Grounded Story Walkthrough
Grounded's story unfolds through six major labs, each guarded by unique bosses and full of puzzles. The main quest takes approximately 30 hours, with 60+ hours for 100% completion including optional bosses. This guide provides a complete walkthrough from the opening cutscene to the final machine repair.
Story Overview & Lab Order
Recommended Lab Order
| Order | Lab | Location | Recommended Gear | BURG.L Chips |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hedge Lab | Hedge (southeast yard) | Tier 1 weapon + acorn armor | Super Chip #1 |
| 2 | Pond Lab | Underwater (central pond) | Tier 2 weapon + gill tubes | Super Chip #2 |
| 3 | Haze Lab | Haze (southwest yard, gassy) | Gas mask + Tier 2 armor | Super Chip #3 |
| 4 | Black Anthill Lab | Under black anthill | Tier 2/3 weapon + poison resist | Super Chip #4 |
| 5 | Mant Lab | Shed's interior (upper yard) | Tier 3 weapon + mant-specific build | Super Chip #5 |
| 6 | Undershed Lab | Under the shed (final) | Tier 3+ gear, full preparation | Final chip + ending |
Important: Labs have level scaling. Attempting Hedge Lab in Tier 1 armor vs Haze Lab in Tier 1 armor are very different difficulty levels. Upgrade between each lab.
Lab 1: Hedge Lab (Super Chip #1)
Location: Southeast section of the yard, inside the large hedge bushes. Recommended Level: Tier 1 weapon, Acorn/Red Ant armor.
Getting There
- From the Mysterious Machine, head southeast past the oak tree
- Enter the hedge area (large bushes, berry chunks)
- Look for a large branch leading upward — follow the spider webs
- Navigate the hedge maze (spiders on branches, orb weavers below)
Lab Navigation
| Area | Enemies | Objective |
|---|---|---|
| Hedge exterior | Orb Weaver Jr., Spiderlings | Find the branch path up |
| Hedge branch maze | Orb Weavers, Bombardier Beetles | Navigate webbed branches |
| Hedge lab entrance | Orb Weaver (boss-tier) | Enter the lab through the broken window |
| Lab interior | Robot turrets (friendly after chip) | Navigate laser grid puzzles |
| Lab core | TAYZ.T (boss fight) | Defeat TAYZ.T, claim Super Chip #1 |
TAYZ.T Boss Fight
| Phase | HP % | Behavior | Strategy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 100–70% | Shoots laser beam in line pattern | Strafe left/right, attack between beams |
| 2 | 70–40% | Adds spinning laser attack | Jump over spinning beam, attack from flank |
| 3 | 40–0% | Adds orb-weaver spider spawns + faster lasers | Kill spiders first, then focus boss |
TAYZ.T Weakness: Sour damage. If you have a Sour weapon (unlikely at this stage), it does 50% more damage. Otherwise, use the Mint Mallet (find the mint container near the oak tree first).
Loot: Super Chip #1, BURG.L Science Shop unlock (cooking recipes), Hedge Lab BURG.L chip.
Reward
- BURG.L unlocks: Advanced crafting recipes
- Recipe: Insect Axe (cut weed stems)
- Recipe: Spider Fang Dagger (venom weapon)
- 2,500 Raw Science from lab scanning
Lab 2: Pond Lab (Super Chip #2)
Location: Underwater, central pond near the oak tree. Recommended Level: Tier 2 weapon, Ladybug armor, Gill Tubes (underwater breathing).
Required Gear for Pond Exploration
| Item | Purpose | How to Get |
|---|---|---|
| Gill Tubes | Breathe underwater (45s → 90s) | Crafted: 2 Silk Rope, 1 Water Flea Mandible |
| Flippers | Swim faster | Crafted: 2 Lilypad Wax, 1 Water Flea Mandible |
| Bubble Helmet | Oxygen refills from bubbles | Crafted: 2 Silk Rope, 2 Clay, 1 Water Flea |
| Fin Flops | Extra speed (mutation) | Unlock from Pond Lab |
Tip: You can surface for air between dives. The pond is only 20m deep. No vehicle needed.
