Tarkov Wipe Start Guide: First Day Priority Checklist

Need a Head Start in Tarkov?

Our professional boosting services can help you dominate the early wipe and secure rare items!

Get Started

The arrival of a fresh wipe in Escape from Tarkov resets all player progression, leveling the playing field and ushering in a period of intense activity as veterans and newcomers alike scramble to establish themselves. Mastering the initial hours and days is crucial for a successful wipe. This guide offers a comprehensive priority checklist, drawing on current meta strategies to maximize efficiency in quests, trader leveling, and early game wealth accumulation.

Understanding the Wipe: What's New and Why It Matters

A "wipe" in Escape from Tarkov signifies a complete reset of in-game character progress, including inventory, experience, and quest completion. This occurs periodically, often coinciding with major game updates, to test new features, rebalance the economy, and provide all players with an equal start. Typically, wipes happen roughly every six months, with historical data showing wipes in June/August and December. For instance, the wipe preceding an anticipated mid-year 2025 event occurred on December 26, 2024.

Each wipe often introduces significant changes:

• New Quests and Questline Expansions: Developers frequently add new tasks or alter existing ones, potentially focusing on new map areas or rogue factions.
• Map Reworks and Expansions: Existing maps may be altered or expanded, and new maps can be introduced, shifting loot zones and combat hotspots.
• New Weapons and Gear: Fresh armaments, attachments, and armor types are common, influencing combat dynamics.
• Economy Reset and Flea Market Changes: The Flea Market is typically locked until level 15, making early trader relations paramount. Item values fluctuate wildly in the early wipe.
• AI Behavior Updates: Bosses and Scavs may exhibit new behaviors and patrol patterns.
• Skill Rebalancing: Adjustments to how skills level or their effects are often implemented.

The Golden Hour: Your Very First Steps (Pre-Raid)

Before even setting foot in a raid, several actions can provide an immediate advantage:

Examine Everything from Traders

A crucial first step is to meticulously examine all items offered by the starting traders (Prapor, Therapist, Skier, Peacekeeper, Mechanic). Right-clicking an item and selecting "Examine" grants a small amount of XP. This simple process can often propel a player to level 2 without firing a shot, unlocking initial quests from Mechanic like "Gunsmith - Part 1" and "Introduction". Fence's inventory can also be examined for extra XP if needed.

Accept Initial Quests

Once level 2 is achieved (or even at level 1 for some), players should accept all available starting quests. These typically include "Debut" from Prapor and "Shortage" from Therapist. Mechanic will offer "Gunsmith - Part 1" and "Introduction" upon reaching level 2. The Ground Zero map quests will also be immediately available and are mandatory starting points.

Basic Stash Management

While the starting stash is limited, players should remove pistol grips and magazines from weapons to save space. High-density rigs can also help maximize storage efficiency.

Ground Zero: Conquering the Mandatory Starter Map

The Ground Zero map is the designated starting area for all PMCs post-wipe, and completing its initial questline is essential to unlock further progression with traders.

Ground Zero Quest Priority

Navigating Ground Zero

Key buildings include the Terragroup building, Empire building, Capital building, and the Skyside building (near Unity Credit Bank where Emercom Checkpoint is located). Familiarity with extraction points is vital:

• Police Cordon V-Ex: Paid car extract (5000 Roubles, 4 players max).
• Emercom Checkpoint: Standard extract, available based on spawn.
• Nakatani Basement Stairs: Standard extract, available based on spawn.
• Mira Ave: Requires a green flare (RSP-30 handheld or 26x75mm signal pistol flare).
• Scav Checkpoint (Co-op): Requires a PMC and a Player Scav to extract together.

PMC Level Restrictions & Matchmaking

A significant development for new players is the matchmaking system on Ground Zero. As of patch 0.14.5.0, the map features separate matchmaking queues: one for PMCs up to level 20 inclusive, and another for PMCs level 21 and above. This change directly addresses earlier community concerns about experienced players, or "Chads," dominating the supposed starter map and creating a "killbox" environment for new players. This segregation fosters a more protected environment for those genuinely new or at low levels to complete their mandatory initial quests.

