Can You Keep Kelvin Alive in Sons of the Forest? A Comprehensive Guide

The short answer is yes, you can keep Kelvin alive in Sons of the Forest, but it requires vigilance and understanding of the game’s mechanics. Kelvin, the helpful but mute companion, is a valuable asset to your survival journey. However, he’s not invincible, and his well-being is often dependent on your actions and awareness of the dangers around you. This article will explore how to keep Kelvin alive and thriving, along with answers to common questions about his survival and functionality.

Understanding Kelvin’s Vulnerabilities

Kelvin is susceptible to damage from several sources: cannibals, mutants, and even the player if you’re not careful. He doesn’t have an infinite health pool, and repeated attacks can quickly lead to his incapacitation. Once downed, he won’t automatically recover. This is crucial because if Kelvin takes enough damage, he will drop to the ground. This is the only state where you can heal him.

Healing Kelvin

When Kelvin is incapacitated, you’ll see a prompt to interact with him. This is usually achieved by holding down the interact button (often E on the keyboard). Keep the button held down and you will see a medical cross symbol. Continue until he is back on his feet. If you fail to heal Kelvin in time, or if he is killed outright, he will not respawn naturally. It is critical to act swiftly when he is downed to ensure his survival.

Preventative Measures

The best way to keep Kelvin alive is to prevent him from taking damage in the first place. This involves a few strategies:

• Combat Awareness: Keep an eye on Kelvin during combat encounters. Try to draw enemy attention away from him.
• Strategic Base Building: Set up defenses to protect your base, including walls and traps. This reduces the chances of Kelvin being attacked while carrying out assigned tasks.
• Task Management: Avoid assigning Kelvin to dangerous areas unless absolutely necessary. Assigning Kelvin to gather fish instead of entering dangerous zones for resources can minimize risk to his safety.
• Safe Task Assignment: Be mindful of the tasks you assign him. If you need logs, it may be beneficial to start the process and then ask him to carry them to a holder, rather than immediately asking him to collect logs.
• Quick Intervention: When you see Kelvin taking damage, immediately intervene. If cannibals are focused on you, this is a lot easier for them to target you rather than Kelvin.
• Regular Check-Ups: Stay in tune with his health level. There is no health bar available for Kelvin, but if you notice he takes a big beating in a fight, it’s best to keep him close for a while.

The Long-Term Consequences of Kelvin’s Death

If Kelvin dies, he will not respawn in the game. This means if you lose him, you will be without his help in your current playthrough, unless you resort to file manipulation or console commands. This is why the preventative measures listed above are critical.

Frequently Asked Questions About Kelvin

Here are 15 frequently asked questions about Kelvin, providing a more detailed understanding of his mechanics and role in Sons of the Forest:

1. How do I heal Kelvin in Sons of the Forest?

To heal Kelvin, you must interact with him when he is in a downed state. Walk up to him and hold the action button until he gets back up. You will see a medical cross appear, this is confirmation that you are healing him.

2. Is Kelvin useful in Sons of the Forest?

Absolutely. Kelvin is an incredibly useful companion who can gather resources, build structures, and even fish for you. He can significantly reduce the workload on the player.

3. Can you bury Kelvin in Sons of the Forest?

Yes, you can create a burial site for him using logs. However, if you do this and he dies, he will return as a mutant after 20 days, and will haunt you for the rest of the game.

4. Can Kelvin heal on his own?

No, Kelvin cannot heal himself. He is dependent on the player to heal him when he is downed.

5. Can you turn Kelvin off in Sons of the Forest?

There is no in-game option to turn Kelvin off or prevent him from spawning. If you don’t want him around, you would need to kill him and know that he would be gone for good on that save, or send him to stay at a shelter.

6. What happens if Kelvin dies?

If Kelvin dies in Sons of the Forest, he will not respawn for the rest of your save file. The only way to bring him back is to modify your save file.

7. How do you get rid of Kelvin’s dead body in Sons of the Forest?

You can glitch his body through the map using logs or bury him. Be aware of the consequence of the later mentioned in point 3.

8. Can I revive Kelvin in Sons of the Forest?

Officially, no. But you can revive Kelvin by altering the game’s save files. Locate the save files, usually in AppDataLocalLowEndnightSonsOfTheForestSaves. Then locate GameStateSaveData.json and change the value: “IsRobbyDead”:true to “IsRobbyDead”:false. In SaveData.json, search for “TypeId”:9 and change the “State”:2 to “State”:1

9. Why can’t I revive Kelvin?

The game does not have a standard revival feature for Kelvin. The method described in point 8 is the only way to revive him.

10. Why is Kelvin not getting logs?

Kelvin can only carry one log at a time and will take breaks. Cut down some trees and use ziplines to collect the logs so he can more efficiently take the logs to the desired location.

11. How do I make Kelvin fish?

If you’re near a water source, a prompt will appear to have Kelvin fish. You can use this instead of fishing yourself.

12. Does Kelvin set off traps?

Yes, Kelvin can trigger some traps like deadfall traps, but not spike walls.

13. Is Kelvin unkillable?

No, Kelvin is not unkillable. He can die from enemy attacks or by the player.

14. How do you give Kelvin weapons?

Currently, you cannot give Kelvin weapons in Sons of the Forest.

15. What is the command for Kelvin respawn in Sons of the Forest?

You can use the console command Addcharacter robby to summon a new Kelvin. Use Addvirginia for Virginia. This is useful if you need more help or if one is not in your game.

Final Thoughts

Keeping Kelvin alive in Sons of the Forest is achievable with caution, understanding, and strategic planning. By minimizing his exposure to danger, acting quickly when he’s hurt, and utilizing his skills effectively, you can ensure that this valuable companion remains a staple in your gameplay experience. Remember to protect him and he will protect you.