Updated at: 28-03-2023 - By: Leo Hall
A good starting point for new players of Grounded is a comprehensive guide. This is the definitive guide for those just starting out in Grounded.

As is the case with many survival games, Grounded has a wealth of secret features, mechanics, and systems for the player to uncover.

You may feel overwhelmed at first as the game presents you with a plethora of resources, enemies, and landmarks all at once.

But there is a logic behind Grounded’s craziness, and discovering its microcosm is a satisfying experience.

Learn the basics of Grounded’s combat system, as well as some crafting and survival tricks to help you out in your first few hours. We’ll also give you a couple of broad hints for advancing the main plot.

It won’t take long before you’re the boss of your own backyard after practicing a bit.

Back to basics

Analyze, analyze, analyze

As you explore, you’ll notice that the first structure you come across is a Field Station. In order to learn how to craft something, you can use it to examine items in your inventory. However, keep in mind that you can only analyze three items at once, and the costs will accumulate as you continue to analyze more and more.

Grounded Beginner's Guide - Game Tips To Get You Started - Green Man Gaming Blog

Examine a Pebblet, some plant fiber, and some sap to get started. That will grant access to the Woven Fibre, which is required to craft the Pebblet Axe, the Workbench, which allows you to craft more complex items, and the Pebblet Axe themselves. After that, you should look into the Sprig. From there, it’s up to you to discover what else lies beyond the garden’s grassy borders. Be sure not to wait too long in between excursions. To have an inventory to analyze and only three charges available is a terrible situation.

Start with the axe (and a hammer)

In Grounded, you won’t be able to accomplish much until you learn to craft an axe and a hammer. It’s best to start with the axe to cut down on analysis costs, but both are required to gather the materials needed to make anything of value.

You’ll need to scavenge for materials if you want to make either of these. It’s a sprig because that’s what it is. They have stems and can be picked with your bare hands; they’re about half your size. Sprigs are typically defined as any newly-emerging plant that is not a clover.

Recipes:

  • Three sprigs, two pebbles, and one woven fiber make up a Pebblet Axe.
  • Three sprigs, four pebbles, one woven fiber (2 x 3 plant fiber) make up a pebblet hammer.

Pebblets are the ubiquitous little rocks. After making your first hammer, you’ll know where to find them in large quantities, but you shouldn’t have any trouble gathering the pebblets you need for making other, smaller tools and items.

The only skill listed as mandatory is Woven Fiber. You can get this by performing the above-described analysis on Plant Fiber at the Field Station. Plant fibers, on the other hand, are the tiny shoots, leaves, or roots that plants use to support themselves. Even though they seem to be in every direction, they can be easily missed while on the go.

Stock up on the good stuff

Sap, plant fiber, sprig, dry grass chunk, and pebblets are all essential materials. You’ll need them to make the Roasting Spit, which is essential for cooking the meat of animals you come across on your travels, as well as a variety of other simple but essential tools and bandages.

Whenever possible, you should stock up on a few of these. You should get into the habit of keeping some in a Basket near your home base, but if you frequently venture out into the wilderness, you should always have a supply on hand in case you need to quickly find food or a place to sleep.

Build a base by a landmark straight away

Settling in for your first night in the wild can be daunting, but simple utilities like the Lean-To, Workbench, and Roasting Spit can alleviate some of the pressure. They won’t keep the garden spiders at bay, but at least you can get some shut-eye before getting up to make breakfast.

Setting up camp by the Mysterious Machine is a good option for evading the need for actual shelter. You won’t be able to construct anything inside it, but by setting up your workbench and Lean-To outside the two small entrance holes, you’ll have a roomy shack to run into when something too big to handle comes crawling over. The top entrance and exit are both usable. You could pick any familiar object (such as a can or box) as your first “home,” but the Mysterious Machine would make a particularly good choice.

Take time to talk to your Lean-To after you’ve set it up. There’s a chance you won’t be able to sleep, but you can use the Lean-To to determine where you’ll respawn. This way, when you finally do pass on, you’ll always end up right back where you started.

Cook only what you need

To put it simply, perishables lose their quality rapidly. And I mean lightning-fast. Also, hunger sets in, but considering how much energy a single serving of barbecue provides, it’s unlikely you’ll eat all of it before it goes bad.

Even raw meat spoils, so cooking a large quantity of food at once is usually not worth the effort unless you plan on sharing it with friends in the area as rations for your next hunt.

Survival Tips

To make it through Grounded is no easy feat. Your adolescent is always thirsty, hungry, and in danger. The first few hours will be the hardest, but with these survival tips you should be up and running in no time.

