Slime Rancher 2 released on September 22, 2022, and newcomers to the franchise may be struggling to make sense of the tools available to make ranching as efficient as possible. The second installment of the franchise is still in early access and that means that some expected gadgets from the first game are yet to be implemented.
Drones, while significant in the original Slime Rancher, will not be making an appearance until closer to the final release. Although some gamers may miss ranch automation, there are still plenty of gadgets available that can be constructed to make exploration and gathering a breeze.
10 The Resource Harvester - Start Digging
One of the biggest changes in gameplay between Slime Rancher and Slime Rancher 2 is how ranchers obtain resources for their slime science. Gone are drills, apiaries, and pumps, and instead they craft the resource harvester. This tool is a requirement for any slime scientist and allows the gathering of crafting materials from all over the Rainbow Islands.
Getting this early on will ensure ranchers never miss rare or vital resources so save up and get this as soon as they possibly can. This recipe is found automatically in the Fabricator inside the Lab beneath the Conservatory.
9 The Jet Pack - Flight Of The Rancher
Although it is possible to explore the Rainbow Islands without the use of flight, doing misses vital progression tasks and runs a dangerous risk. The Jet Pack is used to get to high places, hover over difficult terrain, and aggressive feral or tarr slimes.
It also helps if ranchers make a wrong step and start falling because if they're fast enough they can recover and avoid a dunking in the slime seas. This recipe is available from the start of the game in the Fabricator inside the Lab beneath the Conservatory.
8 The Water Tank - Both Splishy And Splashy
Water is a rancher's friend on the Rainbow Islands because it can temporarily calm feral slimes or dissipate the dreaded tarr in case a rancher's corrals get out of hand. It requires filling but acts as a separate tank solely for carrying the only weapon available for a rancher.
Tarr and feral slimes appear far more often in Slime Rancher 2 than compared to the original game. Even veteran ranchers would be wise to take advantage of this device, the recipe for which can be located automatically in the Fabricator inside the Lab beneath the Conservatory.
7 The Med Station - Take A Break
It can be more difficult to survive the dangers of the Rainbow Islands than the Far, Far Range with tarr and feral slimes ready to deal damage to ranchers from the outset. Survivability can be the key to avoiding frustration and the Med Station is one way to get this.
Unlike in the original Slime Rancher game, ranchers will need to find the blueprint for the gadget in the southwestern part of the Rainbow Fields before they can craft it. Look out for stone pillars by a ledge close to the water to find the pod that contains it. All pods can be opened as soon as located and provide resources or blueprints.
6 The Dash Boots - Run, Don't Walk
Dash boots make running more efficient and with the available islands as large as they are, saving a little energy can go a long way. The only transport available in Slime Rancher 2 are teleporters, which require rare resources to craft, and the Jet Pack which rapidly uses energy, or a rancher's own two feet.
It can be a challenge to reach one side of an island to another and needing a rest at a bad time can lead to trouble. Find this blueprint along with others inside the Lab from the beginning of the game.
5 The Power Core - Unleash The Energy
Almost everything a rancher does uses energy from the power core. The blue bar starts at 100 but can be upgraded in increments of 50 to a maximum of 250 in the early access.
To find all the resources and upgrades requires locating the resources hidden within pods located throughout the Rainbow Islands. The first upgrade is available in the Lab from the start of the game and can be obtained for a relatively low amount of resources.
4 Heart Module - Get Tough
The red health bar shows when a rancher has received damage and will recover slowly outside of combat. The more health a rancher has though, the less they need to worry about the bites of angry slimes.
The initial upgrade is available in the Lab at the beginning of the game, however further upgrades require locating resources only found in hidden pods. With each successive upgrade, the maximum health of 250 can be reached
3 Tank Booster - Get In That Vac
The initial vac pack starts with 4 chambers that can each hold 20 of each item. The tank booster increases the amount that ranchers can carry in each chamber and can be very useful at the start of the game. Later upgrades give additional chambers but by upgrading early on, the vac pack can allow ranchers to carry up to 50 items in each chamber.
Getting this upgrade makes managing a whole ranch easier. It lets ranchers carry slimes, food, and resources in bigger bulk than previously. The initial tank booster upgrade can be found inside the starting slime lab, however further upgrades need specific resources only available in pods hidden throughout the Rainbow Islands.
2 Tank Guard - A Rancher's Safety Net
A useful tool provided in Slime Rancher 2 is the Tank Guard which allows ranchers to retain some of their items if they lose all their health or fall into the slime seas. This can be an excellent utility while a rancher is still getting used to the controls, but even veterans can lose track of how much energy is left in their tank or misjudge a jump.
Because of how useful it is, the Tank Guard requires a Tank Liner, only available from a pod before they can be crafted. Find the first Tank Liner in the Rainbow Fields behind a Phosphor Gordo slime near the conservatory, hidden behind a door that requires a tabby plort to open.
1 Pulse Wave - When A Rancher Needs Some Space
Although the Pulse Wave upgrade is available from the outset, it requires flutter plorts before it can be crafted. Flutter slimes can only be located in The Starlight Strand which can be difficult to traverse.
Once obtained, however, it can clear away a crowd of angry slimes in a blink and give ranchers a chance to get some distance to think, run or attack.
Slime Rancher 2 is currently available in Early Access on PC and Xbox Series X/S through the Xbox Shop and Xbox, Steam, or Epic Games PC apps.