The Vacpack is Beatrix LeBeau’s lifeline on Rainbow Island. It’s more than a backpack—it’s your tool for collecting slimes, resources, and plorts while keeping you alive through the game’s most dangerous zones. As you progress in Slime Rancher 2, upgrading your Vacpack is essential for exploration, survival, and efficiency. This guide covers every Vacpack upgrade, how to unlock them, and why they matter.
At the start of Slime Rancher 2, your Vacpack can:
- Hold 4 inventory slots (20 units each).
- Provide 100 Health and 100 Energy.
- Suck in and shoot out slimes, plorts, food, and resources.
You can craft upgrades at the Fabricator, located beneath the Conservatory. To unlock advanced blueprints, explore and find Treasure Pods hidden across Rainbow Fields, Ember Valley, and Starlight Strand.
1. Resource Harvester
Purpose: Enables extraction of crafting materials (like Jellystone, Deep Brine, and Radiant Ore).
- Materials: 10 Cotton Plorts
- Cost: 450 Newbucks
- Unlocked: Available from the start
The Resource Harvester is your first must-have upgrade—it’s the only way to gather materials needed for every other Vacpack enhancement. Without it, you’ll be stuck with basic gameplay.
2. Heart Module (Health Upgrades)
These upgrades increase Beatrix’s maximum health, crucial when facing feral slimes and exploring lava-filled regions.
| Upgrade | Effect | Key Materials | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heart Module 1 | 150 Health | 10 Pink Plorts | 450 Newbucks |
| Heart Module 2 | 200 Health | 20 Pink Plorts, 10 Honey Plorts, 10 Deep Brine, 10 Jellystone | 900 Newbucks |
| Heart Module 3 | 250 Health | Adds Silky Sand & Heart Cell | 3,000 Newbucks |
| Heart Module 4 | 300 Health | Adds Magma Combs & Royal Jelly | 10,000 Newbucks |
Tip: Heart Cells are found inside Treasure Pods. Prioritize exploring caves and cliffs to find them early.
3. Power Core (Energy Upgrades)
Energy determines how long you can sprint, use the Jetpack, or perform vacuum actions.
| Upgrade | Effect | Key Materials | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Power Core 1 | +50 Energy (Total 150) | 10 Cotton Plorts | 450 Newbucks |
| Power Core 2 | +50 Energy | 20 Cotton Plorts, Batty Plorts, Primordy Oil | 900 Newbucks |
| Power Core 3 | +50 Energy | Adds Wild Honey | 3,000 Newbucks |
| Power Core 4 | +25 Energy | Adds Saber Plorts & Slime Fossils | 10,000 Newbucks |
| Power Core 5 | +25 Energy | Adds Prisma Plorts, Twin Plorts, Royal Jelly | 15,000 Newbucks |
Energy is vital for traveling and evading Tarr attacks—upgrade it as soon as possible once you unlock Ember Valley.
4. Dash Boots
Dash Boots reduce energy consumption while sprinting, letting you traverse the island faster.
| Upgrade | Effect | Key Materials | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dash Boots 1 | Reduces sprint drain | 10 Boom Plorts | 450 Newbucks |
| Dash Boots 2 | Further reduction | Flutter Plorts, Wild Honey, Lava Dust, Dash Boot Module | 1,500 Newbucks |
The second-tier Dash Boots are unlocked by finding the Dash Boot Module in a Starlight Strand Treasure Pod.
5. Jetpack
The Jetpack fundamentally changes exploration—granting vertical mobility and access to hidden regions.
| Upgrade | Effect | Key Materials | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jetpack 1 | Short lift | 10 Phosphor Plorts, 10 Radiant Ore | 450 Newbucks |
| Jetpack 2 | Longer lift, less energy use | 20 Phosphor Plorts, 10 Batty Plorts, 20 Radiant Ore, 10 Wild Honey, 1 Jetpack Drive | 1,500 Newbucks |
Tip: Radiant Ore spawns on glowing cliffs in Ember Valley. Always carry your Resource Harvester to collect it.
