Subnautica: Below Zero is the standalone follow-up to Subnautica, set in an arctic region of planet 4546B. You play as Robin Ayou investigating her sister's death at an Alterra research station while an alien entity named Al-An shares your mind. The game adds significant land-based exploration across frozen tundra alongside the underwater gameplay, plus the Seatruck — a modular submarine where you attach different functional modules (storage, fabricator, aquarium, sleeper) to create a custom mobile base. Below Zero is smaller and more focused than the original, with a tighter story and less open exploration.
Your choice of equipment defines your damage output and playstyle. This guide ranks every major option, explains what makes each one strong, and tells you which builds they pair best with.
Equipment Rankings
| Equipment | Tier | Best For | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Survival Knife | S | All builds | Basic tool for harvesting coral, plants, and defending against small predators. |
| Seatruck Perimeter Defense | A | Deep Explorer | A module that creates an electric pulse around the Seatruck, stunning and repelling aggressive creatures. |
| Prawn Suit | A | Deep Explorer | An underwater mech suit with drill arms for mining Large Resource Deposits and grapple arms for traversal. |
| Spy Pengling | B | Completionist | A deployable robotic penguin that scouts areas remotely through a camera feed. |
| Scanner | B | All builds | Scans creatures, plants, and fragments to add them to your PDA database and unlock blueprints. |
S-Tier: Survival Knife
Basic tool for harvesting coral, plants, and defending against small predators. Upgradeable to Thermoblade for fire damage and instant fish cooking. Essential for collecting crafting materials from flora and fauna.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | S |
| Best For | All builds |
| Key Mechanic | Seatruck modules |
| Recommended Build | Deep Explorer |
How to get it: Available from mid-game onward. See our walkthrough for the exact progression point.
Best builds using Survival Knife: Pairs naturally with Deep Explorer thanks to stat scaling synergies.
A-Tier: Seatruck Perimeter Defense
A module that creates an electric pulse around the Seatruck, stunning and repelling aggressive creatures. Essential for traversing biomes with Chelicerate or Shadow Leviathans. Uses Seatruck power reserves.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Deep Explorer |
| Key Mechanic | cold resistance |
| Recommended Build | Base Builder |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Seatruck Perimeter Defense: Pairs naturally with Base Builder thanks to stat scaling synergies.
A-Tier: Prawn Suit
An underwater mech suit with drill arms for mining Large Resource Deposits and grapple arms for traversal. Walks on the ocean floor and withstands deep pressure with upgrades. The Drill Arm mines 10x faster than the knife.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Deep Explorer |
| Key Mechanic | alien research |
| Recommended Build | Speedrunner |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Prawn Suit: Pairs naturally with Speedrunner thanks to stat scaling synergies.
B-Tier: Spy Pengling
A deployable robotic penguin that scouts areas remotely through a camera feed. Use it to explore dangerous areas (Leviathan territories) without risking your character. Can fit through small spaces you can't.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Completionist |
| Key Mechanic | base building |
| Recommended Build | Completionist |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Spy Pengling: Pairs naturally with Completionist thanks to stat scaling synergies.
B-Tier: Scanner
Scans creatures, plants, and fragments to add them to your PDA database and unlock blueprints. The most important tool in the game — scan everything you encounter. Blueprint fragments require scanning 2-3 pieces to complete the recipe.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | All builds |
| Key Mechanic | creature scanning |
| Recommended Build | Lore Hunter |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Scanner: Pairs naturally with Lore Hunter thanks to stat scaling synergies.
Equipment Progression Path
The order you should acquire equipment as you progress:
- Starting gear → Enough to clear Twisty Bridges
- Seatruck Perimeter Defense → Your first real upgrade, available early
- Prawn Suit → Mid-game upgrade with good scaling
- Survival Knife → Best-in-slot, aim for this by late game
- Upgrade to max → The power spike from max upgrades is enormous
Equipment Tips
- Always upgrade your primary equipment before diversifying — one strong option beats three mediocre ones.
- Match your equipment to your build's stat priorities for maximum scaling.
- Build the Seatruck before anything else — it provides safe transport, oxygen, and storage. The base Seatruck (no modules) is fast and maneuverable enough for early exploration.
- Check our tier list for how equipment rankings affect overall build effectiveness.
More Subnautica: Below Zero Guides
- Subnautica: Below Zero Subnautica: Below Zero Overview
- Subnautica: Below Zero Best Builds
- Subnautica: Below Zero Tier List
- Subnautica: Below Zero Walkthrough
- Subnautica: Below Zero Beginner's Guide
- Subnautica: Below Zero Tips & Tricks
- Subnautica: Below Zero Combat Guide
- Subnautica: Below Zero Boss Guide
- Subnautica: Below Zero Maps & Locations
- Subnautica: Below Zero Crafting Guide
- Subnautica: Below Zero Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy Subnautica: Below Zero, check out these related guides:
- Palworld Weapons Guide — survival game with similar mechanics
- Rust Weapons Guide — survival game with similar mechanics
- ARK: Survival Evolved Weapons Guide — survival game with similar mechanics
