# Black Market

> Buy weapons, drugs, items from NPC-stocked or player-listed offers. Delivered via dead drops. All from the tablet.

![Screenshot: the black market tab with NPC + player listings](../screenshots/04-economy/tablet-market-tab.png)
*Screenshot needed: the black market tab inside the tablet, showing 5-10 listings with prices.*

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## What is the black market?

A tablet-based marketplace where you can:

- Buy items from **NPC listings** (system-generated, randomized stock)
- Buy items from **player listings** (other gang members listing their goods)
- List your own items (gang members only)
- Receive purchases via **dead drops** in the world

The market is accessed via Tablet → Black Market tab.

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## NPC listings

The system periodically generates NPC stock — these are items "for sale" with no real seller. Stock includes:

- Weapons (pistols, SMGs, sometimes assault rifles)
- Drug bags (cokebaggy, ass-meth, weed)
- Lockpicks, plastic, metalscrap
- Rare items (thermite, bankcards, group6cards)
- Occasionally vehicles or vehicle parts

Pricing is **random within a band** — same item appears at $200–500 depending on the listing.

### Limited stock

Each NPC listing has a finite quantity (1–10 typically). Once depleted, it disappears. New listings refresh every ~1–4 hours.

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## Player listings (gang members only)

Members of a gang can list their own items for sale:

1. Tablet → Black Market → "Create listing"
2. Pick the item (must be in your inventory)
3. Set quantity + price per unit
4. Confirm — item moves from your inventory to "listed" status
5. When someone buys, you get paid (minus seller fee)

**Limits:**
- Max active listings per gang: **10** (configurable)
- Max offers shown in tablet UI: **8** (others paginated)
- Seller fee: typically 5–10% of sale (configurable)
- Listing lifetime: 7 days, then auto-cancelled

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## Reputation requirements

Some listings have a **reputation gate**:

- Common items: no req
- Mid-tier (SMGs, drug bricks): 50+ personal rep
- Top-tier (assault rifles, rare items): 200+ rep

If you don't meet the req, the listing shows with a lock icon and "Reputation required: X".

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## Buying flow

1. Tablet → Black Market → browse listings
2. Click an item → details panel (price, quantity, rep req, seller)
3. Click "Buy" → confirmation dialog
4. Money deducted from your cash (not bank)
5. The system spawns a **dead drop** somewhere on the map
6. You get a waypoint to the drop location
7. Travel to the drop → pickup → item enters your inventory

![Screenshot: the listing detail panel with the Buy button visible](../screenshots/04-economy/market-listing-detail.png)
*Screenshot needed: a listing's detail view inside the tablet, showing all metadata.*

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## Dead drops

Dead drops are **how the market delivers**. Instead of teleporting items to your inventory, the system spawns a physical prop in the world that you must collect.

- The drop prop is a wooden box (configurable model `prop_box_wood05a`)
- It only spawns when you're nearby (laziness optimization)
- Pickup uses a 4-second progress bar + animation
- Visible to other players within range (they could rob you en route)

See [dead-drops.md](dead-drops.md) for the full mechanics.

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## Tips

- **Refresh often.** NPC listings rotate — check the market every 30 min
- **Don't list at full retail.** Discount slightly to compete with NPC offers
- **Set personal pricing rules** for your gang (e.g., "Don't sell SMGs under $5k internally")
- **Watch for rep-gated listings** — high-tier items are rare and worth tracking
- **Coordinate via gang chat** when you list — let buyers know
- **Use the market for hot items** — better than fence rates for some categories
- **Don't drive across the city to claim a $200 drop** — calc your time/profit ratio

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## Common questions

**Why is the same item priced differently across listings?**
NPC pricing is randomized. Player pricing is whatever the lister set. Both are real, neither is "wrong."

**What happens if I can't reach a dead drop in time?**
Some drops have time limits (10–30 min). After expiry, the drop despawns and your money is refunded (minus a small fee).

**Can other players steal my drop?**
Yes — that's the trade-off. Visible drops are visible to anyone in range.

**Are there hidden / exclusive listings?**
Some listings are gang-specific (only your gang sees them). Configurable.

**Can I cancel my own listing?**
Yes — tablet → Black Market → your listings → "Cancel". Item returns to your inventory, listing fee not refunded.

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## Related

- [dead-drops.md](dead-drops.md) — drop pickup mechanics
- [money-laundering.md](money-laundering.md) — pay with clean cash; dirty money items also tradeable
- [../06-systems/reputation.md](../06-systems/reputation.md) — rep gates explained
- [../02-gangs/tablet.md](../02-gangs/tablet.md) — accessing the market tab