Bonnie's ranch work, Marshal Johnson's posse and Nigel's first job, with the Strangers, jobs and minigames they open around Armadillo and MacFarlane's Ranch.
I Know You: meet the Strange ManQuest stepMissablePoint of no return
Location
New Austin · Hennigan's Stead – From the MacFarlane's Ranch safehouse, ride south-west toward the canyon facing Mexico. The man in a suit and top hat stands looking out over it; talk to him. He may instead be found a little south of Mescalero, in the same county.
Why you can lose it
Lost for good once the story's final mission starts. The strand does not count toward 100%.
Point of no return
Starting the story's final mission, which opens at the ranch once "Old Friends, New Problems", "A Continual Feast" and "Spare the Love, Spoil the Child" are done. The "I Know You" steps still open are lost; every other 100% item stays open afterwards.
Nigel, Seth and Irish each help ready the attack on Fort Mercer; on the way come Thieves' Landing, Plainview and Rathskeller Fork, their safehouses, the Elegant Suit and four Strangers.
I Know You: the friend at Thieves' LandingQuest stepMissablePoint of no return
Location
New Austin · Thieves' Landing – The friend is the man on the porch of the Thieves' Landing saloon. Talking him out of it gives +50 honor; handing him $15 to go ahead costs 20 honor unless you wear the bandana. Talking him out of it is the cheaper choice.
Why you can lose it
Lost for good once the story's final mission starts. The strand does not count toward 100%.
Point of no return
Starting the story's final mission, which opens at the ranch once "Old Friends, New Problems", "A Continual Feast" and "Spare the Love, Spoil the Child" are done. The "I Know You" steps still open are lost; every other 100% item stays open afterwards.
Second step of "I Know You": the Strange Man's friend is about to make a choice, and John is asked to advise him. The strand does not count toward 100%.
Spurred to VictoryAchievementMissablePoint of no return
Location
New Austin · MacFarlane's Ranch – It pops as "On Shaky's Ground" ends at MacFarlane's Ranch, the 20th story mission counting from "New Friends, Old Problems", if the one-horse streak held. If it did not pop, start a new streak now on the horse you are riding: hitch no other horse at a hitching post, use no horse deed, keep the horse alive and stay above the Desperado honor rank.
Why you can lose it
The streak needs 20 story missions in a row; once fewer than 20 remain without a running streak, the trophy needs a new game.
Point of no return
Starting "Captain De Santa's Downfall", the 38th of the 57 story missions, on a horse you won't keep: it and the 19 missions after it are exactly the last 20, so a streak that leaves it out can no longer reach 20 and "Spurred to Victory" is lost on this save.
Across the river into Mexico: Captain de Santa's missions out of Escalera and Landon Ricketts's out of Chuparosa, with five Mexican safehouses, the Chuparosa jobs, two minigame wins and five Strangers.
I Know You: the Strange Man near El MataderoQuest stepMissablePoint of no return
Location
Nuevo Paraíso · El Matadero – From El Matadero, look for his camp on a rock formation just south of town; he may instead be on the road heading south from just west of El Matadero, at the top of a hooked rise. A white ? marks him once you are close.
Why you can lose it
Lost for good once the story's final mission starts. The strand does not count toward 100%.
Point of no return
Starting the story's final mission, which opens at the ranch once "Old Friends, New Problems", "A Continual Feast" and "Spare the Love, Spoil the Child" are done. The "I Know You" steps still open are lost; every other 100% item stays open afterwards.
I Know You: the nun at Las HermanasQuest stepMissablePoint of no return
Location
Nuevo Paraíso · Las Hermanas – She stands to the left of the convent entrance. Donating $10 is the honorable choice (+35 honor if you talked the friend out of it at Thieves' Landing); robbing her pays about $315 but costs 120 honor and brings the law. Killing her fails the step until later.
Why you can lose it
Lost for good once the story's final mission starts. The strand does not count toward 100%.
Point of no return
Starting the story's final mission, which opens at the ranch once "Old Friends, New Problems", "A Continual Feast" and "Spare the Love, Spoil the Child" are done. The "I Know You" steps still open are lost; every other 100% item stays open afterwards.
Luisa Fortuna, Captain De Santa and Abraham Reyes carry the Mexico story to its end, with the Stranger "Aztec Gold", a Bandito scrap and the rare weapons and scrap Escalera sells afterwards.
Beecher's Hope: the ending
Home to the Marston ranch: the family's and Uncle's missions, the Rancher Outfit, the American Standardbred for "Buckin' Awesome" and the last "I Know You" step, then the story's final mission.
I Know You: the Strange Man above Beecher's HopeQuest stepMissablePoint of no return
Location
West Elizabeth · Beecher's Hope – With the Las Hermanas step done, look for his Stranger marker on the cliff that overlooks the ranch and ride up to him. Talk to him rather than shooting him first (that fails the step until you reload); if no completion message shows afterwards, the Journal still records it.
Why you can lose it
Lost for good once the story's final mission starts. The strand does not count toward 100%.
Point of no return
Starting the story's final mission, which opens at the ranch once "Old Friends, New Problems", "A Continual Feast" and "Spare the Love, Spoil the Child" are done. The "I Know You" steps still open are lost; every other 100% item stays open afterwards.
