Base-Sharing Patterns in Subnautica 2 Co-op
Short answer
Anything anyone builds is editable by anyone. Coordinate with three rules: assign locker zones (resources / personal / overflow), agree one player owns the power grid, and color-code beacons by purpose. Without these, a 4-person base becomes unusable inside one play session.
Build ownership model
There is no per-player ownership flag. Any party member can deconstruct any base piece any other member built. This is intentional (collaborative building) but causes friction when a guest 'cleans up' a room the builder is mid-iterating on. The fix is social, not mechanical: agree the room a person is actively in is theirs to modify.
Locker etiquette — the three-zone rule
- 1
Zone 1 — shared resources
Single wall of lockers near the fabricator. One locker per resource family (metals, organics, glass/silicon, rare). Anyone can deposit or withdraw without asking.
- 2
Zone 2 — personal lockers
One labeled locker per player in a separate room. House rule: don't take from someone else's personal locker without asking, even though the game lets you.
- 3
Zone 3 — project overflow
Temporary lockers next to the project (e.g. 'Base 2 build mats' next to the construction site). Cleared and removed when project ships.
Power grid ownership
Assign one player to own the power grid for each base. They place solar panels / thermal plants / power transmitters / storage. Other players don't add or remove power components without asking. Solves the 'I added a bioreactor, why is my room dark' confusion.
Beacon discipline
Beacons are shared. With 4 players dropping markers, the map turns into noise within an hour. Two house rules that work: (1) each player picks a beacon color and uses only theirs for personal navigation; (2) shared beacons (gather sites, danger zones, NoA waypoints) are named with a * prefix so they sort first in the list.
FAQ
Can other players deconstruct my base in co-op?
Yes. There is no per-player build ownership. Coordinate with house rules.
Is there a shared inventory or stash?
Not by default. Build a wall of shared lockers next to the fabricator.