Three connected systems
Know which upgrade you are chasing
Biomods, Adaptations, and Bio Beds all change the player, but they have different rules. Mixing them together makes progression look more complicated than it is.Biomods
Temporary, reversible abilities managed at a powered Biolab. Active mods need an input; passive mods work automatically when their conditions are met.
Adaptations
Story-linked biological changes such as digestion, heat, pressure, and vision upgrades that let you survive otherwise hostile regions.
Bio Beds
One-time facility upgrades that expand inventory or hotbar space. They do not consume a Biomod slot.
Triggered abilities
Active Biomods solve the immediate problem
Choose the active ability around the most dangerous moment in the route: losing your way, escaping a charge, distracting a scanner target, or finding a resource pocket.Dash
Burst rapidly in your movement direction, then wait through a short cooldown.
The dependable general-purpose escape and traversal choice.Pathfinder
Release a glowing pheromone trail that remains visible through branching routes.
Activate at a cave or wreck entrance so the trail leads all the way home.Sonic Echo
Send out a pulse that highlights nearby collectible resources.
Best for targeted gathering once the route is already safe enough to search.Electric Discharge
Emit a close-range electrical shock that deters many medium and large predators.
Hold it until an attacker closes; it is an emergency tool, not ranged control.Chum Cloud
Launch biological bait that briefly redirects nearby predators.
Place the cloud away from the intended scan or escape line.Always-on support
Passive Biomods remove expedition pressure
Passive slots become more valuable as Bioscan milestones unlock. Combine complementary benefits instead of filling every slot with solutions to the same problem.Sea Skimmer
Swim faster while remaining close to the seafloor or another solid surface.
Follow walls and slopes instead of crossing open water.Oxygen Control
Reduce oxygen consumption substantially while stationary.
Stop moving during long scans, PDA checks, and route planning.Bioluminescence
Make your body glow to improve visibility in darkness.
Useful for caves and for keeping co-op divers visible without a held light.Camouflage
Conceal yourself from predators while you remain stationary.
Stop before detection; Adaptive Measures 1.1 also corrected surface and Tadpole attachment behavior.Water Retention
Double the hydration restored by consumed water sources.
Strong when expedition inventory space matters more than passive production.Homing Sense
Detect nearby electrically powered bases and show a directional indicator.
It detects power, so retain beacons and landmarks for unpowered destinations.Threat Sense
Warn when a dangerous creature enters the surrounding area.
Treat the alert as a prompt to find cover and visually clear the route.Dermal Garden
Slowly grow edible algae that accumulates as a compact food reserve.
Consume the stored food before the reserve caps so production continues.Slow Metabolism
Reduce the rate at which the food meter falls.
Pairs well with efficient prepared meals on long vehicle expeditions.Water Secretion
Slowly filter water into a renewable hydration reserve.
Drink from the reserve regularly instead of leaving it capped.Genetic acquisition
The Bioscanner turns discovery into ability unlocks
The normal Scanner records fauna; the upgraded Bioscanner analyzes living targets for Biomods and counts unique lifeforms toward passive-slot progression.Bioscanner
Scan the blueprint at the EVA Prep wreck, then modify an existing Scanner. Normal scans completed earlier are not genetic scans, so revisit the required lifeforms.
- 01
Reach the later wreck route
Continue the Alien Ruins objectives until the EVA Prep wreck and Bioscanner blueprint become accessible.
- 02
Scan the upgrade blueprint
Use the normal Scanner on the Bioscanner unit associated with the wreck.
- 03
Craft at a Modification Station
Combine one Scanner, two Enameled Glass, and three Conduit Crystals.
- 04
Rescan lifeforms
Earlier normal scans do not provide genetic unlocks; use the upgraded tool on unique targets.
- 05
Return to a Biolab
Equip newly available abilities and check total Bioscan progress toward passive slots.
Adaptive Measures progression
Expand from one to five passive slots
Every distinct Bioscan advances the shared total. The Biolab interface displays current scans and the requirement for the next passive slot.Starting passive slot
Available immediately
Second passive slot
10 unique Bioscans
Third passive slot
20 unique Bioscans
Fourth passive slot
40 unique Bioscans
Fifth passive slot
80 unique Bioscans
Practical combinations
Build for the next dive, not every dive
The strongest loadout is the one that removes the route's main failure condition. Revisit a Biolab whenever the objective changes.Fast traversal near terrain with extra oxygen margin whenever you stop to scan or orient.
A persistent return trail, slower stationary oxygen use, and hands-free visibility.
Early warning, a close-range deterrent, and a concealment option after contact breaks.
Find target materials quickly while retaining awareness and extending carried water.
Emergency movement with lower food pressure and renewable hydration away from base.
Redirect the target, complete the scan while still, then leave before the distraction ends.
Permanent biohacking
Bio Beds expand capacity without using slots
Seven abandoned facilities contain permanent upgrades: five Endurance treatments add inventory space, while two Dexterity treatments add hotbar positions.Endurance I–V
20 → 35 inventory slotsEach treatment adds three slots. Several are reachable around the opening region; later facilities demand deeper or hotter routes.
Dexterity I–II
5 → 7 hotbar slotsEach treatment adds one hotbar position, reducing tool swapping on complex dives.
Search facilities
Use powered infrastructure and nearby signals to narrow the hunt for abandoned chambers.
Confirm with landmarks
Early Access terrain can change, so use biome, depth, and visible structures together.
Respect region gates
Prepare the required Adaptation before entering hot or high-pressure routes.
Loadout prepared