Ability cards seem to be an often overlooked part of the Red Dead Online experience. This is a shame, as they offer some nice depth to characters, allowing everyone to use different boons to carve out the playstyle they want. Some only work on horseback, some only work in Dead Eye.
If you'd rather see what Roles are best, this is the list for you. Many of them have some drawbacks to balance them out a bit. All, however, have their own uses. Some are more niche than others, but some are so universally handy that you’d be a fool not to use them. Below are the best ability cards available right now.
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Updated October 13, 2021, by Jerrad Wyche: Red Dead Online is Red Dead Redemption 2's online multiplayer mode. Rockstar Games provides constant updates to the mode, so it's important to know the ins and outs of what's happening. The ability cards are an overlooked aspect of the experience and it's good to understand which ones are the best of the best. In an attempt to help you get the most out of your Red Dead Online experience this list has been updated to include additional ability cards that stand as the most useful and/or powerful.
10 Fool Me Once
Fool Me Once should help prevent enemies from getting the drop on you and killing you before you have a chance to return fire. No one likes being shot in the back, but, since we’re all outlaws, it’s to be expected.
Fool Me Once makes consecutive shots you take deal less and less damage, meaning you should have enough time to duck behind cover, run away, or turn and return fire. It won’t make you invincible, it’ll just help even the odds a bit.
9 The Unblinking Eye
This is a useful ability both in and out of combat. It makes both your Eagle Eye and Dead Eye drain more slowly, which is fantastic.
Dead Eye drains pretty quickly if you haven’t consumed any tonics, and Eagle Eye only lasts a measly ten seconds normally. With both draining at a slower rate you’ll have a better chance to spot that animal you’re after and getting a headshot on that player who just isn’t peeking out from their cover enough.
8 Live For The Fight
Dead Eye normally refills by getting kills and taking tonics or certain foods. Sometimes kills are scarce, and Dead Eye is what you need to get them. But, then you can’t because you have no Dead Eye and so the cycle continues.
Well, no more! Live For The Fight makes your Dead Eye replenish slowly over time as well. This will help you immensely in PvP game modes as you’ll almost always be able to get off a quick Dead Eye shot.
7 Iron Lung
Iron Lung grants players faster stamina regeneration while simultaneously making you take less damage the higher your stamina is. Stamina is probably the stat that most people will max out first simply due to how easy it is to increase.
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Horses may be the main method of transport, but occasionally players need to step off their mounts. Sprinting increases your stamina level very quickly, so it’ll take very little effort to get it to level ten, the best level for getting the most out of this ability.
6 Quite An Inspiration
Quite An Inspiration is just a better version of A Moment To Recuperate, so don't waste your time on that ability. This one heals you and your allies while you’re in Dead Eye. Unfortunately, it doesn’t stack, but it means that you’ll constantly be healing yourself and your buddies as you play.
This will help you edge out some of those close calls, as every time you survive a fight with just a sliver of health, you’ll know you have this ability to thank. So, save up for this card, like these items, it's worth it.
5 Sharpshooter
Sharpshooter enables you to do more damage to enemies when looking through a scope while taking less damage yourself, making it perfect for snipers.
The rifles already do massive damage, but sometimes that perfect shot isn’t quite as perfect as you’d hoped and the target just manages to get away. Or, you take fire and have to move before getting your kill. Sharpshooter should prevent either of these scenarios from ever happening again. So long as you’re a good shot that is.
4 Winning Streak
Winning Streak is the opposite of Fool Me Once, making your consecutive shots on opponents deal more damage. This is great if you’re dual-wielding or using a repeater, anything with a high rate of fire.
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This will help you immensely when you’re in a face-to-face gunfight, as you’ll be able to beat your opponent down more quickly than they can, as long as you have a quicker trigger finger. It’ll also help you shoot people in the back like the filthy, dishonorable coward you are, as they’ll drop before they even know what hit them.
3 Gunslinger’s Choice
Gunslinger’s Choice offsets the only disadvantage dual-wielding has: poor accuracy. If you’ve ever wondered how someone is able to gun you down from range while using two pistols, it’s because of this ability.
It increases both your accuracy and damage when dual wielding, so it is absolutely essential for players who like to run and gun. Now, instead of missing all your shots if an enemy is more than a few feet away, you’ll be able to blast them with pinpoint accuracy and extreme damage.
2 Never Without One
Never Without One is basically a second chance at life. If you’re wearing a hat and you get shot in the head, the hat will sponge the damage for you, saving your life and falling off in the process.
The downside to this ability is that you’ll also take more damage when not wearing a hat, but that’s better than being dead. So, just make sure you’re always looking sharp and you should be able to benefit from this greatly. For other pro tips, check out this list.
1 Paint It Black
Paint It Black is aimbot but not cheating. It allows you to hover over someone and “paint” a red X on them, marking that spot for a bullet as soon as you press fire.
This is an absolutely essential ability as it pretty much guarantees a hit. The only thing that will stop your heat-seeking bullets is if the enemy manages to dive behind some cover before you can get your shot off. So it may be aimbot, but at least you aren’t using wall hacks too.
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