NPC Assistant System: Settlement Trade & Resource Network
Assistants in the base game do not unlock any new crafting recipes or provide meaningful interactions. In practice, they simply mirror the abilities of their main NPC, allowing the player to craft the same items that the main NPC already provides. The system proposed here introduces a purposeful and lore-consistent role for Assistants. Assistants would function as minor scavengers for their master NPC. They are too weak to face corrupted creatures, Shroud-infected areas, or other high-risk zones, so their operations are limited to the safer outskirts of explored regions. When the player dispatches an Assistant on a scavenging mission, they embark on a timed expedition. Upon returning, the Assistant brings back small bundles of low-tier resources.The benefits of this system are clear: it creates a more engaging and dynamic settlement experience, reduces repetitive grinding for early-game materials, introduces a subtle automation loop without undermining exploration.
Comments: 24
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03 Aug, '24
Luzka MergedHighlighted comment
Would it be possible for this NPC trader to have the following features?
Unique Items: The trader could offer rare and powerful items, such as special weapons, exotic potions, and magical artifacts, that can't be found anywhere else in the game.
Quests and Secrets: In addition to selling items, the trader could provide unique quests. These could involve uncovering hidden secrets or finding ancient treasures. The stories he tells might serve as valuable clues for discovering forgotten places or solving world mysteries.
Mysterious Appearance: The trader could appear randomly in various biomes, making each encounter a rare and exciting event. His appearance could also hint at a deeper connection to the "Shroud," as if he might be partially infected or influenced by it. This would add an intriguing layer of mystery to his character, encouraging players to explore and seek him out. -
29 Jan, '24
Enshroudedfan MergedOther survival games have a computer terminal or NPC that holds onto things the player doesnt want but passing characters who arent part of that base can trade with. Maybe runes can be a de facto currency and players can buy and sell with a merchant NPC they can get from a vault?
With players setting up settlements with traders, it would create a tone that the players are actively rebuilding from the devastation and the restarting of an economy. -
07 Feb, '24
Ioni MergedYes,like in Valheim . It would be a cool feature. Or like in Len's Island where you buy new decoration pieces
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15 Mar, '24
Star MergedAnd user can sell unwanted resources to NPC for currency, effectively recycle excessive resources for other uses. E.g. like a stack of wasted torn cloth (x50) = 1 rune. Give us some motivation to go after mobs, farm plants etc
And use rune/currency for other services, like hire NPC for gathering basic resources. Or buy resources like wood, stone, ores etc
Not to mention the rune themselves become excessive by mid game. -
02 Jul, '24
Jonathan MergedIt would be cool if there was for example a collectable trade merchant that either can be added to the base or maybe "visiting your base frequently". This NPC can take certain collected material and trade it for other material that you've unlocked by exploring the world.
This would be a nice quality of life feature if tuned correctly, it can't become a "tradebot" for lazy people but should rather give you the opportunity to set out for some quest mission while the NPC collects the few missing material for your next dungeon preparation :D
This can plug into other things, like pets, animal farming, mounts, founa etc..
NPC quests could be anything from like "find pieces of a map" for more efficient trade-routes to "collect certain material for a unique reward by the merchants contacts" xD.. -
05 Jul, '24
Toast System Merged"A Tradesman NPC, like the other collectable dudes." (suggested by <Hidden> on 2024-07-02), including upvotes (1) and comments (0), was merged into this suggestion.
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28 Sep, '24
Fartein MergedI like the idea of a traveling trader which can be introduced after a while when they are getting close to a fully NPC town release or something. like a trader that teases that there are some areas which still has npcs surviving etc. Traveling trader which sells and buys vanity items. misc items or maybe even a recorder for music
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20 Nov, '24
Kevin MergedSome NPC that you rescue would act as vendors where you could spend runes to by items rather than craft them. A flower shop maybe, or an apothecary, a vegetable stand or arrow vendor.
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20 Dec, '24
GM Nevermore System Merged"Vendors" (suggested by <Hidden> on 2024-11-20), including upvotes (1) and comments (0), was merged into this suggestion.
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08 Mar, '25
Martin MergedMerchant NPC Base Quest Market Stall
New quest for the merchant NPC for the market stall resource.
This gives her a task and she doesn't just keep running around the base aimlessly.
You can exchange resources or buy/sell them at the market stall -
14 May, '25
Gary MergedAn NPC that works as a market or trader to help you get things for quest completion or Bace development.
