Pro Tips & Tricks

Master the forest with insider secrets and advanced strategies

From survival basics to speedrun techniques - discover the strategies that separate beginners from pros. Learn hidden mechanics, exploit advanced techniques, and master the art of surviving all 99 nights.

🌟 Essential Beginner Tips

⚖️ Game Mechanics You Must Know

Beginner
🎯Player Scaling Secret

The game scales based on how many players initially join a game. If you start a 5-player game and 2 players leave, you'll still face 5-player difficulty. Either play solo or with trusted friends - avoid random players.

  • Tool Priorities: Don't waste time chopping with the default axe. After building your first fire, immediately search for a Good Axe in chests, barns, and buildings. Same priority for Good Sack and Giant Sack.
  • Food Never Spoils: Food doesn't spoil in this game. Cook large amounts of meat and leave it around your base for later consumption. Steak from wolves is the best food item.

🌅 Day 1 Critical Actions

Beginner
  • Priority 1: Craft a Map immediately (requires 3 Wood)
  • Collect saplings and logs from nearby trees - don't burn them yet
  • Hunt rabbits immediately to get Rabbit Foot for Pelt Trader on Day 2
  • Build 2 Farm Plots near camp for steady carrot supply
  • Avoid chopping major trees until you get Good Axe

⚔️ Combat & Survival Tips

🦌 The Deer Monster

Intermediate
⚠️Critical Warning

The Deer is completely invulnerable and cannot be killed. Light is your only weapon!

  • Shine flashlight directly at it to drive it away
  • You can outrun the Deer, especially near your base
  • Glowing fireflies and campfire will recharge your flashlight battery
  • The Deer has a "hungry" phase with red eyes where it moves much faster

🎯 Combat Techniques

Advanced
  • Speedloading Trick: Switch weapons while reloading to instantly refresh ammo, creating a "minigun" effect. Example combo: Revolver → Rifle → Revolver
  • Melee Strategy: Use spears to hit wolves while circling around them to avoid damage
  • Headshots: Ranged weapons deal more damage to animals and cultists with headshots
  • Range Advantage: Spears outrange cultists with axes; you can outrange cultists with spears too

👹 Enemy-Specific Tips

Intermediate
  • Cultist Raids: Stand on tall structures like Lightning Rod with ranged weapons - cultists can't climb or damage you
  • The Owl: Stand still to avoid triggering its rage bar. Don't hold flashlight or make sudden movements
  • Bears: Use the third and fourth cave strategy for effective takedowns

🔧 Hidden Mechanics & Exploits

🎮 Game Exploits

Pro
  • Auto-Cooking Setup: Place Crock Pot in the middle of Farm Plots. It will automatically collect crops and make soup
  • Instant Fuel Delivery: Position Biofuel Processor or Oil Drill facing directly towards the campfire for instant fuel dumping
  • Cultist AI Exploitation: Lead cultists into Bear Trap rows, spikes, or barbed wire. Their poor AI will walk directly into traps
  • Weapon Swapping: Switching weapons bypasses attack delay - works with any weapon combination

💰 Resource Hacks

Advanced
  • Chair Method: Wooden chairs from cabins provide 5 wood each when shredded. Metal chairs provide 5 scrap each
  • Shredder Efficiency: Stand in front of Shredder and empty your entire sack directly into it instead of dragging items one by one
  • Flower Currency: Flowers go into shared team inventory, not personal sack. Pick every flower you see - they're currency for the Fairy

📦 Advanced Resource Management

🔄 Early Game Optimization

Intermediate
🎯Pelt Trading Chain

Rabbit Foot → Wolf Pelt → Alpha Wolf Pelt → Bear Pelt. Each player can get powerful gear like Revolvers, Giant Sacks, or Rifles

  • Fuel Efficiency: Once you hit Bench Level 3, craft Biofuel Processor. It converts organic matter into much more potent fuel than wood
  • Strategic Stockpiling: Stockpile cooked meat around the fire. Food doesn't spoil and teammates can grab it when needed

🎯 Resource Priorities

Advanced
  • Wood: Replant saplings near base for future supply. Plant on-spot when far from camp to save inventory space
  • Scrap: Prioritize for Crafting Bench upgrades. Scavenger class gives massive scrap advantage
  • Emergency Items: Always carry 3 light sources, 2 weapons, and 1 emergency escape item

🏠 Base Building Mastery

🛡️ Defensive Strategies

Intermediate
  • Wall Building: Use crafted Shelves or plant Saplings in tight circles around campfire. Enemy AI cannot pass through this barrier
  • Bear Trap Placement: Place Bear Traps in layers outside defensive walls before Cultist raids
  • Lightning Protection: Build Lightning Rod to prevent lightning strikes. Storm clouds show where lightning will hit
  • Safe Zone Creation: Create tree walls by planting saplings in concentric circles around base

🏗️ Advanced Base Tips

Advanced
  • Multi-Level Defense: Use structures to block enemies. They sometimes get stuck inside buildings like Wood Rain Storage
  • Elevated Positions: Towers and watchtowers provide safe AFK spots - Deer rarely spawns at height, cultists won't attack

