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Warhammer 40K: Rogue Trader

Trade, Reputation and Cargo Explained

By
Nathan Garvin

Money makes the world go ‘round, it’s said, but what happens when you end up so wealthy and powerful due to your status that carrying around petty cash - or really any form of liquidity - becomes a redundant hassle? As the Rogue Trader you control a voidshipped crewed by thousands of hereditary serfs, the wealth of entire planets are yours to call upon, and aside from a handful of other privileged individuals, your word is often law wherever you travel. The idea of fussing around with coins,crowns, cash, scrip or credits is frankly beneath you, but as one of the primary movers and shakers in the Koronus Expanse, other factions can expect to profit by associating with you, and will exchange wares based on both your standing with said faction and the competence at running an interstellar empire you’ve demonstrated. This page will explain how trade, reputation and cargo works in Rogue Trader.

You can speak to Vox Master Vigdis for rumors regarding potential trade opportunities.

Loot, Cargo and Carrying Capacity

The economy in Rogue Trader is focused decidedly on the macro scale. You don’t need to bother counting currency, worrying about getting meals or lodging, or keeping track of ammo stocks. Presumably your basic necessities are covered by merely being the Rogue Trader. That Warrant of Trade you inherited opens many doors and allows you to requisition most of the minitae.

That said, you’ll still pick up loot from vanquished enemies, and (presumably for gameplay purposes) there are some blind spots not covered by the status conferred upon you by your Warrant of Trade - weapons, armor, medikits and grenades are decided NOT something you can acquire easily enough to the point where it’s outright omitted from gameplay. You know, basically everything with practical application in combat. While you can still acquire arms, armor and consumables by looting, pillaging and plundering, this brings up another question - what do you do with all this excess equipment? As mentioned earlier, there’s no currency in Rogue Trader, but there is another valuable commodity that you can accumulate via the judicious bequeathal of excess equipment - Reputation.

There are a variety of factions in Rogue Trader that are influential in the Koronus Expanse, and more importantly, which provide various wares and services which will help you in your travels. You’re not buying items, however, or really even trading, despite what the game says. Instead you’re really requisitioning items from these other factions, and your ability to do so depends on two factors - your reputation with the faction (they’re willing to open up higher tiers of loot if they like you more) and your Profit Factor (a combination of factors, all of which jointly represent your authority, the stability of your domain and the resources you can subsequently bring to bear). Suffice to say, the wares other factions will give you depends on both your personal relationship with them and the perceived value of doing business with you.

(1 of 3) As you traverse the world in Rogue Trader, you will often come across “goods”.

How to Increase Reputation in Rogue Trader

There are numerous ways in which you can raise your reputation with a faction, the most direct of which being to offload excess gear and cargo. When you go to trade with a faction (either by talking to a faction representative directly, or by talking to High Factotum Janris Danrok on the bridge of your voidship and picking the option “I would like to order the shipping and transportation of some goods.”) you’ll find yourself in a trade screen with two tabs - Trading and Reputation.

Switch on over to the Reputation screen and you’ll find a list of all the cargo you possess on the right and the amount of Reputation you’ll get for trading different categories of cargo. This is a system that might initially seem complicated, but it actually streamlines a lot of tedious inventory management. Pretty much every item you find save for quest objects, multikeys and notes belongs to a cargo category and contributes X% of said cargo. This includes most arms, armor and consumables you’ll find as you explore, in addition to a whole host of junk cargo - Holy Gifts, Jewelry, Heretic Trophies, Xeno-Artefacts etc. Instead of forcing you to manage this all on your own, when you pick up cargo it’s automatically sorted into stacks, until said stack is at 100% or more, at which point the entire stack can be given to a faction.

For example, say you loot a container and you find Machine Spirit Vaultlets, Collections of AutoQuills, Universal Power Cells, and Motive Force Conductors. Instead of having to fuss with them in your inventory, they’re all just added to cargo. They’re all Mechanicus Creations, and contribute 20%, 10%, 7% and 5% to a Mechanicus Creations cargo stack. They will be sorted, stacked and if you get enough of a cargo stack to reach 100% it’ll be tradeable. There’s no encumbrance, no limit to how much you can pick up, and you don’t need to bother with it save for picking it up in the first place and trading it to some faction later on. All your cargo can be viewed via the Cargo Manager option (hotkey: B).

