The Year of the Varg is an event in Don't Starve Together, lasting from February 9th until March 16th, 2018. It is inspired by the Chinese Year of the Dog, which started from February 16th, 2018, and continues until February 4th, 2019. In the Chinese zodiac, each year is related to an animal in a 12-year cycle.
It is similar to the Year of the Gobbler event, which came in the year before, and shares mechanics with it, such as the Offerings crafting tab, and most craftable items from that event. However, there were several additions and differences implemented into the event, especially concerning the obtainment of Lucky Gold Nuggets. Spring Chests have a chance of dropping in place of Classy items as part of the weekly skin drops.
During the Year of the Varg event, the Knitted Puppy Hat Skin is given to players upon opening the game.
Players can revisit this event by setting Events to Year of the Varg in the world creation menu. Event-only themed skins will be disabled when revisiting the event.
Varg Shrine
The Varg Shrine is a craftable Structure located in the Structures Tab, and requires 8 Gold Nuggets and 2 Boards to craft. It is always available to craft and does not require prototyping. Offering a Torch to the Varg Shrine will grant players access to the Offerings Tab where they are able to acquire event-specific items using Lucky Gold Nuggets.
While a Torch is in the Shrine, its fuel usage rate is multiplied by 0.2 - so a Torch with 100% durability, which would usually last for 75 seconds, will last for 375 seconds (6.25 minutes) instead. Once the Torch runs out, the Varg Shrine will no longer be active.
Clay Varg
Clay Vargs spawn from Suspicious Dirt Piles like normal Vargs do if there is an activated Varg Shrine in the world. They will appear as a statue surrounded by twelve Clay Hounds and will wake up if a player approaches them and stays in front of the Clay Varg for an extended period of time. Clay Vargs have the same health and fighting stats as normal Vargs, but will drop 4-6 Red Pouches instead of Monster Meat. They additionally drop 1-3 Hound's Teeth.
Unlike normal Vargs, Clay Vargs are unable to summon Clay Hounds or regular Hounds. They cannot be set on fire or put to sleep.
Clay Hound
Clay Hounds spawn from Suspicious Dirt Piles in two groups of six next to the Clay Varg. They share the same health and fighting stats with regular Hounds, except for being a little slower. Upon being killed, they have a 20% chance to drop a Red Pouch and a 10% chance to drop a Hound's Tooth.
Clay Hounds cannot be set on fire or put to sleep.
Lucky Gold Nugget
–Wilson, when examining a Lucky Gold Nugget.
–Willow, when examining a Lucky Gold Nugget.
–Wolfgang, when examining a Lucky Gold Nugget.
–Wendy, when examining a Lucky Gold Nugget.
–WX-78, when examining a Lucky Gold Nugget.
–Wickerbottom, when examining a Lucky Gold Nugget.
–Woodie, when examining a Lucky Gold Nugget.
–Maxwell, when examining a Lucky Gold Nugget.
–Wigfrid, when examining a Lucky Gold Nugget.
–Webber, when examining a Lucky Gold Nugget.
–Winona, when examining a Lucky Gold Nugget.
–Wortox, when examining a Lucky Gold Nugget.
Lucky Gold Nuggets are used to acquire items from the Offerings Tab and can be obtained from Red Pouches dropped by Clay Vargs and Clay Hounds.
Offerings Tab
See also: Offerings Tab (Year of the Gobbler)
Tab Icon.
The following items can be obtained from the Offerings Tab when standing next to an activated Varg Shrine, each of them having a different function. Similar to the Ancient Tab and the Ancient Pseudoscience Station, these items cannot be prototyped and then made on the go in the future; in order to craft an item under this tab, the player must always be near a Varg Shrine.
Red Firecrackers
Three Firecrackers can be acquired in exchange for 1 Lucky Gold Nugget at the Varg Shrine. They can be set on fire with a Torch or Lighter to produce sparkles, and will be destroyed in the process. When set off, nearby Mobs such as Hounds will be startled and cower in fear, giving the Firecrackers a use apart from the festivities.
Firecrackers are also introduced in the Hamlet DLC.
