Red Dead 2 HQ · Field Manual
RDR2 Crafting
Every recipe and what goes in it: campfire cooking, tonics, ammo, bait, horse care and Pearson's satchels.
Crafting happens at a campfire (set one up anywhere from the satchel or at camp). Basic recipes are known from the start or arrive in Chapter 2; the better ones come from pamphlets sold by Fences or hidden in chests around the map. Pearson crafts satchels at camp, and the Trapper turns perfect and legendary pelts into outfits.
Cooking calculator
Cook at a campfire or the camp stew pot. Pick a meat and an herb to see what Arthur gets.
Herbs: Wild Mint boosts Health, Oregano boosts Stamina, Creeping Thyme boosts Dead Eye. Big Game Meat seasoned with an herb also gives a gold core of that type for a day. Small meats (stringy, herptile, game bird, gritty fish) are cooked plain.
Tonics 8
| Recipe | Ingredients | Effect | How to unlock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Potent Health Cure | 1 Ginseng (American or Alaskan) + 1 Yarrow | Fills Health, moderate fortify | Known from the start |
| Special Health Cure | 2 Ginseng + 2 Yarrow + 2 English Mace or Milkweed | Fills Health, great fortify | Pamphlet from a Fence |
| Potent Bitters | 1 Sage (Hummingbird or Desert) + 1 Burdock Root | Fills Stamina, moderate fortify | Known from the start |
| Special Bitters | 2 Sage + 2 Burdock Root + 2 Violet Snowdrop or Wild Feverfew | Fills Stamina, great fortify | Pamphlet from a Fence |
| Potent Snake Oil | 1 Indian Tobacco | Fills Dead Eye, moderate fortify | Known from the start |
| Special Snake Oil | 2 Indian Tobacco + 2 Currant or Prairie Poppy | Fills Dead Eye, great fortify | Pamphlet from a Fence |
| Potent Miracle Tonic | 4 Indian Tobacco + 4 Ginseng + 4 Sage | Fills all three, moderate fortify | Known from the start |
| Special Miracle Tonic | 6 Currant + 6 Yarrow + 6 Burdock Root | Fills all three, great fortify | Pamphlet from a Fence |
Arrows 5
| Recipe | Ingredients | Effect | How to unlock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Improved Arrow | Arrow + Flight Feather | More damage, speed and penetration | From Chapter 2 |
| Small Game Arrow | Arrow + Flight Feather + Shotgun Shell | Kills small animals without ruining the pelt | From Chapter 2 |
| Fire Arrow | Arrow + Flight Feather + Animal Fat | Sets the target alight | From Chapter 2 |
| Poison Arrow | Arrow + Flight Feather + Oleander Sage | Damage over time | Pamphlet: Fence, or chest outside the Mysterious Hill Home north-east of Bacchus Station |
| Dynamite Arrow | Arrow + Flight Feather + Dynamite | Explodes on impact | Pamphlet: Fence, or chest by a wooden bridge in southern Wapiti |
Ammo 5
| Recipe | Ingredients | Effect | How to unlock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Split Point cartridges | Regular cartridges (revolver, pistol, repeater or rifle) | A little more damage; Dead Eye drains slower | Crafting menu |
| Explosive cartridges | Regular cartridge + Animal Fat | Explode on impact, extra damage | Unlocks during the story |
| Explosive Slugs | Shotgun Shell + Animal Fat | Explosive shotgun round | Pamphlet (epilogue) |
| Incendiary Buckshot | Shotgun Shell + Moonshine | Sets targets on fire | Pamphlet: Fence, or under a floorboard at Copperhead Landing |
| Express and High Velocity | Bought, not crafted | Express hits harder; High Velocity flies faster and further | Gunsmiths |
Throwables 7
| Recipe | Ingredients | Effect | How to unlock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fire Bottle | Animal Fat + Gin, Kentucky Bourbon, Guarma Rum or Fine Brandy | Breaks and spreads fire | From Chapter 2 |
| Volatile Fire Bottle | Moonshine + Animal Fat | Bigger fire | Pamphlet: Fence, or an abandoned camp north-west of Horseshoe Overlook |
| Volatile Dynamite | Dynamite + Animal Fat + any High Velocity cartridge | Bigger blast | Pamphlet: Fence, or a chest at Hani's Bethel, New Hanover |
