Cannibals

**Cannibals** are the main type of enemy in Sons of the Forest.

Currently, there are six known Cannibal variants: Regular, Dirty, Masked, Brute and Titan Cannibal. Each Cannibal group have their own unique characteristics and behaviours. For instance, masked Cannibals are hostile to other Cannibal groups, as shown in Sons of the Forest's second trailer.

## Types of Cannibals

### Regular Cannibals

Regular Cannibals, being the base type of Cannibal, can be scared off. As shown in the 3rd Sons of the Forest trailer, Cannibals held at gunpoint will hesitate to attack the player. Some are more cautious and will run into structures, break down doors, or even steal resources from the player.

Cannibals are seen in the 2nd trailer, helping each other up when wounded. They can also be incapacitated, by shooting them in certain areas of the body, such as the legs.

Their limbs can be cut off while they are alive and they will try to flee from the player. Instant decapitation is possible.

Across the entire island, Cannibals, young and old, can be spotted mourning the dead. This can often occur if the player decides to kill a Cannibal in its camp, and another Cannibal returns to discover them.

Depending on the season, and the tribe, the regular Cannibal will wear differing armours and configurations, increasing the combat challenge during winter, since several factions will be fully clad in creepy armour.

Some Cannibals after a few days can be seen walking in groups of 2-3. They will wander around any player built structure and sometimes just run inside, if they have a door, then leave. They are very aggressive, and will most definitely attack you. The best way to defend against a Cannibal for when you are vacant from your base, is by using traps. Placing them behind doors or in certain corners of the base and terrain, will cause them to get stun-locked and die, or injured and swiftly flee.

While at first look, regular Cannibals don't seem to be of much interest, but they have complex behaviors which can lead to a wide variety of situations depending on the player's playstyle and reactions.

### Lone Cannibals

*Main article:* Lone Cannibals
Lone Cannibals can be found patrolling, wandering, praying at camp, mourning, or drinking water from a water source such as a stream or lake. While these Cannibals may appear to be alone, it is important to note that there may very well be more Cannibals nearby. So as a player, if you are unable to handle a situation of combat or feel confident in dealing with fight or flight behaviors, you may not want to approach a supposedly lone Cannibal, even if it may be tempting.

Lone Cannibals behave differently than those in small patrols. Cannibals as humans behave and rely mostly on their tribes made up of their families and when caught alone, lack the confidence of most. Lone Cannibals tend to be less aggressive and if they don't have a weapon or are female, they tend to be even more passive. These single beings, rather than choosing to attack the player, act much more curious and will mostly choose to keep their distance from the player. These Cannibals can commonly be seen approaching or following the player. They will perch themselves on rocks, climb trees, take a knee, and so on in order to watch the player from afar. During this time they will tilt their head, scratch themselves, and will appear to be observing you.

These Cannibals are curious about you and while alone without much defense, will choose to watch you. This is a natural behavior that is generally a passive one of the Cannibals observing the player's behavior as the player does to them. Cannibals sometimes will choose to threaten the player and will make motions with their hands threatening to slice your throat by sliding a finger across their own throat, while others with weapons may choose to raise and wave it at the player.

### Dirty Cannibals

*Main article:* Dirty Cannibals
"Dirty Cannibals" or "Muddies" are smaller cannibals walking/running around on all fours. They can climb rocks and trees and will hide in bushes to ambush players. They have most of the same maniacal laughs and screams as the Starving Cannibal from the game’s predecessor, The Forest. Dirty Cannibals will sometimes leap at the player from behind. These Cannibals know how to throw small stones but on the first day, are mostly determined to study the player. After 2-3 minutes of studying the player, they can be emboldened and try to hit you. At first, timidly only one of them, then the whole group will attack.

Dirty Cannibals are fed by Cannibals through the feeding troughs near Cannibal Camps. The best way to engage Dirty Cannibals in combat is generally to use slower, but stronger, weapons like the modern axe. One strike is usually enough to dismember, which renders them completely immobilized.

### Brutes

*Main article:* Brute Cannibals
Brutes are imposing, disfigured powerful cannibal who will not hesitate to take any threat head on using their brute force. These cannibals are usually armed with crafted clubs made of a spine and a skull, but more rarely can also be seen using running outboard motors as a makeshift chainsaw, inflicting considerable damage to its victims. Brutes can also kick down players, rendering them vulnerable to other threats such as other cannibals taking part in combat.

Brutes are usually never seen alone, often patrolling villages or accompanied by members of their tribe.

### Golden Masked Cannibals

*Main article:* Masked Cannibals

The Golden Masked Cannibal are a subvariant which can be considered the "chief" or leader of a tribe. As their name implies, they are cannibals donning a golden mask along with leather clothing and distinctive tribe markings. They can be either a regular cannibal or, more frequently, a Brute cannibal. They are often seen in villages or patrolling alongside several members of their tribe. Every village has a throne where the Golden Masked Cannibals can often be found sitting or sleeping.

### Titans

Titans are an imposing type of cannibal that seems to be specifically designed to destroy and barge through structures. Titans are towering, much more corpulent cannibals who appear with a bright, immaculate red skin. They will always appear naked and never don tribal markings or any other distinctive features

Much like the Brutes, Titans are not only capable of dealing powerful blows that will knock the player off their feet, but also perform charge attacks where they will jump at the player in an attempt to crush them with their body weight. They are also capable of destroying defensive walls or structures much faster than other cannibals, making them a potentially devastating opponent should they be part of a raiding party.

## Tribes

*Main article:* Cannibal Tribes
Cannibals can form different tribes that will be set when you spawn. It will be easy to identify different tribes by color or what they have on their armor. Factions can have different rituals, making them have different behaviors.

For example, one tribe may wear only bone armor and always attack on sight without fleeing, death in battle being an honor.

Another tribe may prefer ambushing prey from within the trees and wearing leaf armor to help them blend in with their surroundings. If you don't cut trees within their borders they may not attack you as much.

## Notes on the Behavior of Cannibals

Cannibals don't seem to understand nuance when it comes to interactions. For example, if you spare one of the Cannibals and give him time to recover, after a while the same Cannibals will attack you again. However, should you opt not to attack, no matter how aggressive they are, they will eventually back down. This means they only understand attacking and not attacking.

Cannibals are uncapable of swimming and will not follow the player in deep waters. Should they find themselves in a deep enough water source (usually when they attempt to lunge or charge) they will jerk around trying to swim before eventually drowning.

Dirty Cannibals seem to rapidly decline in numbers at the start of winter. There are fewer Cannibals in winter overall, and those that do appear tend to wear sweaters, coats and armor.

At the moment, no means of peaceful interaction with Cannibals has been identified. You can't share resources or trade with Cannibals. It will not be possible to build mutually beneficial relations.

Cannibal AI adapts to the player. If you actively feud with Cannibals and ravage their villages, kill their relatives, they will more actively seek battles with you. If not, they will be a little less aggressive, but still quite hostile.

There is a recorded case when Cannibals did not attempt to attack the player. If you do not touch them, avoid any direct contact with any Cannibals, then for at least 2 days they will not bother you, provided that you avoid their territory.