Players can now progress on other maps if they get stuck or prefer a change of pace from Ground Zero, without jeopardizing their overall progression. For PMCs above level 20 who return to Ground Zero, Scavs will be more difficult, and there's a chance for rare loot and the boss Kollontay to spawn. Player Scavs match independently of their PMC level. Bots on Ground Zero are also generally more friendly towards PMCs under level 20.

Skip the Grind - Get Key Items Fast!

Our professional team can help you obtain crucial quest items and keys to accelerate your progression!

Learn More

Beyond Ground Zero: Your Next Questing Steps

With Ground Zero conquered, the broader world of Tarkov's quests opens up. Prioritizing specific questlines is key to unlocking traders, better gear, and substantial XP gains.

The "Holy Trinity" of Early Quests (Post-Ground Zero)

Unlocking Jaeger - The Survivalist Guru: A TOP Priority

Jaeger provides access to essential barters, hideout upgrade items, and powerful early-game weapons like the Mosin rifle. Unlocking him involves a chain of quests:

1. Mechanic's "Saving The Mole": This Ground Zero quest (covered earlier) is a prerequisite.
2. Character Level >2: Players must be above character level 2.
3. Mechanic's "Gunsmith - Part 1": This quest requires modifying an MP-133 shotgun to specific parameters: 60 Durability, recoil sum less than or equal to 850, overall size no more than 4 cells, an extended magazine, any tactical device (laser/flashlight), and ergonomics of 47 or greater. The necessary parts are typically available from Level 1 traders: MP-133/153 Plastic Pistol Grip (Jaeger LL1, once unlocked, creating a slight paradox if not planned for), MP-133/153 Custom Plastic Forestock with Rails (Mechanic LL1), and an NCStar Tactical Blue Laser LAM-Module (Skier LL1).
4. Mechanic's "Introduction": Upon accepting "Gunsmith - Part 1," "Introduction" becomes available. Players must venture into the Woods map, locate Jaeger's camp (found near a crashed airplane in the southeastern part of the map, often near a small treehouse structure), retrieve an encrypted message (usually a letter found beneath the treehouse), successfully extract from the raid, and hand the message to Mechanic.

Unlocking Peacekeeper - Your NATO Connection

Peacekeeper is the source for US dollars, NATO weaponry, and related gear. He is unlocked by completing Skier's quest "Friend from the West - Part 1". The objective is to eliminate 7 USEC PMCs. The quest itself rewards $700, which helps with Peacekeeper's initial spending requirements. Factory is often recommended for quick PMC encounters, though Customs (Dorms, Crackhouse, Fortress areas) can also be viable. This quest can often be completed passively while pursuing other objectives.

Other Key Early Quests

• Prapor's "Checking": This quest involves obtaining the Machinery Key and retrieving a bronze pocket watch. The Machinery Key has a high chance to spawn in the pockets of jackets in Room 205 of the three-story dorms building on Customs, or can be found on Scavs. The pocket watch is located inside a tanker truck at the construction site on Customs.

General Questing Strategy

It is highly advisable to always have a quest active and to enter each raid with a clear objective in mind. Combining or "stacking" quests is a key efficiency tactic. If multiple tasks are on the same map (e.g., killing Scavs for "Debut" while also needing to retrieve the pocket watch for "Checking" on Customs), planning a route to accomplish both in a single deployment saves significant time and resources.

Making Bank: Early Wipe Riches & Loot Routes

With quests underway, accumulating Roubles and valuable items becomes essential. Before the Flea Market unlocks at level 15, players rely on Scav runs, smart looting, and knowing where to find early valuables.

Scav Runs - Your Golden Ticket

Player Scav runs are zero-risk opportunities for reward and should be utilized whenever off cooldown. The primary focus should be on extracting with everything possible, prioritizing barter items like bolts, screws, and tapes (needed for early Hideout upgrades), quest items, and medical supplies. Scav runs are also excellent for learning map layouts, item spawn points, and extraction routes without risking PMC gear.

Low-Risk PMC Loot Routes (Stash Runs & Keyless Areas)

Hidden stashes (buried barrels, ground caches) are a consistent and relatively low-risk source of income and materials.

