Key Takeaways
- Build your first base at Depth 50-100m, not at the surface. Surface bases get raided by Abyssal Walkers every night. The deeper you go, the safer you are.
- The 'Scanner' tool is your most important early-game item. It detects mineral veins through walls up to 20m away. Craft it before anything else.
- Oxygen management is the core survival loop. Upgrade your O2 tank before upgrading ANYTHING else. More oxygen = longer exploration = more resources.
- Don't mine everything you see. Inventory space is limited and the Abyss has no fast travel. Only mine what you need for your next upgrade.
Getting Started
You crash-land at the Abyss Research Station (surface). The tutorial teaches basic mining and crafting. After the tutorial:
1. Ignore the surface. Surface resources are trash tier. Grab the free O2 tank and Scanner from the station.
2. Enter the first cave (Depth 20m entrance, east of the station).
3. Mine 50 Copper + 25 Iron + 10 Crystals. This is your starter kit.
4. Craft: Copper Pickaxe → Basic O2 Tank Upgrade → Scanner Mk1.
First Base Location
| Depth | Safety | Resources | Recommendation |
| ------- | -------- | ----------- | ---------------- |
| 0-50m (Surface/Caves) | Low (night raids) | Copper, Iron, basic Crystals | Starter only |
| 50-150m (Shallow Abyss) | Medium | Iron, Gold, Ruby | ★★★★★ First base |
| 150-500m (Deep Abyss) | Low | Diamond, Titanium, Obsidian | Mid-game |
| 500m+ (The Core) | Extreme | Void Ore, Dark Matter | Endgame |
Build at 80-100m. The Shallow Abyss has no surface raids, manageable enemies (Stone Golems, Cave Leeches), and all the Iron/Gold you need for the first 10 hours.
Crafting Progression
| ---------- | ------ | ----------- | ----- |
| 1 | Copper Pickaxe | 20 Copper | Mine Iron and Gold |
| 2 | Basic O2 Upgrade | 15 Iron, 5 Crystal | +60 seconds of oxygen |
| 3 | Scanner Mk1 | 10 Iron, 5 Crystal | Find mineral veins through walls |
| 4 | Iron Pickaxe | 20 Iron | Mine Diamond and Titanium |
| 5 | Crafting Station | 30 Iron, 10 Gold | Unlock advanced recipes |
| 6 | O2 Tank Mk2 | 20 Gold, 10 Ruby | +120 seconds of oxygen |
Enemy Survival Guide
| ------- | ------- | -------- | ---------- |
| Cave Leech | 30m+ | Low | Stick to ceiling. Hit with pickaxe 3 times. |
| Stone Golem | 80m+ | Medium | Slow. Kite around rocks. Weak to pickaxe (mining damage). |
| Abyssal Walker | Surface (night) | High | Don't fight. Hide in your base. They can't enter structures. |
| Lava Worm | 200m+ | High | Avoid lava pools. If it surfaces, run — it's invincible. |
| Void Phantom | 500m+ | Extreme | Only fight with Titanium weapons. Teleports behind you. |
Oxygen Management
Every action consumes oxygen:
O2 efficiency tips: Walk, don't sprint. Mine in bursts, then rest. Craft O2 Candles (consumable, +30s O2) for long expeditions.
Common Beginner Mistakes
1. Staying on the surface. The surface is the tutorial zone. Everything valuable is underground.
2. Mining without the Scanner. You'll miss 70% of mineral veins behind walls.
3. Exploring without backup O2. Always carry 2 O2 Candles. Running out of oxygen = you drop ALL your inventory where you died.
4. Fighting Abyssal Walkers. They're balanced for mid-game gear. Run. Hide. Wait for dawn.
5. Not building doors. Doors keep enemies out. A base without doors is a suggestion, not a fortification.