Subnautica 2 Guide: How to Unlock All Biomods and Find the Bioscanner
Messing with your own genetic code is the only way to survive a planet that clearly wants you dead.
Standard human biology is a joke on a world like Proteus. You're slow, you've got zero natural defenses, and you burn through oxygen like a chain smoker. To fix this, you have to use Biomods. These are genetic enhancements that grant you active abilities and passive buffs. While the game gives you a few basics to start, you'll eventually need to hunt down a specialized Bioscanner to unlock the high tier mutations. I've spent plenty of time in the Bio Lab figuring out the most efficient way to turn yourself into a super-soldier of the sea.
The Welcome Center and the Bio Lab
Your journey into genetic engineering starts at the Welcome Center. This underwater facility sits about 87 meters southeast of your Lifepod and only seven meters deep. It's a quick swim, but when you arrive, the place will be completely dark.
Before you can use the Bio Lab terminal, you have to power the building. Look for the empty power socket in the main room. You'll need to craft a Basic Battery and jam it in there. To make the battery, you need two pieces of Copper (found in yellow-tinted caves) and one Acidic Raion Pouch (the orange egg-looking flowers in the shallows). Once the lights flicker on, you can finally interact with the Bio Lab to equip your first mods.
Mastering Biomod Slots
The Bio Lab interface is where you'll spend your time swapping traits to fit your current mission. The game splits these into two distinct categories that handle your character's stats very differently.
Active Biomods require a manual trigger. On a controller, you'll hit L3, while PC survivors use Shift. You only have one active slot, so you have to choose between things like a quick dash or a sonar pulse. Passive Biomods are permanent bonuses that run in the background. You start with only one passive slot, but you can eventually unlock up to six. I've found that early on, Oxygen Control is the most vital passive to have equipped since it stretches out your air supply whenever you stop moving.
The Bioscanner Quest
The basic Bio Lab lets you equip the default mods like Dash and Sea Skimmer, but the more advanced DNA traits are locked. To unlock them, you need to scan specific alien lifeforms using a Bioscanner.
I'll be blunt: finding this thing is a nightmare if you don't know where to look. There seems to be only one in the entire game. You have to push into the second major area where the water turns dark and green. It's roughly 1,800 meters east of the Lifepod. If you've already found the Alien Ruins, it's about 600 meters southeast of that signal.
You'll need a Repair Tool to get inside the wreckage at the Blackbox Iso Signal. Once you're in, swim through the vents and holes until you reach a broken chamber at the bottom of the ship. The degraded Bioscanner is sitting right there. Scan it and get out.
Crafting the Bioscanner
The Bioscanner isn't a standalone tool. It's an upgrade for your standard Scanner. You can't make this at a basic fabricator either. You'll need a Modification Station, which usually isn't accessible until you've reached the second big section of the game.
Once you have the station built, you'll need a standard Scanner, two pieces of Enameled Glass, and three Conduit Crystals. This is a massive step up in crafting complexity compared to your early game tools, but it's the only way to start scanning the high tier fauna and alien tech required for the best mods.
Every Biomod and Unlock Requirement
To save you the trouble of guessing which fish you need to poke with a needle, I've compiled the full list of currently available Biomods. You'll notice that while some are ready to go, others require you to hunt down specific creatures like the Collector Leviathan or the elusive Electric Geordie.
If you haven't managed to track down the silver or lead needed for some of the higher tier crafting, check out my Subnautica 2 silver farming guide.
Still struggling to survive on Proteus? Check out my complete Subnautica 2 Guide Hubfor base building tips, resource maps, and more.
