Stranded Deep: Tips For Beginners

Stranded Deep is an unforgiving survival game that will punish players who don't know what they're doing. Whether it's dying of dehydration, being poisoned by a hidden snake, or failing to find any food, the world of Stranded Deep has plenty of pitfalls for brand-new players.

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Thankfully, the game has been out for a while, and there are plenty of tips and tricks to get a head start in Stranded Deep. There are some key things that a beginner has to be aware of, like where to get certain materials, how to get water, and how to build a campfire.

Updated November 3, 2023, by Sean Murray: Looking for Stranded Deep tips? We got you covered with this refreshed guide, now with updated formatting and more breakout tips to make surviving on a deserted island that much easier. Or at least, more tolerable.

15 Look After Your Paddle

This might seem like a no-brainer, but the paddle you get with your original life raft is extremely important. Whenever you disembark, including the first time you set foot on your island, place the paddle back where it belongs (on the side of the raft).

Without the paddle, you'll just end up floating in circles on an empty sea. Talk about nightmares. Pull your raft to shore once the paddle is attached.

14 Use Water To Cool Down Your SPF Early On

The sun is hot in Stranded Deep, and you'll start to burn up if you're running around in it for too long. Thankfully, it's pretty easy to cool down. Just take a dive in the shallow waters around your island.

Later in the game, you will be able to craft and collect items that protect you against the sun's rays. However, that's a while away yet and not something you can depend on during Stranded Deep's opening hours.

13 Keep Your Vitals High

Though video games have provided a sense of instantaneous healing from any injury, survival games like Stranded Deep aren't so forgiving. When you first start out, you won't have access to many supplies or be able to build any high-quality medical items right off the bat.

Because of this, you'll need to keep your vitals like Hunger and Thirst as high as possible. This is due to the fact that your main form of healing when starting out is natural regeneration which won't kick in if your vitals are low.

12 Save Your Game Often

Stranded Deep does not autosave and does not save when you sleep. There is a separate option to save at a shelter. With the amount of time it takes to collect certain resources and complete tasks in Stranded Deep, it is not only perfectly fine to save your game regularly but also recommended unless you want to lose your progress.

When you return to the game, you will respawn at the shelter you last saved at.

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11 Craft A Weapon As Soon As Possible

Starting out in Stranded Deep will definitely make you feel naked and afraid, but don't lose your cool. Things look dire so you need to be resourceful. You'll be able to easily find a lot of natural materials like Rocks and Wood which you should use to craft a weapon like a Spear.

This is because a primary food source will be nearby sea creatures, and you'll have an effective way to hunt them from the shallows.

10 Use Crabs And Fish To Get Food Early

Finding food in Stranded Deep isn't much of a problem. There are plenty of fish and crabs along the shoreline that you can eat in the early game. You can craft a fishing spear right at the start of the game with a single stick.

Food can then be cooked on a campfire, which is then upgraded to a Smoker if you want your food to last longer. These can be achieved on your first day in Stranded Deep.

9 Get Water As Soon As You Can

If food isn't a problem, water definitely is. Dehydration is a serious problem in Stranded Deep and can lead to early deaths. The most reliable source of water in the game is the Water Still (requires crafting level two), which can be fed with Palm Fronds or Fibrous Leaves to provide water. It will also collect water when it rains.

Right at the start, you can get water from coconuts, although this is a finite resource per island.

8 Stay Out Of Deep Water Until You're Ready

While you'll need to take dips frequently to stay cool, don't push your luck when it comes to swimming. It's true that useful items and materials can be found in deep water but don't let yourself get tempted until you're better prepared or have a raft at the very least.

The reason is that swimming can be exhausting, and you'll also have to contend with dangerous creatures like Sharks that won't think twice about chomping you.

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7 Be Careful With Coconuts

Coconuts might seem like a dream come true since they provide both food and water. While that is true, just don't eat two coconuts in a row. You'll get diarrhea, one of the worst afflictions in Stranded Deep. (And, uh, in general, really.)

This will cause you to get dehydrated extremely quickly. If you don't already have a reliable water source prepared then this will likely mean lights out for you.

6 Don't Waste Coconuts

Aside from providing a quick and early source of hydration, coconuts can be more finite than you realize. Each island only has a certain number of coconut trees and if yours only has a handful, you don't want to let any of the coconuts go to waste.

The materials that coconuts can provide are quite useful and can help you make a Coconut Flask, so you can store water and stay hydrated while out exploring.