Raft is a fun survival game that has a lot to offer despite being in the early days of development. The game has a fully working multiplayer function and tons of objects that you can craft. It offers a unique challenge as you must survive and build while spending most of your time adrift at sea.
You have to worry about the dangers of the ocean, along with trying to keep yourself fed and hydrated. Gathering supplies and building up your base is the only way to ensure you don't end up failing in your quest to meet up with other humans.
Updated February 27, 2022 by Jessica Filby: Raft is a popular survival game that continues to welcome new players. Now these new players, and often seasoned players too, are constantly looking for Raft tips and tricks for success, particularly in the most important part of the game, the beginning. Even if you may not be a beginner, these tips will undoubtedly make your game easier, and maybe a little more enjoyable if you've been getting a bit stuck!
15 Collect All The Wood
Wood is one of the most important aspects of Raft. You need it to build, expand, cook, or even purify water so it's easy to just go through a huge amount of this resource before you even notice it's gone!
Once you have gone through the beginning stages of the game then you'll find that wood may not be the most used resource. But before you get to that stage, break barrels, loot islands, and grab as much wood as you possibly can.
14 Prioritize The Hammer And Spear
While you really need to be focusing on getting all the tools you can, some are a little bit more important than others. Particularly, the hammer and the spear. Ultimately, the spear will save your life and your raft on more occasions than you realize. It allows you to get rid of those pesky sharks, giving you a little bit of meat too.
As for the hammer, you can then go on rebuilding what that shark ends up destroying! It's a particularly useful tool to have as soon as you start the game, but focus on the spear. After all, it's better to have a dead shark than have to fix most of your raft.
13 Pick Up As Much As You Can
When it comes to playing Raft, resources are the most important aspect you need to look out for if you want to survive and thrive. Therefore, you really need to be focusing on picking up as much as you possibly can when sailing the open seas. Throw your sickle as high and as far as you can and try to time it so you can collect more than one resource from the seas at one time.
It's a skill you definitely have to master but is one you will be much better off for learning. Nevertheless, as soon as you get into the game, collect and pick up as much as you can and you'll be much better off for the rest of the game.
12 Finding The Radio
The only way to really progress the story of the game is by following the trash pile in the water. The trash will lead players to islands, and eventually, help them find the radio. The radio is a tool that needs to be used to start finding bigger islands and other humans in the game.
To ensure you are on the right path place a streamer on your boat and always ensure you are sailing in the direction it's pointing.
11 Prepare For Enemies
From the very start of the game, the shark will be chasing after your raft. While he isn't much of a threat with proper expansion, he will need to be fought off throughout the game. In addition, there are several islands now added in from the chapter 2 update that are just waiting to take a bite out of players.
To ensure that the raft is properly defended, players should start stocking up on spears early on.
10 Know Your Hook
The very second the game loads, you will be placed on a four-square raft with a single hook in your inventory. The hook is what you will need to use to gather the trash around you. There are two ways to gather trash with the hook, landing directly on top of the object or waiting until it is in your path and reeling in.
By mastering the hook, you can make the most out of your first hour of gameplay.
9 Expand Your Raft
You will need to expand your raft quickly to offer yourself protection and make room for needed tools. You will get a game over in no time if you don't add on to your raft. Just the cooking and water tools alone will take up most of your room, and you won't be able to place a sail.
Be sure to add on several blocks to get started.
8 Don't Build On The Edge
You will quickly learn that the shark will attack and destroy the edges of your raft. There isn't much you can do early on to actually ward him off, and you should always place tools away from the edge. If you plan to place nets or build a room, make sure there are raft squares surrounding it for padding.
This way, you won't have to worry about losing any important items.
7 Fish And Cook Water
You can go for days at a time without spotting an island in the game. Even when you do find one, there is a chance you won't find very much food or water. The best way to keep your stomach full is to make a fishing rod as quickly as possible to have surpluses of meat to grill.
While you are fishing, make sure to always be cooking water. There are no freshwater sources in the game, so players will need to have a continually rotating cup of water on their boat to no thirst to death.
6 You Don't Need To Stop At Every Island
As mentioned above, not every island will be well-stocked. While it can be great to stock up on supplies when you begin to run low, many islands are a waste of time. Keep a check on your supplies; if you can avoid having to dock on every island you see, then you can save a lot of time.
Keep in mind that the game's special islands are incredibly noticeable, so you shouldn't be able to miss them.
5 Friends Can Distract The Shark
If you are playing a multiplayer game, then you can easily find ways to distract the shark. If you need to swim out to a sinking raft or dive for clay, then a player can store their inventory and jump into the water first to lead the shark away while you gather materials.
This is a great strategy for those who always seem to get eaten while diving in shallow waters.
4 Make All The Items
By making all the items that appear in your crafting menu, you can be sure to unlock everything you need to create a better raft. By crafting wet bricks and setting them out to dry, you can get a furnace when studied. By studying iron, you can unlock more advanced tools.
This is the only way to make life easier for yourself.
3 Build A Streamer
The streamer will be able to help you navigate the game's story. Once a streamer is placed, just align your sail with the way it is blowing in the wind to get back on course. This can be helpful if you've drifted out of the trash flow and started to run low on supplies.
Try to build a streamer as soon as you craft your sail.
2 Keep Food Cooking
The best way to keep from starving or becoming dehydrated is to keep things cooking. Always replace the cup of water you just drank and the meat you take off of the grill. This way, you will always have food and water ready for consumption.
This is a great system to put in place if you are playing multiplayer.
1 Size Doesn't Matter
While you do need to expand your raft, having a castle won't help you survive any better. You need a raft large enough for the necessities like a grill, purifier, sail, bed, and a few nets. When you make an overly large raft, you eventually stop benefiting from the size.
This also takes up a ton of materials that could be used for making new tools.