r/RedDeadOnline Jul 08 '19

Player Guide Red Dead Online Player Guide - Ability Cards

If you see misinformation please leave a comment, directly PM me, or my Discord is SmurfInn#4360. Even though changing Third Person Controls and other Settings is suggested, these tips are written as if default controls are used.

Settings

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Player Attributes

Weight

Horse

Camp

Posse

Clothing and Appearance

Daily Challenges

Hunting and Fishing

Ranking

Money Making

Farming Methods and Circuits

Crafting

Bounty System

Weapons

PvP

Ability Cards <-- You are here.

Roles

Showdowns

One-shot Bodyshot Kills

Captain Balrick's Arsenal

Glitches and Exploits Awareness

XP Bonuses

Benefits and Outlaw Pass

Free Roam Event Map (Community contributions)

_____________________________________________________________

Ability Cards

Best Cards: The first chart below shows the most common Cards people level-up. The second chart shows specific load-outs. Support roles are good for PvP or PvE when you have 4-7 Posse members so you can spare Card slots. Your Card loadout should match your personal playstyle. Select your Dead Eye Card based on what you will be doing the most and/or what role you will be playing. Select your three Passive Cards based on how you want to maintain your Health, Stamina, Damage, and Dead Eye. Your Passive Cards can either buff these stats or recharge these stats, or a compromise of both. You can use Tonics and other items to maintain the stats your Ability Loadout misses, but items cost money or loot time. So design a Loadout which will benefit your stats based on your playstyle. These Ability Card tips are only the most common combinations. Mix it up if you play differently. All Ability Card Descriptions. All Weapon and Ability Card Stats.

Here is a chart of popular Ability Cards and their use. Picture version

here
.

Active Passive Passive Passive
Dead Eye Cards Combat Cards Recovery Cards Defense Cards
PvP Paint It Black, Slow and Steady, Focus Fire, Slippery Bastard Sharpshooter, Winning Streak Eye for an Eye, Iron Lung (also a Defense perk) Fool Me Once, Unblinking Eye
PvE Paint It Black, Slow and Steady, Quite an Inspiration, Focus Fire Sharpshooter Eye for an Eye, Strange Medicine, Cold Blooded, Iron Lung (also a Defense perk) Fool Me Once, Unblinking Eye
Health Support (Secondary roles for one or two players in Large Posses with slots to spare) Quite an Inspiration Eye for an Eye, Kick in the Butt The Unblinking Eye, Strength in Numbers
Damage Support (Secondary roles for one or two players in Large Posses with slots to spare) Focus Fire Eye for an Eye The Unblinking Eye

Here are examples of Ability Card builds. Picture version

here
.

Dead Eye Card Passive Card Passive Card Passive Card
Tank Build (Needs Tonics for PvP) Slow and Steady Fool Me Once Iron Lung Unblinking Eye/Kick in the Butt/Strange Medicine
Close Range Dual Wielding Tank Build (Needs Tonics for PvP) Slow and Steady Fool Me Once Winning Streak Gunslinger's Choice
Rapidfire Headshot Build Paint It Black Eye for an Eye Strange Medicine/Cold Blooded Unblinking Eye
Cover-to-Cover Headshot Build Slippery Bastard Unblinking Eye Cold Blooded/Strange Medicine Iron Lung
Cover-to-Cover Hipfire Build (High damage but use Tonics to Fortify Health) Slippery Bastard Unblinking Eye The Short Game Gunslinger's Choice
Damage Build (Use cover to take down a Tank Build) Focus Fire Unblinking Eye/Eye for an Eye Strange Medicine/Cold Blooded Iron Lung
Sniper Build (Use Tonics to Fortify Health) Focus Fire Unblinking Eye Sharpshooter Iron Lung
Health Support Build (PvE only) Quite an Inspiration Unblinking Eye Iron Lung/Fool Me Once/Strength in Numbers Eye for an Eye
Hunting Build (PvE only; Damage Cards are for Arrows) Paint It Black Unblinking Eye (Must-have for Eagle Eye use) Landon's Patience/Horseman Live for the Fight

