Trading is one of the three pillars of wealth generation in Windrose, alongside questing and combat looting. Unlike the other two methods, trading is a consistent, repeatable source of gold that scales with your ship's cargo capacity and your knowledge of the market. The key to profitable trading is understanding which ports produce which commodities, how prices fluctuate, and which routes offer the best gold-per-minute return. This guide covers the entire trading system from top to bottom.
How the Trading System Works
The trading system in Windrose is based on a commodity market where different ports produce and consume different goods at varying prices. Each port has a Merchant NPC who buys and sells commodities. The prices are not random — they follow a supply-and-demand logic where ports that produce a commodity sell it cheaply, and ports that consume it buy it at a premium.
Basic Trading Mechanics
- Buy commodities at a port's Merchant. Each port sells specific commodities at prices influenced by local supply. Ports that produce a commodity naturally sell it below the global average price.
- Sell commodities at a different port's Merchant. Ports that need a commodity but do not produce it will buy it above the global average price. The difference between buy price and sell price is your profit.
- Prices refresh periodically. Commodity prices at each port shift every 30 minutes of real-time. This means a route that is profitable now may be less profitable (or more profitable) after a price refresh. Check prices before committing to a large purchase.
- Volume discounts. Buying larger quantities of a commodity can trigger a volume discount at the selling port, effectively reducing your per-unit cost. The discount kicks in at 20 units and increases at 40 and 60 units.
- Supply depletion. If you buy out a port's entire stock of a commodity, the price resets to a higher value for subsequent purchases. It is usually better to buy partial stock and leave some for the next trip.
Before buying anything, check the sell price at your destination port. The trading UI shows you a price estimate, but actual sell prices can shift between your purchase and your arrival. For high-value trades, send a crew member to the destination port to verify the current sell price before committing to a large purchase at the origin port.
Port Locations and Merchant NPCs
There are six major trading ports in Windrose, each located in a different area of the map and specializing in different commodities. Understanding the geography of these ports is essential for planning efficient trade routes.
| Port Name | Location | Biome | Specialty | Merchant Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tidewatch Harbor | South coast, central | Coastal Jungle | Fish, Salt | Merchant Elena |
| Ironveil Outpost | Northeast interior | Foothills | Iron Ore, Copper | Merchant Bork |
| Ember Bay | East coast | Coastal Jungle | Spices, Cloth | Merchant Jin |
| Grimshade Dock | Northwest coast | Foothills | Furs, Timber | Merchant Voss |
| Sunken Hollow | Southwest islands | Open Ocean | Rum, Gunpowder | Merchant Cai |
| Coralrest Market | Central islands | Open Ocean | Pearls, Medicines | Merchant Ada |
Commodity Price Differences Between Ports
Profit comes from the price gap between producing ports and consuming ports. Here is a breakdown of the typical price range for each commodity across all ports. The "Produce Port" column shows where the commodity is cheapest, and the "Consume Port" column shows where it sells for the most.
| Commodity | Produce Port | Buy Price | Consume Port | Sell Price | Profit per Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salted Fish | Tidewatch | 8g | Coralrest | 18g | 10g (125%) |
| Raw Salt | Tidewatch | 5g | Ember Bay | 14g | 9g (180%) |
| Iron Ore | Ironveil | 12g | Sunken Hollow | 25g | 13g (108%) |
| Copper Ingots | Ironveil | 18g | Ember Bay | 32g | 14g (78%) |
| Exotic Spices | Ember Bay | 22g | Grimshade | 42g | 20g (91%) |
| Cloth Scraps | Ember Bay | 10g | Ironveil | 22g | 12g (120%) |
| Bear Furs | Grimshade | 20g | Coralrest | 38g | 18g (90%) |
| Rare Timber | Grimshade | 15g | Sunken Hollow | 28g | 13g (87%) |
| Dark Rum | Sunken Hollow | 14g | Tidewatch | 30g | 16g (114%) |
| Gunpowder | Sunken Hollow | 16g | Ironveil | 34g | 18g (113%) |
| Black Pearls | Coralrest | 35g | Ember Bay | 58g | 23g (66%) |
| Medicine | Coralrest | 20g | Grimshade | 40g | 20g (100%) |
Prices shown are baseline averages and will fluctuate with the 30-minute refresh cycle. The percentage in the profit column represents the return on investment per unit — higher percentages mean more efficient use of your gold.
Most Profitable Trade Routes Ranked
Not all routes are created equal. The most profitable route is not necessarily the one with the highest per-unit profit — you must also factor in travel time, cargo capacity, and risk. A route that earns 10 gold per unit on a 2-minute sail is better than one that earns 20 gold per unit on a 10-minute sail. Here are the top routes ranked by gold-per-minute efficiency.
