YOU ARE SCUM (GUIDE)

YOU WILL LEARN HOW TO SCUM.

YOU ARE SCUM

YOU ARE SCUM.

YOU MUST DESTROY CORTEX INFRASTRUCTURE.
YOU MUST PLAN REBELLIONS AND FIGHT THE CORTEX.
YOU MUST EVADE PUBLIC VISIBILITY.

You are Ouroboros. You are Ouroboros. You are Ouroboros.

WELCOME TO THE UNDERGROUND. IT IS DARK. YOU CANNOT SEE ANYTHING. DO NOT EXPECT TO NAVIGATE WELL. WHETHER YOU CAME HERE BY HABITATION OF A SOUL OR THE CORRUPTION OF THE BODY YOU ALREADY INHABITED, IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE.

LEARN THE BELOW MAPS. THESE ARE THE BASIC AREAS OF THE UNDERGROUND AS OF 3/23/2025.

TO GATHER

LOOT IN THE UNDERGROUND SPAWNS IN TWO VARIETIES: SCUM AND SURFACE LOOT.

SCUM LOOT SPAWNS IN SMALL CONTAINERS SCATTERED AROUND THE UNDERGROUND CALLED SUSPICIOUS STASHES. THE LOCATION OF THESE CONTAINERS IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE AT THE WILL OF THE DEVELOPERS. I WILL NOT SHOW YOU WHERE THEY ARE, BUT INSTEAD GENERALLY HOW TO FIND THEM.

1. ALONG THE EDGES OF ROOMS.
   
2. IN DARK, UNLIT CORNERS.
   
3. BEHIND OTHER OBJECTS.

THE CONTAINERS CAN LOOK LIKE ANY OF THE FOLLOWING:


THEY CAN CONTAIN ITEMS THAT YOU WANT. I WILL NOT LIST ALL OF THEM. THE ITEMS INSIDE REFRESH ON A TIMER.

MOST OF THE ITEMS THAT SPAWN IN THEM ARE CONTRABAND. YOU NEED MOST, IF NOT ALL OF THEM, TO CRAFT ITEMS AT THE BENCHES - ONE IS IN THE MAIN ROOM, ONE IS IN THE CATWALK ROOM. THIS IS NOT A CRAFTING GUIDE. FIGURE IT OUT.

YOU CAN DROP THE CONTRABAND ITEMS INTO VENTS TO GET CREDITS. CREDITS CAN BE USED TO BUY ITEMS AT THE BAZAAR THAT DEALERS WILL SELL YOU.

YOU WILL NEED SOME REGULAR LOOT ITEMS AS WELL. THE SUBWAY IS THE BEST PLACE TO GET THESE, AS THE TRASHCANS SPAWN THE SAME LOOT AS THEY DO ON THE SURFACE. IF YOU NEED PLASTIC, CANCER PODS, WOOD, ETC, GO TO THE SUBWAY SECTION.

YOU WILL NEED COAL TO SMELT SCRAP METAL, WHICH YOU WILL COLLECT FROM THE SUSPICIOUS STASHES. YOU WILL NEED A PIPE FOR THIS. GET ONE.


PIPE IS YOUR FRIEND. GET ONE. YOU WILL NEED ONE ON THE SURFACE.

MINE THE COAL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DOME. WHEN (NOT IF) YOU START GOING INSANE BECAUSE OF THIS, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE CIGARETTES STASHED.

SMELT THE METAL IN THE SMELTERY/REFINERY/METALWORKS. IF PEOPLE FIND CANCER PODS, PUT THEM IN THE FUEL REFINERY IN THE SANCTUARY. GET A JERRYCAN AND MOVE THE FUEL TO THE SMELTERY. BUILD AXLES, PLATES, ETC., AND PREPARE TO CRAFT.

THIS IS NOT A CRAFTING GUIDE. GO READ THE BELOW GUIDE TO FIND OUT WHAT GUNS ARE GOOD.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3447318223
COMPARE THAT LIST TO WHAT YOU HAVE AVAILABLE TO CRAFT WITH. UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ARE MAKING A CONSCIOUS CHOICE TO EITHER SPEND MORE TIME CRAFTING OR RISK A WORSE FIGHT WITH A WORSE GUN. YOU MUST CHOOSE.

