The primary principle of Don’t Starve is that eternal survival is impossible. Eventually, you will meet your demise due to various factors. This guide aims to assist you in prolonging your survival.
Contents
Contents
- 1 Initial actions
- 1.1 The beginning of your journey
- 1.2 The initial evening
- 2.1 Additional actions to take promptly
- 2.2 Objectives of the Exploration
- 2.3 What to gather and what to discard
- 2.4 Keep an Eye on the Calendar
- 3.1 Fundamental installations, prioritized by significance
- 4.1 Mischievousness
- 4.2 Amphibians: Frogs
- 4.3 Aquatic Creatures
- 4.4 Avian Species
- 4.5 Bison-Cattle Hybrid
- 4.6 Bunnies
- 4.7 Arachnids
- 4.8 Canines
Initial actions [ ]
Your initial day [ ]
Gather grass, small branches, and some flint. Once you obtain your initial flint, create an axe. Aim to chop down two or three trees before night arrives. Collect additional grass and twigs, ensuring you have at least 20 of each, and gather any berries and carrots you find along the way. Avoid picking flowers, as the butterflies that emerge from them provide valuable healing food, so make sure to catch and eliminate butterflies. Keep working even as darkness falls; you can continue your tasks well into the evening.
The initial evening of your experience [ ]
As nightfall approaches, gather three pieces of grass and two logs to start a fire. Add one or two more logs to ensure it burns through the night. It’s the perfect moment to prepare and consume some food—simply select it from your inventory and hold it over the flames. Next, create a pickaxe. If your light reaches a sufficient distance, you can fell trees or extract minerals from rocks. Alternatively, consider using two torches to allow for nighttime exploration. This is also an opportune moment to burn trees for charcoal. Make sure to venture into the caves early to gather light bulbs, which you can use to craft a lantern—an adjustable light source that can be placed down while still providing illumination.
The upcoming five (or fifteen) days [ ]
At some point, you’ll likely want to find a place to call home and set up a base. However, it’s important to first familiarize yourself with your surroundings, especially if you’re a newcomer. Exploring is a more effective way to learn, and it’s less disheartening to face defeat before you’ve invested time and effort into establishing a dwelling. During your initial playthroughs, you’ll not only reveal the map but also gain a deeper understanding of the game. It’s filled with unexpected elements, and you’ll encounter a variety of strange creatures, some of which may be more perilous than they appear. Your first attempts may end in an early and, in retrospect, somewhat foolish demise—don’t be discouraged by failure! Each setback is a learning opportunity. Use your errors to gain insights.
A beneficial strategy is to stroll along the coast, as this will reveal the map’s contours and provide a clearer understanding of the terrain, despite the presence of significant unexplored regions. Collect materials as you progress, but continue moving forward. On most nights, you will navigate the darkness with the aid of a torch.
Cooking plays a crucial role, as it enhances the nutritional value of many foods, making them healthier or, at the very least, less detrimental to health.
Additional tasks to prioritize early on [ ]
You should construct your initial Science Machine after gathering the required materials, likely around your third or fourth night. In addition, create a backpack and a shovel, and familiarize yourself with crafting boards, rope, and cut stone. There’s no need to stress about the exact location for your machine; it’s relatively inexpensive, and you can easily create another one once you identify a more suitable spot.
Objectives of Exploration [ ]
Your goal is to find the Beefalo herd, the swamp area, a site rich in rocks for mining, and the sweetwater ponds inhabited by frogs. Additionally, if feasible, make an effort to identify the location of the Pig King.
What to gather and what to discard [ ]
As you venture out, you’re likely to gather more items than you can manage, even with a backpack. To maximize your space, consider optimizing your resources: when it’s time to establish your campsite, you can effectively utilize ropes, stones, and planks.
Create caches. By the fifth day, you’ll have a clearer understanding of which areas of the map are more central and which are located on the outskirts. If you find that you are overloaded, consider leaving an item on the ground in a location that is easy to reach, and use a trap to mark that spot (traps are visible on the map and can act as makeshift markers).
Creating an extensive inventory of items to retain and those to store would require an in-depth conversation; understanding what is essential and when to use it is gained through experience and is an integral part of mastering the game. However, here are some basic guidelines: You won’t require cut stones or boards until you establish a campsite, and typically, you shouldn’t carry more than a single stack of any item. Additionally, any “rare” items that are only useful when you have the opportunity to acquire new crafting skills should be set aside for the time being.