Key Priority for Early Looting & Quests

Certain keys are vital for early progression, either by unlocking quest objectives or providing access to valuable loot.

Rush to Level 15 - Unlock the Flea Market!

Let our experts power-level your account to access the Flea Market and dominate the economy!

Order Now

Trader Love: Leveling Up Your Best Buds

Before the Flea Market unlocks at level 15, traders are the sole source for purchasing gear and selling loot. Increasing their Loyalty Level (LL) is paramount for accessing better equipment, ammunition, and crucial barters. This requires meeting thresholds for player character level, trader reputation (Rep), and money spent with that specific trader.

Spend, Spend, Spend (Money Requirement)

Players must actively buy from and sell to traders to meet their monetary requirements. It's often strategically sound to sell items to a trader who needs leveling, even if another offers slightly more Roubles, as the unlocked gear and barters are more valuable long-term. The "money spent" requirement can often be a larger hurdle than reputation or player level, particularly for traders like Skier and Peacekeeper. This has led to players adopting "lossy trading" tactics – buying items and reselling them to the same or another trader at a small loss, or purchasing currency, purely to inflate the "money spent" statistic. This highlights that efficient trader leveling involves managing an economic mini-game with each trader, not just focusing on immediate profit.

Specific Trader Strategies (Pre-Flea, LL1 Focus)

Prapor

Sells

AK-pattern rifles (SKS, VPO-136), Mosin, PPSh-41, basic Eastern Bloc ammo (e.g., 7.62x39mm PS, 7.62x54R LPS).

Buys

Most weapons, grenades, weapon parts. Ideal for selling Scav weaponry.

Key LL1 Barters

1x Propane tank for a 6B23-1 armor; 3x Clin window cleaner for a PP-91 Kedr-B SMG; 1x Pliers for an AK 30-round magazine (AK55).

Leveling Tip

Purchase SKS rifles from him and sell them back if desperate for "spend". Repairing gear with him and using his insurance services also contributes.

Therapist

Sells

Basic medical supplies (AI-2 cheese, bandages, splints), food, and water. Crucially, she sells the Scav Junkbox at LL1 for approximately 1.1 million Roubles.

Buys

Medical supplies, provisions, barter items (dogtags, valuables like diaries, intel folders). Generally offers the best prices for most "junk" items.

Key LL1 Barters

1x Paid AntiRoach spray for a Salewa medkit; 4x Crickent lighters + 4x Classic Matches for a Pile of Meds.

Leveling Tip

Sell all found valuables to her. Heal with Grizzly kits in the stash post-raid instead of paying Therapist for healing; this saves money and grants passive healing XP. Her insurance also counts towards spend.

Skier

Sells

Weapon attachments (sights, foregrips, muzzle devices), some Western weapons and ammo at higher levels. Sells Euros.

Buys

Weapon parts, apparel, and rigs (though Ragman offers better prices for clothing, selling to Skier can help meet his spend requirement).

Key LL1 Barters

2x Horse figurines for a VPO-136 rifle.

Leveling Tip

Skier can be challenging for spend. Options include buying and selling Saiga-9 carbines, using him for weapon repairs, buying M9A3 pistols from Peacekeeper and selling them to Skier, or buying TOZ shotguns from Jaeger to sell to Skier (or vice-versa). Purchasing Euros also counts.

