Only Bring These Essentials
One of the more challenging parts of Death Stranding is deciding on what to bring with you on a delivery run. Fret not, weary traveler; we have your back! Like a metaphorical bridge leading you over a river of confusion, let us clue you in on the vitals to tools necessary to survive in the world of Death Stranding. So grab a ladder and PCC, and come with us on this expedition! Below we detail some of the best items to bring before embarking on a delivery. For more Death Stranding features, check out our in-depth beginner's guide and our explainer highlighting all the most significant celebrity cameos we've found so far. For more Death Stranding features, be sure to check out our beginner's guide, and another that explains how long it takes to beat the game. You can also check out our full review, where reviews editor Kallie Plagge gave the game a 9/10 and said, "Death Stranding is a hard game to absorb. There are many intertwining threads to its plot, and silly names, corny moments, and heavy exposition belie an otherwise very simple message. That comes through much more clearly in the game's more mundane moments, when you find a desperately-needed ladder left behind by another player or receive a letter from an NPC thanking you for your efforts. It's positive without ignoring pain; in fact, it argues in both its story and its gameplay that adversity itself is what makes things worth doing and life worth living. It's a game that requires patience, compassion, and love, and it's also one we really need right now."
Ladder x2
Ladders are one of the most useful tools in your arsenal and can be handy when facing treacherous terrain. They can be used not only for climbing up to or down from high areas, but can also be placed horizontally to help bridge gaps and get over dangerous areas, like pitfalls and rushing rapids. Carrying two ladders is our general recommendation, but if you're lacking space, one should suffice.
Climbing Anchor x1
Ladders aren't the only essential tool to bring along; climbing anchors are just as important. With these, you can descend from any point with ease, but be mindful of how far you need to go. After all, a single anchor only has about 30 meters of rope to use, so try to be mindful of the distance you're climbing. Where the climbing anchor is most useful is the long-term value once you place one into the environment. You can use it on return trips to climb up or down, sparing you the inconvenience of navigating steep areas on foot. It's important to note that holding a climbing anchor's rope gives you perfect stability no matter what you're carrying on your back, which can be great for walking down steep hills when you've got a lot of cargo on your back. With all this said, we recommend taking at least one climbing anchor with you--maybe two if you have the room.
PCC x2
Another essential piece of equipment is the PCC (Portable Chiral Constructor). It's possibly the most critical piece of equipment you've got in your arsenal. The PCC functions similarly to a portable 3D printer and can be used to generate structures that can help you and other porters out immensely. These structures include postboxes, generators, watchtowers, bridges, and more. On a standard delivery, it helps always to have at least two PCCs at all times, which should suffice for constructing generators to charge any energy-consuming gear or vehicles you've taken with you. If you're the type to emphasize helping others, then you're always welcome to bring more, since PCCs don't take up too much space in your inventory.
Hematic Grenades x1
Hematic Grenades are your first line of defense against BTs when your effort to sneak past them goes south. They siphon Sam's blood into a grenade that explodes on impact--instantly taking out any BTs the explosion touches. Until you get the grenade pouches for the backpack in Episode 3, it's wise to keep at least one box of Hematic Grenades at all times, as each only contains five grenades. It should be more than enough to get you through BT territory early on.
Bridge Boots x1 (On Boot Clip)
You're going to be doing a lot of walking in Death Stranding, and something you may not consider is the boots that you're wearing. The more you walk, the more they gradually wear down, and once they're ruined, Sam's blood levels begin to drain--because his feet are literally bleeding. So the last thing you want to happen mid-delivery is to get stuck wearing torn-up shoes. To avoid some of the most uncomfortable shower scenes in video game history, you should always carry an extra set of Bridge Boots with you. It's possible to bring two, but it's not entirely necessary.
Exoskeleton x1
You don't unlock exoskeletons for use until Episode 3, but once you do, they're mandatory equipment. The first exoskeleton you get is the Power Skeleton, which is unlocked for fabrication after making a few deliveries for the Engineer. This lovely exoskeleton increases your carrying capacity significantly and even helps with traversal a bit by allowing you to sprint while carrying cargo that would generally make you fall over. More exoskeletons are unlocked the further along you get, and each excels at different things. For example, the Speed Skeleton allows you to move and sprint much faster at the cost of increased battery drain speed. Once you get a few more options, weigh in on which best suits your needs during a delivery. Regardless, once you get access to exoskeletons, there's no looking back.
Bola Gun x1
With BTs and MULEs running around, you never know when you'll need to defend yourself. To ensure you're prepared, it helps to have a firearm. The Bola Gun is handy for quick self-defense against MULEs. You first unlock it from the Craftsman during Episode 3 after finding and delivering his tools. If you keep doing deliveries for the Craftsman, you'll eventually unlock the Bola Gun (LV. 2), which infuses Sam's blood into its ammo, allowing you to disable BTs temporarily. Since the Bola Gun is a medium-sized piece of cargo, it does take up a bit of space. To help circumvent this issue, we recommend equipping it to your tool wrack to clear up space in your backpack. If you use another tool, the Bola Gun will get rearranged onto your back, but when this happens, quickly reorganize to get back the ideal backpack space.
Container Repair Spray x1
Always be sure to pack a Container Repair Spray, which you unlock for fabrication early on. This handy tool can restore cargo containers after exposure to Timefall, which can be extremely helpful in preventing cargo from taking damage during long treks. We recommend using it right before your about to complete a delivery at a terminal.
Any Delivery Vehicle x1
It's not always necessary, but sometimes the burden you need to carry is too much no matter how you redistribute the cargo on Sam's person. Vehicles like the Reverse Trike and the Truck can assist with what you can't carry. When you fabricate a vehicle, you're free to distribute cargo onto it. Though be mindful that too much cargo on a vehicle will dramatically decrease its top speed. We recommend the truck for most deliveries due to its high carrying capacity. Its long-range variant is especially useful when taking on multiple deliveries at the same time thanks to its extended battery power. On the other hand, long-range Reverse Trikes are also great for essential deliveries despite the cargo space trade-off.
Bonus: Floating Carrier x1
You unlock the floating carrier later on during Episode 3. It's basically a carrying cart you can attach to your belt that holds more cargo. It takes up a lot of space in your backpack, so we don't wholeheartedly recommend bringing one with you before every delivery, but it's essential if you've got a large order that requires you to go through territory that doesn't allow vehicle access. It's also worth packing with you when you need to transport a ton of materials to a large structure you're building. Oh, and you can jump on the floating carrier and ride it like skateboard down steep hills. It's super fun...and dangerous.
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