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Metro 2039Tadpole
The Tadpole is Subnautica 2's only submersible in Early Access, built at a Vehicle Fabricator on a Moonpool from 2 Titanium Ingots, 1 Glass, 1 System Chip and 1 Power Cell. Its crush depth is 250 m until a Depth Module raises it, and it takes the Scout Ray and Haul chassis.
The Tadpole is the one submersible in Subnautica 2's Early Access, a small glass craft built at a Vehicle Fabricator in a base Moonpool from Titanium Ingot x2, Glass x1, System Chip x1 and Power Cell x1 (Destructoid's list of May 16, 2026, the launch build; PCGamesN gives the same). It dives safely to 250 m, the default crush depth, runs on a Power Cell, carries up to four upgrade modules and docks to a chassis that changes what it is for: the fast Scout Ray, the passenger and cargo Haul, and from Early Access 2 in December 2026 the "stompy" Frog (Unknown Worlds, Nov 3, 2026). Unknown Worlds introduced it in its Dec 9, 2025 Dev Vlog "Crafting the Tadpole", where the team describes it as paying homage to "the beloved vehicles that came before it" (Unknown Worlds). As of Nov 4, 2026 no second vehicle exists; the Steam store page names only "the Tadpole submersible" (Steam).
Quick facts
| Built at | Vehicle Fabricator, placed on a Moonpool's edge |
| Recipe | Titanium Ingot x2, Glass x1, System Chip x1, Power Cell x1 (Destructoid, May 16, 2026, the launch build) |
| Needs first | Moonpool, Tadpole Dock, Vehicle Fabricator |
| Power | One Power Cell, recharged while docked or at a Power Cell Terminal |
| Crush depth | 250 m; 450 m with Depth Module Mk. 1 (Game Rant, May 16, 2026) |
| Upgrade slots | 4 (Game Rant, May 22, 2026) |
| Chassis | Scout Ray, Haul; Frog coming in Early Access 2 (December 2026) |
| Oxygen | Inside it the diver does not use oxygen |
| Unveiled | Dev Vlog "Crafting the Tadpole", Dec 9, 2025 |
Sources: Destructoid, May 16, 2026; Game Rant depth guide, May 16, 2026; Game Rant upgrades guide, May 22, 2026; Game Rant recharging guide, May 16, 2026; Game Rant oxygen guide, May 14, 2026.
How do you get the Tadpole in Subnautica 2?
The Tadpole blueprint comes from scanning, and the guides disagree on where, probably because there is more than one way to finish it. Dexerto and Destructoid say three Tadpole fragments unlock it, the first at a seafloor wreck about 145 m from the Lifepod heading 190 degrees south, the second in a wreck on the rim of the large crater nearby (follow the rim counterclockwise) and the third near a large clam structure past it. Destructoid's blueprint list puts the first at 145 m and 195 degrees, about 90 m deep, and TheGamer places another fragment on a research table by the Lead deposits about 254 m east-northeast. PCGamesN instead sends players to the abandoned base at the "Investigate Tadpole Pens" signal, where the Tadpole, the Tadpole Dock and the Vehicle Fabricator can all be scanned; NOA gives that signal after enough black boxes, and the Pens sit in hot water that needs the Heat Tolerance Adaptation. All of these describe the launch build (May 14 to 18, 2026). ConCon's May 19, 2026 guide, on the launch build, finds its three fragments by bearings from the Lifepod: 195 degrees (south), 60 degrees (northeast, beside a current) and 15 degrees (north).
The Tadpole Pens matter either way: the door there needs a keycode from a supply crate about 310 m down in a cave southwest of the Pens, which Game Rant advises reaching by parking the Tadpole at 240 m and swimming, since 250 m is its limit. The full route is on Story Walkthrough, and how scanning works is on Blueprints and Scanning.
What do you need to build it?
Three things come before the Tadpole itself: a Moonpool in the base, a Tadpole Dock and a Vehicle Fabricator, both placed on the Moonpool's edge with open water below for the craft. The Moonpool costs Titanium x5 and can be enlarged after it is placed; PCGamesN recommends building it large, and choosing the side for the dock. ConCon's May 19, 2026 guide, on the launch build, shows recipe screens matching Destructoid's column below and leaves room on all four sides of the Moonpool, since a build blocked by anything reads "obstructed". Recipes for the two machines differ between guides, all from the launch build:
| Piece | Destructoid (May 16, 2026) | PCGamesN (updated May 18, 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Moonpool | Titanium x5 | Not given |
| Tadpole Dock | Titanium Ingot x2, Silver Ingot x1, Copper Wire x2 | Titanium Ingot x2, Silver Ingot x1, Copper Wire x1 |
| Vehicle Fabricator | Titanium Ingot x2, Copper Ingot x1, Glass x2 | Titanium Ingot x2, Copper Wire x1, Silver Ingot x1 |
| Tadpole | Titanium Ingot x2, Glass x1, System Chip x1, Power Cell x1 | The same |
Sources: Destructoid, May 16, 2026; PCGamesN, updated May 18, 2026. Game Rant agrees with PCGamesN on the dock (Game Rant); Dexerto gives the Vehicle Fabricator as one each of Titanium Ingot, Copper Ingot and Glass (Dexerto). The game's own recipe screen is the one to trust. Ingots come from the Processor; every recipe is on Crafting Recipes.
