Scavengers - Rainworld

Scavengers, often abbreviated as Scavs, are widespread tribal creatures that are typically seen in groups. They are social creatures that use gestures and body language to communicate, and are capable of carrying and utilizing weapons in a manner similar to Slugcat.

Scavengers are quadrupedal creatures with long forearms and short legs. They can have various unique features in their facial area, including antlers, horns, and ‘mandibles’. They may also possess tails, spines, or frills of varying sizes on their body. Scavengers come in a wide range of colors, but most commonly exhibit neutral and desaturated tones. Their eyes can be different colors and shapes, and may or may not have visible pupils.

Pacifism When Slugcat has neutral or positive reputation with Scavengers, they treat Slugcat with moderate respect, remaining peaceful unless provoked. When Slugcat has very positive reputation, Scavengers start following Slugcat in groups and come to their defense when they are threatened. This can also be a disadvantage, though, as friendly groups of Scavengers may throw Explosives or Spears at threats, which may hinder or kill Slugcat.

When Slugcat has negative reputation, Scavengers treat them with aggression and often attack them unprovoked. Scavengers may not attack Slugcat if they show peaceful behavior, like dropping weapons and moving slowly.

Due to varying personality values in Scavengers, there may be Scavengers with above-average aggression who attempt to kill Slugcat regardless of reputation. They may indicate this heightened aggression using body language.

More Slugcats Expansion Gourmand can use their crafting ability to make valuable items to give to Scavengers, making it easier to achieve a high reputation with them.

Additionally, due to their ability to generate an infinite number of spears to trade with Scavengers, it is easier to achieve a high reputation as More Slugcats Expansion Spearmaster as well.

Combat Scavengers have a moderate health pool, taking 1-2 Spears to kill; a single headshot from a Spear kills them instantly. As they are capable of throwing weapons at a distance and are usually found in groups, they are more difficult to fight in large, open spaces like Scavenger Tolls. There are often Explosives scattered around Scavenger Tolls, which when thrown can set off a chain reaction with unactivated explosives and kill a large amount of Scavengers.

More Slugcats Expansion Artificer has a variety of tools to make their constant fights with Scavengers easier. Along with the Explosives they can create and use from a distance, they can produce a shockwave around themselves by performing their explosive jump while holding Down. This can stun nearby Scavengers temporarily, allowing Artificer to follow up and kill them by spearing or mauling without risks of retaliation. Using the shockwave rapidly can kill Artificer, as it causes Artificer to heat up twice as fast as using an explosive jump.

Artificer can also use their explosive jump for positional advantage over Scavengers. Since Scavengers cannot throw Spears upwards, jumping above them and throwing Explosives down at them can eliminate large numbers of Scavengers.

Artificer’s immunity to Explosives can make Grenades an option at close quarters, though they get stunned temporarily. Though not viable in scenarios where there are many Scavengers, Artificer's maul gets the same damage bonus that Spears do when hitting a Scavenger's head, allowing Artificer to instantly kill them.

Stealth Scavengers rely on sight and hearing to find their foes. Due to this, Scavengers cannot easily detect creatures hidden in pipes or perched above them. Hitting walls with Rocks or Spears and colliding with geometry produces detectable noises. More Slugcats ExpansionArtificer's explosive jump also produces noise, alerting Scavengers to their presence.

Scavenger Tolls are designed in such a way that it is difficult to sneak past the Scavengers inhabiting them. These Scavengers retreat into their dens at the end of the cycle, which provides an opportunity for Slugcat to sneak past.

Flashbangs are capable of blinding Scavengers, preventing them from attacking unless touched. When blinded, their eyes temporarily turn gray.

Scavengers in kill squads that are after Slugcat are aware of the location they were last in, making avoiding them via stealth harder.

