Trader!

TRADER!

If someone yells that and you think they are accusing you of betraying them, you probably haven't been playing enough Tiny Empires. The mysterious trader is the stuff of legends... everyone looks forward to his coming (usually, at least), and everyone talks about him- both good and bad.

But for someone who is the tall, dark, mysterious stranger of so many dreams, exact information about what he does isn't always as well known. The trader is here, what do you do? Well, there are various things that you have to do, depending on what he gives you (assuming you managed to pay his rather high price.) How well you like doing it depends on how much time and attention you can devote to it. Call it your "activity level". (I know of some people who have several alts on to catch the trader... ouch. That activity level is definitely above mine!)

So, assuming that you have a certain activity level, which alternatives will stress that level more than others? Ranked in order, here are the possibilities. We'll start with the most stressful and work down to the least:

For one year, your land is worth more than usual.

This one will keep you hopping! You can sell land for more than it costs you to buy. This means that for twelve months, you have to page through and click yes on TWO offers- one to buy, and one to sell! The gold you earn by doing those two clicks every month is definitely a profit over what you pay, but you earn it. Some people propose just selliing land, and not buying back at the time. I've yet to analyze the situation closely, but I suspect it comes out about the same either way. What is known is that most people both sell and buy every month- two clicks! Total: 24 clicks (plus paging through)

For one year,your generosity will be richly rewarded.

You get a chance to give away acres! For eleven months, when you give away land, you are rewarded with gold the next month. (That's why you can only do it for eleven months- if you give the land away in the last month, which it lets you do, you won't be rewarded because the next month is after the 'trader year'.) This may be only one click, but it also involves finding someone to give the acre to! Indeed, this fact alone can arguably make this the hardest and most active and stressful option... but once you find someone, it is only one click (give land to that person) every month- and for only eleven months at that. (Some people recommend finding a different person each time, saying that it gives better rewards. If you do that, I'd say this is inarguably the busiest option!!) Total: 11 clicks

For one year, you may buy land at a very low price.

For twelve months, you have to click yes to buying land. While it's more clicks than the generosity option (one per month- buy land!) you don't have to find anyone else to give land to. You can sit there and click ONCE each month. (If you don't have enough gold, the clicks can be more, since you both buy AND sell in some months to get gold.) Total: 12 clicks (minimum)

For one year, purchased land is likely to contain surprises.

Buy land for eleven months! In the next month, when it is purchased, you find a prize on the new acre. This is one click per month- but only eleven months, not twelve. It has the same caveat as the gift of generosity- the reward shows up in the next month, so you get a chance to buy acre number twelve, but you don't get any prize on it (or are only as likely to as you ever are- no guarantees). So,just buy, buy, buy.... Total: 11 clicks

A book appears as if from thin air. It is locked. He gives it to you. (Fed Hud Only)

This one has no clicks in the "trader year". So, it's low stress, and low activity, in this year... but it's a lot more clicking and work later on, as you complete the quest of how to open and interpret it. It's also a fair amount of money. So, not much activity up front, but more later. Total: 0 clicks up front, plenty later

He gives you a bag of Golden Seeds, and your land production skyrockets. (Fed Hud Only)

No clicks necessary! You just stay online, and watch your gold pour in. (Check your accounting tab). This one is fun. Nothing to do except one thing: just stay online and active. This one is low stress and fun to watch! Total: 0 clicks over 12 months

One gold increase in land production for evermore

No clicks necessary! And not only that, there is no further quest to worry about, and you don't even have to stay online after you see it! If you want to, you can read it, say "great", and just log off! All it means is that your land now produces one more gold per acre. This one pays for itself over the long run, and is the lowest of the low in activity level. Nothing to do, no commitment to make, just read it, and enjoy at your leisure. Total: 0 clicks over 0 months.

So, from high stress to low stress, these are your options. If you'd like some more information on them, and the Trader in general, I highly recommend reading the Tiny Empires wiki.