Keep an eye on the calendar.
Autumn offers a wonderful opportunity for exploration, but it’s important to choose a campsite while there are still four to six days of the season remaining. Keep in mind that, under normal circumstances, winter will set in on the 21st day.
Establishing Residence in a Place [ ]
In the long term, you’ll require a significant amount of manure, which means you’ll want a pig village or a beefalo herd nearby, ideally within a day’s journey. The beefalo are the better option, as they will provide more support during your first winter compared to pigs. Additionally, it’s important to have some meadows with berry bushes within a reasonable distance. Berries will continue to be a key food source well into the following summer, and the less time you spend collecting them, the more time you can dedicate to enhancing your camp.
Avoid clear hazards and keep your distance from walrus habitats.
If you can position your site in a way that allows you to frequently walk by the ponds (without actually going through them), that would be a significant advantage. Similarly, having the closest spider den within a reasonable distance would be beneficial. On the other hand, the Pig King doesn’t have to be in close proximity.
You should clear a suitable area of forest to produce charcoal; aim to gather a complete stack of 40 before you begin setting up your camp.
Fundamental installations, prioritized by significance [ ]
- Fire pit: can be easily reignited by simply adding more fuel. It will become your go-to spot most evenings, illuminating a workspace where you can stay productive after dark.
- Crock Pot: for enhanced and superior meals. Simply grilling monster meat or mushrooms over an open flame will only reduce their undesirable qualities; however, by utilizing a crock pot, you can transform these components into a delicious dish (often meatballs). Numerous (though certainly not all!) recipes made in a crock pot will provide greater nutritional value than their raw ingredients.
- Science Machine and Alchemy Engine: acquiring new skills is essential. This process typically occurs during the night, so ensure they are positioned near the fireplace for illumination. Once the alchemy engine is constructed, the science machine becomes unnecessary; therefore, it’s advisable to place the alchemy engine near the fireplace and dismantle the science machine afterward to recover the gold.
- Storage chests are essential for keeping your items organized. Simply leaving items on the ground can lead to chaos over time. It’s advisable to have one chest designated for food items near the crock pot, and eventually, multiple chests near the alchemy engine for both raw and processed materials.
- Drying Racks: Dehydrated meat boasts an extended shelf life and can be utilized in a slow cooker just like fresh cuts. Additionally, even meat that is past its prime can be transformed into fresh jerky through the drying process. It’s advisable to have multiple drying racks—ideally three, but five or more could be beneficial. While you may not bring home five pieces of meat daily, there will be occasions when you have as many as fifteen, and you’ll want to ensure they are dried before they go bad.
- Bird Cage: constructing this item necessitates certain uncommon materials, and capturing a bird for the cage will involve using a bird trap. As winter approaches, gathering the required resources might become a time-consuming task. Nevertheless, once you manage to secure a caged bird, you can transform cooked or dried monster meat into delightful eggs. While it’s a valuable addition, the urgency of the task may vary based on how near you are to winter. Prioritize this endeavor as soon as your food supplies permit.
- (advanced) Establish farms to cultivate your own vegetables. While beneficial in the long term, having only a few farms can result in a surplus of unique food items that occupy valuable inventory space with minimal benefit. Construct farms only if you possess sufficient resources, prioritizing advanced farms over basic ones. Avoid spending time collecting additional manure, as the farms will be ineffective during the impending winter. If you have the means to explore, consider prioritizing the construction of a bird cage.
Getting Ready for Your Initial Winter Season [ ]
As winter sets in, daylight hours will diminish, and the chill will compel you to light a fire or head back to your campsite before you finish a full day’s tasks. Therefore, if you have any extended journeys to undertake, it’s best to complete them soon. Gather berries, carrots, and mushrooms while you have the chance to enhance your hearty winter meals.
Since vegetation hardly grows in winter, you’ll need to hunt animals for sustenance. This can pose a challenge, as many creatures that don’t immediately threaten you are seen as harmless, and taking their lives is viewed as a morally questionable action.
Mischievousness [ ]
Excessively harming innocent animals in a brief period could summon Krampus, a creature that will take your belongings, even smashing chests to access their contents. Attempting to confront it will reveal that it can inflict significant damage. For a comprehensive list of innocent animals and the daily kill limits, refer to the main article; generally, this shouldn’t pose an issue for most playstyles.
