Summary
When players first startGrounded, they possess nothing and must learn and adapt quickly to survive. It’s a fun, challenging, and immersive open-world game that may remind many players ofclassic sci-fi movieslikeHoney I Shrunk The KidsorThe Borrowers. New players may want to know the first things to do when starting the huge sandbox game, and faithful pre-release followers may appreciate a refresher with various updates added to the game over the years.
Although the objectives inGroundedlead the way, players are free to explore the backyard setting as they choose, so there are some handy tips and tricks to survive and progress.
Updated August 04, 2025, by Gemma Johnson:Grounded is a multiplayer survival adventure game where players get shrunk to the size of an ant in an open-world backyard setting. There is a lot for new players to learn when first starting Grounded, including managing survival basics like food and water, which can feel challenging with the threat of dangerous bugs lurking around almost every corner. New players must also make some potentially tricky early-game decisions, like where to build a base and what to craft first. Whether tackling the yard solo or with friends, various Grounded tips and tricks can help those early game days go a bit smoother and help beginners survive, thrive, and progress. While these Grounded tips primarily target new players, they may also be a handy refresher for anyone revisiting the game, especially with various patches added over the years. This update article adds two new entries.
1Craft Aphid Slippers
Traverse the Yard and Run from Insects like the Wind
Grounded’s backyard can feel like a massive place to explore with lots of ground to cover, so players can quickly lose stamina from all that running around. New players looking for something to help them run from bugs and traverse the yard faster could prioritize making Aphid Slippers, a Tier 1 light armor craftable from just two Raw Aphid Meat and 10 Mite Fuzz. While they don’t provide much defense in combat, Aphid Slippers can be combined with stronger armor to enable players to move around much faster, jump further, and stay protected, which can be handy for navigating the world more easily.
Helpfully, Aphids also don’t run from players wearing Aphid Slippers when upgraded with the Sleek Effect, so they can also be a good option for players struggling totame Aphids as pets inGrounded.
2Look Out for Trinkets
Equip Special Items to Boost Stats
Although harvesting things like Milk Molars is typically something players can do as they progress further into the game, it’s also a good idea to keep a lookout for special items called Trinkets, which some players may not necessarily know about. There are various types of Trinkets to find inGrounded,each possessing different effects when equipped, such as the craftable Nifty Needle Trinket, which increases the damage inflicted by fully charged bow shots.
While players will need to progress in the game or discover more challenging parts of the yard to discover Trinkets from creatures, it’s also possible to obtain Trinkets as rare drops from resource nodes, such as the Valentine’s Fortune Trinket from breaking Chocolate Smoochies. Therefore, it’s worth looking out for Trinkets around the yard as another way players can alter and boost their stats inGrounded.
3Learn How To Use PEEP.R Goggles
Get In The Know Bug Weaknesses And Loot Drops
Learninghow to peep inGroundedis a great way to get in the know about the creepy critters roaming the yard, whether friendly or aggressive. Peeping inGroundedwith the PEEP.R Goggles functionality lets players hold up their hands like a pair of binoculars to effectively tag insects they spot in the yard and obtain more information about them in the shape of a Creature Card. These collectible-like cards provide players with helpful information to plan a0nd strategize, including bug weaknesses, any weak points, and their resistances.
Creature Cards also tell players what sort of loot bugs drop, so they can be a handy way of knowing how to get key resources for any beginner players struggling. Altogether, peeping inGroundedis a brilliant way for any player to get to know their environment and surroundings better, plus be a helpful bank of knowledge for anyone returning to the game.
4Prioritize Hammer And Axe Upgrades
Better Tools To Progress And Get More Resources
Axes and hammers are two of the most handy tools inGroundedfor foraging resources and progressing, but new players can only craft low-level tools like the Peblet Hammer and Pebblet Axe. Upgrading the hammer and axe as soon as possible should be a top priority for anyone new to the game, enabling access to more resources and recipes. For instance, getting hold of the Tier 2 Insect Axe lets players chop resources like Crow Feathers and Billy Hog meat, with Feathers enabling players to craft things like Feather Arrows for the bow weapon and different armor pieces.