Lab Navigation
| Area | Enemies | Objective |
|---|---|---|
| Pond surface | Water fleas, diving bell spiders | Find the lab entrance tube |
| Lab tube (entrance) | Diving bell spiders | Swim down the vertical tube |
| Lab interior (flooded) | None (spiders can't enter) | Navigate flooded rooms |
| Lab core | Puzzle: Align laser to unlock door | Solve 2 reflector puzzles |
| Lab core (unlocked) | None | Scan all lab data items |
| Lab exit | Diving bell spider ambush | Swim fast back to surface |
Laser Puzzle Solution
Room 1 (2 reflectors): 1. Place reflector 1 at the corner, angle it 45 degrees toward the center 2. Place reflector 2 at the center, angle it 45 degrees toward the laser receiver 3. Adjust mirrors until laser hits the receiver
Room 2 (3 reflectors + splitter): 1. Use the beam splitter at the source (splits into 2 beams) 2. Reflector 1 redirects beam A to receiver A 3. Reflector 2 redirects beam B around the corner 4. Reflector 3 redirects beam B to receiver B
Loot: Super Chip #2, Pond Lab BURG.L chip, Bubble Helmet blueprint.
Reward
- BURG.L unlocks: Fishbowl Head (aquatic breathing)
- Recipe: Koi Scale armor
- Recipe: Fin Flops mutation
- 2,000 Raw Science from lab scanning
Lab 3: Haze Lab (Super Chip #3)
Location: Southwest section of the yard, inside the gas-filled haze zone. Recommended Level: Tier 2 weapon, Ladybug/Koi armor, Gas Mask.
Required Gear
| Item | Purpose | How to Get |
|---|---|---|
| Gas Mask | Breathe in haze | Crafted: 2 Gnat Fuzz, 2 Clover Leaf, 2 Silk Rope |
| Berry Charcoal Filter | Fuel for gas mask | Crafted: 2 Charcoal Ash, 1 Berry Leather |
| Insect Hammer | Break Haze Lab entrance plug | Crafted: Bombardier Part + Boiling Gland |
Warning: The haze deals 5 HP/s damage without a gas mask. Your gas mask filter lasts 10 minutes. Bring spare filters.
Lab Navigation
| Area | Enemies | Objective |
|---|---|---|
| Haze exterior | Stinkbugs, infected weevils, ladybugs | Navigate through gas clouds |
| Lab entrance | Rubble + plug | Smash plug with Insect Hammer |
| Haze lab interior | Infected insects (spores), robot turrets | Navigate rubble, avoid spores |
| Lab core | Infected Ladybug (optional boss) | Defeat or sneak past |
| Lab core (deep) | Puzzle: Spore reactor alignment | Activate 3 spore vents |
Infected Ladybug Strategy
| Attack | Description | Counter |
|---|---|---|
| Charge | Rush forward 10m | Side-step, attack from flank |
| Spore Burst | AoE spore cloud (confusion) | Run 15m away, wait for clear |
| Slam | Front leg slam | Perfect block → 3-hit window |
| Explosive Death | On death, explodes in spore cloud | Run away when HP hits 0 |
Loot: Super Chip #3, Haze Lab BURG.L chip, Infected Ladybug head (smoothie ingredient).
Reward
- BURG.L unlocks: Mutations slot +2 (total 3)
- Recipe: Salt Morning Star (salty damage)
- Recipe: Gas Arrow (stinkbug gas)
- 3,000 Raw Science from lab scanning
Lab 4: Black Anthill Lab (Super Chip #4)
Location: Under the black ant hill in the upper yard, near the sandbox. Recommended Level: Tier 2/3 weapon, Fire Ant armor or Roly Poly.
