If you’ve spent any time exploring the post-apocalyptic United Cities of America in Death Stranding 2, you’ve probably stumbled across weird, seemingly random collectibles that don’t fit the usual delivery-focused gameplay loop. One of the most surprising of these is the set of dominos scattered across different regions, and many players aren’t sure what to do with them once they pick up their first set. I spent three full play sessions testing out every possible use for dominos death stranding 2 when they first showed up in my inventory, and I’m breaking down everything you need to know to skip the confusion and get all the hidden rewards tied to this quirky feature.
How to unlock the full dominos set in Death Stranding 2
You won’t get access to dominos right at the start of your playthrough, and you don’t have to beat any major story beats to unlock them either. The first starter set of 6 domino tiles becomes available once you reach the South Lake Knot City distribution center and complete a handful of missions for the local prepper. From there, you’ll need to track down the remaining 18 tiles across different UCA outposts to unlock the full set, plus a special carrying case to bring them on all your deliveries.
You don’t have to complete any high-difficulty timed deliveries to unlock dominos, despite what a lot of forum rumors claim. The only requirements to get the full functional set are listed below:
- Complete 7 standard delivery missions for the South Lake Knot City prepper to get your starter domino set
- Find 18 hidden domino tiles across 12 different UCA outposts, marked with small blue ping icons on your map once you sync the local chiral network
- Reach connection level 3 with the veteran porter at the Mountain Knot City distribution center to unlock the custom carrying case that lets you bring dominos on all deliveries
So once you have the full set and the carrying case, you can pull out the dominos anywhere on the map, as long as you’re on flat, stable ground that isn’t affected by timefall. I made the mistake of trying to set up a domino line on a snowy slope near the Edge Knot City border first, and half my tiles slid down the hill before I could even finish arranging them. Stick to paved UCA paths or flat rocky areas if you want to build longer lines without disruptions.
What can you do with dominos in Death Stranding 2?
A lot of players assume dominos are just a silly Easter egg with no real purpose, but that’s not the case at all. Kojima Productions added actual functional benefits to this feature, beyond just messing around with other players in multiplayer. First, you can use domino lines to trigger chiral network relays remotely. If you’re trying to activate a relay that’s surrounded by BTs, you can set up a domino line starting far outside the BT zone, knock over the first tile, and the last one will tap the relay to activate it without you having to sneak through dangerous territory.
I used this trick three times during my last playthrough to avoid getting caught by giant catcher BTs, and it saved me from wasting half my stock of hematic grenades. Domino lines can also be used to distract MULEs if you’re carrying a high-value delivery that you don’t want to get stolen. Set up a line near their camp, knock it over, and the noise will draw most of the MULEs away from your delivery route for 2 to 3 minutes, enough time to sneak past without a fight.
You can also build domino lines and share them with other players on the chiral network, and you’ll get likes for every player that knocks over your line. I built a 200-tile line near the Timefall Farm that has gotten over 12,000 likes so far, which helped me level up my porter rank way faster than just doing standard deliveries. You can even compete with friends to build the longest or most creative domino line in shared multiplayer servers, if you’re looking for a break from running delivery routes.
Exclusive rewards for completing domino challenges
The game has 9 hidden domino challenges that you can unlock once you have the full set, and the rewards are well worth the time you spend tracking down all the tiles. Most of the challenges ask you to build a line of a certain length that triggers a specific reward, or knock over a line that passes through multiple checkpoints across a small area. None of the challenges are particularly difficult, but some require a bit of planning to make sure your domino line doesn’t get disrupted by weather or NPCs before you finish it.
The most valuable reward from domino challenges is the custom anti-timefall domino case, which you get for completing the 150-tile line challenge near Mountain Knot City. This case not only protects your dominos from timefall damage, but it also adds 2 extra slots to your backpack for small delivery items, which is a huge help when you’re doing bulk delivery runs. Other rewards include unique backpack customization items, like a domino-themed charm that increases the number of likes you get from other players for shared structures, and 500 units of chiral crystals that you can use to upgrade your bridges and roads.
I was surprised at how useful these rewards are, especially for players who focus on building shared structures for the community. You don’t have to complete all the challenges in one playthrough either, your domino collection and challenge progress carries over to new game plus, so you can take your time working through them if you don’t want to prioritize them during your first run.
Pro tips for using dominos effectively
After testing every possible use for dominos over multiple playthroughs, I’ve picked up a few tricks that make the feature way more useful, even if you don’t care about the cosmetic rewards. First, always keep at least 10 dominos in your quick access slot when you’re doing deliveries through BT-heavy areas. I can’t count how many times I’ve been able to trigger a nearby chiral relay and scan for BTs without stepping into the danger zone, just by using a quick 10-tile domino line.
You don’t have to build long lines to get value out of dominos, even 3 or 4 tiles can be enough to trigger a relay or distract a small group of MULEs. If you’re building lines to share with other players, add small markers along the line using chiral spray to make it easier for them to find the start of the line. Players are way more likely to interact with your line if they don’t have to spend 10 minutes searching for the first tile.
Also, avoid building domino lines near active timefall zones or areas with frequent MULE patrols. If timefall hits your line, the tiles will degrade and disappear in less than a minute, and MULEs will knock over your line on purpose if they stumble across it, which means you won’t get any likes from other players for it. One small trick I found that most players don’t know about: if you knock over a domino line while you’re standing next to a friendly porter NPC, they’ll give you a small reward, like extra blood bags or repair spray, as a thank you for the entertainment. It’s a small bonus, but it adds up over time.
At the end of the day, dominos are one of those small, unexpected features that make Death Stranding 2 feel so unique. They’re not required to beat the main story, but they add a fun, creative layer to the gameplay that rewards players who take the time to explore beyond the main delivery quests. Whether you’re using them to sneak past BTs, earn extra likes from the community, or just mess around with friends in multiplayer, dominos death stranding 2 is a feature that’s well worth checking out during your next playthrough. You don’t have to be a completionist to get value out of it, either, even just the starter set can help you get out of some tight spots when you’re out on deliveries.
