Red Dead Online’s big (late) summer update finally arrives next week. The update will include a ton of new features and tweaks, but the headline addition are three new specialist roles that will let players tackle the game in different ways -- the Bounty Hunter, the Trader, and the Collector. Each of these roles can be leveled up individually and have their own skill trees and items. You can new details about each of the Red Dead Online roles and their unique skills, below.
Bounty Hunter
Licensed Bounty Hunters can pick up work by visiting bounty boards located near law offices, post offices and train stations across the states. There is no shortage of criminals to be dealt with and the targets range in difficulty, from lone low-level petty thieves to notorious outlaws with armed protection details and a watchful eye. Taking on an armed gang or bringing multiple targets to justice is made easier with the help of a Posse, who will all earn a cut of the final bounty.
Eclipsing Bounty Hunter Rank 12 will open up the opportunity to take down other players with high bounties of $20 or more. Bounty Hunters will be notified through an invite about the opportunity to hunt down the wanted player when they’re nearby in a structured pursuit. The wanted player must escape (or surrender) within the allotted time and if captured, they’ll also have opportunities to escape and flee. If the Bounty Hunter brings the target in alive, they’ll receive an award while the criminal serves time.
Unique Bounty Hunter skills and items include:
Focus: Targets glow red in Eagle EyeReinforced Lasso: A lasso made with reinforced rope to keep bounties secureReverse Spin: Perform a Reverse Spin with a single pistol or revolverTonics Satchel Upgrade: Store more items in your Tonics PouchEagle Eye+: Track enemies while sprinting or gallopingSpin Up: Perform a Spin Up with a single pistol or revolverKit Satchel Upgrade: Store more items in your Kit PouchTracking Arrow Pamphlet: A pamphlet recipe on how to craft Tracking ArrowsReverse Spin Up: Perform a Reverse Spin Up with a single pistol or revolverDucking: Duck for protection while on horsebackBolas: A thrown weapon, perfect for tangling the legs of bountiesBounty Wagon: A wagon for securely retaining bounty targetsPerception: Receive a notification of bounties from a greater distanceAlternating Flips: Perform Alternating Flips with a single pistol or revolverDual Gun Spinning: Perform gun spinning tricks with two pistols or revolversTrader
As a trader you’ll work to provide your trusted partner Cripps with a variety of Materials through hunting animals – pristine pelts and carcasses will provide better yields. You’ll also take on Resupply Missions to acquire additional necessities through less than savory tactics. Once supplied, Cripps will begin turning the materials into sellable goods, which can then be sent out on low-risk local deliveries for payment or across greater distances for a premium.
Improve your hunting yields with a Hunting Wagon for larger hauls or upgrade your Delivery Wagons for larger sales. As business flourishes and your presence becomes known in the market, your competition may grow jealous of your success, so keep an eye out for raids on your camp. As your trade grows, you might consider purchasing a camp dog from Wilderness Outfitters. Not only are dogs great camp companions for all players, but a Trader of sufficient rank can teach their dog to warn of incoming attacks.
Unique Trader skills and items include:
Stew Pot: A camp upgrade that unlocks stew recipes to boost coresIngredients Satchel Upgrade: Store more items in your Ingredients PouchAwareness: Identify rival Trader wagons at an increased rangeCanine Warning: Train your dog to warn of thieves raiding your campMedium and Large Delivery Wagons: Upgraded wagons that can hold more goods for transportWeapons Locker: Store weapons for later useLance Knife: A bespoke knife style available to Traders onlyEfficiency: Learn to increase the amount of usable materials from perfect carcassesMaterials Satchel Upgrade: Store more items in your Materials PouchHunting Wagon: A sturdy wagon fit for carrying multiple carcasses, hides and peltsProtection: Reduce the chance of raids at your campCollector
With Madam Nazar’s help, you will be able to explore the world finding valuable treasures, whether they’re discarded Tarot cards in abandoned camps, buried treasures unearthed with your trusty shovel, hidden family heirlooms and more.
Collect individual pieces and sell them off directly to Madam Nazar or collect entire sets for even more valuable sales. As you progress, you’ll unlock enhanced searching skills; more useful tools like a metal detector; benefits like increased carrying capacities; the ability for your horse to directly pluck and pass herbs to you while mounted, and more.
Unique Collector skills and items include:
Divination: Sense when near collectiblesPennington Field Shovel: An essential tool for uncovering buried collectiblesPotential: Detect disturbed earth when using Eagle EyeIntuition: Narrow your search areaHorse Saddlebag Upgrade: Carry more in your Horse’s saddlebagRefined Binoculars: Specialized binoculars that make dig sites glow from a great distanceÁguila Machete: A classic machete restyled for the use of adventurous and belligerent CollectorsMetal Detector: An important tool which can identify collectibles buried undergroundEquine Assistance: Collect herbs from horsebackHorse Lantern: Light the path ahead with a lantern attached to your horse’s breastplateValuables Satchel Upgrade: Store more items in your Valuables PouchUnlocking these roles will require 15 Gold Bars apiece, although there are ways to get around paying. Those who link their Twitch and Rockstar Club Social Club accounts before September 8 will unlock the Bounty Hunter role for free, collecting all 54 of RDO’s hidden playing cards will unlock the Collector role, and anybody playing on PS4 will automatically get the Trader role. Sorry about that last one Xbox One players!
As mentioned, the Red Dead Online summer update includes a lot of stuff on top of the new roles. Combat and controls are getting a substantial update to make RDO feel like more of a traditional action game, new role-specific free-roam events are being added, weapons are being rebalanced to make the game less headshot-focused, and more.
Red Dead Online is available for free with Red Dead Redemption 2, which is available now on Xbox One and PS4. The RDO summer update arrives on September 10.