Subnautica 2: Complete Guide to Tadpole Upgrades, Tools, and Equipment in 2026

You just crashed on an alien planet, you have a Tadpole that barely descends 200 meters, and your basic fins make you feel like you're swimming in molasses. We know the song. Subnautica 2 takes up the formula that made the first installment successful — explore, craft, survive — but the upgrade system has been thoroughly revised.

Concretely, you have three upgrade axes: the Tadpole modules (your submarine), improved tools via the Modification Station, and personal equipment (fins, air tank, rebreather). This guide covers absolutely everything — recipes, materials, blueprint locations, and especially the order in which to craft to not waste time.

The game has been in Early Access since 2025, so some recipes may change with patches. We are based on the May 2026 build - 305 active recipes, 278 items listed.

Before talking about the improvements themselves, we need to build the station that manufactures them. Modification Station is the required step for anything related to Tadpole modules and tool modifications. Without it, you're stuck with basic gear.

• 2x Titanium
• 2x Celestine
• 2x Copper

Nothing serious. Titanium is everywhere, Copper too. Celestine requires you to dig a little further than the starting area, but you should quickly find some around 100-150 meters deep. Once placed in your base, it unlocks 8 improvement recipes — 6 Tadpole modules and 2 tool modifications.

The Tadpole is your personal little submarine. Compact, maneuverable, and frankly essential once you exceed 100 meters. But by default, it is limited in depth, it consumes energy like crazy, and a good bite from a creature puts it in the red. That's where the modules come into play.

To craft the Tadpole itself, you need 2 Titanium Ingots, 1 Glass, 1 System Chip, and 1 Power Cell . Then, the modules are installed via the upper hatch, next to the Power Cell slot. Each module occupies one slot — and the Tadpole has several.

This is the first module you should craft. Each Engine Efficiency reduces the Tadpole's energy consumption by 20% . And it stacks. Up to 4 modules, which is 80% total reduction . Yes, you read correctly. At 80% off, your Tadpole is practically running empty. You can explore for hours without having to recharge.

• Recipe: 1 Titanium Ingot, 2 Glass, 1 System Chip
• Blueprint: data card found in the research outpost/alien ruins, right side upon entering
• Stackable: yes, up to 4x (80%)

Tip: craft at least two as soon as possible. The difference is immediate - your Tadpole goes from "have to come back every 10 minutes" to "I can go around the map quietly".

By default, the Tadpole has a fairly low depth limit. Beyond this limit, your hull takes damage and you risk implosion. The Depth Module Mk. 1 pushes this limit to 450 meters , which opens up a good portion of the mid-game map.

• Recipe: 3 Celestine, 2 Enameled Glass, 1 System Chip
• Blueprint: found south-southeast of the research outpost, near a cave area
• Stackable: no, one is enough

Important: Enameled Glass requires Glass + Strontium at the Fabricator. Plan to farm some Strontium before getting started.

The Mk. 2 goes even further, but it's expensive. Really expensive. It's a late-game upgrade that requires materials that are not found until you have progressed well in the story.

• Recipe: 2 Dedicated Core, 2 Troilite, 2 Mangalloy Ingot
• Note: currently unavailable in survival mode according to several sources (Game8). Probably reserved for a future update

The Dedicated Core alone is a project - you need an Advanced Wiring Kit, Quartz, and Strong Acid. It's not something you craft by accident on a Tuesday morning.

If you're tired of seeing your hull gauge melt with each collision or creature attack, the Strike Armor is your friend. It adds armor plates that reduce physical damage — collisions and bites included.

• Recipe: 2 Enameled Glass, 2 Strontium
• Blueprint: to the southwest of the outpost, towards the 195° cape

Not the most exciting module, but when a Leviathan catches you in a narrow corridor, you'll be glad to have it.

The Tadpole makes noise. A lot of noise. The Cavitation Muffler reduces cavitation sound, making your submarine less detectable by predators. Very useful in areas with aggressive big creatures.

• Recipe: 3 Titanium, 2 Strontium
• Blueprint: far from alien ruins, towards Angel Cove

Combine it with the Strike Armor if you want to play the cautious explorer. Less noise + more resistance = serenity.

