📖 Don't Freeze on Day 21: Winter Survival Made Simple

What Day Does Winter Come (Don't Starve)?

Winter in Don't Starve arrives on day 21 in default gameplay – that applies to the base game, the Reign of Giants DLC, and Don't Starve Together. In other words, you have 20 days of mild weather to prepare before the cold hits. Failing to be ready by day 21 can be a death sentence, as freezing temperatures and scarce food quickly become a challenge.

This guide explains everything about the seasonal transition to winter, from recognizing the warning signs to expert survival strategies.

Quick-Start Tip: If you're in a rush, jump down to the Quick-Start Winter Survival Tips for a handy list of must-do tasks and lifesaving tricks to get through your first winter.

Season Basics

The season cycle varies by game version:

Vanilla Don't Starve: Only summer & winter (two seasons)
Reign of Giants: Four seasons (Autumn → Winter → Spring → Summer)
Don't Starve Together: Four seasons with default lengths:
- Autumn/Spring = 20 days each
- Winter/Summer = 15 days each

All default games start in Autumn, giving you those crucial 20 days to prepare for winter.

When Winter Starts (Per Version)

Winter always begins on Day 21 by default in all versions of the game:

Vanilla DS: After 20 days of Summer, Winter arrives on day 21
Reign of Giants: After 20 days of Autumn, Winter arrives on day 21
Don't Starve Together: Same as RoG - Winter begins on day 21

Note: You can customize season length and start season in world generation settings.

If you're new to the game, consider extending Autumn and shortening Winter to give yourself more prep time.

Signs Winter is Coming (Late Autumn)

In late autumn, nature gives you subtle warnings that winter is near. Look for these signs around day 17-18:

Trees lose leaves - Deciduous trees become barren silhouettes
Bluish light - The overall light takes on a cold blue hue
Snowbirds appear - White birds replace redbirds
Rabbit fur changes - Rabbits begin to don white winter coats
Chilling wind sounds - Game sounds include faint, cold winds

When you notice these signs, you have only 2-3 days left to finish your preparations! Take this opportunity to:

Harvest any remaining crops
Pick all berry bushes
Gather final resources for winter gear

Preparing for Winter (Autumn Checklist)

Treat the entire autumn (days 1-20) as your preparatory period. Here's your essential checklist:

Hoard Resources

You need plenty of resources when everything is snow-covered. Aim for at least:

2 stacks of logs (40 logs)
1 stack of grass (40 grass)
1 stack of twigs (40 twigs)
Some stone, gold, and flint

Remember: Grass tufts and saplings don't regrow in winter, so what you have on day 20 is all you get until spring.

Establish Food Stores

Food becomes scarce in winter. Secure supplies now:

Harvest everything: Pick all berries and crops (they won't grow in winter)
Set up Drying Racks: Make jerky - lasts 20 days and provides hunger, health, and sanity
Build an Ice Box: Keeps food 50% longer; in winter stacks with natural 25% spoilage slowdown
Gather Honey: If you have bee boxes, harvest honey before bees become inactive
Relocate Berry Bushes: Dig up bushes to transplant near your base (won't produce in winter but will in spring)

Pro Tip: Store food in the Ice Box that lasts longer: jerky, honey, cooked meats, butter muffins, and meatballs.

Craft Winter Gear

Don't wait until it's already snowing to craft warmth items:

Winter Item Recipes:

Winter Hat = 4 Silk + 4 Beefalo Wool         (Science Machine tier)
Rabbit Earmuffs = 2 Rabbits + 1 Twig         (Science Machine tier)
Thermal Stone = 10 Rocks + 1 Pickaxe + 3 Flint (Science Machine tier)
Beefalo Hat = 8 Beefalo Wool + 1 Beefalo Horn (Alchemy Engine tier)
Breezy Vest = 1 Koalefant Trunk (Autumn) + 8 Silk    (Alchemy Engine tier)
Puffy Vest = 1 Koalefant Trunk (Winter) + 8 Silk + 2 Beefalo Wool (Alchemy Engine)

Priority items:

Thermal Stone - When heated, keeps you warm on the go
Winter Hat - Great insulation from beefalo wool
Rabbit Earmuffs - A decent early-game alternative

Character Tip: Wilson and Webber's beards provide free insulation! Don't shave until winter's end.

Set Up Your Base for Winter

Your base needs to be winter-ready:

Fire Pit - Your main heat source through winter
Compact Layout - Place science machines, crock pot, and chests close to the fire
Lightning Rod - Less frequent in winter but still important
Winter Storage - Dedicated chests for fuel and food
Thermal Measurer - Optional but useful to see temperature
Tent/Siesta Lean-to - For emergency sanity recovery

Base Location Tip: Ideally choose a spot with access to rabbits, near beefalo or pig houses, but not too far from critical resources.

Gather Ice

Ice is an incredibly useful winter resource:

Check for Mini Glaciers in mosaic or desert biomes
Mine them for ice before winter hits
Ice in an Ice Box never melts (very long spoil time)
Use as crockpot filler (3 ice + 1 meat = Meatballs)
Can be eaten for tiny hunger (2) in emergencies

Target Amount: Aim for at least 20+ ice before winter hits, more if possible.

