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7 Days to Die has five trader NPCs—Rekt, Jen, Bob, Hugh and Joel. Their compounds can appear in different biomes from one generated world to another, so the reliable method is to follow the White River Citizen quest, use the Opening Trade Routes progression and let the map mark a compound when you approach it. Quest tiers are shared between traders in version 1.0, while inventories change with restocks and game settings.
The five traders and their possible locations
Trader compounds are not tied to one permanent set of coordinates. World generation determines the road network and the exact location, and mods or server settings can alter the result. The Fun Pimps community resource documents the following biome spawn ranges for the vanilla trader roster:
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| Trader | Documented spawn range | What that means in practice |
|---|---|---|
| Rekt | Pine forest or desert | He may be encountered in either of those biome types; a generated world does not guarantee one particular choice. |
| Jen | Pine forest or burnt forest | Her compound can be on either side of the early Opening Trade Routes transition. |
| Bob | Burnt forest or desert | His possible locations overlap two middle-route biomes. |
| Hugh | Snow or wasteland | He is associated with the two most dangerous route biomes in the documented progression. |
| Joel | Snow or wasteland | Like Hugh, his compound can generate in either late-route biome. |
These are spawn ranges, not a promise that every world contains each trader in the named biome you expect. Treat a coordinate list from another seed as an example only. A modded map, a dedicated-server configuration or a different game version can produce a different arrangement.
How to find a trader compound without relying on coordinates
- Start the route. The initial White River Citizen quest begins the trader-discovery sequence. Follow its objective rather than driving randomly across the map.
- Use the generated map as your source of truth. Roads, terrain and distances are specific to your world. When you reach a trader compound, approaching it automatically adds the location to your map.
- Record the marker and nearby roads. Mark the compound’s position, the safest approach and any storage or fuel stop you use. The marker is more useful than a copied coordinate because it remains tied to your seed.
- Plan the next leg around the biome. Opening Trade Routes move from pine forest to burnt forest, then desert, snow and wasteland. The route becomes progressively more dangerous, so carry enough food, water, healing items, ammunition and repair materials for the return trip.
- Check for configuration differences if the route does not match. If a trader is absent, appears in an unexpected biome or cannot be reached by the documented path, verify the platform, version, world-generation settings and installed mods before assuming the save is broken.
There is no universal five-coordinate answer to “where are the traders?” The dependable answer is the combination of the route quest, your own map marker and the biome ranges above.
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Opening Trade Routes: the biome order and what it unlocks
Opening Trade Routes is the progression that moves you toward traders in increasingly hazardous environments. The order documented for the vanilla game is:
| Route stage | Biome | Planning implication |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pine forest | Use this as the low-risk starting point for learning the trader loop and building a supply of Dukes. |
| 2 | Burnt forest | Expect a longer or riskier trip than the opening stage; take extra repair and medical supplies. |
| 3 | Desert | Account for the distance between safe stops and the cost of carrying enough water and fuel. |
| 4 | Snow | Prepare for late-route travel and protect the equipment you depend on for repeated journeys. |
| 5 | Wasteland | Treat this as the highest-risk stage in the documented chain and avoid reaching the compound with an overloaded inventory. |
The sequence describes route progression, not a fixed one-trader-per-biome assignment. Rekt, Jen and Bob have overlapping early or middle-biome ranges, while Hugh and Joel share the documented snow-or-wasteland range.
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Use the special-jobs dialogue
Trader jobs are accessed through the dialogue option “Got any special jobs?” After selecting it, choose from the available jobs and read the destination and reward before accepting. A job is not just a source of experience: it is also a way to reveal or reach the next useful trader compound.
Tier progress is shared in version 1.0
According to the official wiki’s version-1.0 information, quest-tier progression is no longer trader-specific. Progress earned while completing jobs for one trader carries over when you use another trader. You therefore do not have to grind separate tier tracks for Rekt, Jen, Bob, Hugh and Joel.
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- Cooperate or Compete – Work together to build settlements or against each other in a wasteland where zombies and outlaws rule the land.
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This changes the best way to choose a job. Pick the assignment that fits your current position, equipment and risk tolerance, even if another trader is closer to the objective. A shorter trip can advance the same shared tier with less fuel and less exposure, while a higher-risk job may be worthwhile when its reward or route discovery solves an immediate need.
Quest counts and daily limits are version-sensitive
Do not plan around one universal number of available quests or a permanent daily limit. Those details can vary by game version and world or server settings. If the number of jobs offered by a trader differs from a guide written for another release, check the active version and settings first; the shared-progression rule does not make every limit identical.
How trader buying and selling works
Dukes are the currency
Traders buy your goods and sell items for Dukes. Keep a cash reserve instead of converting every valuable find into an immediate purchase: the next restock may contain a more important upgrade, and a distant route can consume fuel and repair materials before you reach the counter.
When selling, compare the value of the item with its practical use. Spare weapons, duplicate armor, excess ammunition or surplus materials can become travel funds, but selling the only repair part or medical item you need for the next biome can cost more than the Dukes are worth.
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Restocks happen every three in-game days
The documented vanilla mechanic is a trader restock every three in-game days. Use the trader’s restock indicator rather than memorizing a calendar time or assuming an item remains available indefinitely. A practical loop is to buy what is essential, complete nearby jobs, return after the indicator advances and then reassess the refreshed inventory.
The three-day cycle does not guarantee a specific weapon, armor piece, medicine, vehicle part or quantity. Item tables are version-sensitive, so treat the visible stock as the authoritative offer for your save.
