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High Stakes Poker

Arthur Morgan playing poker in "A Fine Night of Debauchery."

In Red Dead Redemption 2, there are a number of activities that the player can do, both within and outside missions. These can range from solo activities such as fishing to high stakes gambling. The player can play minigames across the map and complete ambient challenges in order to reach 100% completion.

General Activities[]

General activities are common activities the player can do around the map and in missions.

Bounty Hunting[]

BenedictAllbright-RDR2-BountyPoster

A bounty poster for Benedict Allbright.

Bounty hunting is a prominent activity featured in the Red Dead series, and a lucrative method to making money. After completing the mission, "Good, Honest, Snake Oil," the player can hunt bounties across the map. Typically, they must collect a bounty poster from a sheriff or post office, then track down the bounty and bring it back to the sheriff’s office for a reward. The player can also turn in criminals such as escaped convicts for rewards in random encounters, and hunt bounties during missions.

Chores[]

Chores are a series of activities and errands that the player can carry out for an increase in honor, dead eye experience, and camp morale. Chores can only be done from dawn to dusk at camp, and are indicated by a small black dot on the map. Chores include menial work like chopping firewood, feeding the horses, milking cows, etc. Chores are unlocked after the mission, "Eastward Bound," but cannot be done anymore by Chapter Five. Chores can then be done again by the epilogue.

Fishing[]

RDR2 Fishing rod 02

Arthur Morgan fishing along the Dakota River.

Fishing is a mechanic exclusive to Red Dead Redemption 2. It plays a prominent role in the game, where the players can catch various species of fish (including legendary ones) for survival, sport, or money. All the player needs is a fishing rod, some bait, and a body of water to fish at. Across the map, there are fifteen species of fish, with each one having a legendary counterpart, and they differ in weight, size, and appearance. Fishing is unlocked to the player following the mission, "A Fisher of Men."

Horsebreaking[]

Horsebreaking is an activity in both Redemption games where the player can find wild horse breeds across the map and attempt to break them and domesticate them. After breaking a horse, the player can sell it or stable it. There are twenty-one horse breeds the player can break across the map, such as the superior Arabian breed. The activity is unlocked after "Eastward Bound," when free-roam is granted to the player.

Hunting[]

Charles and Arthur hunting

Charles Smith and Arthur Morgan hunting.

Hunting is a mechanic that plays a prominent role in both Redemption games, although it is expanded upon in the second installment. The player can hunt hundreds of different species of animals across the map, along with 16 legendary animals. Despite this, if the player hunts livestock, domesticated animals, or horses, they can become wanted for animal cruelty. The mechanics of hunting are introduced in the mission, "The Aftermath of Genesis," although the player cannot hunt legendary animals until the mission, "Exit Pursued by a Bruised Ego."

Criminal Activities[]

Criminal activities are illegal actions the player can do around the map and in missions. If the player does not wear a bandana or commits a crime in an area with witnesses, they may become wanted.

Robbing Banks[]

Arthur robbing a bank

Arthur Morgan robbing the Valentine Savings Bank in "Sodom? Back to Gomorrah."

Banks cannot be robbed in free-roam, although they do serve as robbery targets in the game’s story. Despite this, the player can still enter banks across the map. In the missions, "Sodom? Back to Gomorrah," "High and Low Finance," and "Banking, the Old American Art," banks serve as the target robbery. They are risky robbery targets, with high rewards, but oftentimes incredibly high risks.

Robbing Homesteads[]

Sometimes, the player can be given leads by criminals or other gang members about a homestead. These homesteads sometimes have special loot such as cash or gold, and can be found across the map. The player can also rob homesteads in companion activities with Sean MacGuire and Javier Escuella, where they respectively rob Lonnie's Shack and Chez Porter. If the player is caught robbing the homestead, they might become wanted.

Robbing Individuals[]

Robbing is a common activity across the Wild West across the Red Dead series. The player can rob a targeted individual by selecting the "rob" button, in which the player will demand them of their belongings. Sometimes, the individual gives in and gives up their money, while other times, the individual will retaliate and potentially shoot them. It is recommended to wear a bandana while doing this, as the player can become wanted if they are witnessed holding up townsfolk.

Robbing Side Businesses[]

Strawberry Moonshine

Arthur Morgan observing an illegal moonshine still in the basement of the Strawberry General Store.

In towns across the map, it is not uncommon for the player to stumble upon a hidden and illegal side business at a store. In order to find out about these side businesses, the player must either get a lead or investigate the area, where they may find clues. To initiate the robbery, the player must aim their weapon at the shopkeeper and choose to rob their side business. Wearing a bandana is recommended as to avoid getting wanted. The player can additionally rob the cash register for a small loss of honor. Sometimes, if the player is careful, they can walk away from the scene unscathed without getting wanted. These side businesses can be found at the Valentine Doctor's Office, Strawberry General Store, Rhodes Gunsmith, and Saint Denis Gunsmith.

