How to Survive a Hound Wave in Don't Starve

Preparing the Necessities

Make your tools. You’ll need a pickaxe and an axe to gather some of the required materials for this venture. They’re both available through the Tools tab (crossed axe and pickaxe icon). Axes cost 1 each of Twig (gathered from dried-out bushes scattered in the world) and Flint (sharp-looking rock that’s scattered everywhere in the game), while pickaxes cost 2 each of the same materials. To use tools, select one by right-clicking on the tool (PC) or scrolling to it with the right analog stick and pressing the right button of the D-pad (PS4). Go up to the tree (axe) or boulder (pickaxe) and hold down the left mouse button (PC) or X button (PS4) to wear them down into gatherable materials.

Gather the necessary materials. Now that you have your tools, get going and get gathering! Make sure you chop down some trees for Logs since they’re vital for creating a Science Machine. Gathering some Rocks from boulders is also a priority, both for the Science Machine and also for other creations. Gathering Cut Grass from tufts of long grass poking from the ground is also vital for campfires and torches. Rocks can be found scattered everywhere, much like flint, but are less common and are more easily obtained by mining boulders. Everything you gather, save for Logs, can stack up to 40 per inventory slot. Logs stack up to 20 per inventory slot.

Create a Science Machine. You’ll need a Science Machine to create the necessary items for your survival. A Science Machine costs 1 Gold Nugget, 4 Logs, and 4 Rocks, and is the very first crafting station you can make. You can gather Gold Nuggets by trading Meats to the Pig King (if he’s available in the current world), mining yellow-streaked boulders (which are predominantly found in Rockylands), or by finding them scattered around Graveyards. Craft the Science Machine where you’ll be camping permanently, since it cannot be moved and carried around once placed. If you want a more advanced crafting station for more advanced ventures, you’re better off making an Alchemy Engine, which costs 4 Boards, 2 Cut Stones, and 6 Gold. You can craft Boards and Cut Stones through the Science Machine on the Refine tab, represented by a diamond icon.

Preparing Yourself

Make a Spear. Spears cost 1 Rope, 1 Flint, and 2 Twigs, and are first crafted through the Science Machine’s Fight tab, which is represented by a crossed swords icon. This is the first true weapon of the game and is rather efficient when it comes to killing early-game mobs. Equipping it is identical to equipping your tools: select your item then equip it with right click or the right direction button.

Make armor. You’ll want armor to go with your Spear if you want to survive this ordeal. While it won’t completely repel damage, it lessens it greatly and will help keep you from losing too much health.The two most efficient armors available early on are the Grass Suit and the Log Suit. Grass Suits can be crafted at the very beginning of the game and cost 10 Cut Grass and 2 Twigs. You equip them the same way you equip your tools and spear. Log Suits require the Science Machine to make the first time, and cost 8 Logs and 2 Ropes.

Stock on healing items. Once you’re done arming yourself, take stock of what healing items you can craft. Stockpiling Butterfly Wings, Spider Glands, and Mosquito Sacs is a good tactic, but taking some Jerky with you, cooking food in your Crock Pot, and making Healing Salves would be better off in the long run, as long as you have the right resources. Healing Salves cost 2 Ashes (obtained from extinguished Campfires), 1 Rock, and 1 Spider Gland; it heals for 20 Health, compared to the 8 Health healed by the Spider Gland. To make Jerky, you'll need to make a Drying Rack first, which is made with a Science Machine and requires 3 Rope, 3 Twigs, and 2 Charcoal. Upon creating a Drying Rack, you can then place a piece of Meat of any kind on the rack, including Frog Legs, Batilisk Wings, and Monster Meat. Approach the rack and using the left mouse button or X to place the meat. After a few days you'll have your Jerky ready for consumption! You can make a Crock Pot with a Science Machine for 6 Charcoal, 6 Twigs, and 3 Cut Stone. The Crock Pot's cooking mechanic requires you to put in 4 items of food in the four slots to cook, and takes about a minute to complete. Most meals can restore a great amount of Health, as long as you figure out the recipe. You can use Twigs as fillers for recipe, which would usually save you from using up more important “edible” ingredients. Be careful when adding Monster Meats and Durians, though. Use too much without a twig, and you’ll end up with a Monster Lasagna, an incredibly damaging food that gives a hefty penalty to Health and Sanity.

Learning Survival Tactics

Keep running. Facing them head-on is always a terrible idea, since they arrive in a group, so running away from them is always a good idea. Though they are generally faster than you on foot, running along a Road and Path increases your speed considerably, perfect for kiting and hit-and-run tactics. Hounds don’t disappear after a set amount of time and are excessively hostile, so the only way to get rid of them is by killing them.

Distract them. Hounds are easily distracted by the promise of Meat, so dropping a piece of Meat you don’t mind losing or running through a bunch of Rabbit Holes would ensure they get distracted from chasing you, leaving them vulnerable to your spear.

Lead them to traps. The best way to keep them from hurting you while keeping them dead is by leading them to Marshes or areas with Beefalo, Tallbirds, or Pigs. Marshes are very hazardous place to explore, but a quick run through it would usually keep the nasties from getting to you, especially if they’re distracted by the Hounds. Beefalo Herds and Pig Villages work the same, since Beefalo fight back and Pigs dislike them by nature. Once you hear the last Hound die, you can then go back and pick your loot up! Be careful when picking things up in the Marsh, though. If you see stray items there, chances are that a Tentacle is nearby, and they hit hard and are harder to kill than Hounds. If you have the right materials, you can lead them to your own traps, like Bee Bombs. Bee Bombs can first be crafted from the Fight tab with a Science Machine for 1 Board, 4 Bees, and 1 Flint, and are “armed” by pressing right the mouse button or the left direction button. Whenever anything aside from you approaches the bomb, it will explode, sending the bees at the direction of what triggered it. If you managed to get a hold of an Alchemy Engine and some Hound Teeth from previous attacks, you can make a Tooth Trap with a Log, a Rope, and a Hound Tooth in the Fight tab.

Don’t get cornered! Getting cornered is the worst possible thing to experience when under attack by Hounds. They attack as a group, and even with the best armor possible, you’re still vulnerable to damage. Since Hounds increase in numbers for every few succeeding attacks, the danger of getting cornered increases as well, so don’t get caught and you won’t be mauled!