What are the best ways to manage my cores in Red Dead Online?

Managing your cores in Red Dead Online is essential for maintaining your character''s health, stamina, and Dead Eye efficiency. Cores are divided into three categories: Health, Stamina, and Dead Eye. Each core depletes over time or through specific actions, such as running, fighting, or using Dead Eye abilities. Keeping your cores full ensures you perform at your best during missions, PvP battles, and exploration.\n\nTo replenish your cores, you need to consume food, tonics, or other consumables. Health cores can be restored by eating meat, stews, or canned goods. Stamina cores are replenished by consuming alcohol, coffee, or certain herbs like wild mint. Dead Eye cores are refilled by smoking cigarettes, cigars, or using specific tonics. Always carry a variety of consumables in your satchel to address different core needs.\n\nOne of the best ways to manage your cores is by cooking and crafting. Visit a campfire to cook meat, which not only restores health but also provides golden cores for temporary boosts. For example, cooked big game meat seasoned with herbs like oregano, thyme, or mint grants golden cores for Health, Stamina, or Dead Eye, respectively. Crafting tonics at your campfire or purchasing them from general stores can also provide significant core restoration.\n\nAnother effective method is to use your camp''s stew pot. If you have the Trader role, upgrading your camp to include a stew pot allows you to cook potent stews that restore all cores and provide golden cores for a limited time. This is especially useful before heading into intense missions or PvP matches. Additionally, resting at your camp or in a rented room at a hotel gradually refills your cores over time.\n\nFor new players, focus on hunting and gathering resources early in the game. Animals like deer, boars, and fish provide meat that can be cooked for core restoration. Herbs like wild carrots, sage, and ginseng are also valuable for crafting tonics. Experienced players should invest in role-specific upgrades, such as the Trader''s stew pot or the Collector''s ability to find valuable herbs and tonics in the world.\n\nPractical examples include hunting in the Heartlands or Big Valley, where animals are abundant, and herbs like wild mint and thyme are easy to find. If you''re low on Dead Eye, visit a general store in Valentine or Saint Denis to purchase tonics or cigarettes. Always keep an eye on your core levels during missions and replenish them before they deplete completely to avoid penalties like slower movement or reduced combat effectiveness.\n\nFinally, consider using ability cards that complement your core management. Cards like ''Iron Lung'' reduce stamina core depletion, while ''Strange Medicine'' restores health during combat. Pairing these with proper core management ensures you stay in peak condition during any activity. By combining hunting, crafting, and strategic use of consumables, you can effectively manage your cores and dominate in Red Dead Online.