DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR'S CUT

DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR'S CUT

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A PORTER'S GUIDE TO STRANDING DEATH
By Dio Aloke
This is just a compilation of useful information about the game, a mix of things I learned by playing and from Reddit, a check-list of bases/unlocks and tips for the boss battles. I played on Very Hard in the Director's Cut version, so all my boss tips work for that.
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PSAs (Things I Wish I Knew Sooner)
UI & INTERACTIONS
You don't need to watch the cutscene that warns you of BTs everytime. It gets annoying fast. Head to Game Settings and change it to 'First time only'.


Delivering cargo will be much less annoying with this tip. In Game Settings change Default Option for Delivering Lost Cargo to 'Don't do anything'.


You can select multiple items in menus by holding the left mouse button.

You can switch the side the camera sits behind Sam by clicking T. This can be helpful while traversing BT areas to have a clear view of the Odradek sensor or to aim better in tight spaces or behind cover.

When picking lots of items that are close together, simply hold the button (F or E) to grab everything in range. Great for picking chiralium after defeteaing a BT boss or Cryptobiotes in a colony.

MAP
You can tilt the map to see terrain elevation by holding the ALT key and moving your mouse.

You can dismantle structures from the map. Simply select it and hold F.


You can see the content of Postboxes from the map. Select it and click left mouse button.


You can see which bases have Orders *TO* a particular base by selecting it and pressing F. Useful when you're trying to max reputation with that base.


You can see network coverage by pressing T while on the map screen. Useful to see where you can build stuff and particularly for roads, which get cheaper when covered by the network.


You can see the weather forecast for up to the next 30 minutes. This can be useful when you want to avoid BTs/timefall. Press T twice while in the map screen and W and S to advance or turn back time. Use in conjunction with Timefall Shelters and the sleep feature to avoid unnecessary wear & tear.


Is your map too clutered? You can select which icons appear by opening the legend and (un)selecting them by pressing F while in the map screen.


CARGO & TRANSPORT
Cargo container health isn't that important. It only protects the cargo from impacts like when you fall or drop packages. You can deliver an order with 0% container health and still get max ratings if the cargo itself has 100% health. You only need to take care not to fall, drop it or damage the packages by driving recklessly.

If you want to drive a vehicle over rough terrain and guarantee you won't damage the cargo you're carrying, put it in your back. It won't take damage no matter from how high you fall, provided it doesn't fall from your back.

Itens in your back that have the special icon that means they're *inside* Sam's backpack won't fall no matter if you stumble to the ground or are hit. Use this to keep essential items like weapons so as not to lose them, but it also protects more fragile cargo.

You can bring *one* Floating Carrier with you in ziplines.

You can chain *two* Floating Carriers together.

You can ride a Floating Carrier downhill like it was a skateboard. It's difficult to control and you'll probably stumble and/or fall, so take care.

You can tie cargo in the rear compartment of the Tranporter Trike, Floating Carrier or Buddy Bot by equipping your Strand rope and using it on them.

WEARING THERMAL PADS DAMAGES CHILLED CARGO.

STRUCTURES
Upgrading structures both restores its condition and makes it more resistance to wear. Level 2 grants +50% degradation resistance, while Level 3 grants +150%. To make the most of a structure's durability, let it degrade, then upgrade it (unless of course you need the extra functions of an upgraded structure, like the extra 50m range for Level 2 ziplines)

Deleting shared (green) structures not only cleans up your world, but also can give you more useful structures, since the game tries to keep every area populated. It doesn't free bandwidth.

COMBAT & HEALING

Consuming Cryptobiotes heals you instantly while using Blood Bags has a delay and heals you over time. Be aware that you'll consume multiple Cryptobiotes to restore full health at a rate of 25 mL of blood per unit, so keep a good stock of them!

MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR GEAR
BUDDY BOT
(thanks thomas2026 and TheGameMastre on Reddit!)

Use it to deliver player's Lost Cargo, it'll stop at each base and then enter standby. You can then set it to follow mode and will make its way back to you.

Use it to do Regular Orders, either that give lots of likes or resupply bases. Like another Delivery Bot.

Use it as a distraction. Bring it to the MULE camp, load some lost cargo on it and tell it to deliver it. The MULEs will run after it while you do your stuff.

