After hundreds of hours hauling cargo across the BT-infested landscapes of the first Death Stranding, I was hyped when Kojima Productions first teased Death Stranding 2 Magellan as part of the sequel’s core new feature set. At first glance, it looked like just another fancy transport tool, but after getting hands-on time with the preview build, I can confirm it changes almost every part of how you’ll plan routes, handle fragile cargo, and even collaborate with other players. If you’ve been wondering what exactly Magellan is, how to unlock it, and whether it’s worth investing your hard-earned chiral crystals into upgrading, this guide breaks down every detail without spoiling major story beats.
What Is Death Stranding 2 Magellan, Exactly?
Magellan is a fully modular, amphibious transport craft designed to fill the gaps left by smaller tools like reverse trikes and trucks that can’t handle deep water, steep mountain passes, or large BT infestations. It’s unlocked around the 10-hour mark of the main story, right after you complete the first major delivery to the southern coastal node. Unlike standard vehicles, Magellan doesn’t run on regular batteries – it’s powered by chiral energy, which means you can recharge it by connecting to any active chiral network terminal, or even by siphoning energy from BT zones if you’re brave enough. It also comes with a built-in cargo protection field that reduces damage from falls, BT attacks, and even timefall by up to 70% at base level, which is a game-changer for high-value fragile deliveries.
At its base configuration, Magellan comes with four core features that set it apart from every other vehicle in the game:
- 12-slot cargo capacity at base level, expandable to 36 slots with full upgrades
- Built-in first aid station that heals minor injuries and cures early-stage chiral poisoning
- Passenger seat that lets you bring NPC companions or other players’ courier avatars along for trips
- Integrated chiral scanner that detects BTs, lost cargo, and hidden resource nodes within a 2km radius
You don’t have to complete any special side quests to unlock the base version of Magellan, but you will need to reach connection level 3 with the southern coastal node to access it for free, or pay 200 chiral crystals to rent it earlier if you don’t want to wait for the story unlock.
Core Perks of Using Magellan for Cross-Terrain Deliveries
If you’re the type of player who prefers long-haul deliveries over small side quests, Magellan will quickly become your most trusted tool. I used to spend 45 minutes plotting routes around deep rivers and active BT zones to avoid ruining my cargo, but with Magellan, I can cut that planning time down to less than 10 minutes for most cross-region trips. Its amphibious design lets you cross even the deepest ocean inlets without taking any water damage to your cargo, which is especially useful for deliveries to the new coastal nodes added in the sequel.
It also has a built-in storage compartment that keeps timefall-sensitive cargo protected even if you leave the craft unattended for hours while you explore nearby ruins for hidden resources. You don’t have to worry about other players accidentally damaging it either, as Magellan is marked as a private vehicle by default, though you can choose to share access with members of your strand contract group if you want to collaborate on large bulk deliveries.
I’ve also found that Magellan drastically reduces the risk of running into dangerous high-tier BTs during long trips. The built-in chiral scanner pings BTs much earlier than the standard porter bracelet, and if you do get caught in a BT zone, you can activate the craft’s stealth mode to avoid detection entirely, as long as you don’t make any sudden movements. It’s the only vehicle in the game that can safely traverse timefall storm zones without suffering permanent damage, which makes it essential for endgame deliveries that require you to cross areas with constant extreme weather.
Common Mistakes New Players Make With Magellan
For all its benefits, Magellan isn’t a perfect tool, and I’ve made my fair share of mistakes with it during my preview playthrough that cost me multiple high-value deliveries. The first mistake most new players make is overloading the craft before they unlock the weight capacity upgrades. Even though it has a large cargo hold, exceeding its weight limit will make it extremely slow, and it will struggle to climb even gentle slopes, which can leave you stranded in the middle of a BT zone with no way to escape. Never load more than 80% of its stated weight capacity if you’re planning to traverse mountainous or coastal terrain, even if you think you can handle the slower speed.
Another common mistake is forgetting to recharge the chiral battery before long trips. Unlike standard batteries that drain at a consistent rate, Magellan’s chiral battery drains much faster if you’re using the scanner, stealth mode, or cargo shield at the same time, so you should always top it up at a chiral terminal before leaving any node. I once made the mistake of skipping a recharge to save time on an urgent delivery, and I ended up stranded 5km from the target node with a dead battery and a horde of BTs closing in.
Finally, don’t assume Magellan is indestructible. It can take a lot of damage, but repeated hits from high-tier BTs or falling off very steep cliffs will destroy it entirely, and you’ll lose all the cargo you had stored inside unless you have a backup save. If you’re carrying legend-tier cargo, always make a manual save before taking Magellan through high-risk areas to avoid losing hours of progress.
How to Fully Upgrade Magellan for Endgame Content
Upgrading Magellan takes a lot of resources, but it’s well worth the investment if you plan to tackle the endgame delivery missions, which require you to cross the entire map in short time limits with extremely fragile cargo. The first upgrade you should prioritize is the weight capacity expansion, which costs 500 chiral crystals, 200 metal, and 150 ceramic. This upgrade doubles the base cargo capacity and lets you carry bulk loads without slowing down the craft.
Next, unlock the advanced chiral scanner upgrade, which extends the detection range to 5km and lets you spot hidden delivery requests from other players that aren’t visible on the standard map. Once you have those two upgrades, work on the solar charging panel upgrade, which lets Magellan recharge its battery slowly even when you’re not connected to a chiral terminal, as long as you’re in an area with no timefall. The final upgrade you should unlock is the enhanced cargo shield, which reduces all types of cargo damage by 95% and even protects against explosion damage from terrorist attacks, which is essential for the hardest endgame missions.
Keep in mind that you can’t unlock all upgrades until you reach the 30-hour mark of the main story, as some upgrades require you to reach certain connection levels with coastal nodes before they become available. You can also earn rare upgrade materials by completing shared delivery requests from other players, so don’t skip those side missions if you want to upgrade Magellan as quickly as possible.
At the end of the day, Death Stranding 2 Magellan isn’t just a fancy new toy to mess around with – it’s a core part of the sequel’s gameplay loop that makes long-haul deliveries feel less tedious and more rewarding. Whether you’re a casual player who just wants to explore the new map without worrying about constant cargo damage, or a veteran porter who wants to tackle the hardest endgame missions, learning how to use and upgrade Magellan will drastically improve your playthrough. Just remember to avoid the common mistakes I outlined, prioritize the most useful upgrades first, and don’t be afraid to experiment with different route options now that you don’t have to avoid every river and BT zone you come across.