Surviving Winter: Early Days (Day 21–25)

Heat Management

Freezing to death is the top threat. Always keep your Thermal Stone heated:

Stone color indicates temperature: glowing orange > yellow > gray > blue
When it's no longer orange/yellow, reheat soon
Build campfires (2 logs + 1 grass) when you see your breath

Pro Tip: Set a single tree on fire with a torch for a quick warm-up. Just be careful not to start a forest fire!

Light & Darkness

Winter has short days and very long nights:

Have a Lantern (2 light bulbs + 2 rope) or Miner Hat (straw hat + fireflies + gold)
Return to base by dusk unless you have light sources
Use long evenings for crafting or cooking at base
Repair equipment during nights (use a Sewing Kit on worn items)

Remember: No light means Charlie (the night monster) will attack!

Hunger Management

With farms and berries offline, focus on these food sources:

Rabbits: Set traps over rabbit holes, check daily
Spiders: Farm monster meat for meatballs
Pengulls: Collect occasional eggs when they appear

Crockpot Efficiency: Make Meatballs (1 meat + 3 ice = 62.5 hunger) to stretch your meat supplies.

Sanity & Winter Mood

Winter can be depressing - you lose sanity from darkness and constant dusk:

Dress for sanity: Tam o' Shanter (+6.7/min), Top Hat (+3.3/min)
Prototype items: Crafting gives 15-30 sanity per new item
Eat cooked Green Mushrooms: +15 sanity each
Cooked Cactus Flesh: +15 sanity and some hunger

Advanced Tactic: If your sanity is low, you can deliberately fight shadow creatures to reset sanity to near 50% (if you win).

Mid-Winter Challenges (Day 26–30)

Hound Waves with Ice Hounds

Hound attacks continue in winter, but now include dangerous blue Ice Hounds:

Blue Hounds: When killed, they shatter into an ice blast that can freeze you
Strategy: Kill regular hounds first, then ice hounds one at a time
Protection: Always wear a Football Helmet during hound fights
Heat Source: Fight near a fire if possible - it will thaw you quickly if frozen

Warning: Winter hound attacks can trigger at night - keep a torch and campfire materials ready when you hear growls!

Walrus Hunting Party (MacTusk)

Around day 25-28, you might encounter MacTusk and his hunting party near their igloo camps:

Rewards: Killing MacTusk can drop the Walking Cane (25% speed boost) and Tam o' Shanter (excellent sanity item)
Tactics: Use ranged weapons like Blow Darts or Pan Flute to make the fight easier
Respawn: The walruses respawn after 2.5 days, so you can farm them again before winter ends

Caution: Only chase them when conditions (daylight, health) are in your favor. MacTusk's blow darts can hit hard!

Resource Shortages

By mid-winter, you might notice which supplies you underestimated:

Twigs/Grass: If you're low, make a quick run to pick leftovers you missed earlier
Wood: You can still chop trees in winter - evergreens don't hibernate
Emergency fuel: In a pinch, petals and pine cones can be burned

Remember: Chopping trees lowers your temperature (you're away from fire). Chop a few, warm up, then repeat.

Advanced Winter Strategies (Deerclops & Late Winter)

The Deerclops - Winter's Final Boss

Warning: Deerclops typically spawns around day 30-31Copilot said: at night. You'll hear distant moaning/roaring sounds at night. You'll hear distant moanin g/roaring sounds and the screen will shake slightly before it appears.

The Deerclops is a giant cyclopean monster that spawns specifically to ruin your base. Here's how to handle it:

Preparation

When you hear moaning, grab thermal stone, food, and a torch
Lead it away from your base (it will destroy structures)
Have a pre-built fire in a remote area as your "Deerclops decoy spot"
The louder the moan, the closer it is to spawning

Fighting Strategy

Wear armor (Log Suit + Football Helmet)
Use hit-and-run tactics: 2-3 hits, then back away
Fight near a fire for light and warmth
Watch for the freeze effect - if you turn pale blue, dodge the next hit
In multiplayer, one person can tank while others attack

Alternate Solutions

Lead Deerclops through dense forests to spawn Treeguards
Kite to a beefalo herd (if not in mating season)
Lead to pig villages or spider nests as distractions
Avoidance: lead far away, then use a Worm Hole to escape

Reward: If you kill Deerclops, grab the Eyeball to craft the Eyebrella in spring (100% rain protection). Store it in an Ice Box until needed.

Caves & Ruins Diving

For advanced players with resources to spare, late winter is a strategic time to explore underground:

Temperature Benefit: Caves are immune to surface seasons - you won't freeze underground
Resources: Gather Light Bulbs, Banana fruits, Spider drops, and interact with Bunny Men
DST Strategy: In multiplayer, hounds won't spawn underground - everyone can hide to avoid Deerclops
Spring Prep: Gathering resources underground can help prepare for spring and summer

Note: If you spend too long underground, you might miss the transition to spring. Keep track of days!

