A Guide to Unlocking All Biomods in Subnautica 2 and Their Functions

Biomods serve as your skill set in Subnautica 2. Some provide active abilities, like dashing to evade predators or unleashing an electric shock, while most offer passive enhancements that significantly ease your underwater adventures.

Initially, you’ll have access to a limited selection of Biomods once you activate the Biolab in the Welcome Center. However, after reaching the Alien Ruins and obtaining the Bioscanner upgrade, you’ll unlock the full range of options available at the Biolab.

The catch is that you must scan various ocean creatures to unlock each Biomod. Below, I’ll guide you on where to find the creatures you need to scan and detail what each Biomod does.

Currently, there are 15 Biomods, comprising five active and ten passive types. However, you can only equip one of each type at the moment. The roadmap for Subnautica 2 indicates that future updates will enhance Biomod capabilities, including additional passive slots.

At the game’s start, you can access the following Biomods after powering up the Welcome Center and interacting with the Biolab:

Biomod	Type	Effect
Dash	Active	Dash in any direction to avoid predators or hazards.
Pathfinder	Active	Leave a trail of pheromones that you can follow to find your way.
Sea Skimmer	Passive	Swim faster when close to underwater surfaces or the seafloor.
Oxygen Control	Passive	Slows oxygen consumption when not moving.

You’ll be limited to these four options until you complete the initial tasks and head to the Alien Ruins to the east, where you can find the Bioscanner upgrade. Once you acquire and equip it at the Modification Station, you can begin scanning creatures to unlock more Biomods. While you’ll be informed about which creatures to find, their specific functions and locations will remain a mystery until you discover them.

Here’s a rundown of the remaining Biomods you need to unlock, along with the locations of the required creatures:

To unlock Sonic Echo, you need to scan the formidable Collector Leviathan, which you can spot patrolling the gorge between the Tadpole Pens and the Alien Ruins.

You can either scan this Collector Leviathan directly or venture down to the Metal Farm area (with its glowing green pools), where you’ll find a couple more. Just be sure to stay close to cover and use Distraction Flares or the Camouflage Biomod to get close enough for a scan. I found the Electric Discharge Biomod less effective than expected in this situation. If this beast catches you, it can take you out in one bite.

The Electric Geordie you need to scan is located near the Alien Turbine. From the Alien Ruins Research Outpost, head east toward the Angel Comb, where you’ll find the Electric Geordie next to a large metal pillar with a blue light. More can also be found by the green glowing pools at the Metal Farms. Using your Tadpole as bait can be effective, as the fish will latch onto it and deliver a shock.

For this Biomod, I suggest returning to the starting area. You can find Houndgar near the Cicada shipwreck in the volcanic region, about 720m southwest of the Alien Ruins or 550m west of the Lifepod.

Toxic Sponge is easily scanned in a small cave just 30m east of the Lifepod, almost directly beneath it.

If you have the Electric Discharge Biomod, you should have already scanned an Electric Geordie. If not, I recommend heading back to the Alien Turbine to find one.

Sandspear can be located in or around the seabed in the starting Shallows area. I found one in a cave just 70m west of the Lifepod, making it quite accessible. They can often be seen wriggling in the sand.

Bulletheads are frequently found lodged in cave walls, making them easy to overlook in the dark. I discovered several in a cave 120m away, 300 degrees northwest of the Alien Ruins Research Outpost. This cave spans much of the area beneath the Research Outpost and has multiple entrances.

Coral Crabs are commonly found around the rock pillar in the open seabed near Chap’s base, about 120 degrees southeast of the Lifepod, roughly 200m away, just past the Welcome Center. You can also spot them alongside Houndgars near the Cicada shipwreck by the Tadpole Pens in the volcanic area.

Both Surge Jelly and Hammerhead can be found near the Lifepod in the starting area. A large group of Surge Jelly is located just past Chap’s base, about 250m south of the Lifepod, near a significant natural current.

Hammerheads are more prevalent further from the Lifepod, but I recommend heading toward the Coral Crabs and sulfur deposits near the rock pillar by Chap’s base, 250m southeast of the Lifepod. You should find one patrolling the area near a pack of Nibbler Mango.

Hoverthorn are tiny fish that can be tricky to scan. Fortunately, they are abundant around the Alien Ruins. I suggest getting close to the edge of the pit with the Collector Leviathan, located roughly 300m south-southwest of the Alien Ruins.

Needler Mango is one of the easiest fish to scan, as they have a designated nesting area you’ve likely visited for Creature Enamel, Ruby’s black box, or the Tadpole depth module. You can find a bunch of them about 250m southeast of the Alien Ruins Research Outpost. They take a moment to line up their shots, making it the perfect time to approach for a scan.

Nibbler Mangoes are the most common predators in the starting Shallows, so you’re likely to encounter one by swimming in any direction from the Lifepod. I recommend heading toward Chap’s base, 250m southeast of the Lifepod, or the Old Habitat, which is 350m north of the Lifepod.

The Water Slug is a simple creature, primarily existing to be converted into drinking water. You can find Water Slugs on the seafloor almost anywhere, whether around the Lifepod or the seabed near the Alien Ruins Research Outpost.

Currently, you can only equip one active and one passive Biomod, making your choices even more critical. Some options are less effective, like Homing Sense for detecting bases with electricity, while others can be incredibly useful for specific challenges.

Here are the Biomods I recommend:

You can acquire this active Biomod almost immediately after visiting the Welcome Center, and it’s my go-to for dodging predators or simply moving faster.

If a predator is on your tail, you can unleash a jolt of electricity to temporarily stun it, giving you a chance to escape.

This passive mod renders you invisible while stationary, making it ideal for sneaking past even the most intimidating Leviathans (I’ve tested it).

While it may sound unappealing, cultivating edible algae is quite beneficial in the Alien Ruins area, where natural food sources are limited. Water Slugs are plentiful, but there aren’t many plants available for harvesting fibrous pulp or similar resources.