New Sculpting System
Subnautica 2 replaces the old snap-together rooms with a sculpting-based building system. Instead of choosing between prefabricated room shapes, you can now freely shape compartments using the Habitat Builder's sculpting mode. This gives you complete creative control over your base layout.
To sculpt: equip the Habitat Builder, select Sculpt Mode, and use the deformation tool to carve out space. The system uses a volume grid — each compartment costs resources based on its size, not its shape. This means a curved, organic room costs the same as a square room of the same volume.
Key sculpting controls:
- Extrude — Pull outward to expand a room. Great for creating hallways and additional chambers.
- Carve — Remove volume to create windows, alcoves, or passageways.
- Smooth — Soften rough edges for organic-looking interiors.
- Snap — Toggle grid snapping for precise 90-degree angles and straight walls.
The sculpting system also supports multi-level bases. Use vertical connectors to build upward or downward. Each level needs its own support structure — floating rooms without vertical support will lose structural integrity quickly.
Use the Extrude tool to create observation corridors pointing toward scenic vistas or nearby wreckages. Glass corridors count as windows (reducing integrity), so reinforce adjacent compartments to compensate.
Best Base Locations
Choosing the right location for your base is one of the most important decisions in Subnautica 2. A well-placed base saves hours of travel time and provides access to critical resources.
| Location | Depth | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Safe Shallows | 0-50m | Sunlight for solar, abundant resources, safe | Limited space for expansion |
| Twisty Bridges | 50-100m | Scenic, access to mid-game resources | Strong currents, some aggressive fauna |
| Purple Vents Edge | 120-180m | Thermal power, close to late-game areas | Requires depth modules, leviathan nearby |
| Deep Spires Shelf | 250-350m | Near endgame content, rare crystal deposits | Dark, dangerous, difficult to supply |
Base Location Strategy
Most players benefit from a two-base strategy. Build your primary base in the Safe Shallows at 10-20m depth — this serves as your main hub for crafting, storage, and power generation. It is close to abundant Titanium, Quartz, and Copper, and shallow enough for maximum solar panel efficiency (best efficiency above 30m).
Build a forward operating base at the Purple Vents edge around 120-180m depth once you have the Tadpole. This second base serves as a staging point for exploring Deep Spires and Crystal Caves. Equip it with a Bioreactor (thermal vents nearby for Thermal Plant if you have it), a Fabricator, storage lockers, and a power cell charger for your Tadpole.
Build your first base in the Safe Shallows. Once you have the Tadpole, establish a secondary forward base at the Purple Vents edge for endgame exploration.
Power Systems
Each power source has different strengths. Here is the complete breakdown:
| Type | Output | Best For | Depth Limit | Maintenance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar Panel | 50-75 power/day | Shallow bases (0-30m) | Under 30m (efficiency drops sharply below) | None |
| Bioreactor | 100-250 power/day | Mid-depth bases | None | Requires organic fuel |
| Thermal Plant | 150-400 power/day | Near heat sources | Near vents only | None |
| Power Transmitter | Transmits power up to 100m | Extending thermal power | Any (connects thermal to base) | None |
Power Management Tips
Power management is critical for keeping your base operational. Here are key strategies:
- Solar panels provide free, maintenance-free power but only work during daylight hours. Build 2-3 panels for a reliable day cycle.
- Bioreactors are the most versatile mid-game option. Feed them with excess fish, Creepvine Fruits, or any organic matter. A single Bioreactor filled with Creepvine Fruits runs for approximately 30 minutes of gameplay.
- Thermal Plants are the endgame power solution. Place them within 5m of a heat vent for maximum output, then run Power Transmitters back to your base.
- Battery backup — Always keep spare power cells in your base to recharge tools and vehicle batteries.
- Power hungry modules like Water Filtration consume 30 power per cycle. Build additional generators before adding high-drain modules.
For most players, 2 Solar Panels + 1 Bioreactor provides enough power for a mid-game base running a Fabricator, Water Filtration, and Scanner Room simultaneously.
