RDR2 Chapter 2: What to Do Before Chapter 3

You do not need to clear everything in Chapter 2 before moving on.

If you want Arthur well prepared, use this order:

Improve inventory space.
Hunt the Legendary Buck early.
Upgrade camp and equipment.
Build a comfortable amount of money.
Do temporary camp activities and requests.
Leave heavy completionist cleanup for later.

Chapter 2 is one of the best times to explore without feeling pushed toward the next major story event.

Quick Chapter 2 checklist

If you care about missables

Complete at least one companion activity.
Check camp item requests.
Do the white missions you care about.
Make a manual save before finishing the chapter.

Highly recommended

Work on satchels.
Get the Legend of the East Satchel if you want maximum inventory convenience.
Hunt the Legendary Buck.
Upgrade camp.
Improve your equipment.
Build a useful cash reserve.
Explore useful parts of the map.

For completionists

Trigger as many camp requests as possible.
Collect unique Chapter 2 items.
Check missable hats and documents.
Progress Challenges.
Work on the Compendium and collectibles.
Try community methods such as the early Missouri Fox Trotter if you want it.

1. Work on satchels first

RDR2 constantly gives you things to carry:

plants;
meat;
pelts;
tonics;
ammo;
valuables;
materials;
food.

RDR2 fills your inventory fast. Satchels make you fight that limit much less often.

That makes the Legend of the East Satchel a great early goal if you are happy to spend time hunting.

You do not need it to progress.

It simply makes the rest of the game much more convenient.

2. Hunt the Legendary Buck early

If you plan to hunt perfect pelts, getting the Legendary Buck early is useful.

Its associated reward helps during hunting.

That fits naturally with satchel, camp and equipment upgrades.

Simple order:

Legendary Buck first → serious hunting afterward.

3. Upgrade camp

Horseshoe Overlook is a good time to start investing in camp.

You do not need to buy everything immediately.

Start with upgrades you will actually use.

Spend time around camp too.

It gives you more chances to see:

conversations;
activities;
companion requests.

If you always rush out of Horseshoe Overlook, you give that camp content fewer chances to appear.

4. Get some money, but you do not need to become rich

Money makes the early game easier.

You will spend it on:

weapons;
ammo;
supplies;
horses;
upgrades;
travel.

There is no need to turn Chapter 2 into a gold farm.

Get enough that you stop checking every price. Then keep playing.

5. Complete at least one companion activity

This one can disappear.

Chapter 2 includes temporary activities with gang members.

Examples include activities involving:

Javier;
Charles;
Lenny.

If a white companion marker appears in camp, consider doing it right away.

These activities also matter for the Friends With Benefits achievement/trophy, which requires one companion activity in Chapters 2, 3 and 4.

You do not need every Chapter 2 activity.

You need at least one for that achievement.

6. Listen for camp requests

Item requests often begin through ordinary conversations.

Chapter 2 requests can involve characters including:

Bill;
Charles;
Dutch;
Hosea;
Lenny;
Pearson;
Susan.

If you want a completionist run, spend time at Horseshoe Overlook.

Talk to people.

Return at different times.

Do not immediately run out of camp every time Arthur becomes controllable.

Some requests have unique rewards or scenes.

7. Pay attention to Pearson

Pearson matters if you care about missables.

His requests and hunting systems connect with several useful early upgrades.

The famous Pearson Scout Jacket is also tied to a temporary Chapter 2 request.

If you want a completionist save, check the missable-content guide before leaving Horseshoe Overlook.

8. Do the white missions you want to see

Main story missions use yellow markers.

Much of the optional content uses white ones.

Easy rule:

see a white mission you care about → do it before chaining too many yellow missions.

Not every white mission disappears immediately.

You also do not need to clear the whole map before continuing.

But saving everything for later can make you miss Arthur content.

9. Start Challenges without turning them into work

Chapter 2 is a good time to make progress on Challenges.

You do not need to finish them all.

Use opportunities that appear while you play.

Many goals overlap naturally with:

hunting;
weapons;
horses;
gambling;
exploration.

If you later want to go much further, you can work toward Legend of the East as Arthur.

10. Explore

This chapter gives you plenty of room to wander.

Explore.

Hunt.

Meet strangers.

Find equipment.

Open the map.

Try horses.

Complete chance encounters.

A lot of later 100% progress happens naturally while you play this way.

11. Do not finish the whole Compendium now

You do not need to.

A complete Compendium is not required for official 100% completion either.

Study new species when convenient and keep going.

The full Compendium can wait.

Trying to finish it now can turn the game into a giant checklist too early.

12. Is a great horse worth getting early?

Yes, if you want one.

You spend a huge part of RDR2 on horseback.

Having a horse you enjoy matters.

That does not mean you need the horse with the best spreadsheet numbers immediately.

Several excellent mounts are available early.

13. Early Missouri Fox Trotter

If you specifically want the Silver Dapple Pinto Missouri Fox Trotter, there is a community method connected with Arcadia for Amateurs III.

It can let you get the horse much earlier than normal.

This is not a Chapter 2 requirement.

It is an optional trick for players who already know they want that horse.

The dedicated Missouri Fox Trotter guide covers the method, where to save and what to do if the horse disappears.

What can safely wait

You do not need to finish all of this in Chapter 2:

every collectible;
the full Compendium;
all Legendary Animals;
all Challenges;
every weapon;
every horse;
the whole map.

Most of RDR2 can be cleaned up later.

Stay in Chapter 2 while you are enjoying it.

Move on when you want to.

Recommended order

Quick and easy

1. Unlock the chapter’s basic freedom

Progress until exploration feels comfortable.

2. Start on satchels

Remove inventory frustration early.

3. Hunt the Legendary Buck

Do it before a long hunting phase.

4. Upgrade camp and equipment

Buy things you will actually use.

5. Do camp activities and requests when they appear

Temporary content can disappear.

6. Explore and make money naturally

You do not need to stop playing just to farm.

7. Continue the story when you want

There is no test to pass before Chapter 3.

Before moving to Chapter 3

Check these:

Did I complete at least one companion activity?
Did I check camp requests?
Did I collect the temporary items I care about?
Did I finish the white missions I want to see?
Do I have a manual save?
Do I actually want to continue the story now?

If yes, move on.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to do everything in Chapter 2?

No.

A lot remains available later.

What is the best early upgrade?

Players often recommend satchels, especially the Legend of the East Satchel, because the extra inventory space helps for the rest of the game.

Should I hunt the Legendary Buck early?

Yes, especially before hunting for lots of perfect pelts.

Is anything missable in Chapter 2?

Yes.

Companion activities, requests, items and some interactions can disappear.

Can I still get 100% if I miss Chapter 2 content?

Yes.

Official 100% completion does not require seeing every missable scene or item.

Should I get the Missouri Fox Trotter now?

Only if you want to use the community method to obtain it early.

It is not required.

When should I move to Chapter 3?

Once you have done the temporary content you care about and feel ready to continue.

More Red Dead Redemption 2 guides

RDR2 100% Completion

Every Missable in RDR2

Best Horses in RDR2

How to Get the Missouri Fox Trotter in Chapter 2

Sources

Reddit — community discussion on early-game priorities and Chapter 2.

Reddit — Updated 100% Missables Guide.

The recommended order is practical community advice rather than an official Rockstar progression route.

Last verified: October 5, 2026.