Where to find the shovel in Sons of the Forest

Sons of the Forest Shovel location

Finding the dirt-spoon

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The shovel in Sons of the Forest is a tremendously important item to attain. It’s a giant bottleneck in the game’s progression and can generally be seen as the border between the first and second halves of the game.

I cannot tell you why, on an island full of excavation, there is a single shovel. Nor can I explain why you can’t build one out of a hubcap and a stick or something. If you want a shovel, this is currently the only way to get one.

You’re going to need two pieces of gear before you can obtain your dirt-spoon. These are the zipline gun and the rebreather. You’re not going to make much progress without them. The zipline gun is in a cave West of the snow-capped mountain. The rebreather is far on the island’s Northwest in a cave right off the shore. After you have these, the shovel is located in a cave that is also West of the snow cap. You’ll know you have found the right one when you come across three staked-up dead bodies in a river.

Sons of the Forest - Shovel Cave
Screenshot by Destructoid

Inside, your first obstacle is going to be a zipline that you traverse using the rope gun. The second is a tunnel at the bottom of the pond at the start of the cave. To clarify, you will definitely need the rebreather. I tested going through without it, and there doesn’t seem to be any possible way. It’s pitch-black, longer than your lungs can withstand, and when you run out of oxygen, you just drop dead. I would think a guy who sprints through the forest all day would be able to hold his breath for longer, but maybe he was a chain smoker earlier in life.

Spelunking

Once you’re through, you’re going to have a pretty straight trek through to the end with some variance. As a note, you’re going to hit a section where your character loses footing and slides down a slope before being dropped into a pond. From there, you won’t be able to leave the cave until you have the shovel, so make sure you’re prepared.

With a little searching, you can find a tactical flashlight for your pistol rail and a wetsuit. You’ll find the object in the hands of a well-lit construction worker’s corpse near a strange structure. Once you have it, double back. While it may seem like you have no way out, a helpful sluggy will break through a wall that leads to the exit. Reward their assistance by either blowing them up or poking them with a shovel until they die.

It’s a good idea to pitch a tent or build a shelter outside the cave’s entrance to save. While you’re in the cave, consider dropping a tarp and propping it up with some sticks to give yourself a few checkpoints along the way. Also, to help deal with the relentless beatings of the subterranean nudists, be sure to shave a slice of flesh off their butt whenever you kill one. You can then wear these butt-slabs as armor without the need for any other materials. It’s a gross thought, definitely, but it sure beats dying.

The things that dwell beneath the world’s surface in Sons of the Forest can give even the most hardened explorer a great deal of trouble, so be prepared.

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Zoey Handley
Staff Writer - Zoey is a gaming gadabout. She got her start blogging with the community in 2018 and hit the front page soon after. Normally found exploring indie experiments and retro libraries, she does her best to remain chronically uncool.
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