The short answer
Prioritize Depth Module Mk. 1 for trips below 250 m. It raises the Tadpole’s rating to 450 m. Craft modules at a Modification Station, then install them in the top upgrade panel. A crafted module left in inventory changes nothing.
Before you start
- A powered, repaired Tadpole, charged Scanner, spare Power Cell and enough oxygen for the return swim.
- Reach the Alien Ruins Research Base. Distances below are reported landmarks, not a Kingy-recorded route.
Unlock the station and install the upgrade
- Inside the Alien Ruins Research Base, turn left, then right to find the Modification Station scan.
- Build the station with 2 Titanium, 2 Celestine and 2 Copper. Collect the individual module’s blueprint before looking for its recipe.
- Craft the module. Open the Tadpole’s top upgrade panel beside the Power Cell and move it into a slot. Check the displayed depth rating before descending.
Sources for this section
Find Mk. 1 without losing an unmodified Tadpole
- Use the Research Base’s NOA Terminal clue for Ruby’s second black box, south-southeast near the Needler nest. The reported initial bearing is about 165°.
- Locate the cave below the rock platforms. Leave an unmodified Tadpole above 250 m and swim the final approach only with sufficient oxygen to return.
- At the broken Tadpole, collect the Mk. 1 data card and scan the nearby Haul Chassis fragment. Return and craft the depth module before attempting the deeper upgrade circuit.
Five modules to craft at the Modification Station
| Module | Ingredients | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Depth Module Mk. 1 | 3 Celestine · 2 Enameled Glass · 1 System Chip | 450 m rating; depth modules do not stack. |
| Engine Efficiency | 1 Titanium Ingot · 2 Glass · 1 System Chip | Reported 20% less power use per module; occupies one slot per copy. |
| Strike Armor | 2 Enameled Glass · 2 Strontium | Reduces physical damage; still carry a Repair Tool. |
| Cavitation Muffler | 3 Titanium · 2 Strontium | Reduces noise; does not guarantee protection from predators. |
| Photovoltaic Charger | 1 Copper Ingot · 1 Strong Acid · 1 Troilite | Charges in shallow daylight; plan a separate deep-water power supply. |
Sources for this section
Find the remaining module blueprints
| Module | Reported landmark |
|---|---|
| Engine Efficiency | Table on the right when entering the Research Base. |
| Strike Armor | Platform about 60 m south-southwest of the base, around 190 m deep. |
| Photovoltaic Charger | Follow Iso’s black-box signal to the Cicada wreck, roughly 120° from the base. Repair the broken door; search the room containing the recording. Bring the Repair Tool. |
| Cavitation Muffler | Past the Power Plant toward the green-water region, on a cliff-edge platform around 370 m deep near the Early Access boundary. Take Mk. 1 first. |
Sources for this section
Choose the fourth slot for the trip
Kingy’s suggested deep-trip starting point is Mk. 1, Strike Armor and Engine Efficiency. Use the fourth slot for a second Efficiency module on a long resource trip, or a Muffler where noise matters. This is a planning recommendation, not a tested best build.
There are four slots. Four Efficiency modules would leave no slot for depth protection. Buddy System also fixed equipping duplicate modules whose effects do not stack.
Sources for this section
Mk. 2: no verified Survival unlock
GameWith reports the 800 m Mk. 2 module as Creative-only. The official release notes checked for this edition do not establish a Survival unlock. Treat it as unavailable for this route; do not budget a Survival expedition around finding it.
A Creative screenshot, console-spawned item or database entry does not establish a collectible blueprint. This guide will add the route when a released build and reproducible evidence support one.
Sources for this section
Your checklist
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Research checked 2026-09-12. This is a source-based guide; Kingy has not independently play-tested these steps. Evidence and coverage.