We're in the Endgame Now

Back in August, I released this concept article exploring the idea of follow-up roles to the original three roles in the game, which I had already expanded with another 20 - 30 levels (With added Moonshiner and Naturalist). I mentioned an idea I had known as the "Rolepath" - This would consist of 100 levels of a lifepath for players to work through. Starting with the base 40 levels of the Bounty Hunter, Collector, or the base 50 of the Trader, working through the 20 of the Vigilante, Rancher and Treasure Hunter, and continuing with more roles being unlocked at the completion of the previous one. In this article, I want to explore those rolepaths.

Whenever a player hits the final level of a Rolepath, NPCs start to acknowledge their presence. I'll note a few quotes at the end of each.

This is set to be proper endgame content, even following my nine heist concepts you can see here.

This update would take place during a season set after the main game of RDR2, meaning most buildings will be completed, and certain forests may be partially gone.

As per usual, I won't be listen the typical outfits and weapon variants as unlocks for the roles, because those are to be expected.

Something a Bit Different

As you can probably tell by the title, this will be the final part to my "Further Pursuits" Trilogy, in which I expand the first three roles added in "Frontier Pursuits", among adding some other new features - To celebrate this, I wanted to do something special. Over the past short while, I've been in the Twitter DMs of lots of Rockstar Community members, discussing what they'd like to see come to Red Dead Online, and I've made sure I can fit in at least one of each of their ideas somewhere. I'd like to thank the following for contributing:

Everybody will be linked for what they suggested, including the followers of @RedDeadRDC, unless they requested otherwise.

NOTE - SINCE RELEASING THIS, WE COMPILED EVERY ONE OF OUR CONCEPTS INTO ONE LARGE ARTICLE DETAILING A FIVE YEAR / 11 UPDATE PLAN FOR RED DEAD ONLINE. THIS CAN BE VIEWED BY CLICKING ON THIS TEXT!

The Life of Law Rolepath

the life of law rolepathpng

Step 1 - The Lawman

The Life of Law begins with the already seen Bounty Hunter and continues into my concept for the Vigilante. The next role unlocked would be based on the 'Detective' from Concept Creator @Jericho681 - Here, I plan on delving into his idea a little deeper.

  • Upon purchasing the safehouse at Vigilante Rank 20, you are indoctrinated into the long-awaited 'Lawman' role.
  • The role consists of another 20 levels, with basic unlocks, new mythical bounties, and a storyline with moral choices.
  • The safehouse can be purchased within any region with a settlement of the map. In that region, you will be tasked with solving local crime issues in your area.
    • These crimes consist of:
      • Local disputes
        • Rank 1
      • Horse and wagon thefts
        • Rank 1
      • Shopliftings
        • Rank 1
      • Bar fights
        • Rank 2
      • Attacks on livestock
        • Rank 2
      • Trespassing
        • Rank 2
      • Vandalism
        • Rank 3
      • Vice
        • Rank 3
      • Murder investigations
        • Rank 5
      • Store and coach robberies
        • Rank 5

  • Crimes are solved by approaching a victim or target, speaking to them for information, searching for clues and speaking to witnesses before comparing all of the information with a police line-up to determine the correct suspect.
  • When you determine who committed the crime, you can either put out an APB, give them a warning, accept a bribe, arrest them yourself, or straight up kill them.
  • Each safehouse has a customisable "Desk" for each posse members can sit at to help with crimes. Your desk will carry from posse to posse.
  • If you gain a bounty of your own, it'll be tied to individual states. You won't be hunted in your own jurisdiction until it reaches $100, however.
  • Player bounties now show up on Bounty Boards to be started whenever, so long as a player has a high enough bounty.
    • This will state their location, value, rank, posse, and how well equipped they may be
    • Suggested by BeetleComet
  • The single-player interaction system is back, allowing you to threaten and bribe witnesses, calm down lawmen, and all of the basic dialogue options from singleplayer.
    • Of course, your character doesn't talk, so it'd be done mostly via animations and emotes which already exist ingame.
    • Any favoured emotes will play when greeting, taunting and such.
    • You can still emote to players, dialogue just replaces emotes when focusing on an NPC
    • Suggested by SynthPotato
  • Captured criminals are taken back to the Vigilante Dungeon

  • Two new criminal export systems: Prison train and boat
    • Drive and defend either a boat or a train filled with your prison members from oncoming attackers.
    • Started at random
    • Inspired by BeetleComet in a weird dream he told me about.

