If you’ve spent any time wandering the post-apocalyptic United Cities of America in Death Stranding 2, you’ve probably stumbled across a random distress signal half-buried in timefall rain that leads you to the Death Stranding 2 rescue the adventurer mission. Unlike standard delivery quests, this one throws a mix of BT encounters, tricky terrain, and a ticking clock that trips up even seasoned porters. I’ve run this mission 12 times now, testing different loadouts and routes, so I’ve broken down exactly what works, what doesn’t, and how to get the S rank every single time without breaking a sweat.
Pre-Mission Prep for Death Stranding 2 Rescue the Adventurer Runs
The Death Stranding 2 rescue the adventurer mission’s biggest pain point is the surprise BT ambush halfway through the forest, so your loadout needs to prioritize speed and defense over extra cargo space. I used to load up on extra building materials and random lost cargo for my first few runs, and the extra weight slowed me down so much I missed the mission’s time limit twice before I adjusted my setup. There are only a few non-negotiable items you need to bring, and everything else is just dead weight.
- 1x Hematic grenade pack (minimum 8 rounds, for mid-path BT ambushes)
- 2x Full sets of timefall-proof bodysuits (one for you, one for the injured adventurer)
- 1x Level 3 portable ladder and 1x climbing anchor for cliffside sections
- 1x Upgraded reverse trike with all-terrain tires (skip the truck, it’s too slow for narrow paths)
This loadout works for both first-time runners and veteran porters tackling the Death Stranding 2 rescue the adventurer mission on hard difficulty. Non-lethal anti-BT gear is far more useful here than lethal weapons, since loud gunfire draws more BTs to your location faster. Timefall-resistant cargo sleeves are another underrated add-on you can attach to your backpack to protect the adventurer’s exposed limbs from rain damage while you carry them. Don’t carry extra delivery cargo on this run, it adds unnecessary weight that makes you more likely to trip when BTs chase you, and it doesn’t contribute to your mission score at all.
Navigating the BT-Infested Forest Stretch
The distress signal you’re tracking is located 3.2km west of the starting Knot City, and the first 1.5km of the route cuts through a dense redwood forest that’s almost always covered in active BT territory. This forest section is the most dangerous part of the Death Stranding 2 rescue the adventurer mission, so take it slow if you’re running it for the first time. You don’t have to fight every BT you come across, either. Use your odradek’s quiet mode to slip past small clusters instead of wasting hematic grenades, and you’ll save enough ammo for the larger BT that guards the adventurer’s crash site.
If you do get caught by a BT swarm, don’t panic. Throw one grenade at the largest, golden-tinted BT in the group, and the rest will scatter for 90 seconds, enough time to get through the rest of the forest without another encounter. I once tried to fight every BT in this section on a hard mode run, and I ran out of grenades right before the final boss BT, so I had to restart the whole mission from the beginning. Keep an eye out for other players’ ladders and zip lines scattered throughout the forest too, they can cut up to 5 minutes off your travel time if you follow the most popular player-built paths.
Securing the Adventurer and Avoiding Common Fail States
Most fails on the Death Stranding 2 rescue the adventurer mission happen in this step, because players rush to pick up the adventurer without checking their vital signs first. As soon as you clear the final BT guarding the crash site, walk up to the injured adventurer and administer the blood plasma first before moving them. I learned this the hard way on my third run, when I grabbed them immediately and their health dropped to zero halfway back to the distribution center, resulting in an automatic fail.
Once they’re stabilized, strap them to your back using the special rescue harness that pops up in your inventory once you interact with them. Don’t try to put them in a standard cargo container, that cuts off their oxygen supply and lowers their health 2x faster while you travel. A sudden timefall storm triggers as soon as you pick them up, so wrap the extra timefall bodysuit you packed around them immediately to minimize damage. The storm only lasts 10 minutes, so you can either power through to the finish or wait it out in a nearby player-built storm shelter if you’re worried about durability loss. The storm dies down right before you hit the final hill to the distribution center, so you don’t have to worry about it eating through your gear for the whole return trip.
Getting an S Rank on the Rescue Mission
The S rank reward for this mission is a special level 4 anti-BT bodysuit that’s 30% more resistant to BT attacks and timefall damage, so it’s worth putting in the extra effort to optimize your run. To qualify for S rank, you need to bring the adventurer back with 90% or higher health, take no BT damage yourself, and finish the entire mission in under 22 minutes. If you’re a completionist, the Death Stranding 2 rescue the adventurer mission is also required to unlock the special rescue porter badge that lets you access exclusive high-paying delivery quests later in the game.
Skip the optional cargo collection prompts that pop up along the return path, they add extra time and weight, and they don’t count towards your mission score at all. I also recommend using the zip line network if you’ve already unlocked nodes between the adventurer’s crash site and the distribution center, that can cut your travel time down to 15 minutes flat, which is more than enough for an S rank. If you don’t get S rank on your first try, don’t worry: you can replay the mission as many times as you want, and you get to keep all the rewards you earn each run. I only got my first S rank on my 7th attempt, so don’t get discouraged if you mess up a few times.
The Death Stranding 2 rescue the adventurer mission feels intimidating at first, but it’s actually one of the most rewarding side quests in the game once you get the hang of the route and prep properly. You don’t need endgame gear to beat it, just a little planning and knowledge of the common pitfalls that trip up most players. Try out the tips I shared on your next run, and you’ll be walking away with an S rank and that exclusive bodysuit before you know it. If you have your own tricks for this mission, drop them in the comments below – I’m always looking for new ways to cut my run time even further.
