As an avid survival gamer with over 5 years in the genre, I‘ve mastered many brutal worlds – but Sons of the Forest takes difficulty to astonishing new heights.
Mutant creatures patrol dense forests, violent cannibal tribes control key territory, and environmental hazards lurk around every corner. Without the right preparations and equipment, you won‘t last long on this merciless island.
One essential tool is the rebreather – allowing you to explore underwater areas indefinitely and unlocking key story clues, valuable loot caches, and more.
In this comprehensive guide, you‘ll learn:
- The exact rebreather location and how to retrieve it
- Strategies to utilize the rebreather effectively
- Additional tips to survive and progress in Sons of the Forest
Let‘s get started with locating this vital piece of equipment.
Pinpointing the Rebreather‘s Underground Lair
Shortly after spawning on the beach, venture inland and observe the cliff faces until you locate the entrance shown below:
[Cave entrance screenshot]This dark and foreboding cave is your target. Several key landmarks confirm you‘re on the right track, like colorful crystal formations and pile of bones, as shown below:
[Screenshots of crystals and bones]The path splits multiple times – stick to the left forks, and continue onwards into the depths. Around 10-15 minutes travelling through winding tunnels, you‘ll enter a cavern with a subterranean lake or river.
Approach carefully! This is the domain of a gigantic slug mutant aptly named "Sluggy". On the shore you‘ll spot your rebreather prize.
Now the real adventure begins…
Unlocking New Potential with the Rebreather
Your rebreather enables breathing underwater without needing to refill oxygen tanks constantly. The maximum capacity exceeds 60 minutes, enabling extensive uninterrupted exploration.
It also features a headlamp for lighting up dark ocean depths.
Below are top recommendations to utilize the rebreather:
Plumb the Island‘s Uncharted Depths
[Rebreather diving screenshot]Only around 20% of the island‘s secrets reside on land – the vast majority waits underwater. The rebreather allows accessing these aquatic areas.
Explore ocean caves along the southern cliffs where story clues and rare treasure often hide. Thoroughly investigate any submerged man-made structures and containers which could hold anything from weapons to mysterious notes furthering the game‘s enigmatic story.
Swift and Stealthy Traversal
When nearby mutants come hunting on land, equip your rebreather and evade into the water. Your enhanced swimming and underwater breathing enable safely escaping and repositioning.
Use to infiltrate enemy patrols and camps through underwater entry points. Surfacing nearby also helps stealthily take down targets through ambush tactics.
Supplementary Oxygen
While rebreather capacity exceeds most air tanks, having backup oxygen proves useful during longer excursions. For example, when exploring deep wrecks.
Carry extra air tanks in your backpack when diving for extended periods. Dropping your backpack temporarily also enables retrieving more items since your character‘s encumbrance limit increases without it.
Building, Crafting, and Stealthing – Additional Gameplay Mastery
Finding Sons of the Forest‘s rebreather marks a pivotal early milestone. But mastering survival on this demon-infested island requires learning many additional gameplay skills.
Below I share expert tips on other vital areas:
Strategic Base Building
[Base screenshot]Your shelter must provide defense against enemies, storage for precious loot, and necessities like water collection, fireplaces, etc.
Choose build sites with natural barriers like rocky outcroppings or steep cliffs protecting the flank. Building uphill also provides tactical advantages if attacked.
Leave an emergency exit for desperate escapes – I recommend camouflaged ziplines allowing quick aerial retreats.
Crafting Equipment From Scavenged Resources
Felling trees for wood, collecting cloth from suitcases, gathering booze from plane wreckages – everything serves a potential purpose for crafting.
Analyze blueprints discovered across the island to construct weapons, tools, shelter elements, and other gear giving a survival edge.
For example, molotov cocktails and spiked walls both prove extremely effective for base defense when raids occur.
Stealth Kills, Traps, and Diversions
Head-on combat with numerically superior enemies rarely ends well. Instead utilize stealth takedowns, distractions, and traps to even the odds.
For example, throw stones to divert patrolling mutants then use the opening to silently kill stragglers with a stealthy axe attack from behind.
Luring pursuers into spiked or molotov traps also whittles down groups rapidly. Allow them to pass then strike while they burn!
Mastering techniques like these while combining your new rebreather will unlock the full deadly and addictive potential of Sons of the Forest gameplay!
This completes my deep dive guide into finding and fully utilizing Sons of the Forest‘s incredible rebreather equipment.
Get out there and start uncovering those underwater secrets!
For even more tips check out my additional recent guides:
❌ Optimizing Stealth Tactics
❌ Here‘s When and How To Trigger the Endgame
Stay tuned for even more advanced systems analysis in my upcoming articles and videos.