  • "By The Book" Storyline
    • 5 missions
      • 1: Help Tumbleweed Sheriff empty the nearby mine of Del Lobos who have been tormenting and robbing miners.
        • The Del Lobos offer to cut you in to turn a blind eye at the end. Accept 2 gold bars for an honour penalty or fight your way out against strong enemies.
        • Rank 1
      • 2: Help Armadillo Sheriff collect medical supplies from Blackwater, defend against attackers.
        • You find the medical supplies have been stolen from the Wapiti Native Americans. You can either return it to them or take them to Armadillo. Honour boost for helping the Native Americans, as well as three random collectibles, but you get a plain $50 cash boost for helping Armadillo.
        • Rank 3
      • 3: Defend a Ferry travelling from Blackwater to Saint Denis.
        • The boat will eventually start to sink and you can either secure loot or make sure people get to life rafts safely.
        • Rank 5
      • 4: Break up a bar fight in Rhodes.
        • The Greys own the town, and were the ones in the fight. They ask you to turn a blind eye against their crimes in return for cheaper bounty payoffs and better pay-outs in Rhodes.
        • Rank 7
      • 5: Prevent a bank heist in Saint Denis.
        • You follow the gang back to their camp. You can either kill them all, sparing only the children, or warn them to flee after only arresting their leader
        • Rank 10

  • Mythical bounties
    • Mythical Bounties are like Hitman's "Elusive Targets" and cycle each week.
    • You get one attempt to complete the bounty. No checkpoints, no deaths.
    • The bounty can be taken in dead or alive, for $500 dead and $1000 alive.
    • The mythical bounties are the main Legendary Bounties, with slightly tougher enemies and a 25 minute time limit
    • Upon completing each of the mythical bounties once, you unlock one more legendary bounty: Landon Ricketts (Must be taken alive)
      • After completing the bounty, a cutscene plays of him breaking out of the jail.
      • His "Mythical" difficulty also requires him to be taken in alive, and will pay $5000/5 Gold per player for the first completion, with normal payouts following.
    • Unlocked at Rank 15