Route 1: Ember Bay to Grimshade (Exotic Spices)
This is the single most profitable route in the game per unit of cargo space. Buy Exotic Spices at Ember Bay for roughly 22 gold each and sail northwest to Grimshade Dock where they sell for approximately 42 gold. The return on investment is massive, and the route is relatively short — roughly 4 minutes of sailing in a Sloop with favorable wind.
- Gold per unit: ~20g
- Sail time: ~4 minutes
- Cargo used: 1 slot per 10 units of spices
- Full Sloop cargo (12 slots): ~2,400g profit per trip
Route 2: Sunken Hollow to Tidewatch (Dark Rum)
Dark Rum is a high-demand commodity at Tidewatch Harbor, which is a major population center that consumes more rum than it produces. Buy at Sunken Hollow for around 14 gold and sell at Tidewatch for around 30 gold. The route requires sailing through open ocean, which carries higher pirate risk, but the profit margin justifies the danger.
- Gold per unit: ~16g
- Sail time: ~5 minutes
- Cargo used: 1 slot per 10 units of rum
- Full Sloop cargo (12 slots): ~1,920g profit per trip
Route 3: Ironveil to Sunken Hollow (Gunpowder)
Gunpowder is manufactured at Ironveil Outpost and is in high demand at Sunken Hollow, which lacks its own production facilities. This route is longer — roughly 7 minutes — but the per-unit profit is excellent and the route takes you through relatively safe coastal waters.
- Gold per unit: ~18g
- Sail time: ~7 minutes
- Cargo used: 1 slot per 5 units of gunpowder
- Full Sloop cargo (12 slots): ~2,160g profit per trip
Route 4: Grimshade to Coralrest (Bear Furs)
This route takes you from the northwest coast to the central islands, a mid-length journey of about 6 minutes. Bear Furs sell well at Coralrest because the island market has limited access to Foothills resources. The route is safe if you hug the northern coastline before cutting south.
- Gold per unit: ~18g
- Sail time: ~6 minutes
- Cargo used: 1 slot per 5 units of furs
- Full Sloop cargo (12 slots): ~2,160g profit per trip
Route 5: Tidewatch to Coralrest (Salted Fish)
The Salted Fish route is one of the best early-game trade runs because it is short, safe, and requires minimal investment. The per-unit profit is lower than the spice or rum routes, but the speed of the run makes up for it. This is the ideal route for players who are still sailing a Ketch or unupgraded Sloop.
- Gold per unit: ~10g
- Sail time: ~3 minutes
- Cargo used: 1 slot per 20 units of fish
- Full Sloop cargo (12 slots): ~2,400g profit per trip
The best traders do not run a single route repeatedly — they chain routes together. For example: buy Spices at Ember Bay, sell at Grimshade, buy Furs at Grimshade, sell at Coralrest, buy Pearls at Coralrest, sell at Ember Bay. This creates a circular route that keeps your cargo hold full in both directions and eliminates empty return trips.
Route Comparison Summary
| Route | Buy → Sell | Gold/Unit | Time | GPM (Gold/Min) | Risk Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spices | Ember Bay → Grimshade | 20g | 4 min | ~600 | Low |
| Fish | Tidewatch → Coralrest | 10g | 3 min | ~800 | Very Low |
| Rum | Sunken Hollow → Tidewatch | 16g | 5 min | ~384 | High |
| Gunpowder | Ironveil → Sunken Hollow | 18g | 7 min | ~309 | Medium |
| Furs | Grimshade → Coralrest | 18g | 6 min | ~360 | Medium |
| Pearls | Coralrest → Ember Bay | 23g | 8 min | ~345 | Low |
| Medicine | Coralrest → Grimshade | 20g | 6 min | ~400 | Low |
GPM (gold per minute) figures assume a fully loaded Sloop with 12 cargo slots. Actual GPM will vary based on your ship, cargo capacity, wind conditions, and current market prices. The Salted Fish route has the highest GPM despite lower per-unit profit because of its short travel time and high stack density.
Required Ship Cargo Capacity by Route
Each commodity has a different stack size — the number of units that fit in a single cargo slot. Higher-value commodities tend to have smaller stack sizes, which means you need more cargo slots to carry a profitable load. Here is the cargo capacity you need for each route to be worth running:
| Route | Stack Size | Min. Cargo Slots | Recommended Ship |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salted Fish | 20 per slot | 6 | Ketch or Sloop |
| Raw Salt | 20 per slot | 6 | Ketch or Sloop |
| Cloth Scraps | 15 per slot | 6 | Ketch or Sloop |
| Exotic Spices | 10 per slot | 8 | Sloop |
| Dark Rum | 10 per slot | 8 | Sloop |
| Bear Furs | 5 per slot | 10 | Sloop or Brigantine |
| Gunpowder | 5 per slot | 10 | Sloop or Brigantine |
| Black Pearls | 3 per slot | 10 | Brigantine |
| Medicine | 5 per slot | 8 | Sloop |
Do not run high-value, low-stack routes in a Ketch. Black Pearls stack at only 3 per slot, which means a Ketch with 8 cargo slots can carry only 24 pearls — a profit of roughly 552 gold for an 8-minute sail. That same time spent running Salted Fish in a Ketch earns over 1,200 gold. Match your route to your ship's cargo capacity.
