All Game Items

This guide covers every major item category in Red Dead Redemption 2, including Story Mode and Red Dead Online. Items are grouped logically with descriptions, acquisition methods, usage tips, synergies, and upgrade paths.

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1. Currencies

Story Mode Currencies

Cash ($) – Used to buy weapons, horses, outfits, ammo, food, and services. Earned from missions, selling loot, hunting, treasure hunting, and robbing. Max carry is $9999.00 at any time; surplus goes to camp funds.

Gold Bars – Collectible items worth $500 each. Found in treasure maps, lockboxes, and occasional loot. 22 total in the main game. Can be sold to any fence.

Camp Funds – Donate cash or valuables to the camp ledger for upgrades. Separate from personal money.

Red Dead Online Currencies

Cash – Same uses as story, but also for ability cards, pamphlets, and horses. Earned from missions, free roam events, and roles.

Gold Bars (Online) – Premium currency. Used for role unlocks, outlaw passes, and some cosmetics. Earned through daily challenges, treasure maps, and gold payout missions (0.08–0.16 gold per mission).

Role Tokens – Earned by leveling a role (Bounty Hunter, Trader, Collector, Moonshiner, Naturalist). Spent on role-specific items and upgrades.

2. Weapons

Sidearms

Cattleman Revolver – Default. Balanced stats. Free at start. Good early-game.

Schofield Revolver – More accurate. Purchase from gunsmith or find in some lockboxes.

Double-Action Revolver – Fast fire rate, low damage. Unlocked mid-game. Good for rapid shots.

LeMat Revolver (Online only) – 9-round cylinder + shotgun barrel. Expensive but versatile.

Mauser Pistol – High fire rate, low damage. For hip-fire and close combat. Drops from some enemies.

Semi-Automatic Pistol – Fast, accurate. Available after Chapter 3.

Volcanic Pistol – High damage, slow fire rate. Stopping power but small magazine.

Repeaters

Carbine Repeater – Default. Balanced. Decent range.

Lancaster Repeater – Accurate, fast fire. Best all-around repeater. Can be obtained early from a mission or bought.

Litchfield Repeater – High damage, slower rate. Unlocked later. Good for skilled shots.

Evans Repeater – Large magazine (26 rounds). Available in Online only.

Rifles

Bolt Action Rifle – Accurate, powerful, medium scope optional. Versatile for hunting and combat. Unlocked after Chapter 1.

Springfield Rifle – Single shot, high damage. Best for hunting large game. Unlocked early.

Rolling Block Rifle – Sniper rifle. High damage, very long range. Unlocked during mission “The Sheep and the Goats”.

Carcano Rifle – Semi-auto sniper. Faster fire than Rolling Block. Unlocked late-game.

Varmint Rifle – Small caliber, used for hunting birds, snakes, small critters without damaging pelts. Unlocked after Chapter 2.

Rare Rolling Block Rifle – Unique golden model obtained from a mission in Epilogue.

Shotguns

Pump-Action Shotgun – Good fire rate. Available mid-game.

Double-Barrel Shotgun – Two shots, quick follow-up. Found early.

Semi-Auto Shotgun – Rapid fire. Unlocked later or found.

Repeating Shotgun – Large magazine (6 rounds). Excellent for crowds. Expensive.

Bows

Regular Bow – Obtainable early (mission “Polite Society, Valentine Style”). Quiet, ideal for stealth hunting.

Improved Bow – Higher damage, better range. Crafted at the Trapper after buying the pamphlet (found in world or bought from fence). Use improved arrows for maximum effectiveness.

Homing Tomahawk – Buyable pamphlet; tomahawks track targets a bit. Not a bow but ranged thrown.

Thrown & Melee Weapons

Throwing Knives – Silent, recoverable. Can be crafted from two animal bones. Good for stealth.

Tomahawks (Regular, Ancient, Homing) – Regular: bought or looted. Ancient (unique, found in grave). Homing: crafted after pamphlet. More damage than knives.

Dynamite – Area damage. Craftable or bought. Useful for clearing enemies or blasting safes.

Molotov Cocktails – Fire damage. Craftable with moonshine + rag.

Knife – Default melee. Can be improved with a pirate sword? (Machete is separate).

Machete – Found in a grave. High damage but heavy.

Hatchet – Found; good for hunting animals silently and melee.

Viking Hatchet – Unique, found on a frozen corpse. Strong and fast.

Rare Shotgun (Sawed-off) – Actually a sidearm? The game has a Sawed-Off Shotgun as a sidearm. Obtained early.

Weapon Upgrades

3. Outfits & Clothing

temperature bonuses

health/stamina/dead eye core bonuses

Notable Outfits

Legendary Bear Outfit – Crafted from Legendary Bear pelt. +2 Cold Resistance, excellent for snowy areas.

Legendary Wolf Outfit – +2 Cold, good Stamina core bonus.

