The world of Red Dead online is full of dangers, Death stalks you around every bend in the trail. Whether it be savage outlaws with bounties on their head, O’Driscoll camps, hordes of revenue agents and rival moonshiners trying to ruin your liquor business, or cougars… mainly cougars.

What’s a cowpoke like you to do when everything on the map is trying to kill you? You utilize your Ability Cards, of course.

What are Ability Cards?

Located in the pause menu and under the Abilities section, Ability cards provide you with special health, stamina, damage, etc. buffs. There are four Ability Card slots available, as you level up you unlock each slot and each card. Each card is upgradable up to three times,  costing more cash each time.

One slot is reserved for Dead Eye ability and the other three slots are for passive cards that boost combat, health/stamina/Dead Eye recovery, and defensive abilities. You can customize these slots based on your play style. 

Today we’re focusing on the best cards for PvE. In PvE, you need to focus on survival and that means surviving that massive gunfight where you are heavily outnumbered or surviving the hunt (sometimes there’s wolves, cougars, and bears… oh my). If this was PvP, we’d look more at Combat Abilities that boost damage, but for PvE we will be mostly looking at Recovery Cards. You gotta keep your health, stamina, and Dead Eye high to survive the Wild West, cowpoke.

Without further ado… in no specific order, here are the 10 Best Ability Cards for PvE in Red Dead Online (in no particular order).

10.  Fool Me Once

"You take less damage each consecutive time you are shot. This effect ends if you are not shot for 10 seconds."

I know I said Recovery Cards but let’s face it, you’re going to get shot while playing RDO… like a lot. So, you’re going to need some defensive abilities. This card is great when you’re outnumbered and outflanked. You’ll be able to take more bullets while you dish them out and even the odds.

• A strong defense is the best offense
• Makes you feel invincible (You’re not! You’re just harder to kill)
• If playing with a posse, you can take more hits while reviving your pal
• The higher rank you are, the more frequently you’ll be outnumbered by enemies

9. Gunslinger’s Choice

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"While dual-wielding, you deal more damage and are more accurate."

Just picture this… You’re wanted by the law (You just finished shooting up Valentine… again. We’ve all seen you, you outlaw) and there are sheriffs, deputies, and bounty hunters trying to run you down on their horses. You’re standing in the muddy streets with your twin revolvers ablaze. Puffs of smoke and the booming echo of each shot rings out as you’re popping off headshot after headshot, bodies litter the streets. The ultimate gunslinger fantasy.

• More damage… more accuracy… pretty obvious, isn’t it?
• Are you even an outlaw if you don’t dual-wield revolvers?
• You look super badass
• You become an absolute beast at close range combat     

8. 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."

The ultimate Dead Eye Ability Card and the only one you really need, in my opinion. Paint it Black gives you the opportunity to blanket an enemy with multiple shots that are 100% accurate, or paint headshots on multiple targets in the same Dead Eye. This card is useful for hunting, PvP, and fighting NPC enemies. See that prowling cougar that’s about to jump on your back? Paint it Black. Need to kill six enemies in one Dead Eye? Paint it Black. Enough said.

• 100% accuracy on painted targets
• You can totally wreck one target with multiple shots
• Can target multiple targets
• Perfect for headshots

7. Eye for an Eye

"Headshots restore a little Dead Eye"

Perfect card to stack with Paint it Black, you can actively restore your Dead Eye while using Paint it Black. Restoration cards for health, stamina, and Dead Eye are essential for succeeding in PvE. And Eye for an Eye is the best one that restores Dead Eye for when you need it most… in gunfights.

• Great stack with Paint it Black
• Headshots are just cool
• Dead Eye restoration

6. Strange Medicine

"You regain a little health whenever you inflict damage. Your health will otherwise regenerate at half the normal rate."

A perfect card if you are the tank in your posse, especially coupled with Come Back Stronger and Cold Blooded. It’s very useful for when you’re outnumbered in a gunfight, each shot landed helps keep you alive. Especially if you are a dual wielding pistolero who shoots enemies multiple times before bringing them down.

• Perfect card is you’re a tank build
• You’re going to be inflicting damage, you might as well get some health for it
• Great card to help you stay alive when heavily outnumbered
• Very useful for pistol/revolver users

5. The Short Game

"You deal more damage to targets closer to you, but less to far away targets."

A great card to stack with Gunslinger’s Choice, for you dual-wielding cowpokes. Or if you’re a shotgun tank that likes to get right in the middle of the action, stack this card with some health regeneration cards and you’ll be the most rootin’ tootin’ tank in the West.

• Damage boost for short range weapons
• You can be the crazy shotgun person that runs around blasting everything
• Great damage boost for tanks if paired with health regeneration cards

4. Focus Fire

"While Dead Eye is active you and your allies deal a little more damage. If more than one member of your team has the ability, the effects do not stack."

We had to throw in an alternative Dead Eye card. If Paint it Black doesn’t tickle your fancy, then try Focus Fire, especially if you ride with a posse. Your fellow members will thank you for the damage boost. Perfect to pair with Eye for an Eye so you can regenerate Dead Eye, or you can carry a lot of snake oil tonics. Your choice.

• More damage is always nice
• Boost damage for your entire posse
• Alternative for Paint it Black Dead Eye card

3. Peak Condition

"You inflict a little more damage if your Stamina is at least 75% full."

A great card for the player who’s cool, calm, and collected. For those who don’t sprint unless necessary and effectively use cover while in combat. In PvE, you’ll be outnumbered frequently, running around isn’t always the best option, so hunker down, maintain that stamina, and get a damage boost with Peak Condition. Also, great when you’re stalking game in the wilderness and need a little extra damage to bring down your prey.

• You cause more damage
• Great for defensive players who hunker down in gunfights
• Great card for players who use mid-range or long-range weapons
• Damage boost when you’re sneaking around while hunting

2. Iron Lung 

"Your Stamina regenerates faster, and you take less damage depending on your current Stamina level."

A great card to stack with our previous card, Peak Condition. When paired, you have the chance to deal out more damage and take less. Plus, faster regeneration is great when you need to high-tail it out of a fight and regroup.

• Stackable with Peak Condition
• Double benefits—faster stamina regeneration and take less damage
• Helps keep you alive in wild gunfights when you’re heavily outnumbered

1. Cold Blooded

"After killing an enemy you will get back a little health over the next five seconds."

PvE is about survival and anything that restores health is vital. Cold Blooded is great when you’re fighting numerous enemies, whether it be a wolf pack or a big posse of bandits. Having multiple enemies to kill will stack your health regeneration and keep you alive.

• More health = staying alive = good
• More enemies mean more chances to restore some health
• If you’re low on health, play defensively while you restore your health, one kill at a time

Also Be Sure To Read:

• [Top 5] Red Dead Online Best Revolvers And How To Get Them
• [Top 5] Red Dead Online Shotguns And How To Get Them
• [Top 10] Red Dead Online Ability Cards for PvP
• Red Dead Online Beginner Guide [Top 25 Tips for Beginners]