Crafting Bench upgrades: Healing Module, Portal Suppression, and Storage Access

Field Complaint

I see upgrade slots on my Crafting Bench but I have no idea what they do or which ones to prioritize.

Validated Response

Those upgrade slots are not cosmetic — they transform your bench from a work surface into the most important structure in your base. Your Crafting Bench requires power for most recipes, and upgrades persist when you package and move the bench, so invest early. The Portal Suppression Field is the one you want first, full stop. It suppresses all Portal Storms near the bench, which means fewer enemies spawning on top of your stuff. The recipe is 4x Raw Exor Heart, 2x Anteverse Gem, and 8x Military Electronics — expensive, but worth every material. The range is limited though; some players report portals still opening 3 to 5 yards away, and non-portal assaults can still happen, so it is not a magic invincibility bubble. After that, the Storage Access Module is a quality-of-life godsend — it automatically pulls ingredients from nearby storage containers so you can craft without manually digging through crates. The Healing Module gives you health regeneration over time when you stand near the bench, which is great for outpost setups away from your main base. The Agriculture Module boosts up to 6 nearby plants' effectiveness. Beyond the bench itself, the Enhancement Bench handles weapon and gear upgrades, and the Repair and Salvage Station fixes broken items or breaks them down for parts. Stack your storage crates within range of the bench for the Storage Access Module and you will wonder how you ever played without it.

Summary

The Portal Suppression Field is your most important upgrade. Get it before you build traps, or enemies will just spawn on top of your bench anyway.

Prerequisites

• Have a powered Crafting Bench placed in your base
• Gather Raw Exor Heart, Anteverse Gem, and Military Electronics for the Portal Suppression Field
• Understand that upgrades persist when you package and move the bench

Recommended Loadout

• Portal Suppression Field upgrade (4x Raw Exor Heart + 2x Anteverse Gem + 8x Military Electronics)
• Storage Access Module upgrade
• Healing Module upgrade

Step-by-Step Route

1. Prioritize the Portal Suppression Field upgrade above all other base improvements — it suppresses Portal Storms near your bench
2. Install the Healing Module for passive healing near the bench, especially useful at outpost benches
3. Install the Storage Access Module so the bench automatically pulls ingredients from nearby storage crates
4. Stack storage crates within bench range for the auto-access feature
5. Consider the Agriculture Module for boosted plant effectiveness near the bench
6. Package the bench when moving bases — all installed upgrades carry over

Common Mistakes

• Building elaborate trap setups before installing Portal Suppression, then watching enemies spawn on the bench anyway
• Forgetting that upgrades persist through packaging — players waste materials re-crafting modules
• Placing the bench far from storage and not getting the Storage Access Module, turning every craft into a scavenger hunt