Grounded is Obsidian Entertainment's survival game where you've been shrunk to the size of an ant and must survive in a suburban backyard. Every blade of grass is a towering tree, every puddle is a lake, and insects range from helpful ladybugs to terrifying wolf spiders. The game blends base building, crafting, and Soulslike boss fights against massive bugs. With full co-op support for up to 4 players, Grounded transforms the mundane backyard into one of the most creative survival settings in gaming. The 1.0 release added a complete story with multiple endings.
Starting Grounded can feel overwhelming. This guide tells you exactly what to focus on during your first hours so you don't waste time on things that don't matter yet.
What Kind of Game Is This?
Grounded is a survival game built around base building and insect combat. The core loop involves mastering these systems to progress through increasingly challenging content.
What to expect: Time investment in learning mechanics, experimentation, and gradual mastery. The game rewards patience and knowledge.
Choosing Your First Build
| Build | Beginner Rating | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Tank Build | Good (but demanding) | Face-tank enemies with perfect blocks, draw aggro in co-op, heal through sustained damage. |
| Archer Build | Excellent for beginners | Stay at range, pelt enemies with elemental arrows while teammates hold aggro. |
| Assassin Build | Excellent for beginners | Sneak behind enemies, land backstab criticals, dodge attacks with stamina management. |
| Healer Build | Situational | Distribute healing smoothies, stay near teammates for Mom Gene healing aura, light DPS between heals. |
| General Build | Excellent for beginners | Adapt to situations with blocking, dodging, and switching between melee and ranged as needed. |
Our recommendation: Start with Archer Build. Ranged builds use the Crow Crossbow or Insect Bow with elemental arrows for safe damage at distance. The Spider Fang armor set boosts ranged damage. This build excels against airborne enemies (mosquitoes, fireflies) and in co-op where a tank holds aggro. Weakness: limited ammo requires constant crafting.
Avoid General Build as your first pick. The jack-of-all-trades build uses medium armor (Ant Armor for hauling bonus or Acorn Armor for balanced defense) with a versatile 1H weapon.
First Session Step-by-Step
Step 1: Learn base building
Building in Grounded uses grass planks, weed stems, and various insect parts as materials. Structures snap together on a grid and must account for ant raids — ants will attack your base if you store food in it. Walls made from Mushroom Brick and Ash Cement resist insect attacks better than grass walls. Ziplines between bases and key locations dramatically speed up traversal.
This is the foundation. Spend your first 15-30 minutes getting comfortable with how base building works before worrying about anything else.
Step 2: Head to Mystery Machine
The large broken-down machine in the center of the yard serves as a major story location. Its interior contains BURG.L and important lab equipment for progressing the main quest. The surrounding area has moderate-difficulty insects and several resource nodes. Accessing it requires powering up specific lab components.
Clear the main content here before moving on. Everything teaches fundamentals you'll need later.
Step 3: Get Your First Upgrade
Look for Black Ant Sword — it's the most accessible early upgrade. Crafted from Black Ant Parts found in the Black Anthill, this fast-swinging sword deals solid base damage with good attack speed. It's the best general-purpose melee weapon before Tier 3. The Black Ant Head trophy boosts its damage further when slotted.
Step 4: Understand insect combat
Combat uses stamina-based melee (1H, 2H weapons) and ranged attacks (bows, crossbows). Each insect has specific attack patterns — wolf spiders lunge and spin, bombardier beetles spray acid, and stinkbugs release gas clouds. Perfect blocking (timing your block at the moment of impact) staggers enemies and opens counterattack windows. Elemental damage types (spicy, salty, sour, fresh) are effective against specific insect families.
This is the system most new players overlook. Invest time here early — it pays off throughout the entire game.
Step 5: Push to Oak Tree
The massive oak tree in the yard center is a vertical biome with multiple levels. Sap nodes on the trunk provide essential crafting materials, and the canopy contains unique insects and resources. The Oak Lab inside the tree is one of the first major dungeons. Watch for orb weavers guarding web-covered sections.
Essential Mechanics Explained
base building
Building in Grounded uses grass planks, weed stems, and various insect parts as materials. Structures snap together on a grid and must account for ant raids — ants will attack your base if you store food in it. Walls made from Mushroom Brick and Ash Cement resist insect attacks better than grass walls. Ziplines between bases and key locations dramatically speed up traversal.
insect combat
Combat uses stamina-based melee (1H, 2H weapons) and ranged attacks (bows, crossbows). Each insect has specific attack patterns — wolf spiders lunge and spin, bombardier beetles spray acid, and stinkbugs release gas clouds. Perfect blocking (timing your block at the moment of impact) staggers enemies and opens counterattack windows. Elemental damage types (spicy, salty, sour, fresh) are effective against specific insect families.
crafting tiers
Crafting progresses through tiers gated by Analyzer discoveries — scanning new materials at a Field Station unlocks recipes. Tier 1 uses basic materials (pebblets, plant fiber), Tier 2 requires insect parts (ant mandibles, spider fangs), and Tier 3 needs boss drops and rare materials. The Smithing Station handles weapon/armor upgrades while the Workbench handles tool crafting.
exploration milestones
The yard is divided into distinct biomes with increasing difficulty — from the safe Grasslands to the deadly Upper Yard. BURG.L quests guide you to new areas and reward Raw Science for purchasing upgrades. Finding and powering up labs (Haze Lab, Pond Lab, etc.) reveals story content and unlocks crucial crafting recipes. SCA.B flavor text schematics are hidden throughout the map.
co-op teamwork
Up to 4 players can join in shared or split-screen co-op. Enemies scale health based on player count, but coordinated teams can stagger-lock bosses with perfect blocks. Shared bases mean everyone contributes resources, and different build specializations (tank, archer, assassin) complement each other in boss fights. Reviving downed teammates requires standing near them for several seconds.
