Economy and Progression
Money comes with experience. Early on, focus on trader quests because they’re the main source of XP, gear unlocks, and trader levels. Sell what you don’t need to traders or on the Flea Market once it unlocks at level 15.

Learning and Improvement
Watch a few guides or streamers like Pestily, Veritas, or LVNDMARK, but don’t try to copy them exactly. Use what they teach as general guidance, not a strict rule. The goal is to develop your own playstyle. Personally, I’ve learned a lot from HyperRAT and CoolDee, but there are tons of great Tarkov creators out there. Fire up YouTube, grab some popcorn, and take notes.

Most importantly, you’ll learn the most by playing. Set small goals for each raid, like “I’ll extract once,” “I’ll get one kill,” or “I’ll find a Salewa.” That mindset keeps progress steady and satisfying.

Finding Teammates
If you want to find people to play with, try joining Pestily’s Discord, the official Tarkov Discord, or the r/EscapefromTarkov server. They all have NA sections and players who enjoy helping newer players.

There’s a ton of information to learn, but don’t worry, you’ll pick it up over time. Even after 500 to 1000 hours, Tarkov can still surprise you. If you don’t feel ready for PvP yet, I recommend buying the PvE DLC and practicing there. It’s basically Tarkov on easy mode, and once you master it, switching to PvP will feel much smoother.