How can you maximize loot collection while still meeting gold medal criteria?

Maximizing loot collection while meeting gold medal criteria in Red Dead Redemption 2 requires a balance of efficiency, preparation, and understanding of mission mechanics. Gold medals often require specific objectives like completing missions within a time limit, achieving high accuracy, or avoiding damage. However, looting enemies and exploring areas for valuables can slow you down. To succeed, you need a strategic approach that prioritizes both loot and mission requirements.\n\nFirst, always prepare before starting a mission. Stock up on health tonics, ammunition, and Dead Eye supplies. This ensures you can handle combat efficiently without wasting time searching for resources mid-mission. For example, in missions like ''Pouring Forth Oil,'' where you need to defend a train, having enough Dead Eye ammo allows you to quickly eliminate enemies, saving time and maintaining high accuracy.\n\nNext, prioritize looting during natural pauses in the mission. Many missions have moments where the action slows, such as when characters are talking or when you’re traveling between objectives. Use these moments to loot bodies or search nearby areas. For instance, in ''The First Shall Be Last,'' after the initial shootout, you can loot enemies while Javier waits for you to mount up. This ensures you don’t miss valuable items while staying on track for the gold medal.\n\nAnother key strategy is to memorize enemy spawn locations. Many missions have predictable enemy patterns, allowing you to plan your looting route. For example, in ''An American Pastoral Scene,'' enemies appear in waves during the barn defense. After clearing a wave, quickly loot the bodies before the next wave begins. This minimizes downtime and keeps you focused on the mission’s time-sensitive objectives.\n\nUse Dead Eye to your advantage. Dead Eye not only improves accuracy but also allows you to quickly dispatch enemies, leaving more time for looting. In missions like ''The Sheep and the Goats,'' where you need to protect a herd from wolves, using Dead Eye to eliminate threats quickly ensures you have time to skin the wolves for pelts afterward. This dual-purpose approach maximizes both loot and mission efficiency.\n\nFinally, replay missions if necessary. If you miss loot during your first attempt, replay the mission with a focus on looting. Since you already know the mission flow, you can plan your looting strategy more effectively. For example, in ''A Quiet Time,'' replaying the mission allows you to focus on looting the bar patrons and searching for hidden items while still meeting the gold medal criteria.\n\nIn summary, balancing loot collection and gold medal objectives requires preparation, strategic looting, and efficient use of game mechanics. By planning ahead, using Dead Eye, and taking advantage of mission pauses, you can maximize your loot while still achieving gold medals. Replaying missions with a focus on looting can also help you perfect your strategy and ensure you don’t miss valuable items.