What happens if I don’t complete optional honor missions?

In Red Dead Redemption 2, your honor level significantly impacts the story''s outcome, including the endings. Optional honor missions, such as those involving Sister Calderón or Edith Downes, play a crucial role in shaping Arthur Morgan''s moral compass. If you choose not to complete these missions, your honor level will not be influenced by their outcomes, potentially locking you into a lower honor path and affecting the game''s conclusion.\n\nHonor missions are tied to specific characters and locations. For example, Sister Calderón''s missions are available in Saint Denis during Chapter 6, while Edith Downes'' missions can be found in Annesburg. These missions often involve helping others or making morally significant choices. Skipping them means missing opportunities to increase your honor, which is essential for unlocking the high honor endings.\n\nGame mechanics dictate that your honor level is reflected in Arthur''s interactions with NPCs, the availability of certain dialogue options, and even the color of the honor bar (white for high honor, red for low honor). High honor leads to a more redemptive ending, while low honor results in a darker, more tragic conclusion. If you skip optional honor missions, you may find it harder to achieve high honor, especially if you engage in dishonorable activities like robbing or killing innocents.\n\nTo maximize your honor, prioritize completing these missions. For instance, in Chapter 6, visit Saint Denis and look for Sister Calderón near the train station. She offers missions that allow Arthur to reflect on his life and make amends. Similarly, helping Edith Downes in Annesburg provides a chance to redeem past mistakes. These missions are not only emotionally impactful but also mechanically beneficial for achieving the best endings.\n\nIf you miss these missions, you can still increase your honor through other means, such as greeting NPCs, donating to camp funds, or helping strangers in need. However, these actions provide smaller honor boosts compared to the significant increases from optional honor missions. Therefore, skipping these missions makes it more challenging to reach the high honor threshold required for the redemptive ending.\n\nPractical tips for players: Always check your map for mission markers, especially in Chapter 6, as this is when most honor missions become available. Focus on completing these missions before progressing too far in the story. If you''re struggling to maintain high honor, avoid unnecessary violence and prioritize helping others. Remember, the game rewards moral choices with a more satisfying conclusion.\n\nIn summary, skipping optional honor missions limits your ability to achieve high honor and locks you into a less favorable ending. To experience the full emotional depth of Arthur''s story, complete these missions and strive to make honorable choices throughout the game.