⏰ Time Management & Progression

⚡ Speed Progression

Advanced
  • Multiplier Stacking: Build beds every time you upgrade Crafting Bench (each adds day multiplier). Rescue children for +2 nights per day
  • Child Rescue Strategy: Interact with missing poster, follow trails, defeat cave wolves, use key to unlock cave. Best done Day 1 with spear or ranged weapon
  • Day Cycle Optimization: Use Sun Dial to track time before day/night transitions

🔧 Crafting Priorities

Intermediate
📋Priority Timeline
  • Days 1-5: Map → Bench 2 Upgrade → Lightning Rod
  • Days 6-15: Bench 3 Upgrade → Biofuel Processor → Torches
  • Days 16+: Farm cultists for Bench 4 Upgrade → Oil Drill

🏃‍♂️ Speedrun Techniques

⚡ Multiplier Maximization

Pro
  • Rush to rescue the "dino kid" on Day 1 with spear or ranged weapon as duo
  • Communicate and distribute roles: Some get children, others gather resources
  • Use Alien class mini-taskforce (2-3 players) to immediately acquire first child
  • Don't fear death in multiplayer - use teammates as backup

🎮 Glitch-Assisted Speedruns

Pro
⚠️Advanced Techniques

These techniques may be patched in future updates. Use at your own discretion.

  • Weapon Switching Glitch: Rapidly switch weapons to bypass reload and attack delays
  • Bed Stacking: Build new bed every Crafting Bench upgrade for maximum day acceleration
  • Resource Optimization: Focus on multipliers over survival - speed is everything

👥 Multiplayer Coordination

👤 Team Roles

Intermediate
  • Designate roles: fuel manager, food handler, resource gatherer, base defender
  • Blacksmith class can craft higher tiers - act as team's builder
  • Medic should be protected - Bandages can't be crafted and are critical for team revival
  • Use Scavenger class for massive team scrap advantage

💬 Communication Strategies

Advanced
  • Expand map collaboratively - 1-2 players help each other while mapping
  • One player focuses on pelts for everyone to save time
  • Coordinate child rescues - teams can handle first cave easily with proper support

🎯 Late Game Survival (50+ Days)

⚠️ Advanced Threats

Pro
🚨Critical Late Game Rules

Never let health drop below 75% after Day 50 - healing becomes scarcer

  • Enemy detection ranges and blind spots become crucial - learn stealth movement
  • Think like prey, not predator - sometimes retreating is the best strategy
  • First 5 minutes of each night are critical for threat assessment

🏆 Endgame Strategy

Pro
  • AFK Method: Find watchtower, plant forest under stairs, stockpile 90-150 stews
  • Tower Camping: Deer rarely spawns at height, cultists won't attack in safe zone
  • Resource Endgame: Save most powerful items for final nights - use legendary weapons without hesitation

🎪 Pro Secrets & Hidden Features

🔍 Lesser-Known Tips

Intermediate
  • There's no fall damage in the game
  • You can drag hotkey items to rearrange them
  • Lock camera with CTRL for melee combat, unlock for ranged
  • Bullets come from weapon tip - shoot around corners with certain weapons
  • Children at your camp will set off Bear Traps (possible bug)

🔊 Audio Cues

Advanced
  • Learn to distinguish enemy sounds: Deer footsteps, wolf spawns, cultist approaches
  • The game uses 3D audio - you can pinpoint monster locations within 800 meters
  • Listen for "something evil is approaching..." warning before Cultist raids

🎮 Special Mechanics

Pro
  • You can take a couple hits from the Deer and survive even without armor
  • Uncovering dirt piles reveals arrows pointing toward chests
  • Prioritize Gold and Ruby chests for best loot
  • Watch for enemies spawning inside buildings like cabins or treehouses

📚 Class-Specific Pro Tips

🗡️ Assassin Optimization

Advanced
  • Use starting Katana to hunt wolves/bears early for valuable pelts
  • Acquire armor from Pelt Trader ASAP due to lower health
  • Master dodge timing - speed and criticals are your advantages

🔫 Ranger Mastery

Intermediate
  • Use ammo refund chance efficiently - Ranger Level 2 gives 10% bullet save chance
  • Starting revolver gives early rescue advantage - rush first child

👊 Brawler Tactics

Intermediate
  • Cannot use ranged weapons but excels in melee with +30% damage and +20% HP
  • Use health regeneration perk strategically during long fights
  • Perfect for Cultist Stronghold clearing at higher levels

🚨 Emergency Survival Guide

🩹 Crisis Management

Beginner
🚨Emergency Priorities
  • Low Health: Never let health drop below 50% - carry multiple healing types
  • No Light: Fireflies recharge flashlight - campfire also works as recharge station
  • Deer Encounter: Don't panic - shine light, back away slowly, don't run unless necessary
  • Cultist Raid: Don't need to return to campfire - cultists wait there but Deer stays outside safe area

🆘 Last Resort Strategies

Intermediate
  • You can work at night in well-lit areas - chop trees, move items, tend base
  • Eating uncooked food hurts you slightly but won't kill you if desperate
  • Running drains hunger faster - walk when possible to conserve food
  • Use structures as shields - enemies get confused and sometimes stuck
  • Emergency Resource: Metal chairs = 5 scrap, wooden chairs = 5 wood