Best Planet Types To Live On

No Man’s Sky takes you across the universe on a journey that is as incredible as it is daunting. There are many uncharted worlds to be discovered using the massive galactic map, each bringing its own sense of wonder and dread. However, not all planets feature the right conditions to make a home base, with some lacking the basic resources or even gravity required to accomplish such a task.

Generally, exploring planets in No Man’s Sky is like searching through a mixed bag, with many planets rife with minerals and plant life but also containing deadly storms and harsh conditions. Overall, when it comes to finding a home planet among the endless sea of stars, the choices range from livable to downright deadly.

Updated October 30, 2024, by Meaghan Daly: No Man’s Sky continues to add exciting new features to its already massive lineup. Since the launch of the Worlds 1 update — and with Worlds 2 on the horizon — you can now enjoy aquatic landings, fishing, and vastly improved graphics. Those fresh volumetric clouds aren’t just for show, though; they’re covering new planets teeming with life.

10 Dissonant

Sentinel Interceptor Treasure Trove

Dissonant planets first appeared in the 2023 “Interceptor” update. They’re exclusive to dissonant systems, and they’re also home to unique enemies and rewards. The most obvious sign of a dissonant planet is a surplus of lovely purple crystals. You’ll also see crystal-bearing robotic behemoths dotting the landscape. Though tantalizing, these shards are guarded by corrupted sentinels.

But don’t worry; your risks will be justly rewarded. These crystals yield rare resources, which you’ll use to repair any crashed interceptor ships you stumble upon. You can also refine any excess Atlantideum into sweet, sweet nanites.

9 Volcanic

Demon Lord HQ

Volcanic planets are — as the name implies — a dangerous place to build your base. Most are covered in frequent storms, and literal flaming winds can turn your poor Traveler into intergalactic jerky. However, braving these burning biomes can be well worth the risk.

Visually, volcanic planets are stunning. If you set yourself up at the base of a volcano, you’ll get to enjoy frequent firework-like eruptions. You’ll also gain easy access to basalt, a resource exclusive to these fiery planets.

8 Marsh

Safe And Psychedelic

Marsh planets are exactly what they sound like — damp, humid places with plenty of fungi to scrape into your inventory. Most of these Florida-adjacent worlds look like lush or toxic planets, but they’re rarely as dangerous. At worst, you may be chased by some unfriendly fauna.

Thus, you can freely enjoy the massive, psychedelic mushrooms sprouting from the rolling hills. You’ll also find plenty of plants to gather, which may pair well with the fish you can catch in the planet’s many lakes and swamps. However, you’ll want to keep an eye on the weather forecast. Some planets can spawn toxic rainstorms that will quickly drain your life support systems.

7 Frozen

Your Winter Wonderland

Frozen planets are the perfect spot for fans of winter, snow, and ice. These frosty landscapes may be populated by curiously unfrozen water, and most are covered in evergreen-like trees. Wander the wonderland a bit, and you’ll find massive frost crystals. You can toss these into a nutrient refiner to make flour or pair it with custard to create delicious ice cream.

However, you’ll want to bring plenty of protection. Despite their beauty, most of these planets naturally sit in the “absolutely, unequivocally, and dangerously cold” temperature range. Particularly harsh frozen planets can even generate deadly storms, which can sap low-end life support systems in seconds. So, if you don’t have the best hazard protection modules, bring plenty of recharges.

6 Barren

High Risk, High Reward

Barren worlds may not look like the best places to call home, but they can be one of the safer variety of planets to put down roots on. As is always the case with deserts in video games, they tend to run very hot indeed, so players will need to be mindful of their hazard suits during intense heat storms. These Barren Planets are also home to valuable resources like Cactus Flesh and Sticky Honey.

While these worlds are hospitable, the landscape isn’t as appealing, and the flora and fauna found here can leave much to be desired. For those looking for something that brings out the natural beauty of the game’s presentation and aren’t afraid to take a bit of a risk, a trip to one of the Barren worlds might be in order.

5 Water World

Under The Sea

At first glance, you may think that water world may be the worst place to build your home base. Luckily, similar to games like Subnautica, No Man’s Sky offers the ability to build an underwater fortress. You’ll also have plenty of chances to catch fish or — for the more daring — scout out abysmal horrors.

Typically, these planets have small islands where you can land your ship. Alternatively, you can install the aqua jet module and land directly on the massive ocean. You can then swim and build freely with just your exosuit and some spacefaring scuba modules. The Nautilon exocraft is another option, offering more protection from the elements and much faster underwater traversal.