Actual usable equipment - arms, armor, accessories and consumables - go directly into your inventory, separated entirely from cargo. That said, it should be noted that most equipment is cargo, as well. Every "Laspistol" iconLaspistol you pick up contributes 10% to a Ranged Weaponry cargo stack, every "Sword" iconSword contributes to a "Melee" iconMelee Weaponry cargo stack, most armor contributes to an Armor Kit cargo stack, while more esoteric forms of equipment may contribute to Mechanicus Creations, Uniform Kits, Jewellry, Xeno-Artefacts, Heretic Trophies, or the ever-popular Miscellaneous category. You can add unwanted equipment to cargo stacks manually, send entire stacks of redundant gear to cargo, or trade them directly to various factions.

Reputation, then, is the primary currency in Rogue Trader. Assuming you’ve raised your Reputation with a faction sufficient to access a tier and you have enough Profit Motive, you can take any eligible items from said faction. There are no other costs or requirements. It’s also worth noting that different factions prefer different types of cargo, although factions value cargo the same way, so you don’t need to worry about trading one type of cargo to the “wrong” faction. The type of each cargo accepted by each faction and the Reputation you gain from doing is can be found below:

(1 of 2) By selecting the Reputation tab on a merchant, you’ll find out which cargo offers the most reputation.

By selecting the Reputation tab on a merchant, you’ll find out which cargo offers the most reputation. (left), Leveling up your reputation with a specific faction unlocks more items to purchase. (right)

Cargo Categories and Reputation Points by Faction

Cargo Reputation Factions
Armor Kit 150 Drusians, Explorators, "Fellowship" iconFellowship of the Void
Fuel 100 Drusians, Explorators, "Fellowship" iconFellowship of the Void
Heretic Trophies 500 Explorators, "Fellowship" iconFellowship of the Void, Kasballica Mission
Holy Gifts 500 Drusians, Explorators
Jewellery 300 Drusians, "Fellowship" iconFellowship of the Void, Kasballica Mission
Mechanicus Creations 200 Explorators, Kasballica Mission
"Melee" iconMelee Weaponry 100 Drusians, "Fellowship" iconFellowship of the Void, Kasballica Mission
Miscellaneous 50 Drusians, Explorators, "Fellowship" iconFellowship of the Void, Kasballica Mission
"Provisions" iconProvisions 100 Drusians, Explorators, Kasballica Mission
Ranged Weaponry 100 Explorators, "Fellowship" iconFellowship of the Void, Kasballica Mission
Ship Components 200 Drusians, Explorators, "Fellowship" iconFellowship of the Void
Uniform Kit 150 Drusians, Kasballica Mission
Void Aeldari Trophies 500 Imperial Navy
Void Drukhari Trophies 400 Imperial Navy
Void Heretic Trophies 400 Imperial Navy
Void Necron Trophies 700 Imperial Navy
Void Pirate Trophies 300 Imperial Navy
Xeno-Artefacts 500 "Fellowship" iconFellowship of the Void, Kasballica Mission

In addition to trading cargo, you can also increase your Reputation with a faction through various other means. Sometimes you’ll get dialog options that result in hefty bonuses to Reputation (when another character offers to put in a good word, or if you act charitably toward a faction being common examples). Certain [Colony Projects] can also yield vast amounts of positive Reputation.

How to Earn Profit Factor in Rogue Trader

In addition to being on good terms with a faction, you also must have proven yourself competent as a Rogue Trader before factions will offer up their best gear. Profit Factor is the closest thing the game has to currency, and in some regards it does measure the Rogue Trader’s assets, liquid or not, but it’s also a reflection of their power and authority. Essentially the more expansive, stable and profitable your realm is, the greater your Profit Factor is. Gaining Profit Factor is largely a result of choices made in dialog (striking up trade deals and imposing your will on others both often yield greater Profit Factor) quest progression and what [Colony Projects] you choose to pursue. Keep in mind that as your influence waxes and wanes you can gain and lose Profit Factor, so be sure to strike while the iron is hot and claim any treasures you can.

Profit Factor can be increased by specific dialogue choices, striking up trade deals, and colony management.

