Standard Orders in Death Stranding 2 are the lifeblood of the game’s delivery system. They offer a steady stream of rewards, from materials and gear to crucial connection level increases with preppers and facilities. But the question of when to invest your time in these optional deliveries isn’t as simple as it seems. The answer depends on your current progress, equipment, and goals. This guide breaks down the optimal timing for tackling Standard Orders so you can maximize efficiency and avoid wasted effort.
What Are Standard Orders?
Standard Orders are repeatable, non-story deliveries that appear at terminals and on the cuff-link map. Unlike Orders for Sam, which advance the main plot, these tasks let you haul cargo between any two locations you’ve already connected to the chiral network. They’re marked with a star icon and often have multiple difficulty ratings, from Easy to Legend of Legends. Each order rewards you with likes, chiral crystals, materials, and sometimes blueprints or cosmetic items. More importantly, they’re the primary way to raise your connection level with individual preppers, unlocking better equipment variations and lore.
The Early Game: When to Hold Back
In the first few hours of Death Stranding 2, Standard Orders can feel like a trap. Your exoskeleton is basic, your carrying capacity is limited, and you lack the tools to handle rough terrain or heavy loads efficiently. Taking on too many optional deliveries here leads to slow progress and frustration. You’ll spend an inordinate amount of time trudging through rivers and over hills with a wobbling stack of cargo. There’s a strong case for ignoring most Standard Orders until you’ve unlocked the power skeleton and a reliable vehicle.
That said, a handful of early Standard Orders are worth completing immediately. The deliveries that introduce you to the basics, like the first few to the Waystation, often unlock essential items such as the bola gun or the first exoskeleton leg upgrade. If an order’s reward is a blueprint for something you’ll actually use, do it. Otherwise, focus on Orders for Sam to push the story forward and expand the network. Once you reach the second map and gain access to the Reverse Trike, your capacity for efficient deliveries skyrockets. This is the point where Standard Orders become genuinely rewarding.
The Mid-Game Sweet Spot
After connecting several preppers in the central region, you reach a golden window for Standard Orders. By now you likely have the all-terrain skeleton, a long-range truck, and the ability to fabricate roads and zip-lines. The chiral network covers enough ground that you can see shared structures from other players, which dramatically reduces delivery times. This is the ideal time to grind Standard Orders for two reasons: material farming and connection levels.
Many high-end upgrades, like backpack attachments or weapon upgrades, require large quantities of metals and ceramics. Standard Orders reward these materials directly and indirectly. By doing deliveries from locations with abundant stockpiles, you’ll build a reserve that lets you build roads, bridges, and safe houses without scouring the wilderness. Connection levels are equally critical. Preppers like the Collector or the First Prepper offer some of the best gear in the game, but they’ll only hand it over once you’ve built rapport through Standard Orders. Target the preppers whose rewards you value most and chain their orders together for efficient loops.
How to Stack Orders Efficiently
Whenever you plan a Standard Order run, check the terminal for multiple deliveries that share a destination or a logical route. For example, you might pick up three orders from Lake Knot City destined for the same distribution center, then load up your truck and make one trip. The game doesn’t penalize you for taking non-story orders in bulk. Use the cargo menu to sort by destination and plan your route before leaving. This cuts down on backtracking and maximizes likes per hour.
The Late Game: Maximizing Legend of Legends
Once you’ve completed the main story and unlocked the entire map, Standard Orders take on a new purpose. The difficulty scales up, with premium deliveries offering the coveted Legend of Legends ranking. Achieving these requires flawless execution: minimal damage, fast delivery times, and often handling a huge volume of fragile cargo. The best time to attempt these is after you’ve fully upgraded your chiral network, built a robust zip-line network, and have access to the highest-tier skeletons and weapons.
Late-game Standard Orders are also a completionist’s playground. If you’re aiming for the platinum trophy or 100% completion, you’ll need to five-star every facility, which means dozens of Standard Orders. By this stage, you should have a well-worn system of roads, bridges, and zip-lines that make even the longest treks trivial. The satisfaction comes from optimizing routes and seeing your delivery rating climb. There’s no rush, and the process is far smoother than if you’d tried to grind these out early on.