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Choosing where to spend Dukes
There is no single “best trader” for every purchase. Compare the actual stock at the counter with the travel cost and the danger of reaching it. Use this decision table when deciding whether to buy now or wait for a route-stage trip.
| Your need | Buy now when… | Wait or travel when… |
|---|---|---|
| Weapons or ammunition | The item immediately raises your ability to survive the next quest and you can still afford fuel, repairs and medical supplies. | The price consumes your entire reserve or the next job is in a safer biome where existing equipment is adequate. |
| Armor | A replacement fixes a serious durability or protection problem before a dangerous route segment. | Your current set is serviceable and a three-day restock is close enough to justify checking again. |
| Medicine | You are below the amount needed for the next expedition or a current injury makes travel unsafe. | You have a stable supply and can reach a closer compound without crossing a higher-risk biome. |
| Vehicle or vehicle parts | The purchase shortens repeated trader runs and you have budgeted for fuel and repairs. | The route is still short, the item would empty your Dukes, or your current transport is reliable. |
| Building and crafting materials | The material completes a time-critical upgrade or defensive repair. | You can gather it locally more cheaply than paying for a long-distance purchase. |
| High-value loot to sell | You need Dukes before the next restock and can reach a compound without risking the item or your return trip. | You are already near the next route stage and can combine the sale with a planned job instead of making a separate journey. |
The NPC’s name alone is not a dependable catalog. For weapons, armor, medicine or vehicles, inspect the current inventory, note the restock indicator and compare all compounds you can reach safely. A trader in the wrong biome can be a poor bargain once fuel, repairs and recovery time are included.
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Use biome, route position and restock timing together
Make the nearest safe trader your baseline
Start with the compound that requires the least hazardous travel. This is especially important early in a save, when one failed trip can cost more than the discount or item difference between traders. Complete a nearby special job, sell surplus loot and leave enough Dukes for an emergency purchase.
Bundle errands into a three-day cycle
On the first visit, buy only items that solve an immediate problem and accept a job that moves you in the direction of your next objective. During the following in-game days, complete the job, gather sellable loot and repair your travel equipment. Return when the restock indicator shows the cycle has completed, then make the larger purchase from the refreshed stock.
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A snow or wasteland trader may offer a useful late-route opportunity, but the journey itself belongs to the most dangerous part of the Opening Trade Routes chain. If a pine-forest job provides the same shared tier progress with a fraction of the travel risk, it can be the better advancement choice. Conversely, a difficult route can be efficient when it combines a needed trader discovery, a high-value job and a planned restock visit.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.A repeatable trader-run checklist
- Check your active quest and confirm whether it advances the Opening Trade Routes chain.
- Inspect the map marker, route distance and biome crossings before leaving.
- Carry enough food, water, healing items, ammunition, fuel and repair materials for both directions.
- Reserve Dukes for the highest-priority item instead of spending the entire balance on marginal upgrades.
- Sell only surplus goods that will not be needed for the next route stage.
- Read the trader’s current stock and restock indicator; do not rely on an old inventory list.
- Record the compound’s position and a safe return route after the first visit.
- Schedule the next visit around the three-in-game-day restock cycle.
Troubleshooting common trader problems
The compound is not where a guide says it should be
Coordinates are world-generation dependent. Confirm that the guide uses the same seed, platform, version and world settings. If it does not, stop searching for the copied coordinate and follow your own route quest. A compound you approach in your generated world is automatically added to your map.
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- Explore & Craft - Huge, unique and rich environments, offering the freedom to play the game any way you want while you craft and repair weapons, clothes, armor, tools, vehicles, and more.
- Build - Take over a ruin, or build from the ground-up. Design your fortress to include traps and defensive positions to survive the undead - the world is fully destructible and moldable.
- Cooperate or Compete - Includes two player split screen mode, with additional online multiplayer modes and features to be revealed in the near future.
- Create - Unleash your creativity and build the ultimate world by yourself friends. Enjoy unlimited access to nearly 400 in-game items and 1,200 unique building blocks in creative mode.
- Improve - Increase your skills in a multitude of active and passive disciplines. 7 to Die is the only true survival RPG with nearly 50 multi-tiered skill and perk groups.
The next trader or job does not appear
Verify that the White River Citizen sequence is active, then speak with the current trader and select “Got any special jobs?” Quest availability and limits can vary by version and settings. In multiplayer, the server’s configuration takes precedence over a single-player guide.
Quest progress seems stuck on one trader
In version 1.0, tier progression is shared rather than permanently attached to one NPC. If a save does not behave that way, check whether it is running an earlier release, a later release with changed rules or a mod that replaces quest progression.
The item you expected is missing
Trader inventories are not a permanent promise. Check the restock indicator, revisit after the three-day cycle and compare the stock at another accessible compound. Record the version and settings before treating a difference as a bug.
Version and platform notes
This guide describes the 1.0-era vanilla mechanics and uses a dated progression resource stated to remain compatible through version 2.0. Labels, quest limits, storefront details and trader behavior can change outside that scope. Before following an exact step, confirm the version shown by your game and whether the save is modded.
A console release, 7 Days to Die – Console Edition, is available for PS5 in some markets. Store availability, edition naming and regional access are separate from the in-game trader rules, so verify those details for your platform before purchase or troubleshooting.
Bottom line: treat traders as a route network
Find traders through the White River Citizen quest and your generated map, not a universal coordinate list. Use the Opening Trade Routes order—pine forest, burnt forest, desert, snow and wasteland—to judge travel risk. In version 1.0, complete jobs for whichever trader offers the safest useful assignment because tier progress is shared. Finally, plan purchases and sales around the stock you can see, your Dukes reserve and the three-in-game-day restock indicator. That approach remains useful even when a patch, mod or new world changes exact locations and item tables.
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