Shallow Waters
The starting biome. Safe, shallow waters with abundant limestone and scavengable metal. The perfect place to learn survival basics.
Quick Info
Overview
Shallow Waters is where every Subnautica 2 survival run begins. Your lifepod deploys directly above this biome, dropping you into calm, sunlit water shallow enough that oxygen is rarely a concern. With mild temperatures and no hostile predators, it is the safest region in the game and the ideal classroom for learning core mechanics like harvesting, crafting, and managing hunger and thirst.
The seafloor here is carpeted with limestone outcrops, the most common harvestable node in the game, which yield Titanium and Copper Ore. Scavengable metal scrap and shale outcrops providing Quartz are scattered nearby, giving new players everything needed to craft their first tools, a survival knife, and a basic habitat. Gentle currents and abundant edible fish like Peepers and Bladderfish make early sustenance effortless.
Use Shallow Waters as your staging ground. Establish a small base, stockpile basic materials, and craft fins and an upgraded oxygen tank before pushing into the deeper, more dangerous biomes that border it. The shallows caves that pocket the seabed offer slightly denser resource nodes and a gentle introduction to confined-space exploration.
Resources Found Here
Shallow Waters is rich in basic crafting materials. Limestone outcrops dominate the seafloor and provide the bulk of your early Titanium and Copper, while shale outcrops supply Quartz. These three resources form the foundation of every tool, base module, and vehicle in the game.
Creatures Found Here
The shallows are home only to passive, harmless fauna. These fish are your primary early food and water source once cooked or cured, and none pose any threat to the player.
Exploration Tips
Farm outward from the lifepod
Clear limestone outcrops in a spiral around your lifepod so you can resurface quickly and never lose sight of home while stocking up.
Craft a survival knife early
A knife lets you harvest samples and defend yourself, and it is the gateway to nearly every other early-game blueprint.
Build a storage foundation
Place a foundation and a few storage modules near the lifepod. Bulk-storing Titanium and Copper now saves time on every later recipe.
Explore the shallows caves
The small caves pocketing the seabed hold denser outcrop clusters. They stay shallow enough to explore without an upgraded air tank.
Points of Interest
Lifepod
Your starting spawn point and first safe haven. Contains a fabricator and storage, serving as your initial crafting and resupply station.
Shallows Caves
Small seabed cave systems with denser resource nodes and a gentle introduction to navigating enclosed underwater spaces.
Map Locations
Shallow Waters surrounds your lifepod and spans the shallowest ring of the map. Use the interactive map to locate limestone and shale clusters, mark your first base site, and plan routes into neighbouring biomes.
View on Interactive Map →Related Biomes
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it safe in shallow waters?
Yes. Shallow Waters is the safest biome in the game, with no hostile predators, mild temperatures, and depths shallow enough that oxygen management is rarely a concern. It is the ideal place to learn survival basics before venturing deeper.
What resources are in shallow waters?
Titanium and Copper Ore from limestone outcrops, plus Quartz from shale outcrops. Together these cover almost every early-game recipe, from your survival knife and scanner to your first base modules.
Where to start in shallow waters?
Start at your lifepod and harvest the limestone outcrops immediately around it. Once you have enough Titanium and Copper for a knife and scanner, expand outward into the shallows caves for denser deposits and begin planning your move into the Kelp Forest.
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