How to Skyrocket Your Honor in Red Dead Redemption 2: A Gunslinger’s Guide to Goodness

Want to ditch the outlaw life and become a paragon of virtue in Red Dead Redemption 2? You can rapidly increase your Honor by consistently performing honorable actions. The quickest methods include: greeting NPCs in towns, completing camp chores, donating to the camp, and bringing in bounty targets alive instead of killing them. Regularly engaging in these activities will push your Honor level towards the good side, unlocking benefits and shaping Arthur’s journey.

The Path to Redemption: Maximizing Your Honor Gain

Red Dead Redemption 2’s Honor system is more than just a cosmetic feature; it significantly impacts your experience, influencing everything from shop discounts to the story’s ending. If you’re aiming for high Honor, strategic gameplay is key. Here’s a breakdown of the most effective strategies:

• Greeting Everyone You Meet: Sounds simple, right? It is! Spam the greet button as you stroll through towns. It takes about three greetings to gain Honor. Think of it as a charm offensive, but instead of winning hearts, you’re winning morality points. This method is cheap, cheerful, and surprisingly effective.

• Camp Chores: A Virtuous To-Do List: Don’t just laze around the campfire! Doing chores around camp, like hauling hay or chopping wood, provides a steady, albeit small, stream of Honor points. They also boost camp morale, which has its own rewards.

• Generosity is Key: Donate to the Camp: The gang needs funds, and your contribution will not go unnoticed. Donate $20-$22 to the donation box at the camp. Donating more won’t give you more Honor per donation, so no need to break the bank. You can repeat this process multiple times to steadily increase your Honor.

• Bounty Hunting: Alive is Better (for Your Honor): Instead of painting the town red with bounty target blood, hogtie them and bring them in alive. This method yields a substantial Honor boost and earns you a decent reward and Gold to boot. It takes a bit more skill and planning, but the moral (and financial) rewards are worth it.

• Stopping Crimes and Helping Strangers: Keep an eye out for random events. Rescue stranded citizens, stop stagecoach robberies, or intervene in bar fights. These spontaneous acts of heroism offer significant Honor gains.

• Consider your Horse: Making sure your horse is well fed, brushed, and cared for is a consistent way to show that you are a virtuous person, leading to a steady increase in Honor.

Benefits of High Honor

Having high Honor in Red Dead Redemption 2 isn’t just about feeling good. It comes with tangible benefits that can make your life in the Wild West a little easier.

• Shop Discounts: As your Honor increases, you’ll gradually receive discounts at every shop in the game, reflecting Arthur’s heroism and good nature. This can save you a considerable amount of money, allowing you to buy better weapons, clothing, and supplies.

• Bonus Loot: An honorable Arthur gets bonuses to looted supplies, finding more valuable and useful items when looting bodies and containers. This makes scavenging more rewarding and helps you stay well-equipped.

• Realistic Clothing: High Honor unlocks more realistic and appropriate clothing options. Arthur would actually wear clothing that compliments his new life style.

Honor’s Role in the Narrative

Remember, your Honor level also shapes the narrative. High Honor leads to different dialogue options, story outcomes, and even alternate cutscenes. Embracing the path of virtue can lead to a more fulfilling and emotionally resonant experience in Red Dead Redemption 2.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Honor in RDR2

1. How much does donating to the camp affect my honor?

Donating $20-$22 is the optimal amount for gaining Honor. Donating more at once won’t increase the Honor gain per donation.

2. Does killing animals affect my Honor?

Killing animals in Red Dead Redemption 2 generally does not affect your Honor, especially if you’re hunting for food or resources. However, unnecessarily killing livestock or domestic animals may negatively impact your Honor.

3. Does paying off my bounty increase my Honor?

No, simply paying off your bounty does not directly increase your Honor. It only clears your name and allows you to travel freely without being pursued by law enforcement. However, capturing bounties alive does increase your honor.

4. Does killing bounty hunters lower my Honor?

No, eliminating bounty hunters does not decrease your Honor. Since they are outlaws, killing them has no moral penalty.

5. Can I max out my Honor at the beginning of the game?

No, your Honor is capped at the beginning of the game. You can only reach the maximum Honor level later in the story.

6. What are Chance Encounters? How do they affect Honor?

Chance Encounters are random events that occur as you explore the world. Helping people in need during these encounters can significantly increase your Honor, while acting negatively can decrease it.

7. How does the honor system influence the game’s ending?

Your Honor level plays a significant role in determining the ending you receive. Higher Honor can lead to a more heroic and satisfying conclusion to Arthur’s journey.

8. What does the Wolf/Deer symbolism mean in RDR2?

The Wolf and the Deer are symbolic representations of Arthur’s morality. If you commit good deeds, you see visions of a deer, symbolizing virtue and honor. If you engage in immoral actions, you see visions of a wolf, representing savagery and dishonor.

9. Is it possible to switch between high and low Honor easily?

Yes, it is possible to switch between high and low Honor, but it requires consistent effort. To quickly decrease Honor, commit crimes, antagonize people, and act dishonorably. To quickly increase Honor, focus on the methods mentioned above, such as greeting people, doing camp chores, and bringing in bounties alive.

10. Does my horse’s Honor level affect Arthur’s Honor?

No, your horse does not have an independent Honor level that directly affects Arthur’s Honor. However, caring for your horse (feeding, grooming, comforting) contributes to a positive image and can lead to a steady increase in Honor.

11. Are there any outfits or items that require high Honor?

Yes, certain outfits and items become available only when you reach a certain level of Honor. These items often reflect Arthur’s newfound morality and good deeds.

12. What happens if my Honor is neutral?

If your Honor is neutral, you won’t receive the benefits of either high or low Honor. You also will not be penalized by the restrictions of having low honor. You will experience a middle-ground in terms of shop discounts, dialogue options, and story outcomes.

13. How can I tell what my current Honor level is?

You can check your current Honor level in the game by accessing the pause menu and navigating to the “Player” section. The Honor bar will show your current standing on the scale between good and bad.

14. Does antagonizing people in towns lower my Honor?

Yes, antagonizing or insulting people in towns will lower your Honor. It’s better to be polite and greet people to increase your Honor instead.

15. Where can I learn more about morality and ethics in gaming?

To explore the broader implications of morality and ethics in the gaming world, you can visit the Games Learning Society website at https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/. The Games Learning Society offers a range of resources and research on how games influence learning and moral development.

By embracing the path of virtue and consistently performing honorable actions, you can quickly increase your Honor in Red Dead Redemption 2, unlock exclusive benefits, and shape Arthur Morgan’s journey towards redemption. Happy trails, partner!