Seabases are installations created by the player through the use of the Habitat Builder.
A Seabase provides an area where the Player can return for oxygen and serves as an alternative to Lifepod 5 as a base of operations. Within a seabase, the player can construct additional storage space, grow food, access Appliances not available in Lifepod 5, and add aesthetic options. Thus Seabases provide safe havens away from the Safe Shallows the player starts in.
In all Game Modes except Creative Mode, entering a Seabase secures the player's inventory, so if the player dies, they will return to the last Seabase they visited (Lifepod 5 and a Cyclops also count as Seabases for this purpose) and keep all the items in their inventory that they had when they were there. This occurs even if they die while inside the base in question: thus, quickly building a single I Compartment and a Hatch on the seabed can be a valid tactic to secure the player's inventory if they are about to die.
The player will start with most of the blueprints they need for a basic Seabase; at the bare minimum, one needs a Compartment, a Hatch, and a power generator (the Solar Panel is unlocked by default). The initial compartment must be built on or near the ground (or on a Foundation, which is not necessary but provides greater Hull Integrity and a flat surface to work with), but any additional compartments can overhang without any issue, allowing bases to be built over cliffsides. The player can acquire Blueprints which allow additional module types to be created.
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Spoiler alert: The following section contains story related material. |
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Degasi Seabases can be found at the center and on the tops of the mountains of the Floating Island, Jellyshroom Cave, and Deep Grand Reef. These abandoned Seabases provide blueprints for additional base components that the player doesn't have access to by default, such as the Multipurpose Room and the Observatory. Other base components, power generators, appliances and, furniture, can be found in Wrecks. |
Despite their name, Seabases can be built on land. When on land, hull integrity is not a factor, and bases can be built without the need for additional Reinforcements, Foundations, or Bulkheads. Power is still needed for them to operate, but not to provide oxygen.
Hull Integrity[]
Hull Integrity refers to the ability of the player's Seabase to withstand the pressure of the surrounding water. The majority of the modules will lower the integrity once added but the amount will vary by module. As Seabases are built at a greater depth the integrity reduction caused by each module will increase. Hull integrity can be increased by constructing Reinforcement panels, placing a Seabase on or near a Foundation (foundations built on top of rooms will still provide their benefit), or installing Bulkheads on the ends of Compartment modules.
When the hull integrity of a Seabase is less than or equal to zero, it will begin to form hull breaches. Any corridor or room that is connected to the breach will begin flooding with water. Bulkheads can compartmentalize the base and prevent floodwaters from moving between compartments, but if the integrity remains below zero then eventually every compartment will develop a leak and the base will fill with water. To avoid this, quickly increase the base's integrity (by either adding strengthening components or removing weak components) and fix all hull breaches in the base using a Repair Tool.
A Seabase that receives damage to its exterior will also spring leaks, but the hull integrity will be unaffected. This is most likely to occur if the player hits the base with a Cyclops, as aggressive Fauna cannot damage bases. In this case, leaks will be limited to only the module that was hit and will not spread, making Bulkheads an effective method of preventing widespread flooding.
Energy Usage[]
Energy can be provided to a Seabase by building various types of generators near or inside the Seabase. Any number or combination can be used. Appliances such as the Fabricator will drain energy from the Seabase.
There are currently four generators available to power Seabases:
- Solar Panels, which work best near the surface
- Bioreactors, which consume any organic matter for power
- Thermal Plants, which collect heat energy (use near Lava Geysers and Black Smokers)
- Nuclear Reactors, which consume Reactor Rods made from Uraninite Crystals
Bioreactors and Nuclear Reactors are built inside a Multipurpose Room or Large Room. Solar Panels and Thermal Plants are built outside and can be directly attached to the base or connected via Power Transmitters if the distance is too great.
Seabases do not require energy to operate in Creative Mode.
The following appliances and rooms draw power from the Seabase:
- Fabricator
- Battery Charger
- Power Cell Charger
- Modification Station
- Water Filtration Machine
- Spotlight
- Floodlight
- Scanner Room (fabricator and active scanning, along with recharging the Camera Drones)
Oxygen[]
Seabases automatically produce Oxygen as long as there is power supplied, and can be used as a remote oxygen source outside the base through a Base-attached Air Pump and Pipes. If the power is depleted, the Seabase will slowly lose oxygen until it is completely gone.
How to Build a Seabase[]
- Find a suitable piece of seabed or land.
- Equip the Habitat Builder and press the appropriate key to bring up a crafting menu.
- In the Interior Pieces tab, select the desired module.
- Aim at the desired building place (the outline of the module will become green if the location is valid).
- Adjust the rotation if desired. You cannot rotate the moonpool once another module has been placed.
- Place the module with the correct button.
- Once placed, hold the correct key to add the required materials to finish the building process.
