Don't Starve walkthrough: Pigs

For the most part, Wilson spends his time in Don’t Starve alone. Every other living creature is an animal either apathetic to his presence or actively hoping to rip his flesh from his bones… except, of course, for the Pigs. One of the few other intelligent sources of life in Don’t Starve, Pigs can both help and hinder your game in several ways.

Info

Pigs are hulking meat-eaters that live in small homes spread throughout the territory of each Don’t Starve world. Found living solo and in small- to sizable Pig Villages, Pigs spend their days wandering near their homes in a relentless search for food. They prefer meat, but will eat just about anything they find on the ground which looks edible.

Pigs are not hostile to Wilson, but they don’t immediately trust him either. If Wilson gets too close a Pig will skitter off to the side and demand he stay back. Pigs will only attack if Wilson attacks first… or under other, special conditions. That said, Pigs will immediately attack other creatures which are more aggressive than Wilson, such as Spiders, Hounds, and Killer Bees.

After getting Pig Skins - either from Pig Heads mounted on poles, dismantling Pig Houses or killing Pigs – Wilson can construct his own Pig Houses near his base. This can be highly beneficial for defensive purposes, as Pigs will attack aggressive creatures alongside Wilson and will re-spawn if killed.

Followers

Pigs will maintain a healthy distance from Wilson unless he brings them an offering of food. Give a Pig any kind of meat, good or bad, and it will follow Wilson around for up to two days, depending on the food given. Follower Pigs will defend Wilson whenever he gets into battles, can help him cut down trees if he uses an Axe, and will restore Wilson’s Sanity. Pigs panic when it gets dark, so make sure to build a fire when dusk settles in if you have a Pig.

If you fail to keep supplying your Pig with meat it will eventually run back to its Pig House, regardless of distance.

Variants

Pigs come in several different forms beyond the standard Pig.

• If a Pig eats four health-draining foods, most commonly Monster Meat, it will transform into a Werepig. Though short-lived, Werepigs are extremely aggressive and will attack Wilson on sight after consuming any food nearby. Werepigs don’t hit much harder than normal Pigs, but they move so fast that it’s difficult to escape one.
• Pig Kings are unique porkers that lounge in one spot near a Pig Village. Their only purpose is to exchange Gold Nuggets for gifts of meat from Wilson. It’s also possible to give them items dug up from graves.
• Pig Guardians are darker-skinned Pigs that typically remain near Pig Kings, though they can also be found near Pig Torches, which serve as their spawn points rather than Pig Houses. Pig Guardians hit a bit harder, can take more hits, and are far less tolerant of Wilson’s presence unless they’re guarding a Pig King.

Strategies

• Pigs will not attack a player for using a Hammer to deconstruct their houses. This is a good way to earn Pig Skins for building new Pig Houses back at your base.
• Though they prefer meat, Pigs will eat vegetables given to them. This will not make a Pig friendly, but it will produce Manure. Fast-acting.
• Because Pigs will eat any meat dropped on the ground near them, it’s not uncommon for a Pig attacking a Spider Den to quickly chow down on four pieces of Monster Food. Be ready to run or fight if your Pig suddenly turns into a Werepig.
• Pig Houses often spawn near, sometimes on, the webbing that comes out of Spider Dens. Consequently, of-screen battles between the two are common – and it’s not unusual to find Spider and Pig drops without explanation near the borders of their shared territory.
• Pigs are known as ‘innocent’ animals. Consequently, killing one will raise the chances of Krampus appearing. To get around this, you can have a Pig follow you and subject it to battle with multiple Spiders, then steal the drops it leaves behind when it dies.
• Pigs offer the most Sanity when you’re standing right beside them – but they will flee if you get too close, even if it is a follower. You can get around this by waiting until nighttime, when the Pig is sleeping near a fire you’ve created, and creeping close as it snoozes.
• Pigs will equip armour and dress items given to them by Wilson. Football Helmets in particular are useful, as they grant the Pig extra durability in combat.