Skip to content

Trainer & Vendor Setup Guide

Everything needed to build functional trainers and vendors. Sources: ObjectMgr::LoadNPC* in src/game/ObjectMgr.cpp, tables npc_trainer/npc_vendor and their templates.

Trainers

Requirements on the NPC

  1. creature_template.npc_flags must include TRAINER (0x10).
  2. trainer_type selects the trainer window (enum TrainerType, src/game/Objects/CreatureDefines.h): | Value | Type | | :---: | :--- | | 0 | Class trainer | | 1 | Mounts trainer | | 2 | Tradeskills (professions) | | 3 | Pets |
  3. trainer_class (for class trainers) restricts which players may use the NPC.
  4. trainer_spell - spell that identifies the profession taught (tradeskill trainers).
  5. Optional greeting text via npc_trainer_greeting.

Teaching Spells

INSERT INTO npc_trainer (entry, spell, spellcost, reqskill, reqskillvalue, reqlevel)
VALUES (90001, 133 /*Fireball*/, 120, 0, 0, 1);
  • spell: the learned spell id; rank chains from spell_chain let you teach only the highest rank; the core offers all ranks automatically.
  • reqskill/reqskillvalue: profession requirement (e.g. requires 150 Enchanting).
  • reqlevel: character level gate.
  • Row with spell = 0 acts as a header (category label) when followed by spells sharing the next rows' grouping.

Templates

Instead of repeating lists per NPC, bind many NPCs to one list:

UPDATE creature_template SET trainer_id = 42 WHERE entry IN (90001, 90002);
INSERT INTO npc_trainer_template (entry, spell, spellcost, reqlevel) VALUES
(42, 133, 120, 1), (42, 143, 240, 6);

A trainer uses either its own npc_trainer rows or its trainer_id template, not both.

Vendors

Basic Setup

UPDATE creature_template SET npc_flags = npc_flags | 4 WHERE entry = 90003;

INSERT INTO npc_vendor (entry, item, maxcount, incrtime, item_template_flags_note)
VALUES (90003, 2589 /*Linen Cloth*/, 0, 0, NULL);
  • maxcount = 0 → unlimited stock.
  • maxcount > 0 + incrtime → restocking limited supply (items sold per interval).
  • condition_id gates visibility per player (conditions).

Extended Vendor Columns

Extended columns such as extended_cost (honour tokens) are TBC-era but tolerated; in vanilla pricing comes solely from the item's BuyPrice.

Templates

Same idea as trainers: set creature_template.vendor_id, fill npc_vendor_template with the shared stock.

Common Mistakes

Symptom Cause
"I don't trade with you" missing npc_flag, or faction hostility
Items invisible for some players a condition_id filtering them out
Trainer window empty wrong trainer_type/trainer_class, or spell not in Items.dbc/trainer list
Rank N+1 offered before rank N broken spell_chain links