Learn how to craft and use Molotov cocktails in The Forest
Molotov cocktails are one of the most accessible and effective ranged weapons in The Forest. Right from the start, you can craft Molotov cocktails, and keeping a supply of these firebombs on hand will make dealing with the ever-present cannibal threat much easier.
If you’re unfamiliar with the crafting or combat systems in The Forest, don’t worry. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about crafting and using Molotov cocktails in The Forest.
How to craft Molotov cocktails
Molotov cocktails cannot be found in the wild and require players to craft them. Fortunately, they are relatively resource-cheap, easy to make, and source components.
Crafting a Molotov cocktail requires the following components:
- 1 Bottle of Booze
- 1 Cloth
Locating Molotov cocktail components
These components are abundant inside the many suitcases scattered around the island. If you are having trouble locating suitcases, here are a few locations worth taking a look at:
- The plane crash site you woke up in at the start of the game will have many suitcases scattered around its perimeter, making it easy to stock up on both cloth and booze right out of the gate.
- The beaches next to the shipping containers and the Yacht will have suitcases washed up on the shoreline.
- Campsites located all around the map will also have a few suitcases nearby. Look for brightly colored tents.
- Ponds and other small bodies of water sometimes spawn suitcases around their perimeters.
- You can also locate cloth in cannibal villages where they are tied to clotheslines or used to build totems.
Crafting the Molotov cocktail
Once your inventory is full of booze and cloth, it’s time to assemble them.
- Opening your inventory.
- Right-click on a piece of cloth and a bottle of booze to add them to the crafting mat.
- Click on the gear icon in the center.
- You’ve not crafted yourself an improvised firebomb.
- Repeat as necessary.
Weaponized alcoholism
Now that you have a few Molotovs on hand let’s talk about how to use them. You can equip a Molotov directly from your inventory or assign them to one of your quick slots by combining it with the backpack.
Your character should automatically pull out the lighter in their left hand. You will need to light each Molotov before you throw it. Tossing an unlit Molotov at a crowd of angry cannibals is more useless than throwing tennis balls at them because at least the tennis ball is funny.
With the Molotov and lighter in hand, a prompt should appear for you to light the wick. Hold the lighter button (default L key) until the end of the bottle is burning. A circular target will appear on the ground to indicate where your Molotov, or other thrown weapon, will land. Toss one into a crowd and watch them dance.
Tips for fighting with Molotovs in The Forest
Seeing as Molotovs are the most accessible and easiest crowd-control weapons to craft, chances are you will be using a lot of them during your time on the island.
Using Molotovs as an explosive device
It is essential to be aware that Molotovs are categorized as an explosive. This categorization doesn’t mean you can use them to blow open blocked passageways, but it does mean that you can use them to set traps, store them on explosive racks, and, most importantly, load them into a catapult.
Molotov cocktails can be fired at extreme distances when loaded into a catapult. This capability allows you to rain fiery destruction from behind the safety of your base’s walls or used to wipe out The Worms effectively. If you don’t know what the worms are, count yourself lucky.
Molotov cocktails as traps
Players can construct Molotov wire traps from their survival guide. When triggered, this trap will create a pool of fire that can wipe out entire cannibal patrols, making them excellent tools for keeping routes clear.
Combining the Molotov cocktail trap with one or more leaf piles can generate a blaze that lasts longer and covers a broader space. Apart from cannibals or mutants tripping over them, players can manually trigger them from a distance using weapons like bows and arrows or a flintlock gun.
Final thoughts on Molotov Cocktails
Fire is a highly effective weapon in The Forest, spreading through crowds of cannibals and causing significant damage over time to larger mutants. Most early-game cannibals will die from fire damage before they can extinguish themselves.
The one major weakness of the Molotov is, of course, water. Throwing a Molotov into even an inch of water will cause it to splash ineffectively. This weakness can make them difficult to use inside damp caves and other places where water is abundant.
Lastly, ensure you are clear of the blast radius before throwing one of these bad boys. I wouldn’t want your eyebrows getting singed.
For more tips on The Forest, check out our The Forest Beginner’s Guide.