Use to return home. Just put a lost cargo on Sam, sit on the bot and tell it to deliver.

As a 3rd floating carrier, Load it with materials, a lost cargo, and tell it to deliver.

Can't fit everything on a truck? Use the Buddy Bot as extra storage and have it follow you to your destination.

Use to deliver materials with a single piece of lost cargo. Note that you'll need to either dismantle the bot after or take out the materials from personal storage, otherwise when you call it elsewhere it'll bring back the materials. Another better way to make this is to load it with materials, set it to follow and then Fragile jump to where you want.

Roadside assistance. Load it with emergency supplies, like PCC, boots, skeleton, gloves, sticky gun, weapons, etc. And then leave it on standby and call it when you find yourself in a bad spot in the middle of nowhere.

BACKPACK ACESSORIES
You can put some acessories in Sam's backpack that have an impact in the gameplay. While some are fairly straightforward, others are a bit vague.

BELL
It has some kind of effect on BTs. (maybe it makes them less likely to detect you?)
Unlocked by reaching 1 star with Novelist's Son


BRIDGES ENERGY DRINK
Increases Sam's stamina. (not sure if this increases Sam's stamina bar or makes it deplete slower)
Unlocked by reaching 3 stars with First Prepper


CRYPTOBIOTE
Cryptobiotes are less likely to flee as you pick them at a hive.
Unlocked by reaching 4 stars with Heartman's Lab


LOVE KNOT
Increases the number of likes you receive from others.
Unlocked by reaching 1 star with Spiritualist


ONE DOLLAR COIN
Increases your chance of finding chiral crystals.
Unlocked by delivering any lost cargo to Spiritualist


PORTER
Displays fellow porter as icons on the map.


WEATHER TALISMAN
Decreases the chance of timefall. (I don't feel this makes a perceptible difference)
Unlocked by reaching 4 stars with Weather Station


WINDWILL
Makes BB more resistant to stress. (not sure if this increases BB's stress bar or makes it deplete slower)
Unlocked by reaching 1 star with Distribution Center South of Lake Knot City
EASTERN REGION CHECKLIST
Incorporating bases to the chiral network often unlocks new stuff for you to use. Increasing their connection level (the stars) also unlocks stuff, but some things are locked behind specific orders. The specifics can be a bit a confusing in some cases, so there might be a mistake here and there. If you do all Orders for Sam and max stars with everyone you will unlock everything, this is just so you can have an idea of what to prioritize.

CAPITAL KNOT CITY (CKC)
3 STARS: Bridges Cap (supposedly reduces stamina consumption)


WAYSTATION WEST OF CKC
JOIN: Postbox


LUDENS FAN
(Optional)


DISTRIBUTION CENTER WEST OF CKC
ORDER 7: Bridge, Bridges Boots Lv.1
ORDER 8: Containter Repair Spray
ORDER 77: Maser Gun, Support Skeleton


WIND FARM
JOIN: Generator


MUSICIAN
(Optional)
JOIN: Harmonica (playing it restores BB's condition faster than soothing it, but it has a limit)


PORT KNOT CITY
CENTRAL REGION CHECKLIST #1
LAKE KNOT CITY (LKC)
JOIN: Smoke-Emitting Decoy Cargo
4 STARS: Reverse Trike - Transport


ENGINEER
JOIN: Power Skeleton Lv.1, Smoke Grenade Lv.1
3 STARS: Power Skeleton Lv.2, Smoke Grenade Lv.2
4 STARS: Power Skeleton Lv. 3


ELDER
3 STARS: Vog-Emitting Decoy Cargo (warning: this kills MULEs)


CRAFTSMAN
JOIN: Bola Gun Lv.1
3 STARS: Bola Gun Lv.2
S RANK COMPLETION ORDERS: Custom Hematic Grenade

DISTRIBUTION CENTER SOUTH OF LKC
JOIN: Bridges Boots Lv.2, Premium Orders
4 STARS: Truck - Long Range Lv.2
5 STARS: Truck - Long Range Lv.3


COLLECTOR
2 STARS: Backpack Cover Lv.1 (protects cargo inside backpack from timefall)
4 STARS: Backpack Cover Lv.2


FILM DIRECTOR
2 STARS: Hologram Generator (stealth active camouflage)