How To Find Food and Water

Your teen has lower chances of survival without food and water. Once their reserves are depleted, they will begin to weaken and ultimately perish. Make sure there is always food and drink available to satisfy their hunger and thirst.

Mushrooms are the only available food source early on, and they can be found almost anywhere on the map. To gain access to the Roasting Spit recipe, you must first acquire a Sprig. You’ll need a Pebblet Axe to harvest the necessary materials: 4 Pebblets, 3 Sprigs, and 3 Dry Grass Chunks.

You can use a Roasting Spit to prepare bug meat, such as gnats, weevils, and aphids, once you have one set up. While mushrooms are a good hunger-reliever, cooked meat is much more effective but goes bad after a day. Even if your meat has gone bad, you can still use it to make Mushroom Growing Pits, which you can get by studying acorn caps.

However, water is abundant and convenient to find. Unclean water may temporarily quench your teen’s thirst but ultimately lead to increased hunger. Even so, there are far superior alternatives.

Dew, juice, and honeydew, all secreted by aphids, are all safe to drink. Dew can be found on the tips of grass blades in the morning, while juice can be found near empty cans and juice boxes. Additionally, near the oak tree you can find water droplets on the flattened leaves. Quartzite and Spider-Webbing can be used to construct a Dew Collector, which, once in place, will produce dew every couple of hours.

Grounded Crafting Recipes To Get You Started | Green Man Gaming

How To Stock Up On Supplies

In any survival game, there are certain resources that are pivotal to your success, as they can be used to make a variety of different tools and equipment. In the game Grounded, these resources are referred to as Plant Fiber, Sprig, Pebblets, Dry Grass Chunk, and Sap. You’ll need them to make things like a Roasting Spit, tools, and bandages.

You should make it a routine to keep extra supplies stashed away in trunks and wickerwork. If you’re the exploratory type, it’s a good idea to always have some supplies on hand in case you lose your gear or have to spend the night in an unexpected location.

How To Mark Locations

Although Grounded’s setting is a single backyard, the game’s map is so expansive that it’s easy to get disoriented. However, the more you play, the more you’ll begin to recognize familiar objects, such as soda cans, juice boxes, and action figures.

Trail Markers, which are basically physical waypoints crafted by the player using Clover Leaves, can be helpful if you’re still having trouble finding your way. Whether it’s your home base, a nearby Field Station, or a spider nest you’d rather avoid, a marker can be used to highlight any location you deem significant.

Crafting Tips

Grounded’s core gameplay loop revolves around the crafting system, which serves as the catalyst for the game’s eventual unfolding. When you complete quests and gather resources, you’ll gain access to recipes for crafting more powerful weapons, armor, and utilities. So, to get you started on your craft, here are some pointers.

How To Make Axe, Hammer, and Torch

Without an axe and hammer, your options for making things are restricted. Because without either, you won’t be able to amass resources as valuable as quartzite, grass chunks, and acorn pieces. You will need 3 Sprigs, 2 Pebblets, and 1 Woven Fiber to fashion a Pebblet Axe, and 3 Sprigs, 4 Pebblets, and 1 Woven Fiber to fashion a Pebblet Hammer. It is possible to learn the method for making Woven Fiber by analyzing Plant Fiber at a nearby Field Station.

Since the Grounded nighttime can be so harsh, it’s also a good idea to make some torches before venturing out. Two stems, one sap, two strands of woven fiber, and three chunks of dry grass are required to fashion a standard torch. The glowing stalks you find in tunnels can also be used to create Slime Mold Torches, which can come in handy in a pinch.

How To Make Acorn Armor

Your teen is extremely vulnerable and will likely perish after taking only a few hits from an enemy. Make some protective gear at a Workbench so you can stay in the fight longer. There are many different kinds of armor to choose from, and the “Inspect” menu will detail the benefits of each. But acorn armor is the best to start with because it’s simple to make and will greatly improve your teen’s maximum health.

If you complete the set, you’ll gain access to the Uncrackable bonus, whose exact effect is unknown but is thought to increase defense or block durability. Travel to the Oak Tree, smash any acorns you find with your hammer, and study their contents with the Analyzer to gain access to the acorn armor set. Six acorn shells, five mite fuzz, eleven woven fiber, six clover leaves, and four sap are required to complete the set.

