Learn how to build and use the Hokey Pokey Trap
Most of the traps in Sons Of The Forest focus on effectively taking out single targets. While this is great for regular cannibals, you might need something heftier to deal with the big guys. That’s where the Hokey Pokey Trap comes into play. This trap is designed almost identically to the Rope Swing Trap from The Forest, utilizing a bundle of heavy rocks stuck through with sharpened wooden stakes. This weighty pendulum can kill most enemies in a single hit and can knock even cannibal giants to the ground.
This guide will walk you through the best way to build and use the Hokey Pokey Trap in Sons Of The Forest and offer advice on the best places to set it up.
How to build the Hokey Pokey Trap in Sons Of The Forest
Before picking out a location to set up your trap, ensure you can access a few different materials. To construct the Hokey Pokey Trap, you’ll need the following components:
- 6 Logs
- 10 Sticks
- 15 Rocks
- 3 Rope
Logs can be produced by cutting down or blowing up large trees. Sticks can be found on the ground just about anywhere or created by cutting down small trees and bushes. Rocks can be found on the ground in the forest or in abundance near rivers and beaches. Ropes can be looted from abandoned campsites, cannibal villages, near shorelines, and other points of interest.
Once you have your materials:
- Open your survival book by pressing the B key.
- Flip the book to the structure section by holding down the X key.
- Click on the red trap tab at the bottom right of the book.
- Click on the Hokey Pokey Trap, set down the building ghost in your desired location, and add the materials.
Now you have your trap built and placed.
The best locations for Hokey Pokey placement
As powerful and sturdy as these traps are, they won’t be useful unless an enemy enters them. Though this type of trap doesn’t require a standing tree to support it, you’ll still need to be very particular about where you build it if you want it to be effective:
1. Pathways and Cannibal Routes
Primitive dirt roads crisscross the island and are visible on the player’s GPS map. Cannibals will frequently patrol these roads, so placing one or more Hokey Pokey Traps on these routes is a good way to keep nosy enemies out of the way or thin out groups. This is especially important since enemies moving quickly through the trap can avoid its swing.
2. Areas you Frequent
Remember that enemies won’t spawn in an area unless you are nearby. Choose a location where you will be spending a lot of time, as it will significantly increase the likelihood of your traps being triggered.
3. Confined Spaces
Small walkways such as bridges (natural or player-made), river crossings, and small passages between rocks are great places to set up a Hokey Pokey Trap. Restricting the enemy’s ability to avoid the trap increases the chances of the trap’s pendulum landing a hit. Just make sure there is still enough space for it to swing correctly.
Pros and cons of the Hokey Pokey Trap
Cons
- This trap is rather large and requires a decent-sized space to construct and function properly.
- Players hit with the pendulum of their own trap will take significant damage and be knocked to the ground.
- This trap has no visible or obvious trigger. This can make it difficult to predict where the trap will hit and where an enemy must stand to trigger it.
- The pendulum takes a moment to wind up before striking its target, meaning fast-moving enemies can walk through it unharmed.
Pros
- A player cannot trigger these traps, though they can still be harmed by it once it is active.
- Once active, the pendulum can continue to damage enemies as long as it continues to swing, which can last quite a while after being triggered.
- Most enemies struck by this trap will be knocked prone, assuming they survive the impact.
- This trap deals enough damage to kill most standard enemies in a single blow.
Tips and tricks for using Hokey Pokey Traps
- Consider which direction you want your pendulum to swing before committing to a trap’s location. Having it swing toward your target is often more likely to score a hit and can serve as an obstacle. Having it swing across your target allows it more freedom to deal damage after the initial trigger and clear out more enemies.
- The large size and slow wandering speed of mutants such as Fingers and Armsy make them prime targets for this trap’s pendulum.
- Be sure to consider the height of where you are placing your trap, as enemies crawling on the ground or shorter opponents may avoid the pendulum if placed too far off the ground
- Creating artificially tight passages is a valid strategy for increasing this trap’s impact.
- The pendulum will need to be manually reset after being triggered. This can be done even while the pendulum is still in motion, but be careful not to get smacked by it in the process.
Final thoughts on the Hokey Pokey Trap
A classic slapstick favorite and a longtime favorite of forest survivors, we were tickled to see that Endnight Games added this trap into the mix. With a fresh coat of paint and its own freestanding support, this trap is a simplified but just as impressive cannibal smasher as its predecessor.