4 Dead Planet

The Beauty Of Solitude

While a dead planet may not seem like the most hospitable place to call home, some of these void-like landscapes can be drop-dead gorgeous. Since a Dead Planet has no atmosphere, there will be no flora or fauna spawning on these planets and no hazardous storms to fight off.

Interestingly, some dead planets — known as chromatic worlds — have unique filters that change how the game presents itself, shifting the colors of your spaceship, multitool, and freighter. Ultimately, a dead planet is such a great place to build your home base since it offers no hostile threats or sentinels, allowing you to freely live and explore in comfortable solace.

3 Exotic

Variety And Abundance

Exotic planets can be among the most varied in No Man’s Sky, and because they are not hazardous to roam compared to other planets, these curious places are a great choice for a home base. These planets are defined by their unpredictability, with their weather, resources, and wildlife being unique from case to case. If you believe that variety truly is the spice of life, then these planets are ideal for the intrepid explorer inside you.

An abundance of gold can be found on these unique-looking planets, and some of them boast unusual terrain and creatures that won’t be seen elsewhere. Despite the seemingly random nature of Exotic planets, they are habitable and can make for some interesting experiences while exploring.

Beams

Often displayed as planets with pillars of light or ‘fissured’ features, exotic beam planets are covered in light-spewing geysers. Small iterations of these light fissures can be snagged for later use on your base, although they don’t emit much useful light.

Aside from their stunning appearance, beam worlds host one of two intriguing critters. One is little more than a trail of erupting dust or plasma, while the other is an admittedly adorable blob of goo. Most of these planets are fairly calm, rarely spawning storms or weather conditions. Still, pack some hazard protection modules to be safe.

Fract Cube

Also known as “nanophage” planets, exotic frac cube worlds are populated by retrofuturistic star-like objects. These metallic features appear to be made of metal and have a glowing red or white core at their center. You’ll sometimes see smaller objects floating in the sky, although these may not be scannable.

Fittingly, most of these planets are dubbed “mechanical” or “metallic” worlds on planetary scans. Their resources vary, but you’ll usually find plenty of metals and basic supplies. As with every true exotic world, fract cube planets spawn stabilized reality glitches that can be used as decor in your base. This exotic planet’s trophy is the Terbium Growth, a scaled-down version of the biome’s massive metal stars.

Shards

Sharded exotic planets are populated by monolithic rectangular pillars of stone and metal. The smaller version of such features, the Glitching Separator, can be built in a rainbow of colors in any base. More importantly, you can snag some incredibly strange companions from these boxy worlds. These crystal elementals resemble floating crystals, but they’re fully sentient and adoptable fauna.

But beware, many of these “columned” and “pillared” worlds are home to large sentinel populations. Bring plenty of weapon upgrades and ammunition before venturing to these strangely geometric wonders. Otherwise, enjoy your slice of obsidian-hued Minecraft in space.

Wire Cell

Usually dubbed “shattered” or “fractured” worlds by your planetary scanner, wire cell planets are covered in massive pillars of rainbow-hued polygons. You may think you’ve suddenly hit a low-poly glitch in the game, but these strange formations are intentional. You’ll find a similarly strange native animal, as it resembles little more than a floating rectangle.

Many wire cell worlds are rich in sodium, although the exact availability is dictated by the galaxy’s classification. Unfortunately, you can’t take home the twisted pillars of low-poly glory. However, you can snag some floating electrical cubes to scatter around your base.

2 Lush

No Shortage Of Beauty

Of all the planet types to live on in No Man’s Sky, a lush planet is arguably one of the most sought-after places to build a base. Lush planets possess no environmental hazards or need special equipment, and they often have a reliable amount of resources such as Nitrogen, Paraffinium, Star Bulbs, and plenty of water.

With their Earth-like features spawning plenty of animals across their surfaces, not to mention these planets typically lack environmental hazards found on other planets, Lush planets are easily among the overall best ones in the game to call home. As evident from their name, these planets can also have some legitimately beautiful landscapes worth a screenshot. In addition, they serve as the perfect backdrop for a meet-up with other players.

1 Paradise Planet

Perfect Year-Round

As an offshoot of the lush planet, paradise planets are incredibly similar to Lush worlds but offer conditions that are always perfect. While some Lush Planets may contain the occasional super-heated rainstorm or hazardous winds, Paradise Planets will never spawn dangerous weather, ensuring that you will never have to worry about the condition of your hazard suit.

Furthermore, since these planets are incredibly similar to Earth, many players choose to build their bases across these scenic vistas. If you are looking for companionship in this ever-expanding universe, settle down on a paradise planet with other players to form the perfect sense of community.