Death Stranding 2 does not wholly focus on combat, but there are still multiple sections in the game where you’ll have to fight hostile NPCs or BTs. Dying in these encounters is a real possibility, and if you run out of ammo, your chances of survival drop significantly. While there isn’t much you can do if you’re out of ammo during a BT fight, the same doesn’t apply to NPC encounters.
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The game offers melee weapons you can use to defend yourself, especially at close range. Here’s how players can find the Electric Rod early on in Death Stranding 2.
Death Stranding 2: How to Acquire the Electric Rod
After completing Order No. 3, "Deliver One or More Remote Medical Units to Villa Libre," Villa Libre will be added to the Chiral Network thanks to the Q-pid. After accepting your next order and setting a course on the map, you can access the Ring Terminal to check out the Aid Requests. Here, you’ll find the Request: Lost Cargo Recovery, which involves retrieving four walking sticks washed away in the floods. Mark the location on the map and begin moving toward the marker, which should be 500–600 meters from Villa Libre.
Once you reach the location, you’ll find the hologram of La Madre, and next to her are four cargo crates you can attach to your backpack before making your way back to Villa Libre.
If you want, you can use a Strand to tie down your cargo, ensuring a fall won’t cause it to scatter on the ground.
Transport the cargo to the terminal, and La Madre will reward you with a Custom Electric Rod. If you want to acquire more rods, you can go to the Fabricate Equipment tab and make an Electric Rod, which requires:
- 30 Resins
- 30 Metals
Finding the Electric Rod inside Enemy Camps
If you’re in need of more Electric Rods but don’t want to waste materials on fabricating them, you can try your luck at an enemy camp. These camps are filled with hostile NPCs, some of whom might have an Electric Rod on them. If you build a Watchtower near the enemy camp, you can analyze the entire area and mark any enemy carrying a rod. If you’re planning to take a stealth approach, use your Strand to knock them out and grab the rod from their bodies.
Using the Electric Rod in Death Stranding 2
The Electric Rod can be accessed by opening the Weapons/Tools tab by holding down the right D-pad on the controller. After doing so, you’ll find the rod on the right, and pressing X will allow you to equip it. The Electric Rod is capable of shocking enemies, making it a great choice for melee combat. Press Circle to perform a normal melee swing, but you can also use it as a javelin by aiming with L2 and pressing R2 to throw.
If you use the rod as a javelin, keep in mind that you won’t be able to pick it back up.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 90 /100 Critics Rec: 95%
- Released
- June 26, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Violence, Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Kojima Productions
- Publisher(s)
- Sony Interactive Entertainment
