Yesterday Red Dead Online got a huge update that added three unique archetypes to the online section of Rockstar’s western epic. Before the update players had the freedom to do anything their cowboy-heart’s desired, with little progression to go along with it. The new roles will give players a more streamlined online experience that rewards them new perks, items and bonuses.
In this article we will explore the roles of the Bounty Hunter, Trader, and Collector. And don’t worry partner, you won’t have to choose a single role if you don’t want to as you can do whatever you want, whenever you want.
The Bounty Hunter
The Bounty Hunter is generally the favorite of the new roles in Red Dead Online. Spend your time hunting down criminals and collecting the rewards that the local sheriff’s office has put out on them. Be advised though, you’ll have to become a Licensed Bounty Hunter first, which will cost you 15 Gold Bars.
At first, you’ll be hunting down petty thieves for a small bounty, but as you progress through the dedicated Bounty Hunter Ranks, you’ll slowly get a shot at the big baddies. When you surpass Rank 12 as a Bounty Hunter, you can even try to hunt down wanted players (with a bounty of $20 or higher).
As a certified extension of the long arm of the law, you’ll get access to items like the Reinforced Lasso, a Tonics Satchel Upgrade and the secured Bounty Wagon. You will also be able to impress fellow bounty hunters (or possibly a unwed cowgirl) with the Dual Gun Spinning emote, better Dead Eye abilities or Eagle Eye+.
The Trader
As a Trader players first have to invest 15 Gold Bars so they can join the Cripps Trading Company and focus on the less violent nature of life at the Frontier. You can take your trusted tail-wagger on hunting trips and bring back the best hides for your business.
But a western epic wouldn’t be complete without the occasional scuffle between different ‘companies’. As your company grows, competitors might want to taste a bit of your success themselves. So don’t retire your six-shooter just yet.
The Trader will get access to specific items like the Weapons Locker, an Ingredients Satchel Upgrade or the Hunting Wagon, so you can haul more carcasses, hides and pelts. Your dog can also be trained to warn you when thieves are raiding your camp and with the Efficiency upgrade you’ll get more usable materials from your kills.
The Collector
The most specific archetype you can play as, is the Collector. Again, you first have to pay 15 Gold Bars before you can start collecting (Rockar Games couldn’t come up with a logical reason why you should pay, but the pay wall is also present for this role). As a Collector, you’ll traverse the diverse locations of Red Dead Online’s world, looking for treasures and valuable items.
With the Divination perk you’ll sense if you’re close to valuable stuff, while you use Intuition to narrow down a particular search area. Collectors also get access to items like the Metal Detector, a Horse Lantern and the Refined Binoculars.
Whatever your preferred playing style is in Red Dead Online, every type of cowboy will at the very least have more reasons to do what they do. The general gameplay experience is also a lot more streamlined while the unique rewards give players a sense of progression and accomplishment.
That being said, you will have to shoot, trade and collect your way through pay walls, as even getting started with an archetype will cost you quite a lot of gold. But hey, no one ever said life at the Frontier was easy (or cheap).
For a more in-depth look into all the new perks, items and features of the Frontier Pursuits Update check out Rockstar’s own summary of the update.