Dueling

Dueling is a staple of Western stories, used as a way for two individuals to settle a score or to prove their prowess with a weapon. In a duel, opponents face each other over a short distance and attempt to draw their weapon and shoot their opponent before their opponent can do the same to them.

In Red Dead Revolver, dueling is a major gameplay element. In Red Dead Redemption, dueling occurs in several story missions and Stranger side missions as well as in random encounters or when caught cheating at Poker.

Red Dead Revolver

The Battle Royale is a dueling competition that occurs towards the end of the story in Red Dead Revolver.

Red Dead Redemption

Marston may be randomly challenged to duels by either outlaws or vigilantes, depending on the player's current honor, while passing through a settlement. Marston will also be challenged to a duel if caught cheating while playing Poker. Occasionally, the player may also be challenged to a duel if they knock over an NPC while on horseback.

One-on-one dueling does not occur as an official activity in multiplayer. The Standoff that occurs in many multiplayer game modes is a similar concept, however.

Steps

After accepting a dueling challenge, press the Left Trigger (Xbox 360) or the L2 button (PS3) to draw Marston's sidearm when the "draw" prompt appears on screen. A player may choose to draw anytime either before or after the "draw" prompt. If the player draws early, the camera will be zoomed out farther from the target, making it harder to aim correctly. If the player waits and draws after the "draw" prompt, the camera will be closer to your opponent, making it easier to mark them in vital zones.

Success in a duel means filling your "duel meter" faster than your opponent does his. Once Marston draws his weapon, the player must "paint" the target with a Dead-Eye type expanding crosshair reticle. The reticle will repeatedly grow and turn red, then shrink and turn white. Pressing the Right Trigger (Xbox 360) or R1 button (PS3) when the reticle is red will fill a miniscule portion of the meter, while marking a shot when the cross-hair is white will fill a larger portion of the meter. Shots to the chest and head will fill the meter quickly, while shots to the stomach or legs will fill less of the meter. Keep in mind that the player's meter doesn't need to be completely filled to win the duel, it only has to be larger than your opponents. *note* The instructions on how to actually fire your weapon once your meter is filled need clarification in this article.

You may also win a duel by disarming your opponent. To disarm an opponent, the player must mark the NPC's arm or gun, and can still mark others spot on the body after. After the mark is placed correctly, the player's meter will fill by a large amount, likely winning the duel with only one shot.

Killing an opponent generates Fame, while disarming an opponent will generate both Honor and Fame. Opponents encountered throughout the course of the main storyline and Stranger side-missions often cannot be disarmed and must be killed. However, while it is possible to achieve this feat, usually enemies will often produce another weapon such as a backup sidearm and continue to try and kill the player. On some occasions, if a weapon is successfully shot out of an opponent's hand, they will hold their hand in pain. They can still be killed or hogtied with the lasso (the player will receive no bonus for doing this) after the duel, but if not dealt with on the spot, the loser will often flee the scene.

Refusal

Marston can choose to refuse a duel. If the player chooses to walk away or shoot the challenger before the duel, honor may be lost. Killing the challenger at this time could also result in a Bounty. However, if the player knocks out the challenger with their fists, the duel will be prevented and the player can walk away with no penalty to honor.

Trivia

• Marston will still fan the hammer of semi-automatic guns, such as the High Power Pistol or the Double-action Revolver, which is a technique unnecessary on semi-automatic and double action firearms because the pull of the trigger or the action of the slide re-cocks the hammer each time the weapon is fired. Fanning the hammer is only useful on single action weapons because the hammer must be cocked every time, so slapping the hand against the hammer quickly is much faster than using the thumb.
• If the player has a wide enough camera view by drawing earlier, they can actually mark onlookers in the crowd and wound or kill them. After the duel, no bounty will be incurred for wounding or killing civilians in the crowd. However, when marking people in the crowd, it will not fill up Marston's meter, essentially making them wasted shots.
• Even if you kill a NPC in a Duel, the NPC will continue to respawn for future duels and minigames. (Confirmed on PS3 and Xbox 360).
• Killing a shopkeeper (such as Herbert Moon) in a duel caused by cheating at poker will not cause their shop to be unavailable for five days.
• To test your skills let your opponent clear leather then draw and shoot.
• While dueling play "Blaze of Glory" by Bon Jovi to add an awesome effect.

Gallery

Marston and his opponent ready to draw.

John Marston disarming an opponent in a duel.

Videos

<videogallery> Video:Red Dead Redemption Dueling Guide|A helpful video on how to duel.

Video:Red Dead Redemption Dueling Guide Addendum|The addendum to the other video

Video:Red Dead Redemption Dueling Guide Addendum </videogallery>