Guides/Surviving Shipwrecked

WARNING: Since Shipwrecked is in early access, this guide may be subject to change.

This is a getting started guide, written primarily for the new Shipwrecked DLC, which introduces lots of new gameplay mechanics and changes. Techniques and strategies not unique to Shipwrecked are not discussed here, assuming the player has played Don't Starve and/or Reign of Giants before, otherwise see this guide.

Day 1
One should play Don't Starve how they usually play for the first day or maybe further, i.e, collect resources and food, Campfire for the night, etc.

Day 2-5
When the second day arrives (or third at the latest) and once has everything one should need, craft a Machete from the tab, and the recipe is 1 Twigs + 3 Flints. Use the Machete to hack down some Bamboo Patches and Viney Bushes, which will drop what one needs for a Raft, so gather 4 Bamboo + 3 Vines. Craft it from the tab, and deploy the boat onto water and interact with it to start sailing. One can also find Seaweed in shallow oceans, which is a semi-abundant and decent source of food early. When one reaches deep oceans, be sure to sail in the direction that the waves are going in, as doing so will provide a sailing speed boost. Be sure to avoid the waves though, as repeatedly touching them will make the player wet.

Tips:
 * Resources such as twigs and gold nuggets are scarcer in Shipwrecked, so one may have to sail out to further islands if one was unlucky. Due to the perceived scarcity of resources, food included, it is recommended to setup a Crock Pot ASAP to maximize efficiency, since most food types early in Shipwrecked eventually perish.
 * Poison is a new game mechanic, where players will slowly lose health and sanity indefinitely without an Anti Venom, and so is very deadly to the unprepared. Poison is inflicted by yellow monsters, Stink Rays, Poison Fart Clouds, and Poisonous Holes. To craft an Anti Venom, the recipe is x1 Venom Gland + x3 Seaweed + x2 Coral from the Icon Science.png tab, and Venom Glands can be found by killing poisonous enemies or by digging Poisonous Holes.
 * Crafting a Machete instead of a Spear is recommended, as they share the same durability and damage, but Machetes are far cheaper to craft than Spears.
 * Sea Hounds are the oceanic equivalents of Hound attacks, and will similarly occur every 3-13 days, but only if the player is at sea when a Hound attack is meant to occur. Before an attack, the player character will comment on their approach (i.e, Wilson says "I'm going to need a bigger boat..."), and the music will change. Unless the player is well equipped to fight at sea, it is better to kite them to an island shore and fight them from land.
 * Be sure to put one's base further away from the shore of islands, as incoming tides will increase one's wetness and put out Campfires.
 * The player can hammer the Debris that spawns around them for some extra Logs and a free Boat Repair Kit.
 * Three new sources of Gears in Shipwrecked are a new Chess biome set piece (has a Teleporto, shallow oceans, and coral) with Floaty Boaty Knights, which drop Gears. The others are Treasure Chests (from X Marks the Spots) or from the Slot Machine.

Day +5
Once a suitable island is found (medium or bigger), with enough food to sustain oneself, with/without Ice Boxes, and Crock Pots, place down the following:
 * Fire Pit and/or Chiminea (Icon Light.png tab)
 * Science Machine (Icon Science.png tab)
 * Alchemy Engine (Icon Science.png tab)
 * Crock Pots (Icon Food.png tab)
 * Chests (Icon Structures.png tab)

Tips:
 * A Chiminea is recommended instead for Hurricane and Monsoon season, if one can find the coral while sailing.
 * The player should try to gather materials for a Row Boat, it's recipe is x3 Boards + x4 Vines in the Icon Nautical.png tab with the Alchemy Engine. A Boat Torch and Thatch Sail is also recommended at the minimum, or better, a Boat Lantern and Cloth Sail.
 * Players may continue to mine or search for the Yaarctopus (found in Coral Reef biomes, which spawns in shallow oceans), and exchange raw fish and trinkets for Dubloons, which can be refined into gold nuggets. The Yaarctopus may also be given specific Shipwrecked crock pot recipes for specific boat items, such as a Thatch Sail or a Spyglass.
 * Craft some armor for self-protection, including a Machete (Seashell Suit at the minimum, or a Limestone Suit (will slow movement speed when worn), both from the Icon Fight.png tab)
 * An Ice Maker 3000 (Icon Science.png tab) can drastically reduce the player's hunger needs, if combined with a tree farm, and snake-spawning Viney Bushes and/or Spider Dens.
 * Around day 16, players may create a Meat Effigy (-30 from max Health for each one built), for Wilson (shaving his Beard) or for others, get sanity to below 80 and kill Beardling versions of Crabs for Beard Hair. If available, always bring an Life Giving Amulet along.

Hurricane Season
Hurricane Season is the second season in the Shipwrecked DLC, and is equivalent to Winter, though, freezing is not an issue and plants will still grow normally. By default, Hurricane Season begins on day 21 and ends on day 37. Seagulls will visit land, unlike the Calm Season, where they can only be found at sea.

Hurricane Season's hazards are strong rain, strong winds (which push the player in a particular direction and slows movement if they go against wind), and very frequent lightning (every 5-20 seconds). Hail also falls during Hurricane Season storms, which functions similarly to Ice, and provides a plentiful filler for Crock Pot recipes. Big Waves are frequent in deep oceans, and in late Hurricane Season, deep oceans only have Big Waves.

Tips:
 * A Chiminea is recommended, as they are not affected by strong winds, and so will not be put out, unlike a Campfire or Fire Pit.
 * Lighting Rods are also recommended, due to how frequent lightning is.
 * A Snakeskin Hat and Snakeskin Jacket set (Icon Dress.png tab) combined with a Tropical Parasol or Umbrella (Icon Survival.png tab) will fully protect the player from rain.