Subnautica 2 Tadpole
The Tadpole is the primary personal submarine in Subnautica 2, built at the Vehicle Fabricator inside your habitat. It extends your effective dive depth to 250m stock and much deeper with upgrades, provides a pressurized cabin for extended sessions, and features an integrated storage bay. The Tadpole is required to reach the Tadpole Pens — the key late-game story location ~1,800m east of the Lifepod — and is essential for deep resource runs beyond 150m.
Step 1 — Build the Vehicle Fabricator
Before you can build the Tadpole, you need a Vehicle Fabricator inside your habitat. Scan the Vehicle Fabricator blueprint from fragments (or unlock via story progression), then build it with:
| Ingredient | Qty |
|---|---|
| Titanium Ingot | 2× |
| Copper Wire | 1× |
| Glass | 2× |
Station: Habitat Builder (inside your base)
How to Build the Tadpole
Unlock the Vehicle Fabricator blueprint first (scan fragments or progress story)
| Ingredient | Qty |
|---|---|
| Titanium Ingot | 2× |
| System Chip | 1× |
| Power Cell | 1× |
Crafting station: Vehicle Fabricator
Key Information
- •The Tadpole Pens (~1,800m east of the Lifepod) are a critical story location. You must pilot the Tadpole there — a NoA simulation of Sophie Boucher runs inside the pens.
- •System Chip is crafted at the Processor: 1× Copper Ingot + 1× Gold Ingot + 1× Conduit Crystal → 30s.
- •Power Cell recipe: 2× Basic Battery + 1× Copper Wire → Fabricator.
- •Mangalloy Ingot (for Depth Module Mk.2) requires the Metal Farm or manual crafting: 1× Titanium Ingot + 1× Atacamite + 1× Troilite → Processor.
Tadpole Upgrades
Depth Module Mk.1
Crush depth: 250m → 400mIncreases crush depth from 250m to 400m.
6× Titanium Ingot + 1× Kyanite → Modification Station
Depth Module Mk.2
Crush depth: 400m → ~600mFurther increases crush depth to ~600m for the deepest biomes.
2× Dedicated Core + 2× Troilite + 2× Mangalloy Ingot → Modification Station
Horsepower Module
Top speed +3 m/sIncreases Tadpole top speed, making long traversals significantly faster.
4× Titanium Ingot + 1× Magnetite → Modification Station
Engine Efficiency Module
Power draw reduced while cruisingReduces power consumption while the Tadpole is moving, extending the range per Power Cell charge.
Modification Station (exact ingredients TBC — community verifying)
Haul Chassis
Storage slots increasedExpands the Tadpole storage bay, critical for large resource runs.
4× Titanium Ingot + 1× Strontium + 1× Enamelled Glass + 1× Dedicated Core → Modification Station
Threats to the Tadpole
Electric Geordie
Effect: Latches onto the Tadpole hull and drains 1 energy per second continuously.
Counter: Hit the Electric Geordie with the Survival Multitool to knock it off. Keep the tool equipped in Geordie-heavy biomes.
Shiver Leviathan
Effect: Can grab and crush the Tadpole, dealing heavy hull damage.
Counter: Depth charge + sprint away. Avoid its patrol corridor near the Abyssal Trench.
Collector Leviathan
Effect: Targets vehicles and can trap the Tadpole, draining energy and dealing damage.
Counter: Reverse out of its grab radius immediately. Do not fight — escape and repair.
Tadpole Tips & Tricks
- →Build the Vehicle Fabricator before attempting deep dives — the Tadpole recipe is locked behind it.
- →Craft the Depth Module Mk.1 before venturing below 250m or you will take hull damage.
- →Kyanite (for Depth Module Mk.1) is found in deep rocky terrain below ~300m — scout with the Tadpole at stock depth near canyon edges first.
- →Park the Tadpole outside Alien structure entrances — many interiors are too narrow for the sub.
- →The Haul Chassis is worth crafting before any serious ore-farming run; 24 slots fills up fast.
- →Keep a Repair Tool in your inventory whenever you're near Electric Geordie territory.
- →Use the Horsepower Module for the long traverse to the Tadpole Pens (~1,800m east).
Vehicle stats and recipes reflect the current May 2026 release build and may change with updates.