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

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

You’ve probably survived a few days or weeks on the Sons of the Forest island and found some of its hidden caves, camps, and bunkers. That means you’re well prepared and know the basics. But the game is full of surprises, little tricks, and tips that aren’t immediately obvious. From practical tools that make your building phases easier to varied combat techniques, there’s far more depth here than it first appears. Let’s look at eight tips that will help you stay alive for the long haul!

Sons of the Forest: Ziplines for fast travel and log logistics

You’ll find the rope gun fairly early when you explore one of the caves (Sons of the Forest Caves: Best Order, Locations & Tips) . It’s indispensable—not just for delving deeper into caves, but also for expanding your base. The game doesn’t explain many functions, so new players rarely use it to its full potential.

Riding along the lines also makes a great fast travel option. Set up as many connections around the island as you can to move from A to B quickly. If you place your first shot and then run to your target before placing the second, you can stretch the line even farther. There is a limit, but it’s quite generous. The zipline works in both directions afterward.

You can also use ziplines to transport logs. Place a log storage at the end and the logs will be collected automatically. If you plan to clear a lot of trees and want to skip the footwork, ziplines are your best friend.

Sons of the Forest zipline transport and log logistics

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

Thanks to the seasons, Sons of the Forest keeps you on your toes. And while winter can be harsh, it also unlocks some cool opportunities. For example, many of the island’s lakes freeze over on cold days, giving you a unique chance to build your base right on the ice.

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

Sons of the Forest base building in winter on a frozen lake

Combat tactics: Fight effectively and survive longer

Fights can be tough even later in the game—best-in-slot weapons or not. Use everything the game gives you and combine techniques smartly:

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

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

Tune survival settings: Day length, seasons, and loot

If your first run was just a warm-up, try different survival settings on your second or third. These include loot frequency, food and item availability, as well as day length and seasons. You can even set them to realistic—24 hours per day and 90 days per season. A quick look at the options is perfect if you want a custom challenge.

Sons of the Forest survival settings for day length and seasons

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

You’ll find 3D printers in several bunkers, which can produce a range of useful recipes. Use them as early as possible to unlock valuable items. The required resin is also found in the bunkers.

  • Arrows: If you don’t want to farm seagull feathers, print arrows. 5 for 50 resin.
  • Flask: Essential for survival. Refill at rivers or basins. Costs 100 resin.
  • Red Mask: Costs 150 resin and makes some cannibals less aggressive.
  • GPS Mount: Component for GPS markers (75 resin). Tag teammates or your base on the map.
  • Grappling Hooks: 100 resin yields two hooks as ammo for the zipline. See Tip #1.
  • Tech Mesh: Key component for tech armor (250 resin).
  • Sled: 1000 resin. Perfect for blasting down mountains or rivers and avoiding fall damage.
Sons of the Forest 3D printer recipes and gear

Understand the log limit: Manage performance and resources

To improve stability, the game limits loose logs in the overworld. If you’re planning a massive base, keep this in mind. Only 50 loose logs can be loaded at once. Always stash them in storage so you don’t hit the cap and lose resources—especially if Kelvin is helping you fell trees.

Defend your base: Smartly embed spikes into walls

As mentioned in our base defense guide, spikes are one of the best tools against raiders (Sons of the Forest: Defend Your Base – Locations & Traps) . With a small trick, you can embed them almost invisibly into your walls.

You can’t drive a stick directly into the ground right next to a log wall, but if you place one a bit away first, the white outline will show that a second one can go right beside the wall. Bend that stick so its tip pokes outward through the wall. Reinforce it with stones—and you’ve got the perfect defense!

Sons of the Forest spikes embedded in base walls for defense

Inventory management: Empty pockets, more loot

Generally, Sons of the Forest gives you just enough loot to survive. From energy drinks and ramen to snacks—camps and bunkers are well stocked. You’ll also find plenty of building parts, often more than you can carry.

We recommend investing in shelves early and emptying your pack regularly. That way, you can pick up more on your next excursions and manage your resources more efficiently.

Conclusion: Pro tips for lasting survival

Once you’ve got the hang of it, surviving on the island isn’t so 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 together with friends! It’s even more fun, and everyone can focus on their own tasks.


More interesting articles

Sons of the Forest: Useful Items – Locations & Tips

Sons of the Forest: Best Armor & All Outfits (Locations)

Sons of the Forest Bunkers: Best Order, Keycards, Loot & Tips

Sons of the Forest: Kelvin & Virginia Guide – Commands, Trust, Combat, and Base Tips

Sons of the Forest Guide: The best tips for beginners

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