Sons of the Forest is Endnight Games' survival horror sequel set on a remote island where your helicopter crashes during a rescue mission. With your AI companion Kelvin and the potential ally Virginia, you must build shelter, find food, and survive against cannibals and mutants while uncovering the island's mysteries. The game features a fully simulated season system, advanced building mechanics, and 3D printer technology scattered across the island.
Resource management and crafting determine how quickly your power scales. This guide covers what to prioritize, where to farm, and how to avoid wasting resources on the wrong upgrades.
Crafting Priority List
The order you should invest resources:
| Priority | Target | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Primary equipment | Biggest damage increase per resource spent |
| 2 | Core build gear | Enables your build's key synergies |
| 3 | Defensive upgrades | Survivability for boss fights |
| 4 | Secondary equipment | Situational options for specific content |
| 5 | Consumables | Temporary boosts for hard content |
Resource Farming by Area
Beach Camp
Key resources: Fish, turtles (shells for water collectors), basic resources Farming efficiency: Low value per run, but safe and consistent
Focus on gathering materials for Pistol upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Mountain Lake
Key resources: Fresh water, deer, berries, abundant logs, central location Farming efficiency: Good early-game farming spot
Focus on gathering materials for Pistol upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Cannibal Village
Key resources: Clothing, food, meds, crafting materials, enemy skulls for effigies Farming efficiency: Best mid-game farming, worth revisiting
Focus on gathering materials for Pistol upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Underground Caves
Key resources: Rebreather, Rope Gun, Shovel, Katana, Crossbow, story progression Farming efficiency: High-value materials for late-game upgrades
This is where you farm materials for Shotgun max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Snowy Mountains
Key resources: Endgame story bunkers, unique enemy encounters, final story content Farming efficiency: Best resources in the game, requires strong build
This is where you farm materials for Shotgun max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Upgrade Path
Early Game (Beach Camp — Mountain Lake)
- Upgrade your starting equipment to functional level
- Craft basic defensive gear
- Save specialty materials — you'll need them later
- Focus on Pistol once accessible
Mid Game (Cannibal Village)
- Push Pistol to mid-level upgrades
- Start collecting materials for Shotgun
- Craft situational consumables for boss fights
- Upgrade build-specific gear pieces
Late Game (Underground Caves — Snowy Mountains)
- Max out Shotgun — this is your top priority
- Complete your build's core gear set
- Craft endgame consumables
- Optional: upgrade secondary equipment for variety
Crafting Mistakes to Avoid
- Spreading upgrades across multiple equipment — Focus one weapon to max before diversifying.
- Hoarding materials — Use them. The game provides enough if you farm efficiently.
- Upgrading the wrong gear — Check our builds guide before investing.
- Ignoring Cannibal Village farming — This area has the best resource-to-time ratio in mid-game.
- Crafting consumables too early — Save specialty materials for late-game recipes.
Resource Efficiency Tips
- Kelvin can chop trees and fish for you endlessly. Set him to tasks before exploring — you'll return to a pile of logs and fish.
- Farm Cannibal Village during mid-game for the best return on time
- Check the walkthrough to know when each resource becomes available
- Match your farming route to your build — some classes farm faster in certain areas
More Sons of the Forest Guides
- Sons of the Forest Sons of the Forest Overview
- Sons of the Forest Best Builds
- Sons of the Forest Tier List
- Sons of the Forest Walkthrough
- Sons of the Forest Beginner's Guide
- Sons of the Forest Tips & Tricks
- Sons of the Forest Weapons Guide
- Sons of the Forest Combat Guide
- Sons of the Forest Boss Guide
- Sons of the Forest Maps & Locations
- Sons of the Forest Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy Sons of the Forest, check out these related guides:
- Palworld Crafting Guide — survival game with similar mechanics
- Rust Crafting Guide — survival game with similar mechanics
- ARK: Survival Evolved Crafting Guide — survival game with similar mechanics
