You just crashed. The Lifepod is on fire, the PDA is yelling about oxygen, and there’s a massive coral tube sticking out of the water like a giant rib bone. Most people spend their first three hours in Subnautica panicked, swimming in circles, and dying to things that really shouldn't be killing them. It’s a beautiful game, sure, but it’s also a giant, watery stress test.
Success isn't about being a hero. Honestly, it's about being a very efficient underwater janitor who eventually builds a submarine the size of a city block.
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If you’re looking for the kind of Subnautica tips and tricks that actually keep you alive past the first night, you have to stop thinking like a gamer and start thinking like a survivor. The game doesn't hold your hand. It barely even points you in the right direction. But once you understand the rhythm of the ocean floor, the fear of the Reaper Leviathan starts to feel a lot more like a manageable workplace hazard than a death sentence.
The Oxygen Trap and Why You’re Swimming Wrong
Oxygen is your biggest enemy early on. Obviously. But most players make the mistake of staying at the surface too long or diving too deep without a plan.
Build two oxygen tanks. Seriously. It seems like a waste of inventory space, but having a spare 75 units of air sitting in your backpack can be the difference between making it back to the hatch or watching the screen fade to black ten feet from safety. You have to manually swap them, though. If you forget to "refill" the spare tank by surfacing with it equipped, you’re just carrying a heavy, useless metal box.
Also, stop using the "ascend" button exclusively. Look up and swim. It’s faster. Use the Seaglide’s map—or rather, turn it off. That tiny holographic map in the corner of your screen? It eats battery and blocks your vision. Press the reload button (usually 'R') to toggle the light and the map. You’ll see more, and your batteries will thank you.
Bladderfish are not for eating
When you're hungry, grab a Peeper or a Garyfish. When you're thirsty, grab a Bladderfish. But here’s the thing: once you get a Bleach-based water purification system or a Water Filtration Machine, Bladderfish become obsolete for hydration.
Instead, keep them around for emergency air. If you're about to drown, you can actually consume a raw Bladderfish for a tiny, desperate burst of oxygen. It’s gross. It’s salty. But it keeps you breathing.
Subnautica Tips and Tricks for Base Building Without Regret
Your first base shouldn't be a masterpiece. It should be a tube.
Find a spot near the edge of the Safe Shallows where it drops off into the Grassy Plateaus (the red grass area). Why? Because proximity to different biomes is everything. You want easy access to Copper and Quartz, but you also need to be close to the deeper stuff like Lithium and Diamond later on.
Hull Integrity matters.
I’ve seen so many people build a gorgeous glass corridor only to have the whole thing implode because they didn't add reinforcements. Every window you add weakens the structure. Use Titanium to build "Reinforcements" on the walls. If your base is starting to leak, it’s not a glitch—it’s physics.
- Build your base near thermal vents if you can.
- Solar panels work up to about 200 meters, but they lose efficiency fast.
- Don't bother with the Floating Air Pump unless you're doing a very specific challenge run; it’s a tether that keeps you from actually exploring.
The Scanner Room is actually God-tier
If there is one piece of advice you take away, it’s this: build a Scanner Room as soon as you find the fragments.
Most people think they can just "remember" where the Silver is. You can’t. The ocean is huge and everything looks the same when you’re being chased by a Sandshark. The Scanner Room lets you search for specific resources in a massive radius. If you craft the HUD Chip, the location of every piece of Limestone Outcrop shows up directly on your goggles. It feels like cheating. It isn't. It’s survival.
Dealing with the Big Scary Things
Eventually, you have to leave the shallow water. You’ll hear a roar. It sounds like a freight train screaming into a megaphone. That’s a Reaper Leviathan.
Here is the truth about Leviathans: they are territorial, not homing missiles. If you stay on the move and keep your distance, they usually leave you alone. But if one latches onto your Seamoth, don't just sit there and scream.
Get out and repair. The Seamoth Perimeter Defense System is the best upgrade in the game. It lets you send an electric shock out that forces a Leviathan to let go immediately. Until you have that, carry a Stasis Rifle. One well-charged shot will freeze a giant sea monster in its tracks, giving you thirty seconds to rethink your life choices and swim away very, very fast.
Never go behind the Aurora (the crashed ship) unless you are prepared to die or you are very, very good at dodging. The "dunes" area is also a no-go zone for beginners. There’s nothing there but sand, silence, and about eight Reapers who haven't had lunch yet.
The Prawn Suit is not a tank
You’ll feel invincible once you get the Prawn Suit. You're in a giant metal mech with a drill arm. You’ll think, "I can fight anything now."
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You can't.
The Prawn Suit is a mining tool that happens to be durable. If you try to box a Sea Dragon, you will lose. Use the Grappling Arm to move like Spider-Man. It’s the fastest way to travel across the seabed, especially in the late-game cavern systems like the Lost River.
Essential Navigation Hacks
The PDA is a liar. It tells you there are multiple ways to go, but really, you just need to follow the beacons.
When a radio transmission comes in, go to the coordinate. Even if it’s deep. Even if it’s scary. These locations are specifically placed near the blueprints you need to progress. If you stop following the radio calls, you’ll get stuck in the mid-game loop of "where the heck is the Nickel?"
Drop Beacons everywhere.
I carry at least three Beacons in my inventory at all times. Give them clear names. "SILVER HERE" or "ENTRANCE TO BIG CAVE." The map in Subnautica is non-existent, so you have to build your own waypoint system.
- Name your beacons by depth and resource.
- Change the colors in your PDA menu so your screen isn't a mess of blue icons.
- Always leave a beacon at the entrance of the Jellyshroom Cave. It’s easy to get lost in there and drown looking for the exit.
The Mid-Game Progression Wall
There’s a point where the game stops telling you where to go. This usually happens after you visit the alien structure on the island. You’ll feel lost.
The answer is always "go deeper."
Look for the blue mist. The Lost River is the gateway to the end-game, and it’s located near Lifepod 2 or the deep entrance in the Blood Kelp Zone. You need a depth module for your Seamoth or Prawn Suit to even get down there. If you haven't found the Moonpool yet, you can't upgrade your vehicles, and you can't progress. Search the Mushroom Forest for those fragments. They look like big white curved plates lying on the sand.
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Practical Steps for Your Next Session
Stop hoarding Titanium in your lockers and start using it to expand. If you're feeling stuck, check these three things immediately:
First, make sure you have explored every inch of the Aurora. You need the Prawn Suit fragments and the Neptune rocket blueprints found in the Captain’s quarters. You’ll need a Laser Cutter and a Repair Tool to get inside.
Second, check your "Codes and Clues" tab in the PDA. Often, the game gives you the location of an alien facility in text form rather than a waypoint. You have to actually read the logs to find the coordinates.
Third, build a Growbed inside your base and your Cyclops. Planting Marblemelons means you never have to hunt for food or water again. Two hits with a knife gives you four seeds; eat three, plant four. It’s an infinite food loop that saves hours of gameplay.
Get your Seaglide out, check your battery levels, and stop hovering in the Safe Shallows. The secrets are at the bottom. Reach the 1,000-meter mark, and the game really begins.