  • Unlocks:
    • "Desk woods" customisation option
      • Allows you to change the wood type on your desk.
      • Rank 3
    • "Blood spotting" eagle eye skill
      • Blood will flash golden in eagle eye
      • Rank 3
      • Suggested by Jericho
    • "Chair" customisation option
      • Allows you to change the woods and fabrics on your desk chair.
      • Rank 5
    • Clear wanted level
      • Players can head to any Sheriff's office, or flash a badge to any lawman, to clear their wanted level for a price.
      • Rank 7
    • Magnifying glass
      • Allows players to use a magnifying glass to inspect smaller details on a clue
      • Rank 7
      • $500
    • Improved Wilderness Camp
      • Features a small tent, based on your camp theme, a cooking pot, and the ability to fast travel if you have a post at your main camp.
        • I know the fast travel feature was added in The Outlaw Pass 4, but this gives amore legitimate way to earn it, as well as providing access for new players who missed this pass.
      • Rank 9
      • $700
    • Cane Gun
      • Much like Maggie Fike's cane gun
      • Rank 10
      • $650
      • Suggested by Jericho
    • High-Tier Gang Hideouts
      • The typical gang hideouts, with better tier loot in chests. There is a chance for a random bounty target to spawn here, they can either be taken to the dungeon or a typical bounty delivery spot.
      • Rank 12
      • Inspired by BeetleComet
    • "Improved combat" skill
      • Players can now use police hand-to-hand combat training and martial arts, featuring new melee animations and heavier attacks.
        • This consists of Krav Maga, brawler-style attacks, kicks, spins, better dodging and countering, and more.
      • Rank 14
    • Early Player Bounties Gold Boost
      • The early player bounties introduced in the Bounty Hunters update now pay out more gold.
      • Rank 15
        • John M mentioned there should be better gameplay to this. Maybe more of an option for the player to hide from any seeking hunters, or to be able to pay them off. Player to player interaction can make any game world feel much more alive.
    • Chain lasso
      • Tie up targets in chains they can't escape from
      • The chain can be customised to have different metal tints
      • Rank 16
      • $850
    • "Sheriff badge"
      • Players can now opt to "Commend" horses and wagons from NPCs, flashing their badge at them and being able to take their vehicles without gaining a wanted level.
      • Rank 18
      • $750
    • "Bribes" skill
      • Players can now accept bribes from any criminals they arrest, for an honour penalty.
        • The bribe's value will be determined by the level of the crime.
      • Rank 19
    • Maxim Gun wagon
      • Rank 20
      • $1250
    • Marshal's Office ($2000)
      • Allows players to progress to the Marshal role
      • Rank 20

Step 2 - The US Marshal

The Marshal continues the work of the Lawman, but is able to cross state boundaries for better pay. Each level of the Marshal increases job payouts by 5% until they are totally doubled at level 20. Reaching Marshal rank 20 will gain players the "Life of Law" achievement / trophy, as well as a special title for their character. The Marshal's office is set in a hub building in either Saint Denis or Blackwater, depending on where the player wants to be based and can be customised with things such as wallpaper, floorboards, decorations and lighting.

  • Unlocks:
    • The War Wagon
      • Rank 20
      • $2500

  • Acknowledgements:
    • "Hello Marshal, will you be staying long?"
    • "Thanks for dealing with all those bandits and bastards you've been putting away. The place is much safer now."
    • Cripps: "I hear you've got the law on your side. Probably a good idea to get their attention focused elsewhere."
    • Madam Nazar: "I see you like control, now how will that fare when you don't have any, hmm?"
    • Harriet: "Whilst you're at it, you should arrest that savage murderer, Gus MacMillan"
    • Fike: "You're a Marshal, can't you make shine legal or somethin'?"

The Art of the Trade Rolepath

the art of the trade rolepath

Step 1 - The Logger

Spanning from the Trader and Rancher, The Art of the Trade Rolepath continues with the logger, which involves running your own Lumberjack industry at five new set locations:

  • Cumberland Forest
  • Diablo Ridge
  • Tall Trees
  • Three Sisters
  • Ringneck Creek

  • Hire up to 15 lumberjacks (Instanced view outside) to cut down trees, manage their speed and carefulness in your logging office. Purchase food and replenish supplies to prevent accidents.
    • Lumberjack: 50c/hour
    • Food supplies: $10 refill. 3 days to drain
    • Sharpened tools: $50 refill. 5 days to drain

  • Choose to either process your wood, increasing production time and pay-out, or sell the logs as they are for a quicker, but lower pay-out.
    • Max planks: $650 pay-out
    • Max logs: $400 pay-out

  • The new short storyline: "Rise of the Tree Huggers" serving as an opposite to 'The Naturalist'
    • Mission 1: Your adviser warns you of people who have tied themselves to the trees in your area and refuse to leave. You can either bribe them, kill them, or promise to replant any trees you cut down. (Lose money, lose honour but no money, gain honour but lose money) - The higher level Naturalist you are, the less money you lose. ($100 - $20)
    • Mission 2: More of these naturalists have returned, and they're armed. Defend your logging site and wood stockpiles.
    • Mission 3: Retaliate by attacking their camps in the local wilderness, and leaving warnings to any future attackers.
    • Completing the storyline adds a permanent 1.5x production speed boost to your logging facility.

