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Can enemies swim in Sons Of The Forest?

Is the water your safe haven from mutants and cannibals?

Can mutants and cannibals swim in Sons Of The Forest? There's an awful lot of danger all around you in Sons Of The Forest, and that means it can be very difficult for new players to get started on their journey of long-term survival. You'll need to know every trick in the book when it comes to defending yourself against the cannibal mutants that inhabit the island - including whether they swim or sink in deep water.

In The Forest, the 2018 predecessor to Sons Of The Forest, cannibals couldn't cross open water, which made offshore island bases the perfect spot from which to conduct your affairs, because you'd for once have an area where you were totally safe from the enemies. Is the same true of the sequel? Find out whether enemies can swim in Sons Of The Forest just below.

Looking for ways to survive your first few days in Sons of the Forest? Watch the video above for 15 essential tips.Watch on YouTube

Can enemies swim in Sons Of The Forest?

Breathe a sigh of relief, friends: enemies cannot swim in deep water in Sons Of The Forest, just the same as in the original game. They can skirt the coast and dip into the shallow water (and in fact they like to do so, particularly if they're keeping a low profile while watching you), but the moment they go into deep water, they will drown on the spot.

You can test water yourself to see the point at which shallow water becomes deep water. If you wade into the water, then the moment you reach deep water you'll start to swim, whereas in shallow water you can continue to tread on the ground below the water. Using this method you can figure out where exactly enemies can traverse through the water.

That's not to say that open water is an entirely safe haven for you - after all, there are sharks in Sons Of The Forest, as anyone who's watched the trailers will know. But this revelation that cannibals and mutants can't cross large bodies of water is very useful for players.

If enemies can't swim, it means you can find little peninsula areas surrounded by water with just one narrow chokepoint to defend. Or you could even set up a base offshore, where enemies can't reach you at all. Sons Of The Forest is a tough game for new players, so any knowledge that you can use to help defend yourself and your belongings is well worth obtaining!


If you're looking for more useful nuggest of information on Endnight's massive new survival game, you've come to the right place. We've got guides on how to get water in Sons Of The Forest and where to find the Rebreather to allow you to swim deep below the surface. We can also tell you how to heal, how to save, how to make a fire, how to make a tent, and much more useful knowledge for players new to Sons Of The Forest.

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