Update 1.1 (Jul 8, 2026) made the Vehicle Dock and Fabricator fit smaller rooms and line up with hatches, shrank the dock's platform and rails, and added messages saying when the Moonpool must be enlarged for fabrication or docking (Unknown Worlds).
Power, oxygen and crush depth
The Tadpole runs on its Power Cell, which recharges while it sits in its dock or at a Power Cell Terminal (Game Rant, May 16, 2026); a Power Cell is made from 2 batteries and 1 Strong Acid (Dexerto). Engine Efficiency modules cut the engine's draw and a Photovoltaic Charger recharges it in shallow daylight, both on Tadpole Upgrades. A diver inside does not use oxygen, so the Tadpole doubles as a place to refill (Game Rant), and since Buddy System Hotfix 1 (Sep 1, 2026) players attached to a Tadpole or a Haul also reliably get oxygen (Unknown Worlds). In Kysen's May 14, 2026 guide, on the launch build, getting in refills oxygen and the Air Bladder, the bottom right of the screen shows the Tadpole's power and hull, and nearing the dock pulls the craft in to charge.
Below 250 m a crush depth warning shows and the hull slowly takes damage. Depth Module Mk. 1 raises the limit to 450 m; Mk. 2 goes deeper, but no guide gives its figure, and two depth modules do not stack (Game Rant, May 16, 2026). Game Rant's writer reached 753 m near the starting hole, without saying which module or how much damage that took. Gaming with Griff Griffin's May 18, 2026 guide, on the launch build, says the Mk. 2 blueprint could not be found in Survival then and crafts it in Creative mode, where he gives it 800 m.
Damage, creatures and recovery
The Tadpole is fragile: small bumps damage it and enough damage destroys it. Strike Armor reduces damage and the Cavitation Muffler keeps hostile creatures from noticing it until they are close. Leviathans can grab it: the Collector Leviathan grabs and throws Tadpoles (1.2 removed a 360 degree spin it did while doing so), and Buddy System Hotfix 2 (Oct 6, 2026) "improved" the Leviathan grab attack and stopped the Shiver Leviathan interacting with unpiloted vehicles (Unknown Worlds). Hammerheads were made less drawn to Tadpole lights in Hotfix 2 (May 22, 2026), because they had followed players home and waited at their bases, and stopped attacking unpiloted Tadpoles in Hotfix 3 (Jun 1, 2026). More on the threats is on Dangerous Creatures. In Kysen's May 14, 2026 guide, on the launch build, the Repair Tool mends the hull from outside the craft, out in open water as well as at the base.
Since update 1.2 (Aug 19, 2026), a Tadpole destroyed outside the orange Early Access fence teleports back inside it so it can be recovered (Unknown Worlds), and Buddy System Hotfix 2 fixed Tadpoles teleporting wrongly on the way back from out of bounds, including destroyed ones with a chassis attached. Gateway Spires give a Tadpole that passes through them a speed boost.
Docking problems and fixes
Most Tadpole bug reports have been about docking, and each update has fixed some:
| Update | Tadpole fixes |
|---|---|
| 1.1 (Jul 8, 2026) | No longer spawns with zeroed rotation from the Vehicle Fabricator; a docked Tadpole no longer shifts after a reload or a long trip; props stop moving while docked |
| 1.2 (Aug 19, 2026) | Will not dock without room (it could get stuck); an error when the dock is taken; refunding a base with a docked Tadpole no longer sends it to the world's origin; fixes for getting trapped inside after detaching a chassis or a blocked undock; Unstuck works in a Tadpole; flares are no longer used up while driving |
| Buddy System Hotfix 1 (Sep 1, 2026) | Oxygen for players attached to a Tadpole or Haul; no inventory sharing while riding |
| Buddy System Hotfix 2 (Oct 6, 2026) | Docks in orientations where its own geometry had blocked the check; teleports correctly from out of bounds |
Sources: Unknown Worlds' notes for 1.1, 1.2, Buddy System Hotfix 1 and Buddy System Hotfix 2. Open problems are on Known Issues and Fixes.