Additional Traders

• Peacekeeper (after unlock via Skier's "Friend from the West - Part 1"):
  • Sells: US Dollars (USD), NATO weapons (MP5, UMP early on), ammunition, and some gear.
  • Buys: Intel items (Flash drives, SSDs, Diaries).
  • Key LL1 Barters: Scav knives (e.g., Bars A-2607) for an MP5 or UMP SMG.
  • Leveling Tip: Directly purchase USD from him to meet spend requirements. A common strategy involves buying items (like UN helmets from Ragman) with Roubles, selling those to another trader, then converting the earned Roubles into USD with Peacekeeper, and finally purchasing an item from Peacekeeper with those USD. This "double-dips" the spend for Peacekeeper.
• Mechanic (after unlock via Jaeger's "Introduction"):
  • Sells: Weapon parts, high-tech items, offers Gunsmith quests.
  • Buys: Weapon parts, tools, electronics. Often gives the best prices for gun components.
  • Key LL1/Early Barters: 2x Green Gunpowder + 2x Thermite for an Ammo Case.
  • Leveling Tip: Completing his Gunsmith quests is the primary way to gain reputation. Sell him found weapon parts. His repair services also count towards spend.
• Ragman (unlocks at level 2, then quests):
  • Sells: Armor, tactical rigs, clothing.
  • Buys: Armor, rigs, clothing (generally offers the best prices for these categories).
  • Key LL1 Barters: 3x Toilet paper for GSSh-01 active headsets.
  • Leveling Tip: Sell all found apparel, rigs, and armor to him. To boost spend, one can buy items like UN helmets or basic armor from him, then either use them or sell them to another trader if it helps meet that trader's spend requirement. Buying and reselling M Rigs can also work.

The Hoard: What to Keep, What to Sell, What to Rush

Stash space is a precious commodity, especially early in a wipe. Knowing which items to hoard for future quests, Hideout upgrades, or lucrative barters versus what to sell immediately is critical. The "Found In Raid" (FIR) status is paramount for most quest hand-ins and, as of recent patches, many Hideout upgrades. An item is FIR if looted during a raid where the player successfully extracts (meeting XP or time requirements), or if crafted in the Hideout. Items bought from the Flea Market (once unlocked), received from dead teammates, or returned via insurance are not FIR. The shift to requiring FIR items for many Hideout upgrades fundamentally alters looting priorities; "junk" items like bolts and screws now hold significant value for self-sufficient Hideout progression. This makes early-game looting for construction materials as important as questing for some players.

What to Sell (Pre-Flea Market)

Duplicate weapons, low-tier armor, and rigs that will not be used should be sold. "Vendor trash" – items with no immediate quest, Hideout, or barter utility but which sell for decent Roubles to traders – should also be sold, prioritizing traders who need their spend requirements met. Therapist generally offers good prices for valuables and miscellaneous items.

Rushing Specific Items

Gas Analyzers, Salewas, and Flash Drives are notorious early-wipe bottlenecks; actively searching for these is advisable. If a particularly rare key is found early (e.g., a high-value Dorms key or a Labs keycard), players must decide whether to use it for high-risk/high-reward runs or hold it until the Flea Market opens, hoping for a high sale price (a risky proposition given limited stash space).

Need Hideout Materials Fast?

Our team can help you gather all the FIR materials needed for crucial Hideout upgrades!

Get Help

Home Sweet Hideout: Smart Early Upgrades

The Hideout is a critical component of progression, evolving from a simple shelter into a production and passive bonus powerhouse. Strategic early upgrades can significantly accelerate a player's wipe. As mentioned, most construction items must now be FIR. Players who diligently collect "junk" from the outset will have a distinct advantage. There's a strategic interplay between questing and Hideout development; for example, Medstation L1 helps with Therapist's "Shortage" quest, which in turn helps level Therapist, who is then required for Medstation L2.

This upgrade order prioritizes powering the Hideout (Generator), then enabling critical quest item crafts (Medstation for Salewas, Lavatory L2 for 3M armor), facilitating Gunsmith tasks (Workbench), and alleviating stash pressure (Stash upgrade).

Gear Up, Don't Break the Bank: Budget Loadouts & Ammo

Early in the wipe, gear is scarce and expensive relative to income. Losing high-value kits is detrimental to progress. Therefore, mastering budget loadouts is paramount. The focus should be on cost-effective weapons that can still perform adequately with readily available ammunition.

Armor - Your First Line of Defense

• PACA Soft Armor (Class 2): Provides basic protection against Scav buckshot and low-caliber pistol rounds. Widely available and cheap.
• Module-3M Body Armor (Class 3): The "white press armor." Offers decent protection against common early-wipe rifle rounds like 7.62x39mm PS. Needed FIR for Skier's "Supplier" quest.
• Scav Vests: Use any found Scav vest for basic load-bearing capacity.
• Kolpak-1S Riot Helmet (Class 2) / SSH-68 Steel Helmet (Class 3): Minimal head protection, but better than nothing. SSH-68 ("penis helmet") offers Class 3.