WEATHER STATION
JOIN: PCC Lv.2, Floating Carrier Lv.1, Timefall Shelter, Safe House
3 STARS: Floating Carrier Lv.2
S RANK COMPLETION ORDERS: Weather Talisman (first time)


TIMEFALL FARM
ORDER 28: Scanner Nullification
3 STARS: Odradek Human Detection


JUNK DEALER
2 STARS: Speed Skeleton Lv.1, Grenade
3 STARS: Speed Skeleton Lv. 2
4 STARS: Remote Stun Bomb
5 STARS: Speed Skeleton Lv. 3
S RANK COMPLETION ORDERS: Custom Chiral Ladder


CHIRAL ARTIST
JOIN: Anti-BT Handgun Lv.1
3 STARS: Anti-BT Handgun Lv.2
S RANK COMPLETION ORDERS: Chiral Boots


COSPLAYER
JOIN: Otter Head (you don't drop cargo when in deep water and can swim better), Grenade Pouch (backpack customization)
2 STARS: Utility Pouch (backpack customization)
3 STARS: Large Grenade Pouch (backpack customization)


SOUTH KNOT CITY
JOIN: Assault Rifle Lv.1, Handgun Lv.1
3 STARS: Handgun Lv.2, Reverse Trike - Defensive
4 STARS: Truck - Defensive


MAMA'S LAB
JOIN: Zipline
CENTRAL REGION CHECKLIST #2
WAYSTATION NORTH OF MKC
JOIN: Armor Plate Lv.1, Non-Lethal Assault Rifle Lv.1
3 STARS: Armor Plate Lv.2
4 STARS: Armor Plate Lv.3
5 STARS: Armor Plate Lv.4

DISTRIBUTION CENTER NORTH OF MKC
JOIN: Assault Rifle Lv.2, Non-Lethal Assault Rifle Lv.2
3 STARS: Spare Ammo Pouch (backpack customization)
4 STARS: Extra Battery Lv.2 (backpack customization)
5 STARS: Extra Battery Lv.3 (backpack customization)

NOVELIST'S SON
2 STARS: Bell (backpack acessory)
S RANK COMPLETION ORDERS: D-Cryptobiote (a single unit heals full health instantly)

MOUNTAIN KNOT CITY (MKC)
JOIN: Stabilizer Lv.1 (backpack customization), Cargo Catapult
3 STARS: Assault Rifle Lv.3, Non-Lethal Assault Rifle Lv.3
4 STARS: Stabilizer Lv.2 (backpack customization)
5 STARS: Stabilizer Lv.3 (backpack customization)

DOCTOR
JOIN: Canteen Lv.2
S RANK COMPLETION ORDERS: High-Capacity Blood Bag

ROBOTICIST
JOIN: All-Terrain Skeleton Lv.1
3 STARS: All-Terrain Skeleton Lv.2
4 STARS: All-Terrain Skeelton Lv.3

MOUNTAINEER
JOIN: Bridges Boots Lv.3, Power Gloves

PHOTOGRAPHER
JOIN: Shotgun, Riot Shotgun
3 STARS: Shotgun Lv.2
4 STARS: Riot Shotgun Lv.2

SPIRITUALIST
S RANK COMPLETION ORDERS: 600 Chemicals

HEARTMAN'S LAB
JOIN: Thermal Pad

GEOLOGIST
JOIN: Climbing Anchor Lv.2

PALEONTOLOGIST
JOIN: Oxygen Mask, Hematic Grenade Lv. 2

EVO-DEVO BIOLOGIST
JOIN: Grenade Launcher
4 STARS: Multi-Rocket Launcher

VETERAN PORTER

FIRST PREPPER
CLIFF FIGHT #1 - WWI
*** SPOILER WARNING *** (I mean, C'mon, but don't go saying I didn't warn you)

It'll trigger after you've delivered the supplies to South Knot City. You can still rest and fabricate items before leaving the building, so take this opportunity to go better prepared.

Cliff and his minions are a mix between human and BT, at least when it comes to what weapons are effective against them. The game will provide you with plenty of lethal (orange) weapons, but Cliff & co. take more damage from Hematic Grenade and Anti-BT weapons. If you hit them with a Hematic Grenade and then shoot them, you'll deal the most damage.
Ideally you should pack as many Custom Hematic Grenades as possible for this fight, preferably in the special containers in the back of Sam's backpack.