  • Your four Ability Cards can be equipped to your character to add special perks. Your first card is free and will affect your Dead Eye. The other three cards passively affect either your Combat, Recovery, or Defense abilities.
  • The first passive card slot unlocks at Level 10, the second at Level 20, and the Third at Level 40.
  • An Ability Card build will complement the gameplay you'll be doing. PvE builds should restore health and reduce the damage you take. PvP builds should reduce the damage you take and increase the damage you deal.
  • Ability Cards accumulate XP while the cards are equipped. Unlock any cards you think you may potentially use one day as early as you can so that they can absorb XP while you level up. Try to keep at least one, if not four, unleveled cards equipped at all times to maximize XP absorption. Even if you don't need the benefits of the card(s) this strategy will speed up card leveling later.
  • Each card can be upgraded twice. To upgrade, accrue 10,000 XP with the card equipped then the first upgrade can be bought for $350. For a second upgrade, 15,000 XP and $500 is required.
  • You can freely change your cards so you are allowed to have a set for hunting, missions, PvP, and other activities.
  • You can see which cards activate when they light up on the top right HUD, although this visual check isn't reliable. Cards may still be active if its HUD isn't lit.
  • Check other Player's Cards with Left on D-Pad (x2) > Their name > View Ability Loadout
  • Purchasing the first tier of a card grants 150 XP instantly. Try to purchase a level 1 card while other cards that are still accumulating XP are currently active, and they will absorb 150 XP each.
  • Your cards on the top right of the screen light up when active. This can be used to better understand card use.
  • You can have perfect accuracy with Paint It Black, even before you paint an X. Lock-on, activate PIB, then quickly flick/fire. Dead Eye will deactivate when you fire. It also provides a range boost.
  • In addition to perfect accuracy, enabling PIB means Shotguns are given a huge increase in damage as more of your pellets can hit.
  • Paint It Black is useful for hunting. Tag multiple birds or tag a headshot on a valuable 3-star carcass.
  • If using a Bow, use damage Ability Cards to add an arrow's impact. Horseman, Landon's Patience, and Peak Condition increase damage output for Bows. Focus Fire as well, but you sacrifice Paint It Black.
  • Currently, the best cards are Paint It Black, Slow and Steady, Eye For An Eye, Strange Medicine, Unblinking Eye, Winning Streak, Iron Lung, Sharpshooter, Fool Me Once, and Landon's Patience. Slippery Bastard is THE evading card, but you sacrifice your Dead Eye offense. I love using Horseman for Free Roam. Below I breakdown some card specifics and combinations.
  • Some combat evolution we have been seeing: "Slow and Steady" or "Never Without One" kills headshots. Using both is redundant and counteractive. Damage cards + "Paint It Black" kill "Slow and Steady". "Slippery Bastard" tops everything but snipers, tackles, Lasso, Bolas, Incendiary shells, and lucky Explosive shots. You can use "Paint It Black" with Bolas, Bows, and Throwables. You can use "Hangman" with Lassos. Sniper Rifles top everything (not with a scope) and give you perfect accuracy through a scope. “Paint It Black” tags everything and gives your shots perfect accuracy with zero spread. "Iron Lung" is a great defense card for PvP and PvE. For sniping you can use "Slow and Steady", "Sharpshooter", and "Iron Lung" to absorb bullets. More about Ability Cards. See exact weapon and Ability Card stats on this spreadsheet.
  • Bolas and Lasso can counter someone using "Slippery Bastard". You can use "Paint It Black" with Bolas, Bows, and Throwables to hit "Slippery Bastard" users.
  • Use "Hangman" while Lassoing a player. Level III will kill a player using Health Tonics in seconds.
  • "Paint It Black" + Double Barrel Shotgun is a very fast kill. Paint two X’s for two fast shots.
  • The Ability Card "Slow and Steady" lets you take less damage to survive one hit headshots. It won't let you run or sprint, but that is unneeded when you can stand out in the open and headshot your opponent. Great counter to Paint It Black player getting headshots.
  • I have gotten in the habit of seeing another player, aiming and diving, and have enabled "Slow and Steady" and shoot my weapon before I get to my feet.
  • The above tactic works wonderfully with PIB. You will tag, give, and IMMEDIATELY shoot.
  • If you couple "Slow and Steady" with "The Unblinking Eye", which increases your Dead Eye and Eagle Eye times, you will be quite the murder force.
  • "The Unblinking Eye" is good for any Dead Eye card and increases your Eagle Eye time. Use it to better track Bounties and animals.
  • "Slippery Bastard" increases the bloom size for the user and anyone aiming at them. It also makes bullets hit the bloom circle, not inside the circle.
  • "Paint It Black" can counter "Slippery Bastard" if you tag them a Bow or throwables.
  • Arrow headshots are unaffected by an enemy's "Slow and Steady" and will kill them. Use "Paint It Black" to tag their head.
  • "Slippery Bastard" is good to rush with. If "Paint It Black" is being used against you then wait for their Dead Eye to activate and shoot them after deactivating yours. Use trees and other objects to block the line of sight as you close in closer. This is best on horseback and in free roam. You basically only pop out of Slippery Bastard when you want to shoot.