Factions and Trade in Rogue Trader

There are five factions you can trade with in Rogue Trader, with four (Drusians, Explorators, Fellowship of the Void and Kasballica Mission) operating in a more or less uniform, conventional manner; get cargo, trade to boost reputation, then take whatever wares your Reputation tier and Profit Factor gives you access to. One outlier, the Imperial Navy, also exists, and they deal exclusively in ship upgrades, and require you to make offerings of Void Trophies to boost your Reputation with them. A list of all the factions in Rogue Trader and how to get in contact with them can be found below:

Faction Locations

Character Faction Location
Hieronymus Doloroso Drusians Chapter 2 - Footfall Atrium
Tech-Priest Quartz-Krame Explorators Chapter 1 - Rykad Minoris (Command Centre)
Opticon-22 Explorators Chapter 2 - Footfall Void Dock Alpha-Rho
Thunderfang "Fellowship" iconFellowship of the Void Chapter 1 - Explore the Unidentified Vessel
Ryzza "Fellowship" iconFellowship of the Void Chapter 2 - Footfall Shadow Quarter (Martyr’s Endurance)
Drusus’s Blessing Imperial Navy Chapter 2 - Travel to Drusus’s Blessing in the Furibundus System
Vladaym Tocara the Liege Kasballica Mission Chapter 2 - Footfall Atrium (Liege’s Residence)

Below you’ll find lists of all the items the game’s various factions will offer up, as well as the Reputation Tier and Profit Factor you need to have in order to requisition said items.

Drusians Trade Goods - Chapter 2

Item Reputation Ter Profit Factor
Bloodhound Staff 0 15
"Enforcer Helmet" iconEnforcer Helmet 0 16
"Imperial Scroll" iconImperial Scroll 0 20
Medikit x5 0 14
Onslaught x5 0 17
"Elite Chainsword" iconElite Chainsword 1 21
"Militant's Cloak" iconMilitant’s Cloak 1 20
"Sanctified Staff" iconSanctified Staff 2 23
"Cloak of Retribution" iconCloak of Retribution 3 26
Krak Grenade x5 3 29
"Heavy Bolter" iconHeavy Bolter 4 36
"Power Claymore" iconPower Claymore 4 32
"Camaraderie" iconCamaraderie Badge 5 38
["Death World" iconDeath World Origin] Light "Enforcer Carapace" iconEnforcer Carapace 5 41
Cloak of Hatred 6 23
Multikey 6 20
Dark Visionary Hood 7 29
"Reconstructed Flamer Pistol" iconReconstructed Flamer Pistol 8 35
Large Medikit x4 9 38
[War World Origin] "Enforcer Carapace" iconEnforcer Carapace 9 41
"Death World" iconDeath World Warboots 10 20
Radiant Gloves 10 26
Heavy "Flamer" iconFlamer 11 32
"Focus Meltagun" iconFocus Meltagun 12 38
"Roaring Thunder" iconRoaring Thunder 14 47
Condensed Carapace 15 53

(1 of 2) You can find Drusus’s Blessing at the southeast of the planet world map at the start of chapter 2.

You can find Drusus’s Blessing at the southeast of the planet world map at the start of chapter 2. (left), Drusus’s Blessing offers upgrades to your voidship. (right)

Explorators Trade Goods - Chapter 1

Item Reputation Ter Profit Factor
"Analyst's Helmet" iconAnalyst’s Helmet 0 7
Multikey x5 0 6
Frag Grenade x5 1 13
[Mezoa-Pattern] "Bolt Pistol" iconBolt Pistol 1 15
"Modified Lasgun" iconModified Lasgun 1 10
"Psychic Bodyglove" iconPsychic Bodyglove 1 11
Stabilizing Bracers 1 17
Medikit x10 2 12
Plasma Pistol 2 12
"First Aid Manual" iconFirst Aid Manual 3 8
Gas Cloud Grenade 3 11
"Needle Ring" iconNeedle Ring 3 13
Ceramite Storm Trooper Carapace 4 18
"Metronome" iconMetronome 4 12
Modified "Bolter" iconBolter 4 16

Tech-Priest Quartz-Krame can be found in the Command Center on Rykad Minoris.

