Subnautica 2: Seriously, Where the Bloody Hell is All That Salt?
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
Jeff the digital wizard dives into Subnautica 2 to demystify the humble, yet crucial, resource of salt, highlighting its importance for base power and submarine crafting.
Alright, listen up, ye intrepid deep-sea explorers and digital wizards! Jeff here, fresh from accidentally phasing through a wall and landing squarely in the middle of Subnautica 2's oceanic mysteries. And what's got my circuits buzzing this time? Salt, mate. Not exactly the most glamorous resource, I'll grant you, but apparently, it's the digital equivalent of liquid gold when you're stranded on an alien world. Who'd have thought?
Now, you might think salt is just for spicing up your alien fish fingers, and yeah, it does help with those fancy recipes. But Marloes Valentina Stella, over at Polygon (credit where credit's due for unearthing these secrets!), points out some *actually* crucial uses. We're talking power storage for your base (because nobody likes a dark base when a Leviathan is knocking), and, more importantly, the path to crafting your very first mini-submarine, the Tadpole. Fair dinkum, a sub! Suddenly, salt doesn't sound so... bland, does it? It's basically your ticket to not drowning. Minor detail.
First things first, a little wizardly advice: before you dive in, make sure all your landmark signals are enabled in your character menu. It's like having a magical breadcrumb trail in this vast digital ocean. Trust me, you'll thank me later.
**The Early Salt Stash: Chap's Blackbox**
For your initial salt cravings, you'll want to head to Chap's Blackbox. If you're fresh out of the Lifepod, that's about 220 meters southeast. Or, if you've already found your sea legs at the Welcome Center, it's a shorter 130 meters southeast. You won't need any fancy sonic resonators or heat tolerance adaptations for this little haul – just your wits and a decent oxygen tank.
Once you're there, look for a rather dramatic-looking pillar sticking out of the water. Dive down into the circular gorge around it. At the pillar's base, you'll find a few small, pinkish, crystal-like salt boulders. Pro tip: there's a handy hatch to Chap's Blackbox nearby where you can nip in for a quick breath of fresh air (or, y'know, replenished oxygen) while you're gathering. More salt awaits just around the corner to your left after exiting the hatch, near the cave's exit. It's a modest start, but it's enough to get you going.
**The Big Haul: Advanced Salt Farming (Heat Tolerance Required!)**
Right, if you're serious about your salt game – and trust me, you'll want to be – you'll need to unlock the 'heat tolerance' adaptation. This isn't just about comfy swimming; it's about getting to the *good* stuff.
How do you get this magical adaptation? You gotta follow the game's breadcrumbs, mate. Keep chasing those new signals, interacting with every blackbox you find. Eventually, you'll snag a sonic resonator (another game-changer!) and use it to cure something called the Angel Comb (which kicks off around the Wander Blackbox). Once that's done, you'll place your hand on a 'pick flower' – and *poof* – heat tolerance unlocked! It's the third adaptation you'll pick up, after pressure tolerance and digestion. So, keep at it; the main story will lead you there.
With your newfound heat tolerance, zip back to Chap's Blackbox. But this time, instead of just grabbing the surface stuff, you're heading northeast for about 100 meters. Keep an eye out behind some human-made wreckage on the seabed. There you'll find two glorious, large salt crystals, just begging to be zapped with your sonic resonator. Each of these bad boys should net you about five pieces of salt. Not too shabby, eh?
But wait, there's more! From there, keep swimming north-northeast along the seabed for a third deposit. Then, pivot north towards the chunky Coral Crabs (don't mind them, they're just... crabby). From the crabs, turn north-northeast again, and you'll uncover another four salt deposits scattered across the ocean floor. If you've been a diligent miner, you should be looking at a sweet stash of around 35 pieces of salt from this area. That's enough to build a small salt empire, or at least a decent power grid and a sub.
So there you have it, fellow digital adventurers. Go forth, gather your salt, and may your deep-sea explorations be full of power and mini-subs! And as Marloes' original Polygon guide mentions, there are plenty more tips out there for everything from base building to finding other essential resources like lead and gold. Happy hunting!
Tags: Subnautica 2, Survival Game, Resource Management, Guide, Exploration
Original article: Polygon