Learn how to build and use Molotov wire traps
Have you ever wanted to set a bunch of cannibals on fire without risking your neck in combat? Then look no further than the Molotov wire trap. This guide will walk you through building and using Molotov wire traps in The Forest and offer advice on the best locations and creative ways to place them.
How to build the Molotov wire trap
Before you get started building, here are the materials needed to construct a Molotov wire trap:
- 1 Stick
- 3 Cloth
- 1 Molotov Cocktail
You can gather sticks by knocking down small trees, brush, and cannibal effigies/totems placed in camps and on patrol paths. Cloth can be collected from cannibal villages, suitcases, totems, and caves. Combine 1 bottle of booze and 1 cloth in the crafting screen to create Molotov cocktails.
Once you have the materials, pick a good spot and open your survival guide to the “Traps and Defenses” section. Click on the Molotov wire trap, set down the building outline, and add the required materials.
The best locations for Molotov wire trap placement
Traps are only effective if you place them where an enemy will trigger them. Here are some suggestions for picking an excellent location to set your traps.
Pick locations you frequent
Cannibals won’t spawn in an area unless you are nearby. Setting traps near locations you’ll be spending time will increase the chances of an enemy entering it.
Cannibal patrol paths
Cannibal patrols often follow similar routes each day. Learning these routes will make it easy to set effective traps.
Look for the lights carried by cannibal leaders. These lights make it easy to see where the patrols are headed from a safe distance. Rafts and tree platforms make great perches to watch for patrols.
Defensive choke points
Molotov wire traps are great for creating defensive barriers at fallback locations.
If ambushed while cutting trees or exploring villages, setting a wall of traps over the entrance to a defensible location can save your life. Having a fallback location any time you spend time in one spot away from your base is good practice.
Pros and cons of the Molotov wire trap
Cons
- The fire created by this trap is relatively small and typically only ignites a single enemy
- These traps can be challenging to keep track of, making it easy for players to walk into their tripwires.
- Burning enemies will extinguish themselves if they can stand in a nearby water source.
- Most late-game enemies will stop burning before the fire kills them.
- This trap is ineffective if placed in shallow water, making it useless in several caves.
- The trap is destroyed on being triggered and must be rebuilt instead of reset.
Pros
- This trap will kill most early-game enemies.
- Mutants that catch fire from these traps will often begin to flail around if they cannot locate the player. This side effect can sometimes cause the monster to kill cannibals traveling alongside it accidentally.
- Triggering this trap does not alert enemies to the player’s presence.
- These traps are easy to make, and all their materials are portable. This flexibility means the trap can be quickly set in caves as a defensive measure or an emergency.
- This trap is triggerable remotely with a ranged weapon, such as a bow or slingshot.
Tips and tricks for using Molotov wire traps
There are several ways to make Molotov wire traps more effective.
- A favorite trick of ours is laying leaf pile traps underneath the Molotov wire to increase the radius and duration of its flames. Using this trick, you can create a chain reaction trap that produces a massive flame when an enemy walks over it.
- Enemies rarely look where they are walking during combat. This flaw makes it easy to bait an enemy into charging through your traps to attack you.
- If you prefer ranged combat, you can set several traps on the path leading to your position. This trick lets you pick off targets from a distance while punishing any enemies that make the mistake of approaching you.
Final thoughts on the Molotov wire trap
The true power of the Molotov wire trap lies in its ability to create chaos. If you want to see what the trap is truly capable of, set a bunch of them up around a village and wait for the residents to come home. It’s a real show.
For more insights, check out The Forest Traps Guide for an overview of all the available traps in Endnight Game’s The Forest.
