What to Build First in Your Subnautica 2 Base

In Subnautica 2, your base is more than just a safe place to stay. It’s essential for crafting better equipment, getting advanced resources, building vehicles, and accessing new parts of the game. To make good progress, focus on building a few key structures in your base early on.

When I’m starting a new game, I don’t worry about building a huge base right away. Honestly, a small, powered room with just the essential stuff is all I need to get things moving and unlock most of the early game content. It’s more about what my base does than how big it is at first.

Make Sure Your Base Has Power

First, focus on getting power established for your base. Solar Panels are a great starting point because they’re simple to set up and don’t require many resources.

Okay, so I’ve learned the hard way that whenever I’m building up my base and putting down Solar Panels, I always add a Habitat Beacon too. Seriously, it’s a lifesaver! It basically marks your base on the map, so you don’t wander around lost trying to find your way back. Trust me, it makes life so much easier.

Okay, so solar panels are awesome for getting started, but they don’t produce energy at night or if they’re really deep underwater. Eventually, I’ll need to switch to something else, like hydroelectric turbines or bioreactors, but for now, the solar panels are perfect to get things going!

Build a Fabricator to Remove “Fully Functional Fabricator” Limits

After you get power established at your base, construct a Fabricator. This version is fully capable and doesn’t have the restrictions of the one in the Lifepod.

With the Fabricator, you can now create Wiring Kits and System Chips in your base – essential parts for building important tools and facilities. Plus, you’ll be able to craft First Aid Kits, which is great for staying prepared.

Add Storage Early

Setting up storage early isn’t required, but it’s a good idea. Wall Lockers are easy to build, only needing two Titanium. You can also use Floor Lockers. If you’re looking for one to scan, check the Colonist Bunker located 220 meters southeast of the Lifepod at a depth of 42 meters.

You might be familiar with using Portable Lockers for managing your items, but the larger size of these containers really helps with organization – don’t forget to label them! Plus, other buildings can take materials straight from the lockers, which makes crafting much faster and simpler.

Build a Processor for Progression

Now, you’ll want to build a Processor. This machine lets you create useful items like Ingots, Strong Acid, and Biofuels. Ingots are especially important right away, as you’ll need them to build the Sonic Resonator, which is key to advancing in the game. You’ll also use Ingots and Strong Acid to start building vehicles, making it much easier to explore the world.

Consider a Biobed for Respawning

Okay, so if you’re like me and wander pretty far from your Lifepod when building a base, you’ll definitely want to craft a Biobed. It lets you set your base as where you respawn, which is a lifesaver! It’s not super urgent if you stayed close to the Lifepod, but trust me, dying and having to swim all the way back is no fun. To get the blueprint, you need to scan the facility in Colonist Bunker 220m southeast of the Lifepod. I’d recommend heading there pretty early on.

What to Build Next

Now that you’ve established a good base, it’s time to start expanding! Here are the facilities you should focus on building next:

The Scanner Station allows you to set waypoints on specific resource nodes, making it easier to find the ones you need. You can find a Scanner Station to scan in the Old Habitat that is 375m north of the Lifepod.
As previously noted, you’re now set up to start vehicle production, and you should focus on getting a Vehicle Fabricator and Tadpole Dock established.
You can also build a Biolab so you can adjust Biomods at your base, though you can just do that at the Welcome Center (85m south-east of the Lifepod) in the early game.
A Battery Terminal can also be a nice quality-of-life addition, but it’s not very hard to just make a new Basic Battery when one loses its charge.

2026-05-14 19:36