In Escape from Tarkov, trader levels unlock better gear, improved barter deals, and new crafting options—making your progression significantly smoother. But with dozens of quests across multiple traders, deciding which to prioritize can be daunting. This guide outlines the most efficient quest chains and unlock paths to rapidly boost your reputation with Prapor, Therapist, Skier, Peacekeeper, Jaeger, and Fence.

We’ll dissect early-wipe tasks that offer high XP-to-time ratios, mid-tier quests unlocking lucrative items, and late-wipe objectives essential for top-tier gear. Each section provides a step-by-step breakdown of quest requirements, estimated completion times, and recommended raid strategies to obtain required items. By following this curated roadmap, you’ll level traders faster, access premium goods sooner, and gain a competitive edge in raids and hideout progression.

1. Prapor: Foundation for Early Raids and Ammo Access

Prapor is usually your first trader, unlocking basic weapons, ammo, and early tasks. Prioritize these quests for maximum early reputation gains:

• “Gunsmith – Part 1” (Prapor LVL 1): Kill 10 PMC Scavs with a pistol. Use low-risk Scav runs on Customs to rapidly complete this without losing gear. Estimated time: 20–30 minutes.
• “Debut” (Prapor LVL 2): Hand over 3 × bandages. Acquire bandages via Scav pocket loots or purchase for ~5,000 ₽ each. Estimated time: 5 minutes.

• “Delivery from the Past” (Prapor LVL 2): Find 3 × Gas Analyzer Kits. Farm custom labs or grab from Scav bosses on Customs. Estimated time: 20 minutes if using Pockets or 2–3 raids through lab entrances.
• “Sanitary Standards – Part 1” (Prapor LVL 3): Secure 5 × MP-133 shotguns. Spawn with an MP-133 in reserve or save one from a Scav run. Estimated time: 15–20 minutes.

Completing these tasks not only grants 20–30K XP per quest but also unlocks Prapor LVL 3, which provides access to high-tier 5.45×39mm rounds and AK variants. Early investment here accelerates your raid performance and ammo efficiency. Focus on pistol runs and low-risk Scav engagements to minimize gear loss while building reputation.

2. Therapist: Medical Crafting and Early Hideout Synergy

Therapist offers quests that feed directly into hideout upgrades, especially Medstation and Health Treatment modules. Efficient early tasks include:

• “Shortage” (Therapist LVL 1): Find 15 × Iodine Tablets. Scavenge cabinets in Crossroads trailer camps or loot from Scav bosses on Woods. Estimated time: 20–30 minutes.
• “To Lose and Find” (Therapist LVL 1): Hand over 1 × Medcase. Quickly complete on Shoreline by searching gas stations or resort rooms. Estimated time: 10–15 minutes.

• “Painkiller” (Therapist LVL 2): Purchase 30 × Analgin or produce in Medstation LVL 1. If crafting is unavailable, buy from Fence or Skier. Estimated time: 10 minutes (purchases) or 30 minutes including Medstation craft.
• “Chemical – Part 1” (Therapist LVL 2): Find 6 × Gas Analyzer Kits and 2 × Thermite Chargers. Combine with earlier Prapor quest to maximize efficiency. Estimated time: 30 minutes.

Therapist quests yield roughly 25K–40K XP each, rapidly boosting both your medical barter options and unlocking Medstation LVL 2. This, in turn, facilitates crafting of high-value meds like Grizzly and Surv12, reducing reliance on the Flea Market. Plan early Shoreline runs alongside Quest “To Lose and Find” to simultaneously satisfy both trader and gear objectives.

3. Skier: Early Weapon Customization and Ammo Unlocks

Skier’s tasks focus on weapon attachments, unlocking critical mods and trading opportunities. Key early quests:

• “Skier’s Political Views” (Skier LVL 1): Achieve a progress sum of 250,000 points on hideout Modules or return 1 × Tushonka (canned beef). Handover Tushonka is quickest—looted on Interchange or Shoreline. Estimated time: 15 minutes to locate and turn in.
• “Patrol Duty – Part 1” (Skier LVL 2): Kill 10 Scav Raiders on Shoreline. Use Bekabad’s towers or Fisherman’s hut spawn for efficient kills. Estimated time: 30–40 minutes.

• “Clubber” (Skier LVL 2): Find 3 × Stick Grenades. Common in jackets on Customs or in jackets near Rock Passage on Woods. Estimated time: 20 minutes.
• “Recipe of Carbonate” (Skier LVL 3): Hand over 5 × Soda Bottles. Scour Interchange’s shelves or use Scav runs for quick acquisition. Estimated time: 10–15 minutes.