The last meeting with the well-dressed stranger who seems to know John's past; it ends the strand. "I Know You" does not count toward 100%, and it can be lost.
Undead Nightmare south of the river: the eight New Austin towns, Seth's three cemeteries, Nigel's cure, the Fort Mercer missing persons and the challenge ranks that New Austin is best for.
Explosive Rifle Mastery rank 1 (Undead Nightmare)OtherMissablePoint of no returnDLC: Undead Nightmare
Location
New Austin · Rathskeller Fork – It ticks itself when Rathskeller Fork is saved and the Explosive Rifle is handed over. Ranks 2 to 4 come below; the last one needs the US Army Uniform from the next section.
Why you can lose it
The Explosive Rifle ranks only count in order, and the last one (in the next section) needs the US Army Uniform, which can't be worn any more once "A Civilized Man" starts. Reach this rank before then, or the chain can never be finished.
Point of no return
Starting "A Civilized Man" at Escalera's mansion, the last mission of Undead Nightmare; the catacombs close for good when it ends.
Explosive Rifle Mastery rank 2 (Undead Nightmare)OtherMissablePoint of no returnDLC: Undead Nightmare
Location
New Austin · Gaptooth Ridge – With Adrienne home at Fort Mercer, ride west into Gaptooth Ridge, the best part of New Austin for finding all four kinds; Retchers are the hard part, and Tumbleweed has the most. Use only the Explosive Rifle until you have one of each.
Why you can lose it
The Explosive Rifle ranks only count in order, and the last one (in the next section) needs the US Army Uniform, which can't be worn any more once "A Civilized Man" starts. Reach this rank before then, or the chain can never be finished.
Point of no return
Starting "A Civilized Man" at Escalera's mansion, the last mission of Undead Nightmare; the catacombs close for good when it ends.
Explosive Rifle Mastery rank 3 (Undead Nightmare)OtherMissablePoint of no returnDLC: Undead Nightmare
Location
New Austin · Gaptooth Ridge – Still in Gaptooth Ridge, throw Undead Bait to pull a group together and fire one round into the middle of it.
Why you can lose it
The Explosive Rifle ranks only count in order, and the last one (in the next section) needs the US Army Uniform, which can't be worn any more once "A Civilized Man" starts. Reach this rank before then, or the chain can never be finished.
Point of no return
Starting "A Civilized Man" at Escalera's mansion, the last mission of Undead Nightmare; the catacombs close for good when it ends.
Explosive Rifle Mastery rank 4 (Undead Nightmare)OtherMissablePoint of no returnDLC: Undead Nightmare
Location
New Austin · Gaptooth Ridge – Undead wolves and coyotes hunt in packs: keep riding the open ground until a pack runs at you, then put a round at your horse's heels as two of them close in.
Why you can lose it
The Explosive Rifle ranks only count in order, and the last one (in the next section) needs the US Army Uniform, which can't be worn any more once "A Civilized Man" starts. Reach this rank before then, or the chain can never be finished.
Point of no return
Starting "A Civilized Man" at Escalera's mansion, the last mission of Undead Nightmare; the catacombs close for good when it ends.
Across the border on the army train: the eight Mexican towns, the Mother Superior and Landon Ricketts, the El Presidio missing persons, the last challenge ranks, the Unicorn and both unlockable outfits, then the end of the plague and the 100% check.
Explosive Rifle Mastery rank 5 (Undead Nightmare)OtherMissablePoint of no returnDLC: Undead Nightmare
Location
New Austin · The Scratching Post – With the uniform on, switch to the Explosive Rifle and shoot any undead: on the ride to Benedict Point, at the train, or on the flatbed in the next step. Ranks 1 to 4 must already be done, as ranks only count in order.
Why you can lose it
Needs the US Army Uniform on, and the uniform can't be worn once "A Civilized Man" has been played; finish it (and the four ranks before it) before that mission.
Point of no return
Starting "A Civilized Man" at Escalera's mansion, the last mission of Undead Nightmare; the catacombs close for good when it ends.
Legend of the Apocalypse OutfitArmorMissablePoint of no returnDLC: Undead Nightmare
Location
Nuevo Paraíso · El Presidio – It unlocks with rank 5 in all four Undead Challenges (Undead Hunter, Undead Sharpshooter, Undead Treasure Hunter, Four Horses), so it is already yours after the steps above. Check the outfit list at a safehouse bed before you go on.
Why you can lose it
Earn it before "A Civilized Man": on the old consoles the outfit was reported to vanish from the menu if it was earned after the story, and the guide takes the strictest reading.
Point of no return
Starting "A Civilized Man" at Escalera's mansion, the last mission of Undead Nightmare; the catacombs close for good when it ends.
Semi-auto Shotgun (Escalera catacombs)WeaponMissablePoint of no returnDLC: Undead Nightmare
Location
Nuevo Paraíso · Escalera Catacombs – Taken during the mission after the warning below. Early in the catacombs, before the tunnels lead deeper, a short dead-end passage branches off with the shotgun at its end. John may pick it up on his own as he passes; walk to the end and grab it anyway to be safe.
Why you can lose it
The catacombs are open only during "A Civilized Man" and are boarded up once it ends; after that the shotgun turns up only by chance, in random encounters.
Point of no return
Starting "A Civilized Man" at Escalera's mansion, the last mission of Undead Nightmare; the catacombs close for good when it ends.