S2 Subnautica 2 Wiki
First base tool

Subnautica 2 First Base Checklist

Use this checklist after the Angel Comb route and before your first serious base. It keeps the Welcome Center, southwest wreck, Habitat Builder recipe, and return-home craft in one clean order.

Open Welcome Center Open southwest wreck map

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Subnautica 2 Habitat Builder crafted after the Welcome Center route.
Subnautica 2 Titanium inventory icon Need 2 Titanium Reserve this before the return trip so the Habitat Builder craft is not blocked at home. Subnautica 2 Glass inventory icon Need 1 Glass Craft from 2 Quartz, then keep one finished Glass for the builder. Subnautica 2 Basic Battery inventory icon Need 1 Basic Battery Bring a spare for the Welcome Center route, then keep one available for the Habitat Builder craft. Subnautica 2 Copper Wire inventory icon Need 1 Copper Wire Craft from 2 Copper and avoid spending it on nonessential electronics before base setup.

Route Order

This is the short version of the route: prepare, clear the facility, grab the nearby vehicle-chain scans, then come home and build.

Full progression route
1

Stabilize the starter route

Finish Prologue, run the First Hour loop, unlock Flashlight, and get the Digestion gene before making the Welcome Center trip feel like a long rescue swim.

Open progression route
2

Pack for the Welcome Center

Carry Scanner, one spare Basic Battery, enough food and water, and Air Bladder if you use it for emergency oxygen or fast ascent.

Air Bladder controls
3

Clear the 150-degree facility

Swim southeast at about 150 degrees, scan the Habitat Builder fragments, power the facility, and choose your first Biolab upgrades.

Welcome Center guide
4

Do the southwest wreck before going home

From the Welcome Center, aim southwest between 210 and 240 degrees and scan Dive Elevator, Beacon, and the first Tadpole fragment.

Open map marker
5

Return and craft the builder

Head home, gather a little Titanium on the way back if your inventory allows, then craft Habitat Builder before chasing later vehicle systems.

Habitat Builder page

Checklist

Check items off as you play. Progress is saved in this browser only.

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Before Leaving Base

Scanner
Basic Battery
Air Bladder
Digestion route

Welcome Center

Route guide
Fragment one
Fragment two
Biomods

Southwest Wreck

Map marker
Beacon
Vehicles

Back Home

Titanium
Glass
Habitat Builder
Open Habitat Builder

Unlocks Along The Route

These are the scans and systems that make the route worth doing before you settle your first base.

Subnautica 2 Habitat Builder icon Tool Habitat Builder Lets you start real base building after two Welcome Center scans. Subnautica 2 Hatch and Corridor icon Base parts Hatch and Corridor Unlock alongside the builder so the first habitat can actually be entered. Subnautica 2 Biolab icon Upgrade station Biolab Opens the first active and passive biomod choices at the Welcome Center. Subnautica 2 Dive Elevator icon Blueprint Dive Elevator Starts the southwest wreck unlock set after the facility route. Subnautica 2 Beacon icon Blueprint Beacon Makes repeat trips easier once the route becomes familiar. Subnautica 2 Tadpole Fragment icon Vehicle chain Tadpole Fragment Starts the Tadpole route and adds Power Cell and Strong Acid planning to your next goals.

Material Notes

The builder craft itself is the important bottleneck: 2 Titanium, 1 Glass, 1 Basic Battery, and 1 Copper Wire. The sub-craft math that matters before leaving home is simple: 1 Glass needs 2 Quartz, and 1 Copper Wire needs 2 Copper.

If you are short on power parts, treat the spare Basic Battery as a route item first. Powering the Welcome Center keeps the Biolab and NOA path moving, while the return trip gives you another chance to gather Titanium.

Do not stay at the southwest wreck longer than necessary on the first pass. Scan the key fragments, open the supply crate, and return while the route is still clean.

Common Mistakes

Leaving without a battery

The Welcome Center power step becomes a forced return trip.

Scanning only one builder fragment

The tool is not ready until the second fragment is scanned in the cave route.

Skipping the southwest wreck

You miss Beacon, Dive Elevator, and the first Tadpole fragment while already nearby.

Crafting before reserving materials

Glass and Copper Wire can consume raw resources you meant to keep for another tool.

First Base FAQ

What materials do I need for Habitat Builder in Subnautica 2?

For the Habitat Builder craft, prepare 2 Titanium, 1 Glass, 1 Basic Battery, and 1 Copper Wire. The sub-crafts covered here are 1 Glass from 2 Quartz and 1 Copper Wire from 2 Copper.

Where do I unlock Habitat Builder?

The early route is the Welcome Center southeast of the Lifepod at about 150 degrees. Scan the entrance fragment, then use the cave route for the second fragment.

Should I bring a Basic Battery to the Welcome Center?

Yes. Bring one spare Basic Battery before leaving. The facility power step is much smoother when you are not forced to return home mid-route.

What should I scan after the Welcome Center?

Before returning home, swim southwest between 210 and 240 degrees to the nearby wreck and scan Dive Elevator, Beacon, and the first Tadpole fragment.

Related Pages

Progression Route

The full order from Prologue to first base.

Welcome Center

Step-by-step facility route, Biolab picks, and southwest wreck follow-up.

Habitat Builder

Tool page for scan route, material prep, and first-base planning.

Basic Battery

Starter power part for Scanner, Welcome Center, and Habitat Builder prep.

Glass

Craft one Glass from 2 Quartz for the builder.

Copper Wire

Craft one Copper Wire from 2 Copper for the builder.

Southwest Wreck Marker

Open the map marker for the 210 to 240 degree wreck route.

Recipes

Use the recipe hub for station and material-family planning.