How to Barter in Atomfall

Bartering in Atomfall is a great way to gain access to valuable items earlier than you might find through exploration. At least one Trader can be found in each of the zone’s dense areas, and their stock constantly refreshes to include different items. Because of this rotating inventory, it’s best to trade for the items you want as fast as possible. However, bartering can get a little confusing, and quickly out-of-hand if you aren’t paying attention to the finer details. Here’s how to barter in Atomfall, along with a few tips to improve your trades.

How to Barter in Atomfall

Only Trader NPCs can engage in bartering. These named characters have their own inventories, which are usually themed around their occupation or location. For example, Iris Baxter sells baked goods at the Wyndham Village bakery. Although stock rotates, the Traders will stick to their general specialties. Here’s a quick list of every Trader in Atomfall. Each of these characters will trade with you, but be careful! Certain actions, such as pointing a weapon at them, will lock you out of bartering with them. They may even turn hostile after you antagonize them enough!

• Iris Baxter – Runs Wyndham Village’s Bakery. 
• Alf Buckshaw – Runs Grendel’s Head in Wyndham Village.
• Billy Gorse – Has a camp in the Casterfell Woods near the Castle Ruins.
• Corporal “Bootsy” Hughes – Stationed in Skethermoor, in a building right outside the Village.
• Mother Jago – Has a camp in the Northeast of Casterfell Woods, near the Old Mines.
• Molly Jowett – Has a camp North and slightly to the West in Slatten Dale. 
• Reg Stansfield – Squirreled away in the Slate Mine Caves in Slatten Dale.
• Nora Thorndike – Inside a large barn in Skethermoor.
• Morris Wick – Runs Wyndham Village’s General Store.

Both parties must agree to a trade for the barter to be complete. The scale in the center visualizes how much the trade favors one person or the other. Further to the left means it favors you, further to the right means it favors the Trader. If the trade is too much in your favor, you’ll have to add more items to the exchange in order to appease the Trader. In many cases, you’ll probably have to give many more items than however much you’re getting in return.

The trick to good bartering in Atomfall is catering your trades to whomever it is you’re trading with. Every item in Atomfall holds a certain static value. The most valuable items tend to be upgraded guns, healing items, and explosive throwables. All of these Traders are looking for different items, and have an affinity for certain trades. For example, Molly Jowett has no need for bandages, and will value them lower in trades. Inversely, Bootsy has a high need for Atomic Batteries, and will weigh them much more heavily in trades. Traders typically favor items they don’t trade, or are hard to find. Reg would love some baked goods, for instance!

You can tell whether an item is valued higher or lower than usual by checking for up and down arrows on their icon when you offer them for a trade. Traders will also make remarks about the item when you offer it up, hinting at whether or not they want it. That being said, you can make a good trade as long as you have a decent inventory of items. Whenever you are bartering, go ahead and toss in everything you don’t mind losing, select the items you want in return, and remove items from your side of the trade until things balance out. Working backwards in this way allows you get a better feel for how much particular items are worth, and can reveal favored items much quicker!

Protip: If you’re thinking of killing a Trader for their inventory, think carefully. You can definitely score a quick bounty of items, but you’ll lose potential access to more valuable items down the line. Many of these Traders are also an easy way to score more ammunition for the many types of guns you can find. Good luck with your trades!

Atomfall will release for PlayStation 5, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X and Series S, and PC on March 27, 2025. It is immediately available in Early Access for PC.