Completing these tasks earns access to Skier LVL 3, unlocking high-tier weapon mods—such as competitive foregrips and rail systems—improving your arsenal. Early Skier tasks also yield money and loyalty that reduce barter costs for essential attachments like PMags and suppressors. Combining sightseeing on multiple maps with simultaneous quest progress accelerates overall trader leveling.

4. Peacekeeper: Ensuring Western-Caliber Access and Early US Quests

Peacekeeper’s quests unlock Western weapon compatibility and high-dollar barter options:

• “Shipment to the East” (Peacekeeper LVL 1): Purchase and hand over 10 × WD-40 Spray Cans. Available on Interchange or purchased from Fence. Estimated time: 10 minutes for purchase and handover.
• “The Extortionist” (Peacekeeper LVL 1): Kill 10 Scav Bosses in any location. Best done on Woods by camping scav spawns near 6-story dorms for repeated boss spawns. Estimated time: 1–2 hours depending on luck.
• “Road to S.P.A.S.” (Peacekeeper LVL 2): Hand over 2 × T-Shaped Heat Exchangers and 2 × Heat Separer. Found in Industry District on Reserve and in Laboratory. Estimated time: 30 minutes.
• “Peacekeeper’s Rifle” (Peacekeeper LVL 3): Purchase 15 × 20-round STANAG magazines. Bulk buy early to save rubles, then hand over. Estimated time: 15 minutes.

Peacekeeper VP significantly unlocks Western weaponry, silenced ARs, and LMGs—essential for late-wipe raids. Balancing early quest losses (e.g., selling WD-40 cheaply) against long-term benefits (access to M4A1 and AR-15 parts) accelerates mid-game power spikes. Plan to complete “Shipment to the East” during low-flea-traffic hours to minimize russet ruble expenditure.

5. Jaeger: Hunting, Survival Quests, and Hideout Synergy

Jaeger’s missions emphasize hunting and scav completion, enriching your hideout with materials and unlocking health buffs:

• “The Extortionist” (Jaeger LVL 1): Count as completed if Peacekeeper’s analogous task is done. Grants Jaeger reputation as well. Estimated time: synchronous completion with Peacekeeper.
• “Shootout Picnic Site” (Jaeger LVL 2): Kill 15 Scav Scouts on Woods. Use vantage at Woods rock passage to clear passouts efficiently. Estimated time: 30–45 minutes.
• “Bad Manners” (Jaeger LVL 3): Collect 5 × Badass Scav Body Armor from Scav Raiders. This yields early mid-tier armor for yourself. Estimated time: 45 minutes–1 hour.
• “Hunter” (Jaeger LVL 3): Hand over 3 × Wolf Pelts. Hunt wolves around the 100-meter area near rock passage on Woods. Estimated time: 20–30 minutes if focus on known respawn points.

Jaeger tasks reward hideout materials like sewing kits and tanning agents, ensuring your early hideout auto-crafting begins promptly. Reputation with Jaeger also grants access to unique barter items like the GP fund collector, indispensable for endgame liquids. Combining “Shootout Picnic Site” and “Bad Manners” in consecutive Woods runs maximizes XP per raid time, pushing Jaeger to LVL 3 within the first wipe day.

6. Fence: Unlocking Flea Market Access and Laundering Opportunities

Fence becomes available early and offers critical services—buying stolen goods, unlocking Flea Market, and cashing in valuables quickly:

• “Item Exchange” (Fence LVL 1): Sell any found factory key or high-value item for ~300K ₽. This unlocks LVL 2, granting Flea Market access. Estimated time: depends on initial find; typically 1–2 Scav raids.
• “Sawyer” (Fence LVL 2): Purchase 10 SP-6 9×19mm rounds from Fence. Cost ~20K ₽ total, then hand over. Estimated time: 5 minutes. Unlocks LVL 3.
• “Sharpshooter” (Fence LVL 3): Sell 3 high-end items (e.g., graphics card, LEDX). Estimated time: 15–20 minutes depending on loot availability.
• “Plunder” (Fence LVL 4): Turn in 10 CPU fans—farmable from Scav runs on Interchange. Estimated time: 1 hour of targeted looting.

Fence reputation is crucial for laundering “hot” items (stolen loot flagged by other traders). Prioritize “Item Exchange” early to unlock the Flea Market, then gradually complete subsequent Fence tasks to reduce markups on high-value transactions. Many players save CPU fans from Day One to fast-track Fence progression by Day Two.

