In Red Dead Online, Paint it Black fits the widest mix of player-fight styles. For careful PvE, A Moment to Recuperate restores health during Dead Eye, but any damage cancels Dead Eye. Your Dead Eye card sets the active effect; passive cards add damage, defense, or recovery.
How to use this collection
Category is the group a card belongs to. Slot type shows where it goes: Dead Eye cards take your Dead Eye slot, and everything else is a passive. Unlock rank is the player rank where a card opens for you.
Category
Dead Eye
These change what Dead Eye does, so they're the first card to think about. Match yours to the fights you take most.
A Moment to Recuperate
While Dead Eye is active, you slowly regenerate health. Taking any damage cancels Dead Eye.
- Category
- Dead Eye
- Slot type
- Dead Eye
- Unlock rank
- 2
- Best for
- Solo PvE sustain; emergency healing
- PvP
- Regain health during Dead Eye until you take damage.
- PvE
- Recover health during Dead Eye until damage cancels it.
Focus Fire
While Dead Eye is active, you and your team members deal a little more damage. If more than one team member has this ability active, the effects do not stack.
- Category
- Dead Eye
- Slot type
- Dead Eye
- Unlock rank
- 2
- Best for
- Posse support; team damage
- PvP
- Your team deals a little more damage while Dead Eye is active.
- PvE
- Your team deals a little more damage while Dead Eye is active.
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.
- Category
- Dead Eye
- Slot type
- Dead Eye
- Unlock rank
- 2
- Best for
- Dual-wield; close-range; mounted; repeater; gunslinger
- PvP
- Dead Eye marks player targets for a volley of shots.
- PvE
- Dead Eye marks enemy targets for a volley of shots.
Slow and Steady
While Dead Eye is active, you take a little less damage and headshots do not kill you outright. You cannot run or sprint.
- Category
- Dead Eye
- Slot type
- Dead Eye
- Unlock rank
- 24
- Best for
- Tank; sniper defense; PvP survival
- PvP
- Dead Eye reduces damage from player attacks.
- PvE
- Headshots cannot kill you outright during Dead Eye.
Quite an Inspiration
While Dead Eye is active, you and your allies slowly regenerate health. If more than one team member has this ability active, the effects do not stack.
- Category
- Dead Eye
- Slot type
- Dead Eye
- Unlock rank
- 44
- Best for
- Posse medic; team sustain
- PvP
- Dead Eye slowly restores health for you and your allies.
- PvE
- Dead Eye slowly restores health for you and your allies.
Slippery Bastard
While Dead Eye is active, enemies are less accurate when shooting at you. The rate at which your Dead Eye drains is dramatically increased.
- Category
- Dead Eye
- Slot type
- Dead Eye
- Unlock rank
- 50
- Best for
- Melee rush; Close-range PvP
- PvP
- Makes you harder to hit in gunfights; its effect on player lock-on has changed in updates, so test it before relying on it.
- PvE
- Other enemies become less accurate while Dead Eye is active.
Category
Combat
Several combat passives only count in one stance, like dual-wielding or using a scope, so pick them for how you shoot.
Horseman
You deal a little more damage to enemies while on horseback.
- Category
- Combat
- Slot type
- Passive
- Unlock rank
- 10
- Best for
- Mounted combat; repeater rider
- PvP
- Deal more damage to player enemies while mounted.
- PvE
- Deal more damage to enemies from horseback.
Necessity Breeds
As your health gets lower, you deal a little more damage.
- Category
- Combat
- Slot type
- Passive
- Unlock rank
- 16
- Best for
- Low-health damage
- PvP
- Deal more damage as your health gets lower.
- PvE
- Deal more damage as your health gets lower.
Landon's Patience
Waiting up to 15 seconds between shots slightly increases your damage.
- Category
- Combat
- Slot type
- Passive
- Unlock rank
- 18
- Best for
- Classic gunslinger; deliberate shots
- PvP
- Waiting up to 15 seconds between shots raises damage against players.
- PvE
- Waiting up to 15 seconds between shots raises damage against enemies.
The Short Game
You deal more damage to targets closer to you and less damage to targets farther away.
- Category
- Combat
- Slot type
- Passive
- Unlock rank
- 38
- Best for
- Close-range; shotgun
- PvP
- Favors nearby opponents and lowers damage at longer range.
- PvE
- Favors nearby enemies and lowers damage at longer range.
Hangman
Lassoing an enemy chokes them and deals damage each second they remain lassoed.
- Category
- Combat
- Slot type
- Passive
- Unlock rank
- 42
- Best for
- Lasso combat
- PvP
- A lassoed player takes damage each second they remain tied up.
- PvE
- A lassoed enemy takes damage each second they remain tied up.
