Overview of Caves
Sons of the Forest features a total of nine marked caves on the GPS, each offering unique loot, story progression, and challenges. These caves are crucial for acquiring essential items like the Rebreather, Rope Gun, and Shovel, which are often necessary to access deeper sections of other caves or specific areas on the island. While most caves have a primary entrance, some feature specific exits or connections to other parts of the map.
Marked Cave Entrances
The island contains several distinct caves, each with a primary entrance and specific items to be found. Understanding their locations and requirements is key to efficient exploration.
| Cave Name | Other Names | Teleport Command | Entrance Location | Notable Loot | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cave A | Rebreather Cave, Coastal Cave | goto CaveAEntrance | Coastal area | Rebreather, Stun Gun, Laptop, Artifact Piece Schematic, The Sunset Times Newspaper | None |
| Cave B | Rope Gun Cave | goto CaveBEntrance | Immediately uphill from forest crash site | Rope Gun, Cross, Artifact Piece C | None |
| Cave C | Shovel Cave | goto CaveCEntrance | Confluence of two rivers down from mountain crash site | Shovel, Wetsuit, Flashlight Attachment, Slingshot, Laptop | Rebreather, Rope Gun |
| Cave D | Ancient Armor Cave, Lake Cave | goto CaveDEntrance | Cut into rock face next to second largest lake | Ancient Armor, Rifle, Artifact Piece | Rebreather |
| Cave F | Pickaxe Cave | goto CaveFEntrance | Unspecified | Pickaxe, Schematic - Item Plating, Artifact Piece | Rebreather |
| Cave G | Artifact Cave | goto CaveGEntrance | Unspecified | Blueprint - Grind Trap, Artifact Piece, Crossbow Bolts | None |
Cave A, also known as the Rebreather Cave, is notable for its water exit, guarded by a shark. To safely navigate this exit, players can distract the shark with a severed limb. Cave C, the Shovel Cave, presents a unique challenge with an untraversable wall of stalagmites requiring the Rope Gun for passage and later sections needing the Rebreather due to flooding. Cave D, the Ancient Armor Cave, has a flooded section requiring the Rebreather, and its Rifle is only accessible from Grotto D, a large lake grotto on the other side of the island. Cave F and G are also marked on the GPS but their specific entrance locations are not detailed in the provided information.
Hell Cave and Other Exits
Beyond the nine marked caves, there is a significant, unmarked cave system known as Hell Cave, which plays a critical role in the game’s narrative.
| Cave Name | Teleport Command | Access | Hostiles | Notable Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hell Cave | goto 1598,3 22 484,9 | Through the Luxury Bunker, specifically a steamy broken wall in the bathroom. Requires Golden Armor to open the door. | 14-21 Demons, Giant Demon | Unmarked on map; features a shimmy area after the boss fight and additional wakeup locations. |
The Hell Cave is accessed via the Luxury Bunker, and its entrance within the bunker requires the Golden Armor. This cave is unique as it is not marked on the GPS like the others. After completing the game, it is possible to re-enter and leave the Hell Cave. The Rifle found in Cave D is specifically noted to be in an upper part of the cave accessible only from Grotto D, which serves as an exit or entry point from another side of the island. The Rebreather Cave also features a water exit.
Mutant Spawning and Dangers
Cave exploration in Sons of the Forest carries significant risks beyond the immediate challenges within the caves themselves. Once a cave is opened, mutants begin to spawn on the surface. Building near cave entrances becomes increasingly dangerous as the game progresses, with mutants spawning in higher quantities in these areas.
After enemies are defeated within a cave, at least two mutants will naturally respawn in the area each day. Furthermore, creepy takeovers of cannibal villages will commence once at least one cave has been opened. This dynamic makes early cave exploration a critical turning point in the game’s difficulty and the overall threat level on the surface. Specific enemy types encountered across various caves include Puffies, Fingers, Babies, Twins, Sluggies, Legsy, Sharks, and Demons, with the Hell Cave featuring a Giant Demon.
FAQ
How many marked caves are there in Sons of the Forest? There are a total of nine marked caves that appear on the GPS in Sons of the Forest.
What is the “Hell Cave” and how do I access it? The Hell Cave is an unmarked cave system accessed through the Luxury Bunker. You need to go through a steamy broken wall in the bathroom, and the door to the cave requires the Golden Armor to open.
Do caves have multiple entrances or exits? Most caves have a primary entrance. However, the Rebreather Cave has a water exit, and the Rifle in Cave D is only accessible from Grotto D, implying a connection or exit point. The Hell Cave also has a mechanism for leaving after completion.
What happens on the surface after I open a cave? Once a cave is opened, mutants will begin spawning on the surface, particularly in higher quantities near cave entrances as days progress. Creepy takeovers of cannibal villages also start after at least one cave is opened.
Are there any specific items required to explore caves fully? Yes, the Rebreather is often required for flooded sections, and the Rope Gun is needed for traversing ziplines or specific obstacles within caves, such as the stalagmites in Cave C.