Overview: Mother Base

Learn how to upgrade platforms, manage personnel, and utilize Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) to expand your Mother Base in Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain.

Alright, let's talk about Mother Base in Metal Gear Solid V. It's not just a place to stash your rescued soldiers; it's a living, breathing part of your operation that you'll be constantly developing. Think of it as your home turf, and keeping it running smoothly is key to your success.

When you first start out, Mother Base is pretty basic, just a few platforms with attached units. But here's the cool part: every soldier or prisoner you snag with your Fulton Device out in the field contributes to leveling up these units. As they level up, they unlock all sorts of new functions that'll make your life easier. Of course, you can't just keep adding units forever; you'll need to build more platforms to expand. You can check out all your platforms and plan upgrades through the Mother Base tab on your iDroid. Just remember, you'll need both GMP (that's your cash) and the right resources to get those upgrades done.

Speaking of resources, there are two kinds: processed and unprocessed. You'll find small amounts of processed materials scattered around the maps, but honestly, it's not much. The real haul comes from your Base Development Unit. They'll gather resources for you, but they'll be in unprocessed form. Over time, they'll also process these raw materials for you. Eventually, you'll even get an upgrade for your Fulton Device that lets you snag vehicles and large containers, which are packed with unprocessed materials. There's even a neat trick to farm these containers in specific missions, so keep an eye out for that on the Farming Resources page!

Now, about the soldiers you extract: each one comes with a hidden letter rank for different units. Initially, you won't see these, but as you upgrade your Int-Scope, you'll start to get a clearer picture. The higher you upgrade, the more you'll be able to see those top-tier S++ troops. Your Int-Scope upgrade also reveals hidden skills some enemies possess. These skills usually fall into Combat, R&D, or Medical units. Most are super helpful, but watch out for the 'Troublemaker' skill – personnel with that can cause issues for your crew. Unless they've got seriously high stats, it's usually best to dismiss them.

Once you hit Mission 22, you'll unlock something huge: Forward Operating Bases, or FOBs. These are extensions of your main Mother Base and can only be accessed when you're playing online. If you go offline, you won't be able to make any changes to your FOBs. The kicker? You can invade other players' FOBs, and they can invade yours! You'll get an alert if you're online when someone's trying to raid your base. Your first FOB is free, but any extras will cost you Mother Base Coins, which you can earn through daily rewards or buy with real money. Building up your FOBs lets you expand your platforms even further, meaning more personnel and higher unit levels, complementing your offline base development.