Subnautica Below Zero: How to Get the Habitat Builder and Make Your Own Base

It won’t be long playing Subnautica Below Zero before you realise you need to start building your own base to work from, somewhere you can store and craft items and act as a place to rest and plan excursions. We’ll show you how to get the Habitat Builder you need, and how to make your own base, including the best place to do so.

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How to Get the Habitat Builder and Make Your Own Base in Subnautica Below Zero

To make your own Base in Subnautica Below Zero, you need to start by finding the Habitat Builder, an essential tool that acts as a kind of portable Fabricator, though it only works to build large-scale base sections other things that go inside your base, such as machines, furniture and props. We’ll start with how to get the Habitat Builder first.

Habitat Builder Location

The Habitat Builder cannot be found anywhere in Below Zero, it has to be crafted in your Drop Pod’s Fabricator. However, you’ll need the Blueprints for it, which can be obtained by scanning a broken Habitat Builder with the Handheld Scanner. These broken Builders are found at different places in the game, but we found the easiest one for beginners to get was found at Outpost Zero, which we can show you how to get to here.

Once you find a piece, simply scan it with the Handheld Scanner and its Blueprint will be added to your PDA. From there, you can build it at your Fabricator.

How to Craft the Habitat Builder

Once you have the Blueprint, you can craft the Habitat Builder tool from the Fabricator with the following ingredients.

• Wiring Kit (1)
• Computer Chip (1)
• Battery (1)

Out of all of these materials, those in the early game will probably have the most difficulty acquiring the Silver needed to make the Wiring Kit. Try heading to the South part of the starting area where it slopes down and looking for Agentitie Outcrops.

How to Build A Base

To build bases in Below Zero, players need simply to equip the Habitat Builder while outside and use it as you would any other device. This will open a menu of all the base components you’ve unlocked, and you can select one to start building. Then you can place the holographic frame where you want it to go.

From here, you can essentially pour the required materials into the “frame” by holding down the interact button longer. Once all of them have been added, the object or base section fully materialises and you can then properly interact with it. You can also use the Habitat Builder to deconstruct sections, destroying them and getting those materials added back into your inventory.

Where to Build a Base

If you’re wondering where to build a base, the reality is that you’ll probably end up building more than one base across the course of the campaign, as Below Zero’s map isn’t small and it can help to have multiple bases across the course of the game. However, if you’re looking to build your first base, here’s some advice to keep in mind:

• Build somewhere central, that you’ll be visiting often. Whether this is a natural crossroads, an area with lots of resources, or somewhere you just feel comfortable, your base should be part of your everyday journey. It makes things quicker and more efficient overall.
• Don’t go near predators. Large monsters may attack and damage your base if they get too close, so don’t give them the chance if you can help it.
• You can build on land or in the water. Both are fine, though building underwater means you run the risk of losing oxygen if your base runs out of power. This shouldn’t prove much of a risk though; just make sure there’s always something providing it energy. A couple of Solar Panels means you’ll likely never have to worry.
• Focus on the necessities. As fun as it is to build a home office with a spectacular subaquatic view, that comes later - you should make the things you really need first. Once those panels are up, make some storage boxes and a Fabricator, and work out from there according to your most urgent need.

How to Unlock New Base Pieces and Habitat Builder Options

You can actually add a lot of new options for both base structure and furniture by finding objects in the world and using the Handheld Scanner on them. This will add further Blueprints to your Habitat Builder and Fabricator. If you’re looking for a place to start, Outpost Zero mentioned above has some great new options to fill out your base.

Alternatively, you can always build yourself a Moonpool, a base section that acts as a garage for your vehicles. Or building reinforcements for your Habitat requires Lead, which we’ll show you how to get here.