What’s the optimal strategy for looting during missions without wasting time?

Looting efficiently during missions in Red Dead Redemption 2 is crucial for maximizing resources without wasting time. The game’s open-world design often presents opportunities to gather valuable items, but balancing looting with mission objectives can be tricky. To optimize your looting strategy, prioritize speed, situational awareness, and knowing what items are worth collecting.\n\nFirst, understand the game mechanics of looting. When you approach a body or container, hold the interact button (e.g., Square on PlayStation or X on Xbox) to initiate looting. Arthur will automatically search for items, but you can speed this up by tapping the button instead of holding it. This reduces the animation time, allowing you to loot multiple targets quickly. Additionally, always loot enemies immediately after a fight, as mission progress or scripted events may prevent you from returning later.\n\nNext, prioritize high-value items. Items like jewelry, gold bars, and unique collectibles are worth more than common consumables like food or ammo. For example, during missions like ''The First Shall Be Last'' or ''Blessed Are the Meek?,'' enemies often carry valuable pocket watches or rings. Focus on these items first, as they can be sold for significant profit at fences. Avoid looting low-value items unless you’re low on supplies, as they take up inventory space and time.\n\nUse Dead Eye to identify lootable targets during combat. When engaged in a firefight, activate Dead Eye (R3 on PlayStation or Right Stick on Xbox) to highlight enemies. After clearing the area, revisit the highlighted bodies to ensure you don’t miss any loot. This is especially useful in chaotic missions like ''An American Pastoral Scene,'' where enemies are spread across a large area.\n\nPlan your looting route during missions with multiple objectives. For instance, in ''The Spines of America,'' you’ll encounter a train robbery with multiple cars to search. Start at the front of the train and work your way back, looting bodies and containers systematically. This prevents backtracking and ensures you don’t miss any valuable items. Similarly, in ''A Quiet Time,'' loot the bar and its patrons before progressing the mission, as the area becomes inaccessible later.\n\nBe mindful of mission timers and NPC behavior. Some missions, like ''Pouring Forth Oil,'' have time-sensitive objectives that limit your looting opportunities. In these cases, focus on looting only the most valuable items or enemies directly in your path. Additionally, avoid looting in front of hostile NPCs or lawmen, as this can trigger unwanted attention or mission failure.\n\nFinally, upgrade your satchel to carry more items. Crafting the Legend of the East Satchel at Pearson’s camp allows you to hold 99 of each item, reducing the need to prioritize during missions. This is especially helpful in missions like ''The Sheep and the Goats,'' where you’ll encounter multiple lootable targets.\n\nIn summary, looting efficiently in Red Dead Redemption 2 requires a balance of speed, prioritization, and situational awareness. Focus on high-value items, use Dead Eye to identify targets, and plan your looting route to avoid wasting time. By mastering these strategies, you can maximize your resources without compromising mission progress.