You're starving. It’s raining. You’ve just spent three hours trying to stop a naked cannibal from chewing on your firewood, and then you see her. A three-legged, three-armed woman in a swimsuit just... standing there. This is Virginia in Sons of the Forest, and honestly, she is the weirdest, most helpful, and most easily startled NPC you will ever meet. If you run at her swinging an axe, you’ve basically ruined your best chance at surviving the island's endgame.
She isn't like Kelvin. You don't just hand her a notepad and tell her to go pick up sticks. Virginia has agency. She’s skittish. She’s also the only person on this nightmare island who can dual-wield a shotgun and a pistol at the same time, which makes her a literal walking turret once you get on her good side.
The First Encounter is a Test of Patience
Most players mess this up. They see movement in the bushes, panic, and throw a spear. Don't do that. When you first spot Virginia in Sons of the Forest, she will likely approach you and then immediately sprint away. This is her "testing" you. She’s checking to see if you’re another one of the mindless mutants or if you’re actually a person.
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The trick is to do absolutely nothing. Put your weapons away. Press 'G' to unequip whatever you’re holding. If you have a GPS tracker or a severed head in your hand (hey, it happens), put it away. Just stand there. Sometimes she’ll dance. Sometimes she’ll offer you a blueberry. It feels slow, but building that rapport is the only way to recruit her.
Why She Acts the Way She Does
Endnight Games did something pretty smart with her AI. Unlike traditional companions who are tethered to your hip, Virginia operates on a sentiment system. If you kill her, she’s gone for the entire playthrough. No respawns. No "Oops, I accidentally poked her with a katana." If she dies, your save file is now a Virginia-free zone unless you feel like messing around with JSON files in your save folder to resurrect her.
She likes warmth. If you build a fire, she’ll gravitate toward it. If it’s raining, she’ll look for cover. She’s basically a cat in a swimsuit. You have to let her come to you on her own terms. It usually takes about two to three in-game days of peaceful proximity before the "interact" prompt finally appears.
Turning Virginia into a Defensive Powerhouse
Once she trusts you, the game changes. You can give her items. Most people immediately give her the GPS tracker so they don't lose her in the dense undergrowth, which is smart. But the real value comes from the weapons.
Virginia in Sons of the Forest is the only character who can use two weapons simultaneously. Because she has extra limbs, she can hold the pistol and the shotgun at once. The best part? She has infinite ammo. You don't need to craft shells or scavenge for 9mm rounds for her. You just hand her the hardware and let her go to town.
- Pistol: Great for keeping cannibals at a distance. She’s surprisingly accurate.
- Shotgun: Essential for cave explorations or when the "fingers" mutants start raiding your base.
- GPS Tracker: Put this on her immediately. She wanders. A lot.
It’s kind of hilarious watching her. One minute she’s gracefully pointing out a patch of aloe vera, and the next she’s unloading a 12-gauge into a mutant’s face without blinking. She doesn't have a "stay" command like Kelvin does, though. She goes where she wants. If you’re planning a long trek to a specific bunker, she might follow you, or she might get distracted by a squirrel. You just have to roll with it.
The Clothing System and Survival
She starts in a swimsuit, which is... not ideal for a cannibal-infested forest or the snowy mountains. You can find different outfits for her around the map. There’s a dress in one of the bunkers and a camouflage suit in a kayak on the coast.
Changing her clothes isn't just cosmetic; it changes how she interacts with the environment. In the winter, she’ll get cold. If you don't give her something warmer, she’ll spend all her time shivering by the fire instead of patrolling your perimeter. The camo suit is generally the favorite for most players because it fits the vibe of the forest, but the leather suit you find in the maintenance bunkers is a solid choice too.
Understanding Her Signals
Virginia doesn't talk. She gestures. If she starts pointing frantically, there’s an enemy nearby. If she beckons you to follow her, do it. She usually leads you to resource crates, abandoned campsites, or food sources. She’s basically the game’s way of rewarding you for not being a murderous hermit.
I’ve had moments where I was completely out of food, health low, staring at a campfire, and she just walked up and dropped a dead squirrel at my feet. It’s a weirdly wholesome moment in a game that is otherwise about chopping limbs off people.
Common Bugs and "Virginia Logic"
Let’s be real: the AI isn't perfect. Sometimes Virginia in Sons of the Forest will get stuck in a walking animation against a rock. Other times, she might decide to hang out in a lake for three hours. If she goes missing and you don't have a tracker on her, check the nearest water source or the last place you built a fire.
She also has a weird habit of getting in the way when you’re trying to chop down trees. I’ve nearly taken her head off with a falling log more times than I can count. If you see her dancing near your construction site, maybe go pick some berries elsewhere until she moves.
Maximizing Your Efficiency with Both Companions
The "dream team" is Kelvin and Virginia working in tandem. You tell Kelvin to clear the floor and finish the structure, which keeps him busy in the center of your base. Virginia acts as the outer perimeter.
Because she doesn't take orders, you can't force her to guard the north wall. However, she tends to stay near "home" structures. If you have a bed and a fire, she stays close. This creates a natural defense. Kelvin handles the logistics; Virginia handles the security. It allows you to actually focus on the story and the bunkers instead of constantly worrying if a stray mud-man is going to wreck your drying rack.
Actionable Next Steps for Your Playthrough:
To get the most out of Virginia, you need to prioritize three locations immediately after befriending her. First, head to the northwest coast to find the shotgun (you'll need the shovel first). Second, hit the maintenance bunkers to find her clothing options so she stays functional during the seasonal shifts. Finally, ensure you have a GPS tracker from one of the purple markers on your map; without it, you'll lose your most valuable asset the moment she sees a butterfly and decides to chase it across the island. Stop treating her like a tool and start treating her like a teammate—her AI responds much better when you aren't constantly sprinting into her personal space with a chainsaw.