What are the best consumables to avoid mission failures in tough fights?

In Red Dead Redemption 2, mission failures during tough fights can be avoided by strategically using consumables to maintain health, stamina, and Dead Eye. These items are essential for surviving intense combat scenarios, especially in missions with high enemy density or boss-like encounters. The key consumables include Health Cures, Potent Health Cures, Bitters, and Snake Oil, among others. Each serves a specific purpose, and understanding their mechanics is crucial for success.\n\nHealth Cures and Potent Health Cures are your primary tools for restoring health. Health Cures restore a moderate amount of health, while Potent Health Cures provide a significant boost. These are particularly useful when facing enemies with high damage output, such as snipers or Gatling gun-wielding foes. To craft Potent Health Cures, you need Yarrow and Ginseng, which can be found in the wild or purchased from general stores. Always carry a few of these to avoid being caught off guard.\n\nBitters are another essential consumable, as they restore your stamina core. Stamina is critical for running, climbing, and melee combat, especially in missions where you need to chase targets or escape danger. Bitters can be crafted using Burdock Root or purchased from stores. If you find yourself in a prolonged fight, keeping your stamina core full ensures you can dodge bullets or close the distance to enemies quickly.\n\nSnake Oil and Potent Snake Oil are vital for maintaining your Dead Eye meter, which allows you to slow time and target multiple enemies with precision. Dead Eye is particularly useful in missions with waves of enemies or when facing armored opponents. Snake Oil can be crafted using Indian Tobacco, which grows abundantly in the game world. Potent Snake Oil, which restores more Dead Eye, requires additional ingredients like Oleander Sage. Use these consumables before entering a fight to maximize your combat efficiency.\n\nIn addition to these, cooked meats and tonics can provide temporary buffs to your health, stamina, and Dead Eye cores. For example, Big Game Meat seasoned with herbs like Oregano or Thyme grants golden cores, which significantly increase your survivability. Always cook and season your meats at campfires to prepare for tough missions. Tonics like the Special Health Cure or Special Snake Oil offer even greater benefits but are harder to craft or find.\n\nPractical examples include missions like ''American Distillation,'' where you face waves of enemies in close quarters. Here, using Potent Health Cures and Snake Oil ensures you can survive and eliminate enemies efficiently. Similarly, in ''Blood Feuds, Ancient and Modern,'' where you face a large group of enemies in a confined space, having Bitters and cooked meats ready can make the difference between success and failure.\n\nTo maximize your consumable usage, always stock up on ingredients and craft items before starting a mission. Visit general stores in towns like Valentine or Saint Denis to purchase pre-made consumables if you lack the time or resources to craft them. Additionally, loot enemies and explore the world to find valuable ingredients like Ginseng, Indian Tobacco, and Burdock Root.\n\nFinally, always monitor your cores and Dead Eye meter during fights. Pause the game if necessary to use consumables, as taking a moment to heal or restore stamina can prevent mission failure. By combining these strategies, you can tackle even the toughest missions in Red Dead Redemption 2 with confidence.