Fastest Ways to Strike Gold in Red Dead Online: A Comprehensive Guide
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The pursuit of gold bars in Red Dead Online is a constant for many players, and for good reason. This premium currency is essential for unlocking many of the game’s best items, roles, and cosmetic upgrades. While you can purchase gold with real money, most players prefer to earn their way to wealth through in-game activities. So, what’s the fastest way to rake in those shiny bars? The most efficient route to accumulating gold in Red Dead Online lies in a strategic blend of consistent daily challenges, focused role activities, and participation in timed events. Here’s a breakdown of the most effective methods:
Prioritize Daily Challenges
Streaks are Key
The absolute bedrock of consistent gold income is daily challenges. These are a series of rotating tasks that are often relatively quick and easy to complete, ranging from hunting specific animals to visiting certain locations. The real key here is maintaining a streak of completed dailies. The more consecutive days you complete at least one daily challenge, the more gold you earn per challenge. This can ramp up to a significant bonus within a couple of weeks. Even if you only have a short time to play, try to squeeze in at least one daily to maintain your streak.
Efficiency is Paramount
Some daily challenges are faster and easier than others. Familiarize yourself with the types of challenges and prioritize the ones that take minimal effort and time to complete. Use online resources like the daily challenge guides to know the specific tasks each day and plan your activities accordingly. Combine multiple daily tasks whenever possible to save time. This efficient approach helps maximize the gold you earn within each session.
Embrace the Bounty Hunter Role
The Gold Standard
While other roles in Red Dead Online can provide some gold, the Bounty Hunter role is widely regarded as the most consistent and lucrative for gold acquisition. Bounty missions are designed to be completed in relatively short periods and they provide gold each time. The more difficult the bounty (e.g., legendary bounties), the greater the potential reward.
Strategic Bounty Hunting
Focus on completing bounty missions quickly to maximize your earnings per hour. Prioritize live bounties over dead ones, as you get paid less for a dead target. The longer the bounty mission takes, the less gold you’ll get. Wait as close to the mission timer expiration as possible before delivering them, which might slightly increase your payout. The key is to not let the timer run out before delivering them.
Legendary Bounties
Once you have ranked up your Bounty Hunter role, you’ll unlock Legendary Bounties, which offer a slightly higher gold payout than regular ones. These are more challenging, so ensure you’re well-equipped and prepared before attempting them.
Capitalize on Free Roam Events
Time it Right
Free Roam events are periodically triggered events that often involve competitive scenarios or cooperative tasks. These offer a decent payout of both cash and gold, and often don’t require extensive travel time. When these pop up, it is typically worth your time to participate.
Competitive Edge
Participating in free roam events not only awards you with a small amount of gold but also provides an opportunity to hone your skills, so you can do better in the future. This includes things like showdowns, races, and other competitive activities.
Story Missions and Stranger Missions
Underestimated Opportunities
Completing story missions and stranger missions for the first time is a good way to acquire a decent chunk of gold and money at the start. While you won’t be farming gold with this method, it’s still a valuable source of initial revenue that you shouldn’t overlook. Repeatable Stranger missions still offer gold as well, so these can still be helpful to do.
Other Avenues
Treasure Maps
Keep an eye out for treasure maps, as these can lead to locations where you can find hidden stashes containing gold and other valuable items. You can obtain these as rewards from various activities, including completing Gang Hideouts.
Role-Specific Challenges
Each role in Red Dead Online (Trader, Collector, Naturalist, Moonshiner, and Bounty Hunter) has its own unique sets of challenges and tasks. By completing these regularly, you will be rewarded with gold and cash.
Utilize the In-Game Economy
Focus on making use of your resources to maximize your payout. This includes selling stolen items to the Fence, or selling your animal goods to the butchers. If you have extra resources, don’t let them go to waste.
FAQs About Earning Gold in Red Dead Online
1. Is the Bounty Hunter role truly the best for gold?
Yes, consistently, the Bounty Hunter role is the most reliable way to earn gold in Red Dead Online. The missions are quick, frequent, and directly reward you with gold upon completion.
2. Can I convert money to gold in RDR2 Online?
No, there is **no way to directly convert money (cash) into gold** bars in Red Dead Online. These are two separate in-game currencies.
3. How much is 25 gold bars worth in real money?
In Red Dead Online, 25 gold bars typically cost $9.99 USD.
4. Are there any free ways to get gold bars?
Yes, you can earn free gold bars by completing **daily challenges**, bounty missions, free roam events, story missions, and treasure maps found from Gang Hideouts.
5. How do daily challenges work?
Daily challenges are rotating tasks that reward you with gold upon completion. They reset daily, and maintaining a consecutive daily streak increases the gold reward significantly.
6. What are the best types of bounties to do?
Prioritize live bounties over dead ones, and attempt legendary bounties once you unlock them for the increased payout. Also, try to wait closer to the timer expiration before delivering your target for a slightly increased reward.
7. What are free roam events?
**Free roam events** are timed activities that pop up randomly throughout the map. They can include competitive activities like showdowns or cooperative tasks.
8. Can I sell gold bars I buy?
Yes, you can sell gold bars you have earned in the game to a **Fence**, but you cannot sell gold bars that you purchase with real money.
9. How much is a gold bar worth in cash?
Each gold bar is worth **$500** when sold to a Fence.
10. How many gold bars can I carry?
You can carry up to 30 gold bars with the starting satchel and up to 99 with the Legend of the East Satchel.
11. Is it worth buying gold in RDR2 Online?
Purchasing gold bars will speed up your progression, but it isn't essential to enjoy the game. Most activities can be completed without gold, and you can earn gold relatively fast if you use the right methods, as listed above.
12. What should I spend my gold on in RDR2 Online?
It is recommended to spend gold bars on unlocking roles in the game which will then reward you with more gold and cash. Then, prioritize essential upgrades, such as better weapons, horses, or cosmetics to make the game more enjoyable.
13. Do Treasure Maps give gold?
Yes, Treasure Maps can lead you to locations containing gold bars, among other valuable items. They are a random reward for completing Gang Hideouts.
14. Are there any glitches for duplicating gold bars in RDR2 Online?
While some glitches for duplicating gold bars existed in the past, these are likely patched, and it’s recommended you follow legitimate methods instead. Duplication glitches often come with a risk of in-game penalties.
15. What is the most expensive horse you can buy with gold in Red Dead Online?
The **Arabian** is considered the best horse available for purchase with gold, costing 42 gold bars.
By consistently implementing these strategies and being strategic with your time, you’ll soon find yourself accumulating a substantial fortune in gold bars, enabling you to unlock the full potential of Red Dead Online.