The recent No Man’s Sky Sentinel update added a lot of fresh content to the game, including new mechanics, weapons, and tools. It also notably added a use for Basalt, a resource that was added to No Man’s Sky back in 2020 in the Origins update, but had no associated crafting recipe or use in the game whatsoever. With the Sentinel update, we finally know what Basalt is used for in No Man’s Sky.
First, to get Basalt you should head to a planet with lots of volcanic activity. Just like on Earth IRL, Basalt forms from cooled-down solidified lava. Basalt is not uncommon if you’re on the right planet, and you can easily stockpile a lot of it. Once you have at least 70 Basalt, you can head to the Space Anomaly to put it to use. In No Man’s Sky, Basalt is only used for one thing at the moment: to craft the Voltaic Amplifier upgrade for the Multi-Tool. This upgrade costs 70 Basalt, 2 Ion Batteries, and 1 Wiring Loom to make. While equipped, the Voltaic Amplifier increases all weapon damage dealt against Stunned enemies. It’s not clear how exactly No Man’s Sky weaponizes Basalt in such a way, but “voltaic” sounds a bit like “volcanic” so at least you have an easy mnemonic to help you remember where to look for Basalt.