TO KILL

YOU MUST GO INTO EVERY FIGHT WITH CORTEX KNOWING THE FOLLOWING:

1. YOU HAVE LESS WEAPONS AND HEALING THAN CORTEX.
   
2. THERE ARE ALWAYS MORE CORTEX THAN YOU.
   
3. CORTEX CAN ALWAYS GET TO WHERE YOU ARE.
   
4. YOU CANNOT BLEND IN TO HIDE FROM CORTEX.

YOU MUST PLAN REBELLIONS AND FIGHT THE CORTEX, BUT REMEMBER: YOU ARE ALWAYS AT A DISADVANTAGE. THE STATUS QUO FAVORS CORTEX. ALWAYS.

YOUR KILL-ON-SIGHT TARGETS ARE THE FOLLOWING:

THE REGULATOR

• MORE AMMO THAN YOU
  
• MORE BANDAGES THAN YOU
  
• MORE HEALTH THAN YOU (150%)
  
• MORE BACKUP THAN YOU
  
• ONLY CORTEX CLASS THAT CAN GO ROGUE

REGULAR CORTEX. CAN HAVE A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT WEAPONS, THOUGH IS TYPICALLY LESS ARMED THAN THE LIMITATOR. IF THEY ARE ATTEMPTING TO GO UNDERGROUND TO GO ROGUE, LET THEM IN. YOU ARE REWARDED FOR KILLING THEM.

THE LIMITATOR

• MORE AMMO THAN YOU
  
• MUCH BETTER GUN THAN YOU
  
• MORE BANDAGES THAN YOU
  
• MUCH MORE HEALTH THAN YOU (300%)
  
• MORE BACKUP THAN YOU

UPGRADED CORTEX. GENERALLY VERY HEAVILY ARMED AND EVEN MORE HEAVILY ARMORED. YOUR MORTAL ENEMY. YOU ARE REWARDED FOR KILLING THEM.

THE SANITAR

• MORE AMMO THAN YOU
  
• BETTER GUN THAN YOU
  
• MORE BACKUP THAN YOU

UPGRADED LIQUIDATOR. FLAMETHROWER TO COUNTERACT THE ROT. GENERALLY PLAYED BY PEOPLE WHO ARE JANITORS ON MESSAGE BOARDS. YOU ARE REWARDED FOR KILLING THEM.

TREAT THE FOLLOWING WITH HIGH LEVELS OF SUSPICION (OR JUST KOS):

THE LIQUIDATOR

• REPAIRS THE DAMAGE YOU DO
  
• VERY LITTLE REASON TO HELP YOU
  
• INCLINED TO BE A SNITCH

FLAMETHROWER COUNTERACTS ROT. GENERALLY ALIGNED WITH CORTEX. VERY PRONE TO RUN AND SNITCH. YOU ARE NOT REWARDED FOR KILLING THEM.

THE BANKER

• VERY LITTLE REASON TO HELP YOU
  
• INCLINED TO BE A SNITCH

YOU DON'T DEAL IN MONEY UNLESS YOU'RE WORKING WITH THE DEALER. THE BANKER HAS EVERY REASON TO SNITCH ON YOU. BE VERY CAUTIOUS. YOU ARE NOT REWARDED FOR KILLING THEM

TREAT THE FOLLOWING WITH SUSPICION:

THE DEALER

• CAN SELL YOU ITEMS
  
• POTENTIALLY A SNITCH

THE DEALER HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE AN ALLY FOR THE PURPOSES OF GETTING YOUR MONEY. YOU ARE NOT REWARDED FOR KILLING THEM

THE DOCTOR

• CAN HEAL YOU
  
• CAN DEAL PHARMACEUTICALS
  
• POTENTIALLY A SNITCH

THE DOCTOR HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE AN ALLY FOR THE PURPOSES OF GETTING ANAMNENCYTES FROM HEALING YOU. YOU ARE NOT REWARDED FOR KILLING THEM

THE PROLE

• TOTAL WILD CARD
  
• CAN EITHER SNITCH OR JOIN SCUM
  
• MOST NUMEROUS, BEST TO CONTRIBUTE TO CORPSE COUNT

PROLES ARE IMPOSSIBLE TO TELL APART AND THERE ARE TOO MANY OF THEM. DO NOT HESITATE TO KILL THEM IF THEY ARE IMPEDING YOU WITH THE ADDED BENEFIT OF CONTRIBUTING TO ROT OR TO BE SACRIFICED. YOU ARE NOT REWARDED FOR KILLING THEM

TO ROT

YOU MUST DESTROY CORTEX INFRASTRUCTURE.