Amphibians known as frogs are fascinating creatures.
If the frog ponds are within a reasonable distance, set up a few traps near the ponds. There’s no need for bait or exact positioning; by checking the traps every couple of days, you can anticipate that about half of them will contain a frog. You’ll soon discover that certain locations are more effective than others, so feel free to adjust the traps as necessary.
Aquatic creatures known as fish.
If you happen to have some extra silk, consider crafting a couple of fishing rods. There will come a day when frogs are nowhere to be found; take that opportunity to go fishing. You have a single day of uninterrupted fishing before the ponds turn to ice. This day might slip by unnoticed, but if you do happen to realize that the frogs are missing, take advantage of it. With two fishing rods, you should be able to catch at least ten fish, maybe even fifteen.
Avian species [ ]
To create bird traps, you’ll need four strands of spider silk, which is quite a high cost for a regular food source. However, if you’ve constructed a trap for a bird cage, you might as well continue using it until it breaks down. Additionally, birds yield feathers, which are valuable for crafting blow darts. While you don’t require a large quantity of feathers, having a few on hand is beneficial.
Beefalo are a hybrid breed resulting from the crossbreeding of domestic cattle and American bison.
True to their name, these creatures provide a substantial amount of meat. Upon being defeated, they yield 4 pieces of meat, along with Beefalo Wool and a Beefalo Horn. The wool and horn can be used to create a Beefalo Hat, which offers the best insulation, helping to make the winter months a bit safer for the player.
Taking down Beefalo can be quite manageable with the “Kiting” technique, which involves striking the creature and then dodging its attacks in a continuous loop. By employing this strategy, you can effectively eliminate a Beefalo without taking any damage. A detailed explanation of the Beefalo hunting approach can be found in the main article. Keep in mind that if you eliminate the entire herd, Beefalo may face extinction, so it’s important to be cautious. To ensure a successful hunt, consider feeding the Beefalo a grass tuft to lure it away from the group, as this will help you avoid being overwhelmed.
Beefalo will occasionally produce manure, an essential resource for establishing farms, so it’s important to gather plenty before spring arrives. Manure is also necessary for relocating berry bushes or grass tufts, and your farms will need a steady supply to function effectively. In summary, manure is crucial. Additionally, it serves as a decent fuel source. While it’s advisable to save manure for other uses, especially during your first winter, it’s worth noting that it burns as long and as brightly as a wooden log.
Bunnies
Setting traps near or directly above rabbit burrows can provide a convenient source of meat. Additionally, you can create warm earmuffs using two rabbits and a few twigs. While these earmuffs won’t match the warmth of a beefalo hat, they are simple to make and offer a better alternative than having nothing at all.
Subsequently, you can employ this technique to gather Nightmare Fuel and Beard Hair by eliminating the rabbits (beardlings) while equipped with the Nightmare Amulet.
Arachnids
To obtain spider silk, you’ll likely find yourself needing to capture or confront spiders, likely more frequently than you’d prefer. In addition to the desired silk, you’ll collect a significant amount of monster meat, which, while filling, isn’t the healthiest option. Utilizing a crock pot can help you transform small portions of monster meat into more nutritious meals. Furthermore, if you possess a birdcage, monster meat can become a staple of your diet without the negative consequences.
Hounds [ ]
Hounds are formidable creatures that launch assaults in intervals of about 3 to 12 days. They pose a significant threat if one is not properly equipped. These beasts cannot be evaded unless they are diverted. When a player encounters other creatures, the hounds typically redirect their aggression towards those instead.
Hounds can pose a significant challenge, particularly when they appear at night, forcing the player to flee from the campfire or fire pit.
In situations like these, it’s advisable to have a torch ready as you anticipate their arrival.
Beefalos can swiftly eliminate Hounds, though a few may perish if the hound wave is excessively large.
To sum up, adhering to this guide will set you up for success by the fifteenth day.
HOLD ON, REMEMBER THE MEAT EFFIGIES! They play a crucial role, particularly as Hound Attacks become more common in the later stages.
This is my initial guide.
Any feedback or observations would be greatly valued.
Wishing you the best of luck and an enjoyable time!
