Ultimate Beginner Guide 99 Nights in the Forest, Tips & Tricks

If you’re just getting started in 99 Nights in the Forest, you’ve probably noticed something: it doesn’t hold your hand. Between crafting systems, dangerous nights, and clueless teammates, learning how to survive here can be tough. That’s why we’ve put together this beginner guide packed with useful tips and tricks to help you avoid early deaths, progress faster, and actually enjoy your run. This isn’t just about surviving — it’s about thriving. Let’s break it all down. Also check out our 99 Nights in the Forest Tips & Official Links.

Should You Play Solo?

Here’s the first big decision: solo or multiplayer?

The game scales based on the number of players, which means if you’re in a 5-player server and others leave, you’re still stuck with enemies and events balanced for five people. This can quickly turn your game into a nightmare.

Best option?

Play solo or with trusted friends. A single-player run is completely viable and often easier than relying on randoms who may quit by Day 2. If you want a reliable experience, stick to private games.

How to Survive Faster

If you want to rack up days quickly (and collect those sweet badges), build beds and rescue the missing children.

• Beds: You can build a new bed every time you upgrade your Crafting Bench. Each bed adds a multiplier that increases the number of days that pass each night.
• Missing Children: Interact with the missing poster at your base to get clues. Follow the trails, find the cave, defeat the wolves nearby, and use the dropped key to unlock the cave. Return the child to your camp for another multiplier.

Stack both strategies for maximum efficiency.

How to Get Better Tools Fast

Don’t waste time chopping trees with the default axe. After building your first fire, immediately search for a Good Axe. Loot chests, barns, and other locations until you find one. It’ll save you hours over the long run.

You can also trade furs with the Fur Trader, who shows up randomly during evenings:

• Rabbit Foot → Wolf Pelt → Alpha Wolf Pelt → Bear Pelt

These trades can get you powerful gear like Revolvers, Giant Sacks, or even a Rifle. If RNG is on your side, this route can seriously speed up your progress.

What to Do During the Day

Early game days should be used wisely. Prioritize:

• Looting: Search buildings and containers for Scrap, better equipment, and ammo.
• Wood Gathering: Only start serious chopping after finding a Good Axe.
• Food Cooking: If your sack is full of meat, cook it all immediately over your Campfire.

Resource management is key — don’t waste time hoarding when you can prep for survival.

How to Get More Wood Efficiently

Each chopped tree gives:

• 3 Wood Logs
• 1 Tree Sapling

Pro tip: Always replant saplings near your base to ensure a future wood supply. If you’re far from camp, just plant it on the spot to save inventory space.

How to Best Use Wood

When it’s time to shred resources into fuel, don’t dump everything on the ground.

Instead: Stand in front of the Shredder and press the button to empty your Sack directly into it. The machine will automatically sort usable items while leaving unusable ones on top. This method is fast, clean, and way more efficient than dragging logs one by one.

How to Collect and Manage Food

Food in 99 Nights in the Forest doesn’t spoil, which means you can safely cook and store large amounts around your base.

• Meat is your best option: steaks from wolves are the most filling.
• Berries & carrots grow wild — pick them up as needed.
• Gardening? Skip it early on. Natural food sources are enough to keep you going.

When in doubt, stockpile cooked meat around the fire so everyone (including future you) can grab it when needed.

How to Handle the Deer

The creepy deer-like creature that stalks you at night is your main threat — but it’s not unstoppable.

• Light is your weapon. Shine your flashlight directly at it to drive it away.
• If unarmed or out of power, just run. You can outrun it, especially near your base.

You can even work during the night — chop trees, move items, and tend your base. Just stay in well-lit areas and stay calm.

What Flowers Do

Flowers work differently from other resources:

• They go into a shared team inventory, not your sack.
• Collecting them takes seconds and doesn’t use inventory space.
• You can trade flowers with the Fairy NPC for seeds.

Best pick: Berry Seeds — great for portable, fast-growing food during long runs.

Mastering 99 Nights in the Forest takes time, but with these beginner tips, you’ll dodge most of the rookie mistakes and build momentum early. From understanding game mechanics to getting better gear and making smarter use of your days, every step adds up. Stick to these survival basics, and you’ll push well past the early nights — maybe even to Day 300.