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Weight is your biggest problem in Death Stranding 2. You’ll always need to carry more stuff, and using vehicles to transport goods isn’t always an option. When you’re stuck on-foot and can’t use anything else, all you have to rely on is your own strength. Your maximum strength is represented by a weight limit, and there are a few ways to increase the total amount of stuff Sam can carry on his back.
Sam’s Stats | Carrying Capacity
The simplest way to permanently increase Sam’s carrying capacity is by increasing Sam’s Stats — this system unlocks bonuses through in-game experience. Check the Sam’s Stats menu to see how much progress you’re making towards each level.
- Carrying Capacity: By carrying a significant amount of weight over long distances, you’ll gain Carrying Capacity experience. At each rank, you’ll gain +5 kg carrying capacity, up to Level 5 for a total of +25 kg.
Fully leveling up your carrying capacity isn’t the only way to lug around more weight. As early as Australia you’ll unlock new methods for gaining higher weight limits.
Collecting Chiral Crystals
Chiral Crystals are one of the most important resources in Death Stranding 2 — and they’re a rare commodity until you start exploring heavy-populated BT areas. Chiral Crystals are strange golden hands that spawn where BTs are destroyed, in black tar, or just randomly anywhere in the world. They’re used for constructing anti-gravity items or for powering certain devices, but the reason we’re talking about them now is because Chiral Crystals actually lower your total weight.
- Weight Reduction: For every 1,000 cg Chiral Crystals Sam carries, you’ll gain +1 kg of weight.
This is due to their anti-gravity nature. The more Chiral Crystals you collect, the more light-on-your feet you’ll be. Catchers and Watchers drop many Chiral Crystals on defeat, and the larger BTs that spawn in certain areas provide even more Chiral Crystals. Always search for these things, because there’s a much better way to lower your total weight.
Unlocking Backpack Upgrades
The Chiral Antigravity Device is one of the best ways to increase your total weight. This special backpack upgrade adds much more weight to your total, and you can add as many to your backpack as you can carry — there are easily enough slots for 6 Chiral Antigravity Devices.
- Chiral Antigravity Device: This backpack upgrade is unlocked in the Australia region. Earn a 2-Star Ranking in the Government’s Base bunker.
- Each Chiral Antigravity Device adds +10 kg to your maximum carry weight.
This is one of the earliest locations in Chapter 3, but you’ll need to return and complete more orders if you want to collect this device. The blueprint can be fabricated through the Backpack Upgrades menu — the Antigravity Devices cost a lot of Chiral Crystals, so you’ll need to spend a lot for a permanent reward.
These devices do not need power and will work as long as they’re installed on your backpack. They’re essentially a permanent upgrade that you can craft and add to your backpack — as long as you have room, you can keep adding more.
Using Active Skeletons
Finally, Active Skeletons are another way to dramatically increase your total weight. The Power Skeleton adds a staggering +120 kg of weight to your maximum, while earlier versions like the Combat Skeleton still provide a large boost.
The earliest skeleton you’ll earn is the Combat Skeleton.
- Combat Skeleton Unlock: Reach Star Rank 2 at the Western Environmental Observatory.
- Adds +60 kg carry weight. Requires Battery power to use — once the battery is out, you’ll be stuck with an additional +12 kg of useless weight on Sam’s body.
The Western Environmental Observatory is the second main location in the Australia region; you’ll reach this area after connecting the Government’s Base bunker to the Chiral Network. This location can’t be missed but you can leave it at a 1 Star Ranking and never unlock the additional rewards you’ll find here.
