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Do You Lose Scav Karma for Killing Rogues in Escape From Tarkov?

The short answer is no, you do not lose Scav karma for killing Rogues in Escape From Tarkov. This is a crucial piece of information for players navigating the complex world of Scav karma and its associated benefits and penalties. Unlike killing other Scavs (AI or player-controlled) or even bosses, taking down Rogues as a Scav won’t negatively impact your reputation with Fence. Understanding this distinction is vital for making informed decisions during your raids.

Scav Karma: The Basics

Before diving into the specifics of Rogues, let’s recap the core mechanics of Scav karma in Escape From Tarkov. Scav karma, officially known as Fence reputation, is a system that tracks your actions as a Scav and influences your relationship with Fence, a trader. A higher Fence reputation brings numerous benefits, including shorter Scav cooldown timers, access to better gear at a discount in the additional sales tab, and potentially higher-quality gear in your Scav loadouts. Conversely, low or negative karma comes with significant drawbacks, such as extended Scav cooldowns and reduced access to Fence’s services.

How to Increase Scav Karma

Gaining Scav karma is crucial for reaping the system’s benefits. Here are some ways to increase your Fence reputation:

Successfully extracting with a Scav: You gain a small amount of reputation each time you successfully extract.
Killing PMCs: Killing a PMC as a Scav grants you 0.01 Fence reputation per kill.
Killing Rogues: Just like PMCs, killing a Rogue also grants 0.01 Fence reputation per kill.
Killing hostile player Scavs: Eliminating a Scav who has attacked another Scav or AI Scav yields a 0.1 reputation bonus.
Car extracts: Successfully extracting via a car extract increases your reputation significantly, with bonuses scaling from 0.25 to 0.4 depending on which map and if you do car extracts on multiple different maps.

How to Decrease Scav Karma

Knowing what actions lower your Scav karma is equally important. Here are some activities that will reduce your reputation with Fence:

Killing friendly AI Scavs: Attacking or eliminating AI Scavs, who are not hostile, results in a penalty of -0.02 reputation per kill.
Killing Scav guards or bosses: If you kill a Scav guard or boss as a Scav, it will reduce your reputation by -0.02. A significant penalty will occur if you kill a boss at the start of the raid while having 6.0 Scav karma. This will instantly revert your Scav karma to 0.
Killing non-hostile player Scavs: Eliminating another player-controlled Scav who has not harmed you or another Scav leads to a -0.02 reputation loss per kill.

Rogues and Scav Karma

Now, let’s circle back to the main focus: Rogues. Rogues are heavily armed AI enemies found primarily on Lighthouse. They are not considered Scavs and thus, are not subject to the same Scav karma penalties. Here’s what you need to remember about Rogues:

Killing Rogues doesn’t hurt your Scav karma: You will not lose reputation with Fence for eliminating Rogues as a Scav. This means you can engage them freely without fear of negative consequences.
Killing Rogues can increase your Scav Karma: You will earn 0.01 Fence reputation per Rogue kill, just like you would from a PMC kill.
Rogues are different from Scavs: Rogues have different health values and behaviors compared to Scavs. They are generally tougher and more aggressive than ordinary Scavs.
Rogues are not friendly to Scavs: Rogues are hostile to all players, including Scavs.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

To provide a more comprehensive understanding of Scav karma and its interactions with Rogues, here are 15 frequently asked questions:

1. What happens if I kill a non-hostile Scav as a Scav?

Killing a non-hostile AI Scav or player Scav will result in a loss of -0.02 Scav karma per kill.

2. Does killing hostile player Scavs increase my Scav karma?

Yes, killing a hostile player Scav (one who has already attacked a Scav or AI Scav) will increase your Scav karma by 0.1.

3. Do Scav bosses count as normal Scavs for karma purposes?

No, killing a Scav boss (like Reshala, Glukhar, Shturman etc.) will result in a -0.02 penalty. If you have 6.0 Scav karma or more at the start of the raid and kill a boss you will be reset to 0.0.

4. How much Scav karma do you gain from a successful extract?

You gain a small amount of Scav karma for each successful Scav extract, though the exact amount isn’t explicitly stated and can vary based on in-game events.

5. Does my Scav karma influence my Scav loadout?

Yes, a higher Scav karma may increase your chances of spawning with better gear. It is not guaranteed, but it is a possibility.

6. What is the main benefit of max Scav karma (6.0)?

The primary benefit of reaching a Scav karma of 6.0 is cutting your Scav case return time in half which significantly increases the income you will generate by using the Scav case. This will allow you to generate more items and money than players with low Scav karma.

7. What happens with negative Scav karma?

With a negative Scav karma, your Scav cooldown timer will significantly increase.

8. Are Scav Raiders friendly to Scavs?

Scav Raiders start neutral to Scavs. They will warn you if you get too close, and will open fire if you do not heed their warnings.

9. What is the best way to increase Scav karma quickly?

The quickest way to raise Scav karma is to do car extracts on different maps. Also, running Scav raids in between PMC raids is an efficient way to increase your karma.

10. Which is the easiest boss in Tarkov to kill?

Killa is often cited as one of the easiest bosses to kill since he doesn’t have bodyguards. Reshala is another boss that is considered easier to kill, particularly for newer players, followed by Shturman.

11. Which is the most difficult boss to kill in Tarkov?

Sanitar is often considered the hardest boss to kill due to his high health pool and heavily armed guards.

12. Is the Scav box worth buying?

Yes, the Scav box is considered to be a worthwhile investment for storage of items required for quests and hideout upgrades.

13. Where are some of the best locations for Scav runs?

Some profitable locations for Scav runs include Lighthouse (Water Treatment), Shoreline (The Resort), and Customs (Far Corner).

14. What is the most profitable Scav case option?

The Moonshine Scav case option is considered the most profitable option for most of the wipe.

15. Does killing a Rogue boss lower Scav karma?

No, killing any Rogue will not lower your Scav Karma. They do not count towards the negative karma that is incurred for killing a boss.

Conclusion

In summary, you do not lose Scav karma for killing Rogues, and in fact, you gain a small amount of Fence reputation for each Rogue eliminated. Understanding these nuances is crucial for thriving in Escape From Tarkov. Knowing the system allows players to make informed decisions, maximizing their benefits from the Scav gameplay and achieving their goals. Remember that Scav karma is a double-edged sword; its rewards are significant, but the penalties for negative behavior can be severe. Play smart, engage Rogues without fear, and always be mindful of your actions as a Scav.

Do you lose Scav karma for killing rogues?