Subnautica Beginner's Guide

Dive into the alien ocean with confidence using these essential tips.

Getting Started

  • 1Explore your Lifepod - check the fabricator and storage.
  • 2Craft a Scanner first - scan everything you find.
  • 3Collect Quartz, Copper, and Titanium from the shallow seabed.
  • 4Craft Survival Knife and Repair Tool early.
  • 5Use Bladderfish in the Fabricator to make Filtered Water.

Food & Water

  • 1Cook Peepers and other fish in the Fabricator for food.
  • 2Bladderfish makes Filtered Water - your main water source.
  • 3Salt + Coral Tube Sample = Bleach = Disinfected Water (best early game).
  • 4Later, build a Water Filtration Machine in your base.
  • 5Cured fish last longer and are good for exploration trips.

Exploration Tips

  • 1Follow radio signals - they guide the story.
  • 2Always bring a Scanner, Knife, and spare batteries.
  • 3Seaglide is your first mobility upgrade - craft it ASAP.
  • 4Use beacons to mark important locations.
  • 5Listen for creature sounds - audio cues warn of danger.

Staying Safe

  • 1Most creatures will not attack unless provoked or you enter their territory.
  • 2Stalkers in Kelp Forest are dangerous but predictable.
  • 3Never go to the back of the Aurora without a Radiation Suit.
  • 4Carry multiple batteries and a Repair Tool at all times.
  • 5Do not explore the Dunes or Crash Zone without a vehicle.