Kojima Productions and 505 Games brought the Director's Cut to PC on 30 March 2022, adding the Buddy Bot, the Maser Gun, the Cargo Catapult, support skeletons, a firing range and the Ruined Factory missions on top of the 2019 original. You are Sam Porter Bridges, hauling cargo across a broken United Cities of America and switching each facility onto the Chiral Network one delivery at a time. Weight distribution, terrain reading and route planning carry more of the game than shooting does, which is still the most argued about design decision of its year.
Resource management and crafting determine how quickly your power scales. This guide covers what to prioritize, where to farm, and how to avoid wasting resources on the wrong upgrades.
Crafting Priority List
The order you should invest resources:
| Priority | Target | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Primary equipment | Biggest damage increase per resource spent |
| 2 | Core build gear | Enables your build's key combinations |
| 3 | Defensive upgrades | Survivability for boss fights |
| 4 | Secondary equipment | Situational options for specific content |
| 5 | Consumables | Temporary boosts for hard content |
Resource Farming by Area
Capital Knot City
Key resources: The first cargo orders, the Bridges suit, the initial Chiral Network link Farming efficiency: Low value per run, but safe and consistent
Focus on gathering materials for Bola Gun upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Port Knot City
Key resources: Story progression west, the BB pod arc, first large scale BT confrontation Farming efficiency: Good early-game farming spot
Focus on gathering materials for Bola Gun upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Lake Knot City
Key resources: Central region Chiral Network access, vehicle blueprints, the road building network start Farming efficiency: Best mid-game farming, worth revisiting
Focus on gathering materials for Bola Gun upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
South Knot City
Key resources: Major story beats, dense BT crossings, high value standard orders Farming efficiency: High-value materials for late-game upgrades
This is where you farm materials for Odradek Scanner max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Mountain Knot City
Key resources: All terrain skeleton, the mountain prepper chain, the best zip line anchor points in the game Farming efficiency: Best resources in the game, requires strong build
This is where you farm materials for Odradek Scanner max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Upgrade Path
Early Game (Capital Knot City to Port Knot City)
- Upgrade your starting equipment to functional level
- Craft basic defensive gear
- Save specialty materials, since you'll need them later
- Focus on Bola Gun once accessible
Mid Game (Lake Knot City)
- Push Bola Gun to mid-level upgrades
- Start collecting materials for Odradek Scanner
- Craft situational consumables for boss fights
- Upgrade build-specific gear pieces
Late Game (South Knot City to Mountain Knot City)
- Max out Odradek Scanner. This is your top priority
- Complete your build's core gear set
- Craft endgame consumables
- Optional: upgrade secondary equipment for variety
Crafting Mistakes to Avoid
- Spreading upgrades across multiple equipment: Focus one weapon to max before diversifying.
- Hoarding materials: Use them. The game provides enough if you farm efficiently.
- Upgrading the wrong gear: Check our builds guide before investing.
- Ignoring Lake Knot City farming: This area has the best resource-to-time ratio in mid-game.
- Crafting consumables too early: Save specialty materials for late-game recipes.
Resource Efficiency Tips
- Scan the ground with the Odradek before every departure. The colour coding shows which slopes Sam can descend without falling, and reading it properly saves more time than any piece of gear.
- Farm Lake Knot City during mid-game for the best return on time
- Check the walkthrough to know when each resource becomes available
- Match your farming route to your build. Some classes farm faster in certain areas
More DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR'S CUT Guides
- DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR'S CUT DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR'S CUT Overview
- DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR'S CUT Best Builds
- DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR'S CUT Tier List
- DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR'S CUT Walkthrough
- DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR'S CUT Beginner's Guide
- DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR'S CUT Tips & Tricks
- DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR'S CUT Weapons Guide
- DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR'S CUT Combat Guide
- DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR'S CUT Boss Guide
- DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR'S CUT Maps & Locations
- DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR'S CUT Classes & Characters
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