The Mentor

Contacts and services

Money and reputation are base values, before difficulty and starting perk adjustments.

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About

Trading and shop tutorial guide

The Mentor introduces trading, after-hours activity, inspection, the Display Case and bargaining over the first fourteen days. Later visits explain your crime record and the Business Permit, and introduce the defensive shotgun. Most lessons give tools or notes without a choice.

Priority by specialization

Apprentice
Priority
AUseful in the right situation
Why it matters
As Apprentice, the Display Case lesson opens a route to buyers for food and household goods; inspection and bargaining lessons protect those sales.
Water Merchant
Priority
AUseful in the right situation
Why it matters
As Water Merchant, the Display Case lesson opens a route to buyers for bottled water; inspection and bargaining lessons protect those sales.
Fence
Priority
AUseful in the right situation
Why it matters
As Fence, the intro is always skipped, so he comes only on days 12 and 24: on day 12 the store shotgun becomes usable, you receive an Augmented Identification Guide and the Augmented start to appear; on day 24 he explains the Business Permit if you have none.
Rock Bottom
Priority
AUseful in the right situation
Why it matters
As Rock Bottom, the intro is always skipped, so he comes only on days 12 and 24: on day 12 the store shotgun becomes usable, you receive an Augmented Identification Guide and the Augmented start to appear; on day 24 he explains the Business Permit if you have none.
Hydroponic Farmer
Priority
AUseful in the right situation
Why it matters
As Hydroponic Farmer, the Display Case lesson opens a route to buyers for crops, coffee and wine; inspection and bargaining lessons protect those sales.
Gunsmith
Priority
AUseful in the right situation
Why it matters
As Gunsmith, the intro is always skipped, so he comes only on days 12 and 24: on day 12 the store shotgun becomes usable, you receive an Augmented Identification Guide and the Augmented start to appear; on day 24 he explains the Business Permit if you have none.
Chemist
Priority
AUseful in the right situation
Why it matters
As Chemist, the intro is always skipped, so he comes only on days 12 and 24: on day 12 the store shotgun becomes usable, you receive an Augmented Identification Guide and the Augmented start to appear; on day 24 he explains the Business Permit if you have none.
Rat Wrangler
Priority
AUseful in the right situation
Why it matters
As Rat Wrangler, the Display Case lesson opens a route to buyers for meat from your rats; inspection and bargaining lessons protect those sales.
Aquafarmer
Priority
AUseful in the right situation
Why it matters
As Aquafarmer, the Display Case lesson opens a route to buyers for fish and roe; inspection and bargaining lessons protect those sales.

Specialization	Priority	Why it matters
Apprentice	AUseful in the right situation	As Apprentice, the Display Case lesson opens a route to buyers for food and household goods; inspection and bargaining lessons protect those sales.
Water Merchant	AUseful in the right situation	As Water Merchant, the Display Case lesson opens a route to buyers for bottled water; inspection and bargaining lessons protect those sales.
Fence	AUseful in the right situation	As Fence, the intro is always skipped, so he comes only on days 12 and 24: on day 12 the store shotgun becomes usable, you receive an Augmented Identification Guide and the Augmented start to appear; on day 24 he explains the Business Permit if you have none.
Rock Bottom	AUseful in the right situation	As Rock Bottom, the intro is always skipped, so he comes only on days 12 and 24: on day 12 the store shotgun becomes usable, you receive an Augmented Identification Guide and the Augmented start to appear; on day 24 he explains the Business Permit if you have none.
Hydroponic Farmer	AUseful in the right situation	As Hydroponic Farmer, the Display Case lesson opens a route to buyers for crops, coffee and wine; inspection and bargaining lessons protect those sales.
Gunsmith	AUseful in the right situation	As Gunsmith, the intro is always skipped, so he comes only on days 12 and 24: on day 12 the store shotgun becomes usable, you receive an Augmented Identification Guide and the Augmented start to appear; on day 24 he explains the Business Permit if you have none.
Chemist	AUseful in the right situation	As Chemist, the intro is always skipped, so he comes only on days 12 and 24: on day 12 the store shotgun becomes usable, you receive an Augmented Identification Guide and the Augmented start to appear; on day 24 he explains the Business Permit if you have none.
Rat Wrangler	AUseful in the right situation	As Rat Wrangler, the Display Case lesson opens a route to buyers for meat from your rats; inspection and bargaining lessons protect those sales.
Aquafarmer	AUseful in the right situation	As Aquafarmer, the Display Case lesson opens a route to buyers for fish and roe; inspection and bargaining lessons protect those sales.

SPrepare for this customer: A seller of goods that are hard to get elsewhere, equipment, a reward or an unlock the specialization's route depends on, a deadline or branch to decide in advance, or a danger of major loss such as game over, arrest or confiscation makes advance preparation worthwhile. A high priority does not mean every purchase or report is recommended.
AUseful in the right situation: A main buyer of your goods, a seller of some of your inputs, a side income, optional input, reputation opportunity or conditional risk matters when the matching stock, branch or cash need exists. Check the condition before reserving scarce money or goods.
BOrdinary response is enough: The specialization does not normally depend on this customer's goods or outcome. Serve an appropriate incidental trade when the visitor comes without planning the business around it; a low priority does not remove legal or safety consequences.

Events

Quick summary

Days 1–14No choices: he teaches the basics of trading and hands out notes and tools. He does not come if you skip the intro.
Day 12The shop shotgun is unlocked and the Augmented start to appear
→check the Augmented Identification Guide before you shoot.

Visit 1 (Day 1)

When: Day 1, unless Skip Intro is selected.
What happens: The first lesson explains basic shop trading.

