Subnautica guide: everything from food and water to tips and tricks.
Written by: mrryhlemyt
Subnautica is an open-world survival adventure game, that was both developed and published by Unknown Worlds Entertainment. (Wikipedia)
Your character is the lone survivor of the crashed space ship, the Aurora, that flew too close to Planet 4546B and was struck by an energy pulse of unknown origin. You, along with nine other crew members were lucky enough to escape from the Aurora in Lifepods.
Introduction
After countless hours of foraging for resources and barely escaping the Reaper Leviathan in a Seamoth on several occasions, Game Guides constructed this guide to Subnautica, loaded tips that are sure to aid you in surviving within the depths of the vast alien ocean of Planet 4546B and transform you from beginner swimmer to an experienced diver, whom can survive off of their surroundings with ease.
Without further ado, welcome to our guide to Subnautica!
Getting started
The game starts with you waking up to Lifepod 5 on fire. Grab the red fire extinguisher on the floor and press and hold [RMB] until the flames are out.
Now that you’ve put out the fire, grab a med kit from the Medical Kit Fabricator (it’ll supply you with a new one every 30 minutes), then head up the ladder and get out of the pod. The first thing you’ll see is the spectacle of the Aurora’s wreckage, ignore it for now and dive into the Safe Shallows.
You’ll need to find is a steady source of food and water. Lucky for you, there’s an abundance of fish, such as Peeper and Garryfish. Catching them is simple as long as you can keep up with them. Peeper are both quick and agile but are always worth the catch to eat, as when cooked give the player +32 Food and +5 Water.
Speaking of water, the Bladderfish is another species found in the Safe Shallows. Bladderfish can be used to craft Filtered Water in the Fabricator.
The Essentials
In order to survive in Subnautica, you must balance three things: hunger, thirst, and oxygen.
These are a few raw materials you should look for in your first few hours in Subnautica:
- Fish — found almost everywhere. It is used to replenish hunger| Tips: Try to cook the fish if possible, as when cooked it also replenishes your water.
- Quartz — found on the sea floor | Uses: Glass | Tips: Look out and listen for Crashfish, as they can deal a moderate amount of damage.
- Salt Deposits — found on the seabed. Needed for curing fish.
- Creepvine Samples—found in Kelp Forest. Used to craft Fiber Mesh. Watch out for Stalkers as they are native to the Kelp Forest. You also need a Survival Knife to harvest them.
- Creepvine Seed Clusters — found in Kelp Forest. Used to craft Silicone Rubber and Lubricant. Watch out for Stalkers as they are native to the Kelp Forest.
- Acid Mushrooms — found in the Safe Shallows. Used to craft Batteries. Hazardous if cut with a knife.
- Metal Salvage — found on the seabed and sometimes gathered by Stalkers. Can be converted into Titanium, another essential resource.
- Copper Ore — mainly found in Limestone Outcrops. Used to craft many things including Copper Wire and Batteries.
- Cave Sulfur — found in Crashfish nests. Used to craft the Repair Tool, Laser Cutter and flares. Watch out for the Crashfish that live within the nests.
Once you’ve collected the items listed above, you should craft these essential items as soon possible:
- Survival Knife — allows you to harvest otherwise unattainable flora, such as Creepvine Samples. Can also serve as light self-defense. Crafting ingredients: (1) Silicone Rubber (1) Titanium.
- Oxygen Tank — boosts oxygen reserves by 30 seconds, allowing you to dive deeper and for longer. Crafting ingredients: (3) Titanium.
- Fins — boosts swim speed by 15%, allowing you to swim faster. Crafting ingredients: (2) Silicone Rubber.
- Scanner — used to unlock new blueprints as well as learning about alien life. Crafting ingredients: (1) Battery (1) Titanium.
- Repair Tool — used to replenish the health of vehicles, including the Seamoth and Prawn. Will later be used to repair breaches in the Aurora’s generator room. Crafting ingredients: (1) Silicone Rubber (1) Cave Sulfur (1) Titanium.
- Air Bladder — allows you to get to the surface faster than swimming. Crafting ingredients: (1) Silicone Rubber (1) Bladderfish.
- Flashlight — allows you to explore in dark caves and at night. Crafting ingredients: (1) Battery (1) Glass.
- Battery — used to power tools and used in crafting certain items. Crafting ingredients: (2) Acid Mushrooms and (1) Copper Ore.
Now that you have acquired these Subnautica items, you can explore more of the depths of this alien underwater world with greater efficiency.
Beginners Tips and Tricks
If you’re having a difficult time catching fish to cook and eat, try using a Grav Trap. You’ll first need to find and scan a total of two Grav Trap fragments that can be found in wrecks in the Safe Shallows. Once you have completed that task, you’ll need (1) Battery (1) Copper Ore (1) Titanium, in order to craft it.