Storage and carrying
The Tadpole carries tools on a rack on its back (1.1 and 1.2 fixed tools clipping into it or sticking there), and a Portable Locker, Titanium x4 with 15 slots, can be attached to a vehicle for storage (Game Rant; Destructoid). The Scout Ray chassis has its own hardpoint for a locker, and the Haul adds much more inventory; see Tadpole Chassis. No guide gives the Tadpole's own storage in slots as of Nov 4, 2026. The clip is Unknown Worlds' May 9, 2026 showcase, played before launch, where the developers hang Portable Lockers on a Tadpole's hardpoints.
Frequently asked questions
How do you unlock the Tadpole in Subnautica 2? Scan its blueprint: Dexerto and Destructoid list three fragments starting about 145 m south of the Lifepod, while PCGamesN scanned it with the Dock and Vehicle Fabricator at the Tadpole Pens. Then build a Moonpool, a Tadpole Dock and a Vehicle Fabricator in a base.
What is the Tadpole's crush depth in Subnautica 2? 250 m by default. Depth Module Mk. 1 raises it to 450 m. Mk. 2 goes deeper: Gaming with Griff Griffin's May 18, 2026 guide gives it 800 m, crafted in Creative mode because its blueprint was not found in Survival then.
What do you need to build the Tadpole in Subnautica 2? At the Vehicle Fabricator, Titanium Ingot x2, Glass x1, System Chip x1 and Power Cell x1, as Destructoid and PCGamesN listed them on the launch build.
How do you charge the Tadpole in Subnautica 2? Dock it, or put its Power Cell in a Power Cell Terminal; a Photovoltaic Charger module also recharges it in shallow water by day.
Are there other vehicles in Subnautica 2? Not as of Nov 4, 2026: the Tadpole is the only submersible, changed by its chassis. The two-seater Seaglider Destructoid listed before launch is not in the game, and the Frog chassis arrives with Early Access 2 in December 2026.
Can you lose your Tadpole in Subnautica 2? It can be destroyed by damage, but since update 1.2 a Tadpole destroyed outside the Early Access fence teleports back inside it so it can be recovered.
Sources
- Subnautica 2 | Early Access: First Dive Showcase, Subnautica, May 9, 2026 (video)
- Subnautica 2 - The Ultimate Beginner Guide!, Kysen, May 14, 2026 (video)
- FAST Subnautica 2 Tadpole Depth Module MK1 & MK2 Location Guide (How to Upgrade Depth), Gaming with Griff Griffin, May 18, 2026 (video)
- How to Unlock & Craft Tadpole Submarine | Tadpole Dock & Vehicle Fabricator ► Subnautica 2, ConCon, May 19, 2026 (video)
- Dev Vlog - Crafting the Tadpole, Unknown Worlds, Dec 9, 2025
- Subnautica 2 Early Access Hotfix 2, Unknown Worlds, May 22, 2026
- Subnautica 2 Early Access Hotfix 3, Unknown Worlds, Jun 1, 2026
- Subnautica 2 Early Access 1.1 - Adaptive Measures Update, Unknown Worlds, Jul 8, 2026
- Subnautica 2 Early Access 1.2 - Buddy System Update, Unknown Worlds, Aug 19, 2026
- Subnautica 2 Early Access Buddy System Hotfix 1, Unknown Worlds, Sep 1, 2026
- Subnautica 2 Early Access Buddy System Hotfix 2, Unknown Worlds, Oct 6, 2026
- From Creatures to Chassis - Voyage to Early Access 2, Unknown Worlds, Nov 3, 2026
- Subnautica 2, Steam store page
- All blueprints and recipes in Subnautica 2, Destructoid (Madison Benson), May 16, 2026
- All Subnautica 2 blueprint locations, Destructoid (Arka Sarkar), May 16, 2026
- How to unlock base building in Subnautica 2, Destructoid (Madison Benson), May 14, 2026
- How to build a Tadpole in Subnautica 2 and all upgrades, PCGamesN (Christian Vaz), updated May 18, 2026
- How to Go Deeper with the Tadpole, Game Rant (Nahda Nabiilah), May 16, 2026
- All Tadpole Upgrades and Tool Modifications in Subnautica 2, Game Rant (Mehrdad Khayyat), May 22, 2026
- How to Build a Tadpole, Game Rant, May 2026
- Tadpole Pens Code, Game Rant (William Parks), May 14, 2026
- How to Recharge Tools and Batteries, Game Rant (Hamza Haq), May 16, 2026
- Oxygen Management Tips, Game Rant (William Parks), May 14, 2026
- Inventory Management Tips, Game Rant (William Parks), May 14, 2026
- Where To Find Lead, TheGamer (Kaitlyn Peterson), May 16, 2026
- Tadpole, Dexerto, May 14, 2026
- How to get a vehicle, Dexerto, undated
Moments
Subnautica 2 - The Ultimate Beginner Guide!