| Improved Throwing Knife | Throwing Knife + 2 Eagle or Hawk Feathers | More damage and accuracy | From Chapter 2 |
| Poison Throwing Knife | Throwing Knife + Oleander Sage | Damage over time | Pamphlet: Fence, or a shack north-east of Saint Denis |
| Improved Tomahawk | Tomahawk + Eagle or Hawk Feather | More damage and accuracy | From Chapter 2 |
| Homing Tomahawk | Tomahawk + Owl Feather | Corrects its own flight path | Pamphlet: Fence, or a chest in Flattened Cabin south of Moonstone Pond |
Hunting 4
| Recipe | Ingredients | Effect | How to unlock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Predator Bait | Stringy Meat + Blackberry | Draws average predators | From Chapter 2 |
| Potent Predator Bait | Gritty Fish Meat + Blackberry | Draws pristine predators | From Chapter 2 |
| Potent Herbivore Bait | Vanilla Flower + Violet Snowdrop + Bay Bolete | Draws pristine herbivores | From Chapter 2 |
| Cover Scent Lotion | Scent Glands | Masks your scent from animals | From Chapter 2 |
Horse care 7
| Recipe | Ingredients | Effect | How to unlock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Potent Horse Medicine | Ginseng + Common Bulrush | Fills horse Health, moderate fortify | From Chapter 2 |
| Special Horse Medicine | 2 Ginseng + 2 Common Bulrush + 2 Wild Carrot | Fills horse Health, great fortify | Pamphlet from a Fence |
| Potent Horse Stimulant | Sage + Common Bulrush | Fills horse Stamina, moderate fortify | From Chapter 2 |
| Special Horse Stimulant | 2 Sage + 2 Common Bulrush + 2 Wild Carrot | Fills horse Stamina, great fortify | Pamphlet from a Fence |
| Horse Ointment | Sage + Common Bulrush + Yarrow | Greatly restores horse Health, fills Stamina, gold Stamina core | From Chapter 2 |
| Special Horse Reviver | 2 Ginseng + 2 Wild Carrot + 2 Parasol Mushroom | Revives your horse with a gold Health core | Pamphlet from a Fence |
| Horse Meal | 3 Hay + 3 Beets + 3 Currant | Fills all horse cores, gold cores for a day | Pamphlet from a Fence; no campfire needed |
Satchels 7
| Satchel | Camp milestone | Perfect pelts | Fence price (epilogue) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Provisions Satchel | Upgrade the Provisions wagon twice | Deer, Bison, Raccoon | $23.85 |
| Tonics Satchel | Upgrade the Medicine wagon twice | Deer, Elk, Buck | $18.00 |
| Ingredients Satchel | Donate 5 animal carcasses to Pearson | Deer, Badger, Squirrel | $23.85 |
| Materials Satchel | Craft 3 recipes at the camp | Deer, Boar, Iguana | $26.10 |
| Kit Satchel | Donate 3 valuables | Deer, Elk, Panther | $13.50 |
| Valuables Satchel | Donate $50 | Deer, Beaver, Rabbit | $22.00 |
| Legend of the East Satchel | Craft every other satchel first | Deer, Cougar, Wolf | $150.00 |
Pearson crafts satchels once you buy his leatherworking tools in the camp ledger. Each one doubles what you can carry in its category; the Legend of the East Satchel raises most limits to 99. In the epilogue John can buy any he missed from a Fence.
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Quick answers
How do you craft in RDR2?
Make a campfire from the satchel (or use the one at camp), then open the crafting menu. Recipes you know show what you have and what you're missing.
How do I unlock more crafting recipes?
Basic recipes are known from the start or arrive in Chapter 2. Special tonics, poison and dynamite arrows, volatile throwables and more come from pamphlets sold by Fences or found in chests around the map.
What do I need for the Legend of the East Satchel?
Craft the six other satchels at camp first, then give Pearson perfect Deer, Cougar and Wolf pelts.
What does seasoning meat do?
Wild Mint boosts Health, Oregano boosts Stamina and Creeping Thyme boosts Dead Eye. Seasoned Big Game Meat also gives a gold core for a day.