Route Planning

Learn how to plan effective delivery routes in Death Stranding Director's Cut. Discover how to use markers, build structures, and navigate hazards to make deliveries easier.

Hey there, Porter! Making deliveries back and forth across the map is the name of the game in Death Stranding, and since you'll be hitting up most of these places more than once, it's smart to think ahead about the best ways to travel. Let's get you set up with some route planning tips!

When you first roll into a new area, you won't be linked to the chiral network yet. That means no other players' signs or structures will show up, so you're on your own to figure out the path. Before you even set out, the delivery screen will give you a heads-up on potential dangers like BTs, MULEs, or tricky terrain, so pack accordingly!

Pull up your map and take a good look around. See those mountains, valleys, and any existing roads? You can use the map's marker and route planning tools to sketch out a potential path. Just a heads-up, the game's built-in 'plan a route' feature just draws a straight line between two points. It's okay for keeping you generally pointed in the right direction, but if you want a really clear path to follow, you'll want to drop multiple markers as waypoints.

My go-to move when exploring new territory is to always have a climbing anchor, a ladder, and a PCC on me. The PCC is super handy for setting up a postbox right at the edge of enemy territory, which I'll get into more later.

Once you've made a trip through an area, you'll have a much better idea of the optimal routes between settlements. Plus, you'll likely be connected to the chiral network by then, so you can start seeing other players' helpful signs and structures!

It's a really good idea to place postboxes on the borders of dangerous zones, especially BT and MULE territory. Not only do they keep your cargo safe from damage or theft, but you can also offload any Lost Cargo you're carrying before you have to brave the dangerous area. This lets you travel much lighter and safer.

As you unlock new structures and gain access to more tools, keep building out your routes. Make sure you've got ladders or bridges ready to cross rivers and ravines, and place climbing anchors or ladders in any super steep spots. The ultimate goal here is to create a route that your biggest vehicle can handle for the most part, if not entirely. Oh, and don't forget to place generators near any settlement you can drive up to, so you can ensure your precious vehicles stay charged up!

Think about setting up 'parking spots' for your vehicles too. For example, both the Ludens Fan and the Musician preppers in the Eastern Region are in tough spots to reach with a vehicle. What I do is park my trike at the bottom of the cliff, stash any extra packages in a postbox there, and then use a rope I've set up to climb to the top. I do the same thing before heading down to the Wind Farm – it's a real pain to get a trike down that hill. So, I'll place a generator (or use someone else's!) near the top, dump my extra cargo in a postbox, and then carefully climb down using climbing anchors I placed on my first trip.