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14 May, '25
CoolUsernameBro System Merged"market or trade centers/to buy and sell things." (suggested by <Hidden> on 2025-05-14), including upvotes (1) and comments (0), was merged into this suggestion.
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26 Jul, '25
Andrew Sweet MergedA “merchant” NPC in Enshrouded would let you spend runes on handy items like bandages or potions, making runes and legendary runes more than just weapon upgrade fodder. You could unlock better regional items by finding their old caravan boxes in each region through a quest. It’d give you more ways to use resources and make exploring feel even more rewarding.
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28 Jul, '25
Toast System Merged"Merchant NPC" (suggested by <Hidden> on 2025-07-26), including upvotes (1) and comments (0), was merged into this suggestion.
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04 Oct, '25
Aldias MergedAs coins are coming in water update it would make sense add traders to the game. It would be great addition to the game loop/progression system. It would also improve the loot (which has lot of complaints) because even if you won't find any good reward you at least get coins which gets you closer to some rewards from traders.
There could be several trader types.
1) That sells map to treasures(which could also lead you to some hidden dungeons you would miss)
2) some additional seeds you can't find anywhere else
3)building blocks
4) some unique fun items(firesparks, some decorations etc) -
27 Nov, '25
Mick MergedThis would be a lovely addition, and would give me something to do with all my old armor that I can't salvage.
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04 Dec, '25
Vapok System"A merchant NPC that trades with other players" (suggested by <Hidden> on 2024-01-29), including upvotes (72) and comments (14), was merged into this suggestion.
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04 Dec, '25
Vapok System"Add traders NPCs" (suggested by <Hidden> on 2025-10-04), including upvotes (10) and comments (0), was merged into this suggestion.
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07 Dec, '25
JeremyMake it so the assistant needs a bed and comfort level. Then make it so they can only gather resources from their current biome.
BAM you have an excuse to build small bases in the different interesting places. -
15 Dec, '25
Paul JHell, if pathing is an issue I won't even mind if they performed the gathering by pretending to operate a crafting station. Stand in front of it, do whatever animations for the duration, then after the period is over, an amount of resources are added to the crafting station's inventory. This way the game doesn't even need to send them out to perform the actual action of gathering, merely simulate it.
Only need new art for the animations of them working at the crafting station, and perhaps an upgraded interface to the crafting station to indicate when they are working - probably some kind of timed progress bar, then maybe some options to adjust what resources you want them to gather, or maybe even different types of gathering that can result in different resources being collected. Plenty of possibilities. -
13 Jan
Martijn H. MergedAdd NPC settlers that can be assigned to roles like mining, woodcutting, farming, scavenging, or guarding. Instead of being passive “fire-and-forget” workers, their efficiency and yields would scale based on how well the player builds and maintains their settlement.
NPC productivity is influenced by comfort, safety, and infrastructure. Housing quality, beds, lighting, warmth, decorations, and protection from enemies all matter. A miner living in a crude shack brings back small, basic yields, while one housed in a comfortable, well-designed home returns higher quantities and rarer resources. Guards could be equipped with player-crafted weapons and armor to protect workers or village areas, adding meaningful progression and risk–reward choices.
This system would make villages feel truly alive, give builders real gameplay impact and create strong long-term motivation to design beautiful, functional settlements instead of purely utilitarian bases. -
13 Jan
Martijn H. MergedAdd NPC settlers that can be assigned to roles like mining, woodcutting, farming, scavenging, or guarding. Instead of being passive “fire-and-forget” workers, their efficiency and yields would scale based on how well the player builds and maintains their settlement.
NPC productivity is influenced by comfort, safety, and infrastructure. Housing quality, beds, lighting, warmth, decorations, and protection from enemies all matter. A miner living in a crude shack brings back small, basic yields, while one housed in a comfortable, well-designed home returns higher quantities and rarer resources. Guards could be equipped with player-crafted weapons and armor to protect workers or village areas, adding meaningful progression and risk–reward choices.
This system would make villages feel truly alive, give builders real gameplay impact and create strong long-term motivation to design beautiful, functional settlements instead of purely utilitarian bases. -
10 Mar
Kira System"NPC Settlers That Reward Building & Comfort" (suggested by <Hidden> on 2026-01-13), including upvotes (1) and comments (0), was merged into this suggestion.
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10 Mar
Kira System"NPC Settlers That Reward Building & Comfort" (suggested by <Hidden> on 2026-01-13), including upvotes (1) and comments (0), was merged into this suggestion.