Red Dead Online Guide

The Red, the Dead and the Online! The Red Dead Online guide contains the best set of starting tips to help you in various tasks in the RDR2 multiplayer mode. Our walkthrough describes all story missions, explains camp upgrades, and also provides advice on hunting animals or winning races.

Last update: 28 June 2022

Explore the Wild West together with your friends! Our guide to Red Dead Online is a compendium where you can find numerous information about Rockstar Games' newest title. The guide features a chapter dedicated to the game's basics where you can find descriptions of the gameplay modes, learn how to create your own posse, read about your camp or check the most important starting tips.

Our guide will help you learn what you can do in RDO, what does the game has to offer, and how to avoid dangers that await you in the multiplayer. Also, we have included tips on how to earn gold, experience points, and money. Your character can reach 100 ranks - we have listed all the rewards that are unlocked with new ranks. The guide also contains descriptions of various challenges.

The guide for Red Dead Online contains walkthroughs for all the story missions available in this mode. Players can complete 8 different missions. To complete them, you will need to reach different honor ranks. Besides the story missions, you can also check information on various Stranger quests.

Our guide also features information about weapons, ammunition, gunsmiths, and a new feature available in this mode - the handheld catalogue. The Dead Eye has also received a few tweaks - players can now modify it to their liking.

The FAQ chapter focuses on the most important aspects of the game - how to change your appearance, how to quickly change your honor, get money/gold/XP, and much more. We have also prepared a detailed description of your character - your skills, information on how to reach new ranks, and ways of increasing your main stats.

Red Dead Online is similar to Grand Theft Auto Online. The developers have reused the content made for Red Dead Redemption 2 and added multiplayer elements to it. The game is set in North America. The end of Wild West is nigh. The game's world is vast, full of interesting locations, NPCs, and numerous side activities. These activities include both story missions and classic multiplayer modes. The game has content for players who enjoy cooperation and those who want to compete with others. There are also some elements that were borrowed from the multiplayer mode available in the first Red Dead Redemption.

• Story Missions
• Stranger Missions
• Game modes in Red Dead Online
• Race series
• Other activities in Red Dead Online
• Economy in Red Dead Online
• Does Red Dead Online feature microtransactions?
• Can I play Red Dead Online solo?
• Can I meet the characters from the campaign in Red Dead Online?
• Basics
• Equipment and combat
• FAQ
• Unlockable rewards
• Main character
• Story Missions
• What will be added to RDO?
• Is Red Dead Online dying?
• The most important updates

Story Missions

Let's start with the story aspect of this mode. After the prologue, you will be able to complete various missions - they are marked with a gold icon. These missions are similar to those in RDR2 - they have an introduction part, plot, and even moral choices! You can do these missions with other players - up to four people. These are the most important tips to this game mode:

1. In Red Dead Online you can play 8 story missions, which can be replayed endlessly.
2. Completing story missions is a fast way to level up and get some money.
3. In prologue, you'll play "Honor Among Horse Thieves" mission, which isn't available later.
4. Some quests in the game will require a specific honor level, otherwise you won't be able to see them on the map or replay them from the game's menu.
5. Missions: "Where Your Morals Lead You" and "If the Hat Fits..." require high honor, while "Kerosene, Tart and Greed" and "More Than One Way to Earn a Buck" require low honor.
6. You're playing story missions with other players - the maximum number of players in <br>one mission is 4. If one of the player leaves, the mission continues and difficulty level scales accordingly.
7. Some story missions give you moral choices - your and whole team's honor will change according to the decision made. Additionally, the course of action may be a little different.
8. In Red Dead Online you'll find following missions: Love and Honor; The Right Side of the Tracks; If the Hat Fits...; Where Your Morals Lead You; Highly Illegal and Highly Immoral; Kerosene, Tart and Greed; More Than One Way to Earn a Buck; and Kill Them, Each and Every One.

Stranger Missions

As for Stranger missions, these quests are rather easy and short. Usually, you have to bring an item, retrieve a stagecoach, participate in a firefight etc. These missions must be done in the free roam mode - other players can interrupt you. Don't be surprised when a calm and peaceful escort mission will end with a firefight with an opposite gang wanting to capture your stagecoach and claim the reward.

1. Stranger missions are marked on the world map with orange icon.
2. When you move your cursor on the icon, you don't always see any text or information about the mission - you have to talk with a stranger at least once to unlock the information about him.
3. Every stranger gives you a specific type of mission, but the course of the task will differs slightly every time - you'll have to complete different objectives or visit other places.
4. There are various mission which include: hunting, recovering an object, killing someone, delivering a parcel, or escort.
5. Missions rewards you with gold, gold nuggets, and experience points.
6. Every stranger can give you one mission per day (in-game day). After completing it, the icon will turn grey, and it'll be orange again when a new mission is available.
7. Strangers travel around the game's world, so missions appear in various places.
8. When one of the players on your current server stars a stranger mission, an official message will appear. Be ready that other players may try to prevent you from completing the quest.
9. It's best to play stranger mission with other players in a posse. It'll help protect you against attacks and to speed up the process.

Stranger missions don't work - what should I do?

Note that Red Dead Online is still available in beta version, so this kind of errors can be quite frequent. If the stranger mission doesn't work or crashes the game, you have to wait for the solution.

A temporary solution is to change the free roam game session or to start a new stranger mission. Rockstar will eliminate this kind of problems with the next updates.

Game modes in Red Dead Online

The game features a few game modes where you can fight with other players: Shootout, Make It Count, Most Wanted, Hostile Territory, and Name Your Weapon. Each of the modes differs slightly (the rules are described in one of the chapters) which means that you shouldn't get bored. You can also choose whether you want to play in a mode with 16 or 32 players. The game has several game modes. Their descriptions, along with advice, can be found below:

Shootout

A classic mode where you use firearms. You have an unlimited number of lives - eliminate as many enemies as you can within the time limit. Here are some tips how to win a shootout:

1. Dodging and using covers is the basis. You can be killed by one bullet, so it's the only way to stay alive.
2. Aim for the head. Like in Red Dead Redemption 2, it's worth aiming for the heads and killing enemies instantly.
3. Don't charge but don't stay in one place either. You need to keep the balance between charging and taking covers. The first option will make you die very fast, and the second one will make you finish the match in the last place.
4. If you play with others, attack in a group. This kind of attack will make your firepower much stronger.
5. Collect special items. You'll find health cures, new weapons or other valuable items. Try to get new equipment, which will allow you to gain an advantage over enemies.
6. Get better weapons and ammunition by unlocking ranks. With new ranks, you'll get access to more powerful guns or special types of ammunition.

Make It Count

A variation of a Battle Royale mode. Stay alive until the end - you can use only a bow, a few arrows or throwing knives. The arena will get smaller over time. Here are some tips and information for this game mode:

1. Surviving is the most important. Do not try to hunt other players at all cost - the aim of this mode is to survive to the end. Be clever.
2. Use covers and look for hideouts. The enemies can come from all directions, so look for places where you are covered at least from one side.
3. Fewer movements, more precision. If you are in the center of the circle, then crouch in a safe place and move only when necessary. Look out for your back, because another player may throw a knife in your direction.
4. Sneak around. Use crouching to be harder to detect.
5. In this mode, there is only one type of weapon. No crafting or collecting items. You start with e.g. a few knives, and you have to survive using only them..

Most Wanted

Shootout but with a few modifications. Kill enemies to get higher on the score table. However, the higher you get, the more points opponents will get for killing you. If you are good at shooting then watch out - players will try to shoot you down.

1. Choose your target. The amount of points you can get for killing a player is displayed above their head. Try to shoot enemies who can give you the most points. Note that high score probably means that you're hunting a really good player.
2. Be careful when you have a top score. When you are a leader, many players will try to kill you and get points. Take covers and play cautiously.
3. Items. During a match, you will find many items that will help you win. The most useful ones are health cures.
4. Fight to the last seconds. In this mode, you can easily catch up with points and become a new leader. A few kills of targets with a large reward and you will reach the top.

Hostile Territory

Cooperate with other players to capture points on the arena. The more points you have, the higher the score. You can also win a match by capturing all the points before the time runs out.

1. Attack and defend. You have to capture new points, but it's worth getting back to the old ones from time to time and protect them from other players.
2. Work as a team. If you can, communicate with other players and plan your actions together. Let part of the team defend the points or synchronize attacks to ensure your victory.
3. Use horses. In the arena, you'll find horses which can help you move faster and take over poorly protected points.
4. React to other posses' strategy. If the enemies are capturing points as a whole group, split up and take over points that aren't protected.
5. Taking over all the territory is very hard. It's nearly impossible to capture and hold all the points but if you do - you will win immediately.

Name your weapon

Free for all or in teams. The harder the weapon to use, the more points you will get. To win in this mode, learn the following tips:

1. Use tomahawks. You get 6 points for killing somebody with a tomahawk, and the enemy will die instantly. Be careful - you become an easy target while aiming this weapon.
2. Get the unique weapons. From time to time, unique weapons such as a sniper rifle will appear on the arena. Killing enemies with these weapons will reward you with extra points.
3. Secure the Gatling gun. At some point, a Gatling gun may appear in the center of the arena. It's worth fighting for it.
4. Don't get yourself killed too easily. Remember that other players will try to kill you using unique weapons - avoid this situation because your opponents will get points.
5. Hunt the campers. You will find many campers trying to kill enemies from the distance. Track those players and kill them before they go up too high in the rankings.

Race series

The game features a lot of races where you can compete with other players. Here, you will need to be good at controlling your mount, managing your horse's stamina, and have knowledge about the terrain. The developers have prepared two racing modes, which are a lot of fun. Some gameplay mechanics even resemble those from Super Mario Kart, where you can use "weapons" to take the lead.

Standard race

In standard race, you have to reach the finish line before other players. The most important information about this mode:

1. A standard race has a starting and finishing line. Follow the designated route and don't stray from it. Some of the races have a specified number of laps. You have to ride through certain points, so you can't use shortcuts and miss them.
2. Trampling on race track happens all the time. If you run into an opponent, it's very likely that you will both fall down.
3. There are many obstacles on the track. Depending on a race, you'll pass trees, stones, or fallen opponents. Avoid such "surprises" because when you fall, you'll lose valuable seconds before you return on the track.
4. The key to success is to collect items. On the track, you'll find barrels with power-ups. You can get weapons or boosters which will restore stamina of your horse. Thanks to it, you will be able to use gallop throughout the whole race.
5. When you see on the map that someone gets near you, ride slalom. Enemies can pick up weapons which can kill you instantly. Fortunately, the auto-aim during races is turned off, so it'll be difficult to hit you when you're moving in that way.
6. Attack your opponents. You can kick or shoot your enemies when they get close. When someone tries to get past you, try to throw them off or pick up a weapon and shoot them.
7. Don't charge. Being first means that you will become other players' target. Start slowly and wait for a chance to get ahead of opponents when they fall or get shot.

Open race

The goal of this type of race in Red Dead Online is to ride through certain numbers of bonfires scattered around a big area. This time, you can decide which point you visit first.

1. Ride to the closest points in the area but don't ignore the distant ones. Try to go through as many points as possible while going in one direction. Once you are done, change the direction.
2. This type of race is less aggressive than the previous one. Participants split up, so you will meet fewer players on the way. Here, precision and being able to make fast decisions are the most important factors.
3. Be careful while using shortcuts. It's quite easy to fall into a trap when you try to use a shortcut - you can easily fall off a horse so a risky jump over the fence can make you lose the race. Sticking to the route often leads to a victory.
4. Participation in a race is rewarded. Depending on the place you take in a race, you'll be rewarded with a certain amount of cash, gold and experience. Races are quite fast, so if you get good at them, you'll be able to reach high ranks very quickly and get a lot of money.

Other activities in Red Dead Online

Hunting/Fishing

The multiplayer mode also allows you to hunt and go fishing. You can sell meat, fish, and skins to get a lot of money and XP. Remember - in multiplayer mode you can get shot while you are walking through a forest.

Hunting other players and interacting with them

Other players are marked on your map. You can go to them and try to interact. Your character can fight, have a conversation by using the voice-chat etc. I had a lot of fun when I met a lot of players in Rhodes who divided themselves into a few groups and tried to capture the town for themselves.

Economy in Red Dead Online

The biggest drawback of the current version of Red Dead Online is the very poorly designed game economy. Activities in the game are still balanced, but in the present form many of them are still unprofitable. At the beginning, most players hunted and fished, because these were the most profitable activities. But currently, the story missions, challenges or taking part in series are more profitable.

Still, practically every activity in the game boils down to laboriously collecting dollars and gold (standard and premium currency in the game). In RDO, you have to pay for everything: food, ammunition, fast travel, owning a horse, new weapons or cosmetics. Often our earnings are paid in cents, and the prices of weapons or mounts reach over $600. Hence, when playing a game, you have to prepare yourself for grinding. Fortunately, the developers give free gifts from time to time- for example, the beta players got 15 free gold bars and $250 with the first update.

Rockstar still emphasizes that they're balancing the game and it's possible that later changes in Red Dead Online will completely change the economy. Great potential lies in the honor system and in adding new activities, such as playing poker. So far, however, economics in RDO is designed very badly for players.

Does Red Dead Online feature microtransactions?

Currently, the beta version doesn't feature any microtransactions. However, they will be added later and become an inseparable part of the game. You can spend real money on gold which can be exchanged for valuable items. Luckily, you can get gold thanks to other modes - by receiving nuggets. 100 gold nuggets will give you one gold bar.

Can I play Red Dead Online solo?

Of course! You can play the game alone - it is easy to find a posse and become its member. Try to get a microphone so you will be able to communicate with other players. Many missions and game modes allow you to choose players - you can only feel "lonely" when you are exploring the map in free mode.

Can I meet the characters from the campaign in Red Dead Online?

Yes, you can meet some of them, but they play a minor role here. You won't meet Dutch and the other gang members - treat RDO as a completely new adventure.

Basics

This chapter focuses on the game's basics. Here, you can find the most important information regarding Red Dead Online.

1. Online game modes - Free roam, gangs, showdown series, race series... this chapter has descriptions of all the game modes.
2. Posse - Learn how to create a gang in RDO, invite other players to join you, and how to manage your own gang.
3. Camp - You probably remember the Dutch's gang hideout from the RDR2's campaign - the online mode allows you to create your own camp.
4. Starting tips - Set of the most important tips that will help you with the game and save you a lot of time.
5. Getting money, gold, and XP - The three most important "stocks" in RDO. This chapter contains information about them and ways of obtaining these "resources".

Equipment and combat

Life on the Wild West isn't easy. Prepare yourself for numerous fights with NPCs and other players. We have prepared chapters that will help you win fights, and learn about the available equipment.

1. Available weapons - Revolvers, pistols, carbines, shotguns... the game gives you plenty of options!
2. Ammo, gunsmith and handheld catalogue - How to get ammo? What can I buy at a Gunsmith? What about the condition of my weapons? Can I buy items while I am out in the wilderness? - These are only some of the questions that we have answered in this chapter.
3. Covers and Dead Eye - Covers are still crucial when it comes to protecting yourself from enemy shots. The Dead Eye has received a lot of tweaks - it works completely different than the Dead Eye know from the RDR2's campaign.
4. Fishing and hunting - This page focuses on fishing and hunting in RDO. Here, you can learn, i.e. that fishing is unlocked at rank 14.

FAQ

This chapter contains the list of the most important questions regarding the game along with our detailed answers.

1. How to unlock all story missions? - The game offers 8 story missions. Some of them are blocked - check this page to learn how to unlock all of them.
2. How to change your appearance? - Do you want to know if it is possible to can change your appearance in RDO? Check out this chapter!
3. How to quickly increase/decrease your honor? - This page contains information on how to increase/decrease your in-game honor.
4. Horse insurance - how to get it and is it worth? - Should you get a horse insurance? Can your horse die permanently? Check out this chapter!
5. How to find treasure maps? - Besides shootouts, you can also try to become a treasure hunter. More details in this chapter.
6. How to get huge amount of experience and high ranks fast? - How to quickly gain a lot of experience in Red Dead Online? Is it worth doing other activities besides hunting and fishing?
7. How to get money fast? - There are several ways of getting a lot of money in the game.
8. Can you rob banks or trains in the game? - Well ... can you? This page contains the answer to these questions.
9. Can you disable pvp or create a private session in the game? - In Red Dead Online, other players can be both a blessing and a curse. Is it possible to play without strangers?
10. How to get a fishing rod? - Where to find a fishing rod which will help us increase our finances?
11. How to delete your current character and what will be transferred to a new one? -You can delete your avatar when you get bored with it... the question is: is it worth it?

Unlockable rewards

Rockstar Games has prepared a lot of rewards - you can unlock them by receiving new ranks or by completing challenges. We have prepared the full list of rewards available in Red Dead Online.

1. Rewards for completing challenges - the list of all rewards you unlock by completing in-game challenges.
2. Rewards for achieving new ranks - The (extensive) list of all rewards unlocked by achieving new RDO's ranks.

Main character

You start Red Dead Online with creating your own character. The next three chapters focus on describing the character creation process.

1. Character creation - Details about the character creation process.
2. Buying new abilities - Dead Eye works differently in RDO. It can, for example, heal your character or increase your damage. Check this page to learn more about these skills.
3. Character progression - Here, you can learn how to develop your abilities and stats.

Story Missions

Currently, Red Dead Online has 8 story missions. These missions can be played with groups of up to 4 players. We have prepared descriptions of all the missions - learn how to beat them fast and get gold medals.

1. Prologue
2. Love and Honor
3. The Right Side of the Tracks
4. If the Hat Fits...
5. Where Your Morals Lead You
6. Highly Illegal and Highly Immoral
7. Kerosene, Tart and Greed
8. More Than One Way to Earn a Buck
9. Kill Them, Each and Every One

What will be added to RDO?

Red Dead Online is still in beta which means that some of the new content will be added in the future. In 2019, Rockstar plans on adding the following features:

1. Daily challenges. A new challenge will be available every day. Players will be able to, e.g. shoot targets or escape from the law.
2. Law system and bounty improvements. Rockstar has announced that they are planning on improving the law system and bounties to reduce the toxicity between the players. Soon, players who commit a crime will receive a bounty. They have a limited amount of time in which they will have to pay for their crime. Those who won't do that right away will get chased by bounty hunters from all states.
3. Parley system. The system will receive changes allowing players to avoid those who are interested only in killing others. Also, it will be easier to start feuds, posse feuds and leader feuds.
4. New story missions to expand the existing stories taking place in A Land Of Opportunities - some characters will make a return, e.g. Horley and Jessica LeClerk. However, players will also be able to meet new faces.
5. New dynamic events added to the game's world.
6. Additional game modes for Showdown and Races.
7. New weapons, clothes and other new additions - currently, these features are unknown.

Is Red Dead Online dying?

No, although it must be noted that many players have left the game, waiting for new updates. Currently, RDO doesn't offer a lot of content - the majority of its attractions can be experienced within the first few hours. Another problem is the lack of a system that would allow players to turn PvP off or to simply play on a server where they can, e.g. hunt without worrying that they might get attacked. Rockstar pays attention to players' feedback by releasing numerous patches and updates for the game.

Red Dead Online is still in beta which means that it hasn't reached its full popularity yet. The current game can be treated as a test version - many players are waiting for the full release. Also, there is still no news about the PC version of Red Dead Redemption 2.

The most important updates

1. Week 1 update - Update added after the first week of Red Dead Online - it gave players $250, 15 gold bars and made hunting and fishing less profitable.
2. 10.01.2019 Patch - This new patch introduces Gun Rush, a new mode for up to 32 players where you can test your surviving skills. Collect weapons and ammo on an increasingly smaller map. Play alone or with a team, and survive.
3. Fool's Gold, Fishing Challenges, Daily Challenges and world enhancements. The new update has introduced, e.g. Fool's Gold, Fishing Challenges, Daily Challenges, Target Races. Three new Showdown Modes coming soon: Up in Smoke, Spoils of War, and Plunder. New weapon: Rare Shotgun. Evans Repeater is coming soon. Updated player radar, easier parley and feuds, changes to the Bounty system.