Complete Gratitude Quest in Tarkov: Step-by-Step Guide

Gratitude in Escape from Tarkov is a mid-wipe Ragman quest requiring players to plant four items at the Sawmill docks on Woods. It unlocks critical quests needed for Kappa container progression.

What is the Gratitude Quest in Escape from Tarkov?

Gratitude is an important mid-wipe quest given by the trader Ragman in Escape from Tarkov. This quest requires players to plant several items at a specific location on the Woods map. Completing this quest is crucial for progression in the game as it unlocks other important quests like Hot Delivery and Sales Night, which are necessary steps toward obtaining the coveted Kappa secure container.

The quest might seem straightforward at first glance, but the exposed location where you need to plant the items makes it challenging and potentially dangerous.

The quest involves planting four specific items: a Shemagh (Green), a Ghost balaclava, Round frame glasses, and RayBench sunglasses at the docks of the Lumberjack (also known as the Sawmill) on Woods. Each planting process takes approximately 20 seconds, during which you must remain completely still, making you vulnerable to enemy players and AI scavs.

Quest Requirements and Prerequisites

How to Unlock the Gratitude Quest

The Gratitude quest becomes available after completing the “Dressed to Kill” quest from Ragman. However, some players have reported issues with the quest not appearing immediately after completing the prerequisite. In some cases, the quest may appear after gaining a level or restarting the game.

If you’ve completed “Dressed to Kill” but don’t see the Gratitude quest in your task list, try gaining a level or restarting your game. Some players have reported that the quest might be glitched and only appears after these actions.

Required Items for Completion

To complete the Gratitude quest, you’ll need to collect and plant the following items:

1. Shemagh (Green)
2. Ghost balaclava
3. Round frame glasses
4. RayBench Hipster Reserve sunglasses

These items can be purchased from the Flea Market if you have access to it, or they can be looted from scavs during raids. Since these items are relatively common, you shouldn’t have much trouble finding them through either method.

It’s worth noting that these items take up space in your inventory, so plan accordingly before heading into the raid. If you’re concerned about losing these items before completing the quest, you can store them in your secure container if you have enough space.

Locating the Planting Spot on Woods

Finding the Sawmill Area

The planting location for the Gratitude quest is at the docks of the Lumberjack, also known as the Sawmill, on the Woods map. This is not to be confused with the old sawmill – you need to go to the main sawmill where the boss Shturman typically spawns.

If you’re not familiar with the Woods map, it’s recommended to use resources like Map Genie or the Tarkov Wiki for guidance. These tools can help you navigate to the correct location efficiently, reducing the time you spend exposed in dangerous areas.

The Sawmill is located roughly in the center of the Woods map, near a large lake. It’s a high-traffic area with good loot, which makes it particularly dangerous as both player scavs and PMCs frequently visit this location. Additionally, the boss Shturman and his guards may spawn here, adding another layer of danger.

The Exact Planting Location

Once you reach the Sawmill, head toward the lake shore. You’ll see a wooden dock extending into the water with some barrels on it. This dock is your target location for planting all four quest items.

The exact planting spot is near the barrels on the dock. You need to get close to these barrels and interact with them to plant each item. The planting process requires you to remain stationary for approximately 20 seconds per item, during which you cannot move or press any keys.

It’s important to note that if you accidentally press a key during the planting process, such as your free look keybind, don’t release it if you’re almost done with the planting. Releasing the key will interrupt the process, forcing you to start over.

Step-by-Step Guide to Completing Gratitude

Preparation Before the Raid

Before heading into Woods to complete the Gratitude quest, proper preparation is essential:

1. Ensure you have all four required items: Shemagh (Green), Ghost balaclava, Round frame glasses, and RayBench sunglasses.
2. Consider storing these items in your secure container if possible, to protect them until you reach the planting location.
3. Bring appropriate gear for the raid. Since the planting location is exposed, you might want to bring good armor and weapons for protection.
4. Consider bringing painkillers or other medical items in case you get injured during the raid.
5. Plan your route to the Sawmill carefully, avoiding high-traffic areas if possible.

Executing the Quest

Once you’ve loaded into a Woods raid, follow these steps to complete the Gratitude quest:

1. Navigate to the Sawmill area, being cautious of other players and AI scavs.
2. Locate the wooden dock extending into the lake near the Sawmill.
3. Approach the barrels on the dock.
4. Plant each of the four items one by one. Remember, each planting process takes about 20 seconds, during which you must remain completely still.
5. After successfully planting all four items, extract from the raid to complete the quest.

It’s worth noting that you don’t need to plant all items in a single raid. If you die after planting some items, the progress is saved, and you only need to plant the remaining items in subsequent raids.

Expert Tips for Completing Gratitude Safely

Choosing the Right Time for the Raid

One of the most effective strategies for completing the Gratitude quest safely is to attempt it during a night raid. Night raids typically have fewer players, reducing the risk of encountering enemy PMCs.

Additionally, the vision of AI scavs is limited at night, making them less likely to spot and engage you from a distance. This gives you a better chance of reaching the planting location undetected.

If you choose to do a night raid, consider investing in night vision goggles. A basic set costs around 40,000-50,000 Roubles and significantly improves your visibility, making navigation and threat detection much easier.

Tactical Approaches to the Planting Location

The dock where you need to plant the items is quite exposed, making you vulnerable while completing the task. Here are some tactical approaches to minimize risk:

1. Scout the area before approaching the dock. Look for any movement or signs of other players or scavs.
2. Consider using smoke grenades to provide cover while planting the items.
3. If possible, have a teammate provide overwatch while you plant the items.
4. Be aware of common sniper positions that overlook the Sawmill area.
5. Plan your escape route before starting the planting process. Know exactly where you’ll go after completing the task.