6. Tank Booster (Storage Capacity)
Tank Boosters expand the amount of each resource you can carry—saving countless trips back to the ranch.
| Upgrade | Capacity | Key Materials | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tank Booster 1 | 30 units | 10 Tabby Plorts | 450 Newbucks |
| Tank Booster 2 | 40 units | Adds Angler Plorts & Radiant Ore | 900 Newbucks |
| Tank Booster 3 | 50 units | Adds Lava Dust | 3,000 Newbucks |
| Tank Booster 4 | 60 units | Adds Saber Plorts & Sun Sap | 10,000 Newbucks |
| Tank Booster 5–8 | Up to 100 units | Rare resources like Royal Jelly, Prisma Plorts, Aqua Glass | Up to 50,000 Newbucks |
Best Early Investment: Tank Booster 2 is the best early-game QoL upgrade. It saves tons of time when farming plorts.
7. Extra Tank
Adds additional storage slots for even more inventory flexibility.
| Upgrade | Effect | Key Materials | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extra Tank 1 | Adds 5th slot | Rock Plorts, Silky Sand | 1,500 Newbucks |
| Extra Tank 2 | Adds 6th slot | Rock & Ringtail Plorts, Strange Diamonds | 3,000 Newbucks |
This upgrade is especially helpful for late-game slime wranglers managing multiple plort types.
8. Water Tank
Allows you to carry water for fighting Tarr or calming agitated slimes.
- Materials: 10 Deep Brine
- Cost: 450 Newbucks
- Unlocked: Default
Essential for Tarr defense. Always keep one tank filled before exploring.
9. Pulse Wave
Pushes nearby slimes away to create space—great for emergency escapes.
- Materials: Flutter Plorts, Jellystone, Wild Honey
- Cost: 450 Newbucks
- Unlocked: Default
The Pulse Wave doesn’t damage slimes but can save you from being swarmed.
10. Tank Guard
Prevents total inventory loss when you faint, saving a percentage of your carried items.
| Upgrade | Saves | Key Materials | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tank Guard 1 | 20% | Crystal & Hunter Plorts, Buzz Wax | 3,000 Newbucks |
| Tank Guard 2 | 40% | Adds Strange Diamond | 6,000 Newbucks |
| Tank Guard 3 | 60% | Adds multiple Strange Diamonds | 12,000 Newbucks |
A lifesaver for deep expeditions into risky zones like the Grey Labyrinth.
11. Advanced Modules & Late-Game Upgrades
Drone Archive Key
Unlocks hidden research logs from drones around the island.
- Requires Fire and Hunter Plorts, Jellystone, Lava Dust.
- Obtained from Mochi Miles late in the game.
Golden Sureshot
Targets Gold Slimes automatically and boosts Plort yield.
- Comes in 3 tiers, increasing plort drops from 2x to 4x.
- Requires Gold Plorts, Perfect Snowflakes, and Sun Sap.
Shadow Sureshot
A rare counterpart targeting Shadow Slimes—exclusive to late-game progression.
Regenerator & Power Injector
Fine-tune your Vacpack’s energy recovery.
- Regenerator: Boosts energy regeneration speed.
- Power Injector: Reduces the delay before regeneration starts.
Both are obtained from Shadow Plort Doors or Night Market vendors.
See also: How to Get Primordy Oil in Slime Rancher 2: Farming, Uses, and Locations
Best Upgrade Order for Beginners
- Resource Harvester – unlocks crafting progression.
- Jetpack – essential for exploring Ember Valley and Starlight Strand.
- Power Core 2 & Heart Module 2 – boosts stamina and survivability.
- Tank Booster 2 – improves carrying efficiency.
- Dash Boots & Water Tank – mobility and safety.
- Extra Tank – late-game resource management.
Quick Tips for Slime Rancher 2 Vacpack Upgrades
- Collect Treasure Pods: Many blueprints, like Jetpack Drives or Power Chips, come exclusively from pods hidden in caves or cliffs.
- Balance Upgrades and Exploration: You don’t need every upgrade early. Focus on movement and storage first.
- Save Newbucks: Some upgrades scale dramatically in cost—plan ahead before spending.
With the right Vacpack setup, Rainbow Island opens up entirely new layers of exploration. Whether you’re chasing Gold Slimes, farming perfect plorts, or uncovering Mochi’s drone secrets, these upgrades turn Beatrix from a humble rancher into a true slime scientist. Play Now!
