Sons of the Forest forces players to adapt quickly to a dangerous island environment filled with aggressive enemies and harsh survival demands. While your starting tactical axe handles basic tasks, upgrading your tools is essential for establishing secure bases and defending against large cannibal raids. Acquiring the Modern Axe early in your playthrough provides a significant power spike that drastically improves your harvesting speed and combat capabilities.
Locating the Abandoned Campsite
Unlike many high-tier weapons that require diving gear or maintenance keycards, this powerful tool is sitting out in the open world. You need to head towards the southwestern region of the island, specifically targeting an abandoned campsite hidden within the dense forest. The camp is situated near the base of the snowy mountains, making it relatively easy to locate if you follow the local river paths.
As you approach the coordinates, look for a cluster of glowing lanterns, scattered supply crates, and abandoned tents. This area tells a silent story of previous explorers who failed to survive the island's nocturnal horrors. Keeping your eyes peeled for bright artificial lights will guide you directly to the center of the camp without needing complex underground navigation.
Claiming the Modern Axe
Once you successfully arrive at the campsite, the prize is waiting for you in the middle of the clearing. The Modern Axe is firmly lodged inside the torso of a deceased soldier slumped against a leather chair. You can easily retrieve the weapon by walking up to the body and pressing the primary interaction prompt.
Before you rush back into the wilderness, take a moment to thoroughly loot the surrounding tents and containers. This specific landmark is heavily stocked with essential survival resources, including medicines, electronics, MRE packs, and valuable ammunition. Gathering these extra supplies ensures your character remains fully prepared for any unexpected ambushes during your journey back home.
Combat and Harvesting Utility
The Modern Axe stands out as one of the most versatile mid-game tools available to players looking to maximize their daily efficiency. In terms of resource gathering, it cuts down massive trees in significantly fewer swings compared to your default starter tool. This accelerated chopping speed allows you to construct elaborate defensive walls and multi-story log cabins before nightfall arrives.
When it comes to raw combat performance, this weapon delivers incredible staggering power that can disrupt enemy attack animations. While it swings slower than lighter blades, a well-timed heavy strike can easily knock down a regular cannibal or shatter basic bone armor. Balancing its slower attack speed with defensive blocking will allow you to dominate one-on-one skirmishes throughout the early weeks of survival.