7. Efficiency Tips: Combining Quests Across Traders

To accelerate trader leveling, synchronize quest objectives that overlap in location, required items, or kill conditions. For example:

• On Woods, simultaneously work on Jaeger’s “Shootout Picnic Site” and Skier’s “Patrol Duty – Part 1” by clearing Scav Scouts in the same areas—obtaining Slavic ammo and body armor for barter.
• While traveling to Shoreline for Therapist’s “To Lose and Find,” pick up SCAV kills for Prapor’s early pistol task and Peacekeeper’s “The Extortionist,” hitting multiple reputation targets in a single raid.
• During a Customs dorms run, gather MP-133 shotguns for Prapor’s “Sanitary Standards – Part 1” while collecting gas analyzer kits for Prapor’s “Delivery from the Past” and Therapist’s “Chemical – Part 1.”
• On Interchange, while completing Skier’s “Skier’s Political Views” and Peacekeeper’s “Shipment to the East” by looting WD-40 cans, simultaneously grab CPU fans for Fence’s “Plunder,” maximizing loot runs for multiple objectives.

By stacking quests with overlapping locations, you reduce redundant map travel and maximize XP per minute. Keep a checklist of active quests, marking off common tasks as you move through each map. This integrated approach can cut total completion time by up to 50 percent.

8. Recommended Quest Sequence for Rapid Progression

Below is a suggested sequence to complete key quests in the most time-efficient order, aiming to reach Trader LVL 3–4 in a single day:

1. First Scav Run (Any Map): Acquire secure container, basic cash, and initial meds. Use to complete Fence “Item Exchange” as soon as possible.
2. Customs Dorms Run: Complete Prapor “Gunsmith – Part 1” (pistol kills), collect 3 gas analyzer kits (Prapor & Therapist), and loot MP-133 shotguns (Prapor). Extract quickly.
3. Shoreline Med Raid: Complete Therapist “To Lose and Find” (Medcase), secure 15 × iodine (Therapist “Shortage”), and kill Scav bosses for Peacekeeper “Extortionist.”
4. Woods Scav Scout Hunt: Finish Jaeger “Shootout Picnic Site” and Skier “Patrol Duty – Part 1” simultaneously. Gather 5 wolf pelts (Jaeger “Hunter”).

1. Interchange Shopping Trip: Purchase 10 × STANAG mags (Peacekeeper “Peacekeeper’s Rifle”) and 10 × WD-40 (Peacekeeper “Shipment to the East”), gather CPU fans (Fence “Plunder”) and stick grenades (Skier “Clubber”).
2. Factory Quick Runs: Complete any lingering pistol kills for Prapor, and gather ammunition for Therapist “Painkiller” craft. Secure any Medstation components found.
3. Consolidation & Turn-Ins: Back to Hideout to install Medstation LVL 1, Health Treatment LVL 1; hand in completed quest items by evening to push Prapor, Therapist, Skier, and Peacekeeper to LVL 3+.

Following this route typically grants enough XP to unlock all essential trader services—Flea Market, mid-tier craftsmanship, and advanced weapon mods—within 12–14 hours of play. Adjust slightly based on your play schedule, but maintain focus on overlapping objectives.

9. Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

Speed-running quests comes with risks. Avoid these common mistakes:

• Inefficient Item Acquisition: Don’t hunt for items in low-probability spawns. Use online map guides to target high-chance locations for quest items (e.g., night vision devices in Lab 220 on Interchange). Wasting time reduces overall XP per hour.
• Overloading Gear: Don’t bring high-end rifles to early quests—stick to budget setups to minimize loss. A single death with an M4A1 can derail your progression if you can’t afford replacements.
• Ignoring Time of Day: Some quests require daytime—like Lab runs only accessible under certain lighting. Plan your raids when objectives are easier to complete, avoiding unneeded risks.
• Unbalanced Hideout Allocation: Upgrading too many modules on Day One can drain funds—focus only on essentials (Medstation LVL 1, Workbench LVL 1, Intelligence Center LVL 1) and postpone luxury improvements until trader levels stabilize.
• Forgetting to Insure: Insure quest-critical weapons at every opportunity—losing a clean Mosin early dramatically slows your sniper tasks. Cheaper insurance fees early in wipes mitigate losses.

10. Conclusion

Leveling traders quickly in Tarkov requires strategic planning, efficient quest stacking, and judicious use of early-raid resources. By following the outlined quest sequence—targeting Prapor, Therapist, Skier, Peacekeeper, Jaeger, and Fence in an optimized order—you’ll unlock essential gear, ammo types, and barter deals within the first wipe day.

Prioritize low-risk, high-reward runs, always protect quest items in a secure container, and integrate hideout upgrades that support future quests. Avoid common pitfalls by consulting store spawn guides and maintaining budget-friendly loadouts. With this roadmap, you’ll accelerate your progression, access top-tier weapons sooner, and gain a significant advantage over players who take a more haphazard approach to trader leveling. Implement these strategies consistently, and you’ll transform your Tarkov experience from a slow grind into an efficient, rewards-driven adventure.