Winning Streak
Each consecutive shot at the same target deals a little more damage.
- Category
- Combat
- Slot type
- Passive
- Unlock rank
- 48
- Best for
- Dual-wield; repeater rider
- PvP
- Consecutive shots at one player deal more damage.
- PvE
- Consecutive shots at one enemy deal more damage.
Gunslinger's Choice
While dual-wielding, you deal more damage and are more accurate.
- Category
- Combat
- Slot type
- Passive
- Best for
- Dual-wield; classic gunslinger
- PvP
- Dual-wielding raises your damage and accuracy against players.
- PvE
- Dual-wielding raises your damage and accuracy against enemies.
Sharpshooter
While using a scope, you deal more damage and take less damage.
- Category
- Combat
- Slot type
- Passive
- Best for
- Sniper; scoped PvP
- PvP
- Deal more damage and take less damage while scoped against players.
- PvE
- Deal more damage and take less damage while scoped against enemies.
Category
Recovery
Most recovery cards keep your health, stamina or Dead Eye topped up, so they matter most in long fights.
Come Back Stronger
Your health begins regenerating a little sooner after you take damage.
- Category
- Recovery
- Slot type
- Passive
- Unlock rank
- 10
- Best for
- Tank; PvE sustain
- PvP
- Your health starts regenerating sooner after enemy fire.
- PvE
- Your health starts regenerating sooner after taking damage.
Peak Condition
You deal a little more damage when your Stamina is at least 75% full.
- Category
- Recovery
- Slot type
- Passive
- Unlock rank
- 14
- Best for
- Close-range; mounted; melee; gunslinger
- PvP
- Deal more damage while your Stamina is at least 75% full.
- PvE
- Deal more damage while your Stamina is at least 75% full.
Eye for an Eye
Headshots restore a little Dead Eye.
- Category
- Recovery
- Slot type
- Passive
- Unlock rank
- 28
- Best for
- Headshot PvE; Dead Eye sustain
- PvP
- Headshots against players refill some Dead Eye.
- PvE
- Headshots against enemies refill some Dead Eye.
The Gift of Focus
Items and abilities that restore Dead Eye have slightly improved effects. You deal a little less damage.
- Category
- Recovery
- Slot type
- Passive
- Unlock rank
- 30
- Best for
- Dead Eye recovery; tonic support
- PvP
- Items and abilities restore more Dead Eye.
- PvE
- Items and abilities restore more Dead Eye.
Strange Medicine
You regain a little health whenever you inflict damage. Your health otherwise regenerates at half the normal rate.
- Category
- Recovery
- Slot type
- Passive
- Unlock rank
- 32
- Best for
- PvE sustain; close-range combat
- PvP
- Dealing damage restores some health.
- PvE
- Dealing damage restores some health.
Cold Blooded
After killing an enemy, you regain a little health over the next five seconds.
- Category
- Recovery
- Slot type
- Passive
- Unlock rank
- 36
- Best for
- Tank; PvE sustain
- PvP
- A player kill restores a little health over five seconds.
- PvE
- An enemy kill restores a little health over five seconds.
Iron Lung
Your Stamina regenerates faster, and you take less damage depending on your current Stamina level.
- Category
- Recovery
- Slot type
- Passive
- Best for
- Tank; medic; stamina sustain
- PvP
- Regenerate Stamina faster and take less damage based on your current Stamina.
- PvE
- Regenerate Stamina faster and take less damage based on your current Stamina.
Kick in the Butt
Whenever you take damage, a portion of it is added to your Dead Eye.
- Category
- Recovery
- Slot type
- Passive
- Best for
- Dead Eye recharge under fire
- PvP
- Taking damage from a player restores some Dead Eye.
- PvE
- Taking damage from an enemy restores some Dead Eye.
Live for the Fight
You regenerate Dead Eye slowly over time.
- Category
- Recovery
- Slot type
- Passive
- Best for
- Dead Eye sustain; long PvE sessions
- PvP
- Dead Eye slowly refills over time during a fight.
- PvE
- Dead Eye slowly refills over time between fights.
Ride Like the Wind
Whenever you take or deal damage while mounted, a portion of it is added to your horse's Health and Stamina.
- Category
- Recovery
- Slot type
- Passive
- Best for
- Mounted combat; horse sustain
- PvP
- Taking or dealing damage while mounted restores some of your horse's Health and Stamina.
- PvE
- Taking or dealing damage while mounted restores some of your horse's Health and Stamina.
Category
Defense
Most defense cards only cut damage in one situation, like cover, sprinting or on horseback. Pick them for how you fight.
Hunker Down
You take less damage while in cover.
- Category
- Defense
- Slot type
- Passive
- Unlock rank
- 20
- Best for
- Sniper; cover defense
- PvP
- Take less damage from players while in cover.