  • "Eye for an Eye" restores a lot of Dead Eye each headshot. A great alternative to Dead Eye consumables.
  • "Strange Medicine" instantly gives you Health each time you damage a player. But you regenerate Health slower. You can help counteract this with "Cold Blooded" which you some health 3 seconds after getting a kill.
  • "Landon's Patience" increases your damage each time you wait between shots. It's unsure the rate of damage increase per second, but the maximum increase is at 15 seconds across all upgrades.
  • "To Fight Another Day" allows you to take less damage while sprinting and remains active while on horseback. This also applies while you're on wagons or carriages.
  • "Peak Condition" gives you a max 8% damage buff and works while on Horseback. If your Stamina depletes so does the buff, but if you are on horseback then you will always have 100% Stamina. The card gives you a damage boost while at 100% Stamina. Even if the card doesn't light up on the top right.
  • For predators and even Legendary predators, use "Slow and Steady" while on your horse. Your Horse will not buck you or run away in any circumstances. The predator will walk right against your paralyzed horse and give you plenty of time to unload. In addition to "Slow and Steady", use the "Horseman", "Winning Streak", and "Unblinking Eye" cards, Bolt Action Rifle, and Express Ammo.
  • "Hunker Down" + "Slow and Steady" + "Iron Lung" = extremely great defense while in cover
  • Never use "Never Without One" with "Slow and Steady" since they both provide the same protection against headshots, and losing your hat would weaken "Slow and Steady".
  • You can activate Dead Eye while holding almost any non-gun item and even while unarmed with the same L2 + R3 combination. This does not work with "Paint It Black".
  • "Winning Streak" activates 2 seconds after the first shot.
  • After testing in free roam, the consecutive shot damage bonus from "Winning Streak" is not reset if your enemy dives or if you dive. More interestingly, it does persist after your death or your enemies' death as long as you don't fire any shots until you can hit them once again. No missed shots.
  • "Slow and Steady" is useful to activate while looting corpses. You will absorb more bullets during the looting animations.
  • Some weapon and Ability Card pairings:
    • Before you get into combination methods, you should know a "glass cannon" one-shot kill build isn't quite possible unless you use a scoped rifle. More info here. Here is a spreadsheet of exact Weapon and Card attributes.
    • Slow and Steady + Winning Streak + Gunslinger's Choice + LeMat + Dual Schofield/Lancaster/Dual Volcanic Pistol = You can take headshot damage while you rapid-fire one of these weapons. Each shot is more powerful than the last thanks to Winning Streak. Use this and spam body shots when someone is using Slow and Steady.
    • To Fight Another Day + Horseman + Never Without One = With these three cards you are your strongest while on horseback and Never Without One allows you to take less damage and gives you immunity to one headshot per hat (face shots will kill you). And because you are on your horse you have an endless supply of hats.
    • Slippery Bastard + Knife/Anything else + To Fight Another Day (Optional) + Iron Lung = Enable Dead Eye and Slippery Bastard will slightly prevent anyone from locking onto you. Zigzag towards them and tackle them with any weapon and spam R2 for an execution. The two optional cards let you take less damage while sprinting (To Fight Another Day) and you have more Stamina which gives you more Health (Iron Lung).
    • Slippery Bastard + Shotgun Slugs or Incendiary Buckshot = Free aim headshots with your Slugs or Incendiary Buckshot while your enemy can't auto-aim. The Dead Eye will also improve your range.
    • Slow and Steady + Dynamite = Momentarily stand out in the open and throw dynamite near your enemies.
    • Never Without One + Permanent Posse Outfits (or a team Showdown or both) = Always respawn with a hat.
    • Slippery Bastard + Shotgun + Quick Strafing + A corner/object = You will quickly strafe in and out of cover and pop off your shotgun before your close-to-medium ranged enemy can lock-on to you. Enabling Slippery Bastard will further complicate their lock-on.
    • Slow and Steady + Unblinking Eye + Fool Me Once + Iron Lung = Great for Showdowns but good for everything. You are a headshot absorbing tank which regenerates Health with each hit and each kill. In Showdowns, use Tonic to keep up your Health and Dead Eye.
    • Slippery Bastard + Lasso = Run up and tackle them to hogtie. Good for griefers when you don't want to engage.
    • Quite An Inspiration + Unblinking Eye + Strenght In Numbers = Support loadout. Either make your fourth card one that regains your Dead Eye similar to Kick In The Butt or Eye for An Eye. Or you can use Dead Eye Tonics and use a Damage card like Iron Lung.
    • Slow and Steady + Sharpshooter + Iron Lung = Sniping loadout. You can activate Slow and Steady while scoping. You will soak up a lot of bullets. Either make your fourth card one that regains your Dead Eye like Kick In The Butt or Eye for An Eye. Or you can use Dead Eye Tonics and use a Damage card like Peak Condition.
163 Upvotes

