Subnautica 2 doesn’t hold the player’s hand, so knowing where to start can be overwhelming. As the game is in early access its still rough around the edges and throws players right into the deep end – and we mean that literally. It’s not unlike Subnautica 1 in that sense, but that means it can be confusing to new players who are unsure of what to do.
Building a base is one of the first things you need to start working towards when the game begins. It’ll help you in the long run and put you on the path to success. But there are a bunch of things you need to do before you can start, and it’s easy to get distracted when you have a whole alien ocean to explore.
So, below, we’ll tell you where to start when it comes to building a base in Subnautica 2 and what to do next. Rather than jumping into the intricacies of base building, we’ll help you build a solid foundation so you can enjoy the adventure at your own pace.
Obtaining the Scanner in Subnautica 2
To start building a base, you’ll need the Habitat Builder tool. To get one, you’ll need to scan two existing Habitat Builders, and to do that, you’ll first need to craft a Scanner.
You can craft a Scanner from:
- 1x Basic Battery
- 2x Titanium
- 2x Quartz
Of course, it’s not that simple, and you’ll need to craft a Basic Battery first, so before you can craft a Scanner, you’ll need to hunt down the ingredients for that.
First, you’ll need to hunt down an Acidic Raion Pouch. Luckily, these are easy to find, just go diving into a nearby cave and look for a brain-like purple plant called Acidic Raion. These respawn often, and you should be able to pick two or three Acidic Raion Pouches from each plant.
Next, you’ll need two pieces of copper, which can be found in caves and on the sea floor. It’s relatively common, so swim about and explore until you have two and then return to the Life Pod.
With the copper and Acidic Raion Pouch in your possession, go to the “Resources” section of your console and craft a Basic Battery. Now you have this, hunt down two chunks of Titanium and two Quartz – you may already have some by now from exploring and get ready to craft the Scanner.
To do this, go to your Life Pod and access the Fabricator, select the “Personal” section and choose the option for Scanner. Now onto the next leg of this completed journey.
Crafting the Habitat Builder tool
Your next task is to use your Scanner to scan two other Habitat Builder tools so that you can craft your own. Swim over to the Welcome Center Colony, just southeast of your Pod, and you’ll find two Habitat Builders that you can scan.
One is in a crate just to the right of the Colony entrance, and the other is in the cave beneath it. You’ll need to gather the metal blocking the path, but once you have, swim down and find the identical crate to scan the second tool.
You’ll need the following items to craft the Habitat Builder:
- 2x Titanium
- 1x Glass
- 1x Basic Battery
- 1x Copper Wire
Of course, you know how to craft a Basic Battery by now, so make another and go for a swim to find the Glass and Titanium. However, you may need to craft Copper Wire in “Resources” using two pieces of Copper.
Once you have all of these ingredients, it’s time to build your basic base by moving your Habitat Builder to the quick access bar, selecting it, and choosing what you need.
Select basic base and congratulations, you’ve got the first part of your base. This will only be a corridor at first, as you’ll need to build out the individual connecting rooms once the first part of the basic base is completed.
Building the individual rooms will need separate ingredients and need to be unlocked as you progress in your exploration journey. Focus on building this in a location that’s convenient to you for now, but in time, you’ll be able to refund rooms and build your base in a better location, such as near a natural current or near resources you often need.
As your adventure continues, you’ll build multiple bases, so don’t worry about this one being perfect. But it pays to have the basic base and basic rooms built as soon as you can, so you have a safe space to retreat to when you need to recuperate.
So, that’s the long, crafty road to getting started on building your first base in Subnautica 2. If you need to hunt down some Celestine, check out our guide on that.
