How to Use Market and Bounty Board

Harbor Economy Overview

Patch 89.25 added two harbor structures that transform Tides of Fortune from a combat DLC into a full economic ecosystem: the Market (server-wide player trading) and the Bounty Board (tribe-wide mission contracts). Both integrate with the Merchant skill tree and Hexagon Exchange.

Place both structures near your Shipyard for efficient dock-to-trade workflows. The Market handles buy/sell orders with Hexagon currency. The Bounty Board issues dynamically generated hunt contracts rewarding Hexagons upon completion.

These structures make the Brigantine cargo role viable and give solo players consistent income beyond treasure hunting.

Market — Player Trading

The Market enables server-wide buy and sell orders. List surplus treasure loot, crafted equipment, and resources at competitive prices. Set buy orders for materials you need — other players fulfill orders while you sail.

The Market doubles as an offshore Hexchange, giving direct access to the HLN-A store across any ARK map. This cross-server economic access makes harbor positioning strategically valuable even for tribes whose primary activity is not trade.

Merchant skill tree bonuses amplify Market efficiency: improved order margins, faster transaction processing, and enhanced Hexagon Exchange rates. Activate the Merchant active ability during high-volume trading sessions.

Bounty Board — Tribe Contracts

The Bounty Board generates repeatable, dynamically created contracts for your tribe. Contracts designate hunt targets — creatures, players (on PvP), or objective completions — and reward Hexagons upon fulfillment.

Accept contracts before every voyage. Many overlap with milestone objectives, treasure hunting, and Ocean Outpost raids for triple progression per activity.

Patch 91.6 improved Bounty Board map-specific creature whitelists. Server v91.18 (July 14) fixed contract completion after server restarts and stopped impossible Aberrant creature requests on maps without Aberrant spawns — see Patch 91.18 notes.

Tribal coordination maximizes Bounty Board value. Assign contracts by role: combat players take hunt targets, explorers take discovery objectives, traders deliver cargo contracts. Share Hexagon rewards through tribal treasury systems.

Optimal Harbor Layout

Recommended layout: Shipyard (center) → Market (adjacent) → Bounty Board (adjacent) → Cargo Ledger (inventory hub). Add Aquarium and TOF Lights for Luxury synergy. This cluster creates a one-stop naval operations port.

The Cargo Ledger links nearby storage crates, letting you pull trade inventory without running between boxes. List goods on Market directly from Ledger-accessed storage for minimal downtime.

Defensive positioning matters on PvP servers. Markets attract raiders seeking stored Hexagons and trade goods. Build harbor defenses and keep combat Sloops anchored nearby.

Income Loop Strategy

Daily loop: accept Bounty Board contracts → sail treasure/trophy route → sell loot on Market → reinvest Hexagons in ship upgrades and skill tree points. This loop sustains fleet growth without grinding unrelated content.

Treasure cache loot often includes trade goods with high Market demand. Sort loot by sell price before depositing — direct high-value items to Market listings, bulk resources to Cargo Ledger storage.

Non-DLC players can buy DLC-crafted goods from Market but cannot craft engrams. DLC owners supply the market — price accordingly on mixed-ownership servers.