Subnautica 2 Tadpole: Vehicles & Equipment
The Tadpole is the central vehicle in the Early Access launch of Subnautica 2 and forms the backbone of exploration on the ocean moon Proteus. This page explains how to unlock, build and equip the Subnautica 2 Tadpole and use it effectively for progression.
Overview: Vehicles & Equipment in Early Access
The Tadpole is the only fully playable vehicle in the Early Access launch build. It takes on a similar role to the Seamoth from the first Subnautica, but goes considerably further thanks to its modular chassis system.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Type | Single-person submarine |
| Standard crush depth | 250 m |
| Max. crush depth (with module) | 450 m |
| Upgrade slots | 4 |
| Propulsion | Power Cell (1 slot) |
| Co-op capacity (base) | Pilot + 2 passengers |
:::warning Values can change Crush depths, recipes and module names are subject to Early Access and can shift with patches. Check them against the game. :::
Preparation
Equipment Before the Fragment Hunt
Before you hunt down the Tadpole fragments, make sure you have the following:
- Standard Air Tank — considerably extends your dive time
- Wakemaker — increases swimming speed and reduces O₂ consumption on the way
- Scanner — absolutely required for scanning the fragments
- Processor at your base — needed later for ingots
:::warning Prepare your base Plan your base so that there is enough vertical clearance below the floor. The Tadpole Dock needs considerable space downwards. Anyone who only extends after building often runs into placement problems. :::
Required Base Modules
The following base modules have to be finished before you can build at the Vehicle Fabricator:
| Module | Materials |
|---|---|
| Moonpool | 5× Titanium |
| Vehicle Fabricator | 2× Titanium Ingot, 1× Copper Ingot, 2× Glass |
| Tadpole Dock | 2× Titanium Ingot, 1× Silver Ingot, 2× Copper Wire |
Note: The Tadpole Dock and the Vehicle Fabricator have to be placed directly on the sides of the Moonpool — not freely in the room.
Step by Step: Unlocking the Blueprint and Building the Tadpole
1. Scan three Tadpole fragments
In Survival mode you unlock the blueprint by scanning at least three destroyed Tadpoles with the scanner. In Creative mode the blueprint is available from the start.
Three easily reachable fragment locations in the starting area:
- Old Habitat — about 370–430 m north of the Lifepod, near the outer wall of the ruins
- Northeast ravine — about 280 m northeast of the Lifepod, at the bottom of a natural current channel, on a Colony Ruin Platform
- North cliff — bearing 015° from the Lifepod, near the cliff edge beside a giant jellyfish
After the third scan the blueprint is unlocked automatically.
2. Build the Moonpool and base modules
- Build a large room with free space below the floor (at least one room unit of buffer depth).
- Place the Moonpool inside this room.
- Attach the Vehicle Fabricator to one side of the Moonpool.
- Attach the Tadpole Dock to another side of the Moonpool.
Important: If there are obstacles directly beneath the Moonpool, the Tadpole cannot dock.
3. Gather materials for the Tadpole
For the Tadpole itself you need:
- 2× Titanium Ingot
- 1× Glass
- 1× System Chip (requires: Quartz, Silver, Copper Wire)
- 1× Power Cell (requires: Battery, Salt, Strong Acid)
You get Strong Acid by processing Necrolei Cysts (in the Jellyfish zone near the Old Habitat) in the Processor.
4. Build the Tadpole
Interact with the Vehicle Fabricator at the Moonpool. As soon as all materials are available, the build process starts and the Tadpole appears in the dock.
Using It In Game
Oxygen and Depth
The Tadpole produces oxygen as long as it is supplied with power. In the cockpit you have unlimited air — that makes it your mobile survival platform. The standard crush depth is 250 m; with the Depth Module Mk. I it rises to 450 m.
Hardpoint and Cargo
On the back of the Tadpole there is a hardpoint that you can dock items such as a Portable Locker to. A docked locker gives you 15 additional inventory slots. The contents of the vehicle inventory are not lost on death — use the Tadpole actively as a resource ferry.
Co-op
In multiplayer, up to two passengers can ride along on the side handholds; O₂ ports supply them with air. With the Haul Chassis (Haul Rig) the capacity rises to 4 players in total.
Tadpole Chassis Variants
The Tadpole supports a modular chassis system. Every swap fundamentally rewrites the vehicle's movement profile. Only one chassis is active at a time; to swap, the current one first has to be detached with Q.
| Chassis | Focus | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Base Tadpole | Balanced exploration | Standard from build |
| Scout Ray Chassis | Maximum speed | Acceleration greatly increased, 1 ability slot |
| Haul Chassis (Haul Rig) | Cargo & co-op transport | Cargo pods, 3 passenger slots, slower |
Seafrog chassis (walker/exosuit variant): according to official statements planned for a later Early Access update, not yet present with an active recipe in the launch build.
Chassis blueprints are unlocked by fragment scan and built at the Vehicle Fabricator.
Upgrade Modules
Upgrade modules are made at the Modification Station (build cost: 2× Titanium, 2× Celestine, 2× Copper). The Modification Station is only accessible after progress toward the Alien Ruins, because Celestine is obtained there.
Modules are plugged into the shaft on top of the Tadpole — 4 slots in total, and some modules stack.
| Module | Effect | Materials (rough) |
|---|---|---|
| Scout Ray Chassis | Max. acceleration / top speed / turning | 2× Plasteel Ingot, 1× Advanced Wiring Kit, 1× Dedicated Core, 1× Strong Acid |
| Depth Module Mk. I | Crush depth to 450 m | 3× Celestine, 2× Enameled Glass, 1× System Chip |
| Power Efficiency Module | −20 % power consumption (stackable up to 4×, max. −80 %) | 1× Titanium Ingot, 2× Glass, 1× System Chip |
| Strike Armor | Reduces hull damage from enemies | Fragment at the Rosetta Stone platform (~193 m depth) |
Planned Vehicles (Roadmap)
Unknown Worlds has confirmed that the vehicle roster will be expanded over the course of the Early Access phase. Concrete names and recipes for future vehicles are not yet officially documented in a stable form.
- Trident — a multi-seat submarine on Cyclops level, balanced for solo play. Not included in the launch build; announced for a later Early Access update.
- Prawn Suit equivalent — an exosuit is expected by the community and has been mentioned by Unknown Worlds as planned content. No recipe in the game so far.
:::warning Speculative content Vehicle names and abilities of future vehicles can still change before they are implemented. :::
Tips & Common Mistakes
- Built the base too small: Plan the large room with the Moonpool early. Extending afterwards often forces a repositioning of all base modules.
- Wanting to build the Tadpole too early: The scout area for fragment #3 lies deep. Without an Air Tank and Wakemaker you will struggle with O₂ problems.
- Forgetting the Power Cell: Build a spare Power Cell right after finishing the Tadpole. Before operating the Tadpole Dock for the first time you need a reserve for longer dives.
- Ignoring the hardpoint: The Portable Locker on the hardpoint is one of the strongest early quality-of-life upgrades — and the game barely explains it.
- Seeing the Tadpole as pure transport: The vehicle inventory is kept on death. Materials you collect while diving should therefore always go into the Tadpole and not into your personal inventory.