Lab Navigation
| Area | Enemies | Objective |
|---|---|---|
| Ant hill exterior | Black worker ants, black soldier ants | Enter the anthill through main entrance |
| Ant hill tunnels | Black soldier ants, ant queens (patrol) | Navigate 3-level tunnel network |
| Lab entrance (sealed) | None | Use Black Ant Mandible to open seal |
| Lab interior | Robot turrets, small spiders | Navigate storage rooms |
| Lab core | Assistant Manager (boss fight) | Defeat the robot |
Assistant Manager Boss Fight
| Phase | HP % | Behavior | Strategy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 100–66% | Laser barrage + turret spawns | Destroy turrets first, dodge lasers |
| 2 | 66–33% | Adds shockwave AoE + electric floor | Jump over shockwaves, stay off glowing floor panels |
| 3 | 33–0% | Enrages (speed doubled), adds spider spawns | Pop a healing item, go aggressive on openings |
Weakness: Sour damage. Bring a Sour weapon if possible. Otherwise, use Mint Mace for stun.
Loot: Super Chip #4, Assistant Manager Keycard, Black Anthill BURG.L chip.
Reward
- BURG.L unlocks: New trinkets in shop
- Recipe: Black Ox Hammer (Tier 3 smashing tool)
- Recipe: Sour Battle-axe (if you have Sour Glob)
- 3,000 Raw Science
Lab 5: Mant Lab (Super Chip #5)
Location: Inside the shed (northeast upper yard). Recommended Level: Tier 3 weapon, Roly Poly or Mant armor, full mutations.
Getting to the Shed
- Navigate through the upper yard (orchid mantis, fire ants, ox beetles)
- Enter the shed through the broken window (north wall)
- Inside the shed, navigate through tool shelves, dust piles, and spider webs
- Find the Mant's arena (large open area with webs on the ceiling)
The Mant Boss Fight
The Mant is the hardest mandatory boss in Grounded. Prepare thoroughly.
| Phase | HP % | Behavior | Strategy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 100–75% | Melee combos (2–3 hits), web spit (immobilize) | Perfect block combo, cut webs with dagger |
| 2 | 75–50% | Adds mant nymph adds (4 spawns) | Kill adds immediately, they heal the Mant |
| 3 | 50–25% | Adds ground pound (jump to avoid), enrage | Stay mobile, jump every ground pound telegraph |
| 4 | 25–0% | Double speed + all abilities simultaneously | Pop all heals, go aggressive, parry everything |
Mant Weakness: Fresh (salty) damage. Spicy damage is 25% reduced. Mint does neutral.
| Recommended Loadout | |
|---|---|
| Armor | Mant (full) or Roly Poly (full) |
| Weapon | Club of the Mother Demon or Coaltana |
| Mutation 1 | Parry Master |
| Mutation 2 | Meat Shield |
| Mutation 3 | Mithridatism (poison resist) or Coup de Grass |
| Healing | 10+ Fuzz on the Rocks, 5+ Beefy Slurps |
Loot: Super Chip #5, Mant Claw x2–4, Mant Head, Mant's Keycard (opens Undershed Lab).
Reward
- BURG.L unlocks: Mutations slot +2 (total 5)
- Recipe: Mant armor set
- Recipe: Coaltana (fire sword, +50% spider damage)
- 5,000 Raw Science
Lab 6: Undershed Lab (Final)
Location: Under the shed, accessible via keycard from the Mant. Recommended Level: Full Tier 3 armor + weapons, 10+ healing items, 3+ meals.
Lab Navigation
| Area | Enemies | Objective |
|---|---|---|
| Undershed entrance | Spider nest (orb weavers, wolf spiders) | Fight through or sneak |
| Undershed tunnels | Infected spiders, robot guards | Navigate 3-level underground complex |
| Laser room | Laser grid puzzle | Align 4 lasers to unlock the main door |
| Keycard room | Spider ambushes | Find all 3 keycards on body bags |
| Broodmother arena | Broodmother (final boss) | Full-strength Broodmother fight |
| Machine room | None | Repair the shrinking machine |
Final Laser Puzzle
Room layout: Large circular room with 4 laser emitters and 4 receivers.
