In Grounded 2, light becomes a matter of survival as you start venturing into darker spaces and beneath the earth. One of the first times that you’ll experience this necessity is during the ‘Incoming Transmission!’ mission, where you’re encouraged to venture into an area of dark caves along the way to the Communications Array. Although it’s technically possible to ignore the advice and drive on in ignorance, you’ll soon find that a Torch is more than just a luxury—it’s basically a requirement.
If you don’t know how to craft one or where to locate the resources in a hurry, this guide will take you through each step of the process.
Making a Torch: What You’ll Need
To make a Torch in Grounded 2, you’ll be needing three distinct resources: Sprigs, Sap, and Dry Grass Chunks. These are all fairly standard early-game materials, but some are easier to find than others.
You can create the Torch at the Handcrafting wheel, which you can access through the Z key on keyboard or Down on D-pad, or by going into the Crafting menu and selecting the Light category. Once you’ve collected the ingredients, you’ll be able to craft the Torch right away.
Once crafted, you can wear the Torch in your off-hand so you can light the path without losing your defensive capabilities.
Where to Find Torch Ingredients
If you’re halfway through the Incoming Transmission quest and attempting to finalize the “Light It Up” step, you’ve probably explored the first cave system without adequate supplies. The good news is that the resources needed to craft a Torch are found very near this location.
Sprigs are the simplest to locate. These little, green two-leaved plants are scattered everywhere on the ground in grassy patches. Just go strolling around by the entrance of the cave, and you’ll have a few in seconds.
Sap is more challenging. It comes in the form of little amber-colored globs on the bark of gnarled roots and branches that cross the terrain. Once you leave the Communications Array cave, turn left (western on the map) and head along the wall. This will take you to an area of the park in which is full of web sacs and bare bark, where Sap can be obtained with ease. Don’t bother pursuing the more substantial Sap Clumps at the moment, as they demand an Omni-Hammer enhancement that occurs later in the narrative.
Dry Grass Chunks are found on dried blades of grass, which will be a lighter shade compared to the normal green grass. You may occasionally locate these chunks lying on the ground naturally, but the quickest way is to chop dry grass using your axe. You can recognize it as being dry by its yellow or tan color. The same place where you will find Sap will have dry grass also.
Once you’ve gathered at least two Sprigs, one piece of Sap, and three Dry Grass Chunks, you’ll be ready to craft your first Torch.
Using the Torch Efficiently
After crafting, equip the Torch in your weak hand. It will immediately begin lighting the area around you, making it much easier to spot threats, collect resources, and navigate through caves.
Take care of the Torch burn time—it will just keep burning itself out even when you don’t need it. After you find yourself in a lit environment, don’t forget to remove it to help its longevity. Torches have limited time, and having a sparesaver or recalling the location of where you can readily obtain substitutes is always the better choice.