- PvE
- Take less damage from enemies while in cover.
To Fight Another Day
You take less damage from bullets while sprinting.
- Category
- Defense
- Slot type
- Passive
- Unlock rank
- 22
- Best for
- Shotgun; close-range; melee
- PvP
- Take less bullet damage while sprinting.
- PvE
- Take less bullet damage while sprinting.
The Unblinking Eye
Dead Eye and Eagle Eye drain more slowly.
- Category
- Defense
- Slot type
- Passive
- Unlock rank
- 26
- Best for
- Posse medic; Dead Eye sustain
- PvP
- Dead Eye drains more slowly while fighting players.
- PvE
- Eagle Eye drains more slowly.
Take the Pain Away
Reviving another player gives you and that player less damage taken for eight seconds.
- Category
- Defense
- Slot type
- Passive
- Unlock rank
- 34
- Best for
- Medic; revive support
- PvP
- A revive gives you and the revived player a defense boost for eight seconds.
- PvE
- Reviving a teammate gives both of you a defense boost for eight seconds.
Of Single Purpose
You take less damage from bullets while unarmed or using a melee weapon.
- Category
- Defense
- Slot type
- Passive
- Unlock rank
- 40
- Best for
- Melee
- PvP
- Take less bullet damage from players while unarmed or using a melee weapon.
- PvE
- Take less bullet damage from enemies while unarmed or using a melee weapon.
Never without One
Your hat blocks one headshot, then falls off. You take more damage when you are not wearing a hat.
- Category
- Defense
- Slot type
- Passive
- Unlock rank
- 46
- Best for
- Sniper defense; dual-wield survival
- PvP
- Your hat blocks one headshot before falling off.
- PvE
- Your hat blocks one headshot before falling off.
Fool Me Once
You take less damage each consecutive time you are shot. This effect ends if you are not shot for 10 seconds.
- Category
- Defense
- Slot type
- Passive
- Best for
- Tank; sniper defense
- PvP
- Consecutive hits reduce the damage you take from players.
- PvE
- Consecutive hits reduce the damage you take from enemies.
Friends for Life
While mounted, you and your horse take less damage.
- Category
- Defense
- Slot type
- Passive
- Best for
- Mounted combat; horse defense
- PvP
- You and your horse take less damage from players while mounted.
- PvE
- You and your horse take less damage from enemies while mounted.
Strength in Numbers
You take less damage for every nearby ally, up to a maximum of three allies.
- Category
- Defense
- Slot type
- Passive
- Best for
- Posse support; medic
- PvP
- Nearby allies reduce the damage you take from players, up to three allies.
- PvE
- Nearby allies reduce the damage you take from enemies, up to three allies.
Red Dead Online Ability Card Slots and Unlocks
Your loadout is one Dead Eye card and three passive slots. The first passive slot opens at rank 10, the second at rank 20, and the third at rank 40.
Best Red Dead Online Ability Cards for PvP
Paint it Black marks enemy players and fires every marked target in one volley. Each shot drains Dead Eye, so the volley costs more than it looks like. It covers dual-wield, close-range, mounted and repeater fights.
Slow and Steady is the defensive pick. It trims the damage you take and stops headshots from killing you outright while Dead Eye is active. You can't run or sprint while it's on, so it suits players who hold a spot. It unlocks at rank 24, the first Dead Eye card after the starters.
Slippery Bastard is the rush pick for melee and close-range fights. While it's active, enemies are less accurate when they shoot at you, but your Dead Eye drains much faster. Its lock-on effect has changed in updates, so test it in a match before you build around it. It unlocks at rank 50, the last Dead Eye card to open.
Focus Fire is the posse pick. It gives your whole team a small damage boost while it's active.
Best PvE Ability Cards
A Moment to Recuperate is the solo sustain pick. Your health slowly regenerates while Dead Eye is active, but any damage cancels Dead Eye, so it suits careful fights. It's a starter, so it's one of the first Dead Eye cards you'll have.
Quite an Inspiration is the posse medic pick. You and your allies slowly regenerate health while Dead Eye is active. It unlocks at rank 44, so it's a later goal.
Cold Blooded (rank 36) restores a little health for five seconds after each kill, which helps when you're clearing a lot of enemies. In PvE, Paint it Black marks a group of enemies for one volley.
Early Picks and a Starter Loadout
Your first real choice comes at rank 10, when the first passive slot opens. Come Back Stronger suits tanky PvE play, and Horseman pays off if you spend a lot of time on horseback.
After those, your style decides. Peak Condition (rank 14) adds damage for close-range or gunslinger fights while your Stamina is at least 75% full. Hunker Down (rank 20) is the cover pick. The Unblinking Eye (rank 26) and Eye for an Eye (rank 28) both help if you use Dead Eye a lot.
