You’ve probably seen the "Best in the West" trophy pop up on a friend's profile and felt that slight sting of envy. It’s the holy grail of Rockstar’s massive western. Getting RDR 2 100 completion isn't just about finishing the story; it’s about enduring a digital marathon that forces you to engage with the most tedious, beautiful, and frustrating mechanics ever put into a video game.
It's a grind. Honestly, it's a massive, soul-crushing grind that most people quit halfway through.
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I’ve spent hundreds of hours in the boots of Arthur Morgan and John Marston. Most players think they’re close when the credits roll, but they're usually only at about 70%. That remaining 30% is where the real game begins. It’s where you stop being an outlaw and start being a botanist, a bird watcher, and a gambler with a gambling problem.
The Brutal Reality of the Checklist
Rockstar doesn't make it easy. They don't even make it particularly fair. To hit that 100% mark, the game tracks several specific categories in your Progress menu. You need to complete all 107 story missions. That’s the "easy" part. Then you’ve got the Stranger missions. You only need 10, but choosing the right ones can save your sanity.
Then comes the busy work.
The "Collectibles" section is usually where the average player breaks. You have to find 20 Dreamcatchers hidden in trees, locate 30 Dinosaur Bones for a somewhat eccentric lady, and track down all those Rock Carvings. Oh, and don't forget the Exotics quest. Algernon Wasp is a name that haunts the dreams of completionists. Collecting those tiny orchids and rare bird plumes in the swamps of Lemoyne is arguably the most hated part of the entire RDR 2 100 completion journey.
Why? Because the spawn rates feel personal. You’ll find ten Egrets when you don’t need them, but the moment the quest is active, they vanish from the face of the earth.
It’s Not Just About What You Do
It's about the "Misc" category too. You have to find five shacks. You have to track down the legendary animals. You need to reach maximum health, stamina, and Dead Eye. To do that, you can't just run around; you have to engage with the "Challenges."
There are 90 challenges in total.
Nine categories, ten levels each. The Gambler challenges are notoriously awful. Gambler 8 asks you to win three rounds of Blackjack with three hits or more. It is purely luck-based. You can sit at that table in Rhodes for three hours, pressing a button, hoping the RNG gods smile on you. It’s not "skill." It’s a test of your willingness to suffer.
The Hunting Requests and the Taxidermist
A lot of people overlook the Hunting Requests found on posters in train stations. This is a separate nightmare from the Trapper or the Legendary animals. You have to mail perfect carcasses of small birds and rodents to a lady named Ms. Hobbs.
Have you ever tried to find a perfect Woodpecker?
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It’s a tiny speck in the sky. You’re squinting at the screen, rotating your camera wildly, praying for a three-star spawn. If you accidentally trample it with your horse, it’s ruined. If you use the wrong arrow, it’s ruined. This specific requirement is a huge barrier for RDR 2 100 completion because it requires a level of patience that most modern games simply don't ask for.
The Point of No Return
One thing the game doesn't explicitly tell you is that while you can do most of this as John in the Epilogue, some things are just better handled as Arthur. The "Best in the West" requirement doesn't technically require a "missable" item, but your experience will vary wildly depending on when you start the grind.
If you wait until the very end to start your Compendium, you’re looking at a 60-hour post-game checklist. That’s longer than most entire games.
What Most People Get Wrong About the 100%
There is a massive misconception that you have to fill the entire Compendium. You don't.
The Compendium has 560 entries. To get the 100% trophy, you only need to "discover" 50 animals and 10 pieces of equipment. You only need to catch 10 species of fish. You don't need every single gold medal in every mission either. That’s a separate, even more terrifying trophy called "Gold Rush."
Understanding the distinction between "Total Completion" and "Compendium Completion" is the difference between a 150-hour playthrough and a 500-hour obsession.
The Reward Nobody Talks About
Is it worth it?
When you finally hit that 100% mark, a tiny, poignant cutscene plays at a certain grave site. I won't spoil the dialogue, but it’s a moment of closure that feels earned. The music swells, the camera pans out, and you realize you’ve seen every inch of this world. You’ve seen the ghost train in Lemoyne. You’ve found the UFO in the shack near Emerald Ranch. You’ve dealt with the vampire in Saint Denis.
You haven't just played a game; you’ve lived in a simulation of a dying era.
How to Actually Survive the Grind
If you’re serious about RDR 2 100 completion, you need a strategy. Don't just wing it.
First, use an interactive map. Websites like RDR2Map are essential. Trying to find the 50 Dreamcatchers or the 144 Cigarette Cards using only in-game clues is a recipe for a mental breakdown. Mark them off as you go.
Second, do the challenges early. Don't wait until the Epilogue to start the Sharpshooter or Horseman lines. Some of these are much easier to complete in the heart of the map before the story pushes you into specific corners.
Third, keep a "hunting kit." Always have small game arrows and a Varmint Rifle on you. If you see a three-star squirrel or a rare bird, kill it immediately. Don't wait until the Hunting Request tells you to find it. The game seems to know when you're looking for something and lowers the spawn rate—or at least, that’s how it feels when you’ve been circling Owanjila for a beaver for two hours.
The Emotional Toll of the 100%
It’s weird, but finishing this game to its absolute limit changes how you feel about the characters. You spend so much time in Arthur’s head that the transition to the Epilogue feels jarring, but the 100% grind helps bridge that gap. You’re finishing Arthur’s unfinished business. You’re honoring the journal entries.
It becomes a tribute.
Actionable Steps for the Aspiring Legend
Stop wandering aimlessly. If you want the trophy, you have to be methodical.
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- Check your progress daily: Open the menu, go to Progress, then Total Completion. Look at exactly what is missing.
- Prioritize the Exotics: Start collecting Heron, Egret, and Spoonbill plumes the second you reach Chapter 2. Trust me. Do not wait for the quest to trigger in Chapter 4.
- Legendary Fishing: Get the special lures from the bait shop in Lagras as soon as you can. Fishing is the most relaxing part of the 100% run, so use it as a "break" between the harder combat challenges.
- The Gambler 8 Strategy: For the Blackjack challenge, sit in the seat to the dealer's far left (the first seat). This ensures you get your cards first. If they’re high, leave the table and immediately sit back down to reset the animation. It saves hours.
- Focus on the Journey: If you start hating the game, turn it off. The 100% isn't a job. It’s meant to be a final farewell to one of the greatest pieces of media ever created.
The "Best in the West" isn't about being the fastest gun. It’s about being the most stubborn person in the Grizzlies. If you can handle the boredom of the orchid hunt and the frustration of the blackjack table, you’ll join the small percentage of players who can truly say they’ve seen everything Red Dead Redemption 2 has to offer.