The concept is simple: when your Tadpole is in shallow water and it is daytime, the module automatically recharges your battery. Free of charge. Without doing anything.

• Recipe: 1 Copper Ingot, 1 Strong Acid, 1 Troilite
• Blueprint: found at the Cicada wreck (EVA Prep), beyond the alien base

In combo with 2-3 Engine Efficiency, your Tadpole becomes practically autonomous. You consume almost nothing and recharge on the surface between dives. The dream.

Beyond the classic modules, Subnautica 2 introduces a system of interchangeable chassis for the Tadpole. It's not just a skin — each chassis modifies the structural characteristics of the vehicle.

The Scout Ray chassis is oriented towards fast exploration. To unlock it, you need to scan fragments in the Tadpole Pens, an area accessible fairly early in the progression.

• Recipe: 2 Plasteel Ingots, 1 Advanced Wiring Kit, 1 Dedicated Core, 1 Strong Acid
• Manufactured on: Vehicle Bay
• Blueprint: scan of Scout Ray fragments in the Tadpole Pens / alien zones

The cost is high. Plasteel Ingots require Titanium + Lithium, the Advanced Wiring Kit is a multi-step craft, and the Dedicated Core... we've already talked about it. It's clearly mid-to-late game.

The tank alternative. The Haul Chassis focuses on transport capacity and robustness rather than speed. Ideal when you go on a farming expedition and want to bring back a maximum of resources.

• Recipe: 4 Titanium Ingots, 3 Strontium Ingots, 3 Enameled Glass, 1 Dedicated Core
• Blueprint: scan of 3 chassis fragments, located around Ruby 2 marker / alien site

Even more expensive than the Scout Ray. 4 Titanium Ingots + 3 Strontium Ingots, that represents a good amount of farming. But if you plan on building a large base in the depths, the Hauler will save you round trips.

The Modification Station is not just for the Tadpole. Two basic tools can be transformed into significantly more useful versions.

The basic Scanner, you know it: you point, you scan, you retrieve information and blueprints. The Bioscanner goes further — it analyzes fauna and flora in detail, with complete biological data. Essential if you want to understand the alien ecosystem and find specific resources.

• Recipe: 1 Scanner, 2 Enameled Glass, 3 Conduit Crystal
• Station: Modification Station
• Prerequisites: own the basic Scanner + have the Bioscanner blueprint

The Conduit Crystals are found in deep cave areas. If you're struggling to find them, look around the crystalline formations that emit a bluish light — hard to miss.

The basic Sonic Resonator pushes creatures away with a sonic wave. Practical, but limited. The Feedback Resonator amplifies the effect and adds feedback - affected creatures are disoriented for longer. In high predator density areas, it's the difference between exploring quietly and ending up as a snack.

• Recipe: 1 Sonic Resonator, 2 Enameled Glass, 2 Conduit Crystal, 2 Strontium
• Station: Modification Station

And as a reminder, the basic Sonic Resonator is crafted at the Fabricator with 2 Titanium Ingots and 2 Lead So in total, between the basic crafting and the upgrade, you will need a good stock of materials.

We often forget personal equipment, but that's what makes the difference in everyday life. You spend 80% of your time swimming, so you might as well swim fast and breathe long.

The Basic Fins are better than nothing, but they are slow. The Improved Fins significantly increase your swimming speed. The difference is felt immediately — you cover more ground, you escape predators more easily, and your resource collection sessions go twice as fast.

• Recipe: 1 Basic Fins, 1 Fiber Mesh, 2 Conduit Crystal
• Blueprint: scanner 3 fragments of Improved Fins in the Alien Ruins area (the 3 are close to each other)

It is one of the most cost-effective upgrades in the game. Accessible materials, easy-to-find blueprint, and the impact on gameplay is huge. Make it your priority right after the Scanner.

The basic air tank ( Titanium + Rubber + Silver ) gives you a correct dive time for beginners. But as soon as you start descending to 150+ meters without a Tadpole, it becomes short. Very short.

