Starting tips for Far Cry 5

Below you can find tips and hints for Far Cry 5. The goal of these starting tips is to help you learn about the less obvious gameplay mechanics as well as to solve problems that can happen to you during your first few hours spend with the game. Descriptions for some of these topics can be found on separate pages or in the walkthrough section for Far Cry 5.

World exploration – the basic information about traveling through Hope county

Far Cry 5 has a huge open world that can be explored freely after completing the prologue – the first meeting with the cultists and a few short quests that take place on Dutch’s island. After that you can:

1. Travel through Holland Valley – this area is controlled by John Seed.
2. Travel through Henbane River – this area is controlled by Faith Seed.
3. Travel through Whitetail Mountains – this area is controlled by Jacob Seed.

Important note – You don’t have to focus on exploring and liberating only one of these regions. You can explore them freely and go from one region to another depending on your mood and needs (e.g. recruiting new specialists faster).

The game features an easy-to-use fast travel system. You can discover more blue icons which serve as fast travel points by exploring the world. This method of traveling is free but it is only available when no one is attacking you.

At first, almost the entire map is covered by “fog of war”. You can reveal new parts of it by visiting them personally. HOWEVER, the game only counts traveling on foot or by using land vehicles (cars, trucks, quads, boats etc.). You can’t reveal the map by using planes or helicopters. The best way to discover the map is to drive on all the main routes in a given region with a car and then use a quad to reveal areas that are more difficult to reach, e.g. in mountains or in forests.

Campaign progression – how to make progress in the main story line?

After the prologue you can start taking actions that will end Joseph Seed’s cult. The only way to do that is to slowly reduce the cult’s influence in each of the Hope county’s regions by helping the local resistance. Each of the three main regions belongs to a different member of the Seed family. The cult needs to be weakened in all of the regions. Thanks to that you can:

1. Unlock new story missions.
2. Your hero will have to deal with an increased number of enemies. Remember that, over time, enemies can use better equipment, e.g. armored convoys or jet fighters that can patrol an area and look for you. Also, your character will be captured a few times by the cultists. Don’t worry about that because these moments are story-related and they allow you to play story missions related to the members of the Seed family.

Attack the cultists and destroy their structures to get resistance points (they are counted separately for each of the regions). Collect them to have a confrontation with the leader of a given region:

1. Face John Seed by collecting 13,000 resistance points in Holland Valley.
2. Face Faith Seed by collecting 13,000 resistance points in Henbane River.
3. Face Jacob Seed by collecting 10,000 resistance points in Whitetail Mountains.

You can face Joseph Seed only after dealing with John, Faith and Jacob.

Missions are your main source of resistance points but you can also get them by completing smaller activities, e.g. rescuing prisoners transported inside of vans or by liberating a cult outpost.

Activities and random encounters – what awaits you in the game’s world?

During your time with Far Cry 5 you don’t have to focus only on unlocking and completing story missions. The game features numerous attractions that allow you to weaken the cult or to get better equipment for your character. Below you can find the list of the most important optional activities:

1. Random encounters – They are very frequent and they allow you to weaken the cult. Depending on a region you can get a chance, e.g. to destroy a cargo transported by the enemies, to free prisoners or innocents kept somewhere on the map. You don’t have to complete all of them especially because they are spawned multiple times. However, you can use this opportunity to get resistance points or to learn about locations of quest givers, outposts or stashes from rescued prisoners.
2. Cult outposts – Outposts in Far Cry 5 work similarly to those from the previous instalments. Get rid of every enemy inside of a camp. Remain undetected during that process to get additional money. Remember that raising the alarm results in enemy reinforcements. Liberating a camp gives you a lot of resistance points and allows you to meet with new NPCs.
3. Side missions – Markers for side missions can pop up during your exploration of the world. Some of them can become available only after liberating an outpost. Usually, these missions are easier and offer smaller rewards but some of them can reward you with, e.g. a unique vehicle (the game always informs you about a reward).
4. Cult properties – They are buildings that belong to the cultists, e.g. silos. They all have one thing in common: they can be destroyed. Do that and get resistance points.
5. Specialists recruiting spots – Specialists are your potential comrades – more about them can be found in another part of this guide.
6. Prepper stashes – Each stash is connected to a short mission – complete it to reach a stash with valuable items (e.g. a lot of money and ammo or talent points). You can find these treasures by yourself or you can learn about them from friendly NPCs.
7. Hunting spots and places where you can fish – Far Cry 5 has an option to hunt animals and to catch fish. Thanks to that you can get hides and meat that can be sold. These actions can also help you complete certain challenges.
8. Smaller locations – The game also features locations that aren’t related to the quests (each one of them has a fast travel point nearby). Explore them to find valuable items, e.g. money, ammo or collectibles.

Getting weapons and vehicles – how to easily get equipment for your character?

