All BioMods and How to Unlock Every One in Subnautica 2

Guide Background

BioMods are split into two groups: active abilities you trigger manually, and passive abilities that stay on all the time. The first Bio Facility near the starting Life Pod gives the basic set immediately, but most of the system stays locked until much later.

The big requirement is the Bio Scanner attachment for the regular scanner. You can scan creatures before getting it, but those early scans do not unlock BioMods. To unlock the later active and passive options, the creatures must be scanned again with the Bio Scanner equipped. The attachment is found from parts on the ground in the endgame zone, so most BioMods are effectively late-game unlocks right now.

At the moment, only one active and one passive BioMod can be equipped at a time.

Operation Steps

Step 1: Visit the first Bio Facility near the Life Pod

Interact with the first Bio Facility beside the starting area to unlock the two starter active BioMods and the two starter passive BioMods.

You get:

• Dash
• Pathfinder
• Sea Skimmer
• Oxygen Control

Step 2: Get the Bio Scanner in the endgame zone

Before chasing the rest of the BioMods, find the Bio Scanner attachment for your scanner in the endgame area. Once attached, the scanner shows a green glow while aiming.

Without this attachment, creature scans only give information. They do not unlock new BioMods.

Step 3: Scan the required creatures for each unlock

After getting the Bio Scanner, start revisiting the map and scan the required fauna. Some BioMods come from a single creature scan, while others need two separate creatures.

A practical route is:

1. Clean up easy starter-zone scans first.
2. Move through the ravine and mid-game areas.
3. Finish the deep late-game scans last, especially the dangerous ones like the Collector Leviathan.

Step 4: Slot the active and passive pair that fits your current goal

Since only one active and one passive can be equipped, switch them based on what you are doing.

Examples:

• Exploring caves or wreck interiors: Pathfinder
• Escaping or dodging predators: Electric Discharge or Chum Cloud
• Covering ground fast: Sea Skimmer
• Stretching survival resources: Water Secretion, Water Retention, Dermal Garden, or Slow Metabolism

Important Items

Bio Scanner

This is the key unlock requirement for the full BioMod system. It is an attachment for the regular scanner and is found in the endgame zone.

Once equipped, creature scans start counting toward BioMod unlocks.

Dash

Unlocked from the first Bio Facility near the Life Pod.

Dash launches you in the direction you are moving. It has a visible cooldown and is useful for general movement and quick repositioning.

Pathfinder

Unlocked from the first Bio Facility near the Life Pod.

Pathfinder drops a visible trail of yellow markers, which is especially helpful in cave systems and large salvage interiors where it is easy to lose your exit route.

Sonic Echo

Unlocked by scanning the Collector Leviathan.

This sends out a pulse that highlights collectible materials in a large area, making mineral searches much faster.

The Collector Leviathan is in the massive trench between the early game and late-game areas. It is the most dangerous scan in the game right now. Scanning from above worked more reliably than trying to approach from the side.

Electric Discharge

Unlocked by scanning the Electric Gordy.

This emits an 800-volt shock that deters medium and large predators. It is found in the deep parts of the late-game zone, beyond the alien ruins area where you eventually build a second base.

Chum Cloud

Unlocked by scanning both the Toxic Sponge and Hound Gar.

• Toxic Sponge: found in caves in the starter area
• Hound Gar: found near the alien ruins in the late-game area

When used, it throws out a distraction that pulls hostile creatures away from you for several seconds.

Sea Skimmer

Unlocked from the first Bio Facility near the Life Pod.

This massively increases swim speed when moving close to the ground. It is one of the strongest passives for most of the game, especially before getting a vehicle.

Oxygen Control

Unlocked from the first Bio Facility near the Life Pod.

This slows oxygen use only while you are not moving. It is most useful when stopping to scan or inspect objects underwater.

Bioluminescence

Unlocked by scanning both the Electric Gordy and Sand Sphere.

• Electric Gordy: deep late-game waters
• Sand Sphere: sandy parts of the starting zone

The Sand Sphere hides in the sand and pops out to attack when approached, so be ready to scan it as it emerges.