Red Lantern
Red Lanterns can be acquired in exchange for 3 Lucky Gold Nuggets at the Varg Shrine and can be equipped in the hand slot. They do not produce as much light as regular Lanterns, but have a higher durability. Red Lanterns last for 12 Days.
Lucky Whistle
Lucky Whistles can be acquired in exchange for 3 Lucky Gold Nuggets at the Varg Shrine. Blowing the whistle will tame nearby Hounds (including Clay Hounds) for 40 seconds. Tamed Hounds will follow the player around, but will not attack them. However, they will still attack other Mobs as they normally would. A player can only have five Hounds tamed at a time. The Lucky Whistle can be used ten times.
Figure Sketches
Clay Hound Figure Sketches and Clay Varg Figure Sketches can be acquired at the Varg Shrine in exchange for 8 Lucky Gold Nuggets and 16 Lucky Gold Nuggets, respectively. They can then be given to a Potter's Wheel to be able to sculpt Hound Figures and Varg Figures.
Lucky Beast
–Wilson, when examining a Lucky Beast Head.
–Willow, when examining a Lucky Beast Head.
–Wolfgang, when examining a Lucky Beast Head.
–Wendy, when examining a Lucky Beast Head.
–WX-78, when examining a Lucky Beast Head.
–Wickerbottom, when examining a Lucky Beast Head.
–Woodie, when examining a Lucky Beast Head.
–Maxwell, when examining a Lucky Beast Head.
–Wigfrid, when examining a Lucky Beast Head.
–Webber, when examining a Lucky Beast Head.
–Winona, when examining a Lucky Beast Head.
–Wortox, when examining a Lucky Beast Head.
–Wilson, when examining a Lucky Beast Body.
–Willow, when examining a Lucky Beast Body.
–Wolfgang, when examining a Lucky Beast Body.
–Wendy, when examining a Lucky Beast Body.
–WX-78, when examining a Lucky Beast Body.
–Wickerbottom, when examining a Lucky Beast Body.
–Woodie, when examining a Lucky Beast Body.
–Maxwell, when examining a Lucky Beast Body.
–Wigfrid, when examining a Lucky Beast Body.
–Webber, when examining a Lucky Beast Body.
–Winona, when examining a Lucky Beast Body.
–Wortox, when examining a Lucky Beast Body.
–Wilson, when examining a Lucky Beast Tail.
–Willow, when examining a Lucky Beast Tail.
–Wolfgang, when examining a Lucky Beast Tail.
–Wendy, when examining a Lucky Beast Tail.
–WX-78, when examining a Lucky Beast Tail.
–Wickerbottom, when examining a Lucky Beast Tail.
–Woodie, when examining a Lucky Beast Tail.
–Maxwell, when examining a Lucky Beast Tail.
–Wigfrid, when examining a Lucky Beast Tail.
–Webber, when examining a Lucky Beast Tail.
–Winona, when examining a Lucky Beast Tail.
–Wortox, when examining a Lucky Beast Tail.
The three costume pieces of the Lucky Beast are hats and can be obtained in exchange for 8 Lucky Gold Nuggets each at the Varg Shrine.
While they are worn as hats, the "/dance" emote will be replaced with a different dancing animation. If the player simultaneously wears a costume piece and dances, a Sanity bonus equal to that of the Tam o' Shanter (+6.7 
per minute) will be applied to the character. This bonus is increased if there are more players participating in the vicinity (wearing a costume piece and dancing). This bonus can stack up to a max of 3 times (+20 per minute), for three players dancing.[Verification Needed]
Durability only decreases when the character is dancing while wearing a costume. Durability lasts for a day, and a Sewing Kit will repair 100% of its durability.
Figures
–Wilson, when examining a Varg Figure.
–Willow, when examining a Varg Figure.
–Wolfgang, when examining a Varg Figure.
–Wendy, when examining a Varg Figure.
–WX-78, when examining a Varg Figure.
–Wickerbottom, when examining a Varg Figure.
–Woodie, when examining a Varg Figure.
–Maxwell, when examining a Varg Figure.
–Wigfrid, when examining a Varg Figure.
