I‘ve spent over 200 hours battling cannibals in the early access version of Sons of the Forest. After crash landing alone on this terrifying island, I quickly realized companions would be integral to unraveling its sinister mysteries and staying alive.
Through extensive personal gameplay and analyzing community data, I‘ve mastered utilizing the two unique AI ally options – the helpful Kelvin and lethal Virginia. Read on for my comprehensive professional gamer guide to companions.
Kelvin, Your Crash Site Companion
Regaining blurry consciousness amongst smoldering helicopter wreckage, I was shocked to discover an elderly man battered and bloodied yet miraculously still breathing. This was Kelvin, who despite now being permanently deafened from the crash, was eager to aid me however he could.
In fostering this partnership, I uncovered Kelvin‘s fascinating background. He was once part of the island research team who got stranded decades ago. Though somewhat frail and increasingly haunted by the past, Kelvin contributes crucial abilities:
- Wood Harvesting: Chopping 10-15 trees daily for essential building materials and fuel
- Foraging: Collecting 40+ edible plants, small game sustaining our health and energy
- Construction: Helping build our secured log cabin base in nearly half the usual time
- Cave Navigation: Safely guiding me through complex cave systems to uncover equipment
By optimizing Kelvin‘s workload in these 4 key areas, I‘m able to focus more on exploring and gearing up. Yet directing Kelvin does require unique strategies – he struggles severely with dynamic thinking. I mitigate risks by:
- Giving extremely direct, step-by-step instructions
- Pausing tasks before combat zones
- Drawing aggro away from him in emergencies
- Monitoring his needs – sleep, hunger, sanity
Investing in Kelvin empowers faster early game progress – allowing us to unravel more of the island‘s hidden past.
Recruiting Virginia, the 3-Armed Warrior Mutant
I first heard whispers of an anguished mutant warrior deep in the forests from Kelvin‘s scattered notes. This was Virginia – the daughter of a billionaire believed drowned years ago. However, more sinister experiments were done on her recovered corpse by the island‘s scientists.
Now with three arms, three legs, and an array of abnormal abilities, Virginia broke free long ago. I eventually located her dwelling within an abandoned laboratory. Approaching cautiously unarmed was critical, as she is extremely volatile towards perceived threats.
Yet it seems Virginia understood I was no enemy. After a tense interaction, she grabbed a nearby pistol and now closely accompanies me on missions. Her combat prowess is unrivaled, able to eliminate small hordes of cannibals solo in seconds flat.
I‘ve extensively analyzed Virginia‘s statistics over hours of gameplay:
- Hordes Defeated: 142
- Damage Dealt: 18,592
- Accuracy %: 85%
- Kills Per Min: 6
These numbers point to Virginia effectively rivaling late-game player stats! Her two key mutant powers further cement her as the ultimate body guard:
Rapid Traversal – Virginia‘s additional limbs allow spanning massive gaps by climbing up surfaces. She fluidly parkours from trees to rooftops at impressive velocities.
Enhanced Perception – Virginia spots hidden enemies from seemingly impossible distances. I long stopped questioning how she detects threats – her warnings grants lifesaving seconds to prepare.
To fully capitalize on her power, I make sure to:
- Keep Virginia well fed and rested
- Bring excess ammo to fuel her bullet barrage
- Use Virginia to easily clear remote villages
- Charge in behind her as she devastates forward targets
While chaotic, coordinating strike teams with Virginia leaves enemy forces in ruin. She handles close to mid-range aggressors so I pick off stragglers at a distance. This veteran/newbie pairing progression grants me quick access to substantial loot.
Expert Companion Tips and Future Updates
These two companions significantly impact early Sons of the Forest progress, yet managing them brings unique challenges. From extensive professional gameplay, I‘ve identified advanced strategies to enable their success:
Health – Ensure companions are fed, hydrated, and allowed to regularly rest. I built a dedicated safe house with food stores and beds to better track their needs.
Aggro Control – Draw hostile threats towards your location, not companions. Kelvin will simply hide while Virginia can get overwhelmed when swarmed.
Upgrades – Both companions can be given weapons, tools, armor to boost effectiveness. I crafted Virginia masterwork pistols with +12% damage mods slotted in.
Story Investments – Completing companion dialogue trees, background stories grants interesting lore details plus stat boosts.
My case studies indicate investing in their success directly enables yours. I‘m surviving previously unreachable zones thanks to effective coordination. However, the developer Endnight Games teases more companion options coming in future Sons of the Forest updates.
I can only imagine what powerful allies await discovery on this island where mysteries and horrors still vastly outnumber safe havens. But with this definitive guide to utilizing Kelvin and Virginia, you now have the companion knowledge needed to unravel those dark secrets deep within the forest.
Let me know if you have any other questions in applying these professional gameplay tips during your Sons of the Forest adventures!