Robbing Stagecoaches[]

Stagecoaches can be robbed by incapacitating the drivers and guards, and subduing any passengers if necessary. They can either shoot the personnel or jump on the carriage from horseback and throw the drivers off to stop the coach. Some coaches have lockboxes with special loot and can be sold to the Wagon Fence in Emerald Ranch for a substantial sum if they are in good condition. After the mission, "Friends in Very Low Places," the player can get tips for coach robberies from Alden Carruthers in Rhodes or Hector Barlow in Strawberry.

Robbing Trains[]

Train Robbery

The Van der Linde Gang robbing Leviticus Cornwall's train in "Who the Hell is Leviticus Cornwall?"

Train robberies are one of the most lucrative criminal activities in the game, being featured in both missions and free-roam. The player can enter the train while it is stationery, by jumping on it on horseback, or stopping it by blocking the tracks with a wagon. In order to successfully rob the train, the player can subdue the guards before holding up passengers (first-class passengers near the front of the train often give the most money) and looting any items on the train. Despite this, robbing a train will often instantly make the player wanted.

Rustling[]

Rustling is a criminal activity the player can partake in during free-roam and missions. Although the player cannot rustle livestock in free-roam, they can in "The Sheep and the Goats" and a companion activity with Uncle. However, the player can steal and rustle horses and sell them to the Davies Brothers Superior Livestock Dealers. If the player is caught stealing horses, they will be wanted for horse theft.

Minigames[]

Minigames are games, often gambling, that can be found across the map.

Blackjack[]

Blackjack is a type of card game that is traditionally associated with betting a gambling. It is also sometimes known as "Twenty-One" or "Pontoon." The basic objective of the game is for a player to attain any number of cards that is closest to the value of 21, without going over or "bust". The player can also choose to double down, which doubles their bet and gives them an extra card. Blackjack isn’t as commonly found as poker, although it can be played at the Old Light Saloon, Rhodes Parlor House, and Blackwater Saloon.

Dominoes[]

Dominoes on table RDR2

Dominoes is a gambling game exclusive to Red Dead Redemption 2. The goal of the game is to empty your hand of dominoes first before the other player. It is done by placing dominoes with matching pips together. If a domino cannot be played, the player must draw from the "boneyard" until a playable domino is drawn. The first person to run out, wins. The player can play dominoes at Emerald Ranch’s train station, under a green pavilion in Saint Denis, or near the tents in Blackwater. They can also play dominoes at camp, although the availability varies.

Five Finger Fillet[]

Five Finger Fillet is a gambling game in both Redemption games that involves the player setting their hand on a table (palm-down) with their fingers spread apart. Using a knife, the player attempts to quickly strike the spaces between his fingers, while moving the knife back and forth, attempting to avoid injury. The game can be played alone or competitively. If the player cuts their fingers, scars can be seen. Five Finger Fillet can be played at Keane's Saloon in Valentine, Strawberry, Van Horn Trading Post, and at camp, although availability is random.

Horse Racing[]

Although not officially a "minigame," the player can partake in horse-races through random encounters across the map and some story missions. Typically, a stranger will approach them and offer to race to a certain destination, with the winner getting a reward. In the mission, "American Distillation," Arthur can race Dutch back to camp, and in “Fatherhood, for Beginners,” John races Jack back to Pronghorn Ranch.

Poker[]

Uncle Poker RDR2

Uncle playing poker at camp.

Poker is a popular card game typically associated with betting and gambling. It can be played in both Redemption games along with Red Dead Online in multiplayer sessions. Typically found at poker tables in saloons, the game involves betting a portion of cash, and they can either lose or earn considerable sums off their bet. Although the player can play poker as soon as free-roam is granted to them, they are first properly introduced to the game in the mission, "Who is Not Without Sin?" However, it is optional to play in that mission. Unlike its predecessor, the player cannot play high-stakes poker in free-roam, although they do play high-stakes in the mission, "A Fine Night of Debauchery." Poker can be found in most saloons across the map and can be played at camp sometimes as well.

Shooting Contest[]

Similar to horse-racing, although it isn’t officially a "minigame," the player can partake in shooting tournaments across the map through random encounters. Typically, the player will hear gunshots. Once they approach the sounds, they will see a person who challenges them to shoot the most bottles for money. Following this, the person will offer to raise the stakes, informing the player that the first person to shoot four birds out of the sky will get money.

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