Planning for Spring

The end of winter is like a second autumn - use it to prepare for spring challenges:

Rain Protection: Craft an Umbrella (2 pig skin + 4 twigs + 6 grass) or save Deerclops Eyeball for Eyebrella
Frog Preparation: Be ready for frog rain - consider building walls around key structures
Bug Net: Craft one to catch butterflies when they return
Ice Flingomatic: If you plan ahead for summer, gather materials (15 ice + 2 gears + electrical doodads)

Spring brings rain and wetness challenges instead of cold, but with proper preparation, you'll be ready!

Quick-Start Winter Survival Tips (Top 10)

For quick reference, here are ten essential winter survival tips distilled from expert gameplay:

1
Always Wear a Football Helmet: Keep it on by default for 80% damage reduction, swapping to a warmth hat only when you're safe from threats.
2
Carry a Thermal Stone + Torch Everywhere: The stone keeps you warm, and the torch can be used to burn trees for quick heat sources in emergencies.
3
Use Trees as Heat Sources: When out in the wild and getting cold, light a lone Evergreen on fire with a torch. Stand nearby to quickly heat your thermal stone.
4
Stockpile and Eat Ice: Ice is perfect crockpot filler (3 ice + 1 meat = Meatballs), never spoils in an Ice Box, and provides tiny hunger in emergencies.
5
Create an "Oh Crap" Chest: Place a chest away from your main base with emergency supplies for Deerclops or hound attacks (armor, weapons, torches, healing).
6
Leverage Beefalo: Shave them for wool (insulation materials), use herds as protection against hostiles, and consider taming one for transportation.
7
Watch the Day-Night Clock: Plan excursions to be back by dusk, as night falls quickly in winter. When orange segments reappear, spring is approaching.
8
Avoid Unnecessary Fights: Winter makes every encounter riskier. Only engage when you need resources or are fully prepared. Health is precious when healing is limited.
9
Use Allies and Structures: Befriend pigs for help, use Chester to carry supplies, and build defensive walls around your base to buy time during attacks.
10
Practice Makes Perfect: Don't be discouraged by winter failures. Each attempt teaches valuable lessons about preparation and resource management.

Useful Mods and Tools for Winter

While purists might prefer vanilla gameplay, these quality-of-life mods can make winter more manageable:

Combined Status

Displays hunger, health, and sanity values numerically, plus adds a season clock and world temperature readout. Shows exact temperature, so you know how close you are to freezing.

✓ Compatibility: DS & DST

Season Clock

A lightweight mod that adds just a season indicator near the day/night clock, showing the current season and days until the next season changes.

✓ Compatibility: DS & DST

Status Announcements

Your character automatically announces things like "I'm starving" or "I'm freezing" in chat. Helpful for co-op play and noticing status changes.

✓ Compatibility: DST only

Display Food Values / Smart Crockpot

Shows exactly how much hunger/health/sanity food items give, and predicts what recipe you'll get before cooking. Perfect for maximizing limited winter resources.

✓ Compatibility: DS & DST

Geometric Placement

Provides a grid and spacing guides when placing structures. Helps build compact, efficient winter bases with everything within firelight radius.

✓ Compatibility: DS & DST

Firepit Range Indicator

Shows the effective light/heat range of campfires and fire pits. Essential for knowing how far warmth reaches during winter.

✓ Compatibility: DS & DST

Recent Updates & Patch Changes

As of early 2025, the core mechanics of winter haven't changed significantly, but here are recent developments:

Recent Winter-Related Changes

Winter's Feast 2023 & 2024: Annual event added snowmen, snowball fights, and special winter foods. These are fun additions but don't change core survival mechanics.
Quality of Life Tweaks (March 2024): Weather-related fixes for Frog Rain and temperatures, but the core season cycle remains unchanged (Day 21 winter start).
Character Updates: Several characters received skill trees (Wolfgang, Wendy, WX-78). WX-78's Thermal Circuit can nullify freezing, making him excellent for winter.
Bug Fix - Infinite Heat Exploit: Using the Scaled Furnace to kill creatures now counts as "naughty" - affecting Krampus spawning mechanics in winter.

Patch History Timeline (2012-2024)

Dec 2012 – "Winter Update" (Beta): Winter season introduced to Don't Starve, adding heat mechanics and food scarcity.
Mar 2013 – Full Release: Winter became a core part of the survival loop, set at 20 days after start.
Apr 2014 – Reign of Giants DLC: Added Autumn and Spring, making Winter start after Autumn. Winter shortened to 15-16 days.
Apr 2016 – Don't Starve Together launch: Cooperative play with winters still starting day 21.
Nov 2017 – Winter's Feast Event Begins: Annual holiday events with festive additions.
Apr 2022 – WX-78 Rework: Character gained circuits to handle extreme temperatures.
Dec 2024 – Winter's Feast Update: New temporary crafts (snowmen, snowball fights) and winter cosmetics.

Ready to Survive Winter?

With this guide, you now have all the knowledge you need to not just survive but thrive during winter in Don't Starve. Remember that winter isn't just a challenge - it's also an opportunity to gather unique resources like ice, Deerclops drops, and MacTusk loot.

Good luck, and don't freeze out there!

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