Sons of the Forest includes two NPC characters – Kelvin and Virginia – which are useful allies to have on your side. However, players can also choose to kill them.
Additionally, many players have killed these NPCs by accident, due to being unaware of their importance.
For instance, while Virginia can be a great asset, the fact that she is a mutant has made many players kill her simply out of reaction; you see a mutant, you kill it.
If you haven’t killed Virginia, consider checking out our guide on how to find and befriend her.
Unfortunately, NPCs do not respawn in Sons of the Forest and there’s no way to bring them back once they’re dead.
In this guide, I will explain why NPCs don’t respawn in Sons of the Forest and showcase the importance of the two NPCs available.
NPCs Do Not Respawn in Sons of the Forest
There is no way to bring dead NPCs back to life. If you killed Kelvin or Virginia, you’ll never see them in your playthrough.
The only way to interact with these NPCs again is to restart the game from scratch.
If you’ve killed either of the two NPCs and are wondering whether it’s worth restarting your save file or not, keep reading.
I’ll mention the benefits of each NPC and you can decide if it’s worth restarting for them.
What do NPCs Offer in Sons of the Forest
The game features two NPCs: Virginia and Kelvin.
Kelvin is available from the get-go, as players pick him up right after the helicopter crashes.
Players encounter Virginia a bit later while exploring the forests and usually when setting up their first base. To have her join your party, you much approach her slowly multiple times and never attack her.
After repeating this process for a while, Virginia will stop being afraid of you and will join your party.
Kelvin is an extremely useful ally to have. Players can give him one of the following commands:
- Follow me – Follows the player.
- Collect Items – Collects sticks, rocks, logs, or fish (player’s choice).
- Build a shelter or fire – Builds a shelter or campfire.
- Stay – Holds position.
- Take a break – Does nothing.
- Clear area – Removes trees and rocks from the surrounding area.
As for Virginia, she brings the player gifts occasionally, with materials from all around the map. Additionally, she’s a great combat assistant as players can give her a pistol or shotgun.
While Virginia is more optional, Kelvin is a vital asset for your party as he can do pretty much anything. The best command for Kelvin is to have him collect fish.
Wrapping up
To summarize, NPCs do not respawn in Sons of the Forest. If Virginia or Kelvin died and you want them back, the only option is to restart the game from scratch.
Also, if you’re trying to decide where to build, consider checking out our guide on the best base locations in the game.
Did you kill Virginia or Kelvin? Are you planning to restart the game to get them back? Let us know in the comments below.
He has a Master’s Degree in Philosophy, which allows him to always come up with a fresh approach to solving in-game puzzles and challenges, but also to create content that’s to the point, clean and easy to follow.
- Best RPGs with Job Systems [2025 Edition] - March 7, 2025
- Minecraft: Armor Trims – Locations & How to Use - February 12, 2025
- List of ALL the Elden Ring Soft Cap Stats - February 6, 2025