Biomods are genetic upgrades you equip at the Biolab in Subnautica 2. Each one gives your character a special ability, such as dashing out of danger, spotting nearby resources, or staying hidden from predators while you stay still. Some also make your food and water last longer, which is handy on long trips.
Type
Active
Dash
- Type
- Yes
- Effect
- Dash quickly in any direction to evade hazards and predators.
- How to Unlock
- Available by default
Sonic Echo
- Type
- Yes
- Effect
- Send out a sonar pulse that reveals nearby resources.
- How to Unlock
- Bioscan a Collector Leviathan
Electric Discharge
- Type
- Yes
- Effect
- Release an 800-volt shock that deters medium and large predators.
- How to Unlock
- Bioscan an Electric Geordie
Chum Cloud
- Type
- Yes
- Effect
- Release a cloud of bait that distracts predators.
- How to Unlock
- Find it at a Biolab, or Bioscan a Toxic Sponge and a Houndgar
Pathfinder
- Type
- Yes
- Effect
- Leave a pheromone trail that you can follow to retrace your route.
- How to Unlock
- Available by default
Type
Passive
Bioluminescence
- Type
- Passive
- Effect
- Make your body glow in dark areas.
- How to Unlock
- Bioscan a Sandspear and an Electric Geordie
Camouflage
- Type
- Passive
- Effect
- Become invisible to predators while you are not moving.
- How to Unlock
- Bioscan a Bullethead
Water Retention
- Type
- Passive
- Effect
- Get more hydration from water sources.
- How to Unlock
- Bioscan a Coral Crab
Homing Sense
- Type
- Passive
- Effect
- Detect nearby bases that have electrical power.
- How to Unlock
- Bioscan a Surge Jelly and a Hammerhead
Threat Sense
- Type
- Passive
- Effect
- Detect nearby threats.
- How to Unlock
- Bioscan a Hoverthorn
Dermal Garden
- Type
- Passive
- Effect
- Slowly grow nutritious algae on your skin.
- How to Unlock
- Find it at a Biolab, or Bioscan a Needler Mango
Oxygen Control
- Type
- Passive
- Effect
- Use oxygen more slowly while stationary.
- How to Unlock
- Available by default
Sea Skimmer
- Type
- Passive
- Effect
- Swim faster near underwater surfaces or the seafloor.
- How to Unlock
- Available by default
Slow Metabolism
- Type
- Passive
- Effect
- Lose food more slowly.
- How to Unlock
- Bioscan a Nibbler Mango
Water Secretion
- Type
- Passive
- Effect
- Slowly filter seawater into a water packet.
- How to Unlock
- Bioscan a Water Slug
How Active and Passive Biomods Work
Biomods come in two kinds. Active Biomods are abilities you trigger when you need them, like a quick dash or a sonar pulse. Passive Biomods stay on all the time and quietly change how your body copes, such as how fast your oxygen or food runs down.
You start with one active slot and one passive slot, so you can equip one of each at the Biolab. Scanning creatures with the Bioscanner opens more passive slots as you go, and the Biolab shows how close you are to the next one.
Because you start with just one of each, the real decision early on is which pair suits what you plan to do. Think about the trip first, then set up your Biomods to match.
How to Unlock Biomods in Subnautica 2
Dash, Pathfinder, Oxygen Control and Sea Skimmer need no unlocking, so you can equip them as soon as you have a Biolab. Biolabs found across the world can also grant Chum Cloud and Dermal Garden. Both of those can be unlocked by scanning too, so check the unlocked list at a Biolab before you make a special trip.
Most of the rest unlock by scanning specific creatures with a Bioscanner. A regular Scanner scan doesn't count, so you'll need the Bioscanner for these. You craft it at the Modification Station from one Scanner, two Enameled Glass and three Conduit Crystal.
Each unlock calls for particular creatures, and a few need two different scans before they open. Chum Cloud, Bioluminescence and Homing Sense are in that group, so plan those trips around both creatures. Because one creature can serve more than one Biomod, a single trip can cover more than one unlock.
Best Biomods for Staying Safe
When something dangerous is closing in, Biomods give you a few ways to respond. Dash gets you out of trouble fast, sending you in any direction to clear a hazard or a predator. Electric Discharge and Chum Cloud deal with threats that are already near: the shock deters medium and large predators, and the bait cloud pulls their attention away from you.
Camouflage and Threat Sense work more quietly. Camouflage makes you invisible to predators while you stay still, so it's a good way to wait out a threat instead of running from it. Threat Sense alerts you when danger is close, giving you time to decide your next move.
Best Biomods for Exploring and Finding Resources
Exploring goes better when you can find your way back and move without wasting time. Pathfinder leaves a pheromone trail you can follow to retrace your route, and it can help you find a cave exit. Sea Skimmer boosts your swimming speed when you're close to a surface or the seafloor, so it suits travel along the bottom.
Finding things takes a different set of tools. Sonic Echo sends out a sonar pulse that reveals nearby resource deposits, so you don't have to search every rock. Bioluminescence makes your body glow in dark water, giving you light without carrying a separate one. Homing Sense helps you locate nearby bases that have electrical power.
Best Biomods for Oxygen, Food and Water on Long Trips
Long trips tend to run into the same problem: your supplies run low. Oxygen Control uses less oxygen while you're still, so pausing to look around or wait costs you far less air. Slow Metabolism makes food drain more slowly, so the food you carry goes further.
Water Retention gives you more hydration from every water source, which means you carry less water with you. Water Secretion slowly filters seawater into a water packet while you explore, building a supply over time. Dermal Garden grows edible algae on your skin, giving you a slow, steady food source on the move.
Biomod Combinations for Different Trips
Choosing a pair gets easier when you match it to the job. Each of these pairs one active Biomod with one passive, which is the setup you start with. Dash with Camouflage gives you a way out of trouble and a way to hide while a predator passes.
For a resource hunt, Sonic Echo paired with Threat Sense lets you find deposits while keeping an eye on danger. For a long trip, Pathfinder with Slow Metabolism or Water Retention helps you find your way back while your food or water holds out. The best combination is the one that covers the problem you're most likely to face.
FAQ
How do I build a Biolab?
You need a Biolab to equip Biomods, and it's built with the Habitat Builder from three Titanium, one Copper Wire and one Mild Acid. Its blueprint comes from scanning a Biolab fragment.
Where do I get the Bioscanner blueprint?
You can find it on a data card, or get it by scanning a Bioscanner.
How many Bioscans do you need for more passive Biomod slots?
Passive slots two through five open at 10, 20, 40 and 80 total Bioscans. The Biolab shows your total and how many scans the next slot needs.
Which creature should I scan first for Biomods?
Electric Geordie is a good target, since one scan unlocks Electric Discharge on its own. Bioluminescence also needs a Sandspear scan, so get both creatures if you want that one too. A Coral Crab scan unlocks Water Retention on its own.
Does unlocking a Biomod equip it automatically?
No. Unlocking makes a Biomod available, but it doesn't go into your loadout on its own. Head back to a Biolab and pick it for your active or passive slot.