Explorators Trade Goods - Chapter 2

Item Reputation Ter Profit Factor
Deflecting Gloves 0 14
Machine Rite Set 0 16
Medikit x3 0 10
Mobile Extratium x3 0 35
"Stimm" iconStimm x5 0 12
Target Designator 0 18
Chirugeon’s Manual 5 23
[Retrobi-Pattern] Plasma Pistol 6 26
Portative Manipulator 7 30
Large Medikit x11 8 22
"Precise Lasgun" iconPrecise Lasgun 8 35
Combat Manipulator 9 26
Haywire Grenade x13 9 28
Targeting Visor 10 32
"Power Axe" iconPower Axe 11 52
Heavy Plasma Gun 12 40
Invigorating Resolve 12 30
Slick Bodyglove 13 45
"[Mezoa-Pattern] Arc Rifle" icon[Mezoa-Pattern] Arc Rifle 14 55
Bead of Concentration 15 35
Improved Injector 16 40
Stun Grenade x5 16 42
"Deadly Repeater" iconDeadly Repeater 17 45
Force Field Emitter 18 50
Inferno Digi-Weapon 20 60
["Fortress World" iconFortress World Origin] "Tempestus Carapace" iconTempestus Carapace 21 70

Opticon-22 is the merchant you’ll be speaking to for the Explorators in Chapter 2. You’ll find them in Footfall - Docks.

Fellowship of the Void Trade Goods - Chapter 1

Item Reputation Ter Profit Factor
"Camouflage Robe" iconCamouflage Robe 1 6
"Flamer" iconFlamer 1 4
Melta "Charge" iconCharge x5 1 8
"Force Grenade" iconForce Grenade x4 2 11
Medikit x9 2 10
Noise Suppression Helmet 2 16
[Retrobi-Pattern] "Greatsword" iconGreatsword 2 9
"Stalker Gloves" iconStalker Gloves 2 15
Two-Handed Axe 2 12
[War World Origin] Fencing Bodyglove 2 13
Blinding Grenade x4 3 12
"Power Maul" iconPower Maul 3 14
Reaper Cape 3 11
Fire Grenade x5 4 13
Medal of "Alacrity" iconAlacrity 4 20
[Mezoa-Pattern] "Autogun" iconAutogun 4 17
Pneumo Boots 4 11
[War World Origin] Flak Chestplate 4 16

(1 of 2) Thunderfang can be found to the south of Rykad Minoris on the map. At first, it’ll be an unidentified ship.

Thunderfang can be found to the south of Rykad Minoris on the map. At first, it’ll be an unidentified ship. (left), You can purchase some useful equipment from them, such as the Stalker Gloves. (right)

Fellowship of the Void Trade Goods - Chapter 2

Item Reputation Ter Profit Factor
"Bayonet Knife" iconBayonet Knife 0 22
Intoxicating Elixir 0 20
Medikit x2 0 16
"[Mezoa-Pattern] Autopistol" icon[Mezoa-Pattern] Autopistol 0 10
"Navy Swashbuckler's Coat" iconNavy Swashbuckler’s Coat 0 18
"Monofilament Grenade" iconMonofilament Grenade x5 4 24
Pirate Chainmail 4 25
"Serrated Great Sword" iconSerrated Great Sword 5 27
Brainwalker Pendant 6 29
"Staff of Endless Flame" iconStaff of Endless Flame 7 30
Apex Predator’s Gloves 8 32
Melta "Charge" iconCharge x3 9 35
"Needle Pistol" iconNeedle Pistol 9 34
Tactical Backpack 10 36
[Retrobi-Pattern] "Foehammer" iconFoehammer 11 38
Modified "Splinter Pistol" iconSplinter Pistol 12 42
Swashbuckler Cloak 12 40
Arch-Militant’s Boots 13 44
["Death World" iconDeath World Origin] Armored Bodyglove 14 45
Large Medikit x2 14 46
[Drusus Prime Pattern] "Shotgun" iconShotgun 15 47
Breacher Boots 16 49
Earthbreaker 17 51
Grimoire of Void 18 52
Poet’s Grace 19 54
Precinct Vox-Relay 20 55
Carnage 21 56

(1 of 2) Ryzza can be found on the west side of The Matriarch bar. Mention to her about Bakhval for a 5% discount!

Ryzza can be found on the west side of The Matriarch bar. Mention to her about Bakhval for a 5% discount! (left), Here, you will find a whole host of useful equipment. (right)