  • Unlocks:
    • "Wooden carving" interior decorations
      • Varied styles and wood types of cool little models
      • Rank 3
      • $40 - $250
    • "Wood chopping block" camp upgrade.
      • Come to your camp daily to cut wood, this will give your logging industry a 10% production speed boost
      • Rank 5
      • $500
    • Lumber Axe Weapon
      • Melee weapon which can be thrown
      • Rank 7
      • $125
    • Improved Tomahawk
      • Tomahawks with better range and accuracy. Can be set on fire for added cool effect.
      • Rank 12
      • $60 per tomahawk.
    • "Luxury Campfire" camp upgrade
      • Hang hammocks and place luxury sofa chairs around your campfire
      • Rank 17
      • $1000
    • The Warehouse
      • Rank 20
      • $2500
      • Allows players to progress to "The Trades Master"

Step 2 - The Trades Master

The Trades Master is a 10 rank role which provides the player with a place to keep all their trading goods - Animal meats, pelts, farm products, moonshine, and logs, as well as being able to be upgraded to hold Vault Treasures from the Treasure Hunter role, and Pirated Goods from the Piracy role. Staff members can be hired to transfer contents from each of your supply caches, but they may be attacked by bandits via a random event. Hire security to reduce the likelihood of this happening. Combining all of the goods from past and present roles and concepts, your max sale pay-out (Assuming best quality goods, nothing destroyed) would be approximately $3050.

Reaching Trades Master rank 10 will gain players the "The Art of the Trade" achievement / trophy, as well as a special title for their character.

Trade Masters can send out a 5-minute ping, allowing fellow traders to assist them in their sales. Any assistant Traders or Posse Members will earn 50% of the total goods sale, as per usual. (Suggested by BeetleComet)

  • Unlocks:
    • Ultimate delivery wagon
      • Level 1
      • Can carry 1/4 of Warehouse goods. A full sale will include four players driving one of these each.
      • $1250 per wagon
      • Can be upgraded to have a rooftop Maxim Gun for $2500
      • Each wagon would be carrying roughly $762.50 worth of goods, so this is a worthwhile investment
    • Train Export
      • Level 3
      • A new delivery type
      • All your goods are loaded on a train and can be exported from there.
      • The train is driven by an NPC, players must defend it. Works a lot like "Trade Route"
      • Suggested by @MatteoAffini
    • Boat Export
      • Level 7
      • Much like the train export, but it is a boat carrying your goods down a river or across Flat Iron Lake.
      • Also suggested by @MatteoAffini
    • Duffle Saddle Bags
      • Level 9
      • Allows the player to carry 20 outfits on their horse, and doubles all other supplies.
      • Comes in various styles and colours
      • $500 - $1000
    • Legendary Animal Taxidermy
      • Take a legendary animal carcass and deliver it to a taxidermy office in order to gain it as an interior decoration.
      • Level 10
      • 5 gold
      • Suggested by @AntiPrincess78
    • Trade Route X Freemode Event
      • Functions like the original Trade Route events, but with five stops. As a reward, you get 10 of each type of goods added to your Warehouse
      • Level 10

  • Acknowledgements:
    • "I'm pretty sure my cousin bought from you last week."
    • "I hear you treat your employees good. Might come work for you myself"
    • Cripps: "I've gotta say, we've really made it now. Feels good to be more than just the two of us"
    • Madam Nazar: "The birds tell me your exploits in pursuit of capital. Let me ask you this, is it worth the time?"
    • Harriet: "I know what you do for money, and for the most part, I don't approve. Destroying lives and habitats, and all for what?"
    • Fike: "Had a batch sent off recently, business is booming. Good work, friend."

