Abiotic Factor trader exchange unlock matrix and route worksheet

Diagnose a missing exchange in the right order

A missing trade does not immediately mean the table is wrong. Abiotic Factor uses fixed NPC traders, traveling traders, and machine-based quantum exchangers. The official Trading page also lists progression conditions for many exchanges. Before collecting more materials, identify which part of that chain is missing.

Use this order:

1. Confirm the exact output item, including punctuation and variant name.
2. Confirm whether the source lists an NPC or a quantum exchanger.
3. For an NPC, confirm the named trader and whether that trader is fixed or traveling.
4. Read the unlock condition attached to the row.
5. Confirm the current save has completed that condition.
6. Only then check input item, quantity, and current stock.

This sequence prevents a common waste: carrying the correct cost item to the correct character before the save has reached the event that exposes the trade. More input material cannot solve an unmet progression condition.

Read each column as a separate constraint

The official table displays what the player buys, what the exchange costs, stock where it is listed, and an unlock condition for applicable rows. Each column answers a different question.

Output quantity matters. One exchange can return more than one unit, as shown by several ammunition rows. Enter the number of exchange actions in the Trader Exchange Planner; its result multiplies both the published output and cost instead of assuming every row is one-for-one.

Build an unlock matrix for the current objective

Do not copy the entire trading catalog into a route note. Start from the output needed for the next objective and record only the gate that matters.

These rows are examples of how to read the source, not a complete replacement for it. The trading catalog changes as progression and traders expand. Follow the source link before using a stored checklist after a patch.

Separate fixed and traveling traders

The Trading page describes Warren Bunning and The Blacksmith as fixed-place NPCs and Grayson Isling and Marion as traveling traders. That distinction changes route reliability. A fixed trader still requires access and unlock checks, but the destination itself is predictable. A traveling trader adds a location or availability check before the resource run is worth starting.

For a fixed trader route, record:

• the sector and safe approach;
• the unlock that should expose the row;
• the exact input stack;
• output inventory space;
• the return objective after the exchange.

For a traveling trader route, add the last confirmed encounter and a fallback task in the same area. If the trader is not available, the route should still produce something useful rather than becoming a pure search trip.

Calculate costs without confusing units

Suppose one row returns six rounds for one input and you choose three trades. The correct plan is three input items and eighteen rounds, not six inputs and three rounds. The planner expresses this as:

total output = output per trade x number of trades

total cost = cost per trade x number of trades

Stock is compared with the number of trade actions because that is how many times the row must be used. A listed stock of three can support three actions, even if each action outputs several items. A missing stock value in the reviewed source is displayed as “not listed,” not converted into a claim of unlimited availability.

Add route and inventory checks

The exchange arithmetic is only one part of a successful trip. Reserve slots for the returned items, especially when outputs use more stacks than the input. Avoid converting a route-critical material until the intended output is more valuable to the current objective. If the output is ammunition or a repair kit, also decide where it will be stored after returning.

Use a compact exchange card:

Recover from a failed trade route

If the row does not appear, stop spending input or changing unrelated progress. Compare the exact output, trader, and unlock condition with the live source. If the character is traveling, confirm availability before concluding that the unlock failed. If the row appears but cannot complete, verify the item variant and quantity in the trade screen.

Do not publish an inferred unlock from one save. A row may already be visible because another group member completed the condition. The source table and the save's current progression should agree before the guide is updated.

If stock is lower than expected, reduce the current plan and keep the remaining input. The official Trading page says traveling-trader stock often replenishes over time, but the route should not assume an exact timer unless the current source documents it.

Completion condition

An exchange plan is complete when the correct trader or machine is identified, the save meets the cited unlock, the exact input quantity is available, output space is reserved, and the number of actions does not exceed a listed stock without a deliberate follow-up plan.

For fixed NPC prioritization, continue with the Blacksmith and Warren trade guide. For moving NPCs, use the traveling trader stock planner. The three pages answer different questions: why a row appears, which fixed trade serves the next objective, and how to avoid wasting a trip on changing stock or availability.