Master Chiral Crystal Farming in Death Stranding 2

After nearly 60 hours roaming Death Stranding 2’s desolate terrain, I discovered that chiral crystals aren’t just another collectible—they’re the backbone of every road, zipline, and high-end gadget you’ll ever build. Early on, I consistently ran dry mid-project, forcing me to scrap upgrades or detour just to restock. Once I focused on how to farm smarter—not just where—everything clicked. Here’s the guide I wish I’d had on my first release.

Why Chiral Crystals Matter (And How You Bleed Through Them)

Chiral crystals fuel your network. You’ll need stacks for:

• Building and upgrading roads, safehouses, ziplines
• Repairing structures, vehicles, and gear

As you progress, demands skyrocket. I once burned 500 cg in a single highway extension. A solid farming plan keeps your projects—and deliveries—on track.

Prerequisites: Gear Up Before You Farm

• Odradek Scanner: Unlock it early to spot buried deposits.
• Inventory Space: Reserve at least 5 kg for opportunistic picks.
• Anti-BT Weapons: Assault rifles or machine guns for floating BTs.
• APAS/BPAS Upgrades: Later boosts dramatically increase pick-up yields.

If you’re freshly free to roam, you can start gathering now—but full efficiency kicks in once you clear a few story milestones.

Top 5 Farming Methods That Finally Worked

1. Sweep Every Golden Hand—But Prioritize Wisely

• Single hand: ~10 cg—grab only if on your path.
• Double hand: 30–50 cg—worth a slight detour.
• Triple+ hands: 100+ cg—always stop, even mid-drive.

Use Odradek’s scan (R1) on foot or bike to highlight deposits. In a truck, chase only clusters or triple hands—otherwise you’ll kill your pace.

2. Clear Fixed Deposits in Mines and Tar Pits

Restored mines and tar-pit outcrops hold one-time, high-yield caches. Key spots:

• Restored Sierra Mine near the Mexican border
• Tar pits by the Animal Refuge and Pitch Lake
• Desert canyon east of the Data Analyst’s base

Don’t sweep these until you can carry maximum load. Once gone, they’re gone—so plan dedicated runs with full inventory.

3. Farm Floating BTs for Consistent Yields

• Hot zones: beaches between South Distribution Center F2 and Inventor base; highway stretch below East Relays F4–F6.
• Use mid-range guns to avoid explosive charges.
• Trigger red BT clusters to chain-react and net 200+ cg in seconds.

Keep scanning after each fight—BTs love hiding as rocks.

4. Bait Absorber BT Mini-Bosses

Once you clear floating BTs but leave one “watcher,” get grabbed on purpose. You’ll be yanked into an Absorber fight—a mini-boss that drops 500–1,000 cg when defeated. Best practiced on routes between Metagenomist HQ and East Distribution Center (F5).

5. Upgrade APAS & BPAS for Passive Gains

Unlock APAS “Chiral Crystal Yield Boost” at Connection Level 3 with the Metagenomist. You’ll see occasional “large quantity” notifications—those bonuses can nearly double some pickups. Later, BPAS adds +1 cg every 2 seconds passively—great for long hauls or idle building.

Troubleshooting: Avoid My Early Blunders

• Don’t chase every single hand on a vehicle run—prioritize clusters.
• Never clear fixed deposits without full inventory—there’s no respawn.
• If BTs intimidate you, dial down difficulty. Better safe yields than none.
• Make Odradek scans a habit—rushing costs crystals.

Advanced Tips for Peak Efficiency

• Combine BT and Absorber farming cycles: clear, bait, repeat after reset.
• Route deliveries through crystal-dense areas for bonus pickups.

Quick Summary

• Prioritize triple-hand crystals, skip singles in vehicles
• Sweep fixed mine/tar-pit caches only at max carry

Master these tactics and chiral crystal shortages will become a thing of the past. What once felt like a relentless grind turns into a satisfying rhythm that ties Death Stranding 2’s world together. Happy portering!