The Secrets of the Earth Rolepath

the secrets of the earth rolepath

Step 1 - The Cartographer

Continuing from the Collector and Treasure Hunter, 'The Secrets of the Earth' introduces "The Cartographer" - which would best come with a Guarma, Mexico, or other location expansion, but could be worked into our current Frontier map too. They explore special locations, including the base map, new hidden grottos, uncovered caves and such, charting them out and noting them down onto maps for explorers. They may find hidden treasures or people who they can help out in the future.

  • Unlocks:
    • "Firefly Jar" interior decoration
      • Level 2
      • $200
    • "Globe bar" interior decoration
      • Open the bar and pour yourself a nice randomised collectable alcohol, or some of your own Moonshine.
      • Level 5
      • $700
    • "Improved Map"
      • Upgrades your in-game map to show animal spawn locations, and other notes seen in the progress of single player. More locations are named, and you can see where to access new special hidden areas.
      • Level 10
    • The Mystical Wagon
    • Freemode Event: "Treasure Panning"
      • Sit by the side of the river with other players to partake in the new "Panning" minigame.
      • You can find gold, trinket and totem pieces, artefacts and collectibles, depending on how lucky you are.
      • Level 20
      • Suggested by @PerryDaniel
    • Gun Spinning Trick: "Telekinesis"
      • You hold out your palm and your pistols spin in the air above them in a black and purple, or white and gold aura, depending on your honour.
      • Level 20

Step 2 - The Mystic

The Mystic explores the paranormal and magical side of Red Dead Online, finding parts of trinkets and totems, and combining them together to get magical buffs to last for an in-game day. The following trinkets and totems can be crafted for these buffs:

  • The Demonic Tome - Fire resistance
  • The Rooted Warrior Totem - Explosion resistance
  • Enchanted Spurs - Unlimited stamina
  • The Golden Steed Totem - Unlimited horse stamina
  • A Tribute to Hermes - Speed boost
  • The Legendary Rabbit's Foot - Jump boost
  • The Ancient Pipe - Unlimited dead eye
  • The Totem of Love - Double health
  • Extra Terrestrial Eye - Uncover all collectibles on the map
  • The Totem of the Hunt - Predatory animal immunity
  • The Drowned Crucifix - Walking on water
  • The Infinite Candelabra - Thermal vision dead eye and eagle eye
  • The Strange Man's Pocket Watch - Ammo regeneration
  • The Emerald Necklace of Protection - Regenerative field for posse members
  • The Ruby Necklace of Hatred - Damage boost field for posse members
  • The Extra Terrestrial Ring - Speed boost for posse members
  • The Tainted Horseshoe - Luck, allowing you to find more money, gold, and collectibles on corpses

The trinkets can also be sold for 3 gold per piece, making the player decide whether they want the powerful perks or large pay-out. Each totem or trinket requires 5 different, hard-to-find pieces to craft. Some are only available areas explored as a cartographer. They can be crafted at your Mystical Wagon, where you must enter a meditation state, and fight off waves of spirits in order to bless the totem with magic. The spirits function a lot like the zombies from Undead Nightmare, charging at you in hordes in order to overwhelm.

Reaching Mystic rank 20 will gain players the "Secrets of the Earth" achievement / trophy, as well as a special title for their character.