This passive makes your body glow in the dark.

Camouflage

Unlocked by scanning the Bullet Head.

This makes you invisible while not moving. Bullet Heads can be found on the walls of the large ravine between the starter region and the late-game side, and also around parts of the alien ruins area.

It even works against the Collector Leviathan.

Water Retention

Unlocked by scanning the Coral Crab.

This doubles the water gained from consumables. The Coral Crab is a large crab in the later early-game area, usually around the hot area roughly 380 meters east of the starting Life Pod.

It may stay dormant until you leave your vehicle and wake it up.

Homing Sense

Unlocked by scanning both the Surge Jelly and Hammerhead.

• Hammerhead: east of the Life Pod in the early area
• Surge Jelly: around 170 meters southeast of the Life Pod

This highlights nearby powered bases with a lightning-bolt icon, making it useful for finding hidden facilities and blueprint locations.

Threat Sense

Unlocked by scanning the Hover Thorn.

Hover Thorns are small fish in the endgame region. Head toward the huge tree-like lifeform beyond the canyon, then stay along the northern edge to find them.

Threat Sense beeps when dangerous creatures are nearby.

Dermal Garden

Unlocked by scanning the Needler Mango.

Needler Mangos are common in the deep trenches of the endgame area. They are aggressive, fire spikes, and can damage your vehicle, so be ready to repair.

This passive slowly creates algae food in your inventory. The first algae block is worth 5 food, then the stored amount increases by 5 each time up to a cap of 30 if left unused.

Slow Metabolism

Unlocked by scanning the Nibbler Mango.

The easiest place to find one is around the Angel Comb point of interest. They are the blue-and-yellow shark-like creatures in that area.

This slows hunger loss over time.

Water Secretion

Unlocked by scanning a Water Slug.

Water Slugs are common in the starting zone and also appear in some late-game areas. This passive generates filtered water packets over time, up to a cap of 30 water stored.

Key Notes and Tips

• Most BioMods are not realistically available until late in the current version because the Bio Scanner comes so late.
• If you scanned creatures before getting the Bio Scanner, you need to scan them again afterward for the unlock to count.
• The Collector Leviathan is the hardest scan. Approaching from above is safer than drifting in front of it.
• Pathfinder is easy to overlook, but it is excellent in caves and large wrecks where turns start to blur together.
• Camouflage only works while completely still.
• Water Retention doubles water gained from drinks and similar items, which is stronger than it may sound.
• Dermal Garden and Water Secretion both cap their stored value, so leaving them full wastes the passive.
• Needler Mangos are hostile enough that they can wear down your vehicle quickly.

Tips and Tricks

• Best early passive: Sea Skimmer. Until you have a vehicle, the speed boost near the seabed is hard to beat.
• Best cave utility: Pathfinder. Use it before descending into twisting tunnels instead of after you get lost.
• Best predator answer: Electric Discharge if you want immediate safety, Chum Cloud if you want a distraction window to keep moving.
• Best scan prep: If a dangerous creature has a burst attack or patrol pattern, wait above it and dive in only when it turns.
• Food choice: Dermal Garden and Slow Metabolism end up fairly close in value. Dermal Garden is better if you like having emergency food stored; Slow Metabolism is cleaner if you just want hunger to tick down more slowly.
• Water choice: Water Retention is excellent if you already carry drinks. Water Secretion is better if you want passive water generation in the background.
• Base hunting: Homing Sense is worth equipping whenever you are exploring unfamiliar parts of the map, especially around late-game ruins and future content areas.
• Stealth use: Camouflage is stronger than it first appears. If a predator is nearby and you do not need to move, stopping in place can save a run.

Summary

The BioMod system opens up late, but several unlocks are already worth chasing. Sea Skimmer is the standout passive for general travel, Pathfinder remains one of the most practical active tools for exploration, and Electric Discharge, Camouflage, and the survival passives all have solid uses depending on what you are doing. Once the Bio Scanner is in hand, a full sweep across the starter zone, ravine, and endgame trenches will unlock the whole current set.