What is the Machete, and what’s it used for?
The Sons Of The Forest Machete is a short-bladed weapon originally designed for clearing brush and undergrowth but can be repurposed by the player to slice up enemies.
While it may deal less damage than other melee weapons, the Machete is capable of delivering a flurry of attacks with impressive speed. Its rapid attack pattern and low stamina cost make the Machete an excellent choice for players who value speed and mobility over raw power. It’s certainly a contender for one of the best melee weapons in Sons Of The Forest.
How to get the Machete in Sons Of The Forest
The Machete can be found directly north on the map, at the far edge of a large beach. Look for a pair of military tents at the base of a cliffside and inspect the deflated rafts you find there. Still stuck into the side of one of these rafts is the Machete, the obvious culprit of the slashed rubber.
If you spawned on the beach at the start of the game, the Machete is the closest weapon and requires just a couple of minutes to run across the beach to access it.
Tips and tricks for using the Machete
The Machete is best used for hit-and-run style combat. While its attack speed is unmatched, its block value is quite low, making it a poor choice for head-on engagements. Stay to the outside of enemy groups and strike when an opening presents itself. Keep a close eye on your stamina.
The Machete can deliver a rapid flurry of attacks that can stun-lock weaker enemies for a short time. When an opening becomes apparent, dart forward and deliver 3-5 hits before retreating. If an enemy falls down during this, press the advantage and finish them off.
This weapon’s power attack is less impressive than melee weapons with higher damage values. Even if an enemy is on the ground, it is more effective to continue using rapid regular attacks instead of a slower power attack.
How to equip the Machete
Once you have acquired the Machete, you can equip it by:
- Opening your inventory
- Panning the mouse to the right of the crafting mat
- Selecting the Machete by left-clicking on it
- The inventory will close, and you will have the weapon in hand
How to add the Machete to the quick-select bag
Alternatively, if you’ve added the Machete to your backpack, you can access it through the quick-select bag. Briefly hold down the inventory key to pull out the quick-select bag.
This is much faster than having to pan through the inventory screen each time you want to switch weapons. If you have the Machete in your quick-select bag, you can find it in the short weapon slot.
The Machete is considered a short weapon and can only be added to the appropriate slot on the backpack. The short weapon slot is located on the front left side of the backpack and holds weapons such as the Tactical Axe, Stun Baton, Torch, and more.
To add the Machete to the quick-select bag:
- Open the inventory screen
- Add the backpack to the crafting mat by right-clicking on it
- If there is an item in the short weapon slot, right-click on it to remove it
- Right-click on the Machete to add it to the quick-select bag
How to assign the Machete to a hotkey
If you’d prefer to have the Machete in hand with a single keystroke, you can assign the weapon to a hotkey by:
- Open the inventory
- Mouse over the Machete to the right of the crafting mat
- With your mouse over the weapon, press one of the ten available hotkeys (1-0) to assign it to that key
- Now when you press the assigned key, the Machete will automatically be equipped to your hands
FAQs
No. While the Machete can quickly clear saplings and undergrowth, it cannot chop down trees that produce logs.
Yes, but it will take several hits and rarely does so in combat.
The Machete is much more accessible, attacks faster, and costs less stamina, but in the long run, the Katana deals much more damage and can dismember enemies in combat.
No. The Machete cannot be dropped or traded with other players.
Final thoughts on the Machete
The Sons Of The Forest Machete is ideal for players who prefer rapid attacks and mobility over head-on engagement. Players with good dodge and parry skills will dance around opponents in a tornado of blows.
You could also use the Machete to clear a path through the underbrush or chop sticks. But we think it’s much more fun to use it for chopping up enemies instead.