Ammo 101 - The Real Killer

A good weapon with ineffective ammunition is still an ineffective weapon. Early in the wipe, ammunition penetration is generally more important than raw damage due to the prevalence of basic armor.

• Good Early Ammo Types: 7.62x39mm PS (Prapor LL1), 7.62x54R LPS Gzh (Prapor LL1), 5.45x39mm PS (Prapor LL1, post-"Delivery from the Past") or HP (Jaeger LL1), and basic 12-gauge buckshot are solid starting choices.

Pro Tips from a Veteran: Surviving and Thriving

Beyond specific tasks and gear, certain mindsets and tactics differentiate successful early-wipe players.

• Survival is Paramount: Successfully extracting from a raid not only allows players to keep their FIR loot but also grants an XP bonus. Avoid unnecessary risks, especially when carrying quest items.
• Fight or Flight Wisely: Early wipe, discretion is often the better part of valor. Avoiding fights that are not essential for quest completion or survival is generally advisable, particularly when low on gear or carrying critical items. The opportunity cost of a lost fight (time, gear, quest items) often outweighs the potential rewards from killing a similarly undergeared opponent. Progression, not kill count, is the early priority.
• Maximize Scavenger Protocol: Utilize Player Scav runs consistently for risk-free acquisition of loot, FIR items for quests and Hideout, and invaluable map knowledge.
• Ammo & Armor Acumen: Develop a basic understanding of ammunition penetration values versus armor classes. Even a low-gear Scav with a Mosin rifle loaded with LPS Gzh rounds can be a significant threat to a player wearing only PACA armor.
• Quest Stacking Masterclass: Before deploying, always review active quests. If multiple objectives can be completed on the same map (e.g., retrieving an item for Therapist while also eliminating Scavs for Prapor on Customs), plan routes to achieve them concurrently for maximum efficiency.
• Embrace Night Raids: Deploying at night often means fewer hostile PMCs, and Scavs can be easier to spot or avoid, especially with night vision goggles (NVGs) or by using moonlight for navigation. This can be an effective strategy for focused questing.
• Economic Opportunism (Pre-Flea Rushing): Certain items, such as Gas Analyzers, Salewas, and Flash Drives, are notorious early-wipe bottlenecks for quests. Their prices can surge when the Flea Market initially opens. Players who manage to farm surplus quantities of these items might capitalize on this, though this is risky due to limited stash space.
• Examine Everything (Continuously): Even after reaching level 2, continue to examine any new items encountered from traders or found in raid. This provides small but consistent XP gains throughout the leveling process.
• Loot Fast, Check Fast: Even the act of opening a container or quickly searching a body (without necessarily taking items) grants a small amount of XP.
• Headshots are King: Eliminating Scavs or PMCs with headshots provides a bonus to XP earned.

Wrapping Up: Go Get 'Em, Tiger!

The initial phase of an Escape from Tarkov wipe is a unique and exhilarating experience. Armed with this knowledge, players are better equipped to navigate the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. The path is arduous, often frustrating, but the rewards of persistence and smart play are immense.

To reiterate the absolute top priorities for a dominant wipe start:

1. Survive your raids: Extraction is key to progress and keeping valuable FIR loot.
2. Focus on quests: Begin with the mandatory Ground Zero tasks, then strategically progress through early Prapor, Therapist, and Skier quests while unlocking Jaeger and Peacekeeper.
3. Get the Hideout cooking: Prioritize essential early modules like the Generator, Medstation, Workbench, and Lavatory to support questing and crafting.

Every seasoned "Chad" in Tarkov was once a "Timmy" learning the ropes. Deaths are lessons, victories are to be celebrated, and the community is a vast resource for information and support. This wipe is an opportunity to apply these strategies, adapt to the evolving meta, and forge a successful path through the war-torn streets of Tarkov. It is a marathon, not a sprint; enjoy the journey.

Complete Wipe Start Package!

Let our experts handle your entire early wipe progression - from Ground Zero to Level 15 with all traders unlocked!

Dominate the Wipe