You should already have two weapons after completing the prologue (e.g. those received from Dutch). Ways of getting more weapons:

1. You can get them while exploring the game’s world and by picking them up near dead enemies – this is the best way of acquiring them because you don’t have to spend money. When you lose one you can always go back to any of the arms dealers and get that weapon back for free.
2. Buy them from arms dealers – Don’t buy the regular weapons, you will only waste your money. These guns can be taken from killed enemies or you can receive them during certain missions. Buy only the unique types and weapon modifications (scopes, silencers, bigger ammo clip etc.).

New vehicles can also be acquired in two ways:

1. Received as a reward for completing certain missions – You can complete, e.g. TheWidowmaker quest in Holland Valley. After that you can acquire a truck with a machine gun. A lost or destroyed vehicle can be called for free to any of the garages (note – this doesn’t apply to vehicles scattered around the game’s world or those taken from the enemies!).
2. Bought from vehicle dealers – Don’t waste your money on the weakest vehicles. The only exception to that is when you want to unlock Big Spender achievement. You should save your money on elite vehicles that can help you in completing missions and eliminating the cultists.

More weapon slots – why you should carry more guns

The default number of firearms that can be carried by your character is two – one sidearm (e.g. a pistol) and one main weapon (e.g. a rifle or a shotgun). This isn’t a good information because you can come across a situation that requires a completely different weapon than those carried by you. A solution to that is to buy perks that unlock additional weapon slots – Additional Holster and Weapons Collector.

Try to get the first perk as fast as you can (it costs 8 skill points) to increase your weapons limit from 2 to 3. This gives you more freedom and versatility. From now on you can carry a weapon that can kill enemies from a distance (e.g. a sniper rifle or a crossbow) and a close-range weapon (e.g. a shotgun or an assault rifle). Thanks to that you can be prepared for a situation where you have been detected while infiltrating an enemy outpost or when there is a sudden change during a mission.

The perk that unlocks the last, fourth, holster can be bought a little bit later when you get more important perks first. You can use this weapon slot to carry, e.g. a rocket launcher, a grenade launcher or a medium machine gun. All of these weapons (MMG is, paradoxically, the best one) are useful against enemy helicopters and planes.

Joining specialists – advantages of recruiting companions

You don’t have to explore the world alone if you don’t play with other players. Your character can recruit:

1. Warriors – They are weaker allies that can be recruited from the NPCs. Useful only at the beginning of the game.
2. Specialists – These companions have unique skills (e.g. ability to detect enemy positions, stealth attacks or bombarding). The game features 9 specialists and you should get one of them as fast as you can. Their list can be found in Specialists chapter. Check, e.g. Rae-Rae’s Pumpkin Farm in Holland Valley if you don’t want to spend a lot of time on searching for a specialist. There, you can “recruit” a dog called Boomer.

Unlocking perks – a new character progression system

Character progression available in Far Cry 5 differs from the ones offered by the previous games. You don’t level up your character by using points received after completing missions. Instead of that you have to get perk points (skills) which can be done in various ways. Below you can find the most important methods:

1. Completing challenges – You can check them in the tab located in your character’s menu. You receive 1-3 points per challenge. They are very diverse, e.g. you have to kill enemies in a certain way or hunt specific animals. Focus on the easiest challenges right from the start. Thanks to that you will be able to buy a few important skills.
2. Finding perk books – They are in, e.g. some of the prepper stashes. Each book gives you one skill point.
3. Special rewards for certain quests – The game has missions that can reward you with one or more skill points.

Sneaking – How and why to act out of hiding?

Far Cry 5 allows to participate in direct fire exchanges (sometimes it is required to complete the mission), but like the previous versions of the series it also encourages to carry out activities from hiding. Choosing this style of gameplay can sometimes make it easier to get rid of your enemies or guarantee you a better reward for completing your mission. In addition, some tasks may fail if your character gets detected. Here are some of the most important tips for sneaking in Far Cry 5:

1. Get a bow – You can find your first bow while playing the prologue on Dutcha Island. If you miss this opportunity, wait until one of the next missions gives you a chance to obtain this weapon. It is not worth spending money on a bow. This is an excellent weapon to silently eliminate your enemies. However, keep in mind that if you miss a shot, you will not be able to shoot again as fast as with a firearm.
2. Attach silencers on main weapons – Most weapons in the game can be equipped with a silencer (even a shotgun!). Visit an arms dealer and buy one of the silencers. Unfortunately, they are quite expensive, but buying them can make it much easier to get rid of your enemies quietly.
3. Do not enter enemy location without a prior reconnaissance – Use binoculars before approaching any station or other location which swarm with your opponents. Each opponent you notice is automatically marked. Especially check the roofs of buildings and higher footbridges during reconnaissance, as snipers may be lurking there. Your dog Boomer can also help you in locating the enemies.
4. Rely on takedowns – Takedown in Far Cry 5 is almost the same as in the previous parts. You can quietly dispose of individual enemies or kill groups of them after unlocking your talent Takedown Mastery. In case of “inconveniently” placed enemies you can also rely on pebbles to divert their attention and to pull them away from you.
5. Don’t get detected while taking over a selected outpost. This is another element known to the fans of the series. If you manage to secure a station without being noticed by your enemies, you will receive a cash bonus. For more information, see the How to take over Cult Outposts?.
6. Unlock additional talents. Other talents can help you successfully sneak in addition to the above mentioned Takedown Mastery. Purchase a Grappling Hook (enables easy access to some of the higher rock shelves), Silent Sprint (quieter movement), Spirit (you cause less noise) and Primary Instincts (improved use of the bow and sling).
7. Choose good specialists to sneak. Their presence can significantly help you get rid of enemies without alerting them about your current position. Good allies to carry out hidden activities are the hunter Jess Black (uses the bow) and puma Peaches (can quietly jump on enemies and kill them).

Confronting wildlife – How not to get killed by Animals?

In Far Cry 5 you can still go hunting, but it’s less important than in the previous parts of the series. However, encounters with wildlife can still cause you a lot of trouble while performing your mission or traveling through the game world freely. Here are some important pieces of information about this topic:

1. The hero can be easily killed by animals – this is not just a puma or bear issue, as it is quite clear in these cases that their attacks can cause very serious injuries. However, you may also die when you meet a skunk or even a turkey, although death only occurs after a few successful attacks. Also, you should know that an attack by wildlife can occur even if you are not taking part in the hunt. Be especially careful when traveling on the map or while sneaking in hostile locations. If you have been attacked you can take up a fight or escape. In the former case, try to avoid using heavy equipment (e.g. blasting animals with explosive substances), as this may result in losing the chance to obtain valuable hides and skins. The game is most rewarding after you attack animals with bows and white weapons, but it is very risky. Try to kill only weaker/slower animals in this way.
2. Rely on your companions. It is worthwhile to travel around the world with one or more companions. In the event of an attack by wild animals, there is a good chance that the allies will become the target of wild animals. They can also help you with hunting.
3. It is worth to use the lure – The lure in Far Cry 5 works in the same way as in previous games. You can rely on it, for example, when you want to get rid of your enemies from the camp. When a lure is thrown up, a stronger pet usually appears in the area and it can cause a lot of confusion or even kill several enemies. The easiest way to renew your lure’s reserves is to search for the carcasses of dead animals.

Treatment and death of the hero – what happens if I die?

Far Cry 5 is not a hardcore survival game, but failure to take precautions can lead your hero to sudden death. Below are some tips on how to avoid this situation.

1. You can regenerate your health bar and use medikit. Health can only be restored automatically if you currently are not under attack. Use your first-aid kits when you are on the verge of dying and when you can’t wait for automatic regeneration. It is worth buying a Travel Bag talent, which increases the limit of carried medikits. It is best to look around for the healing kits in the game world and buy them from merchants only as a last resort.
2. Equip a vest. The jacket provides good extra protection against sudden loss of health. You may receive vests in some missions. Buy them yourself only if you are going to have an extremely difficult mission.
3. Purchase talents to extend the health bar. Talents from Enhance Health group will let you to extend your health bar. Try to unlock the first skill in this category at the beginning of the game (it costs 6 points), and unlock the next one only after you have enabled all of the most important basic skills.
4. Avoid frequent quad traveling. Quad is a good means of transport to explore the map, as it’s much easier to get to places that are hard to reach than going there on foot. Unfortunately, during the ride, the player is completely exposed and in case of encountering e.g. an enemy patrol there is a high risk of death. Travel with larger (“build-up”) vehicles and as you get promoted in the game, gradually switch to vehicles with better armor and weapons.
5. You can save yourself or others from death. This option becomes possible only if the damage was not critical. If one of your allies has died, you can reach him and bring him back to life. Unfortunately, it does not always work the other way round. If you play in cooperation, you have to count on another player to resurrect you. Companions controlled by Artificial Intelligence usually have problems with reaching the dying hero and saving him.

Saving – when does the game save your progress?

You don’t have to worry about saving your progress while playing Far Cry 5 because the game makes auto saves rather frequently. You can recognize this moment by three dots displayed in the upper right corner of your screen.

However, you can also save your game manually by opening the pause menu and selecting the second option from the bottom (see the picture above). The game doesn’t display any information but you can notice white dots which means that the game is saving your progress. Use this function only when you want to quit the game and you aren’t sure about whether the game has created an auto save or not.

Additional note – Far Cry 5 doesn’t feature an option to replay missions. However, you can do that after completing the main story line by using Outpost Master option from the pause menu which “reactivates” cult outposts. This is helpful when you want to unlock missing trophies or challenges related to attacking outposts.