A Torch is a portable LightItem in Don't Starve. It can be crafted with 2 Cut Grass and 2 Twigs, and is available from the start of the game since it is a crucial tool for surviving the night.
Torches burn (and as a result lose durability) while equipped, providing a source of light for the player. A Torch will last for 75 seconds (2.5 in-game clock segments). In Rain, a Torch may burn up to 150% faster depending on precipitation rate (how much it's snowing or raining).
To equip and use a Torch, right-click it in the inventory, right click after moving it to over the character's head, or manually move it into the hand slot of the inventory. As long as the player is holding the Torch, it will burn with a consistent intensity and illuminate a small area around the player.
Dragging a Torch over objects such as Trees, Spider Dens, or Beehives and right clicking, or equipping a Torch and right clicking on such objects, will light them on fire. If the burning object contains creatures like a Beehive does, they will exit the structure when it is set ablaze. Burning objects will ignite other nearby objects and creatures, possibly spreading to cause massive fires that may destroy valuable or non-renewable resources.
In addition to providing light and setting entities on fire, Torches are used in the following crafting recipes.
Downloadable Content
In the Reign of Giants DLC, Torches will not be affected by Rain if the player is sheltered. It no longer provides warmth.
In the Shipwrecked DLC, Torches are affected by Strong Winds, causing their durability to deplete much faster than normal. In addition, Torches can be used to make Boat Torches.
Usage
Tips
Lighting trees or other flammable objects on fire can be a great move due to several benefits:
If the player does not have enough Torches to keep Charlie away for a whole night, they can light a tree or other flammable object on fire and then unequip the Torch until the object has burnt out, thus effectively extending the lifetime of the Torch.
The heat can also be a lifesaver in Winter as it allows the player to warm up. Note that trees usually burn hotter than dropped items.
The light also allows to do work like picking plants and mining rocks at night without the need for improved light sources such as the Lantern or Miner Hat.
Another option for conserving the durability of the torch is to "flash" the torch in the dark to keep Charlie from attacking. This is done by equipping the Torch when Charlie's warning screech is heard in the dark, and then quickly unequipping the torch to preserve durability.
However, note that Sanity drains faster in complete darkness and that the Torch loses additional durability when equipped in short bursts, making this trick not one without drawbacks. It is usually a better option to plan ahead and craft a new Torch in advance, or, if inventory is limited, even right after the old Torch goes out.
If a newly crafted Torch is held in brief intervals, it will stay at 100% durability. If held too long, the torch will drop to 99% at which point the trick cannot be done. (Note that this trick does not work in Don't Starve Together.)
Trivia
The game files have contained code for a Torch's capability to give off warmth ever since Winter was implemented, however this code has never actually been used.
Bugs
The sound which plays while holding a Torch (the fire whooshing sound as the player moves around) may continue even after unequipping the Torch. Saving, exiting, and reloading the game seems to fix this.
If the night is short enough, it is possible to hold a Torch and go to sleep in a Bed Roll; when the player wakes up, the Torch will not lose durability until it is re-equipped.
If the player uses a Bed Roll while holding a Torch, the sleeping animation will be normal, but the Torch will disappear and the flame will float over the player's head, absent of the stick.
Due to a code error, striking a Mob with a Torch won't set it on fire. If Shipwrecked or Hamlet DLC is enabled, this problem can be fixed. In Don't Starve Together this has already been fixed.
Gallery
Wilson with a Torch standing next to an unlit one.
Torch illuminating a small area at night.
If the player has an extra Torch, it will be automatically equipped in place of the spent Torch.
Prompt when the cursor is above an object that can be lit.