–Webber, when examining a Varg Figure.
–Winona, when examining a Varg Figure.
–Wortox, when examining a Varg Figure.
–Wilson, when examining a Hound Figure.
–Willow, when examining a Hound Figure.
–Wolfgang, when examining a Hound Figure.
–Wendy, when examining a Hound Figure.
–WX-78, when examining a Hound Figure.
–Wickerbottom, when examining a Hound Figure.
–Woodie, when examining a Hound Figure.
–Maxwell, when examining a Hound Figure.
–Wigfrid, when examining a Hound Figure.
–Webber, when examining a Hound Figure.
–Winona, when examining a Hound Figure.
–Wortox, when examining a Hound Figure.
Varg Figures and Hound Figures can be crafted from the Sculpt Tab after acquiring their respective Sketches from the Varg Shrine and giving them to a Potter's Wheel. Depending on whether the player chooses to place 1 Marble or 1 Cut Stone on the wheel before sculpting, the resulting Figure will either be white or black. Varg Figures additionally require 2 Rocks and 2 Hound's Teeth to craft, while the Hound Figures require 2 Rocks and 1 Hound's Tooth.
Similar to Chess Pieces, Varg and Hound Figures can be carried around on the players' backs and can be used for decorational purposes.
Trivia
- The Verdant Skin Collection was added alongside the event.
- The event was originally announced to end on March 1, 2018. However, on that day, the event was extended to March 16.
- During the time of the event, the theme in the main menu of the game is slightly different by being mixed with Chinese instruments.
- The Hound Figure's crafting description ("It ain't nothing but a clay hound dog.") is a reference to the Elvis Presley song "Hound Dog".
- The two Vargling skins introduced with the Year of the Varg event (the Purebred and Pedigree Varglings) resemble two dog breeds believed to originate from China (the Chow Chow and Shih Tzu, respectively).
- According to Rhymes with Play #179, the reason that the new Clay Hounds and Vargs in the event are earthen-themed is because Kris discovered that the Chinese lunar year that the event was held in (2018) was associated with the element of earth.
Gallery
 A promotional image for the event posted by Klei Entertainment on 2/9/18.  The game image for Don't Starve Together on Steam during the Year of the Varg event.  An example of a Clay Varg and Clay Hounds spawning at the end of a hunt.  Clay Varg and Hound awakening.  A frozen Clay Hound.  A dead Clay Hound.  A frozen Clay Varg.  A dead Clay Varg.  Five Hounds tamed with a Lucky Whistle.  Five Clay Hounds tamed with a Lucky Whistle.  A Clay Hound Figure from the event.  A Clay Varg Figure from the event.  Wilson holding a Red Lantern.  A complete Lucky Beast Costume lying on the ground.  A burnt Varg Shrine.  A loading screen exclusive to the event.  Promotional image for Year of the Varg without title of the event.  A promotional image for the Year of the Varg event in Rhymes with Play # 179.  Concept art for some YotV skins from Rhymes with Play # 179.  Concept art for some YotV/Valentine skins from Rhymes with Play # 179.  An early in-game model for the Clay Varg from Rhymes with Play # 179.  An early in-game model for the Clay Varg at night from Rhymes with Play # 179.  Some models for the Clay Hound and Varg from Rhymes with Play # 179.  Some early artwork for the DST main menu during the Year of the Varg event from Rhymes with Play # 179.  Concept art for the Varg Shrine and Lucky Whistle from Rhymes with Play # 179.  A Clay Varg as seen in a drawing from Art Stream # 7. |
| Events | |
| Yearly Seasonal Events | Hallowed Nights (2016-) • Winter's Feast (2016-) • Year of the Gobbler (2017) • Year of the Varg (2018) • Year of the Pig King (2019) • Year of the Carrat (2020) • Year of the Beefalo (2021) • Midsummer Cawnival (2021-) • Year of the Catcoon (2022) • Year of the Bunnyman (2022) |
| Temporary Events | The Forge (November 9, 2017 - December 4, 2017; November 8, 2018 - December 3, 2018) The Gorge (June 14, 2018 - July 16, 2018) |