Subnautica Base Building Guide

Build the perfect underwater habitat with these strategies.

Choosing a Base Location

  • 1Safe Shallows: Best for your first base - safe and resource-rich.
  • 2Grassy Plateaus: Good mid-game location with access to deeper biomes.
  • 3Build near thermal vents for free power from Thermal Plants.
  • 4Avoid building near Reaper Leviathan territories.
  • 5Consider proximity to resources you need most.

Essential Base Modules

  • 1Multi-Purpose Room: Main building block for interior space.
  • 2Moonpool: Dock and charge Seamoth and Prawn Suit.
  • 3Scanner Room: Locate resources, fragments, and creatures.
  • 4Water Filtration Machine: Unlimited purified water.
  • 5Alien Containment: Breed fish for food or study creatures.

Power Sources

  • 1Solar Panel: Free power but only works near surface.
  • 2Thermal Plant: Unlimited power near thermal vents (200+ depth).
  • 3Bioreactor: Burns organic matter for energy (mid-game).
  • 4Nuclear Reactor: Best power output (late-game, needs Reactor Rods).
  • 5Mix sources for reliable power at all depths.

Structural Integrity

  • 1Hull integrity decreases with depth and number of modules.
  • 2Reinforcements increase integrity (+7 per panel).
  • 3Foundations provide significant integrity bonuses.
  • 4Windows and glass corridors reduce integrity.
  • 5If integrity drops below 0, base floods - repair with Repair Tool.