Top Locations for Your Base in Subnautica 2

You’ve just touched down in Subnautica 2, and your first mission after snagging the Habitat Builder is to start crafting your underwater base. But where’s the best spot to set up? With danger lurking in every direction, pinpointing the ideal base locations is crucial.

You’ll want to be near essential resources like titanium and quartz—both are vital for your base construction—but also keep an eye out for copper, silver, and lead. Powering your base is another key factor; solar energy will only keep your lights and oxygen running during the day, so finding a strong ocean current for turbine power is a smart move.

For your initial base, I suggest following the lead of many players and building right under or next to your lifepod. While you’re managing your limited resources, the pod acts as an extra room with storage and a fabricator, plus it’s above water, providing a constant supply of oxygen. It also houses NoA, your AI companion, and serves as a respawn point—no need to waste resources on rebuilding those right away.

Since you’ll initially rely on solar power, your underwater base will be dark and airless once night falls. You’ll need to spend some time in your lifepod, so it makes sense to stay close.

If you swim about 60 meters east of your pod, you’ll discover a strong current that reaches the ocean’s surface, perfect for placing a couple of hydroelectric turbines to keep your base powered at night once you unlock that tech.

Head 300 meters directly north of the lifepod, and you’ll spot some intriguing rock formations adorned with massive jelly-like creatures. As you approach, you’ll receive a PDA notification for “Old Habitat,” revealing the remnants of a dilapidated base.

Be cautious, though—this area is patrolled by aggressive fish eager to headbutt you. However, if you dive into the caves beneath the rock structures, you’ll find abundant deposits of copper, silver, and titanium, and those pesky fish won’t follow you down there.

You’ll also uncover a small colonist’s bunker at the cave’s bottom, which contains some useful items. This bunker is a great spot to catch your breath while gathering resources. A strong natural current flows along the seafloor between the rock formations, ideal for powering your base continuously.

Travel 400 meters directly northeast of the lifepod, and you’ll encounter a large piece of wreckage known as the “Cicada Wreck (Lander Garage).” Getting close will trigger a journal entry.

While this location isn’t the most visually appealing—the murky water and wreckage don’t offer much in terms of scenery—it’s a fantastic spot for resource access. You’ll find an abundance of lead, more than anywhere else on the map, along with sizable quartz and copper deposits, and a bit of titanium scattered around the wreck. Plus, there’s a nice current nearby for your turbine needs.

A hidden advantage of the Cicada Wreck is its alignment with the direction the game will eventually guide you—northeast—making it a convenient location that saves you from unnecessary backtracking as the story unfolds.

Avoid searching for base locations in the south or west of the starter zone; the early access map essentially ends to the west after 300 meters. You won’t hit a wall, but you’ll receive an in-game warning about the early access status, and beyond that point, it’s just open water and featureless rock.

Also, a giant creature might show up and try to eat you. Not the best place to set up shop.

As you venture northeast, you’ll enter warmer waters, and once you learn to navigate them, you’ll encounter numerous thermal vents that can serve as another power source for your base. While it might be tempting to build near these vents, I recommend holding off on constructing anything substantial in the heat caves. The story will soon lead you further east, where you’ll find a prime location for a second base.

I won’t spoil what you’ll discover there—it’s tied to the story—but you’ll know when it’s time to build another base because the game will essentially prompt you. I haven’t found any usable currents or thermal vents in this new area yet, so consider unlocking bioreactors before you start building to ensure you can power your habitat at night.

That’s my best advice for base locations so far, but I’ll update this list as I progress further in the game. If you come across any prime base spots in Subnautica 2, feel free to share your findings!