Subnautica 2 Shallows Biome: Where to Start and Base
Depth range, resources, POIs and first-base advice for the Shallows, Subnautica 2's starting biome in the Coral Gardens region.
The Shallows is where every run of Subnautica 2 begins. It sits at 0 to 224 metres inside the Coral Gardens Region, holds the Lifepod you spawn in, and gives you every common surface resource — Titanium, Copper, Quartz — within a short swim. It is also the safest water in the game, which is exactly why it should be your first base site, not just your first stop.
What the Shallows gives you
The biome is built around three points of interest: the Lifepod (your spawn point and the anchor for your first navigation runs), the Welcome Center, and the Colonist Bunker known as Anita’s Garden. All three sit close enough together that you can circuit between them without a depth upgrade.
Resource-wise, the Shallows is generous for how shallow it is:
| Resource | Use |
|---|---|
| Titanium | Base modules, tools, early crafting |
| Copper | Wiring, basic electronics |
| Quartz | Glass, computer chips |
| Coral Shavings | Crafting and cosmetic materials |
| Fibrous Pulp | Fabric-based crafting |
| Acidic Raion Pouch | Chemical crafting component |
| Medical Gel Sac | First aid crafting |
| Lucifer Rotsac | Crafting component |
| Water Slug | Passive fauna, low-risk resource |
That is a full early crafting loop — hull upgrades, tools, and your first Habitat Builder pieces — without leaving 0-224 m water.
How to use the Shallows as your first base
- Orient from the Lifepod first. Do not swim blind. Use the Lifepod as your reset point until you have mapped the Welcome Center and Anita’s Garden by eye.
- Gather Titanium, Copper, and Quartz before anything else. These three cover your first Habitat Builder pieces, a basic Scanner, and starter tools — everything else is optional polish at this stage.
- Place your first base near the Lifepod, not deep into the biome. Shallow water means no depth upgrades are required to build, maintain, or return to it. This is the single biggest advantage the Shallows has over every other biome on the map.
- Loop Coral Shavings, Fibrous Pulp, and the chemical/medical pouches on the way back. These sit alongside the metals rather than in a separate zone, so one gathering pass covers both categories.
- Treat Water Slug encounters as free resource stops, not threats. It is passive fauna — approach it like any other harvest node.
- Check the interactive map and biome database before your first long swim, so you know where Coral Gardens ends and where the water starts getting deeper.
If you want a fuller walkthrough of the opening hours beyond just the Shallows, the first 24 hours guide covers the broader early-game sequence.
What EA 1.1 changed here
The EA 1.1 “Adaptive Measures” update (July 8, 2026) added a new Biolab to the Coral Gardens Region — the same region the Shallows belongs to. It does not change the Shallows’ depth range or resource table, but it does mean there is now a dedicated crafting/research stop inside your starting region instead of only at deeper biomes. Check the patch notes if you want the full Adaptive Measures changelog before planning a return trip.
Fauna: why the Shallows is the safe zone
Nearly everything documented in the Shallows falls into the Passive or Defensive tier. Water Slug, Coral Crab, Tongue Thief, and Jelly Ring are common sights in these starting waters, and none of them hunt you. Defensive species like Hammerhead and Surge Jelly will only retaliate if you provoke them — bump them, corner them, or scan too aggressively at close range, and back off. For the full creature-by-creature breakdown and tier definitions, see the creature database.
One caution worth flagging even though it is not part of the Shallows itself: the South Raceway, a connective corridor near the Coral Gardens Region, has a Dead Coral Crab hazard. It is not something you will run into while basing in the Shallows, but it is close enough that it is worth knowing about before you start exploring the region’s edges.
Shallows vs. a deeper, gear-gated biome
The Shallows only makes sense as a comparison point once you see what “deeper” actually costs you. Regions like Root Canyon or the Karakorum Metal Farms cavern are resource-gated and patrolled by the Collector Leviathan — a threat that simply does not exist in the Shallows.
| Shallows | Deeper regions (e.g. Root Canyon) | |
|---|---|---|
| Depth | 0-224 m | 364 m+ |
| Depth upgrade required | No | Yes |
| Resident threat | None — Passive/Defensive only | Collector Leviathan patrols |
| Resource tier | Common metals, early crafting | Rare metals, resource-gated |
| Recommended for | First base, early crafting loop | Mid/late-game gear runs |
That gap is the whole point of starting here. The Shallows lets you build a stable crafting base with zero risk, while deeper water stays locked behind depth modules and leviathan-avoidance routes. If you are planning the eventual descent, the Root Canyon biome guide covers what changes once you leave this safe band, and the Void biome guide covers the far end of that progression.
FAQ
Where do I start in Subnautica 2? You start in the Shallows, inside the Coral Gardens Region, at your Lifepod. It is the game’s built-in starting biome and the safest water on the map.
Is the Shallows safe? Yes. Documented fauna here is Passive or Defensive tier only — Water Slug, Coral Crab, Tongue Thief, and Jelly Ring do not hunt, and Hammerhead and Surge Jelly only react if provoked.
What can I build first in the Shallows? With Titanium, Copper, and Quartz all available locally, you can cover your first Habitat Builder pieces, a Scanner, and basic tools without leaving the biome or needing a depth upgrade.
Should I keep my base in the Shallows long-term? It is the strongest first-base location because it needs no depth upgrades, but most players eventually add satellite bases nearer deeper resource zones once they have the gear to reach them safely.