Grounded: Complete Survival Guide

A guide to surviving the backyard in Grounded (the original, not the sequel): first-day priorities, resource analysis and tech progression, base building, combat and damage types, dealing with spiders, the story labs, bosses, and endgame systems like Mutations and Milk Molars.

Researched September 2026 — current as of patch 1.4.7 (hotfix 1.4.7.4815, 12 May 2025). Live games change; check the linked sources if something differs.

Where the Game Is Now

• Grounded 1 is feature-complete. The last major patch was 1.4.7 (17 April 2025), with a hotfix on 12 May 2025. It added an AFK state (hunger and thirst drain drops sharply when you're idle), faster ZIP.R ziplines, 150% pet health, stronger Aphid and Weevil pet buffs, and REMIX.D Yard armour upgrades up to level 15.
• Grounded 2 entered Early Access on 29 July 2025 in a new setting, Brookhollow Park, with rideable Buggies. Its first major update, The Toxic Tangle, arrived on 27 January 2026. Grounded 2 is a separate game; this guide covers Grounded 1.
• Playgrounds mode lets you build and share custom maps; the official Steam news regularly features community Playgrounds with download codes.

Quick Start

• Pick Medium difficulty and turn on Arachnophobia Mode if spiders bother you. Difficulties are Mild, Medium, Whoa, and Custom.
• Get the basics first: Plant Fiber, Grass Planks, Sprigs, Pebblets, Sap. Craft a Pebblet Axe, Pebblet Hammer and a spear.
• Build a lean-to and a bed near the Field Station (the oak tree area). The bed sets your respawn.
• Water: Drink dew drops on grass blades at dawn, water droplets, or juice boxes. Don't drink pond water raw.
• Food: Cook meat from aphids and weevils on a campfire. Raw meat is risky.
• Analyse everything. Put resources into the Resource Analyzer at a field station. New recipes unlock from analysing.
• Fight small first. Aphids, weevils and gnats are harmless. Avoid Wolf Spiders at night and the Hedge early on.
• Follow BURG.L's quests for Raw Science and story direction.
• Store loot in chests. When you die, you drop a backpack. Retrieve it or lose your items.

Resources and Analysis

• Resource Analyzer: Every new material you analyse unlocks recipes. This is how progression works in Grounded.
• Raw Science comes from analysing new items at the Resource Analyzer, brainpower milestones, BURG.L quests and Ranger Challenges, MIX.R events, a few bosses, and solid Raw Science hidden in hard-to-reach spots. Spend it on building blueprints and mutations at BURG.L's Science Shop (ASL Terminal) or on duplicating items with the Super Duper.
• Tiers: Tools come in tiers. Higher-tier tools let you harvest harder resources (for example, you need better axes to cut some plants and better hammers to break some rocks).

Early resource | Where | Used for

Plant Fiber | Grass | Rope, basic crafts

Grass Planks | Grass blades | Building, crafts

Sprig | Near grass | Tools, crafts

Pebblet | Ground | Tools

Sap | Weed stems | Tools, cooking

Clay | Dirt patches (shovel) | Building

Acorn Shell | Oak tree area | Armour, crafts

First-Day Priorities

• Gather basics and craft Pebblet tools and a spear.
• Build a small base near the Field Station: lean-to, bed, campfire, storage chest.
• Collect Dew and Water droplets for thirst; cook weevil or aphid meat.
• Analyse every new material.
• Make Clover Armour (easy early set) and a Workbench.
• Head to BURG.L for the first quests and chip hunts.

Progression Route (Rough Order)

Stage | Goals | Unlocks you're after

Early | Starting area, Field Station, Oak Lab | Tier 1 tools, Clover and Acorn armour, basic base

Early-mid | Pond edge, ant hills, Hedge outskirts | Tier 2 tools, Ladybug armour, bows

Mid | Hedge Lab, the Pond Lab (bring a diving mask/breathing gear), Haze | Spider-tier gear, better weapons, Mega Milk Molars

Late | Upper Yard, Undershed, Black Anthill | Tier 3 tools, top armour sets, late bosses

Endgame | Mysterious Lab, NG+, REMIX.D | Director Schmector, armour upgrades to level 15

• Gear check before each new area: a weapon upgraded at the workbench, a full armour set, healing items (Bandages) plus cooked food, a canteen, and a way to light the dark (a torch or light).
• Night is dangerous. Wolf Spiders roam the grass at night. Stay home early on, or sleep through it.
• Use the "trinkets" slot: Trinkets give extra perks; swap them to match what you're fighting.

Base Building

• Location: Build in a flat spot near water and resources, away from spider paths.
• Walls and gates: Grass walls early, then sturdier materials. Creatures attack bases, especially if you trigger events.
• Defensive structures: Spikes, turrets and traps help later.
• Bed: Always keep a bed in your base for respawning.
• Storage: Chests and the ZIP.R zipline network for moving around the yard fast.