Timing Standard Orders with Equipment Upgrades
A common mistake is ignoring Standard Orders until they’re needed for a specific unlock, only to find the required deliveries are tedious because you lack the proper tools. A smarter approach is to weave a few Standard Orders into every session, focusing on those that reward materials for your next upgrade. If you’re saving up for a new skeleton, check which nearby preppers offer metals as an order reward and prioritize those. This steady cadence prevents burnout and keeps your arsenal up to date.
Pay attention to the order’s estimated time and conditions. Some deliveries require cold storage or timed runs, which become much easier with the right gear. For instance, the thermal pad is borderline mandatory for snowy mountain orders, while the carrier is a godsend for heavy payloads. Wait until you have these tools before tackling their associated Standard Orders. Rushing in without them leads to damaged cargo and low rankings, which negates the point of the grind.
Connection Level Priorities
Not all preppers are created equal. Some offer crucial blueprints early on, while others unlock only cosmetic items or data files. When choosing which Standard Orders to focus on, look up the rewards for each prepper’s connection levels. The Engineer, for example, gives you the power skeleton at level two, an absolute must-have. The Junk Dealer and Chiral Artist yield the sticky gun and chiral boots, respectively. These are high-impact unlocks that change how you play. Direct your Standard Order efforts toward these game-changers first, then circle back for completionism later.
Balancing Story Progression
There’s a danger in over-indexing on Standard Orders. If you grind too many deliveries before advancing the story, you’ll quickly outlevel the challenges ahead, and the narrative momentum can stall. A good rule of thumb is to check your connection level with key preppers after each main story episode. If you’re close to the next threshold, do a few Standard Orders to push it over. If you’re far off, move on and return later with better gear. This keeps the story flowing while steadily unlocking the tools that make Standard Orders more enjoyable.
Remember that the game’s timefall and BT encounters don’t scale with your gear. Early zones remain dangerous regardless of your level, but the tools you acquire from Standard Orders, like hematic grenades and better batteries, make those encounters manageable. By frontloading the most impactful unlocks through calculated Standard Order grinding, you’ll smooth out the difficulty curve without trivializing the experience.
When to Skip Standard Orders Entirely
There are moments in Death Stranding 2 where Standard Orders should take a backseat. During the game’s more frantic story beats, when the narrative is pulling you forward, it’s wise to ignore optional deliveries. The sense of urgency the game creates is intentional, and pausing to haul fifteen packages across the map breaks immersion. Additionally, some regions become inaccessible or change after certain story events, potentially making active orders fail. If you sense a major plot development, complete any in-progress orders and stick to the main path until things settle.
Finally, if you’re feeling burnt out, stop. Standard Orders are designed to be evergreen content, always available. They’re not going anywhere, and forcing yourself through them turns a relaxing delivery loop into a chore. Play another game mode, explore the map aimlessly, or take a break. When you return, the orders will still be waiting, and your efficiency will be better for it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I do all Standard Orders before finishing the story?
No. It’s far more efficient to complete the story first. Post-game you have access to the entire map, all equipment, and no time pressure. Many orders are much easier with late-game tools.
Do Standard Orders expire or disappear?
Standard Orders are persistent. They never disappear, though some may become temporarily unavailable if the origin or destination facility is disconnected from the chiral network due to story events. Once reconnected, they return.
What’s the fastest way to get Legend of Legends on Standard Orders?
Build a zip-line network across the entire region, then focus on orders that can be entirely delivered via zip-line. Time-sensitive orders are the easiest to perfect with this method. Always use the carrier or truck for heavy deliveries to keep cargo pristine.
Which preppers should I prioritize for Standard Orders?
Prioritize the Engineer (power skeleton), Junk Dealer (sticky gun), Chiral Artist (chiral boots), Collector (backpack cover), and First Prepper (all-terrain skeleton). These unlocks drastically improve your delivery capabilities.
Is it worth doing Standard Orders in the prologue area?
Only a few early orders unlock essential blueprints. Complete those and move on. The prologue area lacks the infrastructure to make Standard Orders efficient, and you’ll outgrow the rewards quickly.