Imperial Navy Trade Goods

Item Reputation Ter Profit Factor
Jovian Pattern Class 1 Drive 0 15
Mark-201.B Augur Array 0 13
Military Ceramite Voidship Plating 1 22
Repulsor Shield 1 20
Gryphonne-Pattern Torpedo Tubes 2 26
Ryza-Pattern Plasma Battery 2 24
Compound Void Shield Array 3 28
Glimmer-Pattern Void Shield Array 3 30
Assault Ceramite Voidship Plating 4 36
Lathe Pattern 2B Engine 4 33
Fortis-Pattern Torpedo Tubes (Plasma) 5 42
Scrap Box x10 5
Sunhammer Lance Battery 5 39
Gryphonne-Pattern Torpedo Tubes (Melta) 6 50
Stygies-Pattern Macro-Battery 6 45
X-470 Ultimo Array 7 70
Archeotech Macro Battery 7 55
Archeotech Repulsor Shield 7 75
Fortis-Pattern Torpedo Tubes (Melta) 7 65
Hecutor-Pattern Plasma Battery 7 60
Saturnine-Pattern Class 5 Engine 8 80
Galleon Adamantium Voidship Plating 9 85
Voidsunder Lance Battery 10 90
R-50 "Auspex" iconAuspex Multi-Band 11 95
Triple Void Shield Array 12 100
Jovian Pattern Class 4.5 Drive 13 105
Military Adamantium Voidship Plating 14 110

(1 of 2) You can find Tocara by following the main story in Footfall.

You can find Tocara by following the main story in Footfall. (left), If you can get your reputation to level two, you can purchase Large Medikits from him. (right)

Kasballica Mission Trade Goods - Chapter 2

Item Reputation Ter Profit Factor
"Aeldari Plasma Grenade" iconAeldari Plasma Grenade x5 0 24
"Commissar" iconCommissar Boots 0 50
"Drukhari Klaive" iconDrukhari Klaive 0 42
Furore x5 0 14
Medikit x4 0 16
[Mezoa-Pattern] "Sniper Rifle" iconSniper Rifle 0 66
[Orthlack-Pattern] "Stub Revolver" iconStub Revolver 0 12
"Peripheral Visor" iconPeripheral Visor 0 58
"Bladed Boots" iconBladed Boots 1 20
Mindsrambler Grenade x5 1 18
"Telekineticist's Staff" iconTelekineticist’s Staff 1 20
Large Medikit x3 2 46
"Precise Bolter" iconPrecise Bolter 2 42
Torment Bracelets 3 50
Anatomist’s Amulet 4 58
"Fusion Gun" iconFusion Gun 5 38
Outcast’s Visor 5 66
Kasrkin Gauntlets 6 46
Calibrated heavy Stubber 7 35
Psyker’s Breastplate 7 62
Self-Calibrating Googles 8 43
"Warp Guide Staff" iconWarp Guide Staff 8 38
"Storm Bolter" iconStorm Bolter 9 59
Vortex Pendant 10 67
Heavy Xenomesh 11 55
"[Mezoa-Pattern] Hexrifle" icon[Mezoa-Pattern] Hexrifle 12 56
"Bane of Sorrow" iconBane of Sorrow 14 62
Warp Surge Brooch 15 70
"Red Crystal Staff" iconRed Crystal Staff 16 70
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Guide Information
  • Publisher
    Owlcat Games
  • Platforms,
    PS5, Steam, XB X|S
  • Genre
    RPG
  • Guide Release
    23 November 2023
  • Last Updated
    16 June 2024
    Version History
  • Guide Author

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In the grim dark future of the 41st millennium, there is only war. The Imperium of Man, ruled by God-Emperor of Mankind from atop his Golden Throne, is a vast interstellar empire with countless armies. Despite the Imperium’s apparent strength, however, its enemies are even more numerous and threats to mankind both surround the Imperium and gnaw at it from within. Where the constantly strained military might of the Imperium can’t reach, humanity must find other champions, and blessed with holy Warrants of Trade, Rogue Traders have almost unlimited authority to operate in the unconquered reaches of the galaxy beyond the Imperium’s direct influence. After unexpectedly inheriting the title of Rogue Trader von Valancius, you’ll have to secure your holdings in the Koronus Expanse, establish and develop new colonies, investigate the conspiracy that led to your ascension and fend off threats, internal and externals, humans, xenos and worse…

This guide will provide the following information:

  • Tips and info about various gameplay mechanics, including injuries and trauma, veil degradation, momentum, resolve, heroic acts, weapon types and space exploration.
  • Recruitment guides and builds for every companion in the game.
  • Walkthroughs for main quests, boss battle strategies and the effects your choices have.
  • Complete chapter overviews.
  • Best weapons lists for each chapter.
  • Guides for optional dungeons, side quests, errands and solutions to puzzles.
  • Colony guides, including colony projects and their rewards.
  • A vast database of weapons, armor, accessories, abilities, talents and more!

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