You're staring at a wall of clover. It’s green. It’s dense. It all looks exactly the same. If you’ve been running around the flooded zone or the grasslands in Grounded for more than ten minutes, you probably feel like you're losing it. Finding a grounded 4 leaf clover location isn't just about luck, despite what the name implies. It’s actually a specific environmental puzzle that Obsidian Entertainment tucked away to reward players who aren't afraid to get a little wet and very lost.
Most people think they can just stumble upon one while hunting aphid or gathering plant fibers. You can't. Well, technically there are a couple of ways to interact with these rare plants, but the "main" one—the one that actually grants you the Coup de Grass mutation—is hidden behind a navigation challenge that stops most players cold.
The Underwater Tunnel Strategy
Forget the surface. To find the primary grounded 4 leaf clover location, you need to head toward the pond, but don't go jumping into the deep water just yet. You are looking for a specific, unremarkable-looking drainage pipe.
It’s near the western edge of the pond, specifically south of the Pagoda. Look for a stone landmark. Near the base of the water's edge, there’s a submerged cave entrance. It's dark. It's cramped. Honestly, it’s a bit claustrophobic if you don't have a diving lantern or at least a decent torch.
Once you dive in, you have to swim through a winding tunnel. This is where people usually mess up. They panic because their oxygen meter starts blinking red. If you haven't crafted a Gill Tube or a Fin Flops yet, this swim is going to be tight. Like, "pixel-perfect timing" tight. You’ll see a light at the end of the tunnel. Swim toward it. When you surface, you aren't in the pond anymore. You’re inside a hidden cavern.
And there it is. Standing in a shaft of light in the middle of a cave. The four-leaf clover.
Why the Coup de Grass Mutation Actually Matters
Walking up to this clover isn't just for a screenshot. When you get close enough to the grounded 4 leaf clover location in this cave, the game triggers a discovery. You unlock the first tier of the Coup de Grass mutation.
What does it do? It increases your critical hit chance.
In a game where a stray Wolf Spider can end your entire career in two bites, crits are everything. Tier 1 gives you a base increase. If you want Tier 2, you have to find the 20-sided die (the d20) in the picnic table area and roll a "natural 20" by hitting it with a hammer. But you can't even get that second level until you've visited this specific clover. It’s a prerequisite.
The Second Spot: The Hedge and Beyond
Is there more than one? Sorta.
If you are exploring the Hedge—the massive labyrinth of branches in the southeast—you might find another clover reference, but it’s not the one that gives you the "big" reward. There's also the "luck" factor involved with the resource itself. See, four-leaf clovers aren't just static landmarks; they are also a rare drop.
When you chop down standard three-leaf clovers, there is an incredibly low chance—we’re talking sub-1% levels of RNG—that a four-leaf clover will drop. This is a nightmare for completionists. Most players will spend hours deforesting the backyard and never see one drop from a regular plant.
The "Static" location in the cave is the only guaranteed way to interact with the mechanic without relying on the mercy of the game’s random number generator.
Dealing With the Technicalities of the Cave
Let's talk logistics for the cave swim. You've got options.
- Option A: The suicide run. You eat a bunch of oxygen-heavy meals, sprint-swim, and hope you hit the surface with 1 HP left. I don't recommend this. It's annoying to get your backpack back from the bottom of a cave.
- Option B: The Slime Lantern. It’s cheap. It works underwater. You need Lilypad Wax and Eelgrass.
- Option C: The Fluid Flippers. If you’ve killed a few Boatmen, you have no excuse not to have these. They make the swim trivial.
The cave itself is mostly empty, which is eerie. There aren't any massive bosses waiting to eat you once you surface, which feels like a trick. It’s just you, some moss, and the clover. It’s one of the few moments of genuine peace in the backyard. Enjoy it before a mosquito finds you on the way out.
Survival Tips for the Flooded Zone
The area surrounding the entrance to the grounded 4 leaf clover location is treacherous for early-game players. The Flooded Zone is crawling with Gnats and, more importantly, those annoying mosquitoes.
If you’re coming here early, stay low. Use the grass for cover. If a mosquito spots you, and you’re still rocking clover armor yourself, you’re done. They have a vertical advantage that makes evasion difficult in the open water.
Check your map coordinates. If you're looking at the map, look for the "Y" shape where the pond meets the grassy verge. That’s your target. If you reach the oak tree, you’ve gone too far east. If you reach the picnic table, you’re way too far west.
Misconceptions About the Clover
A lot of people on Reddit and Discord claim that you need a Tier 2 axe to "harvest" the clover in the cave. This is a myth. You don't harvest the clover in the cave to get the mutation. You just have to stand near it. In fact, if you try to chop it down, you’ll find it’s indestructible.
The harvestable four-leaf clovers are the ones that occasionally (and rarely) spawn in the wild or as a result of the "clover harvesting" RNG. Don't waste your time swinging your axe at the one in the secret cave. It's a landmark, not a resource node.
Building a Path to Success
If you're serious about long-term survival, you should build a small lean-to near the pond's edge before you attempt the underwater tunnel.
Why? Because the backyard is mean.
You might drown. You might get clipped by a swimming spider. Having a spawn point 50 centimeters away from the tunnel entrance saves you a ten-minute run from the Mystery Machine.
Also, bring a snack. The cave doesn't have much in the way of food. You don't want to find the legendary clover only to starve to death while admiring its leaves.
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Leveraging the Mutation
Once you've found the grounded 4 leaf clover location and secured Tier 1 of Coup de Grass, change your loadout. Pair this mutation with the "Trapper Peepr" mutation if you have it. Trapper Peepr increases your critical hit damage.
Think about that. One mutation makes you crit more often. The other makes those crits hit like a truck. When you combine these with a fast weapon like the Spider Fang Dagger or the Tick Macuahuitl, you turn into a DPS machine. You’ll start seeing those yellow damage numbers popping up constantly. It changes the game from "struggling to survive" to "hunting the hunters."
Final Action Steps for Players
To secure your progress and make the most of this discovery, follow this specific sequence:
- Craft a Slime Mold Lantern and Fin Flops. Do not attempt the western pond drain without them unless you are an expert at managing the oxygen glitch.
- Locate the submerged pipe. It’s positioned between the Pagoda and the western rock wall. Look for the glow of the cave if it’s nighttime, or the dark circular opening during the day.
- Swim through the tunnel until you reach the air pocket. Walk toward the light to trigger the "Coup de Grass" mutation notification.
- Travel to the Picnic Table. Head to the top of the table (requires explosives or a very long ramp) and find the d20 die.
- Hit the d20 with a Mint Mace or similar hammer. You need it to land on a 20. This will pop the notification for Tier 2 of the mutation.
- Equip both Coup de Grass and Trapper Peepr. This combo is the gold standard for late-game builds, especially when dealing with the Broodmother or the Mantis.
Finding the clover is a rite of passage. It’s the moment you stop being a victim of the backyard and start using its secrets to fight back. Get to the cave, get your mutation, and start landing those crits.