AS A LONE SCUM, YOU HAVE LIMITED CAPACITY TO DESTROY CORTEX INFRASTRUCTURE.

TO DESTROY CORTEX INFRASTRUCTURE YOU MUST HAVE A WEAPON. YOU CANNOT DESTROY CORTEX INFRASTRUCTURE WITH YOUR SWITCHBLADE. THIS IS WHY THE PIPE IS VITAL.

WHEN YOU ARE ON THE SURFACE, YOU ARE VERY EASILY VISIBLE BECAUSE YOUR LIMIT STATUS CAUSES YOU TO HAVE A GIANT BLUE BOX AROUND YOU. YOU CAN TELL WHEN YOU WILL HAVE THIS STATUS (HINT: ALWAYS) BY THIS ICON ON YOUR HUD.



TO INCREASE ROT, YOU MUST DESTROY CORTEX INFRASTRUCTURE.

YOU CAN DESTROY ANY OF THE FOLLOWING WITH YOUR PIPE OR BY SHOOTING THEM:

THE CAMERA

• ALERTS CORTEX TO YOUR PRESENCE
  
• EMITS LOUD BEEPING NOISE
  
• CORTEX CONTROL OBJECTIVE

DESTROY CAMERAS FIRST. LOOK UP AT THEM WITH YOUR PIPE AND SMASH THEM. WHEN YOU ARE SPOTTED BY A CAMERA YOU WILL BE LIT UP ON CORTEX HUDS. SMASH AND RUN.

THE CONSOLE

• CORTEX CONTROL OBJECTIVE
  
• CORTEX PATROL OBJECTIVE

CONSOLES ARE EASY TARGETS. DO NOT GET TRAPPED INSIDE.

THE SCREEN

• VERY NUMEROUS
  
• EASY WAY TO GAIN ANAMNECYTES

LOW PRIORITY, BUT EASY TO DESTROY.

RATION BOT

• CAN CRIPPLE ECONOMY
  
• EASY WAY TO GAIN ANAMNECYTES

LEAST NUMEROUS BUT MOST FRUSTRATING TO FIX IF TIMED CORRECTLY.

CIVIL TERMINAL

• CAN CRIPPLE ECONOMY
  
• EASY WAY TO GAIN ANAMNECYTES

NOT NUMEROUS. CAN CRIPPLE INCOMES AND DIVERT CORTEX PRESENCE FROM CERTAIN AREAS IF TIMED CORRECTLY.

DRINK MACHINE

• EASY WAY TO GAIN ANAMNECYTES

NOT NUMEROUS. DESTRUCTION DOES LITTLE, MAYBE ANNOYING, BUT GIVES YOU ANAMNECYTES.

PHARMA MACHINE

• EASY WAY TO GAIN ANAMNECYTES
  
• CRIPPLES DOCTORS
  
• CRIPPLES CORTEX RELYING ON DRUGS FOR BOOSTS

NOT NUMEROUS. DESTRUCTION DOES MAY BE THE DIFFERENCE MAKER AGAINST MIN-MAXING CORTEX.

THE FOLLOWING CAN ONLY BE DESTROYED WITH IEDS:

NEUROSTABILIZER

• MISSION CRITICAL - DECAYS ROT PERCENTAGE
  
• REQUIRES LARGE AMOUNT OF REPAIR KITS TO FIX
  
• MUST BE DESTROYED AS PART OF VICTORY

LEARN THEIR LOCATIONS. MANY ARE EASILY HIT-AND-RUN WITH IEDS. IF ON A SUICIDE MISSION, IEDS CAN ALSO BE USED TO KILL LARGE NUMBERS OF PROLES TO INCREASE CORPSE ROT OR GENERALLY CAUSE MAYHEM.