A simple first setup: Paint it Black as your Dead Eye card, Come Back Stronger in the first passive slot, and Peak Condition in the second slot, which opens at rank 20. Two passive slots cover you until rank 40, so that's your whole loadout for a while. For PvE, swap Paint it Black for A Moment to Recuperate.
Tiers and Upgrade Costs
Unlocking a card costs $50, and one starter Dead Eye card can be free when you create your character. Tier II costs 10,000 card XP and $350. Tier III costs 15,000 card XP and $500.
Updates have changed some ability card effects, and limited-time offers can change prices. Check the in-game menu before you buy.
Builds for Each Playstyle
Each build is one Dead Eye card plus three passives. These full setups need rank 40, when the third passive slot opens. Several cards in them unlock later, up to rank 50 for Slippery Bastard.
- Dual-wield: Paint it Black, Gunslinger's Choice, Winning Streak and Never without One. Paint it Black marks your targets, Gunslinger's Choice rewards dual-wielding, and Winning Streak builds damage on repeated shots at one target. Never without One adds a headshot block to the set.
- Close-range: Paint it Black, The Short Game, Peak Condition and To Fight Another Day. The Short Game favors targets near you and does less damage to targets farther away. To Fight Another Day cuts the bullet damage you take while you sprint in.
- Mounted: Paint it Black, Horseman, Ride Like the Wind and Friends for Life. Horseman adds damage from the saddle. Ride Like the Wind turns damage you take or deal while mounted into health and stamina for your horse, and Friends for Life cuts damage for you and your horse.
- Sniper: Slow and Steady, Sharpshooter, Hunker Down and Never without One. Sharpshooter adds damage and cuts the damage you take while scoped, and Hunker Down helps in cover. The set is built to hold a spot, not push through a fight.
- Posse medic: Quite an Inspiration, Strength in Numbers, The Unblinking Eye and Iron Lung. Quite an Inspiration keeps you and your allies healing during Dead Eye. Strength in Numbers cuts the damage you take for each nearby ally, up to three. The Unblinking Eye slows Dead Eye and Eagle Eye drain, and Iron Lung speeds up stamina regen while cutting damage based on your stamina.
- Tank: Slow and Steady, Come Back Stronger, Fool Me Once and Cold Blooded. Slow and Steady trims incoming damage and keeps headshots from killing you outright while Dead Eye is active, but you can't run or sprint. Come Back Stronger starts your health regenerating a little sooner after you take damage, and Cold Blooded restores health after each kill. Fool Me Once softens each hit you take while you keep getting shot, and the effect ends if you go 10 seconds without being shot.
- Melee: Slippery Bastard, To Fight Another Day, Of Single Purpose and Peak Condition. Slippery Bastard makes enemies less accurate when they shoot at you, but your Dead Eye drains much faster. To Fight Another Day cuts bullet damage while you sprint in, Of Single Purpose cuts bullet damage while you're unarmed or using a melee weapon, and Peak Condition adds damage while your Stamina is at least 75% full.
- Posse damage: Focus Fire, Strength in Numbers, The Unblinking Eye and Peak Condition. Focus Fire gives your whole team a small damage boost while Dead Eye is active. Strength in Numbers cuts the damage you take for each nearby ally, up to three, and The Unblinking Eye slows Dead Eye and Eagle Eye drain. Peak Condition adds damage while your Stamina is at least 75% full.
- Classic gunslinger: Paint it Black, Gunslinger's Choice, Landon's Patience and Peak Condition. Landon's Patience slightly increases your damage when you wait up to 15 seconds between shots. Gunslinger's Choice only works while you're dual-wielding, so it's the one card here that needs both guns out. Peak Condition adds damage while your Stamina is at least 75% full.
- Repeater rider: Paint it Black, Winning Streak, Horseman and Friends for Life. Paint it Black marks targets for one volley, Winning Streak rewards steady fire on one target, Horseman adds damage from the saddle, and Friends for Life cuts damage for you and your horse while mounted.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Taking Horseman or Friends for Life for a foot-based loadout. Both only count while you're mounted.
- Equipping Strange Medicine if you hang back. It heals you when you deal damage, and your normal regeneration drops to half.
- Taking The Gift of Focus when your posse needs damage. Dead Eye items and abilities restore more, but you deal a little less damage.
FAQ
Can two posse members stack Focus Fire or Quite an Inspiration?
No. Focus Fire does not stack when multiple posse members have it active. Quite an Inspiration works the same way.
Does Never without One block every headshot?
No. The hat blocks one headshot, then it falls off. After that you take more damage until a hat is back on.
Do passive cards only work during Dead Eye?
No. Passive cards stay active while they're equipped, including when Dead Eye is off.