Kysen
- The Tadpole is the one submersible in Subnautica 2's Early Access, a small glass craft built at a Vehicle Fabricator…
- The Tadpole runs on its Power Cell, which recharges while it sits in its dock or at a Power Cell Terminal (Game Rant…
- The Tadpole is fragile: small bumps damage it and enough damage destroys it. Strike Armor reduces damage and the…
How to Unlock & Craft Tadpole Submarine | Tadpole Dock & Vehicle Fabricator ► Subnautica 2
ConCon
*FAST* Subnautica 2 Tadpole Depth Module MK1 & MK2 Location Guide (How to Upgrade Depth)
Gaming with Griff Griffin
Subnautica 2 | Early Access: First Dive Showcase
Subnautica
Related
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Tadpole UpgradesSubnautica 2's Tadpole has four upgrade slots for six modules made at the Modification Station: Engine Efficiency, Strike Armor, Cavitation Muffler, Photovoltaic Charger and Depth Modules Mk. 1 and Mk. 2. Mk. 1 raises crush depth from 250 m to 450 m.
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Base PowerSubnautica 2 bases run on Solar Panels (1 to 8 energy per second by time of day), Hydroelectric Turbines in water currents, Thermal Plants by heat vents and Bioreactors burning fuel, linked by Power Transmitters and buffered by Power Storage. Without power a base makes no oxygen.
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Best Base LocationsThe guides' best base spots in Subnautica 2 are a plateau by a water current about 200 m east of the Lifepod for free turbine power, the thermal vents about 630 m east for steady Thermal Plant power, and an outpost near the Alien Ruins about 1,150 m east for the late game.
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FarmingFarming in Subnautica 2 means Growbeds, built for Titanium x1, that grow plants from a seed item such as a Pent, Lucifer Rotsac or Fibrous Pulp, and since update 1.2 Necrolei Cysts. The Metal Farm, an Axum machine, grows a chosen resource on base power.
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Anemone HillsThe Anemone Hills are Subnautica 2's biome of towering pink-and-green anemones about 300 m northwest of the Lifepod, 0 to 151 m deep, where the infected Heat Tolerance Angel Comb waits behind Bloom you clear with the Sonic Resonator.
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Coral GardensCoral Gardens and North Coral Gardens are Unknown Worlds' names for Subnautica 2's early coral areas around the Lifepod; update 1.1 (Jul 8, 2026) put a second Biolab and more Silver there, and 1.2 gave North Coral Gardens its own music.
See also
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Early Access 2Early Access 2 is Subnautica 2's next big content update, due in December 2026 with no day announced. Unknown Worlds promises a new region with several biomes, more of the colonists' and Axum story, new and returning creatures, a scarier Collector Leviathan, new Biomods and the Frog chassis for the Tadpole.
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AdaptationsSubnautica 2 has four Adaptations, permanent body changes taken from Angel Combs, as of Nov 4, 2026. Pressure Tolerance comes in the opening, Digestion from an Angel Comb about 130 to 180 m north-northeast of the Lifepod, Heat Tolerance from an infected Angel Comb about 200 m northwest once the Sonic Resonator clears it, and Axum Vision from an Angel Comb about 1,800 m east.
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Story WalkthroughSubnautica 2's Early Access story runs from the Lifepod and the Welcome Center through the Digestion and Heat Tolerance Angel Combs, the Tadpole Pens and the Collector Leviathan's trench to the Axum ruins, Axum Vision, the Power Plant and the Observatory, where it stops as of Nov 4, 2026; there is no ending yet.
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Fabricator and ProcessorIn Subnautica 2 the Lifepod's Fabricator is damaged and cannot be fixed, so recipes marked "Requires Fully Functional Fabricator" need a new Fabricator built in a powered base (Titanium, Copper and Quartz, one each). Ingots come from the Processor, whose blueprint is scanned from a broken Processor in an abandoned base north of the Lifepod and which draws 10 energy per second.
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Crafting RecipesSubnautica 2's recipes by station, as listed by Destructoid on May 16, 2026 (the Early Access launch build) with conflicts from other guides beside them, for example Titanium Ingot (Titanium x3 at the Processor), Wiring Kit (Silver x1, Copper Wire x1) and Basic Battery (Copper x2, Acidic Raion Pouch x1). Hotfix 3 cut Interior Wall cost to a quarter, and no guide has republished a full list since updates 1.1 and 1.2.