If you’ve spent even a few hours exploring the shrouded wastelands of Embervale, you’ve probably run into friendly faces that offer quests, sell rare items, or teach you new crafting recipes. A common question most new players ask early on is how many NPCs are in Enshrouded, especially since unlocking them directly ties to how much you can upgrade your base and access endgame content. I’ve put over 120 hours into the game across multiple playthroughs, so I’ve tracked every single NPC you can unlock, plus a few hidden ones you might miss if you rush through the main story. You don’t have to wander the map aimlessly looking for them, either – I’ve broken down exactly what you need to know to recruit every one.
How Many NPCs Are in Enshrouded, Exactly?
As of the latest game update, there are 17 permanent recruitable NPCs that will stay at your base once you unlock them, and 12 one-off quest NPCs you’ll encounter during main and side story missions. This count doesn’t include hostile NPCs like bandits, shrouded creatures, or boss enemies, which are classified as combat encounters rather than interactive non-player characters. You might see some conflicting numbers online if you look up this question, and that’s mostly because some players count hostile enemy NPCs or temporary event NPCs in their totals.
The 17 permanent count is consistent across all platforms, including PC, PlayStation, and Xbox, so you don’t have to worry about missing out on any if you’re playing on a console. The temporary quest NPCs only appear for specific missions, so once you complete the quest they’re tied to, they’ll disappear from the map permanently, so make sure you grab any rewards they offer before finishing the quest. Some of these temporary NPCs also give hints to the locations of hidden permanent NPCs, so it’s always worth reading their dialogue carefully instead of skipping through it.
Categories of Permanent Enshrouded NPCs You Can Recruit
All permanent Enshrouded NPCs fall into four distinct categories, each serving a unique purpose for your base and gameplay loop. You don’t need to unlock every single one to beat the main story, but recruiting all of them will make your playthrough far less grind-heavy and unlock every feature the game has to offer. The four categories are:
- Crafting specialists: These include the Blacksmith, Carpenter, Alchemist, and Farmer, who unlock new gear, building parts, potions, and crop seeds respectively. Each also sells rare crafting materials that are hard to find out in the wild.
- Utility NPCs: This group covers the Hunter, Miner, and Herbalist, who will gather resources for you automatically if you assign them to workstations near your base. Higher happiness levels for these NPCs mean they gather more resources in less time.
- Quest and progression NPCs: The Wanderer, Mage, and Knight are part of this group, who unlock main story missions, magic upgrades, and high-tier combat challenges. Completing their quests also unlocks endgame content like raid boss fights.
- Quality of life NPCs: The Bard, Innkeeper, and Dye Merchant fall here, adding cosmetic items, fast travel discounts, and passive buffs that make exploring far less tedious. Most of these are hidden and require completing side quests to unlock.
You don’t unlock all of these at the start, of course. Most are locked behind specific main story quests or hidden in abandoned outposts across different regions of Embervale. For example, you’ll unlock the Farmer pretty early on when you clear the first small shroud zone near your starting base, but the Mage won’t be available until you reach the northern mountain region and complete her three-part rescue quest. Some Enshrouded NPCs also require you to bring them a specific item before they’ll agree to move in, like the Alchemist who asks for 10 glowing mushrooms before she’ll join your base.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Unlocking Enshrouded NPCs
I’ve made almost every mistake possible when recruiting NPCs across my playthroughs, so you don’t have to. The most common errors new players make are easy to avoid if you know what to look out for.
Don’t skip side quests in small villages – a lot of players rush through the main story and miss NPCs like the Dye Merchant, who is hidden in a destroyed cottage in the grasslands region, only unlocked if you complete her small side quest to retrieve her stolen dye kit from nearby bandits. She unlocks custom colors for your armor and base buildings, which is a fun touch most players never get to use on their first run.
Make sure you have enough bed space before recruiting a new NPC – if your base doesn’t have a free, furnished bed for the NPC, they won’t move in, even if you complete their recruitment quest. I learned this the hard way when I unlocked the Blacksmith early and had to scramble to build an extra room before he would show up at my base. You also need to make sure the bed is placed inside a fully enclosed room, not out in the open, or they’ll refuse to use it.
Don’t ignore NPC happiness meters – if you place their workstations too far from their beds, or next to noisy structures like forges, their happiness will drop, and they’ll charge higher prices for items and take longer to craft gear. It’s a small detail, but it makes a huge difference when you’re trying to craft endgame armor sets quickly. The easiest way to keep happiness high is to place each NPC’s bed right next to their workstation, and add small decorative items like lamps or paintings near their space.
Hidden NPCs Most Players Miss During Their First Playthrough
Out of the 17 permanent NPCs, 4 are hidden off the main path and require completing secret puzzles or unmarked side quests to unlock. Most players don’t find these until their second or third playthrough, but they’re worth tracking down early because of the massive perks they offer.
First is the Bard, who is locked behind a secret puzzle in the ancient forest region. You have to play three specific songs on a stone harp in the correct order to unlock his recruitment quest, and most players walk right past the harp without noticing it. Once recruited, he plays background music at your base and gives you a passive 10% experience boost for all combat and quest rewards.
Next is the Secret Miner NPC, who is trapped in a collapsed mine in the desert region, only accessible if you have a level 3 pickaxe to break through the blocked entrance. He gives you access to rare ore deposits that you can’t find anywhere else on the map, and he automatically gathers twice as much ore as the regular Miner NPC. If you’re someone who crafts a lot of high-tier gear, he’s easily one of the most valuable NPCs in the game.
Third is the Innkeeper, who is only unlocked if you complete all 8 of the Wanderer’s side quests, something most players don’t get around to until their second playthrough. He gives you a 20% discount on all fast travel costs, which saves you a ton of shards late in the game when you’re moving between regions constantly. He also sells food items that give you 24-hour buffs to health and stamina, which are perfect for long exploration runs into high-level shroud zones.
At the end of the day, knowing how many NPCs are in Enshrouded and how to unlock each one will make your playthrough far smoother, whether you’re focusing on base building, combat, or exploring every corner of Embervale. You don’t have to unlock all of them to beat the main story, but recruiting every permanent NPC will give you access to every feature the game has to offer, and cut down on the time you spend grinding for resources or rare crafting materials. If you’re still stuck finding a specific NPC, take your time exploring off the main path – most of the hidden ones are placed in areas that reward players who take the time to look around.