Subnautica 2 Guide: How to Build the Tadpole

Quick Answer: To unlock the Tadpole, you must scan three fragments found near the Ruby Blackbox, the southern colonist outpost, and the hidden Southwest Colonist Bunker. Once the blueprint is complete, construct a Moonpool at your base equipped with a Tadpole Dock and a Vehicle Fabricator to assemble the submersible.

The Seamoth was the undisputed king of early-game exploration in the original game, and in Subnautica 2, that crown now belongs to the Tadpole. This nimble submersible is your ticket to surviving the crushing depths of the Zazura ocean without constantly surfacing for air.

However, you can’t just craft this thing from the jump. You need to scavenge the ocean floor for fragments and set up a specialized docking bay before you can take the pilot’s seat. Here is everything you need to know to get mobile.

All Tadpole Fragment Locations

To unlock the full recipe, you need to find and scan three distinct Tadpole fragments. While the game naturally leads you toward some of these via NOA signals, you can go hunt them down the second you have a Scanner in your hand.

Fragment #1: The Skeletal Remains

The first piece is located near the Blackbox – Ruby signal. If you don’t have the waypoint yet, follow these steps:

• Face your Lifepod and align your compass between the NE and 30 markers.
• Swim straight for 400 meters.
• Look for a small underwater “island” featuring the massive skeletal remains of a prehistoric fish. The fragment is sitting right next to the Ruby Blackbox recording.

Fragment #2: The Colonist Outpost

Start from the location of the first fragment to make this easy:

• Face directly South (S) on your HUD.
• Swim past the massive Cicada wreck and move through the natural rock tunnel.
• After passing the second rock arch, turn right. You’ll find a small colonist outpost with tech scattered around. The fragment is on the ground near the metal platform.

Fragment #3: The Hidden Cliff Bunker

This one is tucked away 280m Southwest (SW) of your Lifepod, near the Blackbox – Wander signal:

• Swim towards the SW marker for roughly 250 meters until you hit a massive chasm.
• Look for a piece of the Cicada wreck dangling off the cliff edge.
• Follow that metal wreckage down to a depth of 60 meters.
• Look for a hidden hatch built directly into the cliffside behind a smaller shipwreck. Inside this bunker, the final fragment is sitting on a shelf.

Setting Up Your Vehicle Bay

Once you have the blueprint, you’ll notice you can’t build the Tadpole in a standard Fabricator. You need a dedicated docking station. Completing the Tadpole blueprint automatically unlocks the recipes for the Moonpool, Tadpole Dock, and Vehicle Fabricator.

Before you start building, make sure your PC is actually handling the game’s heavy lighting and particle effects. If you’re noticing stutters while trying to place your base modules, check out our Subnautica 2 Guide: Best Graphics Settings for Max FPS and No Lag to smooth things out.

Base Requirements Table

You must build these components in your base using the Habitat Builder.

Pro Tip: To make Ingots and Strong Acid, you need a Processor. If you haven’t unlocked it yet, head to the Old Habitat biome and scan a Processor fragment there.

Crafting the Tadpole

With your Moonpool powered up and the Dock/Fabricator installed, you can finally print the vehicle. Access the Vehicle Fabricator on the wall of your Moonpool to see the requirements.

Tadpole Recipe Breakdown

You can find Necrolei Cysts (for Strong Acid) about 280m Northwest of the Lifepod, while Salt is common in the biome 220m Southeast.

Pilot’s Manual: Using the Tadpole

Here are the baseline stats and a few tricks to make your life easier:

• Power & Health: The vehicle starts with 100 Power and 100 Durability. You can swap out the Power Cell manually or repair damage with a standard Repair Tool.
• Depth Limit: You can safely dive to 250 meters without any hull reinforcements.
• The Hardpoint Hack: There is a hardpoint on the back of the sub. While you can attach tools like a Scanner there, the best move is to attach a Portable Locker. This gives the Tadpole an instant storage trunk for long resource hauls.
• Co-op Railings: If you are playing with friends, they can grab the yellow handles on the side of the sub to hitch a ride while you pilot.

Chassis Upgrades

Eventually, you will find fragments for specialized chassis. You can only equip one at a time, so choose based on your mission:

1. Scout Ray Chassis: Increases your top speed significantly, perfect for outrunning predators.
2. Tadpole Haul Chassis: Adds built-in storage slots and allows a second player to sit inside the vehicle as a passenger.

Keep exploring the deeper biomes to find these upgrade fragments and turn your Tadpole into a true deep-sea beast.

For more tips, walkthroughs, and everything else covering the game, check out our full collection of guides.