Choices

Continue the conversation; no branching choice

Receive one each of "Mentor's Note: Trading" and "Mentor's Note: Food".
The tutorial moves on, and the dialogue settings screen opens.
The visitor leaves.

Recommended response

Finish the lesson; there is no branching reply or purchase to optimise. The trading and food notes are given automatically, and the conversation opens the dialogue settings.

Visit 2 (Day 2)

When: Day 2, unless Skip Intro is selected.
What happens: He introduces what can be done after closing.

Choices

Continue the conversation; no branching choice

After-hours activity becomes available.
Receive "Mentor's Note: After-Hours Activity", one Topical Medication Bandage and one Fanny Pack.
The visitor leaves.

Recommended response

Continue to unlock after-hours activity; the reply does not select a different reward. You also receive a Topical Medication Bandage and a Fanny Pack, so you do not need to buy those just for this lesson.

Visit 3 (Day 3)

When: Day 3, unless Skip Intro is selected.
What happens: He teaches inspection using cigarettes and a Magnifying Glass.

Choices

Continue the conversation; no branching choice

Visual inspection becomes available.
Receive one each of "Mentor's Note: Visual Inspection", Hemingway Identification Guide, Hemingway Color Checker and Magnifying Glass.
The visitor leaves.

Recommended response

This unlocks Visual Inspection without a reward choice. Keep the Hemingway Identification Guide, the Hemingway Color Checker and the supplied inspection tool for checking the false cigarette labels in the tutorial sales.

Visit 4 (Day 5)

When: Day 5, unless Skip Intro is selected.
What happens: He introduces Display Case sales and gives neon signs suited to your starting scenario.

Choices

Continue the conversation; no branching choice

The Display Case becomes available.
Receive the neon signs listed for this starting scenario.
Receive the neon signs listed for this starting scenario.
Receive the neon signs listed for this starting scenario.
Other starts receive one Food Neon Sign and one Household Item Neon Sign.
Receive one "Mentor's Note: Display Case".
The visitor leaves.

Recommended response

Continue to unlock the Display Case and receive signs appropriate to the starting specialization. This is not a choice of signs in the conversation; set up the goods and signs afterwards to attract suitable buyers.

Visit 5 (Day 7)

When: Day 7, unless Skip Intro is selected.
What happens: He explains the impact of events on trading.

Choices

Continue the conversation; no branching choice

Receive one "Mentor's Note: Events".
The Mining Expedition Returns event happens one day later, announced in advance.
The visitor leaves.

Recommended response

The conversation itself has no branching outcome. It gives an event note and schedules the next day's announced mining event; refusing an unrelated trade does not cancel that lesson effect.

Visit 6

When: After the Display Case lesson, when the Display Case lacks a neon sign or goods at 2 openings in a row. Normally day 7 at the earliest.
What happens: He reminds you to finish setting up the Display Case.

Choices

Continue the conversation; no branching choice

The visitor leaves.

Recommended response

The reminder gives no new goods and offers no alternative reward. Put both suitable goods and a neon sign in the Display Case rather than waiting for another conversation to finish the setup.

Notes

This visit happens on every difficulty. The separate one-time Display Case tip on screen appears on Price Gouge and Mark Up but not on Thin Margins or Red Ink, and never in a Rock Bottom start.

Visit 7 (Day 8)

When: Day 8, unless Skip Intro is selected.
What happens: He introduces bargaining before another food trade.

Choices

Continue the conversation; no branching choice

Bargaining becomes available.
The visitor leaves.

Recommended response

Finish the explanation to unlock bargaining; there is no profitable alternative reply. The following food purchase is still a separate decision about price, resale and available cash.

Visit 8 (Day 12)

When: Day 12, unless the Aug Menace starting perk has already unlocked the shotgun.
What happens: He demonstrates the shop shotgun and warns about the Augmented.

Choices

Continue the conversation; no branching choice

If the shotgun is still locked, it is unlocked, the Augmented start to appear, and their presence starts low.
Receive one "Mentor's Note: The Augmented" and one Augmented Identification Guide.
The visitor leaves.

Recommended response

There is no dialogue choice: the lesson unlocks the shop shotgun if it is still locked and supplies an Augmented Identification Guide. Augmented customers can then appear, so learn the identification rules before shooting; the lesson does not make every suspicious visitor a valid target.

Visit 9 (Day 14)

When: Day 14, unless Skip Intro is selected.
What happens: He concludes the initial lessons.

Choices

Continue the conversation; no branching choice

Unlock the tutorial-completion achievement.
The visitor leaves.

Recommended response

Complete the conversation to receive the tutorial-completion achievement. There is no reward selection, and this does not mean every later guidance visit has already happened.

Visit 10

When: At the first opening after your crime record rises above 0, unless Skip Intro is selected; there is no fixed day.
What happens: He explains the existing crime record.

Choices

Continue the conversation; no branching choice

Visual inspection becomes available if it was not already.
Receive one Security Record.
The visitor leaves.

Recommended response

This explains a crime record you already have; the conversation neither clears it nor asks you to pay a fine. Receive the Security Record and inspection access if needed, then manage the crimes separately.

Visit 11 (Day 24)

When: Day 24, if you do not have a Business Permit.
What happens: He explains why you need a Business Permit and that its price depends on difficulty.

Choices

Continue the conversation; no branching choice

Learn about the Business Permit: it costs 500 on Price Gouge, 1500 on Mark Up, 2000 on Thin Margins and 3000 on Red Ink. This visit does not give or sell it.
The visitor leaves.

Recommended response

This is information about the Business Permit, not a free permit or a purchase opportunity. Budget 500 on Price Gouge, 1500 on Mark Up, 2000 on Thin Margins or 3000 on Red Ink for the actual sale elsewhere.