In Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, traveling across the map isn’t just about walking—it’s about planning. Steep cliffs, rivers, and enemy zones can slow you down or wreck your cargo. That’s where structures come in. These tools make life easier for you and other players, giving you places to rest, hide, recharge, and travel faster.
How Building Works in Death Stranding 2
Before you can build anything, you need a Portable Chiral Constructor, or PCC for short. These come in two levels:
- PCC Lv. 1: Unlocked early in the game after delivering Remote Medical Units to Villa Libre in Episode 1. This lets you build basic stuff like watchtowers, postboxes, generators, and bridges.
- PCC Lv. 2: You’ll get this later after progressing the main story. It unlocks more advanced structures like zip-lines, jump ramps, safe houses, cargo catapults, and transponders.
You can craft PCCs at delivery terminals, but they do cost materials—usually resins and metals. Once you have a PCC equipped in the field, open the tool menu, pick what you want to build, and place it on valid ground. If the outline is red, there’s something blocking the spot. If it’s blue, you’re good to go.
Just remember, you can only build in areas that are part of the Chiral Network. That means you’ve connected that region to the UCA by completing certain deliveries. Structures also take up Chiral Bandwidth, which is limited. Bigger builds (like Safe Houses or Cargo Catapults) use more of it. If you run out, you’ll need to upgrade your connection with that region or dismantle old builds to make space.
Online play also matters—structures from other players will show up in your world, and you can use or upgrade them, too. Helping out others earns you likes, and you can even unlock APAS enhancements that let you share more structures through Strand Contracts.
What the Structures Do and Why They Matter
Every structure has a job to do. Some help you move faster, others give you shelter or let you store and build stuff. Here’s a look at each type, what it does, and when it’s useful.
Watchtower
You unlock this early, and it’s great for scouting. Watchtowers give you a high-up view and tag enemies (like Brigands and Ghost Mechs), cargo, and other points of interest. The built-in camera has night vision and thermal modes, and you can even set waypoints from the tower. These can be upgraded with materials and customized with music or holograms.
Postbox
Think of Postboxes as portable mini-bases. You can store gear, recycle items, fabricate tools, and even leave stuff for other players. There’s a private locker for your own things and a shared locker for helping others. In a pinch, you can also hide in one if enemies are closing in.
Postboxes get damaged over time from Timefall, so repairs and upgrades are helpful. Upgrades increase their storage and resistance to damage.
Timefall Shelter
Rain (or “Timefall”) damages containers and messes up vehicles. These shelters protect you and your cargo. They also auto-use Container Repair Spray if you’re carrying it and refill your canteen to help keep your stamina up.
New to Death Stranding 2, they can briefly stop nearby BTs from reaching you with a special deterrent shield. It won’t kill them, but it gives you time to get away. The shield has a cooldown, so don’t rely on it too often. As with other structures, you can upgrade and customize these as you level up regional connections.
Generator
Generators are lifesavers for anyone using vehicles or exoskeletons. They instantly recharge your battery. Place them in the middle of nowhere or along long travel routes to keep your gear powered. They’re cheap to build, super useful, and worth putting down wherever your trips take you.
Bridge
You’ll use these a lot, especially in early game. Bridges help you cross rivers or gaps safely. Without one, you risk falling, losing cargo, or getting swept downstream. Bridges need metal to finish building after you place the foundation, and they work for both on-foot and vehicle travel.
Zip-line
These are unlocked later, once you’ve connected Dowser’s region and get the PCC Lv. 2. Zip-lines let you zip across huge distances (up to 300 meters apart by default), and you can travel back and forth between them. They’re perfect for mountain regions or areas full of enemies or BTs.
They don’t work with vehicles, but you can attach a Floating Carrier. You can also angle the zip-line before placing it and link it with other zip-lines or monorail points for fast routes.
Jump Ramp
Jump Ramps are fun and surprisingly handy. You can use them on foot or in a vehicle to launch across terrain. Hit the jump button at the right time for a longer leap. They help you clear obstacles and even let you avoid fall damage if you land properly. Just make sure there’s nothing in your way during the jump, or you’ll crash.
Safe House
Think of these as mini-hubs. Safe Houses let you access a private room, rest, shower, reload weapons, fix vehicles, and craft items. They cost a lot to build—chiral crystals, alloys, and resins—but they’re worth it for longer delivery routes or dangerous zones.
Once you unlock them with a PCC Lv. 2, you can place them in strategic areas and make any long trek feel a lot safer.
Cargo Catapult
This is one of the more unique tools in the game. The Cargo Catapult lets you launch packages across long distances using parachutes. You can steer the cargo in the air and even throw grenades while flying, making it a safe way to send cargo over dangerous zones.
They’re great when you don’t want to risk damage from BTs or terrain. They take a fair bit of Chiral Bandwidth (around 450), but they’re often worth the cost.