Solution: 1. Place reflector at position A (north corner), aim at receiver 1 2. Use beam splitter at source B, sending one beam to receiver 2 and one to position C 3. Reflector at position C sends beam to receiver 3 4. Reflector at position D (final corner) sends beam to receiver 4 5. All 4 lasers must hit simultaneously for 3 seconds
3 Keycard Locations
| Keycard | Location | Danger |
|---|---|---|
| Red | Body bag near the entrance tunnel | 2 orb weavers guarding |
| Blue | Body bag behind the spider egg nest | 4 spiderlings + 1 orb weaver |
| Green | Body bag hanging from ceiling (needs arrow to cut) | Infected wolf spider below |
Broodmother (Final Boss)
| Phase | HP % | Behavior | Strategy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 100–66% | Standard attacks (bite, web spit, egg spawn) | Focus on perfect blocking |
| 2 | 66–33% | Adds poison cloud, faster attack speed | Mithridatism mutation is mandatory |
| 3 | 33–0% | Enrages, spawns spiderlings constantly, arena floods with poison | Use AoE to clear spiderlings, burst boss between spawns |
Broodmother Weakness: Spicy (fire) damage. Coaltana is the best weapon.
| Critical Prep | |
|---|---|
| Mutation | Mithridatism (poison immunity — without it you die in 10 seconds in Phase 3) |
| Mutation | Parry Master (broodmother combos are 4–5 hits in Phase 3) |
| Mutation | Meat Shield (extra HP cushion) |
| Weapon | Coaltana (level 5+, spicy damage) |
| Armor | Mant set (attack + execution healing) |
| Healing | 15+ Beefy Slurps, 5+ Fuzz on the Rocks |
| Smoothie | Boost juice (+20% damage for 10 minutes) |
Loot: Broodmother Head (wall mount), Broodmother Fang x6, Broodmother Venom x4, Club of the Mother Demon blueprint, Broodmother BURG.L chip.
Ending: Repair the Machine
After defeating the Broodmother:
- Enter the machine room (large chamber with the shrink ray device)
- Insert all 5 Super Chips into the console
- Solve the final alignment puzzle (match 3 rotating rings)
- Activate the machine repair sequence
- Watch the end cutscene
Post-Game Content
| Activity | What You Get |
|---|---|
| Shrink/grow at will | Teleport pads between yard scales |
| Buy all BURG.L items | Everything unlocked |
| Optional: Wasp Queen | Dust Wasp Armor, Wasp ranged weapon |
| Optional: Orchid Mantis | Mantis Armor (stealth), Mantis Spear |
| Optional: IBM (Infected Broodmother) | IBM trinkets, hardest fight in game |
| Achievement hunting | 100+ achievements |
| NG+ | Start over with all gear (scaled enemies) |
Gold Cards (100% Completion)
| Creature | Gold Card Effect |
|---|---|
| All bug types | Unlocks gold statues for base decoration |
| All bosses | Unlocks boss-themed base items |
| Gold Card drop rate | 1% per kill (10% with dissection expert) |
| Dissection Expert mutation | +10% gold card drop rate |
Time to 100%: 80–100 hours. Most of this is farming gold cards which are rare drops.
Story Walkthrough Tips
- Scan every lab item — Each lab has 15–20 scannable items. Scanning gives Raw Science + lore progress.
- Read all PDAs — Lab PDAs contain story context (what happened to the scientists, how the shrinking happened).
- BURG.L quests — After each Super Chip, BURG.L offers new quests. Do them for Raw Science.
- Don't skip optional bosses — The Wasp Queen drops the best ranged weapon. The Orchid Mantis drops the best stealth armor.
- Lab shortcuts — Each lab has a shortcut that opens after completing it (connects back to the yard surface).
- Boss summoning items — Some bosses (Broodmother, Wasp Queen) require summoned items crafted from specific bug parts.
- Build a lab outpost — Place a base with a respawn point near each lab entrance before attempting it.
- Bedrolls save progress — Save before each boss fight. Dying sends you back to your last bedroll.
- Multiplayer scaling — Bosses scale HP +50% per additional player. Don't bring extra players unless they're geared.
- Gliders save time — Between labs, use the web glider from the oak tree to navigate the yard quickly.