Common Beginner Mistakes
1. Storing food in your base without walls and defenses — ants detect food storage and will raid your base in large groups, destroying structures to reach it
2. Fighting wolf spiders without perfect block practice — these are the deadliest common enemy and will two-shot you in Tier 1 armor
Learn their three-hit combo timing on weaker spiders first.
3. Ignoring the Smoothie Station — players who rely on raw food for healing run out of sustain during boss fights
Smoothies provide much stronger and stackable healing effects.
4. Building a base in the Haze or near ant hills — both locations guarantee constant attacks
Build in the Grasslands near the oak tree for a safe early-game base location.
5. Neglecting to upgrade weapons at the Smithing Station — a Level 5 Tier 2 weapon outdamages a Level 1 Tier 3 weapon
Upgrade what you have before chasing the next tier.
First 5 Hours Checklist
- Understand base building and insect combat
- Choose Archer Build as starting build
- Clear Mystery Machine main content
- Acquire Black Ant Sword or equivalent upgrade
- Reach Oak Tree
- Analyze everything at Field Stations — scanning new materials unlocks crafting recipes. Carry one of every new material you find and scan it immediately for recipe discoveries.
- Build near a juice box for easy, infinite water. Juice Drops respawn regularly and are the most reliable hydration source in the early game.
Tips for New Players
- Analyze everything at Field Stations — scanning new materials unlocks crafting recipes. Carry one of every new material you find and scan it immediately for recipe discoveries.
- Build near a juice box for easy, infinite water. Juice Drops respawn regularly and are the most reliable hydration source in the early game.
- Ant Armor gives a hauling speed bonus that makes transporting grass planks and weed stems bearable. Craft a set just for building sessions even if you fight in different armor.
- Smoothies from the Smoothie Station are your primary healing — Grub Smoothie heals over time, Gastro Goo smoothie provides haze immunity, and Liquid Rage boosts damage temporarily.
- Wolf Spiders patrol fixed routes at night and sleep in specific dens during the day. Learn their patrol paths to avoid them, or attack their dens while they sleep for easier kills.
- Perfect blocking (pressing block at the exact moment an attack lands) staggers enemies and triggers armor set bonuses. Practice on weaker bugs like gnats and ants before fighting spiders.
- Ziplines between your base and key locations (labs, resource nodes) save enormous amounts of travel time. Invest in Zipline Anchors early — they require Silk Rope and Weed Stems.
- Mutations are passive perks earned by doing specific activities (killing insects, blocking attacks, etc.). Equip mutations that match your build — Cardio Fan for stamina, Buff Lungs for combat, Meat Shield for tanking.
- Lure Arrows fired from bows or crossbows attract enemies to a spot, which is invaluable for pulling dangerous insects away from each other or into traps.
- SCA.B schematics hidden throughout the map provide cosmetic customization. They're often tucked behind hard-to-reach spots or inside containers that require specific tools to open.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many players can play Grounded co-op?
Grounded supports up to 4 players in online co-op or 2 players in split-screen. Enemy health scales with player count, but coordinated teams with different build specializations (tank, archer, assassin) handle bosses much more easily than solo players.
What is the best armor set in Grounded?
For general use, Ladybug Armor is the best defensive set — it heals you on perfect blocks and provides excellent HP. For damage, the Assassin set (backstab bonus) or Spider Fang set (ranged damage) are top tier. Late-game, Black Widow armor offers the strongest overall stats.
How do I kill wolf spiders in Grounded?
Learn their three-hit combo pattern: lunge, swipe, spin. Perfect block all three hits to stagger them, then counterattack 2-3 times before blocking again. Use a shield and Mint Mace with Ladybug Armor for maximum survivability. Alternatively, find them sleeping in dens during daytime and attack first for bonus damage.
Where do I find Mint Chunks?
Mint Chunks are found in the Mint Container near the porch/deck area of the house. The container has breakable chunks inside that respawn over time. You need a Tier 2 Insect Hammer to break them. Mint is used for the Mint Mace, Mint Staff, and Fresh-element weapons.
Is there an ending to Grounded?
Yes. The 1.0 release added a full main story with a final boss and multiple ending options. Completing the main quest involves powering up all four labs, defeating their respective bosses, and confronting the truth about why you were shrunk. The story takes roughly 40-60 hours to complete.
What to Read Next
- Grounded Builds — Optimize your build once you've learned the basics
- Grounded Walkthrough — Full progression path
- Grounded Tips — Advanced strategies for when you're ready
