Every Red Dead Online role runs its own rank track, and where you are on that track decides what you can use. Skills and satchel upgrades can unlock directly at rank, while role kit items need a separate unlock and purchase.
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Bounty Hunter
Trader
Collector
Moonshiner
Skip the Trader requirement for the introduction by spending 5 Gold through Pause Menu > Progress > Roles > Moonshiner > Unlock. The payment grants access to the contact. For starting the business, see the [Roles](/red-dead/wiki/red-dead-online/roles) guide.
Naturalist
Tier is the band a rank falls in: Novice for Ranks 1 to 5, Promising for 6 to 10, Established for 11 to 15 and Distinguished for 16 to 20. Kit items sit under the rank where they become available to buy.
Which Rank-Ups to Rush
Here are the role rewards worth planning around at different points in each track.
- Bounty Hunter: Focus at Rank 3, then Eagle Eye at Rank 7. Eagle Eye is the bigger one, since it lets you track enemies while you sprint or gallop.
- Collector: Divination at Rank 3, Potential at Rank 7 and Intuition at Rank 9. Together they cover sensing nearby collectibles, spotting disturbed earth and narrowing the search, so they're the first three skills to aim for.
- Naturalist: Legendary Eagle Eye at Rank 5, then Animal Focus at Rank 10 if you hunt Legendary Animals.
- Trader: Awareness at Rank 7 identifies rival Trader Wagons from farther away. Efficiency at Rank 11 is the one to aim for if you donate perfect carcasses, since it adds 25% more raw materials.
- Moonshiner: Berry Cobbler Moonshine at Rank 2 is the first recipe, and Master Distiller at Rank 15 shortens how long a batch takes.
What Role Tokens Buy
Every rank-up pays 2 Role Tokens, even a rank with nothing new, so keep saving through the quiet ones.
Reaching a rank makes its kit items available to buy. It doesn't put them in your inventory, so buying one is a separate step. Most kit items cost Role Tokens, and the priciest costs 3, which is more than one rank-up pays. Save across ranks to afford one.
Red Dead Online rewards and costs can change, so check the in-game role menu before planning around a rank or spending tokens. That includes the 5 Gold Moonshiner route.
When Satchel Upgrades Unlock
| Role | Early upgrade | Later upgrade |
|---|---|---|
| Bounty Hunter | Tonics Pouch at Rank 6 | Kit Pouch at Rank 9 |
| Trader | Ingredients Pouch at Rank 6 | Materials Pouch at Rank 13 |
| Collector | Provisions Pouch at Rank 6 | Valuables Pouch at Rank 16 |
| Moonshiner | Ingredients Pouch at Rank 7 | Materials Pouch at Rank 17 |
| Naturalist | Kit Pouch at Rank 3 | Tonics Pouch at Rank 18 |
If you only rush one pouch, make it the Naturalist's Kit Pouch at Rank 3. It's the earliest satchel upgrade in any role.
Outfits, Emotes and Coats by Rank
Each role gets an outfit at Ranks 1, 5, 10 and 15. Every role opens horse coats at Ranks 1, 10 and 20; the Rank 20 coat entry costs 3 Role Tokens. Each role's Rank 15 kit includes an emote. Moonshiner also unlocks emotes at Ranks 5, 11 and 20.
Mistakes to Avoid
- Expecting a kit item to show up in your inventory after a rank-up. You still have to buy it separately.
- Mixing up look-alike names. Legendary Eagle Eye at Naturalist Rank 5 isn't the Bounty Hunter Eagle Eye at Rank 7. Moonshiner's Slicked Back at Rank 10 isn't Bounty Hunter's Slicked Back Fade, which is a separate kit item at that rank.
Role XP and tiers
Role XP advances each track, and a new tier starts every five ranks. For role XP and the standard Moonshiner path, see the Roles guide.
FAQ
Which kit items cost just 1 Role Token?
A few do, including the Reinforced Lasso at Bounty Hunter Rank 1, the Medium Delivery Wagon at Trader Rank 5 and the Refined Binoculars at Collector Rank 5. Those are examples, not the full set.
Does this cover Bounty Hunter's Prestigious ranks?
No. Those ranks come after Rank 20 and aren't covered here.

