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Starter visibility tool

Flashlight Guide

Flashlight is not glamorous, but it fixes a real early problem: players lose exits, miss scan targets, and waste oxygen in dark caves and wreck interiors. The useful answer is where to scan it, when to craft it, and how it fits beside Scanner and Basic Battery planning.

Quick answer: After two Flashlight scans, craft it at the Fabricator with 2 Titanium, 1 Quartz and 1 Basic Battery. This guide uses the cave below the Lifepod and the northeast wreck for the two scans.

Reviewed .

Official Subnautica 2 media crop used for Flashlight and dark-route safety planning.
Primary use

Dark cave visibility, wreck navigation, night exploration, and safer starter scans.

Route and unlock plan

Lifepod cave, northeast wreck, and dark starter routes.

Flashlight fragments guide
Step 1

Build Scanner first

Both Flashlight fragments need Scanner progress, so stabilize Scanner use before chasing the unlock.

Step 2

Scan the Lifepod cave fragment

The first fragment sits in the cave below the Lifepod. Scan it and leave with oxygen margin.

Step 3

Scan the northeast wreck fragment

The second fragment is inside the northeast wreck. Enter, scan the bright fragment area, and return before exploring side rooms.

Step 4

Craft the Flashlight

Use 2 Titanium, 1 Quartz and 1 Basic Battery. Making the battery adds 2 Copper and 1 Acidic Raion Pouch if you do not have one ready.

Player decisions

Question Status Rule
Best time After Scanner basics Do it when caves or wreck interiors start slowing scans and exits.
Main value Visibility safety It reduces missed exits, slow searching, and oxygen waste.
Material pressure Battery chain It competes for early power components.
Raw material total One Flashlight 2 Titanium, 1 Quartz, 2 Copper and 1 Acidic Raion Pouch, including the crafted battery.

Gameplay notes

Two fragments

Unlock path

The useful early path is Lifepod cave first, northeast wreck second.

High confidence

Use case

Visibility tools naturally support caves, wrecks, and night routes.

Reviewed for build 128456

Recipe

The quantities remain 2 Titanium, 1 Quartz and 1 Basic Battery. The linked crafting screenshot was recorded in build 115506.

Save-dependent

Priority order

Scanner-first is usually better, then Flashlight once dark routes matter.

Useful links

Questions people ask

Where are the first Flashlight fragments?

Scan one fragment in the cave below the Lifepod, then scan the second fragment inside the northeast wreck.

Is Flashlight worth crafting early?

Yes if caves, night travel, or wreck exits are slowing you down. Scanner still comes first because it unlocks the fragments.

What materials should I prepare for Flashlight?

Use 2 Titanium, 1 Quartz and 1 Basic Battery. The battery takes 2 Copper and 1 Acidic Raion Pouch. This recipe does not use Glass.

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