Exploring Satisfactory: Gear, Combat, and Resources

Alongside your production lines, exploring the map is the second pillar of Satisfactory. Sooner or later, you’ll need to head out, scout unfamiliar areas, and track down new resources. Some players find exploring less exciting, others love it — and you won’t be able to avoid it anyway. Many materials are scattered across the map, and you’ll need them to unlock later Milestones or MAM research. It’s best to start getting comfortable with exploration early and revisit the map regularly to find and analyze more things. In this guide, we’ll cover the essentials so you’re well prepared.

Gear for Satisfactory exploration: Map, scanner, and Xeno-Basher

Don’t set out empty-handed — you likely won’t get far. We recommend waiting to explore until Tier 3 or Tier 4, when you can unlock key items. Ultimately, it’s up to you.

Essential items for your first scouting run:

• Map: Non-negotiable. You unlock it at the end of Tier 1. Don’t explore before that — you’ll get lost faster than you think.
• Object Scanner: Unlocked alongside the map. Lets you search the world for specific items and always points you in the right direction.
• Xeno-Basher: Unlocked in Tier 3 — your first real weapon. Don’t head out without it if creatures are on Default. It’s a melee weapon with modest damage but is indispensable.
• Healing items: If you take damage, heal up. Collect Bacon Agaric, Beryl Nuts, and Paleberries to craft Inhalers later.
• Inventory slots: Unlock more via Milestones or MAM research.
• Concrete & Iron Plates: Keep these on you to build ramps. Satisfactory’s map can be very vertical, making traversal tricky.
• Ladders: An alternative to foundations and ramps if you’ve bought them in the AWESOME Shop for 3x Coupons.
• Portable Miner: You’ll find unknown ores on the go — mine and take them with you. No big factory setup needed yet.

Pro tip: Bring a few Beacons or Signs to mark finds. Also stock enough Fuel for vehicles or your Jetpack.

As you explore, you’ll unlock new aspects of Satisfactory that grant access to additional gear. The more you research, the more advantages you’ll gain.

Items you should unlock later to boost exploration:

• Rebar Gun: Researchable in MAM Alien Megafauna. A pistol that supports different ammo types.
• Explorer: A vehicle unlocked in the MAM via the Quartz research tree. Perfect for long-range exploration!
• Jetpack: Unlocked in Tier 5. Lets you fly, but requires Fuel.
• Parachute: In the Mycelium branch of the MAM. Negates all fall damage when deployed.
• Blade Runners: Research in MAM Quartz. Lets you jump higher, take reduced fall damage, and run faster.
• Dimensional Depot: Found in MAM Alien Technology. Acts as a universal inventory, similar to an Ender Chest in Minecraft.
• Gas Mask: In the Mycelium branch of the MAM. Effective against gas, not radiation. Requires Filters.
• Hazmat Suit: Unlocked with Tier 7. Protects against gas and radiation, and becomes crucial later.

Combat in Satisfactory: Creatures, settings, and beginner tips

We’ll cover the combat system and all creatures in detail in another post, but for your first excursions you should know the basics. Always carry your Xeno-Basher; later, craft the Rebar Gun for a ranged attack option.

If you don’t want to deal with creatures at all, use the options menu. Under “Gameplay”, adjust “Creature Hostility.” “Passive” means they never attack. “Retaliate” means they only attack after you hit them first. On “Default”, they behave normally. For all arachnophobes, we recommend enabling the dedicated mode as well — you do not want to run into Stingers. With that mode on, they’re replaced by cute cat PNGs — much better!

Your first encounters will likely be Hogs and Spitters. Hogs charge you, while Spitters lob projectiles from range. The Xeno-Basher handles both fairly quickly.

If you die, you’ll respawn at your HUB. Depending on your options, you may Keep Inventory or lose it. For beginners, we recommend starting easy to avoid frustration.

Combat tip: Strafe to dodge, use elevation, and take cover against Spitters to avoid projectiles. With Blade Runners, dodging becomes even easier.

Key resources and finds while exploring Satisfactory

Now that you know the basics, what should you actually look for? It’s up to you, but here are important targets that help unlock the gear we mentioned above. Focus on MAM research to gear up faster — it’s the primary way to open new parts of Satisfactory.

Pick these up while exploring:

• Alien Remains: Used for Alien Megafauna in the MAM. Dropped from creatures.
• Power Slugs: Also needed for their research line. Found on walls and cliffs and come in blue, yellow, or purple.
• Crash Sites: There are 118 scattered around. Crucial for finding Hard Drives, which unlock alternate recipes. Crash Sites open only under certain conditions, such as a power supply or specific items. Analyzing a Hard Drive in the MAM takes ten minutes.
• Somersloop: A strange pink crystal you can find. Required for Alien Technology in the MAM. Hard to miss!
• Raw Quartz: Very important for later factories; early on, prioritize it for the MAM.
• Caterium Ore: Also a late-game resource that’s great for research and unlocks important MAM items (e.g., Smart Splitter or Zipline).
• Sulfur Ore: Comes into play much later in production, but it’s worth grabbing early to research explosives.
• Mycelium: Gathered from large and small mushrooms; needed for its research branch.

Navigation tip: Use the Object Scanner to actively search for Power Slugs, Bauxite/Quartz/Caterium, and mark special spots with Beacons. An Explorer drastically cuts travel time.

Conclusion: Exploration, MAM research, and multiplayer servers

Exploration is part of Satisfactory and is essential for your MAM research. The more you roam, the better gear you can craft. Combat isn’t particularly hard if you prepare well and later unlock additional weapons and ammo. Exploring with friends is even more fun — rent one of our Satisfactory servers to conquer the vast map together and hunt for valuable resources.