In a game where the main goal is to dive to the deepest parts of an alien ocean, oxygen suddenly becomes a scarce resource. It is made even worse by the many obstacles that come up while players are down there, from ship wrecks to huge creatures.
That’s why knowing every possible way to get oxygen while you’re exploring is key. Otherwise suddenly finding yourself at the game over screen becomes a lot more common. Luckily, Subnautica has given us many different ways to breathe while we’re hundreds of feet deep, even when those pesky sea monsters attack from below.
10 Lifepod 5
The starting location of the entire game and how the character survives the initial crash, the Lifepod 5 floats on the surface and always has oxygen ready if you can make it back.
The only place where the energy system is already installed, this is where the beginning of the game will take place and players will get comfortable with the oxygen time limits as a whole.
9 Bladderfish
This is an easy way to make sure you don’t end up on the wrong end of an emergency, the Bladderfish are small, bioluminescent creatures that don’t attack. Eating them will give the player H20 and oxygen and are easily spotted in the dark.
Hardcore and Survival mode are the only places where players get this luxury, given that running out of oxygen means a complete restart of the game. Even Survival mode would be a struggle without floating bags of oxygen to pick up along the way.
8 Cyclops
Being the biggest vehicle in the game, this submarine can take players deep into the darker biomes of the game. Meaning that the energy source will have to be checked frequently to make sure its still producing oxygen when you’re nowhere near the surface.
This can get tricky when pests start attaching to the outside of it, needing players to activate a shield if they don’t want to go into the water. This will turn off the power source and stop the Cyclops from producing oxygen, leaving a careless player in serious danger.
7 02 Tank
The most basic piece of equipment players have to explore, this also means its the easiest to manage. It will add an extra 30 units at its most basic version, building up to the Ultra High Capacity model at a massive 180 units.
A beginners tip and one that will save a lot of green divers is that the tanks don’t come preloaded, meaning players will have to fill them up on the surface or in a base. Saving some from swimming out into the danger zone without a backup, the 02 tank will be the most used piece of equipment in the game.
6 Prawn Suit
Probably the best piece of equipment in the game, the Prawn Suit can take you places no other vehicle can. Taking the player outside of the submarines and into a robotic suit that can be upgraded to deal with the same depth as the Cyclops.
While it’s very capable, this also means players will be taking it into some of the most hostile areas in Subnautica. Needing a full energy supple to keep producing oxygen, being cautious is always a good rule of thumb.
5 Brain Coral
A lifesaver in the most dire of situations, Brain Coral usually grow in caves and will produce bubbles that refill a suffocating players oxygen supply. Each bubble will give 10 oxygen and come in groups of 3, a big deal when there’s no other source in sight.
If there used effectively, players can map out a route and use them along a path, a risky but creative way to certain areas. On top of the Lifepod 5, the bubbles can seen rising to the surface of the water and give someone an idea of the way forward.
4 Seabase
The Seabase is the real home of the game, submerged underwater but with lots more space, it’s where most of the supplies are kept. Keeping the energy levels up and oxygen supply running is vital, different options for power generators are available.
From Solar Powers to Nuclear Reactors, there are 4 options that vary in strength and maintenance. Losing oxygen here will be a big pain, especially if it happens while you’re out travelling when it hits 0.
3 A Pipe
A protective measure for players that want to travel deep into the ocean, pipe chains can be made from the Seabase or surface and pump oxygen far beyond the usual limits. While you shouldn’t rely on this method, it’s a great back up in case something goes wrong.
Being such a small source of oxygen, connecting multiple ending pipes is a good strategy to maximize the oxygen and shorten the wait time. Using these around the Lifepod will also help stop it from floating away and leaving the player stranded.
2 The Seamoth
While it might not be able to take you to the deepest parts of the ocean, it can get you far away from the base very quickly. The Seamoth is the sports car of the ocean, meaning it’s also more delicate than your other vehicles.
It’s the most versatile piece of equipment in the game and the thing players will end up spending most of their time in. Energy from its power supply will refill the oxygen, adding another thing to worry about when its far away from the base.
1 The Surface
The easiest and most natural way to get oxygen is to swim to the surface, it might also be the only option left in some situations. Now, the deeper a player goes the less likely this is going to come up but the starting line is where a lot of the mistakes happen.
The surface is also one of the safest places you can be from the monsters that lurk below, only occasionally getting an alarming breach that will usually end up in nothing more than a show.
