Starting your adventure in Grounded 2 can be overwhelming. You’re ant-sized, surrounded by hostile insects, and every step in Brookhollow Park feels like a battle for survival. Whether you’re completely new or returning from the first game, learning how to survive, explore, and progress efficiently is key.
These 24 beginner tips will help you avoid common mistakes, gather resources smartly, and enjoy your journey through this massive backyard world.
1. Collect Everything You See Early
Pick up pebbles, plant fibers, sap, and twigs as you explore. These early materials are essential for crafting tools, weapons, and building your first structures. A habit of grabbing everything will pay off quickly.
2. Analyze New Resources for Recipes
Each new resource should be scanned using a Resource Analyzer to unlock crafting recipes and earn Raw Science. This not only fuels your Brainpower but also opens up upgrades and better gear as you progress.
See also: Grounded 2 Best Shields Guide: Crafting, Stats, and Combat Tips
3. Prioritize Crafting Basic Tools
Before venturing far, craft a Pebblet Axe, Spear, and Hammer. These tools let you gather materials efficiently and defend yourself from early threats like mites and ants.
4. Build a Lean-To for Safety
Your first structure should be a Lean-To. It serves as a respawn point and lets you sleep through dangerous nights. Always update your respawn point when exploring new areas. Consider building multiple Lean-Tos along your exploration routes to minimize the risk of losing items after death.
5. Secure Clean Water and Basic Food
Thirst and hunger can end your run faster than any spider. Knock dew drops from grass for clean water and snack on mushrooms or cook weevil roasts to stay alive. Avoid dirty puddles unless you’re ready for the negative effects.
6. Avoid Large Bugs Until Ready
Spiders and ladybugs are tempting but lethal in the early game. Stick to fighting ants, gnats, and mites until you craft better armor and weapons. Not every insect is hostile—observe which creatures are peaceful and avoid unnecessary fights to save resources.
See also: Grounded 2 Brittle Whetstone Guide: How to Farm and Upgrade Weapons
7. Mount a Buggy for Speed and Storage
Unlocking a Red Soldier Ant Buggy early can change your game. It speeds up exploration, provides on-the-go storage, and even assists in combat. Follow the story to get your first Red Ant Egg and Hatchery.
Later in the game, you can also unlock the Orb Weaver Buggy, offering another mount option with combat and mobility benefits.
8. Keep an Eye on Your Survival Meters
Always monitor health, hunger, and thirst. On higher difficulties, these meters drain faster. Plan short trips until you have a steady food and water supply.
9. Peep Creatures for Critical Info
Use PEEP.R Goggles to scan insects and unlock Creature Cards. These reveal weaknesses, resistances, and loot drops, making combat and resource farming much easier.
10. Craft Torches and Glowsticks for Night Exploration
Exploring at night or venturing into anthills requires light. Torches and Slime Glowsticks make dark areas safer and help you spot threats before they spot you.
11. Build Your First Base in a Safe Location
Choose a flat, landmarked area near clean water or resources but far from spider patrols. Good early spots include areas near juice boxes or open grass clearings.
See also: Grounded 2 Red Soldier Ant Eggs: Locations, Retrieval & Buggy Guide
12. Use Heights to Your Advantage in Combat
Most ground bugs can’t climb vertical surfaces. Use rocks, branches, and ledges to attack from above with bows or spears for safer encounters against tough enemies.
13. Master Blocking and Parrying
Combat isn’t just about hitting first. Learning to block and parry reduces damage and opens opportunities for counterattacks. Practice on weaker enemies like lawn mites before facing bigger threats.
14. Upgrade the Omni-Tool for Better Harvesting
The Omni-Tool gives access to the Omni-Axe, Shovel, Hammer, and Wrench. Upgrading it lets you harvest higher-tier resources like Chewed Gum and Pop Caps, unlocking better gear and structures.
15. Build Storage and Use Blueprints to Free Inventory
Resources pile up fast. Storage chests and blueprint placeholders help you manage inventory. Placing partial blueprints removes materials from your backpack while saving them for future construction.
16. Complete Ranger Challenges for Extra Raw Science
Optional Ranger Challenges reward Raw Science, which fuels upgrades and recipe purchases. Keep an eye out for pink Raw Science orbs hidden around the map.
17. Play with Sound On
Audio cues can save your life. Music intensifies when enemies approach, giving you a chance to react before an ambush. The music’s intensity also hints at how dangerous the approaching threat is—low intensity for ants, high intensity for spiders.
18. Retrieve Your Backpack After Death
If you fall in battle, your items drop in a backpack. Retrieving it restores all materials, so always plan a safe route back to your last location.
19. Use Trail Markers to Avoid Getting Lost
The backyard is massive and easy to navigate incorrectly. Trail markers and lighting near your base help you track key locations like labs, juice boxes, and safe shelters. Also watch for environmental cues like tubes, wires, and spider webs—they often lead to points of interest or signal danger zones.
20. Follow Early Story Quests
Advancing the main story early unlocks critical tools like the Omni-Shovel, Resource Scanner, and your first Red Ant Egg for Buggy crafting. Story progression also naturally guides beginners to important areas without aimless wandering.
See also: Grounded 2 Cold Resistance Guide: How to Resist the Chill and Survive
21. Learn to Manage Peaceful Exploration and Combat
Some creatures, like ladybugs and aphids, are mostly harmless unless provoked. Avoid attacking them early to prevent unnecessary fights and resource waste.
22. Unlock Mutations and Hunt for Milk Molars
Mutations provide passive bonuses like stamina boosts or combat perks and unlock as you perform actions repeatedly. Collect Milk Molars to increase mutation slots and improve survivability in the long run.
23. Use Environmental Awareness to Stay Alive
The park is full of clues. Spider webs mean danger, red ceiling wires guide you in tunnels, and landmarks like oak trees or juice boxes make excellent reference points for navigation.
24. Play at Your Own Pace
Grounded 2 has no strict time limit. Whether you’re rushing through quests or slowly exploring every corner, the game rewards curiosity and preparation.
See also: Grounded 2 Early Access Roadmap: New Bosses, Aquatic Bases, and More Coming
Starting small in Grounded 2 means mastering the basics—resource gathering, smart building, and careful exploration. By following these 24 beginner tips, you’ll survive longer, progress faster, and enjoy everything this ant-sized adventure has to offer. Play Now!
