There’s no sugar coating it, Hard West 2 is harder than your average tactical RPG. And to comfortably beat it, you’re going to have to be very familiar with the game’s mechanics. You’ll also need money to top off your small cache of support items. That’s where Hard West 2 side quests come in.
In this guide, we’ll talk about all known Hard West 2 side quests and how they can benefit you. (Well, they provide a source of income and are actually very useful as they provide Loyalty Tasks for your posse.
It should be noted that there are one-instances on the world map. These are usually contained events that can be settled pretty quickly and are not counted as side quests.
Bill’s Stash
Visit Bill’s hunting shack East of his farm. Once there, you’ll have the option to get either a bottle of whiskey or a stick of dynamite. Whichever one you choose comes with it a shotgun.
The Merchant of Boomtown
After freeing Laughing Deer, you can approach the general store attendant and they’ll tell you about the previous merchant making off with the town’s supply of food. Upon leaving town you can immediately see the first tracks of the trader’s group heading East. The game won’t give you a marker to follow, so you’ll have to keep your eyes peeled for them. The trail ends just North of the avalanched pass. To see it, you’ll need to have interacted with the campfire sites.
Kill the bandits, bring the rogue shopkeep back to Boomtown, and collect your monetary reward.
Zeke’s Trading Post
The survivors of Calla Calla have regrouped at Zeke’s Trading Post. They’ll need Provisions to survive, if you give them that AND a sack of coal from Calla Calla (side objective), you’ll be given Blue Dynamite for your troubles.
Village Raiders
Some survivors have resorted to raiding nearby Native American villages for supplies. Black Fish Village would appreciate it if you can track them down and get their supplies back. To catch up to the raiders, you’ll need to follow the trail of camps East of the village. The bandits are located in a makeshift camp North of Zeke’s Trading Post. As you approach them, they’ll be spooked. This will trigger a combat situation where you’ll have to kill all enemies on horseback. Return to the village once the raiders have been dealt with.
The Emissary
Another side quest from Black Fish Village. This time it’s to secure the safe return of a Native emissary from the military camp near Calla Calla. The soldiers there mistook him for a Shadow Dance scout and locked him for interrogation. Thankfully, he’s in good condition. To secure a release, you’ll need to confirm the location of the Shadow Dance village and report back to the officer. The village is located in a dark forest South of the map.
Lost Refugees
Returning back to Zeke’s outpost, you will encounter a group of survivors looking quite distraught. You learn that members of their group got separated during a freak blizzard. They’ll ask you to look for them. The trail begins on the other side of the bridge North of the outpost. Keep following the campsites until you come across a cave. In it, you’ll find a lone survivor surrounded by pieces of body parts. The lad took to eating the others in order to avoid starvation. Decide the lad’s fate and return to the refugees to give them the grim news.
Horse for Soldiers
Another trip to the soldiers’ fort will open up a chance to take in a request. The soldiers are in need of horses but the local horse rancher refuses to deal with the army. The ranch is located North of Pine Falls. Talking to the rancher, you learn that it’s not money he needs but strong medicine to cure his daughter.
You have some options here. You can buy this medicine in town at a hefty price OR if you have Lazarus as an Ally, ask him to cure the girl. There’s a secret third option if you have good relations with Cla’Lish. You can negotiate for medicine at Black Fish Village. The choice is yours. After securing the deal for the horses, return to the requisitions officer to potentially get a good revolver.
Monster Hunt
This side quest can be acquired after visiting Owen’s cattle ranch in the second chapter. An other-worldly creature stalks the farmer’s animals and he asks us for some help. Follow the tracks East until you reach the Beast’s Territory. Once there, you’ll discover that it’s a spirit beast we’re dealing with. Decide if you want to kill it or not. Loyalty points and a reward are on the line.
Cattle Hunt
A group of Wendigo attacked a farmer, forcing his herd to break away and run in three different directions. The farmer will pay us a bounty for each one we bring back.
- The first group of cows can be found North of Penance. To successfully capture them, you’ll need to have Bill as a Companion and [Rope]. You’ll lose the rope afterward.
- The second group can be found North of the Snake Oil Salesman. Unfortunately, this group got attacked by Wendigo and some of them are dying. If you have Laughing Deer as an Ally, he can patch them up for you. Otherwise, you’ll be forced to kill the ones with infections, reducing your reward.
- The third and final group can be found South of Fort Prudence. A group of Native Americans found them and are tending to them. Lazarus says you need to honor your obligation and return the cows. But Cla’Lish sees that the Native need them more for food and milk. You can forcibly take the cows from them or side with them and let them take the cows. The choice is up to you.
Return back to the ranch to collect your reward for each successful interaction.
Ransacked Couch
North of Penance, you will come across a ransacked coach. The passengers and the coachmen are dead and all the valuables have been taken. The perpetrators responsible left a trail for you to follow. More of a series of Loyalty checks, the trail ends with the bandits killing each other. You can ransack the camp for money. If you have Cla’Lish as a Partner, you can get twice the amount of money.
Prospector
A young prospector wary of thieves confronts the posse. After seeing bother Cla’Lish and Flynn, he calms down and lets you join him for a spell. If you have Provisions on you, you can share them and he’ll give you a map to his “spot” as a sign of gratitude. If you aren’t feeling like giving, you can just rob for all his money.
The Prospector’s Spot is located near a river not far from his camp. There, Cla’Lish panned and got a gold nugget that sells for quite a bit of money.
Vulture’s Treasure
After dealing with Bill’s wayward son and finding the gang’s treasure map in the “A Plague Upon This Land” mission, you can go ahead and look for the Copper Vulture’s treasure. The map points at the abandoned Silver MInes far West of the map. If you have a pickaxe, you can dig out the treasure for a nice little payday.
The White Buffalo
The last and only major side quest in the third chapter, the White Buffalo is a creature of legend. Known to both settlers and natives, it is prized above all else for its medicinal properties, particularly the consumption of its heart.
There is no introduction to this quest, you have to find the tracks yourself while exploring the wilderness of Utah. When you manage to track down the beast, Bill will ask you to go ahead and hunt the beast. Cla’Lish, on the other hand, wishes for the beast to be left alone. It’s your choice if you want Cla’Lish’s loyalty or a Great White Buffalo Heart that you can consume and get a massive boost for a short while.
Also check out our other Hard West 2 content:
- All Wanted Poster Jobs in Hard West 2
- All Trinkets in Hard West 2
- How to Get Nine of Hearts in Hard West 2
- All Poker Card Locations in Hard West 2
- All Hard West 2 side quests – how to complete objectives
- Tips and Tricks to Make Your Time in Hard West 2 a Little Easier
For a Hard West 2 Full Game Walkthrough, check out this awesome video by AJBRUN:
