Red Dead Redemption 2 is packed with hidden items, side quests, random encounters, weapons, animals, treasure hunts, and systems that are easy to miss. It also plays very differently from a typical third-person action game, so understanding how its world works can make your first playthrough much smoother.

This spoiler-free beginner guide covers some of the most important things to know before getting deep into the RDR2 story.

Always Be Ready for Random Encounters

Once the opening section in the snowy mountains is over, almost anything can happen while you’re exploring.

You may encounter:

• Armed robbers
• Ambushes
• Wild animals
• Strangers
• Horse thieves
• Scammers
• Other random encounters

Many of these happen while traveling.

Cinematic Mode Is Not Completely Safe

Cinematic Mode can make long trips easier, but don’t treat it like a completely safe autopilot system.

You can still be attacked or robbed while traveling.

Keep a strong weapon such as a:

• Rifle
• Repeater

pre-selected in your weapon wheel.

You don’t need to walk around holding a weapon because that can make NPCs suspicious or hostile, but having your strongest weapon ready lets you react quickly when trouble starts.

Take Your Time

Red Dead Redemption 2 is deliberately slow-paced.

Instead of rushing from mission to mission, spend time interacting with the world.

Useful activities include:

• Hunting
• Stranger Missions
• Crafting Tonics
• Finding new weapons
• Customizing weapons
• Playing mini-games
• Exploring towns
• Discovering random encounters

The source specifically describes RDR2 as something closer to an:

Interactive Western movie

than a normal fast-paced open-world action game.

The atmosphere and small details are a major part of the experience.

Don’t Ignore Side Missions

Some of the most interesting content in RDR2 is optional.

Side activities include:

• Stranger Missions
• Character-specific missions
• Bounties
• Debt collection
• Hunting activities
• Other optional encounters

Some missions only appear after specific requirements are met.

You may need to:

• Meet a certain character first
• Visit a specific place
• Arrive at a certain time

Because of this, it’s easy to miss entire storylines.

Many side missions also include their own plots and rewards.

Treasure Hunting Is a Great Way to Make Money

You’ll need money and Gold Bars throughout Story Mode.

The source mentions several ways of making money, including:

• Selling wagons to Seamus at Emerald Ranch
• Selling captured horses to Clay Davies at the horse fence in Clemens Cove
• Completing Treasure Maps

Treasure Maps are presented as the fastest and easiest major money-making method in the source.

Where Treasure Maps Can Be Found

Treasure-related clues and rewards may be found around the map in places such as:

• Lockboxes
• Trees
• Ditches
• Hidden locations

One example is the:

Jack Hall Gang Treasure

The first map can be obtained from:

Maximo

during a random encounter near:

Flatneck Station

Treasure hunts contain multiple stages and can eventually reward:

Gold Bars

which can be sold to a Fence for cash.

The source states that completing all Treasures can produce more than:

$116,000

in Story Mode.

Understand Health, Stamina, and Dead Eye

Your character has three main Cores:

• Health
• Stamina
• Dead Eye

Each Core has an outer ring or bar.

Health

Health determines how much damage you can survive.

Stamina

Stamina determines how long you can:

• Run
• Swim
• Perform physical actions

Dead Eye

Dead Eye drains while you’re using:

Dead Eye Mode

How Cores and Rings Work

Activities usually drain the outer ring first.

Once the ring is empty, the central Core begins draining.

The outer rings recharge over time.

The central Cores generally need to be restored with:

• Food
• Tonics
• Other consumables

Cores also slowly drain naturally over time.

Cook Seasoned Big Game Meat

The source recommends hunting:

Alligators

in the swamps for:

Big Game Meat

You can season Big Game Meat with herbs.

For Health, the source specifically recommends:

Mint

Seasoning food can fortify your Cores.

Also collect herbs such as:

• Thyme
• Oregano

so you can prepare different types of seasoned meat later.

Use Tonics Later in the Game

As you progress, Tonics become increasingly useful.

The source recommends relying more on Tonics instead of items such as:

• Chewing Tobacco
• Alcohol

Tonics can also be crafted at a:

Campfire

if you have the required ingredients.

Use Strong Long Guns as a Beginner

Weapons matter a lot because dying costs you money.

The source recommends prioritizing long guns instead of relying mostly on Revolvers and Pistols.

Good beginner options include:

• Pump-Action Shotgun
• Lancaster Repeater
• Bolt Action Rifle

These cover:

• Close range
• Medium range
• Long range

Best Beginner Sniper Rifles

For long-range combat, the source recommends:

• Rolling Block Rifle
• Carcano Rifle

It particularly favors the:

Carcano Rifle

for its combination of:

• Fire rate
• Reload speed
• Damage
• Overall DPS

Use Better Ammunition

Special ammunition can make a noticeable difference against stronger enemies.

The source recommends:

• Express Ammo
• High Velocity Ammo

You can also craft:

Split Point Ammo

at a campfire.

Split Point Ammo requires no additional crafting ingredients and gives a slight accuracy improvement over regular ammunition.

The downside is that it must be crafted individually.

The source gives the carrying limit as roughly:

100 to 150 rounds

depending on the weapon.

Find Free Weapons in the World

Not every good weapon has to be purchased.

Some powerful weapons are hidden around the map.

One early example from the source is the:

Semi-Automatic Shotgun

It can be found at:

Watson’s Cabin

which the source places:

• North of Valley View
• West of Wallace Station

Go into the underground cellar of the cabin to find the weapon.

Some collectible weapons require you to complete missions first, including weapons connected to the Legendary Gunslinger storyline.

Maintain Your Weapons

Weapons become dirty over time.

Use:

Gun Oil

to clean them.

Gun Oil can be:

• Looted from enemies
• Purchased from Gunsmiths

If you let a weapon deteriorate, its performance can drop.

The source mentions reductions in:

• Damage
• Range
• Fire rate
• Reload speed

Clean important weapons regularly.

Do Stranger Missions

Stranger Missions are usually shorter than main story missions, but they’re worth doing.

Possible benefits include:

• Exclusive rewards
• Additional Honor
• Extra money
• Unique stories

Some have multi-stage storylines that continue over time.

Red Dead Redemption 2: 8 Things to Do First in Chapter 2

Loot Enemy Bodies

When enemies die, check the mini-map.

An unlooted body appears as a:

Black X

After looting it, the icon becomes:

Light Gray

Most enemies don’t carry much cash, but you can find:

• Provisions
• Ammunition
• Trinkets
• Pocket Watches
• Gold Nuggets

Pocket Watches and similar valuables can be sold at a Fence.

Watch Your Honor When Looting

According to the source, looting someone who attacked you first does not cause an Honor penalty.

However, looting an innocent corpse can cause:

A small Honor loss

So pay attention to who you’re looting if you care about maintaining high Honor.

Take Care of Your Horse

Your horse also has:

• Health Core
• Stamina Core

These drain through:

• Damage
• Sprinting
• Time

Carry horse food whenever you travel.

The source recommends:

• Carrots
• Apples
• Oat Cakes
• Hay

Bonding with your horse also improves its stats.

Always Carry Horse Reviver

One of the most important horse-related items is:

Horse Reviver

The source recommends carrying several bottles.

If your horse suffers lethal damage, Horse Reviver may let you save it.

Without one, you risk permanently losing a horse you’ve bonded with.

Consider a Backup Horse

Horses can:

• Run away when frightened
• Become injured
• Get incapacitated
• Move outside whistle range

The source recommends keeping a second horse nearby when possible.

If your primary horse becomes unavailable, your backup can respond to your whistle.

Upgrade the Camp in Chapter 2

In Chapter 2, you’ll gain access to the:

• Donation Box
• Ledger

near Dutch’s tent.

The Donation Box itself has limited direct gameplay impact outside an achievement tied to donating:

$250

The Ledger is much more important because it lets you buy Camp upgrades.

Important Camp Upgrades

The source recommends upgrading:

• Provision Wagon
• Ammunition Wagon
• Medical Wagon

These improve the quantity and variety of supplies available at Camp.

Unlock Fast Travel

Upgrade Arthur’s lodging for:

$325

according to the source.

This unlocks:

Fast Travel

which becomes very useful once you’re traveling across larger parts of the map.

Buy Leather Working Tools

Purchase:

Leather Working Tools

for Pearson.

These allow him to craft more advanced:

Satchels

which can improve your carrying capacity.

Carry Hot and Cold Weather Outfits

Extreme temperatures affect your Cores.

Carry separate outfits for:

• Hot weather
• Cold weather

You can store custom outfits on your horse so they’re available while traveling.

Suitable clothing can be bought from:

• Stores
• Trapper

depending on what you’re looking for.

Get the White Arabian Early

The source recommends the:

White Arabian

as a powerful horse you can obtain as early as:

Chapter 2

It can be found on the:

Northwest side of Lake Isabella

The horse has:

• High top speed
• Strong acceleration

Once you reach:

Level 4 Bonding

it becomes even more reliable.

How to Tame the White Arabian

The White Arabian can be more difficult to approach than many other wild horses.

Move slowly and avoid frightening it.

If it gets spooked, you’ll have to track it down again and repeat the process.

Missouri Fox Trotter

Later in the game, the source also recommends:

Missouri Fox Trotter

at the:

Scarlett Meadows Stable

The source gives the price as:

$950

and notes that it has slightly better top speed than the Arabian.

Read Arthur’s Journal

Arthur’s Journal is one of the game’s easiest features to overlook.

It records:

• Memories
• Experiences
• Locations
• Animals
• Characters
• Story observations

Entries also include Arthur’s own drawings.

The Journal can give additional insight into:

• Arthur’s history
• Gang relationships
• His thoughts about other characters
• How he views the changing world

Your journal may also differ from another player’s depending on:

• Animals discovered
• Choices made
• Missions completed

So check it regularly.

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Understand the Honor System

Honor changes based on your behavior.

Positive actions can raise Honor.

Crimes and other negative actions can lower it.

Honor also affects how certain story moments are presented later in the game.

The overall outcomes may remain similar, but the presentation can change depending on your Honor level.

The source recommends experiencing a:

High Honor playthrough first

but ultimately RDR2 lets you choose how you want Arthur to behave.

Avoid Story Spoilers

Red Dead Redemption 2 has been available for years, so spoilers are everywhere.

If this is your first playthrough, avoid searching too deeply for:

• Arthur’s story
• Ending explanations
• Honor endings
• Character outcomes

It’s better to experience those moments naturally during your first run.

Red Dead Redemption 2 Beginner Checklist

If you’re just starting, focus on these priorities:

1. Keep a strong Rifle or Repeater ready.
2. Don’t rush through the main story.
3. Explore random encounters.
4. Complete Stranger Missions.
5. Hunt Treasure Maps for money.
6. Learn how Health, Stamina, and Dead Eye Cores work.
7. Cook seasoned Big Game Meat.
8. Keep useful Tonics available.
9. Use strong long guns for combat.
10. Buy or craft better ammunition.
11. Find free weapons around the map.
12. Clean weapons with Gun Oil.
13. Loot enemies after fights.
14. Protect your Honor when looting.
15. Feed and bond with your horse.
16. Carry Horse Reviver.
17. Keep a backup horse when possible.
18. Upgrade Camp supplies.
19. Unlock Fast Travel.
20. Buy Pearson’s Leather Working Tools.
21. Carry hot and cold weather outfits.
22. Consider taming the White Arabian.
23. Read Arthur’s Journal.
24. Decide how you want to approach the Honor system.
25. Avoid spoilers during your first playthrough.

Final Tips for New RDR2 Players

The biggest mistake you can make in Red Dead Redemption 2 is treating the game like something you need to rush through.

Explore.

Hunt.

Talk to strangers.

Look inside abandoned buildings.

Follow Treasure Maps.

Maintain your weapons.

Take care of your horse.

Upgrade your Camp.

Pay attention to your Cores.

And most importantly, don’t feel pressured to immediately complete every yellow story mission you see.

A huge amount of Red Dead Redemption 2’s best content happens between the main missions, and slowing down gives you a much better chance of discovering it.