Essential Modules
Your base is only as useful as the modules you install. Here is every interior module available in EA 1.0, ranked by build priority:
| Module | Function | Priority | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fabricator | All crafting | First | Titanium x2 |
| Storage Locker | Item storage | First | Titanium x2 |
| BioMod Station | Gene crafting | Early | Computer Chip x1, Wiring Kit x1 |
| Water Filtration | Passive water gen | Mid | Titanium x3, Wiring Kit x2, Copper x1 |
| Vehicle Bay | Vehicle construction | Mid | Plasteel x2, Lubricant x1 |
| Scanner Room | Resource detection | Mid | Titanium x3, Copper x2, Computer Chip x1 |
| Power Cell Charger | Battery recharging | Mid | Titanium x2, Copper x1, Wiring Kit x1 |
| Alien Containment | Fish breeding | Late | Glass x3, Titanium x2 |
The Fabricator and Storage Lockers should be built immediately. Everything else can wait until you have stable power and structural integrity.
Structural Integrity
Base compartments have a structural integrity value that decreases as you build larger and deeper. If it reaches zero, your base will start leaking and eventually flood, destroying everything inside. Understanding integrity is essential for deep bases.
Key rules:
- Each compartment starts at 10 integrity
- Windows reduce integrity by 2 each
- Vertical connectors reduce integrity by 1 each
- Reinforcements add +7 integrity (requires Lithium x1)
- Depth pressure reduces integrity — below 100m, you must reinforce
- Bulkheads add +3 integrity and let you section off flooded areas
As a rule of thumb, for every 50m depth, add one reinforcement per 3 compartments. At 200m+ you will need reinforcements on nearly every compartment. At 500m+ (Crystal Caves depth), every single compartment must be reinforced.
Monitor your base's integrity by looking at the Habitat Builder's display panel. It shows current integrity as a percentage. If you see it dropping below 30%, stop expanding and add reinforcements immediately.
For every 50m depth, add one reinforcement per 3 compartments. At 200m+ you will need reinforcements on nearly every compartment.
Room Modules Reference
| Module | Function | Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Compartment | Basic room, 1x1 or 2x1 | Titanium x3 |
| Vertical Connector | Stack compartments vertically | Titanium x2 |
| Glass Dome | 360deg view, great for observation | Glass x2, Titanium x1 |
| Reinforced Wall | Adds structural integrity | Lithium x1, Titanium x1 |
| Bulkhead | Watertight door between sections | Titanium x2, Silicon x1 |
| Ladder Hatch | Vertical access between floors | Titanium x1 |
| Alien Containment | Breed and raise fish | Glass x3, Titanium x2 |
| Observatory | Large glass dome for views | Glass x4, Titanium x2 |
| Planter Pot | Indoor plant growing | Titanium x1 |
| Exterior Planter | Outdoor plant growing | Titanium x2 |
Scanner Room Guide
The Scanner Room is one of the most valuable base modules. Once built and powered, it can detect specific resources within a large radius, marking them on your HUD. This saves enormous amounts of time when searching for rare materials.
- Range: Base range is 300m. Upgrade with Range Boosters (up to 500m).
- Speed: Scan speed starts at 10 seconds per ping. Speed Boosters reduce this to 3 seconds.
- Resources: Can detect Titanium, Quartz, Copper, Lithium, Magnetite, Diamond, and more.
- Cave detection: Also highlights cave entrances within range — very useful for exploring new biomes.
Place your Scanner Room centrally in your base so its detection radius covers the surrounding biome evenly. In a forward base, the Scanner Room is invaluable for locating rare deep resources like Ionite Crystals and Kyanite.
Base Design Tips Summary
- Build vertically to minimize footprint — stack compartments rather than sprawling
- Place solar panels on top of the highest compartment for maximum sun exposure
- Use the Safe Shallows for your main base, Purple Vents for a forward base
- Reinforce walls if building below 100m (creature attacks + pressure)
- Use windows sparingly — they reduce structural integrity
- Keep a power cell charger in every forward base
- Alien Containment lets you breed fish for infinite food supply
- Label your storage lockers with the sign tool for organization
- Build a moonpool (if available) for easy Tadpole docking and recharging
- Keep at least 1 bulkhead between living quarters and the exterior to contain flooding
Next Steps
Once your base is established, explore the Blueprint Database for advanced modules, check the Creature Database to understand local fauna, and follow the Walkthrough Guide for story progression.