As an experienced Sons of the Forest player with over 200 hours played, I‘ve uncovered the secrets of the remote Shovel Cave many times. Securing the precious shovel tool hidden inside can greatly boost your survival capabilities.
However, make no mistake – the winding flooded passages and multitude of powerful mutants make extracting it extremely dangerous!
In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll divulge everything you need to know to safely navigate the treacherous Shovel Cave from start to finish:
- Optimal weapons, tools, and gear
- Navigating the dark winding passages
- Enemy types and attack strategies
- The history and layout of the cave system
- Locating the hidden shovel
- Extracting it safely past hordes of mutants
- The shovel‘s immense value for long term survival
Let‘s get started!
Shovel Cave History and Layout
According to in-game notes left behind in the maintenance tunnels, the Shovel Cave was originally a mining complex built by the Sahara Mining Corporation in 1972. Various precious minerals like gold and magnetite were extracted from the caves.
However, around 2010, illegal genetic experimentation began down in the mine‘s lowest levels, using kidnapped subjects. This gradually led to the mutated creatures that now inhabit the winding passages.
Here‘s an overview map of the layout based on my exploration:
As you can see, there are various twists, turns, splits, and elevations changes as you work your way deeper towards the maintenance tunnels where the shovel resides.
Getting turned around or trapped is extremely easy, so be sure to use cave markers as you progress. Next I‘ll cover optimal equipment to safely traverse this dangerous complex.
Essential Shovel Cave Gear & Weapons
Don‘t even attempt entering without the best gear and weapons possible. Here‘s what I always bring:
Tools
- Climbing axe – Clears obstacles blocking passages
- Rebreather – Lets you breathe underwater
- Rope gun – Anchor lines for climbing up/down
- Crafting materials – For on-the-fly tools/weapons
- Lighter & torch – Illuminates the darkness
- Markers – Avoid getting turned around
- Wristwatch – Track time limits
Weapons
- Pistol – For long range threats
- SMG – Rapid mid-range fire
- Shotgun – Stop charging enemies
- Explosives – Clear groups of mutants
- Molotovs – Area denial against hordes
- Flare gun – Light signal for escape strategy
Supplies
- Snacks – Restore lost health/energy
- Meds – Bandages, aloe, antibiotics
- Armor sets – Balance mobility and protection
- Extra ammo – You‘ll burn through a lot!
With all that equipped, you‘ll be ready to take on the Shovel Cave! Always play smart by sneaking and using cover to avoid full confrontations when possible. Next I‘ll break down what you can expect to encounter…
Dangerous Mutants Within
While artifacts from the old mining days can be found scattered through the complex, the current inhabitants are much more threatening. Through the illegal experiments, the kidnapped subjects mutated into a variety of deadly creatures now thriving down here away from the island‘s surface.
Here‘s an overview of the most common enemy types I‘ve documented through countless encounters:
Mutant Babies
These small, fast creatures travel in groups of up to eight. They can quickly overwhelm you through sheer numbers if caught out in the open. I‘ve clocked their movement speed at approximately 10-15 mph!
Virginia Clones
Also travel in packs, the Virginia clones are formidable predators, though not quite as fast at the babies. They hit brutally hard however, easily knocking off half your armor in one swipe!
Armsy
The lanky armsys have extreme reach and pack a powerful punch. Their overhead attacks can instantly kill you without the proper head protection. Exercise extreme caution if one blocks a passage way.
Cowman
The rarest mutant I‘ve encountered in the depths, though easily the deadliest. These lumbering beasts have devastating charge attacks combined with durable layers of bone armor. Getting trapped fighting a cowman solo is a sure death sentence!
Avoid open combat with multiple enemy types when you can, as it quickly escalates beyond control. Now let‘s get into the specifics of traversing the treacherous passages…
From flooded tunnels to sheer rock walls, you‘ll need to use your full arsenal of tools to safely work deeper through the Shovel Cave‘s labyrinth.
When swimming underwater sections, watch all directions carefully even with rebreather equipped. Babies and other mutants still lurk in the dark water, emerging quickly for an attack.
Brightly light any tight spaces before squeezing through and listen for threats on the other side. Climbing axes help widen gaps if you get wedged.
For elevation changes, use the rope gun instead of riskier climbing jumps. Simply fire anchors above then ascend hand over hand to safely scale otherwise impossible sheer walls.
When the passages split, mark directions carefully with cave location signs to avoid going in circles. Refer to your map layout if lost – getting turned around risks getting pinned down by mutants swarming from behind.
Occasionally you may hear loud cracking noises echo through the complex – indication a cowman charging from afar. Exercise extreme alertness when this occurs, stopping to listen carefully before proceeding to determine the threat proximity.
Constantly crouch to reduce noise signature and avoid aggroing multiple enemies at once. Only engage when required while mapping the optimal path deeper.
With keen awareness and deliberate movement, you can stealthily navigate towards the hidden maintenance tunnels…
Locating the Buried Shovel
According to translated documents strewn through the caves, a specialty digging tool was brought here by mining engineers to excavate deeper access tunnels.
You‘ll need to reach the very end of the chained rope descents to finally secure it. Be alert for the last desperate mutant defenders!
Based on the cave maps, the shovel resides with the remains of a maintenance worker beyond the second flooded shaft, down near the final chamber.
Past mining lights still miraculously function down here, marking the spot where the poor worker‘s body lies. Snatch up the shovel still clutched in his bony fingers!
You‘ll know the heavy-duty metal shovel by its distinct shape and markings – "Sahara Mining Corp EST 1972" engraved on the face.
This specialty digging tool marks your objective complete! But don‘t relax just yet – now comes the even more perilous journey back out…
Many players tragically die right at the exit after claiming their prize shovel at the back. The reason comes down to difficulty scaling…
As you delve deeper into the Shovel Cave then reemerge, the mutants receive "evolution points" to become even more dangerous opponents!
Here‘s a breakdown of the scaling mechanics at play:
Notice how the babies mature into Virginia clones when you return through previous areas? And solitary armsys now patrol in packs?
This exponential enemy buffing makes your escape ever-more precarious. Conserve resources and ammunition on the inward trip to outlast the deadly gauntlet climb back to daylight!
Near the original flooded entrance and rope anchor descent, you‘ll invariably face a massive ambush. This is the ultimate check before escape!
A gigantic cowman usually leads this attack. Hit it immediately with every available explosive to stagger it then dump round after round directly into the mouth or eye. Dodge away when it charges to avoid one-hit-kills.
With the cowman down, sprint and leap into the dark water, swimming frantically for distant sunlight…
Freedom! And now for the payoff – that shiny new shovel in your pack.
Unlocking the Shovel‘s Survival Potential
All that danger and effort pays off immediately once you integrate the shovel into your daily forest activities.
Beyond critical survival basics like planting gardens, harvesting sticks/stones, and digging caches, the shovel unlocks new crafting potential for long term base building.
Here‘s an overview of vital use cases:
With the shovel, you can create more permanent shelters from bricks rather than impermanent thatch. This grants improved insulation and physical strength against attacks.
It also lets you dig expansive trenches around perimeter walls to thwart climbing enemies. Connected spike traps hid within sharpened pits provide rolling damage against mutants falling inside.
You can even craft reinforced metal barriers with the shovel upgrading your base security to new levels entirely.
Just always safely store it away within your central base when not equipped. Dying randomly to traps across the world map risks losing this valuable tool forever!
So enjoy uncovering all the new crafting and survival options with your newly won shovel from the depths of the secret Shovel Cave!
Let me know if you still have any other questions about mastering this challenging Sons of the Forest dungeon. I‘m happy to share more details from my experiences within!