- Go to Step 2 and repeat for each room you want to build. Remember that once the desired module has been placed, other modules that are placed near it will snap to its position, making it easier to build.
To deconstruct a Seabase module, equip the Habitat Builder and hold the appropriate button while facing the module. If enough inventory space is available, the module will be deconstructed and all materials used to create the module will be returned to the player's inventory, one item at a time. Note that everything inside the module and attached to the outside of the module must be deconstructed (This excludes other Seabase modules, they do not need to be deconstructed to remove a part.) before the module itself can be deconstructed.
Controls[]
| Action | Mouse & Keyboard | Xbox One | PlayStation 4 | Nintendo Switch |
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| Open Building Menu | 
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| Rotate Object |  
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| Build Object | 
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| Deconstruct Object | 
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Dialogue[]
The Seabase's AI plays various messages that correspond to different circumstances, some accompanied by sound cues:
| Trigger | Dialogue | |
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When Seabase is repaired | "Hull integrity restored. Draining systems initiated."
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Entering Seabase with no power source | "Warning: Emergency power only. Oxygen production offline."
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When the Seabase has no power | "Warning: Emergency power only. Oxygen production offline."
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Restoring Seabase's power | "Power restored. All primary systems online."
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Entering Seabase or Seamoth | "Welcome aboard captain."
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Base Parts[]
Base Pieces[]
| Item | Description | Hull Integrity |
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Provides structural support and prevents flooding. | +3.0 Units |
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Basic tubular compartment. | -1.0 Unit |
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Basic glass-walled compartment. | -2.0 Units |
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L-shaped compartment. | -1.0 Unit |
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L-shaped glass compartment. | -2.0 Units |
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T-shaped compartment. | -1.0 Unit |
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X-shaped compartment. | -1.0 Unit |
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Reinforced habitat foundation. | +2.0 Units |
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Provides an access point to the habitat. | -1.0 Unit |
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A large room. | -4.0 Unit |
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A large glass dome. | -8.0 Unit |
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Vehicle docking bay. | -5.0 Units |
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Basic room. | -1.25 Units |
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A glass dome. | -2.0 Units |
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Compartment with 360-degree views and low structural integrity. | -3.0 Units |
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Increases hull strength. | +7.0 Units |
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Locates resources and wrecks within range. | -1 Units |
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Vertical base connector. | -0.5 Units |
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Observatory window. | -1.0 Unit |
External Modules[]
| Item | Description | Item IDs |
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Build on the ground in the sun to charge (25 power/min). | solarpanel |
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Converts heat to energy (> 15 °C) (50 power/min). | thermalplant |
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Extends range of power source. | powertransmitter |
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Industrial lighting, designed for all environments. | techlight |
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Fixed lighting solution. | spotlight |
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Artificial plant bed, suitable for use on land or underwater. | farmingtray |
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Base-attached device that pumps air into pipes. Acts as a starting point for a pipe chain. | basepipeconnector |
Interior Modules[]
| Item | Description | Item IDs |
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Basic survival fabricator. Atomically rearranges raw resources into useful objects. | fabricator |
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Receive short-range communications. | radio |
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Fabricates a medical kit every 30 minutes. | medicalcabinet |
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Wall-mounted storage locker. | smalllocker |
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Stores excessive things you need to store. | locker |
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Can charge up to 4 batteries simultaneously. | batterycharger |
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Can charge up to 2 power cells simultaneously. | powercellcharger |
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Self-sustaining aquatic habitat. | aquarium |
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Advanced fabricator for modification of equipment. | workbench |
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Titanium pot containing synthetic soil. | planterpot |
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Designed titanium pot containing synthetic soil. | planterpot2 |
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Upmarket titanium pot containing synthetic soil. | planterpot3 |
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Artificial plant bed, suitable for interior use only. | planterbox |
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Wall-mounted plant pot. | plantershelf |
Interior Pieces[]
| Item | Description | Item IDs |
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For connecting two floors. | baseladder |
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Separates water and salt. | basefiltrationmachine |
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Structural support and can stop water flow (+3HP). | basebulkhead |
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Build this in the moonpool to upgrade docked vehicles. | baseupgradeconsole |
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Composts organic matter into electrical energy. | basebioreactor |
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Processes nuclear reactor rods. | basenuclearreactor |
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Provides optimal conditions for flora and fauna. Add a hatch to enter. | basewaterpark |
Achievement[]
| Spoiler alert: The following section contains story related material.
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Settling in for the Long Haul Build a habitat
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Trivia[]
- Originally when prototyping bases, the developers used square base pieces. This was seen in a developer update along with a screenshot of early base models on the Trello.
- Several base pieces were cut during development. This includes examples such as the Specimen Analyzer, Power Generator, and Fragment Analyzer.
Gallery[]
