As we’ve seen with many other aspects of the game, the Red Dead Redemption 2 best camp upgrades are not immediately obvious. The Ledger gives a few details about what each upgrade does, but it isn’t clear which options to prioritize. To help bring some clarity to the best camp upgrades, and exactly how to upgrade your camp in RDR2, we’ve put together this guide. After spending a lot of money on the different upgrades, we’ve come up with the best camp upgrades that you should buy, and in what order.
Red Dead Redemption 2 – How to Upgrade Your Camp
Upon completing the first mission for Leopold Strauss, which has you collecting three debts, you’ll gain access to the Ledger. This book is the key to how to upgrade your camp in Red Dead Redemption 2. Until that first Strauss mission is completed, you won’t be able to use any of the money you invest in the camp.
Once you can view the Ledger, you’ll be able to look through the various upgrades. There are details of what bonuses they offer, as well as the price. You can contribute to the camp yourself, via your wallet, or you can wait and use other gang members’ contributions. You’ll want to pay close attention to how much money the camp currently has to spend. The figure appears at the top of the screen when you enter the camp, as well as to the top-right when close to the Ledger.
Assuming you have enough money for the upgrade, you can just hit X or A on any available option. Do ensure that the pencil circle is over your choice, as it can be a little tricky to keep track of what is selected. We don’t want you investing hundreds of dollars into something else by mistake!
Red Dead Redemption 2 – Best Camp Upgrades
As for what exactly you want to invest your money into, well that’s pretty much up to how you plan to play the game. I’d say that the universal Red Dead Redemption 2 best camp upgrades for every player would be the Lodging Tier 2 and Lodging Tier 3. Tier 2 will encourage your gang to donate more money to the camp, while also opening up the investment opportunity into Tier 3. Upgrading to Tier 3 will get you the Fast Travel map, something that I think every player will want to use at some point during their adventure. While riding around on horseback is certainly fun to begin with, and you do bump into a number of special characters, needing to ride for 15 minutes to a mission start can become a bit of a drag.
Next up, I’d recommend taking a look at the Health Supplies, Provisions, and Ammunition and Arms. If you find yourself running low on health cures, drop a few dollars into Health Supplies; hungry for more food, then Provisions is where your money is best spent; or if you’re just looking to murder your enemies with as much fire and lead as possible, go for Ammunition and Arms. The more you invest in each area, the better the supplies you’ll receive. However, as the quality of items increases, so does the restocking fee. It’s a relatively minor jump up in price, but still definitely worth noting. I’d personally go for the $60, $90, and then $110 Ammunition and Arms upgrades, which ultimately opens up Fire Bottle resupply, as well as High-Velocity Repeater cartridges.
Another highlight, if you’re big into crafting via Pearson, is the Leather Working Tools. This $225 upgrade will allow for more crafting options. The satchels require a good bit of hunting prowess, with various perfect pelts needed for each. Perfect pelts are also required for the other decorative upgrades. The alligator skull for Arthur’s tent demands a perfect alligator skin, for example.
The Chicken Coop could also be worth your while if you’re a keen stew eater. Enhancing the stew with eggs makes it more nutritious and longer-lasting. At $175, you’ll want to make sure you’re using the stew pot efficiently!
As for the Horse Station, why that’s a fantastic option if you have multiple horses to manage. This won’t be too useful early on into the game, but as you find more rare horses, you may want to drop that $300.
If you’ve advanced on to the Clemens Point and Shady Belle camps, you’ll also find the Camp Boat upgrade available for $450. This allows you to cross water and access fishing spots with ease. You’ll likely have a fair bit of money at this point, so give over some money and take a ride on a boat!
Red Dead Redemption 2 – Is it Worth Upgrading the Camp?
As an outlaw, Arthur quickly finds himself hoarding a fair bit of cash. While it’s possible to blow money on shopping sprees and other… luxuries, you’ll probably want to invest some of your earnings into the camp. While some players will just want to quickly unlock Fast Travel and be done with it, it really is worth planning out additional upgrades.
Those looking to get some of the best items in the game will want to grab the Leather Working Tools, before then hunting down perfect pelts for some very useful satchels. The various supply upgrades also get my recommendation, as they are cheap and keep you fully loaded on health, food, and ammo.
While it’s best to invest early to take the full advantage of the bonuses, it’s ultimately up to you to decide if and when you give back to the camp.