Similarly, the Tier 2 Insect Hammer enables players to break chunky resources like Milk Molars, Sturdy Quartzite, and Ice Cap Mints, whether to get player stat upgrades, better armor, and things like Mint Shards for different weapons. Of course, players can also get even better upgrades with the Tier 3 Termite Axe and Black Ox Hammer, opening the door to even more resources and possibilities.
5Team Up With Friends
Safety In Numbers
When first startingGrounded, teaming up with friends is a fantastic way for players to learn the ropes and basics of survival together. Although it’s possible to play solo, it’s worth making the most of playingGroundedwith friends when possible. Teaming up can help new players survive fights against stronger bugs, plus work together to progress across the backyard and unravel its mysteries quicker.Groundedalso has options for players to create shared worlds with or without passcodes, depending on how players want to set up their world access.
PlayingGroundedwith friendscan also help when venturing into more challenging areas of the yard mid-game onwards, such as the Upper Yard and its challenging Shed.
6Get A Shield And Learn To Block
Survive Bug Fights For Longer And Win
Defense is as important as attack when facing off against bugs in the yard and one handyGroundedtip is to get a shield as soon as possible. Although there are only a handful ofshields inGrounded, they are an invaluable tool to get through fights against tougher bugs like spiders. Learning to block is also relatively straightforward as it’s mainly about timing.
While it takes a bit of time to get stronger crafting resources, it’s possible to get a basic Tier I Weevil Shield early in the game. This can help players survive tougher early-game bug encounters until players get better variants, such as the Tier II Black Ant Shield.
7Craft Multiple Cooking And Crafting Stations
Better Food And More Efficient Resource Collection
Keeping tabs on food and water is one of the first things to do inGrounded. Beginner players start with basic food like mushrooms, but crafting cooking stations makes for better and more efficient food and water. Exploring the yard for new ingredients and analyzing them gets players new crafting recipes like the Dew Collector, Jerky Rack, and an Oven.
Crafting multiple Dew Collectors lets players quickly scoop up plenty of water to take on the go. Additionally, a Jerky Rack and Oven enable players to make plenty of thebest food inGroundedto keep hunger at bay, like Miteloaf.
8Focus On Finding BURG.L Chips And Milk Molars
Advance The Story And Unlock Upgrades
There’s a lot of ground to cover in the yard, and new players might wonder what to look for first. One handy tip when playingGroundedis to look out for labs to find BURG.L Chips that advance the story and unlock more recipes. To begin with, new players should head to the Great Oak tree in the middle of the yard to rescue BURG.L and get the Grasslands Chip.
Players should also look out for Milk Molars hidden around the yard. Regular Milk Molars enable players to upgrade their character in a lab, like max health, max stamina, and healing. Whereas gold, Mega Milk Molars boosts the stats of all group members in multiplayer.
9Make Use Of Mutations
Get Helpful Buffs To Survive
To stand the best chance of surviving more challenging bugs in the yard, it’s a good idea to experiment with mutations for different situations. Equipping some ofGrounded’s best mutations, like Meat Shield, can help make all the difference in surviving boss battle encounters like the Assistant Manager.
Boosting stamina with mutations like Cardio Fan and Buff Lungs is also ideal in various situations, from surviving spiders to swimming in the pond. Remembering to swap out and try different mutations can be beneficial to give players the edge in surviving various challenges across the yard.
10Craft A Canteen For Slurps On The Go
Reduce The Dangers Of Thirst
Besides basic weapons and armor, crafting a canteen is one of the most essential things to do first inGroundedand one of the first tier-two crafting items many players will make. Finding water is one of the first survival problems players must face, so making a canteen to store water saves a lot of hassle searching for water droplets, especially if thirst gets dangerously low mid-exploration.
A level two canteen holds two sips of water, so it’s handy to keep equipped in a player’s inventory to quickly scoop up water, juice, or fizzy drinks on the go. Alternatively, the Canteen+ holds four droplets.
