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Like the original Death Stranding,Death Stranding 2: On The Beachhas quite a lot of Preppers. These are isolated shelters all across the map filled with individuals who don’t represent anything greater than themselves and whatever they’ve decided to pick up in their time away from everyone else. Sam’s job is to connect them all to the Chiral Network.
A large chunk of them will be met over the course of the story, though there are quite a few still that you will have to go out of your way to meet and connect yourself. Among all of them though, there are some you will want to take the time to max your Connection Level with early. They offer Sam some incredible tools and abilities you won’t want to miss.
Technically, not everyone, such as cities and distribution centers, are classed as Preppers. For the sake of simplicity though, they will also be included in this article.
Which Preppers Should You Connect To First?
As you play through the game, you’ll encounter a large number of the various Preppers, cities, and distribution centers across the map. With your goal being to connect all of Australia to the Chiral Network,you’re bound to meet most of them anyway, with the story helping you meet them. However, there will be a few along the way that you are never prompted to go near, either.
In Mexico, you will meet the vast majority of the Preppers as part of the story, though you are also heavily guided towards the two optional ones, so you don’t need to worry about missing anyone here. Australia is different, with many more missable if you don’t go out of your way. Up until you connect West Fort Knot,there is only one optional Prepper you can meet, though many more will become available as you expand northwards.
Not all Preppers will have orders with other Preppersto allow them to be connected to the Chiral Network. Instead, you must find their own Lost Cargo in the world and deliver it to them.
The Best Preppers To Level Up Early On
Some of the most impactful Preppers in the game can be met very early on, and most of them will be part of the story, too. However, it is easy to forget about them afterwards, never going back toincrease their Connecton Levelafterwards. It is in these later levels that some of the best items they have to offer become available
La Madre/Villa Libre
La Madre will be the second Prepper you connect with in the game, led there very early as part of the story. After your first meeting with her, she will immediately join the Chiral Network andgive you the blueprint for the PCC, letting you build structures of your own. However, the massive benefits she offers don’t stop there.
Custom Twin Rod
La Madre Hologram, Chiral Rodent Backpack Patch
She also offers the Electric Rod, a ranged weapon that is also incredibly powerful in melee combat. Her best reward comes at Connection level 4 -the Custom Twin Rod. This is functionally the same as the Electric Rod when thrown, though it is even more lethal in melee combat. Sam’s attacks become faster, and he can even split the rod in some combos for higher damage, rapid fire attacks. It does lose the charged attacks of the High-Voltage rod though.
As Sam’s melee combat stat increase, so too doesthe number of hits he can perform with the rods.
Old Oz/The Government
The very first Prepper you will meet once you step down in Australia, Old Oz represents the fledgling remnants of the Australian government in its attempts to rebuild after the Death Stranding. With so much rampant banditry going on across Australia, many of his rewards are centered aroundstrengthening Sam against these threats.
Antigravity Device (backpack component)
Large Spare Ammo Container Lvl 2
Old Oz Hologram, Australian Cryptobiote Backpack Patch
The Bola Gun is his very first reward, letting you silently restrain even the bulkiest of enemies.The Antigravity Device is a great component to reduce your overall cargo weightwhen in your backpack, and the ammo containers let you keep on firing without a worry. It’s about longevity and holding your own in a firefight, and it’s worth investing in this early.
Peter Gates/Western Environmental Observatory
The next main facility you will connect as part of the story, the Western Environmental Observatory is home to Peter Gates and his many technical advancements. You will need to clear out the Brigand’s before the facility returns to working order, though that’s not an incredibly hard order. Once the observatory is restored,Gates immediately offers you powerful rewards.
Battle Skeleton Lvl 3
Peter Gates Hologram, Pickup Off-Roader Backpack Patch
The real eye-catching item here though isthe Battle Skeleton. While you will lose your hip slots for holding cargo, the Battle Skeleton let’s Sam run incredibly fast, and also increases his maximum cargo weight. If you want to stop worrying about weight, quickly max Gates out to get the powerful Battle Skeleton lvl 3.
When you unlock the Battle Skeleton,you will also unlock the Silver and Gold variantsif you own them.
The Lone Commander
The Lone Commander isthe first optional Prepper you can meet in the game, and you are given a Sub Order from Old Oz to connect him to the Chiral Network. He won’t join immediately though, so perform his own sub-order after this to finally convince him to join the Chiral Network.
Silent Tranquiliser Handgun
Lightweight Tranquiliser Sniper Rifle
Silent Lightweight Tranquiliser Sniper Rifle, The Lone Commander Hologram, Exclamation Point (!) Backpack Patch
The Lone Commander is your main source for tranq weapons so you may pursue a non-lethal playthrough. The Sniper in particular is incredibly useful, though also incredibly loud. You would need to be at least 300 meters away to escape its noise. That’s why hitting Connection level 5 with the Lone Commander is so useful.Once you have a sillent tranq rifle, you’re basically unstoppable.
Olivia Westbury/West Fort Knot (F1)
After facing your second boss fight of the game, Olivia Westbury of West Fort Knot (F1) will be connected to the Chiral Network. The largest settlement in Australia you’ve encountered so far, she will be all abouthelping you out on those long-haul deliveries.
Battery Unit lvl 2 (for vehicles)
Olivia Westbury Hologram, Monorail Backpack Patch
The very first item she gives you is theFloating Carrier, which can trail behind you with a massive cargo weight capacity. However, the Floating Carrier level 2 far exceeds it, with a cargo weight limit of 900KGs. Add the battery units for vehicle son top of this, and you won’t need to make stops along the way no matter how big the order is.
Gen Hoshino/The Musician
Gen Hoshino takes on the role of the Musician this time around. With a title like that, you can logically assume thathe is all about music. Indeed he is, and evenoffers you up the Music Playerso you can make custom playlists of your own.
Lightweight MP Shotgun Lvl 2, Licky Stick (Private Room decoration)
Gen Hoshino Hologram, I Love BB backpack Patch
What you probably didn’t expect was for him to beloaded with Shotguns. If you’re planning on going guns-blazing into an encounter, there is nothing quite like the MP Shotguns. Plus who doesn’t like having even more music to listen to?
The Inventor
The Inventor is the second of the optional Preppers here, and is also the hardest to reach by far. Despite being able to find him earlier, you can’t actually add him to the networkuntil you start making your way farther north as part of the story, at which point his Lost cargo will appear near his shelter.
Bola Stun Gun
The Inventor Hologram, Otter Hood Backpack Patch
His items are all about giving youextra options in tense scenarios. The Otter Hood lets you stay mostly in control even after you’ve fallen into deep water, while the stun boms and Bola stun gun lets you take down enemies more easily, and gives you more stealth options, too.
Should You Try To Max Out Every Prepper Right Away?
In short, no. The early levels will be fairly easy, though getting levels four and five will take much longer. While it is easier to max out with some Preppers, such as those in harder to reach areas, it will still take multiple deliveries. That’s why it’s better to focus on a select few, so you’re not just skittering across the map constantly back and forth to the same Preppers.
Standard Orders are your main means of boosting Connection levels, though there is a cooldown on these. As such, it’s best toplan your route with your orders and advance the plot at the same time, rather than spending all your time with a single Prepper. They’re not going anywhere, and everyone will always need a porter.
That said, there is anAPAS enhancement you get that reduces the time it takes for Standard Orders to become available again.
