DIVE or DIE Buildings Guide
Complete DIVE or DIE buildings guide covering all nine settlement structures, upgrades, and survivor assignment priorities.
Settlement Architecture Overview
Your settlement above the Abyssal Pool is humanity's last refuge. Nine buildings define what you can craft, who you can recruit, how far you can dive, and whether you survive the Flood Countdown. Construct all buildings before upgrading any to Tier 2 — each unlocks features that compound across your run.
Every manned building grants passive experience to its assigned survivor. Match survivor traits to building roles for bonus yields. The Camp Report each morning reflects how well your building assignments support the current dive plan.
Construction Priority Order
Follow the main quest objectives for construction sequence: Altar and Infirmary first, then Workshop and Diving Deck, followed by Lighthouse, Town Hall, Library, Fishing Hut, and Memorial. This order mirrors the resources you naturally find in The Shallows.
Once all nine exist, assign survivors immediately. An unmanned building provides no function. Only after full assignment should you begin Tier 2 upgrades on the Diving Deck and Workshop.
Upgrade Philosophy — Access vs Capability
Diving Deck tiers reduce travel cost and unlock warp points to deeper biomes. Workshop tiers expand crafting from Basic to Advanced, Electronic, and Eldritch items. Upgrade both in parallel — access without gear wastes oxygen; gear without access wastes materials.
Secondary upgrades: Town Hall for population cap (needed at Tier 3 for sixteen survivors), Lighthouse for Expedition success rates, Altar Tier 3 for Devotion worship, and Infirmary for additional treatment beds.