Smoke Grenades Lv. 2 are useful, but bring only 1 in case you get overwhelmed: just toss it and run away to break vision and try again. You can unlock this item by reaching 3 stars with Engineer.

Bring a full Utility Pouch worth of new Blood Bags, but it's worth to have a healthy supply of Cryptobiotes as well, since they can heal you instantly and in higher difficullties you'll die pretty quick in open combat,

This might be the hardest fight of all because of the cramped trenches that offer no real cover and block your aim. The higher the difficulty you're in, the more you'll need to be careful and take your time. Focus on finding and killing Cliff, which you'll have to do 4 times before the fight is over.

You can walk normally and even run for most of the time, but if you sense an enemy close go into stealth and use the camera to see them in corners and such. You can switch the camera by pressing T and this helps a lot here.

You can sneak kill the skeletal soldiers with your Strand. If you use it on Cliff, he'll be downed for a couple seconds, opening him for attack. This works even if he's alerted if you use a Smoke Grenade and get behind him, but this might be trick since he isn't highlighted by the Odradek like human enemies.

You'll find plenty of weapons here, but focus on getting the Shotguns.

My favorite strategy here is to get a Strand execution on Cliff if possible, followed by a Custom Hematic Grenade or 2 while he's down and then blasting him at close range with the Shotgun. He goes fairly easily this way even on Very Hard.

Hematic Grenades create a red fog that makes it difficult to see, but if your reticule gets red, that means you'll hit your shots, so use this.

I don't use the Assault Rifle too much except against his minions if I can't stealth kill them or they're too far for the Shotgun.

If you alert the enemies and they pile up on you, run to cover and then lob some Hematic Grenades at them. This will not only incapacitate them for a second, but will make them more vulnerable to your bullets, so take advantage of this.

This strategy works even on Very Hard. Take your time, don't hold too much to your resources and retreat if things go south. If you die you'll have to restart all over, so taking it slow is actually faster. Of course, you can drop the game to Very Easy and be done with it too.
CLIFF FIGHT #2 - WWII
This might be the easiest of the Cliff battles due to how vulnerable to ambushes and grenades he is in this occasion. Our whole strategy is based on that.

Bring a full set of Armor Plates Lv. 4 for this fight as you will probably be shot a lot, 1 Assault Rifle Lv. 3, 2 Shotgun Lv. 2 and as many Custom Hematic Grenades as you can.

The first 2 times you meet Cliff he'll be close to his minions and thus vulnerable to grenades. You can bomb him until he dies, but it's more efficient to throw 2 or 3 grenades and switch to a weapon to finish him while his minions are stunned by the blood cloud. Shotgun is you're close enough or Assault Rifle if not.

The third time he'll appear atop the first floor of the church, so be careful not to get shot. He should go down one of the ramps to get to you if you alert him and then break line of sight, so use this to ambush him with more grenades.

The fourth and last time he'll spawn in the middle of the street besides the church and we'll be surrounded by his minions. Again the best strategy is to ambush bomb the hell out of them and blast away with the shotgun.
HIGGS FIGHT
PHASE 1

Stay calm, take your time and this fight will be a lot easier. If you get hurt go for one of the cryptobiote nests in the area. If your health gets critical it will slowly recharge by itself to a certain point. This phase has actually 2 subphases ands you need to do both in a single go, so it pays off to be careful.

Stay hidden, use cover as much as possible and throw cargo at Higgs to interrupt him. You can try to rush him while he reloads, but that's dangerous. If he's in a bad spot for you to sneak behind him or safely throw cargo at him, wait and he'll eventually teleport somewhere else.

Be aware that if you throw cargo at him too many times, the last time you need to punch him he'll dodge whatever you throw at him, so either rush him while he's reloading or get him unaware. You can try directly striking him with a piece of cargo too.

After you've done it a few times (around 5) Higgs will ditch his weapon and will hunt you with his knife. This phase can be very hard if you start low on health since it can be difficult to avoid his attacks if he teleports right next to you.

The secret to this phase it to use the strand, your rope. Select it and hold right mouse button to defend with it. When Higgs attacks you in this defensive stance you'll see a prompt to parry with left mouse button. Do so and right after you'll get the prompt to tie him with the same button. Kick him while he's down.

