The Power Cell is the primary battery for the Tadpole submersible — your first vehicle in Subnautica 2. Crafting one requires Strong Acid, a processed material that comes from Necrolei Cysts found in a coral forest northwest of the Lifepod.
This guide walks through the entire chain: finding Necrolei Cysts, converting them into Strong Acid, and assembling the final Power Cell.
Requirements
Before you start, make sure you have these tools ready:
| Tool | Why You Need It | How to Get It |
|---|---|---|
| Survival Multitool | Harvests Necrolei Cysts from Stilt Orb plants | Craft at Fabricator — 3 Titanium |
| Fabricator | Crafts the Basic Battery and Power Cell | Built into the Lifepod |
| Basic Battery | Required ingredient for the Power Cell | 2 Copper + 1 Acidic Raion Pouch at Fabricator |
| Scanner | Scans blueprints (for future upgrades) | 2 Titanium + 2 Quartz + 1 Basic Battery at Fabricator |
| Base with power | Needed to run the Fabricator and charge equipment | See the First Base Guide |
Basic Battery recipe: 2 Copper + 1 Acidic Raion Pouch at the Fabricator. Acidic Raion Pouches are harvested with the Survival Multitool from pink coral growths near the Lifepod. See the Early Game Resources Guide for details.
Step 1: Find Necrolei Cysts
Necrolei Cysts are the raw material for Strong Acid. They grow on Stilt Orb plants.
Location
Swim northwest of your Lifepod to a neon coral forest with giant turquoise and pink anemone-like plants in shallow water.
How to Harvest
- Locate Stilt Orb plants on the seafloor — they look like green onion-shaped bulbs with long pink tendril-like roots and a small pink flower on top.
- Equip your Survival Multitool and use it on the flower at the top of the plant.
- Each Stilt Orb yields 1 Necrolei Cyst.
Collect multiple Cysts per trip — you will need several for Power Cell crafting, and it saves travel time.
Step 2: Process Strong Acid
Strong Acid is not made at the basic Fabricator. It requires a Processor station, which you place in your base.
Build the Processor
| Material | Count |
|---|---|
| Titanium | 2 |
| Mild Acid | 1 |
| Copper Wire | 1 |
The Processor blueprint is unlocked by scanning broken Processor units found in ruined habitats near the Lifepod.
Craft Strong Acid
In the Processor, navigate to the Refinement category and select Strong Acid:
| Input | Output |
|---|---|
| Necrolei Cyst × 2 | Strong Acid × 1 |
Processing takes approximately 30 seconds. The Processor needs power — make sure your base has Solar Panels or another power source connected.
Step 3: Craft the Power Cell
Once you have Strong Acid and a Basic Battery, check the Fabricator for the Power Cell entry. The current Early Access material chain points to:
| Ingredient | Count |
|---|---|
| Basic Battery | 1 |
| Strong Acid | 1 |
| Salt | 1 |
Confirm the recipe in your own Fabricator before farming extras, because Early Access recipes can shift between patches. Salt is found on the seafloor in various biomes — look for white crystalline deposits.
What Power Cells Are Used For
Power Cells are currently used for one critical purpose:
| Item | Requires | Crafted At |
|---|---|---|
| Tadpole submersible | 2 Titanium Ingot + 1 Glass + 1 System Chip + 1 Power Cell | Vehicle Fabricator (Moonpool) |
The Tadpole is your first personal submersible. It lets you explore deeper areas, carry more inventory, and breathe while inside. Without a Power Cell, you cannot complete the Tadpole assembly.
See the Tadpole Unlock Guide for the full material list and fragment locations.
Common Blockers
| Problem | Likely Cause | What to Do |
|---|---|---|
| Cannot find Necrolei Cysts | Wrong direction or depth | Head NW from Lifepod; stay in the shallow coral forest area |
| Can’t harvest Cysts | Missing Survival Multitool | Craft one at the Fabricator — 3 Titanium |
| Strong Acid not appearing | No Processor built | Scan Processor fragments in ruined habitats, then build and power the Processor |
| Power Cell not appearing in Fabricator | Missing ingredient | Check you have all three: Basic Battery, Strong Acid, Salt |
| Stilt Orb plants look different | Wrong plant | Stilt Orbs are green bulbous plants with pink tendrils, not the coral that gives Acidic Raion Pouches |
| Processor not working | No power | Connect your base to Solar Panels or another power source |
Next Steps
With Power Cells ready:
- Build the Tadpole — follow the Tadpole Unlock Guide for fragment locations and Moonpool setup
- Build a Power Cell Charger — recharge used Power Cells at your base instead of crafting new ones
- Explore deeper — the Tadpole opens access to wrecks and biomes that were too far to reach by swimming
Return to the Early Game Resources Guide for other material routes, or check the Vehicle Fabricator and Moonpool Guide for workshop setup.