Where To Build A Base

Although establishing a stronghold allows you to feel more secure, doing so before you have a good understanding of the area can be difficult. Moreover, a Lean-To is sufficient for some time because it provides adequate protection for nighttime sleeping. You should establish your stronghold at a strategic elevation, close to a well-known landmark, or both.

The Mysterious Machine is a good place to set up camp because it’s in the middle of the map and provides cover from the elements. You could also try The Oak Tree as a springboard to success. The ground at its flat, spreading roots is ideal for construction, and the water it collects each morning will quench your thirst.

Combat Tips

The fighting style of Grounded is simplistic. In addition to attacking and blocking, you can also stun foes and switch lanes quickly. In order to find your rhythm in battle, you’ll need to experiment with a variety of enemy types. The following are some suggestions that may help you out.

How To Avoid Spiders

While the vast majority of bugs you encounter will not be dangerous, those that are are sure to send chills down your spine. While bombardier beetles can be hostile, they can’t compare to the terrifying spiders found in Grounded. The fact that they aren’t contained to any one region but instead can be found all over the map isn’t helping matters, either.

It’s not easy to kill a spider in the beginning, even with armor. They should be avoided until more effective weapons can be made than the spear. A spider is on the move, so if you see one coming your way, please turn around and run away as far as possible or get to higher ground.

If it rears up on its hind legs and flashes you a threatening glare, you know it has your location in its sights. To avoid coming into contact with spiders, it is best to keep an eye on the grass blades around you. There are only a few insect species large enough to rustle grass, so any motion you see is likely to be hostile.

How To Block, Strafe, and Stun

Knowing when to block and strafe is crucial for survival in the early game. Most foes will shoot in the direction they’re facing, so hiding behind them is a good idea. If you’re getting stung by a beetle or bitten by a spider, you can lessen the blow by holding the block button.

It’s possible to avoid most of the damage by blocking at the precise moment the attacker’s blow lands. Keep in mind that every time you attack, block, or move, some of your stamina will be used up. When it’s gone, your character can’t move while they catch their breath, making them an easy target.

Using a weapon like the Ant Club that has the Stun perk can help you last longer in battle because it reduces the amount of damage you take. If you land a hit with one of these, your opponent may be temporarily dazed, giving you a brief window of opportunity to regain health, change tactics, or reposition yourself.

General Tips

Grounded isn’t just about the survival, crafting, and combat systems, though those are certainly important. This section will focus on some more broad pieces of advice to keep in mind while adventuring in the backyard.

How To Analyze Resources

Obtaining new crafting recipes in Grounded requires using a Field Station to conduct an analysis on an item. Do not forget that the game will mark your map with the location of a new Field Station whenever you find one.

Inside a Field Station, you’ll find a machine labeled “Resource Analyzer”; approach this device to have items analyzed. One charge of the Analyzer’s energy is used up with each item analysis. There are three charges available to you at the beginning of the game.

Once they’re gone, you’ll have to wait until the clock resets before you can use it again. We suggest using your first three charges on analyzing a Pebblet, Plant Fiber, and Sap to gain access to the Pebblet Axe, the Workbench, and the Woven Fiber, respectively.

How To Gather Raw Science

Reaching the Oak Tree is part of the story, and once you do so, you’ll unlock access to a hidden laboratory below the ground. Find the lab robot Burg-L, who can tell you more about the procedure that shrank you. Most importantly, if you have some Raw Science on hand, Burg-L will sell you some brand new crafting recipes.

Raw Science is something that can be easily found while exploring the world, but the game never defines it. Pick up any pink blobs of slime you find floating around. Earning Raw Science is not limited to just completing story missions and creating new items.

How To Glide In The Air

You teen’s ability to sora through the air on a glider is one of Grounded’s best-kept secrets. The glider can’t be crafted until much later in the game, which is a real bummer. Fortunately, there is a low-cost option that will still give you some airtime.

If you come across a dandelion, make it a habit to look around for any white tufts. Pick it up and use it as a glider if you come across one. So, the next time your adolescent is falling, just reach in, grab it, and let yourself float down to safety.

Using a glider can prevent serious injury and buy you precious time in the air as you look for danger and collectibles. A long distance can be covered without touching the ground if you can find a high enough place to jump from.

Ways to lessen the stress

Lost items aren’t lost forever

For those of us who cut our teeth on games like Runescape, losing gear on death usually meant losing it forever or having a despawn timer slapped on it, creating a mad dash to recover it before it was gone for good.