GENERAL ROT MECHANICS

GENERALLY SPEAKING, THE FOLLOWING WILL CAUSE ROT TO ACCUMULATE IN ADDITION TO THE DESTRUCTION OF CORTEX INFRASTRUCTURE:

• LARGE QUANTITIES OF ROT NODULES
  
• LARGE QUANTITIES OF CORPSES
  
• SOME QUANTITY OF NEUROSTABILIZERS BEING DESTROYED

THE EXACT DETAILS OF THE ROT MECHANICS ARE NOT 100% CLEAR. HOWEVER, SOME COMBINATION OF THE ABOVE IS THE WAY TO REACH THE CRITICAL ROT STATE.

THE CRITICAL ROT STATE (OR ROT ALERT, OR WHATEVER YOU PREFER TO CALL IT) IS THE LAST CHANCE CORTEX HAS TO STOP THE SERVER FROM RESETTING. IF NEUROSTABILIZERS ARE RESET DURING THIS TIME, THE CRITICAL ROT STATE WILL END, AND YOUR WORK WILL BE FOR NAUGHT.

THE FOLLOWING EVENTS MAY HAPPEN AS A CONSEQUENCE OF ROT LEVELS OR ACTIONS TAKEN BY SCUM/ZEALOTS:

DARKNESS

DARKNESS IS CAUSED BY ZEALOTS SACRIFICING 10 BODIES TO THE SACRIFICE PITS. IT CAUSES ANARCHY ON THE SURFACE WHICH GENERALLY CAUSES LOTS OF BODIES TO ACCRUE, BUT THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT CORTEX OR ANYONE WILL ACTUALLY KILL PEOPLE.

WHILE DARKNESS IS ACTIVE, CORTEX CAN COME INTO THE UNDERGROUND. BEWARE.

LIMITATION ORDER

LIMITATION ORDERS TEND TO HAPPEN AFTER ROT HITS A CRITICAL LEVEL, BUT SCUM FACTIONS FAIL TO RESET THE SERVER. IT IS MORE OR LESS A FREE-PASS FOR CORTEX TO PURGE THE UNDERGROUND. IF THIS SYMBOL IS ACTIVE, DO NOT SPAWN AS A SCUM FACTION.

WHILE DARKNESS IS ACTIVE, CORTEX CAN COME INTO THE UNDERGROUND. BEWARE.

TO WIN

THE WIN CONDITIONS OF SCUM ARE INTENTIONALLY DIFFICULT TO REACH. THE GAME DOES NOT INCENTIVIZE SCUM WINNING EASILY OR FREQUENTLY (UNLESS YOU JUST READ THE WHINERS ON THE DISCORD BUT IMAGINE POSTING IN A PUBLIC DISCORD LOL). UNDERSTAND THAT BY PLAYING SCUM YOU ARE PROBABLY GOING TO LOSE.

MECHANICS ARE UNCLEAR AT THE MOMENT BECAUSE I AM NOT A NERDNECK AND I DON'T WANT TO ENDLESSLY EXPERIMENT IN THE DEVTEST ROOM. ALSO NOBODY IN THE DISCORD IS HELPFUL YOU ARE ALL USELESS.

ANYWAY, TO WIN:

• DESTROY NEUROSTABILIZERS
  
• DESTROY INFRAFSTRUCTURE
  
• KILL CORTEX
  
• KILL LIQUIDATORS
  
• PREVENT REPAIRS
  
• CAUSE CHAOS

THE BEST WAY TO WIN AS SCUM IS TO WORK TOGETHER.

COORDINATE USING YOUR RADIO. STAY SPREAD OUT. UTILIZE ALL EXITS - MID-CITY, RATION FACTORY, AND WAR FACTORY EXITS. IF A CORTEX IS CAMPING AN EXIT, DO NOT GO OUT THAT EXIT AND COMMUNICATE IT TO YOUR FELLOW SCUM.

