What’s the best way to prepare before starting a gold medal attempt?

Preparing for a gold medal attempt in Red Dead Redemption 2 requires careful planning and understanding of the game mechanics. Gold medals are awarded for completing specific mission objectives, such as finishing within a certain time, achieving high accuracy, or using specific weapons. To maximize your chances, you need to prepare your character, inventory, and strategy before starting the mission.\n\nFirst, ensure your character is in peak condition. This means having full health, stamina, and Dead Eye cores. You can restore these by consuming food, tonics, or sleeping at camp. For example, cooked big game meat provides a significant boost to all cores, while potent health tonics can quickly restore health during combat. Stock up on these items before attempting the mission. Additionally, make sure your weapons are clean and fully loaded. Dirty weapons reduce accuracy, which can make it harder to meet accuracy requirements for gold medals.\n\nNext, familiarize yourself with the mission objectives. Before starting, check the mission replay menu to see the specific requirements for earning a gold medal. For example, some missions require you to complete them within a certain time limit, while others may demand high accuracy or the use of specific weapons. Knowing these objectives ahead of time allows you to tailor your approach. For instance, if a mission requires high accuracy, equip a scoped rifle or revolver and practice headshots on enemies in free roam.\n\nAnother key preparation step is to optimize your inventory. Carry a variety of weapons to handle different combat scenarios. For example, a shotgun is ideal for close-quarters combat, while a rifle is better for long-range engagements. Additionally, stock up on ammunition, especially for the weapons required by the mission. If the mission involves stealth, equip a bow and arrows to silently take down enemies. Don’t forget to bring healing items like health tonics and snake oil for Dead Eye regeneration.\n\nUnderstanding the mission’s layout and enemy placements is also crucial. If you’ve played the mission before, use that knowledge to your advantage. For example, if you know enemies will ambush you at a specific location, position yourself to take cover and eliminate them quickly. If the mission involves a chase, practice riding your horse at high speeds and sharp turns in free roam to improve your handling. Some missions, like ‘Pouring Forth Oil IV,’ require precise timing and coordination, so knowing the route and key events can save valuable seconds.\n\nFinally, practice patience and persistence. Gold medal attempts can be challenging, and you may need multiple tries to meet all the requirements. If you fail, analyze what went wrong and adjust your strategy. For example, if you ran out of time, focus on completing objectives faster or taking shortcuts. If your accuracy was low, practice aiming and shooting in free roam before retrying. Remember, some missions are easier to gold on the first playthrough, while others are better suited for replay after upgrading your character and equipment.\n\nIn summary, preparing for a gold medal attempt involves optimizing your character’s stats, understanding mission objectives, stocking up on essential items, and practicing key skills. By following these steps, you’ll increase your chances of earning gold medals and mastering Red Dead Redemption 2’s most challenging missions.