Summary
The Forestis a gripping survival horror game where the player embodies a man who’sdesperate to find his sonafter succumbing to a deadly plane crash. However, his trek through the wilderness lands him right in the middle of a civilization of cannibals who are desperate to eat.
Surviving inThe Forestis particularly challenging and extremely tense, especially when players know they have a weak weapon at their side should they need it. However, when the right weapon is chosen, many players can walk with pride and confidence knowing they should succeed in almost any battle thrown their way. For this game, the right weapon is vital.
Updated June 09, 2025, by Chris Harkin:Although The Forest has been mostly left to one side asSons of the Foresttakes center stage, there are still great things being found out by players who have stuck by the original entry in this series. Survival games set in open-world maps like The Forest allow for such creativity and breadth of crafting that players are consistently shocked by all the options to be found for things to build, things to craft, and things to use to kill cannibals. The exciting world of The Forest isn’t slowing down anytime soon, despite development having moved on long since.
13Weak Spear
Cheapest to Craft
While it may be called the Weak Spear, thismelee weapondoes not live up to its less-than-fortunate name. It’s a fantastically versatile weapon that can be used as a tool or a melee or ranged attack depending on what is needed at that point.
When attacking, the weak spear does some decent damage that should carry the player through most of the game, especially when the player has the upper hand. It’s also pretty easy to craft and is a fantastic starting point for anyone needing a simple yet effective weapon at their side. Given that the Weak Spearonly requires a couple of sticks to make,it can be in the player’s hands within minutes of starting a new game even onThe Forest’smost difficult settings. Against the game’s dangerous mutants, however, the players will find themselves wishing for something sturdier.
12Dynamite
For Crowd Control and Boss Damage
Dynamite is a bit of a one-trick pony, but is unbelievably useful and should always be readily available when going into a battle. It may only be one use per stick, butthis projectiledoes some incredible directional damage once the player has perfected throwing such an object, which isn’t as easy as many think. Essentially, it’s the same as the bombs, but without the headache of creation. It’s the best of both worlds and is one of the easiest weapons to use and find, making it something everyone has to have by their side.
The Forestis renowned for the quality of its enemy AI, and players should note thatenemies have a habit of stepping just out of the range of this explosive. Whether that’s the result of good scripting or bad is an open question, but the end result is often frustration for players still getting the hang of Dynamite.
11Flare Gun
For Passive Damage Over Time
Whether the player needs towipe out some cannibals, mutants, or even the final boss, the Flare Gun is the weapon to do it. It’s basically like shooting a burning bullet of fire at the enemy which seems to do some huge damage and keeps burning them for a while, so it doesn’t just hit once and be done. Essentially, this is a great weapon to use, and fire damage is one many should focus on when battling tougher enemies.
While the Flare Gun doesn’t have the spread of Molotovs, it’s still preferable to lighting individual Incendiary Arrows in the middle of a hectic fight. That, combined with its ease of use, makes the Flare Gun a top contender.
10Old Gun / Flintlock Pistol
Excellent But Requires Effort
There is likely no better weapon in The Forest than the old gun, but its worth is greatly reduced both by the struggle to find ammo for it and the major problem with this weapon is crafting it. The many pieces of the old gun are found across the map, buried in various locations, making it very hard to bring them all together.
Though the old gun is a great-ranged weapon when put together, most veteran players won’t even bother with it since headshots can instant-kill from a bow, which can be easily crafted or found in one piece, and ammo is much easier to get for it as well.
9Katana
For When Blocking Isn’t Viable
Interestingly, despite the ramifications ofwielding a Katana, this weapon is relatively disappointing based on damage. It’s just not as strong as other weapons, but what it doesn’t have in damage it excels at with speed. This is one of the quickest weapons in the game, and more hits means more opportunities to do damage. There’s also the versatility of this weapon that sets it above many. While players might not be able to throw it, they can dowider attacks,hitting more enemies at once which is particularly useful for crowds.
Early inThe Forest,the player will only face isolated cannibals and small groups, but the more they play and develop their camp, the more of the island’s murderous residents will come to confront them. The increase in enemy numbers is one reason that the Katana is one of the best late-game weapons sinceits wide arc makes dealing with them far easier.
8Crafted Club
Best Stun-Locker
It’s worth noting from the offset that clubs are one of the slowest categories of weapons inthis survival game. However, what they lack in speed, they make up for in power and the highest block stat of the melee options.
It’s fortunate that the Crafted Club has such a good block because its short range means the player will be up closeand personal with enemies.That isn’t a big deal against one or two cannibals, but mutants and larger cannibal groups can still be a significant threat.
This weaponis devastating when playing in a group, as a single hit is typically enough to knock an enemy off their feet, something that’s easier to capitalize on in a group since another swing may take a moment with this weapon.
7Crafted Bow
Headshots Will Kill
Many players inThe Forestfind themselves constantly getting ambushed and taking on cannibals in close quarters, it is usually possible to keep some distance between the player and their enemies in this game. As such, a bow is one of the first things players should think about making, particularly since the modern bow is not easy to find.
With little chance of taking on the larger enemies in melee situations, and it being almost a necessity for the final battle in particular, a bow is the player’s best friend inThe Forestand since it can be crafted from just a stick, rope and piece of cloth, there is no excuse for not making it early.
6Modern Axe
Best Single Hit Damage
The Modern Axe is arguably the best axe inthis horror game. It’s a great tool and an even better weapon that has decent speed, great damage, and an okay block to keep players safe in melee combat. The only real issue is how challenging it is to get hold of it. Playerscannot craft this item;instead, they need to head into the Hanging Cave to grab it. Once they have, this tool will do enough damage to make anyone feel a little safer in those disturbing woods.
Since the Modern Axe lacks a great block, the player is incentivized to play battles aggressively, cutting a swathe through enemies before they get the chance to land many blows of their own. Assuming the player is comfortable with such tactics, the Modern Axe is a fantastic weapon.
5Modern Bow
Great At Range
Bows are a challenging weapon to master; however, when it comes to damage and uses, theModern Boweasily outshines the rest. It’s powerful, quick, and extremely accurate which is something many get frustrated about with the other bows. To add to such power, the player is also then able to craft multiple types of arrows including poison and fire. Add fire to stealth attacks like these, and players will have the upper hand in almost any battle they choose to enter.
With sticks and a few feathers, the player caneasily replace spent ammunition,keeping the Modern Bow well-stocked. A player with this weapon, a full quiver, and a good vantage point can make quick work of almost any enemy in the game.
4Molotov Cocktail
Area of Effect Damage
It’s well known that fire is a great way to do damage inThe Forest.It’s an extremely powerful element that can easily be manipulated to serve the player in any fight. This is one of the main reasons that the Molotov Cocktail is a fantastic weapon to wield. What’s more, the player doesn’t have to hit the enemy to do damage. Even if the Molotov lands in front of them or to the side, simply convince them to step into the fire, and they take damage. Or, hit the enemy and then watch them take damage again by moving into it.
However,the Molotov Cocktail can do more harm than good if the player is carelessor is caught fighting a group of enemies in the tight confines of the caves. Given that this is a situational and strategic weakness rather than one intrinsic to it, however, the Molotov Cocktail is still well worth the trouble.
