We all know how challenging it can be to find diamonds in games, especially one like Subnautica Below Zero, where resources are so scarce and valuables, you can’t afford to use up too much of one to find another. Without any guidance, most of us can only hope to stumble upon these gemstones accidentally.
This can be a daunting task, but don’t give up yet! We have searched high and low to uncover the most reliable diamond hotspots in this frigid, underwater world. With some luck and determination, you’ll be swimming in diamonds in no time!
The Basics
Diamonds in Subnautica Below Zero are a rare and valuable resource essential to survival. They are used to craft some of the vital equipment and tools for upgrades and to progress in the story, such as Laser Cutters, necessary to open particular doors and crates, and the Reinforced Dive Suit, which is a big help if you’re exploring and not trying to die at the same time.
What You’ll Need
Before we can dive into where you can find diamonds, let’s go over what you’ll need. You will need an ample supply of oxygen. Diamonds are found very deep, and going to the surface to refill oxygen, again and again, is not convenient and especially not safe with the increased chance of encountering the dangerous creatures that lurk in these depts. A Rebreather or High capacity O2 tank is preferred, but a bladder fish will also do.
A Seatruck with depth modifiers, then you can park it nearby, or as close as possible, and go back to it whenever you run out of oxygen. A Seaglide can also help cover greater lengths on limited oxygen.
A Prawnsuit, which requires a diamond to be crafted, can be used to mine large deposits of diamonds in the Koppa Mining Site instead of picking up the relatively low number of diamonds just lying around.
Also, be sure to travel as light as possible; only keep the essentials so you can carry as many diamonds as possible!
Diamond Deposit Locations
Diamonds can be found in many biomes in Subnautica Below Zero, but they are extremely rare and found at depths of about 300-500 meters. So rather than making you dive deep again and again, here are a few sure-fire locations to find diamond deposits.
Location 1: Koppa Mining Site
The Kopppa Mining Site is located under the Delta Island, south of the Twisty Bridges. The half-open doors of the site can be accessed from the Thermal Spires situated to the west of the island.
The Site contains multiple resources, like diamond, ruby, copper ore, and titanium. It is advised to take your Seatruck as you’ll be spending a good amount of time here. The Koppa Minning Site has nodes that can drop up to 9-18 diamonds each; however, they cannot be mined without the Drill Arm upgraded Prawnsuit.
But if you do not have a Prawnsuit at this point in the game, plenty of diamonds are just lying around the entrance and all over the mine that you can grab.
One thing to keep in mind is that you may likely encounter a Cryptosuchus on your way to the Site, in which case, once again, take your Seatruck!
Location 2: The Deep Twisty Bridges
The twisty bridges in Subnautica Below Zero are a series of interconnected pathways built from twisting, vine-like structures that span across deep underwater canyons. These bridges are a visually stunning addition to the game’s environment but also serve as a challenging navigational obstacle and offer a shiny reward for the brave willing to wander deep enough.
You can easily spot them if you go south from your spawn and follow the deep, dark caves. You’ll fare well if you opt for the Seatruck, but a Seaglide and High Capacity O2 tank should also do the job. If you survive the Squidsharks and steer clear of the traps on the seabed, you can find a ton of diamonds(figure of speech, it’s not a ton) in rock formations and pits near the seabed.
Mining diamonds in the Deep Twisty Bridges is risky, so you should be fully prepared before you go below the surface.
The Lesser-Known Sources
If you are not that big of a risk taker, then maybe you’re better off searching for ore veins in almost every biome. If you want some diamonds early on, then you should head to the lava geysers inside the smaller Thermal Spires. These contain diamond ore veins that can be used to mine diamonds.
The Arctic Spires are home to a greater number of diamond ore veins than the thermal spires, but they, too, are located pretty deep, so it is advised you take your oxygen supply and any vehicle.
You can also get diamonds from Sea monkeys if they’re carrying one. Don’t go pokey-pokey at every Sea monkey you spot! Check their hands. If they’re holding one, you can just look at it and press the “use” button once prompted to take it from them. Alternatively, you can stab them with a knife, and they will drop it as they swim away.
Managing Your Diamonds
Once you acquire diamonds, using them smartly and conserving them is important. Here are a few tips:
- Use alternative resources: Some items that require diamonds can also be crafted using alternative resources. For example, the Thermoblade can be crafted using a Titanium Ingot, a Wiring Kit, and a Battery instead of a Diamond.
- Upgrade your tools: Upgraded tools such as the Laser Cutter and the Prawn Suit Drill Arm can extract more resources per hit, so you’ll need to spend less time mining for diamonds.
- Store diamonds in a secure location: Once you have acquired diamonds, store them in a secure place such as a locker or a safe. Sea Monkeys can steal resources from your person if you have them in your inventory, so store your diamonds away as soon as possible.
Conclusion
Finding diamonds is hard, no doubt, but with this foolproof guide, finding these gemstones should be a piece of cake. Make sure you’ve read it carefully and are fully prepared to encounter anything that comes swimming your way. Good luck!