Sons Of The Forest: Best Ranged Weapons

Looking for the best ranged weapons Sons Of The Forest has to offer?

Ranged weapons have always been the go-to choice for anyone wanting a safer combat take. The Forest had its fair share of ranged weapons, but there weren’t as many as people hoped for. Sons Of The Forest introduced a much better arsenal of ranged weapons, adding even more variety to an already variety-rich game. 

Naturally, not every ranged weapon will suit you, nor may they provide specifically what you want. However, having more than one is recommended, as you will probably run out of ammo if you only have one. There are plenty of decent weapons out there for you to pick up, and it would be a shame not to make a list that presents the best ranged weapons in Sons Of The Forest.

  1. Shot Gun
  2. Pistol
  3. Compound Bow
  4. Stun Gun
  5. Crossbow

1. Shotgun

Sons Of The Forest Shotgun
Holding the SOTF Shotgun in Hand

The Shotgun is one of the most powerful ranged weapons in Sons Of The Forest. Not only does it dish out unimaginable damage to anyone bold enough to challenge you, but it also can dismember with relative ease. You won’t have difficulty defeating waves of cannibals or mutants with the Shotgun equipped. 

Furthermore, it comes with two ammo types and an attachment rail for other attachments. These two ammo types are buckshot and slug rounds, and they are known for fulfilling different roles. Buckshot is the more popular choice regarding the Shotgun, though. And this is mainly because of how well it dismembers enemies up close. Slug rounds, on the other hand, are more suited for long-range engagements.  

To top it all off, it is not even that hard to find. You shouldn’t have a problem getting it a few days into your playthrough.

2. Pistol

Sons Of The Forest Pistol
Holding the SOTF Pistol in Hand

The closest thing that we’ve seen to a Pistol in The Forest is the Flintlock Pistol. However, Sons Of The Forest changed things by finally adding a modern version of the Pistol. It is one of the game’s most recognizable and used ranged weapons. And although it may not be the most powerful in terms of damage, it makes up in versatility. 

It uses 9mm ammo, which is fairly easy to find across the island. As compact as it is, the Pistol allows further customization via attachments. You can put an attachment rail, silencer, flashlight, and laser sight on it. This makes it even more effective for any uncomfortable situations you might find yourself in.

We know that its counterpart (the Revolver) delivers a more potent shot, but the Pistol offers more variety. A silencer can be a game-changer when engaging cannibals in the late game, especially if you want to act in self-defense. The same applies to the other attachments as well.     

3. Compound Bow

Sons Of The Forest Compound Bow
Holding the SOTF Compound Bow in Hand

Now that we’ve covered some louder ranged weapons, it’s time to move on to something more tame and renewable. The Compound Bow is by far the best bow you can have in Sons Of The Forest. It is better than the Crafted Bow in every aspect and will change how you handle bows.

The only downside to bows is the unreliable aiming you will have to deal with. Bows don’t have proper sights on them, and you will be forced to make rough estimates of where your arrows land. This is less of a problem with the Compound Bow, but it’ll still be hard to get comfortable with it. Once you master it, though, one headshot from a carbon fiber or printed arrow should cripple most cannibals.

4. Stun Gun

Holding the SOTF Stun Gun in Hand

As good as the previous weapons are, the Stun Gun is probably the most unique one on this list. It is unlike any ranged weapon in Sons Of The Forest. It only focuses on stunning your foes rather than dealing lethal damage. Additionally, the cartridges you need can be found all over the island.

The reason why we added it to this list is simple. A weapon like the Stun Gun can make even the most dangerous foe obsolete. It does this by stunning them for a couple of seconds, seconds which you can take advantage of to tear into them with another weapon. Tougher mutants are more resistant to it and won’t stay stunned as long as cannibals do. 

There is one crucial thing to remember, though. The Stun Gun has a very limited effective range, and you must get up close and personal with your enemies. All in all, it’s best used in tandem with other players. 

5. Crossbow

Sons Of The Forest Crossbow
Holding the SOTF Crossbow in Hand

Crossbows appear in nearly every popular survival game, and their usefulness is always apparent from the start. Sons Of The Forest’Crossbow is just as good, offering more damage per shot than any of the other bows. That said, we can confidently say that it’s one of the most powerful non-firearm ranged weapons in the game.

Unlike the Compound Bow, the Crossbow has somewhat of a sight you can use to aim properly. This allows for more consistent aiming, making scoring headshots at nearly every acceptable range easier. Reloading can be a bit of a hassle, but the damage output you have with it should negate that. 

Lastly, it shoots special crossbow bolts you can only find in specific locations on the map. This may turn some people off of the Crossbow, but we’d recommend getting it anyway. You can never have enough ranged weapons to fall back on, especially if you have been exploring for a few days.  

Final thoughts on the best ranged weapons 

Ranged weapons are unarguably one of the most important weapon types in Sons Of The Forest. They make fights and combat much less frightening whilst also giving you the power to defy hordes upon hordes of enemies at a safer range. It would be wise to get these five weapons first if you want to dominate the island or are just interested in getting every ranged weapon.

We’ve got you covered if you’re looking for the best melee weapons in Sons Of The Forest. But weapons aren’t the only thing that makes playing this game worthwhile. A lot of people are looking for ideal base locations. And that is why we’ve made a list of the 7 Best Base Locations to consider in Sons Of The Forest.

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About Digital Ghost

Dg is the founder and co-owner of Corrosion Hour, a niche gaming community established in 2016 focusing on the survival game RUST. He is an active and contributing member of numerous other RUST communities. As a community leader and server owner for over 15 years, he spends much of his time researching and writing guides about survival games, covering topics such as server administration, game mechanics, and community growth.

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