The Rebreather ( 1 Fiber Mesh + 1 System Chip ) is a must-have. It reduces oxygen consumption deeply — the deeper you go, the more you gain compared to the standard mask. Without Rebreather, diving beyond 200 meters swimming is suicide.

Combine Rebreather + Improved Fins + a good Air Tank and you become a real diver. You can explore caves at 250-300 meters without panicking about your O2 gauge.

To be complete, here are the recipes for all the tools you will craft at the Fabricator before even thinking about upgrades.

• Survival Multitool — 3 Titanium. Your first craft, literally.
• Basic Battery — 2 Copper + 1 Acidic Rayn Pouch. The basis of everything that works with energy.
• Scanner — 1 Titanium + 1 Quartz + 1 Basic Battery. Second priority after the Multitool.
• Habitat Builder — 2 Titanium + 1 Glass + 1 Basic Battery + 1 Silicone Rubber. Scan 3 fragments to unlock the blueprint.
• Repair Tool — 1 Titanium Ingot + 1 Wiring Kit + 1 Basic Battery. Essential to maintain your base and your Tadpole.
• Sonic Resonator — 2 Titanium Ingots + 2 Lead. Repels hostile creatures — upgrade to Feedback Resonator.
• Wakemaker — 1 Silver + 1 Grease. Creates disturbances in the water to attract or repel wildlife.

Let's not lie: the materials in Subnautica 2 are not infinite - well technically yes, but farming takes time. Here is the priority order that will save you hours.

1. Scanner — above all. Without a scanner, no blueprints, no progress.
2. Habitat Builder — your base is your survival. Moonpool included for the Tadpole.
3. Improved Fins + Rebreather — boost your personal mobility before investing in the vehicle.
4. Tadpole + Engine Efficiency x2 — your submarine with decent autonomy.
5. Depth Module Mk. 1 — unlock mid-game areas (200-450m).
6. Bioscanner — advanced scanner for deep fauna/flora.
7. Modification Station — if not done yet, now is the time.
8. Strike Armor or Cavitation Muffler — according to your style: tank or discreet.
9. Photovoltaic Charger — total autonomy for the Tadpole.
10. Feedback Resonator + advanced chassis — the late-game, when you have the resources.

This order is not set in stone — if you come across a Strike Armor blueprint before the Depth Module, install it. But in terms of investment/impact ratio, this sequence is the most effective.

Some materials appear in almost all advanced recipes. Here's a quick recap to know where to look without going around in circles.

• Enameled Glass — Glass + Strontium at the Fabricator. Strontium is found in volcanic areas and deep caves (150m+).
• Crystal Conduit — blue crystalline formations in the caves. Look for the blue gleams.
• System Chip — intermediate craft at the Fabricator. Requires Copper and electronic components.
• Dedicated Core — Advanced Wiring Kit + Quartz + Strong Acid. The most complex craft in the game.
• Plasteel Ingot — Titanium Ingot + Lithium. Lithium is found starting from 200m+.
• Strong Acid — harvested from certain alien plants. Beware of stings.
• Troilite — rare ore, deep zones only. Often near hydrothermal vents.

The Tadpole has several upgrade slots accessible via the top hatch. You can combine different modules — for example Engine Efficiency x2 + Depth Module Mk. 1 + Strike Armor. Only the Engine Efficiency stack (up to 4), the other modules occupy one slot each.

No, not yet. In the May 2026 build, the Mk. 2 is listed in the game files but is not craftable in survival mode. It will probably be unlocked in a future Early Access update.

Yes. The modules are interchangeable. You can remove them from the Tadpole via the upgrade hatch and store them or reinstall them at will. No loss of materials.

Yes, it's a direct upgrade. The base Scanner is consumed in the recipe. The Bioscanner does everything the Scanner does, plus advanced biological analysis. You don't lose any functionality.

Engine Efficiency x2 + Depth Module Mk. 1 + Cavitation Muffler. You descend to 450m, you consume very little energy, and predators don't hear you coming. Add the Photovoltaic Charger if you make regular round trips to the surface.

No. It needs sunlight, so it only works in shallow waters during the day. At night or in depth, it does nothing. Plan for other sources of energy for long night dives.