You're dropped on a remote island, surrounded by mutants who want to eat your face, and all you’ve got is a pathetic tactical axe and a GPS that doesn't tell you where the good stuff is. It sucks. Honestly, the first few hours of this game are a desperate scramble for relevance. If you don't know the specific Sons of the Forest item locations, you’re basically just delivery food for a cannibal family.
The map is massive. It's four times the size of the original game's forest. Walking aimlessly will get you killed, or worse, bored. You need a plan. You need the shovel, but you can't get the shovel without the rebreather and the rope gun. It’s a literal gear gate that Endnight Games built to keep you from rushing the ending. But let's be real—we all want the shotgun as fast as possible.
The Big Three: Tools You Can't Skip
Everything in this game is connected. You might want the Katana because it looks cool, but you aren't getting into the final bunkers without the Maintenance Keycard. To get that, you need the shovel. To get the shovel... well, you see where this is going.
The Rebreather
You'll find this tucked away in a cave on the north coast. Look for the beach where the shallow water meets the tree line. There are some abandoned oxygen tanks scattered outside. Inside, it's dark and damp. You’ll have to fight through a few basic cannibals, but the payoff is the ability to breathe underwater. Without this, several late-game caves are literally impossible. It’s sitting right on the edge of a small underground pool near the back of the cave. Grab it and get out.
The Rope Gun (Zipline Tool)
This one is a nightmare. It’s located in a cave near the center of the map, often referred to as the "Zipline Cave." It’s long. It’s claustrophobic. You’re going to run into a "Sluggy"—that giant, fleshy mass blocking a crawlspace. You’ll need a time bomb or a grenade to clear him out. Once you reach the end of the winding paths, the Rope Gun is sitting in a briefcase near a ledge. This tool is mandatory for accessing the Shovel Cave because there’s a high-wire segment you simply can't cross without it.
The Shovel
This is the holy grail of mid-game progression. The Shovel Cave is located near the base of the snowy mountain, where three streams meet. You need both the Rebreather and the Rope Gun to finish this trek. Expect a fight. There are dozens of mutants in here, including those creepy finger-creatures and twins. The shovel is located at the very back of the cave, held by a deceased worker near a massive underground construction site. Once you have this, the island finally starts to open up. You can start digging up graves and hatch doors.
🔗 Read more: Gothic Romance Outfit Dress to Impress: Why Everyone is Obsessed With This Vibe Right Now
Firepower: Locating the Best Weapons
Let’s talk about self-defense. Melee is fine for one or two cannibals, but when a group of six giant mutants storms your base, you need lead.
The Pistol is the easiest "real" gun to get. It’s floating on a red life raft off the western coast. You just have to swim out there. Just watch out for the sharks. They aren't just for decoration; they will bite. The raft has the pistol, some ammo, and a GPS locator. It’s a quick trip that changes the power dynamic of your first few days significantly.
The Shotgun is a different story. You need the shovel first. Head to the purple exclamation mark on your GPS located in the northwest quadrant of the map. You’ll find a grave with a wooden cross. Dig it up. Inside the coffin is the shotgun. It’s arguably the most powerful weapon in the game for crowd control. It makes the "Fingers" mutants look like a joke.
High-Tier Melee Options
- The Modern Axe: It’s at an abandoned campsite. It’s not in a cave, which is a relief. Look for the tents near the northwest corner of the map. It swings slower than your starter axe but hits like a truck.
- The Firefighter Axe: This is inside Maintenance Bunker Alpha. You’ll need the shovel to dig up the hatch. It’s the slowest melee weapon in the game, but it has the highest block value and damage.
- The Katana: You can’t get this until very late. It’s in the Level 2 Security Lab. You need the Maintenance Keycard to even get through the door. It’s fast, flashy, and cuts through limbs like butter.
Survival Essentials and Where They Hide
Sometimes it’s not the mutants that kill you; it’s the thirst or the cold. You need utility items to stay functional.
The 3D Printer is a game-changer. There are several, but the easiest one to reach is in a bunker marked by a green circle on your GPS, tucked into a hill. You can use it to craft a Water Flask. This is non-negotiable. Filling a flask at a stream is much better than running back to water every ten minutes. You just need Printer Resin, which is usually scattered around the same room.
💡 You might also like: The Problem With Roblox Bypassed Audios 2025: Why They Still Won't Go Away
The Flashlight is tucked away near another purple GPS marker. It’s on a corpse hanging from a rope on a cliffside. You’ll have to go to the top of the cliff and cut the rope to drop the body. It’s a massive upgrade over the lighter or the shaky torch, especially in the deeper bunkers where the lighting is non-existent.
Modern Cloth and Armor are found in crates at the various helicopter crash sites and abandoned camps. Don't overlook the "Creepy Armor" though. You get that just by skinning the mutants you kill. It’s free, it’s effective, and it’s a lot easier than hunting for tech mesh.
The Keycard Progression Path
You will get stuck if you don't follow the keycard trail. This is where most players lose their way.
- Maintenance Keycard: Dig at the site near the river in the northwest. This opens up the first set of bunkers.
- VIP Keycard: Found in the Food and Dining bunker. You’ll need the Maintenance Keycard to get into the back rooms where the veg-growth area is. The card is sitting on a desk in a security room.
- Guest Keycard: This is in the massive entertainment bunker (the one with the gym and the nightclub). It’s on a table in a VIP lounge area on the second floor. This card is what you need to access the final areas of the game.
Honestly, the layout is a bit confusing at first. The GPS makes it look easy, but the verticality of the island and the density of the forest make navigation a chore. Use the mountain as your north star. If you ever get turned around, look for the peak.
Misconceptions About Item Spawns
There's a lot of bad info out there. Some people think items move. They don't. The Sons of the Forest item locations are static. If you find a flare gun in a crashed helicopter in one save, it will be there in the next one. The only things that "move" are the wandering cannibal patrols and the seasonal changes that might hide a cave entrance under snow.
📖 Related: All Might Crystals Echoes of Wisdom: Why This Quest Item Is Driving Zelda Fans Wild
Another myth is that you need to be a certain "level" to find things. There are no levels. If you have the guts to run into a late-game cave with nothing but a spear, the item will be there waiting for you. It's just a matter of whether you can survive the trip back out.
Taking Action: Your First Hour Checklist
Stop wandering and start looting. If you want to survive the first week without dying twenty times, follow this specific path:
- Secure the Modern Axe immediately. It's at a camp in the northwest. No digging or cave-diving required. It makes base building ten times faster.
- Head to the 3D Printer. Craft the flask. Do it before you do anything else. Dehydration is a stupid way to die.
- Get the Pistol. It’s on the raft. Use the Modern Axe to fend off the few cannibals you'll see on the beach, then swim out.
- Hunt for the Rebreather. Once you have the pistol, you have enough defense to handle the sea cave.
Once you have these, you aren't just a survivor anymore; you’re an apex predator. The island is still dangerous, sure, but you have the tools to talk back. Don't waste time building a massive fortress on day one. You need the gear first. A fancy log cabin won't save you from a mutant raid, but a shotgun definitely will.
Focus on the caves marked by the GPS icons, but pay attention to the environment. Often, the best loot—like the compound bow or the binoculars—is hidden in plain sight at unmarked campsites or tucked inside a broken-down golf cart. Keep your eyes open and your GPS out.
Next Steps for Mastery:
- Locate the Maintenance Bunker A to grab the Laser Sight for your pistol.
- Search the Food and Dining Bunker for the Cross; it’s vital for the endgame enemies.
- Track down the Slingshot outside the first cave entrance near the crash site for a silent, infinite-ammo distraction tool.