Bounty Hunter Outfits (Online) – Stat boosts for tracking.

Trader and Moonshiner Role Outfits – Provide bonuses for their respective activities (e.g., increased animal spawns, reduced damage while carrying moonshine).

Special Story Outfits – Unique outfits from missions (e.g., “The Drover” from Valentine, “The Saint” from Saint Denis). Mostly cosmetic but some have modest core bonuses.

Clothing Layers

4. Consumables

Food

Canned Goods – Baked beans, peaches, sardines, etc. Heal health and restores some stamina. Found everywhere.

Fresh Meat – Game meat, prime beef, mutton. Cook over campfire to create seasoned or plain cooked meat (restores more, spoils slower).

Seasoned Meat – Cooked with herbs (oregano, thyme, mint) for special effects (Fortify: damage reduction, etc.).

Biscuits, Bread, Candy – Quick snacks. Candy gives a tiny Dead Eye boost.

Camp Stew – Free at camp; restores all cores fully.

Herbalist Specials – Cooked recipes can heal all cores and give temporary buffs.

Tonics

Health Tonic – Restores health and health core. Available in potent, miracle, and special variations.

Stamina Tonic – Same, for stamina.

Dead Eye Tonic – Restores Dead Eye and core. Key for extended Dead Eye usage.

Miracle Tonic – Heals all cores fully. Rare, can be crafted from ginseng and other herbs.

Horse Reviver – Revives a downed horse. Essential for survival.

Horse Ointment – Cures horse injuries.

Provisions (Chewables, Smokables)

Chewing Tobacco – Restores Dead Eye core. Can be chewed indefinitely; reduces health core slightly.

Cocaine Gum – Restores stamina core. Negative effect on health? Actually increases stamina.

Cigarettes – Smoke to fill Dead Eye but reduces health core. Collecting 30 different cigarette cards gives a reward; smoking also contributes to “cigarette card” mechanic? No – cards are separate.

Premium Cigarettes – More valuable, but same effect.

Coffee – Restores stamina core. Can be crafted at camp.

5. Materials & Crafting Components

Animal Parts

Perfect Pelts – From clean kills with appropriate weapon (e.g., Varmint for small animals, Rifle for large). Needed for all Trapper outfits and camp satchels.

Feathers – Flight feathers, hawk, eagle, etc., used for tonic crafting and accessories.

Claws, Teeth, Horns – Legendary animal parts used for trinkets (e.g., Legendary Bear Claw → Bear Claw Talisman: increases health core).

Animal Fat – Used to craft explosive ammo. From ducks, geese, pigs, etc.

Skins and Horns – Sell for cash or craft unique items (e.g., cougar saddle, alligator saddle).

Herbs & Plants

Ginseng – American, Alaskan, etc. Used for miracle tonics.

Oregano, Thyme, Mint – For seasoning meat. Each adds a Fortify, Predator, or Herbalist buff.

Yarrow, Sage, Burdock Root – Used in potent tonics.

English Mace, Creeping Thyme – Also seasoning.

Poisonous Plants – Oleander, Bitterweed – used for poison throwing knives? Actually not; poison weapons use animal venom.

Metals & Jewels

Gold Nugget, Silver Nugget, Platinum Nugget – Sold for cash (higher value at fences).

Jewelry – Watches, rings, necklaces – found in houses or from robbing. Sell at fence for cash.

Ore – Can be smelted into metals? No, only nuggets appear as loot.

6. Satchel & Camp Upgrades

Satchel Upgrades

Kit Satchel – Increase capacity for tonics, provisions, and materials.

Leather Satchel – For animal parts and herbs.

Tools Satchel – For tools and other items.

Treasure Satchel – For valuables (jewelry, gold bars).

Legend of the East Satchel – All-in-one, max capacity for everything. Requires all previous satchels plus perfect cougar panther and boar pelts. Endgame objective but very useful.

Camp Improvements

Lodging Upgrades – Arthur’s tent (fast travel map), Dutch’s tent (decorative), funds for better supplies.

Chicken Coop – Eggs and meat.

Weapon Locker – Store unused weapons.

Horse Station – Fast travel from camp (upgrade Arthur’s lodging).

Leisure Items – Decoration only.

7. Horse Items

Saddles – Each has stats: speed, acceleration, health core drain reduction. Best are trapper saddles (e.g., Panther, Cougar) or the “Racing” saddles from stables.

Stirrups – Added to saddles for further speed/acceleration bonuses. Hooded Stirrups are the best.

Bedrolls – Aesthetic on horse.

Masks – Cosmetic.

Horse Lantern – Adds light. Nighttime riding easier.

Horse Care Items – Brush (clean dirt), Horse Meal (restore cores), Horse Reviver (revive), Horse Ointment (cure injuries). All are consumables.

