right hand with X, you’ll see different recipes. You don’t place these as silhouettes; instead, you memorize them and place the required materials directly in the world.
This is the completely new free build system introduced with this game. You work directly with resources without being bound to blueprints. That gives you far more freedom and complements many blueprint structures perfectly.
Building with sticks: fires, torches, fences, and traps
First, take a stick from your inventory and experiment. You can snap a stick to start a fire, or plant it in the ground to unlock more recipes. A fire should be your first priority. Your character breaks the stick over their knee and lights a campfire. You can reinforce it by picking up seven larger rocks and placing them around the fire.
With upright sticks, you can craft other things. Torches are handy to brighten the night: wrap a cloth around a stick and place another stick on top. You can also decorate a torch with a skull.
You can build a fence from sticks to surround your base. And if you hit an upright stick from a certain angle with your axe (indicated by a curved arrow), you can turn it into sharpened stakes for defense.
Building with logs: foundation, walls, defensive wall
Logs are your most important building resource. They’re the backbone of large houses and offer far more freedom than in the previous game.
Once you’ve felled a tree, you can do many things with a log:
- Split it lengthwise to make two flat halves
- Cut it into up to four smaller pieces for short stumps
- Drive it upright into the ground to build a defensive wall
- Lay it lengthwise on the ground to create a wall
A house platform starts with a foundation, which you should first mark with four small log stumps. This also helps level uneven terrain. In general, you can work with the ground and platforms will adapt — but only to a point. Once you place something, dashed lines indicate additional actions. Use them to keep spacing consistent, attach new logs, and unlock extra functions.
The free build system is deep and offers lots of great options to create your dream base. Flip through the guidebook to see what’s possible: reinforce posts and roofs, build stairs, add doors and windows, or even construct buildings from stone!
Practical tips for base building in Sons of the Forest
- Choosing a location: Build near water, resources, and moderate terrain. Avoid heavily traveled enemy paths.
- Defense: Secure your base with a palisade wall (sharpened logs) and place traps at choke points. Torches improve visibility at night.
- Resource management: Set up storage and shelves so your inventory doesn’t overflow. Stack logs neatly to keep paths clear.
- Efficiency: Plan your foundation first, then add walls, doors, and windows. Use dashed lines to align pieces cleanly.
- Safety: Save regularly, build in stages, and reset blueprints when needed (hold X) if something doesn’t fit.
- Multiplayer: Split roles (logging, building, defense) and keep paths inside the base clear.
Conclusion: Master both systems and build the perfect base
Sons of the Forest heavily reworks its building system and is perfect for survivalists who want to live in style on the island. Players of The Forest will feel right at home with the blueprint system, but the new free build system opens up far more possibilities to bring your ideas to life and construct huge bases. Rent your Sons of the Forest server now and team up with friends to build a large house where you can live and survive together. A perfect combination of both methods will help you realize your dream home!