Transponder
The Transponder gives you a backup fast-travel option. It’s not as flexible as the DHV Magellan, and you can’t take vehicles or cargo, but it’s a solid alternative when your main fast travel is unavailable. You’ll unlock this later in the story. It uses a large chunk of bandwidth, so plan before placing it.
The 10 Best Death Stranding 2 Structures to Prioritize (Ranked)
With limited Chiral Bandwidth available in each area, it’s smart to focus on the structures that give you the most benefit for the cost. Whether you’re just getting started or trying to plan smarter builds later in the game, these are the best ones to prioritize, ranked by overall usefulness, versatility, and how often you’ll rely on them:
1. Zip-line
- Bandwidth: 500
- PCC: Lv.2
Fast, reliable, and essential. Zip-lines connect over huge vertical and horizontal gaps. They’re ideal for mountainous terrain, snowfields, or BT-infested zones. You can rotate them for precise linking and chain multiple together for a full network.
They work with Floating Carriers, not vehicles. Upgrade to increase range and stability.
2. Safehouse
- Bandwidth: 2500
- PCC: Lv.2
A Safehouse acts as a full base in remote areas. You can:
- Sleep and recover stamina
- Access Private Room for gear loadout and story scenes
- Repair cargo and vehicles
- Access online locker and fabrication
It’s costly but a huge help in long-haul missions.
3. Watchtower
- Bandwidth: 250
- PCC: Lv.1
Early game MVP. Watchtowers scan a wide area, letting you spot enemy camps, cargo, and BTs. Upgrades add zoom, thermal vision, and map tagging.
They’re cheap and quick to build—ideal for setting up before entering danger zones.
4. Generator
- Bandwidth: 350
- PCC: Lv.1
Essential if you’re traveling with a vehicle or using exoskeletons. They recharge batteries, prevent power-downs, and help speed up movement. Always place these at rest stops, slope bases, or next to roads.
5. Bridge
- Bandwidth: 1000
- PCC: Lv.1
Natural terrain is full of rivers and ravines. Vehicles can’t cross many safely, and neither can Sam when loaded with cargo. A Bridge lets you cross easily and saves time.
Build foundations first, then donate Metals to complete.
6. Transponder
- Bandwidth: 1250
- PCC: Lv.2
Allows fast travel between linked points—especially useful when Magellan isn’t usable. They don’t work with cargo or vehicles but are perfect for on-foot side quests.
Use them as checkpoints for delivery loops or rare-item farming runs.
7. Timefall Shelter
- Bandwidth: 500
- PCC: Lv.1
Protects Sam and cargo from Timefall rain. New in DS2: they now auto-use Container Repair Spray, fill your canteen, and send out BT suppression pulses on cooldown.
Place these near mountain trails or BT hotspots.
8. Jump Ramp
- Bandwidth: 550
- PCC: Lv.2
Adds style and utility to vehicle travel. Let Sam or a vehicle launch over terrain or obstacles. Press the jump button at the gate to trigger a slo-mo jump. Fall damage is negated unless you crash mid-air.
9. Postbox
- Bandwidth: 200
- PCC: Lv.1
Store cargo, donate to others, or restock from a Shared Locker. Good for reroutes and emergencies.
They include both Private and Shared Lockers. Upgrades expand storage, add custom signs, and improve durability.
10. Cargo Catapult
- Bandwidth: 450
- PCC: Lv.2
Fire cargo long distances with a parachute, letting you skip terrain or send it across BT zones. Great for fragile or urgent deliveries. Timing the parachute is critical—bad launches cause cargo damage.
Focus on these first if you want to make travel smoother, save time, and help others do the same. Structures like these are what turn a tough route into a safe and reliable path—especially when placed in high-traffic or high-risk areas.
Tips for Managing Bandwidth and Upgrades
Every structure uses up Chiral Bandwidth, and you can only place so many at once. Here’s how to stay efficient:
- Use and upgrade other players’ structures when you can—they don’t eat into your bandwidth.
- Upgrade your own builds instead of spamming new ones.
- Dismantle anything you no longer need to free up space.
- Increase your connection with settlements to get more bandwidth and unlock new build options.
Also, keep an eye on the APAS system. If you want to play as part of the online community, you can unlock skills that let you build more, connect with more players, and share resources through extra Strand Contracts.
Building in Death Stranding 2 is more than a side task—it’s part of what brings the world to life. Every zip-line, shelter, and catapult makes the journey better, not just for you, but for everyone playing. The shared world means that what you build might help a stranger complete their own delivery safely, and their work could save you in return.
So whether you’re laying down a safe route through mountains or setting up a catapult to launch fragile cargo across BT territory, you’re helping rebuild a world that fell apart. And in a game all about connection, that’s what matters most.
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