Evasion Scavengers can be difficult to evade due to their agility. Erratic movements agitate them, so attempting to run past unfriendly Scavengers may result in them becoming aggravated. Scavengers typically do not give much chase unless reputation is incredibly low, however. Scavengers can be evaded by luring a predator over to distract them, as they usually prioritize attacking the larger threat. Vulture Grubs, when available, can be used to summon Vultures, which most often distract Scavengers.

Another option is to utilize nearby poles and upwards platforms, as Scavengers cannot directly harm Slugcat if they are above the Scavengers.

Scavengers move by walk, climb, and crawl, and are in most cases slightly faster than Slugcat. They do not have the ability to jump; rather, they spontaneously gain vertical momentum when they need to move upwards, which can lead to some unintended physics interactions.

Scavengers can carry and throw weapons, including (but not limited to) Rocks, Spears, and Grenades. They have 3 slots to hold items and an active item in their hands. Spears are displayed on their backs, while other items are placed on their waist. The item held in their hand can be stolen by Slugcat, disarming them momentarily, but prompts a hostile response. They are capable of throwing Spears at an angle, enabling them to hit targets slightly above or below them. They also have the ability to protect themselves against weapons thrown at them, either by dodging or throwing their own weapon to deflect the object. Each Scavenger has a different level of combat skill determined by individual stats.

Communication Scavengers utilize a wide array of body language and gestures to communicate amongst themselves and with Slugcat

Indicating a valued item (pointing hand/Spear at item)

Warning (holding Spears up)

Idle animation (pawing at the ground; called "Rummaging" internally)

Fear (spines vibrating and eyes widening)

Certain objects can be used to trade with Scavengers. Scavengers typically trade more generously and drop more objects if Slugcat's reputation is high. As More Slugcats Expansion Artificer, Scavengers still drop items in 'trade,' although it does not affect reputation.

Reputation gain increases with the value of the item traded, though at Scavenger Tolls there is a set reputation multiplier for each traded item. Items dropped by Scavengers may be picked up and traded again.

Friendly Scavengers occasionally take Spears from Hunter's back if they do not already have a Spear. This behavior can be disabled via a Remix option.

Below is a table displaying tradable items and their value. If an item is not on this table, Scavengers are not interested in receiving the item when trading, but may still pick it up when they find one.

Rock 1[1] Spear 3 Explosive Spear 4 Pearl 10 Grenade 3 Beehive 4 Lantern 3 Vulture Mask 5 King Vulture Mask 10 Batnip 2 Mushroom 2 Flashbang 2 Spore Puff 2 Cherrybomb 2 Jellyfish 2 Overseer Eye 7 Karma Flower 5

Object Value Electric Spear 5 Lilypuck 4[1] Singularity Bomb 10 Gooieduck 1[2] Glow Weed 3[3] Inspector Eye 20

Scavenger Tolls, known as Scavenger Outposts in-code, are rooms in which a group of Scavengers has set up base around a toll post. A sufficient item offer is required before passage through the Toll is allowed. The total value of objects must add up to 10; a single Pearl, a King Vulture Mask, or an DLC Inspector Eye is sufficient to pass, but any combination of tradable objects may be used. Paying the toll once allows Slugcat to pass freely as many times as needed until the end of the cycle.

Passing a Scavenger Toll without payment causes Scavengers to become aggressive and decreases reputation. If no Scavengers witness the transgression, then no reputation penalty is incurred.

Any item traded at a toll has a reputation increase multiplier on its trading value. Taking items from within a certain radius around the toll post is considered stealing and may aggravate the Scavengers. Toll Scavengers are always neutral towards Slugcats (except More Slugcats Expansion Artificer, whom they are always aggressive towards), regardless of current standing, unless provoked.

If reputation is high enough (≥50), Scavenger Tolls can be passed for free at a small cost to global reputation. At very high levels (≥90), Scavenger Tolls can be passed for free without any reputation loss.

Around a Toll, several radii are calculated and determine how Scavengers consider objects lying in the room.

Within a "property radius", which corresponds to the Toll radius plus 200 pixels, all spears belong to the Scavengers, and taking one of them is considered theft. However, it is permitted if the creature the Scavengers consider the most threatening is within a 400-pixel "danger radius" of any Scavenger or Slugcat, allowing Slugcat to assist in combat. Within a "gift radius", which corresponds to the Toll radius plus 700 pixels, all objects given by Slugcat count as payment for the toll. However, any object Slugcat was already holding upon entering the room always counts as payment, regardless of the distance.

Scavenger Merchants are Scavengers with unique behaviors that can be found in Garbage Wastes, Shaded Citadel, Sky Islands, and Subterranean in special rooms decorated with Scavenger graffiti and Lanterns on long pikes. Merchants usually stay inside this room unless scared away and are capable of fighting if unable to escape. In the More Slugcats Expansion, they are also found in Submerged Superstructure, Undergrowth and Silent Construct. In the The Watcher DLC, they are also found in Badlands, Fetid Glen, and Shrouded Stacks.

Scavenger Merchants are usually fully stocked with a variety of unique items like Grenades, Spore Puffs, Lanterns, and most commonly, Spears and Explosive Spears. They are also more docile and more willing to trade. Scavenger Merchants still value items equally to regular Scavengers. As with other Scavengers, Merchants trade more items at higher reputation.

Once their inventory is cleared out, Scavenger Merchants return to their den to restock.

Scavenger Treasuries are rooms, often with hidden entrances surrounded by Scavenger graffiti, that contain a large number of Spears, Explosives, Pearls, and occasionally other items like Lanterns that randomly spawn each cycle. These are the only rooms with naturally respawning Pearls. Nomadic groups of Scavengers visit these rooms to stock up on weapons.

The chance of each possible object spawning are 1/10 for Pearls, 9/70 for Grenades, 27/175 (in Shaded Citadel and Subterranean) or 27/700 (in other regions) for Lanterns, and the rest for Spears. For each spawned Spear, it has a 3/4 chance of being an Explosive Spear.

With the More Slugcats Expansion enabled, each Spear also has a chance to be an Electric Spear. If a Spear is turned Electric, a separate check is made in whether it should spawn active or not. The chances for Spears in Artificer's and Spearmaster's campaigns are 1/2 to be Electric and 3/4 to be active, in Hunter's and Gourmand's campaigns they are 1/20 to be Electric and 1/4 to be active, and in Survivor's and Monk's campaigns they are 1/50 to be Electric and 1/100 to be active. Spears have no chance to be Electric in Rivulet or Saint. In More Slugcats Expansion Metropolis, each Spear has a 3/4 chance to be an Electric Spear, and they are always active, regardless of campaign.

Taking an item incurs a reputation penalty if Slugcat has less than 90 reputation, applied once for every conscious Scavenger in the treasury. The reputation penalty is a linear extrapolation based on Slugcat's current reputation, with a penalty of -30 if Slugcat has -50 reputation or less and 0 if Slugcat has 90 reputation or more. Stealing Pearls from Treasuries and trading them back to Scavengers can be an efficient way of gaining reputation, since no reputation is lost if there are no witnesses.

Decals Scavengers mark various rooms across the world with various types of graffiti and markings. Though they are never seen in-game doing so, they paint the walls with blue and white symbols, which serve as decoration, communication, or signs. Scavengers' decals appear mostly in and around Garbage Wastes, as it is the territory of the largest Scavenger population in the game.

Scavengers appear to have some knowledge of the past civilization’s culture, as the Karma 3 glyph (representing companionship) is featured on Scavenger Toll posts and around their territory.

Every Echo except Two Sprouts, Twelve Brackets has a marking near their location.

Scavengers are commonly seen in neutral, earthy tones, but are capable of exhibiting any color. They usually have 3-6 colors depending on their physical traits: body color, stomach color, head/gradient color, antler/horn accent, eye color, and pupil color. These may sometimes overlap (e.g. Scavengers with the same antler/horn accent and stomach color are common).

