Subnautica drops you alone on an alien ocean planet after your spaceship crashes, and what follows is one of the best survival games ever made. The game masterfully creates fear through depth — the deeper you dive, the darker it gets, the more dangerous the creatures become, and the more incredible the discoveries are. There are no guns (by deliberate design choice), forcing you to rely on evasion, tools, and vehicles to survive. The story unfolds organically through radio signals, data logs, and environmental storytelling, guiding you ever deeper toward answers about the planet, the alien disease you've contracted, and how to escape. Nearly every player remembers their first encounter with a Reaper Leviathan.
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 | Speedrunner | Your basic melee tool that harvests coral, cuts plants, and fights small predators. |
| Stasis Rifle | A | Seamoth Explorer | Fires an energy bubble that freezes any creature in place for 20-30 seconds. |
| Repulsion Cannon | A | Base Builder | Fires a shockwave that pushes creatures and objects away. |
| Thermoblade | B | Speedrunner | An upgraded Survival Knife that adds heat damage and instantly cooks small fish when killed. |
| Scanner | B | All builds | The most important tool in the game — scanning creatures adds them to your database with habitat and behavior info, and scanning fragments unlocks blueprints for new technology. |
S-Tier: Survival Knife
Your basic melee tool that harvests coral, cuts plants, and fights small predators. The knife does minimal damage to large creatures — you're meant to flee, not fight. Upgraded to the Thermoblade, it deals fire damage and cooks fish instantly upon killing them.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | S |
| Best For | Speedrunner |
| Key Mechanic | base building |
| Recommended Build | Seamoth 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 Seamoth Explorer thanks to stat scaling synergies.
A-Tier: Stasis Rifle
Fires an energy bubble that freezes any creature in place for 20-30 seconds. Essential for scanning aggressive creatures like Stalkers and Bonesharks safely. Against Leviathans, the Stasis Rifle buys enough time to repair your vehicle or swim away. Does not work on the Sea Dragon.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Seamoth Explorer |
| Key Mechanic | vehicle crafting |
| Recommended Build | PRAWN Miner |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Stasis Rifle: Pairs naturally with PRAWN Miner thanks to stat scaling synergies.
A-Tier: Repulsion Cannon
Fires a shockwave that pushes creatures and objects away. It can launch small fish, rocks, and even push aggressive predators back. Less useful than the Stasis Rifle for survival but fun for experimentation. Also moves heavy objects that block base placement.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Base Builder |
| Key Mechanic | depth progression |
| Recommended Build | Cyclops Captain |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Repulsion Cannon: Pairs naturally with Cyclops Captain thanks to stat scaling synergies.
B-Tier: Thermoblade
An upgraded Survival Knife that adds heat damage and instantly cooks small fish when killed. This saves time and battery from using the Fabricator to cook. The Thermoblade is the best melee option, doing roughly 40 damage per hit compared to the knife's 20.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Speedrunner |
| Key Mechanic | scanner room |
| Recommended Build | Base Builder |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Thermoblade: Pairs naturally with Base Builder thanks to stat scaling synergies.
B-Tier: Scanner
The most important tool in the game — scanning creatures adds them to your database with habitat and behavior info, and scanning fragments unlocks blueprints for new technology. You cannot progress without scanning extensively. Scan everything you see, especially wreckage and alien structures.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | All builds |
| Key Mechanic | alien research |
| Recommended Build | Speedrunner |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Scanner: Pairs naturally with Speedrunner thanks to stat scaling synergies.
Equipment Progression Path
The order you should acquire equipment as you progress:
- Starting gear → Enough to clear Safe Shallows
- Stasis Rifle → Your first real upgrade, available early
- Repulsion Cannon → 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.
- The radio in your lifepod broadcasts messages on a timer — always respond to radio calls because they mark key locations on your map and drive the story forward.
- Check our tier list for how equipment rankings affect overall build effectiveness.
More Subnautica Guides
- Subnautica Subnautica Overview
- Subnautica Best Builds
- Subnautica Tier List
- Subnautica Walkthrough
- Subnautica Beginner's Guide
- Subnautica Tips & Tricks
- Subnautica Combat Guide
- Subnautica Boss Guide
- Subnautica Maps & Locations
- Subnautica Crafting Guide
- Subnautica Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy Subnautica, 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