31 comments sorted by

11

u/gruntled-goat Trader Jul 09 '19

Thank you! This was the one area of online that totally mystified me and I never bothered talking the time to experiment. This is super helpful.

9

u/SmurfinGTA Jul 19 '19

Very happy to help. I hope we all can keep tabs on this aspect of the game as updates roll in

7

u/FunkyCrunky Collector Dec 28 '19

Wow, thank you. I’d award you if I wasn’t Reddit broke, lol. I’m looking for some help with the updated ability cards. To quote:

Slow and Steady + Unblinking Eye + Strange Medicine + Cold Blooded = Great for Showdowns but good for everything. You are a headshot absorbing tank which regenerates Health each hit and kill.

Is this still the best combo for a tank build? I mainly play free roam (not PvP) and don’t use dead eye (long story short, I had hand surgery and can’t press the button fast enough to engage dead eye in enough time to retaliate before I’m killed).

Therefore, I’d like the best tank build without having to engage dead eye for protection against people griefing, particularly mid-higher level griefers. Any advice appreciated. Thanks in advance.

3

u/[deleted] Jul 09 '19 edited Sep 11 '20

[deleted]

2

u/SmurfinGTA Jul 19 '19

I have tested it many times, but not in the last month. Any luck?

2

u/[deleted] Jul 19 '19 edited Sep 11 '20

[deleted]

3

u/SmurfinGTA Jul 19 '19

That update only changed the wording. If you shoot a friend with zero cards, then shoot them with Peak Condition and 100% Stamina, you will see a difference. The card on the top right doesn't even light up, but the card is active at 100% Stamina

4

u/xzanzibarzx Aug 23 '19

Thank you for asking this

What are the best ability cards as of 2019 summer August for a level 20?

Recommended Ability cards for Low-mid level 20-30

Recommended Ability cards for mid-high 30-40

And End game?

5

u/SmurfinGTA Sep 04 '19

Boiler plate: It's all about your Dead Eye card. Your Passive cards can be stacked to help a stat of your choice, but any good cowboy or cowgirl makes whatever hand they're given work. Don't over look Winning Streak or Strange Medicine. Read the OP for more. Now changes have been made since.

1

u/xzanzibarzx Sep 07 '19

At level 26 now:

I got PIB level 2, LANDONS something level 2 Am now leveling up slow and steady haven't decided how much I like it Stamina damage ability card (Conditioning?) Is now level 2

I'm mostly looking forward to hangman, strange medicine, winning streak...

Right now I am messing around with my newest DEAD EYE card the SLOW and STEADY ONE (i like it's passive abilities, but I got so used to marking in dead eye mode) I am no sure If i will like it as much as PIB (EVEN THO I DON'T ALWAYS USE DEAD EYE ONLINE...It's a hassle...And in PVP (by the time I mark...I am dead/dying)

1

u/SmurfinGTA Nov 06 '19

I know, I'm late. But I have updated this post and a PIB build isn't bad. Learning to use SAS will only help you! Check the chart above.

3

u/Secure-Ant4976 Apr 25 '22

I just got 1v5 but loads of high level players 300 plus. This is perfect guide to help me, and I'll train hard to keep getting better.

2

u/Zatoichigo Dec 16 '19

Is there a build for the brawls now there is the new bootlegger missions? I know they're easy and you can pretty much take on the whole bar even the big dude that shows up at the end is a walk over, but I'd like to see my guy just one punch knocking everyone out on there ass if possible, does ability cards even effect this game mechanic?

2

u/SmurfinGTA Dec 22 '19

Yes probably the melee cards. Of Single Purpose comes to mind. But The Shirt Games is only for guns. Some Dead Eye cards help since you can activate Dead Eye while brawling. Slow and Steady MIGHT up your defense. Quite An Inspiration would heal you and friends. I'm curious if Focus Fire would up your damage!

1

u/Skraelos Collector Aug 10 '19

You can have perfect accuracy with Paint It Black, even before you paint an X. Lock-on, activate PIB, then quickly flick/fire. Dead Eye will deactivate when you fire. It also provides a range boost.

I have a question about the wording of this part: 'Lock-on, activate PIB, then quickly flick/fire' - is it a typo and it's meant to say 'activate dead-eye'? Why would DE deactivate itself on firing?

5

u/SmurfinGTA Sep 04 '19

You would have to activate it at sometime. I suggest when you are aiming so you're not wasting DE or disable you ability to run.

2

u/Laiger_29 Aug 20 '19

Meaning after you fired your shot the deadeye stops. Unlike in single player where you can enter deadeye, shoot, and still continue on shooting still in deadeye.

1

u/N8Cannata Aug 21 '19

What is the point of 'a moment to recuperate'? I got 'quite an inspiration' then noticed later that they're almost the same thing but QaI heals you and all allies. (I wonder: Does this also apply to NPC allies you're escorting / fighting along side of) about the only use for the MTR card is maybe if you're in a team / posse where someone is using QaI you can potentially heal 2x faster. As the posse affect cards do not stack if multiple allied players activate the same ability simultaneously.

1

u/SmurfinGTA Sep 04 '19

Not sure about the NPC benefits! In my experience AMTR heals just you, and it heals you very quickly if upgraded.

1

u/PhosphorusPlatypus Nov 15 '19

I was using Necessity Breeds&Peak Condition are these bad?

1

u/SmurfinGTA Nov 15 '19

They're good beginner cards but they aren't extremely useful compared to others. Peak Condition is good for a small damage boost but there are better ones like Iron Lung or Winning Streak. PC is good on horseback or while hunting.

1

u/PhosphorusPlatypus Nov 18 '19

I've changed them with Winning Streak and Fool me Once. What do you suggest for the 3rd passive? I'm currently using Peak Condition for 3rd and tried Strange Medicine aswell. For deadeye using PIB btw.

1

u/SmurfinGTA Dec 01 '19

Iron Long or Eye for an Eye!

1

u/PhosphorusPlatypus Dec 01 '19

I’ve been using Kick in the Butt but I might try Iron Lung as well

2

u/check-engine Dec 20 '19

What are the gains for each level of the cards? For a casual player 350 and 500 dollars is expensive.

1

u/kingfiggus Bounty Hunter Dec 27 '19

I've got two builds focused entirely for being on horseback, took some inspiration from OP so lemme know what could be improved on: Damage: •Paint it Black •Horseman •Ride like the Wind •Friends for life

Tank: •Slippery Bastard •Never without one •Ride like the wind •Friends for life

1

u/vegetableIII May 06 '24

Best collectible to focus on for ranking up?

1

u/CDXNN95 Jun 23 '24

What’s the best ability card load out now for survivability? The “tank” build?

1

u/ProfilerXx Nov 08 '21

Is this still accurate? Asking for a friend...

3

u/SmurfinGTA Nov 08 '21

Yes, but PvP cards are overpowered by Tonics and Explosive ammo. Use Ability cards for an edge in PvE. For PvP use NWO and other health/damage cards but Tonics and Explosives are the current meta.

2

u/ProfilerXx Nov 08 '21

Okay thank you so much for that, OP!

1

u/Longjumping-Diet4276 Feb 27 '23

Where can I find the eye for an eye ability card? I’m on PS5 I’m level 357. I thought I’d unlocked everything but I can’t find this ability card.

1

u/bevocat Moonshiner May 06 '23

I’m sure you already found it, but for me it’s the 4th from last card on the “heart” tab, the green cards.