In Red Dead Redemption 2 Online, you can equip a set of Abilities for your Online Character, using Ability Cards. Ability Cards provide you with attributes that affect the damage you deal, and how you deal it.
There are 4 Slots available for abilities: 1 slot for Dead Eye, granting you an ability activated during Dead Eye (by holding L2 and pressing R3), and 3 slots for Passive Abilities, which affect you persistently.
Your Abilities can be found in the Abilities section of the Pause menu, or accessed via the Ability Loadout from the Weapon Wheel. To equip an ability, select the slot you wish to fill and view the available Ability Cards.
As your rank increases, Ability Cards will unlock and become available for you to buy with cash. Similarly, upgrade the cards you already own by unlocking upgrades as you gain XP or by buying them with Gold Bars. Each card has three different tiers for you to unlock, greatly enhancing the abilities on offer.
Dead Eye Ability Cards (Active)
Your Active Ability Card is activated while in Dead Eye (by holding L2 and pressing R3).
1) A Moment to Recuperate
While Dead Eye is active you regenerate health. Taking any damage will cancel Dead Eye.
(TIER I: Free)
2) Focus Fire
While Dead Eye is active you and your team members deal more damage. If more than one member of your team has this ability active, the effects do not stack.
(TIER I: $50)
3) Paint it Black
While Dead Eye is active you can paint targets onto enemies. Fire your weapon to shoot all marked targets. Each shot drains Dead Eye.
(TIER I: $50)
4) Slow and Steady
While Dead Eye is active you take less damage and headshots do not kill you outright. You cannot run or sprint.
(Unlocks at RANK 24)
5) Quite an Inspiration
While Dead Eye is active you and your allies regenerate health. If more than one member of your team has this ability active, the effects do not stack.
(Unlocks at RANK 44)
6) Slippery Bastard
While Dead Eye is active enemy players cannot lock onto you, and you cannot lock onto them. Other enemies are less accurate when shooting at you. The rate at which your Dead Eye drains is dramatically increased.
(Unlocks at RANK 50)
Passive Ability Cards
There are three different types of Passive Ability Cards: Combat Abilities, Recover Abilities, and Defense Abilities. Passive Card effects are always working while in your loadout. You can hold up to 3 Passive Cards at one time.
- The 1st Passive Ability Card slot unlocks at RANK 10
- The 2nd Passive Ability Card slot unlocks at RANK 20
- The 3rd Passive Ability Card slot unlocks at RANK 40
Utilize the different Ability Card categories to help you survive the frontier. You can adjust them at any time to suit any scenario: use combat cards for attacking missions where you'll rely on your weapons, or switch to defensive cards when escorting a wagon.
Combat Ability Cards
1) Horseman
You deal a little more damage while on horseback. (Unlocks at RANK 10)
2) Necessity Breeds
As you get closer to death, you start to do a little more damage. (Unlocks at RANK 16)
3) Landon’s Patience
Waiting for up to 15 seconds between shots slightly increases your damage (Unlocks at RANK 18)
4) The Short Game
You deal more damage to targets closer to you, but less to far away targets. (Unlocks at RANK 38)
5) Hangman
Lasso chokes enemies dealing damage for every second they are lassoed. (Unlocks at RANK 42)
6) Winning Streak
Each consecutive shot on the same target does a little more damage. (Unlocks at RANK 48)
7) Gunslinger’s Choice
While dual-wielding, you deal more damage and are more accurate
8) Sharpshooter
While using a scope, you deal more damage and take less damage
Recovery Ability Cards
1) Come Back Stronger
Health begins regenerating a little sooner after you take damage. (Unlocks at RANK 10)
2) Peak Condition
You inflict a little more damage if your Stamina is at least 75% full. (Unlocks at RANK 14)
3) Eye for an Eye
Headshots restore a little Dead Eye. (Unlocks at RANK 28)
4) The Gift of Focus
Items and Abilities which restore Dead Eye have their effects slightly improved. You deal a little less damage. (Unlocks at RANK 30)
5) Strange Medicine
You regain a little health whenever you inflict damage. Your health will otherwise regenerate at half the normal rate. (Unlocks at RANK 32)
6) Cold Blooded
After killing an enemy you will get back a little health over the next five seconds. (Unlocks at RANK 36)
7) Kick in the Butt
Whenever you take damage, a proportion of it is added to your Dead Eye
8) Live for the Fight
You regenerate Dead Eye slowly over time
9) Iron Lung
Your Stamina regenerates faster, and you take less damage depending on your current Stamina level
10) Ride Like the Wind
Whenever you take or deal damage while mounted, a proportion of it is added to your horse's Health and Stamina
Defense Ability Cards
1) Hunker Down
Take less damage while in cover. (Unlocks at RANK 20)
2) To Fight Another Day
Take less damage from bullets while sprinting. (Unlocks at RANK 22)
3) The Unblinking Eye
Dead Eye and Eagle Eye drain slower. (Unlocks at RANK 26)
4) Take the Pain Away
Reviving someone gives you and that person less damage taken for 8 seconds. (Unlocks at RANK 34)
5) Of Single Purpose
Take less damage from bullets while unarmed or using a melee weapon. (Unlocks at RANK 40)
6) Never without One
Your hat will block one headshot and then fall off. If you are not wearing a hat you take more damage. (Unlocks at RANK 46)
7) Strength in Numbers
You take less damage for every nearby ally, up to a maximum of three allies
8) Fool Me Once
You take less damage each consecutive time you are shot. This effect ends if you are not shot for 10 seconds
9) Friends for Life
While mounted, you and your horse take less damage
For more useful Guides check out the complete , as well as the Horses Database, Weapons Database, and everything else on Red Dead Redemption 2!
