Sons of the Forest: 8 Pro Tips for Long-Term Survival

Chances are you’ve already survived a few days or weeks on the island in Sons of the Forest and uncovered some of its hidden caves, camps, and bunkers. That means you’re well prepared and understand the basics. Still, the game is full of surprises, small tricks, and hints that aren’t immediately obvious. From practical tips that make your building phases easier to varied combat techniques, there’s more depth here than meets the eye. Let’s look at eight tips to help you stay alive for the long haul!

Sons of the Forest: Ziplines for quick transport and log logistics

You’ll find the rope gun fairly early while exploring one of the caves (Sons of the Forest Caves: Best Order, Locations & Tips) . It’s an essential tool—not just for delving into more caves, but also for expanding your base. The game doesn’t explain many of its functions, so new players rarely make full use of it.

The ability to ride the lines doubles as fast transport. Set up as many connections across the island as you can to get from A to B faster. If you fire the first shot and then run to your destination before placing the second, you can extend the line even farther. There is a limit, but it’s quite long. The zipline will work in both directions later.

You can also use the zipline to transport logs! Place a log storage at the end and the logs will automatically collect there. If you plan to fell a lot of trees and want to save yourself the walk, ziplines are your best friend.

Base building in winter: Safe lake base in Sons of the Forest

Thanks to the changing seasons, Sons of the Forest keeps you on your toes. And while winter is harsh, it offers some cool advantages. For example, many of the island’s lakes freeze over on cold days, giving you a unique opportunity to build a base right on the ice.

Cannibals can still attack in winter, but during the other three seasons, a lake base offers excellent protection from enemies. A fun bonus: the locals slip on the ice, making them easier to deal with.

Combat tactics: Fight effectively and survive longer

Fights can be tough even late in the game—despite the best weapons. Use everything the game offers and combine techniques tactically:

• Aim for limbs to stagger enemies.
• Mix melee and ranged effectively.
• Use electric shocks to immobilize enemies.
• Arm Virginia with a pistol and shotgun.
• Keep your distance whenever possible.
• Recover arrows (or have Kelvin do it).

Pro tip: Blocking and dodging often cost fewer resources than healing—practice the timing!

Optimize survival settings: Day length, seasons & loot

If your first run was just practice, experiment with different survival settings on your second or third playthrough. That includes spawn rates for loot, food, and other items, as well as day length and seasons. You can even set them to realistic—24 hours per day and 90 days per season. It’s worth exploring the options if you want a custom challenge.

3D printer recipes: Must-have items for your loadout

You’ll find 3D printers in some bunkers that can craft a range of useful recipes. Use them as early as possible to unlock valuable items. The resin you need also appears in those bunkers.

• Arrows: If you don’t want to farm seagull feathers, print arrows. 5 cost 50 resin.
• Water flask: Essential for survival! Refillable at rivers or catch basins. Costs 100 resin.
• Red mask: Craft for 150 resin; makes some cannibals less aggressive.
• GPS mount: Component for GPS markers (75 resin). Mark teammates or your base on the map.
• Grappling hooks: 100 resin prints two hooks as ammo for the zipline gun. More in tip no. 1.
• Tech mesh: Key component for tech armor (250 resin).
• Sled: Costs 1000 resin. Perfect for bombing down hills or rivers and avoiding fall damage.

Understand the log cap: Manage performance and resources

To reduce instability, the game caps loose logs in the overworld. If you’re planning a massive base, keep this in mind. Only 50 loose logs can be loaded at a time. Make sure to stash them in storage so you don’t hit the cap and lose resources. This is especially important when Kelvin is helping fell trees.

Defend your base: Integrate spikes into walls

As mentioned in our base defense guide (Sons of the Forest: Defend your base – locations & traps) , spikes are one of the best tools against attackers. With a small trick, you can tuck them almost invisibly into your walls.

You can’t drive sticks directly into the ground next to a log wall, but if you first place a stick a little farther away, the white outline will show that another stick can go right up against the wall. Then snap the stick so its tip points outward through the wall. Reinforce it with stones—and you’ve got a perfect defense!

Inventory management: Carry more by emptying your bags

Generally, Sons of the Forest gives you about as much loot as you need to survive. From energy drinks and ramen to snacks—there’s plenty in camps and bunkers. You’ll also find building components in abundance, often more than you can carry.

So invest in shelves early and empty your bags regularly. That way you can pick up more on your next trip across the island and manage resources more efficiently.

Conclusion: Pro tips for long-term survival

Once you get the hang of it, surviving on the island isn’t that hard—especially with the right quality-of-life tricks. For base building, ziplines, the 3D printer, and shelves are essential to get the most out of your situation.

With one of our Sons of the Forest servers, you can even play with friends! It’s even more fun, and everyone can focus on their own role.