7.1. Trader System Overview — Escape from Tarkov Guide

The traders in Escape from Tarkov are your primary gateway to acquiring gear, selling loot, and progressing your character. Each trader offers a unique selection of items and services, and building your reputation with them unlocks better stock and higher loyalty levels.

There are several key traders, each with their own specialization:

Prapor: Deals in Russian-made weapons, ammunition, and basic survival gear. He's often the first trader players interact with and offers early-game quests.
Therapist: Specializes in medical supplies, healing items, and some utility gear. She offers quests related to finding medical items.
Skier: Offers several Western firearms, attachments, and body armor. He has a more aggressive questline.
Peacekeeper: Sells high-end Western firearms, ammunition, and tactical gear. He requires US Dollars for transactions and offers quests related to weapon parts and destruction.
Mechanic: Your go-to for weapon modding, tools, and electronic components. He offers quests related to finding specific parts and crafting.
Ragman: Deals in clothing, body armor, helmets, and backpacks. He offers quests related to collecting specific armor pieces.
Jaeger: A survivalist who offers unique weapons, ammunition, and survival-related items. His quests are often challenging and involve hunting or specific kill conditions.
Fence: A black market dealer who buys almost anything and sells items at inflated prices. He also offers a "barter" system where you can trade items for other items. His loyalty level is primarily influenced by your "Scav Karma."

Loyalty Levels:

Each trader has multiple loyalty levels. To increase your loyalty level with a trader, you need to meet three criteria:

Total Spend: Accumulate a certain amount of money spent buying from or selling to the trader.
Total Earned: Accumulate a certain amount of money earned from selling to the trader.
Quest Completion: Complete a specific number of quests offered by that trader.

As your loyalty level increases, you unlock access to more items, better prices, and sometimes even special barter offers. Building relationships with traders is crucial for acquiring the best gear and completing your objectives.

Bartering:

Many items can be bartered for at traders instead of being bought with roubles. This often involves trading a collection of other items for a single, more valuable one. Bartering can be more cost-effective, especially for rare items, and encourages players to loot for specific components rather than just raw currency.

Key Strategies:

Focus on completing quests for traders you want to level up.
Pay attention to trader restock timers for limited items.
use Fence for selling unwanted items and for his unique barter offers.
Understand which traders offer the best prices for specific item categories.

The trader system is the backbone of Tarkov's economy, and mastering it will significantly enhance your ability to gear up and succeed.