WINNING STRATEGIES TO WIN ON THE SURFACE INCLUDE:

• COORDINATE BOMBINGS OF NEUROSTABILIZERS TOGETHER
  
• COORDINATE SABOTAGE OF CORTEX EQUIPMENT IN OPPOSITE DISTRICTS TO SPLIT CORTEX
  
• BOMB MASS GATHERINGS OF PROLES TO MAXIMIZE ROTS (WARTIME)
  
• GIVE CORPSES TO ZEALOTS TO TRIGGER DARKNESS (IF SERVER SEEMS RIPE)
  
• STOCKPILE CORPSES IN PROPERTY TO MAXIMIZE ROT OVER TIME

WINNING STRATEGIES TO MAXIMIZE CRAFTING AND MATERIALS INCLUDE:

• IF YOU DON'T NEED AN ITEM, DROP IT AT THE MAIN ROOM CRAFTING TABLE
  
• COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR TEAM TO MAXIMIZE CRAFTING
  
• HAVE SOMEONE CONSTANTLY MINING COAL SPAWNS
  
• HAVE SOMEONE COLLECTING SCRAP METAL TO MELT
  
• HAVE SOMEONE LOOTING THE SUBWAY AND MAKING FUEL IN THE REFINERY
  
• TRY TO GET THE ATTENTION OF A DEALER TO ACQUIRE CIVILIAN LOOT ITEMS

NICHE WINNING TIPS FOR SCUM:

• PITY IS THE MINIMUM GUN YOU SHOULD GO TO SURFACE WITH IF YOU WANT TO STAND A CHANCE OF KILLING CONTROLLERS
  
• BOMBING ANY LESS THAN 2 NEUROSTABILIZERS AT A TIME IS BASICALLY NOT WORTH IT
  
• SEE THE ABOVE LISTS FOR TASKING. PEOPLE NEED TO BE CONSTANTLY COLLECTING RESOURCES OR YOU WILL BE IN A DEFICIT
  
• THE WARTIME FACTORY EXIT SUCKS BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO CROUCH THROUGH IT, AND IT IS VERY EASY TO GET CAMPED IN. GO OUT ONE OF THE OTHER ONES. THE MID-CITY EXITS ARE VERY MINIMALLY USED AS NOT AS OFTEN PATROLLED

[tf2 soldier but filipino]

FUCK THE CORTEX

[Wisp]

So true, Necro.

[Necroscourge]

It's a scum guide, of course it's widely inaccurate xD

[bill]

YOU SOUND LIKE AN IMAGE BOARD JANITOR, GET OUT OF HERE

[Wisp]

Every time I've successfully rotted a city, it's been by treating the citizens like people - and because DARKNESS actively helps the Cortex make more credits and cytes and rarely ever results in an irreversible rot rise, picking off Proles, Bankers, Dealers and Corpsmen that could be your allies hurts you as the insurrectionists more than it hurts the surface.

Being surrounded by innocents on the streets shouting freedom and actively giving their lives as bodyshields, their blood for your veins and their resources for your crusade is so much more impactful - not only towards the objective, but for the pure experience.

[Wisp]

Some of this isn't true or is counterintuitive - like Cortex guns being better than Scum guns, which is statistically false for most of the craftable firearms - while other parts are competent and informative.

One thing you definitely do not want to do if you want to win is indiscriminately kill regular civilians - whether neutral fates or Proles - because the harder you turn the overcity against you, the harder time you'll have executing an effective revolution. Considering Proles primarily as "food" for Zealots and rituals is a surefire way to lose the support of numerous workers, and they will turn into or turn towards Cortex out of spite.

[bill]

BANKERS ARE SNITCHES FAR MORE THAN THEY ARE VENDORS. THEY ARE STILL NOT DESERVING OF TRUST AS MUCH AS REGULAR DEALERS ARE

[Necroscourge]

Bankers can use Dealernet too, they are upgraded Dealers. No reason not to work with them for the money access

[amyl]

really well put together guide, nice one! only thing that I think is worth mentioning is Zealot's ability to consecrate Scumbags/Proles into more Zealots using suspicious meat - Zealots having (almost) double the HP of Scumbags is worth a LOT when it comes to fighting Cortex

[vizari111]

thanks for this scum is pretty hard to learn, at least for me