Combat

• Damage types: Slashing, Chopping, Stabbing and Busting, plus elemental types (Fresh, Salty, Sour, Spicy). Creatures have different weaknesses; check the creature card after analysing its parts.
• Block and perfect block: Blocking at the right moment (a perfect block) reduces damage and staggers enemies.
• Stamina: Attacks, sprinting and blocking use stamina.
• Ranged: Bows and crossbows are great for flying creatures like gnats and mosquitoes.
• Armour sets: Each set gives bonuses. Mix and match for your playstyle.

Creature Threat Levels

Tier | Creatures | Notes

Harmless | Aphids, Weevils, Grubs, Gnats, Tadpoles | Safe food and crafting materials

Neutral | Worker Ants, Ladybugs, Bees, Fireflies, Roly Polies | Attack only if provoked

Aggressive | Soldier Ants, Lawn Mites, Larvae, Mosquitoes, Wasps | Attack on sight

Spiders | Wolf Spiders, Orb Weavers, Black Widows and others | Treat them as deadly; most hunt you once they notice you

Bosses

Boss | Location

Hedge Broodmother | Hedge

Infected Broodmother | Haze

Mant | Undershed Lab

Orchid Mantis | Shed surroundings

Wasp Queen | Brawny Boy Bin

Assistant Manager | Black Anthill Lab

Director Schmector | Mysterious Lab

Boss tips:

• Bring healing items, food and water, and a weapon that matches the boss's weakness.
• Perfect blocks make most boss fights far easier.
• Scout the arena before committing; learn attack patterns.

Story and Labs

• The story follows four teens shrunk by Ominent and the mystery of Dr. Wendell Tully. BURG.L, a lab robot, guides you with quests.
• Labs (Oak, Hedge, Haze, Pond, Undershed, Black Anthill, Mysterious Lab) hold story progress, chips and important upgrades.
• Explore labs with good gear; many have hazards and tough enemies.

Mutations and Milk Molars

• Mutations are perks earned by completing in-world challenges (killing creatures, using a weapon type, perfect blocking) or bought from BURG.L with Raw Science; many upgrade through several phases. You start with 2 mutation slots and can raise that to 5 with Milk Molar upgrades. Examples: Natural Explorer (movement speed boost that grows as you discover landmarks, off while in combat), Parry Master (perfect blocks refund stamina; unlocked by landing perfect blocks).
• Milk Molars and Mega Milk Molars are collectibles that give permanent upgrades (health, stamina, more mutation slots).
• Pets (added in later updates) include aphids and weevils; patch 1.4.7 made Aphid pets reduce sprint stamina drain by 30% and boost movement 15%, and Weevil pets reduce hunger and thirst drain by 50%.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Going into the Hedge early. It's full of spiders.
• Drinking dirty water. Use a canteen with purified water or dew.
• Not analysing resources. It's the progression system.
• Leaving your backpack after dying. Go back for it fast.
• Building far from resources. Long trips waste time and are dangerous.
• Ignoring armour upgrades. Upgrading armour at the workbench boosts defence and durability.

Advanced Tips

• ZIP.R network: Link bases with ziplines for fast travel. Since 1.4.7, ziplines are 50% faster.
• Perfect block training: Practise on ants; it's the most useful skill in the game.
• Mutation sets: Pair a damage mutation with a survival one.
• Farm Raw Science from BURG.L quests, MIX.R events and analysing everything new; spend it on key base blueprints and mutations, or use the Super Duper to copy rare items.
• REMIX.D Yard: An endgame mode with remixed content; armour can be upgraded to level 15 there.
• Custom mode: Adjust creature damage, hunger rate and base attacks for a challenge or chill run.

FAQ

What difficulty should I pick? Medium for most players. Mild is great for relaxed building; Whoa is hard.

Is there an arachnophobia mode? Yes. It lets you make spiders less spider-like.

What's the difference between Grounded and Grounded 2? Grounded 2 is a separate game (Early Access since 29 July 2025) set in Brookhollow Park with Buggies. Grounded 1 is complete.

How do I get Raw Science? Analyse new items at a Resource Analyzer, complete BURG.L's quests and Ranger Challenges, clear MIX.R events, and grab solid Raw Science found in hidden spots around the yard.

Where are the bosses? Hedge Broodmother (Hedge), Infected Broodmother (Haze), Mant (Undershed Lab), Orchid Mantis (Shed surroundings), Wasp Queen (Brawny Boy Bin), Assistant Manager (Black Anthill Lab) and Director Schmector (Mysterious Lab).

Can I play co-op? Yes, with up to three friends. Shared Worlds lets others keep playing when the host is offline.

Is Grounded still getting updates? The last patch was 1.4.7 (April 2025) with a hotfix in May 2025. Obsidian's new work is on Grounded 2.

Sources

• Grounded on Steam
• Steam News: Grounded
• Grounded Wiki (wiki.gg)
• Grounded Wiki: Creatures (Grounded)
• Grounded Wiki: Raw Science
• Grounded Wiki: Mutations (Grounded)
• Patch 1.4.7 notes (Steam)