Sons of the Forest: How to Use The Artifact and What it Does

Now that Sons of the Forest has left early access, it’s time to start piecing together all those unsolved mysteries. Here’s how to use the strange Artifact in Sons of the Forest.

How to Use the Artifact in Sons of the Forest

While the various pieces of the fragmented Artifact may have been present in Sons of the Forest for months, the game’s recent 1.0 launch finally allows players to actually use the item. Previously, survivors could discover the various pieces and assemble the puzzle but were left disappointed when it didn’t do anything. Fortunately, that’s now changed. The Artifact serves three purposes:

1. Turning items into gold
2. Instant teleportation
3. Repelling and Attracting hostile NPCs

Related: What Do the Skin Pouches Do in Sons of the Forest?

To make use of these various functions, you’ll have to make various preparations first. Starting with turning items into gold, this is probably the most straightforward use of The Artifact. If you want to give your base the Midas touch, you’ll first want to gather up a decent amount of Solafite, a mineral that can be found in various caves around the island. With a collection of the ore in your pockets, you can “load” The Artifact with Solafite, and once it’s holding enough, simply point the item at any structure and “use” it. After a brief animation, you’ll be greeted with some golden furniture. It’s not just an aesthetic upgrade: Items covered in gold are much more durable, meaning if you have enough Solafite on hand, you can create an almost impenetrable base.

How to Teleport in Sons of the Forest

One of the new additions to Sons of the Forest 1.0 launch is the Teleporter, a structure that will require a decent resource investment of 50 bones, 33 rocks, and eight skulls. Once built, you’ll be able to aim The Artifact at the Teleport and “use” it, sending what looks like electricity coursing through it. With that working, “using” The Artifact at any point will instantly warp players back to the Teleporter from anywhere on the island. Ideal for a desperate spelunker who maybe bites off more than they can chew while exploring the the depths. Be warned that teleporting requires one Solafite, so if you don’t have any in your inventory, you’ll be stuck.

Related: How to Give Kelvin Weapons in Sons of the Forest

Finally, players can now construct shrines that, when charged with The Artifact’s energy, can either attract or repel enemies by lowering and increasing their fear. To construct the “Repel Shrine,” you’ll need to gather 49 bones, seven rocks, and six skulls. Once erected, load it up with six pieces of Solafite and blast it with The Artifact. Any humanoid enemies will flee from your location, which is fantastic for establishing a perimeter around your base while also avoiding needless fights.

If you’d rather bring your foes to you, then building the “Attract Shrine,” which will cost 24 bones, 11 skulls, and 10 rocks, is the move. The process is similar to the “Repel Shrine” in that once it’s built, all you need to do is activate it with The Artifact, with no Solafite required. Once it’s charged, mutants will begin gathering around it, so make sure your axe is sharp!

And that’s how to use The Artifact and what it does in Sons of the Forest. If you’re looking for more, check out our picks for the best games like Sons of the Forest.

Sons of the Forest is available on PC.