Winter in Sons of the Forest introduces significant challenges, transforming the landscape with snow and freezing water sources. This season makes foraging, water collection, and hunting more difficult, while cannibals become more aggressive. Understanding how to adapt to these conditions is crucial for survival. The onset of winter is marked by falling snow and chilling winds, often feeling like a sudden shift from the milder autumn.
Preparing for Winter
The length of winter, and all seasons, is determined by your save’s settings. With default settings, winter begins on the eleventh day, following a warm summer and colorful autumn. You’ll notice trees changing colors to red and yellow as autumn progresses, signaling the need to start preparations.
Season lengths can be adjusted to 3, 5 (default), 10, or 90 days. Similarly, day length can be set to 38 minutes, 76 minutes (default), 4 hours, or 24 hours. A full in-game year typically lasts 20 days on default settings, with winter occupying about 6 in-game hours. For new players, it’s recommended to keep the default settings.
Winter brings unique environmental changes. Small and medium stones become unavailable for collection in the snow. However, frozen lakes present an opportunity: you can walk and even build structures on them. When spring arrives and the ice thaws, these structures will float.
Staying Warm and Hydrated
The cold is a primary threat during winter. Your character will quickly get cold and wet from snowfall, which impacts stamina and aim, indicated by a blocked portion of the stamina bar and shivering.
To combat cold and wetness, a basic torch is invaluable. Craft one using a stick, cloth, and your lighter. Holding a lit torch will help you recover from these effects while outdoors. For more permanent warmth, seek out the winter jacket. This item, now found in one of the huts on the golf course in the northeast, offers the best warmth among clothing items, though it may not be the most comfortable or waterproof. Always check item stats in your inventory.
For a warm base, seal your house and build a campfire inside. Regularly drying off by the fire inside your shelter will reduce cold and wetness. Bunkers also offer warm refuge; building your base near an entrance can provide easy access to warmth.
Water sources predominantly freeze over during winter. To find fresh water, head towards beaches or flowing rivers. A sandy bay near the helicopter crash site is noted for having both fresh water and a running river, making it a good location for a temporary or permanent base. Consider 3D-printing a flask at a bunker printer to carry water with you.
Securing Food Supplies
Hunting becomes challenging as many animals hibernate in winter. However, drying racks are essential for preserving meat. Any meat, including Raw Arms or Raw Legs from cannibals, can be placed on a drying rack. It takes approximately one day for meat to cure. Once cured, it can be eaten directly from the rack or stored in your inventory, but be aware that consuming dried meat will increase your thirst.
Kelvin can be an asset for food acquisition; he can be directed to fish in rivers, which remain viable fishing spots even in winter. Moose are another good source of meat. Many plants and berries become scarcer, so planning ahead is crucial.
Certain cooked recipes can provide a warmth boost, such as instant ramen, jam, chicken soup, and eggnog. Finding a cooking pot is necessary to prepare these.
Base Defense and Cannibal Aggression
Winter increases cannibal aggression, leading to larger groups attacking your base. These groups often consist of two or three cannibals led by a stronger one. Their attacks can clip through walls, making structures on stilts a vital defense. A base elevated one layer off the ground can often allow you to sleep even when cannibals are nearby.
Reinforce your base and set up traps, such as the Fly Swatter Trap or Bone Maker Trap, to deter mutants, who also appear more frequently in winter.
Kelvin can be invaluable for resource gathering, especially when it’s too dangerous to venture out yourself. He can collect logs, potentially building a mountain of tree trunks by morning if sent out at sunset. While there’s a chance he might get wounded by cannibals, he usually outruns them and recovers. He can also gather small and medium stones, which are otherwise difficult to find in winter.
Finally, for some winter fun, you can 3D-print a sled for 1000 ml of Printer Resin.
FAQ
How long does winter last in Sons of the Forest? With default settings, winter starts on day eleven and lasts for 5 in-game days. This translates to roughly 6 in-game hours of playtime.
Where can I find fresh water during winter? Most water sources freeze, but you can find fresh water near beaches and in flowing rivers. A sandy bay close to the helicopter crash site is a good location.
How can I keep my character warm in winter? Craft and hold a lit torch, wear the winter jacket found on the golf course, build a campfire inside your sealed base, and seek refuge in bunkers.
What should I do about food when animals are scarce? Use drying racks to preserve meat from hunted animals or even cannibal limbs. Kelvin can also fish in rivers for you.
Are cannibals more dangerous in winter? Yes, cannibals become more aggressive and attack in larger groups, often led by stronger individuals. They can clip through walls, so building on stilts is recommended.