Grounded: 5 Best Tips for Beginners

Grounded isn’t just your run-of-the-mill survival-crafting game, as it essentially takes all the core components of most generic hits of its kind, and squelches them down into a bite-sized world in which harmless critters boast the power to belittle your every move. Then again, like all games that fall under the sandbox category, one or two solid tips can definitely put you on the right track and have you following up with some genuinely fantastic adventures.

So, how exactly are you supposed to put your best foot forward when everything in the yard is trying to kill you? Well, here’s what we’d suggest doing just as soon as you find your spot out in the world.

5. Feed Your Needs ASAP

Once you begin your ever-fruitful journey as Grounded’s latest bite-sized explorer, you’ll want to get on top of your needs as early on as possible, mainly to prevent your hunger and thirst from plummeting. To maintain these levels, you’ll need to craft a Canteen, which can be used to collect droplets of water from the overhanging leaves, and forage for  various types of fungi, which can be found scattered around most biomes on the map. If you can prevent your thirst and hunger from depleting, then you’ll be able to maintain a substantial amount of health, which will of course keep you fit and able.

Of course, in an ideal world you’ll have your primary needs balanced out around the clock, and so really, you shouldn’t need to stoop to desperate measures to quench your thirst. If, however, you’ve neglected your needs, and have started to feel the weight of the burden on your shoulders, then settle for dirty water. Note that onboarding any dirty water won’t do you any favors in the long run, as it’ll gradually degrade your health. So, aim to keep a fresh supply of water in your Canteen at all times, as well as enough mushrooms to bat away your hunger.

4. Be Weary of the Night

Grounded can be quite the unwelcoming place at times — especially at night, when the creepy crawlies tend to roam around your camp and nibble at your assets. Ants, for example, have a habit of storming your base and wreaking havoc, doubly so if you’ve successfully managed to get on their last nerve during the daylight hours. And that brings us to our next point: ants, as harmless as they make strike you as, are prone to remembering everything — right down to the brethren you mindlessly slaughter on your quest to forage for food and tools.

As you’ll be doing most of your exploring during the daytime, it’s always best to save the base-building and devising of fortifications for the twilight hours. In other words, don’t stray too far from the main path when there are dangers that loom in the shadows. If you can help it, aim to stock up on supplies during the day, as well as broaden your search zone along the way, and keep to your guns during the night. And remember, Grounded isn’t made out to be a sprint, but more a casual stroll through the park. So, don’t fret if you’re unable to explore the whole map in a single day; there’ll be numerous opportunities to unearth more of the map and its features as time tiptoes forward.

3. Build Above Ground Level

As with any survival game that employs a city-building feature, Grounded comes with its fair share of locations in which you can build on. Unfortunately for those trapped in the ever-changing garden, most of said locations tend to house one of many creatures, and can therefore make finding a quiet spot to set up camp incredibly difficult. For example, if you lay the foundations for a new base on the ground level, then you’re only setting yourself up to be buried by spiders and other unwanted insects. In ways, the same goes for tunnels; ants inhabit these, and can therefore trample over any progress you make when you’re out searching for new supplies.

If you’re wanting to put your best foot forward, then set your sights on higher ground, as hills and trees are less likely to attract unwanted visitors during the night. If possible, look for a location somewhere within close proximity of the Resource Analyzer, as this will help minimize trips during the day and reduce other risks altogether. Bottom line is, if it’s within close range of an ant hill or spider nest, then seek comfort elsewhere.

2. Make the Resource Analyzer Your Second Home

One of the only ways to progress in Grounded is through the use of researching things. In other words, unlocking new recipes at the Resource Analyzer, which is where you’ll be spending a great deal of time between each outing. It is here, within the research center, that you’ll have the opportunity to develop new tools, strategies, and other useful items needed to explore different sections on the map.

Rounding back to what we said earlier, about building your camp as close to the Resource Analyzer as possible — it’s definitely worth doing, as you’ll find that the further out you go, the less likely you are to progress further into the outer layers of the world. So, treat the Resource Analyzer like your home away from home.

1. Suit Up!

It goes without saying that trouble, as little of it as you probably want, is unavoidable in a world like Grounded. Therefore, to boost your chances of surviving the overgrown yard, you’re going to need to get your hands on some armor — and fast. This is where things like bows come in, as well as chest pieces and accessories. Before you take on any major threats out in the open world, be sure to craft yourself a quality set; the Acorn Armor, for example, boasts some of the highest defensive stats in all of Grounded.

To find the recipes needed to build new tools and armor, you need only bring key ingredients back to the Resource Analyzer. If you can aim to explore a new portion of the map that’s relatively close to home each day, then you should, theoretically speaking, come across the components for a reliable starter set. A word of advice: aim to crack some acorns at the south of the Oak Tree for the best materials.

So, what’s your take? Do you have any tips for new Grounded players? Let us know your thoughts over on our socials here.