Understanding Biomes And Safe Navigation
Navigate Subnautica from the shallows to the deep caves
This is an original reference for the first Subnautica. Your current depth rating, oxygen, available tools and navigation route determine when an objective is practical. Follow actual in-game PDA and Fabricator information for any values that vary by version.
How to use this information
The crater has distinct ecological zones with different resources, predators and depth demands.
What to avoid
Do not assume a beautiful glowing biome is safe or that open ocean leads to another island.
Step-by-step guide
Learn the Safe Shallows boundary
Learn the Safe Shallows boundary is a concrete milestone in this survival route, not a command to rush to the next depth. Start with Safe Shallows. The low-risk starting biome with coral, limestone outcrops and many survival basics. Establish a basic water and food loop here, then use nearby edges as exploration gateways. The most common failure here is specific: Do not confuse an easy starting biome with infinite oxygen or guaranteed safety inside caves. Before leaving your staging point, review the equipment in your PDA, verify the depth of the objective and note which corridor you will take back. If you have not unlocked the required technology, scan fragments in known terrain and do a separate supply trip rather than risking all resources at once. The next connection is Kelp Forest: A green biome of creepvine, metal salvage and Stalkers close to the starting area. Harvest creepvine seed clusters and gather stalker teeth opportunistically without prolonged chases. Those two topics form a useful checkpoint: finish the present task, repair any worn equipment, refill oxygen or cells, and update Beacons before you continue. Remember the related limitation: Kelp visibility can make it surprisingly easy to lose your return bearing. On this original-Subnautica route, a sensible plan is more valuable than a fixed set of unverified coordinates. Use this chapter as a decision path for your own save rather than assuming all fragments and resources have been found already.
Explore Kelp and Grassy Plateaus
Explore Kelp and Grassy Plateaus is a concrete milestone in this survival route, not a command to rush to the next depth. Start with Kelp Forest. A green biome of creepvine, metal salvage and Stalkers close to the starting area. Harvest creepvine seed clusters and gather stalker teeth opportunistically without prolonged chases. The most common failure here is specific: Kelp visibility can make it surprisingly easy to lose your return bearing. Before leaving your staging point, review the equipment in your PDA, verify the depth of the objective and note which corridor you will take back. If you have not unlocked the required technology, scan fragments in known terrain and do a separate supply trip rather than risking all resources at once. The next connection is Mushroom Forest: Towering mushroom-tree biomes used for exploration and certain valuable fragments. Scan equipment fragments and identify safe corridors between the trunks. Those two topics form a useful checkpoint: finish the present task, repair any worn equipment, refill oxygen or cells, and update Beacons before you continue. Remember the related limitation: Do not confuse upper forest canopy with a safe path into every adjacent biome. On this original-Subnautica route, a sensible plan is more valuable than a fixed set of unverified coordinates. Use this chapter as a decision path for your own save rather than assuming all fragments and resources have been found already.
Choose mid-depth scouting routes
Choose mid-depth scouting routes is a concrete milestone in this survival route, not a command to rush to the next depth. Start with Mushroom Forest. Towering mushroom-tree biomes used for exploration and certain valuable fragments. Scan equipment fragments and identify safe corridors between the trunks. The most common failure here is specific: Do not confuse upper forest canopy with a safe path into every adjacent biome. Before leaving your staging point, review the equipment in your PDA, verify the depth of the objective and note which corridor you will take back. If you have not unlocked the required technology, scan fragments in known terrain and do a separate supply trip rather than risking all resources at once. The next connection is Blood Kelp Zone: A dark biome with white bloodvine and connections toward Lost River. Bring navigation aids and extended oxygen or a deep-capable vehicle. Those two topics form a useful checkpoint: finish the present task, repair any worn equipment, refill oxygen or cells, and update Beacons before you continue. Remember the related limitation: Black water and vertical terrain make wandering without a beacon dangerous. On this original-Subnautica route, a sensible plan is more valuable than a fixed set of unverified coordinates. Use this chapter as a decision path for your own save rather than assuming all fragments and resources have been found already.
Prepare for Blood Kelp and Grand Reef
Prepare for Blood Kelp and Grand Reef is a concrete milestone in this survival route, not a command to rush to the next depth. Start with Blood Kelp Zone. A dark biome with white bloodvine and connections toward Lost River. Bring navigation aids and extended oxygen or a deep-capable vehicle. The most common failure here is specific: Black water and vertical terrain make wandering without a beacon dangerous. Before leaving your staging point, review the equipment in your PDA, verify the depth of the objective and note which corridor you will take back. If you have not unlocked the required technology, scan fragments in known terrain and do a separate supply trip rather than risking all resources at once. The next connection is Lost River: An interconnected deep cave ecosystem with brine pools, fossils and alien-story routes. Map one entrance thoroughly, then progress between safe landmarks and prepare for a lower depth limit. Those two topics form a useful checkpoint: finish the present task, repair any worn equipment, refill oxygen or cells, and update Beacons before you continue. Remember the related limitation: Certain brine areas are hazardous to an unprotected diver; do not assume every pool can be swum through. On this original-Subnautica route, a sensible plan is more valuable than a fixed set of unverified coordinates. Use this chapter as a decision path for your own save rather than assuming all fragments and resources have been found already.
Recognize Lost River entrances and crater edge
Recognize Lost River entrances and crater edge is a concrete milestone in this survival route, not a command to rush to the next depth. Start with Lost River. An interconnected deep cave ecosystem with brine pools, fossils and alien-story routes. Map one entrance thoroughly, then progress between safe landmarks and prepare for a lower depth limit. The most common failure here is specific: Certain brine areas are hazardous to an unprotected diver; do not assume every pool can be swum through. Before leaving your staging point, review the equipment in your PDA, verify the depth of the objective and note which corridor you will take back. If you have not unlocked the required technology, scan fragments in known terrain and do a separate supply trip rather than risking all resources at once. The next connection is Safe Shallows: The low-risk starting biome with coral, limestone outcrops and many survival basics. Establish a basic water and food loop here, then use nearby edges as exploration gateways. Those two topics form a useful checkpoint: finish the present task, repair any worn equipment, refill oxygen or cells, and update Beacons before you continue. Remember the related limitation: Do not confuse an easy starting biome with infinite oxygen or guaranteed safety inside caves. On this original-Subnautica route, a sensible plan is more valuable than a fixed set of unverified coordinates. Use this chapter as a decision path for your own save rather than assuming all fragments and resources have been found already.