Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain Guide: How to obtain all Key Items

Throughout your Metal Gear Solid V experience, you'll notice that in order to advance in the game, you'll have to also advance your R&D department, which allows you to research and develop new and more powerful items. Trust me when I say that an early game mission feels completely different when you revisit it later in the game with all new equipment.

As you play, you'll unlock various Key Items which will automatically unlock the ability to research helpful items and upgrades. However, there are a few Key Items which you can miss, as they're either associated with a Side Op, or with a specific condition.

You can check out the entire list of Key Items here, what they unlock and how to obtain them.

Children's Reward – Enables the development of the Water Pistol

Complete Mission 18

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First Aid Manual – Enables the development of the Tactical Fulton for D-Dog

Found in Masa Village after you've completed Mission 18

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Master Certificate (Marking) – Enables the distinction between real soldiers and decoys when using the binoculars to spot enemies

Mark 500 targets

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Master Certificate (Box) – Enables the development of the C. Box WR

Pick up all invoices (fast travel locations) in either Africa or Afghanistan

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Grand Master Certificate (Box) – Enables the development of the C. Box SMK

Pick up all invoices (fast travel locations) in both Africa and Afghanistan

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Master Certificate (Fulton) – Enables the development of the Grade-3 Fulton

Successfully extract 500 targets

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Grand Master Certificate (Fulton) – Enables the development of the F-BALLISTA for D-Walker

Successfully extract 1000 targets

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Conch Shell – Enables the development of the Petrol Bomb and the Fulton upgrade to extract children

Complete Side Op 113

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Skulls Machete – Enables the development of the TASK-ARM SM for D-Walker

Complete Mission 29

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Strangelove's Memento – Enables the development of the Bandana

Complete Side Op 143

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Man on Fire (Corpse) – Enables the development of the Furicorn equipment for D-Horse

Complete Side Op 144

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Quiet's Examination Report – Enables the development of the Gray XOF equipment for Quiet

Watch the cutscene where Quiet is interrogated, or complete Mission 40

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Handkerchief – Enables the development of the Sniper Wolf equipment for Quiet

Complete Mission 40

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Emmerich's Research Notes – Enables the development of the Stealth Camo item

Watch the cutscene where Emmerich is exiles

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The Codename: Big Boss – Enables the development of the Leather Jacket

Complete Secret Mission 46

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Master Certificate (Standard) – Enables the development of the Cyborg Ninja equipment

Complete all Missions (except the high difficulty ones)

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Grand Master Certificate (Standard) – Enables the development of the Raiden uniform

Complete all missions with an S Rank (except the high difficulty ones)

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Master Certificate (Elite) – Enables the development of the Naked Silver uniform and Silver Bionic Arm

Complete all high difficulty missions

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Grand Master Certificate (Elite) – Enables the development of the Naked Gold uniform

Complete all high difficulty missions with an S Rank

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Star of Bethlehem – Enables the development of the Infinity Bandana

Complete Secret Mission 46