How to Avoid Pirate Attacks While Trading
Pirate NPC ships and hostile players are the biggest threat to traders. A full cargo hold makes you a tempting target, and losing a ship full of goods hurts twice — you lose the cargo value and the repair costs. Here are the best strategies for safe trading:
Route Planning for Safety
- Hug the coastline. Pirate ships spawn in open ocean and are less common near the coast. Coastal routes are longer in distance but significantly safer. The extra 1-2 minutes of sailing is cheap insurance against losing 2,000+ gold in cargo.
- Check the map for pirate activity. The map shows red markers where hostile ships were recently spotted. Plan your route to avoid these areas. If a new pirate spawn appears on your route, detour around it — the extra time is worth not losing your cargo.
- Travel during calm weather. Pirates are more active during storms and at night. Daytime sailing in clear weather is the safest time for trade runs.
- Use the shallow draft. If you are in a Sloop, plan routes that pass through shallow waters where larger pirate ships (Brigantine-class NPCs) cannot follow.
What to Do If Attacked
- Evaluate the threat. Not every hostile ship is a threat. A single NPC Sloop is manageable — fight it if you have decent cannons. A Brigantine or multiple ships means you should run.
- Dump low-value cargo if chased.> If a faster ship is pursuing you, jettison your lowest-value cargo to gain speed. Lightening your ship slightly improves acceleration and top speed. Losing 100 gold in Salt is better than losing everything.
- Equip chain shot. If you decide to fight, load chain shot to destroy the attacker's sails. A disabled ship cannot chase you, giving you time to escape.
- Head for the nearest port. Ports are safe zones — hostile ships will not follow you into port waters. If you can reach a port, you can sell your cargo and repair before continuing.
Keep at least 20 Repair Kits in your cargo hold at all times when trading. If you take hull damage during a pirate encounter, you can patch up at sea and continue your run. Running out of Repair Kits means limping back to port at half speed — a prime target for a second pirate attack.
Bulk Trading Tips for Maximum Profit
Once you have the basics down, these advanced tips will help you squeeze every last gold piece out of your trading operations:
- Buy the price refresh cycle. Pay attention to when prices last changed at each port. If you know a port's spices are currently priced low and the refresh is in 5 minutes, wait for the refresh — prices might drop even further, increasing your margin.
- Use the volume discount. When buying 20+ units of a commodity, the per-unit price drops by roughly 5%. At 40+ units, it drops another 5%. Plan your purchases to hit these thresholds. This saves significant gold over dozens of trading runs.
- Never sell everything at once. If you dump 100 units of spices on a port at once, the port's buy price drops temporarily (within the same refresh cycle). Sell in batches of 40-50 units to maintain a higher average sell price.
- Chain circular routes. The most efficient traders run circular routes that buy at port A, sell at port B, buy at port B, sell at port C, buy at port C, sell at port A. This eliminates empty return trips and doubles your effective GPM.
- Upgrade cargo before cannons for trading. If your primary income is trading, prioritize cargo expansion over cannon upgrades. Every extra cargo slot directly increases your per-trip profit, while cannons are only useful for the occasional pirate encounter.
- Hire the Alchemist worker NPC. The Alchemist can process raw commodities into refined versions that sell for significantly more. Raw Salt sells for 5g, but the Alchemist can convert it to Refined Salt which sells for 12g — more than doubling your profit margin. See our Worker NPC Guide for details.
Trading Profit Goals by Progression Stage
| Stage | Ship | Cargo Slots | Best Route | Gold per Trip | Gold per Hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Early Game | Ketch | 8 | Fish (Tidewatch → Coralrest) | ~1,600g | ~15,000g |
| Early-Mid | Sloop (base) | 12 | Spices (Ember Bay → Grimshade) | ~2,400g | ~22,000g |
| Mid Game | Sloop (upgraded) | 20 | Spices (circular chain) | ~4,000g | ~35,000g |
| Late-Mid | Brigantine | 32 | Furs + Gunpowder chain | ~8,000g | ~55,000g |
| Late Game | Frigate | 48 | Pearls + Rum chain | ~15,000g | ~90,000g |
These figures are estimates based on consistent trading with favorable market conditions. Your actual income will vary based on price fluctuations, pirate encounters, and how efficiently you chain routes. The key takeaway is that trading scales dramatically with cargo capacity — upgrading your ship is the single best investment for increasing your gold income.
Whether you are running your first Salted Fish route in a Ketch or chaining multi-port circuits in a Brigantine, the trading system in Windrose rewards knowledge and consistency. Learn the ports, watch the prices, and sail safe.