Base building is a major feature of Sons Of The Forest, and a well-constructed home can mean the difference between surviving in the wilderness and succumbing to a horrible death. Whether the player is under attack from cannibals, suffering from a lack of resources, or simply can’t find the route back home, there are plenty of ways to ensure a safe and practical headquarters.
With the game having an intricate building system and being quick to punish players for their mistakes, it can be a challenge for players to see where they’re going wrong. As such, players should take care to avoid these common blunders while building a base in Sons Of The Forest.
8 Not Building Close To Water
A player’s first and most crucial priority when deciding where to set up base is finding a clean source of water. Being close to water is essential, as players simply need to drink from it to restore their thirst levels. It also provides a reliable source of food, as players can send Kelvin fishing or go themselves to acquire a steady supply of fish.
Rivers and lakes are plentiful around the island, so it shouldn't be too difficult to find a suitable body of water, and therefore, a viable spot to build on. Cannibals won’t follow the player into the water, either, so nearby lakes can act as a safety net should the base become overrun.
7 Building In The Wrong Biomes
Water isn’t the only resource players will need – logs are essential to the construction of a base, and hunting animals and foraging for berries are vital to living off the land. However, some areas on the island won’t provide access to these key resources.
Beaches are lacking in trees, which makes it inconvenient to collect logs, and the sea doesn’t provide any freshwater either. The snowy mountains, on the other hand, present an extra challenge due to the harsher weather and smaller population of plants and animals. Players would be wise to build in the forests covering most of the map – there's no need to make life harder by building in a more inhospitable environment.
6 Building Treehouses
While it might seem like a good idea to build a woodland treehouse, a treetop base isn’t quite as secure as it first appears. Cannibals can climb trees and jump from platform to platform. This makes treehouses rather dangerous, as players could be ambushed at any point, and with very few places to run, it might spell disaster.
With some simple defenses to ward off attackers, a base situated in a clearing usually makes for a safer headquarters. This is a lot more effective than a treehouse – just make sure to bring down all the nearby trees to avoid cannibals leaping over the player’s wall and creating havoc from within.
5 Not Using A GPS Locator
Players will be able to pick up three purple GPS Locators during their travels on the island and can repurpose them as custom map markers. An ideal placement for one of these is sticking it in the ground right in the middle of the player’s base, meaning they’ll be able to navigate their way back to base if they get lost.
This can make a big difference if starving or dehydrated, especially if running low on sleep. It’s also helpful for players to memorize some of the nearest landmarks around the base, which can help guide them back should things get hairy.
4 Not Building Defenses
Even if the player tries to stay out of sight as long as possible, the cannibals will eventually clock on to their presence on the island. They will launch attacks on the player’s base, so it’s important for players to build up their defenses in preparation.
Simple obstacles like walls and spikes can prove highly effective in these circumstances, and it’s usually worthwhile to have a backup plan or escape route if the player is in danger of being killed. Designing a base while keeping this in mind will prove to be a blessing in the long run.
3 Not Building Close To A Bunker
During their exploration of the island, players will find various caves and manmade bunkers that contain food, loot, and important items. Setting up near one of these locations gives the player a convenient area to go scavenging in, as most loot items will eventually respawn.
It’s particularly useful to set up near a 3D printer, as they print out powerful and unique pieces of gear, which often require players to return multiple times after obtaining enough printer resin. There are only a few 3D printers across the entire map, with one located near the forest spawn point and one found in between the beach and mountain spawn points. Keep their locations in mind when setting up a base.
2 Not Creating Ziplines
An underrated aspect of base building, ziplines are an invaluable way to traverse from one location to another. Players simply need to get their hands on the Rope Gun, which can be found in a cave right beside the forest spawn point.
Utilizing this piece of kit allows players to create ziplines between two points, which not only moves their character but also lets them transport logs over great distances. This can massively speed up the construction process, and serves as a perfect escape route should the player need to get as far away as possible in a very short space of time.
1 Not Building Scaffolding
While basic structures aren’t too difficult to construct, more complex buildings require a bit more thought and engineering. A handy way to help players build multi-story buildings is through the use of scaffolding. This can be built by essentially making a large wooden ramp that allows players to access and build upon the highest parts of their base.
Using this technique, and with a bit of creative ingenuity, players can construct almost any base design they’d like, as long as they have the resources for it. If these mistakes are all avoided, players will not only be able to survive on the island but thrive.
Sons Of The Forest is available for Windows.