Their main features can be broken down into a few categories: head decoration, stomach patch, gradients and back decoration. Scavengers can have a few variations of antlers in different positions on their heads, as well as 'beards' and back frills of various shapes and sizes.

The size of each body part varies per Scavenger. This is most noticeable in their tails; size typically remains close to average for other body parts.

Personality Scavengers are heavily influenced by the six personality modifiers that determine their Behaviors: aggression, bravery, dominance, energy, nervousness and sympathy.

Aggression impacts dominance.

Effects Bravery impacts aggression, dominance and nervousness.

Effects Dominance does not impact any other personality modifiers.

Effects Energy impacts aggression, dominance, and nervous.

Effects Nervous does not impact any other personality modifiers.

Effects Sympathy impacts aggression.

Effects It should be noted that the impact these variables have on moment to moment gameplay may be very subtle, and thus these cannot consistently be used to predict a Scavenger's behavior. An aggressive Scavenger may still flee, and a sympathetic Scavenger may still attack. However, these traits do commonly affect their combat stats.

Reputation Scavenger behavior has the most visible variation under the Reputation system. There is both a local reputation value for the Scavengers in a given region, and a global reputation value, the latter of which can be observed through The Chieftain. Unlike other creatures with reputation, local actions affect the global reputation scale greatly. Progress for the Chieftain passage is usually mapped on the range 10-80 of global reputation.

Reputation with Scavengers can be gained by either trading with them or saving them from harm. As reputation rises, Scavengers become less aggressive, may attempt to save Slugcat from harm, and, once trusted enough, allow Slugcat to pass through Tolls and take items from treasuries without repercussions. The benefits of good reputation do not extend to tamed Lizards, however, and Scavengers still remain aggressive towards them.

Inversely, if repeatedly stolen from, harmed, and ignored when in danger, reputation is lowered and Scavengers become more aggressive. If infractions are committed repeatedly, reputation can eventually drop to a point where Scavengers actively seek Slugcat out and send kill-squads to their general location.

Along with global and regional reputation, each individual Scavenger has their own opinion of Slugcat; if care is taken to be friendly to a particular Scavenger, they may be more inclined to follow Slugcat and trade generously compared to others in their group.

Scavenger reputation is measured on a scale of -100 to 100 and may only change by a maximum of ±50 each cycle. Reputation gain is linear above 0 but becomes exponentially smaller as reputation goes into the negatives. When reputation is below 0, a small amount of reputation is gained passively each cycle provided no interactions with Scavengers are had. This passive increase scales up the closer reputation is to 0, maxing out at +10 reputation per cycle. Reputation loss is multiplied based on the number of witnesses, but reputation gain is not, unless saving a Scavenger from a threat.

Depending on Slugcat's reputation, Scavengers become more or less aggressive toward Slugcat while they are holding a Pearl. With good reputation, Scavengers tend to become friendlier if Slugcat has a Pearl, while Scavengers who are already hostile or fearful may become more likely to attack instead.

At ≥50 reputation, Tolls can be passed without paying at the cost of reputation.

At ≥90 reputation, items may be freely taken from Treasuries, and Tolls may be passed for free without reputation loss.

Starting Reputation As Survivor, More Slugcats Expansion Gourmand, More Slugcats Expansion Saint and More Slugcats Expansion Inv, reputation with Scavengers starts at 0, and reputation gain rate is normal.

As Monk, reputation with Scavengers starts at 25, and their reputation gain rate is higher. Progress towards the Chieftain Passage is mapped on the range 42-90.

As Hunter, More Slugcats Expansion Rivulet, and More Slugcats Expansion Spearmaster, reputation with Scavengers starts at -35, -21, and -45 respectively. In each of these cases, it is low enough to be considered a threat; early interactions with Scavengers can be dangerous.

As More Slugcats Expansion Artificer, the reputation system is unused. Instead, Scavengers always have an "Attack" relationship toward Artificer. Kill squads are constantly sent after them, and Toll Scavengers are always aggressive. As a result, Artificer is unable to get the Chieftain passage.