Natural Spawning and Befriending Virginia
Virginia is an AI companion in Sons of the Forest who will naturally appear in your game without needing to be actively sought out. Typically, she will approach you during the first night after you’ve settled down to rest. It’s important to note that she is a mutant woman with three arms and three legs, but unlike other mutants, she is not hostile towards you.
When Virginia first appears, she will approach slowly. To avoid scaring her away, refrain from having a weapon drawn or approaching her directly. If you chase her, she will run off. The most effective strategy is to simply continue playing the game as usual and allow her to make repeated visits over several days. Maintain a cautious and careful demeanor during these encounters.
After a few days of these visits, Virginia will begin to offer you gifts, such as seeds. For example, she might first give you Aloe Seeds. Once she starts bringing gifts, she will regularly visit your base. Eventually, you will be able to interact with her. A useful first step is to give her a GPS tracker so you can monitor her location on the map at all times.
Spawning Virginia with Console Commands
For players who prefer to expedite Virginia’s appearance or experiment with her in the game, console commands can be used. First, you need to enable the cheat console. While in the game, simply type “cheatstick” (unpaused). Your character might move slightly, but this action will activate the console. Pressing F1 will then bring up the developer console command menu.
Once the console is active, there are a couple of commands you can use to spawn Virginia:
virginiavisit: This command will cause Virginia to spawn at your current location, allowing you to initiate the befriending process more quickly.addvirginia: This command can be used to spawn an additional Virginia into your game.
It is important to note that if Virginia is killed, she is permanently gone from your game unless you load a previous save. However, if you wish to revive her after she has died, it is possible by manually editing game files. This process involves navigating to the game’s files on your PC and modifying specific text to change her status from dead to alive. Always back up your save files before attempting such modifications.
Virginia as a Companion
Once you have successfully befriended Virginia, she becomes a valuable AI companion. You will know she feels safe and considers you a friend when she starts to sit by your campfire, similar to Kelvin, or consistently follows you around and appears at various times.
One of Virginia’s key advantages is her ability to wield weapons. Unlike Kelvin, Virginia can be armed. Once you obtain a pistol or a shotgun, you can give it to her. It is recommended to arm Virginia, as she will then actively protect your base from cannibals and mutants, significantly aiding in defense. Before giving her a weapon, be aware that any attachments on it will be lost; therefore, it’s advisable to dismantle the weapon completely before handing it over.
Keeping Virginia alive is crucial, especially for those aiming to achieve the secret ending of Sons of the Forest, which is also considered the “best” ending. For this ending, both Virginia and Kelvin must survive and remain companions throughout the game. If Virginia does not join the crew heading to the Golden Cube in the endgame, she will not survive and leave the island with you.
FAQ
How do I make Virginia appear if she hasn’t yet?
Virginia typically appears naturally on the first night you settle down to rest. If you want to force her appearance, you can use the console command virginiavisit after enabling the cheat console by typing “cheatstick” and pressing F1.
What should I do when Virginia first approaches me? When Virginia first approaches, do not have a weapon out, do not approach her, and do not chase her if she runs. Simply continue with your activities and allow her to visit you repeatedly over several in-game days.
Can Virginia use weapons? Yes, Virginia can use weapons. Once you’ve befriended her, you can give her a pistol or a shotgun, and she will use it to defend your base and assist in combat. Remember to remove any attachments from the weapon before giving it to her, as they will be lost.
What happens if Virginia dies? If Virginia dies, she is permanently removed from your game unless you load a previous save. It is possible to revive her by editing game files, but this is a complex process and requires backing up your files first.
Is Virginia important for the game’s ending? Yes, Virginia is important for achieving the secret ending of Sons of the Forest. To get this ending, you must keep her alive and as a companion throughout the game.