  • Unlocks:
    • The ability to purchase collectables from Madam Nazar for Gold
      • This means you can either convert them to cash by selling them back to her, to complete a struggling collection or use them as ingredients in Moonshine or Trinkets.
    • New Legendary Animal Hunts:
      • The Albino Sasquatch
        • Level 20
        • Harriet contacts you about a strange creature seen skulking around in Tall Trees during October times, but a much larger, paler one has been seen as of late. She asks you to collect a sample, which you can, but you can also kill it.
        • The pelt can be taken to Gus, to craft a Sasquatch Cloak, to Cripps to max out the Trader supplies, or back to your Mystical Wagon in order to craft a trinket - The Sasquatch Heart. This will grant you a permanent buff to your character's core regeneration when eating berries and fruits, and allow you to become more naturally resistant against the struggles of cold weather.
      • The Rose Chupacabra
        • Level 20
        • Harriet tells you of a strange creature, which seems almost paranormal. She says she wouldn't normally recommend this, but with the harm it's causing to the ecosystem of New Austin, she asks you to kill it. A sample is possible, too, which would impress Harriet.
        • The pelt can be taken to Gus, to craft the Chupacabra Cloak, to Cripps to max out the Trader supplies, or back to your Mystical Wagon in order to craft a trinket - The Chupacabra Fang Necklace. This will grant you a permanent buff, allowing you to kill more animals without causing Harriet to become upset.
        • Suggested by @SashaBaranovsk2
      • The Verdant Jackalope
        • Level 20
        • Harriet mentions a peculiar form of Jackrabbit, with antelope horns. It has a strange green tinge to it's coat. She asks you to sedate the animal for a sample. You can still kill it.
        • The pelt can be taken to Gus, to craft a Jackalope Pauldron, to Cripps to max out the Trader supplies, or back to your Mystical Wagon in order to craft a trinket - The Lucky Horns. This will grant you a permanent buff to your character's luck, allowing you to find more collectibles on corpses and gives you a chance to harvest double plant materials.
        • Suggested by @SashaBaranovsk2
      • The War Paint Yeti
        • Level 20
        • Harriet mentions a large, seven foot ape-like creature near Lake Isabella. It's a snow-white creature with blood red, almost tribal patterns over it. Harriet asks for a sample to study, but it can be killed.
        • The pelt can be taken to Gus, to craft The Yeti Jacket, to Cripps to max out the Trader supplies, or back to your Mystical Wagon in order to craft a trinket - The Yeti Claw Gauntlet. This will grant you a permanent buff to your character's melee damage, and allow you to draw bows faster, break out of lassos quicker, and climb over ledges at double the speed.
    • Upon completing all the Legendary Animal Hunts, Harriet tells you of a set legendary horses:
      • The first seems to be constantly dripping wet, and has been dragging fishermen into the sea. She suggest you take a look. In this sighting mission, you can tame The Legendary Kelpie. This horse has unlimited Stamina in the water, and is immune to fire damage.
      • The second is a pure white horse with a strange horn on it's head. It's been seen impaling poachers across the Frontier. In this sighting mission, you can tame The Unicorn. This horse is able to jump off a cliff and slowly fall to the ground, without taking any fall damage. Landing creates a rainbow glittery effect.
      • The third and final horse is a strange one. Looking like a Breton with eight legs, this horse is seen dragging thunder and lightning with it. It is known to be faster, braver, and a much better jumper than your average horse. In this sighting mission, you can tame The Oden's Steed, Sleipnir. This eight-legged beast can run faster and jump higher than any other horse, and will not buck you if frightened.
    • The Hot Air Balloon
      • Level 20
      • The player must first complete a mission titled "Flight School" before they can fly the hot air balloon in online. This is so they can get used to directional control first.
      • $3000 / 120 Gold

  • Acknowledgments:
    • "I've heard a lot of strange things about you, like you walk between worlds. I've got my eye on you."
    • "I hear you find things, can you work out where my wife went?"
    • Cripps: "Heard about some wild beasts roaming around Tall Trees. Bring me one, and I'll make it worth your while"
    • Madam Nazar: "It is rare I come across someone as in tune with the spirits as I, perhaps I underestimated you?"
    • Harriet: "Strange, whenever you're around, the animals go quiet. I'm not sure if it's out of fear, or respect."
    • Fike: "Wow, when you walked in I got the strangest burning sensation on my scars."

Release Schedule and Roadmap (Continued from the end of this article):

roadmap 2 800p

What do you think of these concepts, and the overall flow of my "Further Pursuits" Trilogy? Let us know on Twitter @GTABase and stay tuned for many more exciting articles!

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