8. Collectibles

Story Mode Collectibles

Cigarette Cards – 144 sets of 12 (12 sets). Each set completed gives a cash reward and a unique outfit. Found in packs, world pickups, or bought from general stores (expensive).

Dream Catchers – 20 in Ambarino + New Hanover. All must be collected to unlock a secret cave with a treasure.

Rock Carvings – 10 located across the world. Solved puzzle gives a reward.

Dinosaur Bones – 30 bones. Complete for a reward (watch cutscene).

Exotic Animal Parts – Items for Algernon Wasp’s quest line (egrets, spoonbills, orchids). 4 parts sets for final reward hat.

Legendary Fish – 13 species. Catch all and mail to Jeremy Gill for cash + reward.

Treasure Maps – Multiple chains: Jack Hall Gang, High Stakes, Poisonous Trail, etc. Each leads to gold bars.

Unique Weapons – Rare items like Ancient Tomahawk (on a skeleton), Viking Hatchet (ice cave), Civil War Knife (Fort Brennand), Rare Double-Barrel Shotgun (Fence mission), etc.

Red Dead Online Collectibles

Collector’s Items – Tarot cards, flowers, alcohol bottles, arrowheads, eggs, coins, jewelry, fossils, heirlooms, family heirlooms. Sell to Madam Nazar for cash and role XP.

Horse Lantern (different from story) – Buy from stable.

9. Key Equipment

Lantern – Illuminates dark areas. Found in camp and some loot. Can be used while fishing or hunting at night.

Camera – Only in Story Mode via special missions? Not a free-use item; it’s for certain stranger quests (e.g., the photographer). In Online, you can buy the Advanced Camera for daily challenges but it’s not essential.

Fishing Rod – Acquired from a mission “A Fisher of Fish” (Chapter 2). Allows casting and catching fish. Can be upgraded? No, but different lures exist.

Binoculars – Obtainable early from a mission or buy from fence. Scouting ability, marks up to 4 targets for Recon toggle.

Detective Mode – Dead Eye and Eagle Eye are built-in abilities, not items. Use by holding appropriate button.

Lasso – Default in inventory. Used for hogtying humans and animals. Also used for hunting large animals (knife kill).

Bolas – Online only. Throw to entangle targets. Unlocks Bounty Hunter role.

Metal Detector – Online Collector role. Digs up buried collectibles.

Shovel – Online Collector role. Dug up dirt piles.

Pamphlets – One-time purchases that teach crafting recipes (e.g., split point ammo, dynamite arrows). Found in stores or loot.

Treasure Maps – Consumable items that reveal treasure locations. Once used, the map is consumed.

Lockbreakers – Not really; dynamite or a cartridge and a shot can open locked boxes and safes.

10. Dead Eye & Ability Cards (Online Only)

Card Types – Dead Eye Cards (e.g., Paint It Black, Slippery Bastard, Slow and Steady) affect how Dead Eye functions.

Passive Cards – Three slots: for health, defense, offense (e.g., Iron Lung, Fool Me Once, Peak Condition).

Cards are purchased with cash and gold, then upgraded using $ and XP. Max level = 3

11. Synergies & Upgrade Paths

Hunting Synergy – Varmint Rifle + Improved Bow + Poison Arrows = perfect pelts. Use Eagle Eye to track, knife for skinning.

Camp Upgrades → Satchel Upgrades – Get the Legend of the East Satchel early by hunting all required pelts (especially cougar, panther, boar). Maximizes all carrying capacity, making everything easier.

Trinkets from Legendary Animals – Legendary Buck Antler Trinket (improved pelt quality chance) is one of the best early pickups. Others: Legendary Beaver Tooth Trinket (horse bonding faster).

Trapper Outfits + Weather – In cold climates, equip Legendary Bear or Wolf outfit to avoid health core drain.

Weapon Aesthetics – Brass varnish increases accuracy slightly on some weapons? No, only cosmetic.

Ammo Pamphlets – Split point ammo gives free Dead Eye shots (in story) and more accuracy. Explosive ammo for shotguns is devastating but rare.

12. Tips for Managing Items

Store excess loot in your camp lockbox (at your tent). It won’t disappear.

Always carry gun oil – Weapon condition degrades fast in wet or sandy areas.

Horses – Buy the best saddle early (e.g., Trapper’s Beaver Saddle) to reduce stamina drain.

Pursue the Legendary Buck early – Its antler trinket increases chance of perfect pelts from good kills, saving hunting time.

Don’t hoard gold bars – Sell them at a fence immediately; they are weightless but you need cash for camp upgrades.

Online: Invest in a role first – Bounty Hunter gives gold and cash; Collector gives cash and XP; Trader gives money and supplies.

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This guide covers all major item categories in Red Dead Redemption 2. For specific item stats, complete catalogs, or deep dives on weapon performance, refer to dedicated guides or the official compendium.