Nothing in Grounded suggests a positive or negative outcome, but rest assured that all of your missing belongings are safely back where you last put them. Forever. Your bag of belongings can be retrieved from the location indicated by the backpack icon. If you were to die once more, you would be able to see two. You should probably give up if you see three, but the good news is that your quest for revenge may one day reward you with the goods you once deemed valuable, whenever you decide you are truly ready.

You can’t starve to death

If the sound of dwindling meters causes you to go into damage control, we want you to know that now is the time to relax. When it comes to Grounded’s resources, management is challenging. The purpose of food is to poison you and the purpose of water is to make you hungry. If you’re too stressed out to care about what you’re putting in your body, you’ll only feel worse.

In any case, neither meter can guarantee your death. Not eating or drinking enough can lead to gradual health decline, while drinking water doesn’t seem to do much. While you’re in the kitchen making a real sandwich, both will run out of juice, but you won’t crash and burn unless a nosy gnat finishes the job for you. Basically, you’ll be in the most dire of circumstances possible. Don’t stress over it.

Grounded: How To Get Started (Combat, Crafting, Survival Tips)

Know where to look for resources:

  1. Pebblet – Common plant in the yard.
  2. Fiber can be harvested from the planet as tiny leaves or by using the leftover grass stalks.
  3. Garden-wide twiglets that we call “sprigs”
  4. Silk from a spider — Used to harm or kill spiders and their webs.
  5. Pollen – Discovered in close proximity to the garden of flowers, but of no immediate practical use.
  6. Sap – Sap can be collected from sap nodes, which can be found on the ground and trees, or near the trunks of trees.
  7. Stems of Weeds: While dandelions are the best place to start, ordinary weeds can be harvested from anywhere in the garden once you’ve upgraded your axe to level 2.
  8. Grass Planks are easily obtainable; just lop off a section of grass and you’ll have a supply of flooring.
  9. You’ll need a hammer to crack an acorn at the top of that huge oak tree with the red leaves.
  10. Similar to the preceding, but made from the shell of an acorn that has been smashed with a hammer.
  11. pieces of smashed acorn – once again, the source of the acorn bits
  12. Head and mandible of an ant Although ants can be gathered from just about any location, the anthill is the most convenient and speedy option. A lure trap can also be constructed to attract the ants.
  13. The best place to obtain acid glands from soldier ants is the anthill.
  14. Floating Petals – You can find a plethora of them in the flower garden near the oak tree, and if you cross the lake, puddle…? Which body of water are we talking about? Flowers abound on the other side.
  15. Look under the water if you want to find more clay, which is common in wetter regions. Locate the body of water with the protruding toy toad; this body of water contains a wealth of clay.
  16. Quartzite – The anthill and nearby caves are excellent places to find this mineral.
  17. Dry Grass — Can be found coexisting with regular grass, and there are also denser areas of dry grass only areas, but beware of the more aggressive insects that inhabit these areas.
  18. Needles from thistle plants can be harvested from the tall purple flowers located to the east of the flower garden.
  19. A tuft of dandelions can be harvested in the same way that weeds are: simply locate a patch of dandelions, lop off the stems, and watch as the tufts fall to the ground.
  20. Killing the lawn mites that populate the areas around the lasers and elsewhere in the garden will result in the creation of a fuzzy substance known as “mite fuzz.” Mite fuzz
  21. In addition to the toy, the water where it was found contains swarms of gnats, and killing them yields gnat fuzz.
  22. Leaves of clovers – these lucky plants can be seen growing all over a yard or garden.
  23. Put your shovel down wherever you see soil movement; a grub is probably hiding there.
  24. Berry Chunk – Smack a berry and chop it up near the southern hedge; you can use this to make berry leather.
  25. An improved bow can be fashioned from a spider’s fang, which may seem like a silly example until you consider that you have to kill a spider to get the thing
  26. The Slime Mould Stalk is one of the cave’s natural lighting fixtures.
  27. You can find a Larva Spike by killing larva, and if you can’t find any larva, you can always kill some ants and more will emerge in their place.
  28. Mushrooms — Mushrooms are abundant in the garden; in fact, there are a ton of them just beyond the porch.
  29. The flower garden is a great place to look for nectar, but you can find it near any flowers.
  30. Places where aphids have been attacked will have honeydew left behind, or you can harvest honeydew directly from an aphid by killing it.
  31. You can harvest some mint blocks by hitting the plastic box of mints that can be found near the map’s center.

Summary:

Since the game is still in its early access phase, we intend to keep this guide up to date with any changes to the game’s structure or the addition of any new features or items that may be of interest to players.

Since the game is scheduled to receive monthly updates, we can always play the most recent version and enjoy all of its features.