What to Do If You Encounter Resistance

Despite your best efforts, you might encounter other players or AI scavs while attempting to complete the Gratitude quest. Here’s how to handle these situations:

1. If you spot enemies before they see you, consider waiting for them to leave the area before proceeding.
2. If engaged in combat, try to eliminate threats quickly and move to a safe position to heal before continuing with the quest.
3. If the area is too hot (many players or AI), consider extracting and trying again in a different raid.
4. Remember that quest progress is saved, so if you manage to plant even one item before dying, that progress won’t be lost.

Rewards and Quest Progression

Immediate Rewards for Completing Gratitude

Upon successfully completing the Gratitude quest, you’ll receive the following rewards:

1. Experience: 14,400 XP
2. Ragman Reputation: +0.03
3. Roubles: 120,000 (126,000 with Intel Center level 2, 138,000 with Intel Center level 3)
4. Items:

• 2x Chimera boonie hat
• 2x LLCS boonie hat
• 2x Door kicker boonie hat
• 2x MIL-TEC boonie hat

These rewards provide a decent experience boost and some useful items, making the quest worth completing even if you’re not specifically working toward the Kappa container.

Unlocked Quests and Progression Path

Completing the Gratitude quest is particularly important because it unlocks other critical quests in Ragman’s questline:

1. Hot Delivery
2. Sales Night

These quests are essential for progressing toward the Kappa secure container, which is the ultimate goal for many Escape from Tarkov players. The Kappa container provides the largest secure storage space in the game, allowing you to safely store valuable items during raids.

Additionally, the Gratitude quest is required for the Collector quest, which is the final quest needed for obtaining the Kappa container. This makes Gratitude an essential stepping stone in your overall progression in Escape from Tarkov.

Common Issues and Troubleshooting

Quest Not Appearing After Prerequisites

Some players have reported issues with the Gratitude quest not appearing in their task list even after completing the prerequisite “Dressed to Kill” quest. If you’re experiencing this issue, try the following solutions:

1. Gain a level through other activities in the game. Some players have reported that the quest appeared after leveling up.
2. Restart your game client. Sometimes, the quest list doesn’t update properly until you restart the game.
3. Check if you have any other active quests that might be blocking the Gratitude quest. Sometimes, quest progression paths can be affected by other active quests.
4. If none of these solutions work, it might be a bug in the current version of the game. Check the official Escape from Tarkov forums or Reddit for similar reports and potential workarounds.

Planting Process Interruptions

The planting process for each item takes about 20 seconds, during which you must remain completely still. If the process is interrupted, you’ll need to start over. Common causes of interruptions include:

1. Accidentally pressing movement keys or other keybinds.
2. Taking damage from enemy fire.
3. Being pushed by another player.

To minimize the risk of interruptions, find a moment when the area is clear before starting the planting process. If you accidentally press a key like free look while planting and you’re almost done, don’t release the key, as doing so will interrupt the process.

Gratitude Quest in the Context of Wipe Progression

When to Tackle This Quest in Your Wipe Journey

Gratitude is considered a mid-wipe quest, meaning it’s typically tackled after you’ve established yourself in the current wipe cycle with decent gear and knowledge of the maps. However, since it unlocks important quests for Kappa container progression, it’s advisable to complete it as soon as it becomes available to you.

The ideal time to attempt this quest is when:

1. You have access to the Flea Market to easily purchase the required items.
2. You have decent gear to protect yourself during the raid.
3. You’re comfortable navigating the Woods map and dealing with potential threats in the Sawmill area.

Completing this quest early in your wipe progression opens up additional quest options, giving you more flexibility in how you progress through the game.

Importance for Kappa Container Progression

The Kappa secure container is the ultimate goal for many dedicated Escape from Tarkov players. It provides the largest secure storage space in the game, allowing you to safely store valuable items during raids.

To obtain the Kappa container, you need to complete the Collector quest, which requires you to have completed numerous other quests, including Gratitude. This makes Gratitude an essential stepping stone in your journey toward obtaining the Kappa container.

While the Kappa container is a late-game goal, completing prerequisite quests like Gratitude as soon as they become available helps streamline your progression and prevents bottlenecks later in the wipe.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Gratitude Quest

Can I Complete Gratitude in Multiple Raids?

Yes, you can complete the Gratitude quest across multiple raids. If you manage to plant one or more items and then die or extract, your progress is saved. In subsequent raids, you only need to plant the remaining items.

This feature makes the quest more manageable, as you don’t need to risk all four items in a single raid. If the Sawmill area is particularly dangerous in one raid, you can extract after planting one or two items and return later to complete the rest.

What’s the Best Time to Attempt This Quest?

The best time to attempt the Gratitude quest is during a night raid. Night raids typically have fewer players, reducing the risk of encountering enemy PMCs. Additionally, AI scavs have limited vision at night, making them less likely to spot you from a distance.

If you’re comfortable with night raids, this approach significantly increases your chances of completing the quest safely. Just remember to bring night vision goggles to help you navigate in the darkness.

Can I Use Any Balaclava or Sunglasses for This Quest?

No, you must use the specific items required by the quest:

1. Shemagh (Green) – not any other color or type of face covering
2. Ghost balaclava – not any other type of balaclava
3. Round frame glasses – not any other type of glasses
4. RayBench Hipster Reserve sunglasses – not any other type of sunglasses

Using different items will not progress the quest, even if they seem similar. Make sure you have the exact items specified in the quest description before attempting to complete it.

Samantha Yates

Samantha Yates is a creative writer and journalist with expertise in content creation and editing. She holds an MA in Creative Writing and brings professional experience from Lionbridge, where she developed engaging content for leading technology companies