Since the beginning of the game.

There are 2-3 spawn spots for these in each zone, and if you get them all you get the "Crime Pays" achievement.

The same spots also have the scenes for the Lightbringer and Give to the Poor (???) achievements.

If you come back and you get the merchant again, he/she will be moping by their horse.

Since the beginning.

It is part of the Character General Exploration Achievement Crime Pays. It goes along with Lightbringer (where you light fires for people) and Give to the Poor (where you make a small donation to someone who tells you a story).

All 3 of these "events" spawn at the same locations, and there are about 4 to 8 locations per Zone. Each Zone has the three of these to do. Although Coldharbor might not have these, just Maiq

I have had a hard time robbing the merchants. In fact, it was not until last week that I started doing just that. I blame the Destinations Add On I am using now, the map markers don't go away until I do all 3 of them.

Nestor wrote: »

I have had a hard time robbing the merchants. In fact, it was not until last week that I started doing just that. I blame the Destinations Add On I am using now, the map markers don't go away until I do all 3 of them.

Oh my. I may have to get that once I'm done with all zones to wrap up stuff I've missed.

I don't have any of the crime pays ones done. I got the chance one time, and not knowing it was an achievement, couldn't do it, no matter how much of a thief I wanted my character to be. She's not a bully dammit.

But I keep an eye out for them now.

From what I've *read* they:
1. Respawn every 15 minutes
2. Equal chance of one of the 3 events or a wandering merchant
3. Are "used up" for that period if somebody else uses it.

Yeah, I spent a bit of time going after them, just to get 1 of each (though not actually ever in the same zone), but yeah. My condolences to anybody OCD enough about achievements who feels they have to go after all of 'em in every zone.

Ourorboros wrote: »

To anyone considering chasing these achievements, they are almost as bad as fishing to get. Lots of time traveling all zones for just a chance to encounter one of these events.

May the RNG be with you

It can be a bit of a grind to just do this Achievement. However, as your going through the zones doing other quests, and pay attention, this achievement is easy to get as you will see the three just running around. Of course, I did not follow my own advice until I was in Shadowfen for Caldwell on my crafting alt...

So, I am grinding the map. The Destinations add on is almost a requirement to focus on this achievement. Every zone has a spawn point almost next to a Wayshrine, others are just down the road, some are in the middle of nowhere. so you can zap around to those wayshrines that are close to a spawn point and finish this up quite easily. I remember the one just outside Rulanyils Fall (sp?), I got one instance as I was going past to the dungeon, one when I left the dungeon because no one was in there, then the last one after I finished the dungeon a few minutes later (some people showed up to run through the dungeon).

However, I do recommend that you do this achievement as you are exploring the maps, it is much easier to fold into your day.

Like M'Aiq, when someone encounters them, they're now "live" and anybody nearby will see the same encounter (though its state may vary - if someone already lit the fire, they'll see it already completed, even if the first person to wander up hadn't done it yet).

GnatB wrote: »

From what I've *read* they:
1. Respawn every 15 minutes
2. Equal chance of one of the 3 events or a wandering merchant
3. Are "used up" for that period if somebody else uses it.

Yeah, I spent a bit of time going after them, just to get 1 of each (though not actually ever in the same zone), but yeah. My condolences to anybody OCD enough about achievements who feels they have to go after all of 'em in every zone.

Hey, I resemble that remark!

I've done some catching up and am now trying to get them all done as I go through the zones. Same with fishing.