Sons of the Forest: Defend Your Base – Locations & Traps

In Sons of the Forest it’s not just about surviving, but also about building. With the new construction system you now have more options than in the predecessor to create your dream base. Of course, it won’t stay hidden for long, and before you know it mutants and cannibals will show up and try to attack. You should be well prepared for that moment so you don’t get killed or lose your base in a raid. The bigger, tougher mutants can cause serious damage. This guide to base defense will help you prevent that.

Sons of the Forest: Best location for your base

First, decide where you actually want to build. The island is large, but not all spots are equally suitable for a longer stay. You need to think strategically, especially on higher difficulties. Take cues from real defensive structures like castles: build on higher ground or surround yourself with a moat while still placing your base at strategically valuable spots.

• Flowing water (which doesn’t freeze in winter) is your best defense because enemies can’t swim.
• Mountains, cliffs, and steep slopes work as natural defensive features.
• Avoid building near camps or patrol routes — attack frequency rises sharply there.

Also make sure you have enough resources nearby, especially in winter. That’s why the big mountain in the center of the map is often a poor choice: you can easily starve or freeze there.

Building-system defenses: walls, fences, and spikes

We covered the basics of the building system in an earlier article if you want a refresher: (Sons of the Forest: Building System Guide – Blueprints, Free Build, Base Building) . If you already have safety from natural features, you’ll save materials later and can invest more deliberately in defenses.

Secure the house and core base: build up, treehouses, companions

In general, you want to prevent cannibals from reaching your living area at all. Divide your base, like a real fortress, into an inner living area and an outer line of defense. For extra safety, build up: treehouses, elevated platforms with railings, and natural rises. Enemies can climb and vault walls, but they still have limits.

Use your companions wisely: Kelvin isn’t much help in a fight but is great for gathering resources and building. Virginia, once you’ve earned her trust, is an extremely strong defender. Give her ranged weapons — she keeps attackers at a distance and alerts you early.

Pro tips:

• Secure entries with gates and keep the number of entrances to a minimum.
• Build watch platforms for better sightlines and fields of fire.
• Keep a repair tool ready to fix damage immediately after raids.

Layered perimeter: log walls, stone walls, electric fences

The more layers your defense has, the better. Natural features rarely protect every side — cover your biggest weak spots first.

• The simplest defense is a wall of logs driven vertically into the ground. Sharpen the tops so cannibals can’t climb over. A log wall around the base is good, but it won’t kill by itself and can be destroyed. Crossbeams behind it increase stability.

• Other variants include shorter, sharpened logs or logs stacked vertically. Lower, but ideal as additional outer rings.
• Stone walls are nearly impenetrable and offer excellent protection — but they’re material- and time-intensive.
• Tall fences can be wired with a live line powered via cables and solar panels. It’s more resource-heavy, but perfect for stunning or killing enemies. Caution: don’t run into it yourself.

• Your deadliest passive defense: spikes. Place sticks in the ground, use the axe to carve them into sharp spikes, and reinforce each with 2–3 stones. They’re cheap, repairable, and extremely effective at choke points.

Best practice: Combine log walls, electric fences, and spikes into a mixed defense that both slows and deals damage.

Traps in Sons of the Forest: funnel and eliminate enemies

If you want to be more proactive, deploy traps (on the last page of the blueprints). Build deliberate choke points in your perimeter and use sightlines and open gates to funnel enemies into a kill zone. Augment traps with spikes for maximum damage.

• The “Hokey Pokey Trap” (known from The Forest) is popular and reliable.
• Bone Maker Traps and Fly Swatter Traps are inexpensive and perfect for holding choke points.
• The “Multi-Trap” takes the most effort but is extremely lethal against multiple enemies.

More tips:

• Mark trap areas with torches or lights so you don’t walk into them at night.
• Plan maintenance rounds after each attack, replace broken parts, and keep resources stocked.

Conclusion: How to keep your base secure long-term

Base-building is one of the most engaging activities in Sons of the Forest — but you won’t be left alone for long. Invest early in natural defenses, set up a layered perimeter, and use traps at choke points. With a smart location, reinforced walls, electric fences, spikes, and help from Virginia, your base will stand strong even on higher difficulties.

If you play co-op or on a server, the pressure scales with more enemies. If you want to rent a Sons of the Forest server, use this guide to keep your beloved base properly protected from every angle: https://www.4netplayers.com/en/gameserver-hosting/sons-of-the-forest/