It's advisable to keep your health at 75% for this phase, because it of his attacks takes roughly 25% of your health and sometimes he manages to cut you twice in a row. So if you're low on health, play defensively and when you tie Higgs, go for the cryptobiotes instead of damaging him. Remember: if you die you'll start from zero, so protect your progress instead of rushing to the next phase.

After 4 or 5 times you'll get a cutscene and a checkpoint before the next phase.

PHASE 2

This phase is kind of a gimmick in that it simulates a fighting game. The fight isn't complicated, but it can feel weird.

Just don't be too aggressive: go for 3 hits max and then guard against his attacks. He can break your guard and dodge your punches, so be aware of that.

The most important thing is to eat the cryptobiotes when the prompt appears, that way you can heal a huge portion of your health bar, a benefit Higgs doesn't have.

Unless you're being too aggressive and not guarding at all or not eating the cryptobiotes, this part should be a breeze.
CLIFF FIGHT #3 - VIETNAM
This fight will trigger after you've defeated Higgs and are tasked with heading to Lake Knot City, just as you approach that destination. Keeping that in mind, it pays to come prepared. A full set of level 4 armor, 3 Remote-Detonation Grenade Launchers and if you've done the pizza delivery missions, you should have some juicy toys that'll wreck Cliff and his gang. If you've Grenade Pouches in your backpack, fill them with Hematic Grenades Level 2.

Use the tall grass as cover as much as possible and stealth kill Cliff's minions and Cliff as well. Since you become more visible if you pile cargo high, don't go picking everything you find. When he's down, blast him with the Grenade Launcher or throw a grenade at him and then use lethal rounds throw the blood mist.

In case you don't get to open with a stealth takedown, Cliff 'dies' with a full clip of the Remote-Detonation Grenade Launcher. Keep detonating the grenades to stun him, but take care not to shoot all them at the same place, as he moves and you might miss a few shots.

The Grenade Launcher should stun lock you away from most situations, while the HG Custom weapons with chiralium rounds will make short work of any enemy. If you've brought the armor and have cryptobiotes in stock, this should be fairly simple and easily brute forced in case you don't want to stealth.
LoLoL JOURNEY
Here I'll post videos or helpful tips for some of the Orders that gave me trouble when trying to get the fabled LoLoL rank. It's important to know that some Orders only become available after you complete the campaign and others are part of a 'quest-chain', requiring your complete previous orders to be unlocked.

DOCTOR
ORDER 323: to Mountaineer [timed] [large]

EVO-DEVO BIOLOGIST
ORDER 375: to Mountain Knot City [chilled]
It took me a few tries to notice it, but if you're wearing Thermal Pads while delivering any chilled cargo, it'll damage the cargo. I was wearing 4 pads and that's why no matter how fast I was the packages always took too much damage.

MAMA'S LAB
ORDER 516: to South Knot City [recovery]
It's easy to overlook this order because of its location. If you use your odradek scanner you'll see there's a path through the river you can walk or drive through. Using climbing anchors will make your stamina drain slower.

PORT KNOT CITY
ORDER 145: to Capital Knot City [timed] [chilled]
Part of the difficulty here is making this order available. You'll need to complete Order 228 (Timefall Farm) first. Then comes doing the order itself. Here's a link describing how to do it.

What I did: I cleared the MULE camp near the Waystation/Ludens Fan. In the BT territory near the Distro Center, I marked both ends with a generator Lv.2 and put 2 more in the middle, all of them as close to the water as possible. That's because BTs can't follow you into the water, so I just drove throught the water with cargo, but doing so uses too much battery, thus the generators. And then I defeated the BT boss in the rocky area between the Distro Center and Port City just before accepting the order. It should be free of BTs for long enough for you to get there with the Truck (Long Range Lv.3). Then you drive throught the water near the Distro Center and stay as close as possible to the right/mountain when nearing the BT area near Capital City. Doing it this way took me 7 minutes.

Thanks rathskunk at Reddit for the post!
1 Comments
Turkey Bacon Bravo 6 Jul @ 1:02am 
This is an amazing guide.
It is simply indispensable and it provides so much depth to improve gameplay etc.
One tip I might add is where there are spoilers, perhaps a "spoiler warning" would be appreciated for those who would like to keep mum on things.