How to Increase Facility Connection Levels in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
In Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, rebuilding a fractured world hinges on one crucial objective: strengthening your Facility Connection Levels. Whether you’re returning lost cargo or delivering critical supplies across hostile terrain, increasing these connection levels not only expands the Chiral Network but also unlocks some of the most powerful tools, weapons, and upgrades in the game.
If you’re wondering how to raise those elusive stars next to each facility, this guide breaks down the fastest and most efficient ways to increase Facility Connection Levels, while helping you get the most out of your time and effort.
🧠 Why Facility Connection Levels Are Important
Each time you connect and strengthen a facility, you’re doing more than just gaining likes. Facilities offer tiered rewards that improve with each connection level, such as:
- New blueprints for advanced gear
- Vehicle upgrades and backpack attachments
- Cosmetic items (for Sam or BB)
- Expanded Chiral Network coverage
- Access to fast travel and structure building
Improving your relationship with key locations also reveals hidden lore, unlocks rare aid missions, and boosts your social stats like Bridge Link. In short, if you want to master the world of Death Stranding 2, connection levels matter.
📦 1. Deliver Cargo Strategically
Delivering cargo remains the core method to boost Facility Connection Levels. There are two primary types:
✅ Standard Orders
These are repeatable missions between facilities and offer a steady way to gain likes and reputation. Prioritize:
- Heavier or fragile cargo (more challenging = more likes)
- Missions with tight deadlines or extreme weather conditions
✅ Main Orders
These are tied to the story and provide large connection boosts, but they’re usually one-time. Always complete them when available to unlock major advancements.
🔁 Pro Tip: Stack Multiple Deliveries
Open your map and plan a route where you can deliver multiple cargoes to one or two destinations. This efficient route-stacking method boosts multiple connections in a single trip.
🧳 2. Return Lost Cargo
Lost Cargo is one of the fastest and easiest ways to boost a facility’s trust—especially hidden Preppers.
Here’s how to make it work:
- Scan constantly using your Odradek (L1) while exploring
- Prioritize Lost Cargo with long-distance destinations or high value
- Deliver to new or unconnected facilities to unlock and reveal them on your map
- Combine this with active delivery orders for double progress
Returning cargo earns likes, improves connection levels, and sometimes even unlocks exclusive side content from certain facilities. Don’t ignore those weathered packages on the ground—they’re a goldmine for reputation.
🧭 3. Complete Side Missions & Aid Requests
Facilities frequently issue Sub Orders or Aid Requests, which offer a narrative-rich way to boost your standing.
These tasks can include:
- Recovering rare materials
- Helping NPC porters
- Defending outposts from threats (like MULEs or BTs)
Why it matters:
Some NPCs won’t share their best blueprints or gear until you’ve completed specific requests. For example:
- A Prepper may give you a silenced sniper blueprint only after completing two side quests.
- Others may offer Chiral crafting materials or unique cargo attachments.
Always check the mission terminal at each facility for these optional but high-reward jobs.
🌐 4. Leverage Online Features and NPC Interactions
Death Stranding 2‘s Strand System connects your world to other players’, allowing subtle cooperation that can indirectly improve your facility links.
Ways to benefit:
- Like other players’ structures (shelters, ziplines, bridges)
- Use and upgrade shared structures
- Leave useful signs or ladders others can interact with
- Aid NPC porters in distress when offline
These interactions build up your Bridge Link stat, which influences how facilities and other players reward you. A high Bridge Link score can also unlock additional mission types and even reduce cargo decay time for future deliveries.
🗺 5. Prioritize Facilities with the Best Rewards
Some facilities are more worth your time than others. If you’re focused on efficient progression, target these high-value connections first:
Key Facilities to Prioritize:
- The Lone Commander (Australia)
- Unlocks: Silenced tranquilizer sniper, stealth gear
- Former Geophysics Research Lab (Mexico)
- Unlocks: Lightweight assault rifles, tactical drones
- Government Base (Australia)
- Unlocks: Backpack stabilizers, Chiral Antigravity Device
- Oceanic Prepper Camp (Pacific Islands)
- Unlocks: Water-resistant cargo shells, rainproof gear
- Mountain Safehouse (Antarctica)
- Unlocks: Avalanche-resistant exosuits
You can preview the rewards at each connection level by checking the Corpus encyclopedia in-game. Scroll down to the facility’s profile to see what unlocking the next level will give you.
🏗 6. Build Useful Structures Near Facilities
Constructing strategic structures near outposts can passively increase your connection level through repeated use—by both NPCs and real players.
Recommended structures to build:
- Watchtowers – Help scout terrain and cargo
- Generators – Recharge vehicles and exosuits
- Postboxes – Let others drop off Lost Cargo
- Timefall Shelters – Protect cargo in rain zones
Place these just outside Chiral Network coverage zones to maximize their usefulness in unconnected or tough terrain. Over time, you’ll receive likes from players or NPCs using your builds, which contributes to your connection with nearby facilities.
🛰 7. Use Fast Travel and Route Planning Efficiently
After reaching the Australia segment in the story, you’ll unlock the ability to fast travel between connected bases using safehouses and the DHV Magellan (a mobile HQ ship).
Here’s how to optimize fast travel:
- NEVER fast travel with delivery cargo – It will result in damage and lost likes.
- Use fast travel to revisit older regions and complete side orders quickly.
- Plan triangle routes that cover 2-3 facility deliveries per run.
Utilizing efficient routes not only saves time but ensures you’re consistently gaining likes and unlocking hidden areas you may have missed.
📈 Extra Tips to Maximize Connection Levels
- Wear gear that improves stability – Better delivery performance = more likes.
- Use bots for minor deliveries – While they don’t give huge boosts, they help maintain base-level connections.
- Avoid cargo damage – Even 5% damage can reduce the likes you receive.
- Use vehicles strategically – Motorcycles for speed; trucks for heavy loads. Keep an eye on battery life and terrain.
- Rest and recover often – Fatigue affects balance, which can lead to dropped cargo and reduced delivery ratings.
🏆 What Happens at Max Connection?
Reaching 5 stars (max connection) with a facility unlocks the following benefits:
- Final tier blueprint or cosmetic item
- Stronger social link (Bridge Link boost)
- Max Chiral bandwidth for that location
- Access to premium missions and high-value cargo
- Instant fast travel unlock (if not already active)
It’s well worth the effort, especially for Preppers who seem stingy at first—they often give the most powerful rewards at full trust.
Final Thoughts: Rebuild One Star at a Time
Facility Connection Levels are the heart of Death Stranding 2’s worldbuilding and gameplay loop. The more trust you build, the more you’re rewarded—not just with items, but with a more efficient, cooperative world.
Whether you’re just starting out or deep into your porter journey, remember: every package you deliver, every structure you build, and every lost item you return brings the world one step closer to unity.
So pack your bags, check your route, and start connecting—one facility at a time.
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