EFT Tutorial and Guide
THE TARKOV CENTRAL
SCAV or PMC?
Escape from Tarkov offers the option to raid as either a SCAV or a PMC.
While the PMC is your main character, playing as a Scav means stepping into the shoes of one of the surviving civilians in the Norvinsk region's conflict. Scavs roam the maps in search of resources to defend themselves and survive.
Raiding as a Scav can also be a gameplay style or a way to engage in role play. In fact, there are “Scav mains,” players who prefer raiding in this role and rarely use their PMC. However, for most players, it’s a way to mitigate the unforgiving nature of EFT, both in terms of risk and the tension it creates.
One notable aspect to consider is that although the Scav you play as seems like a new character each time, their skills improve and level up over time. The more you use the Scav, the better their skills and stats become, just like your PMC's.
Advantages of Using the SCAV
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Free equipment: Scavs spawn with random but free gear, meaning it’s zero-risk. This allows you to play more relaxed or even more aggressively, as you don’t have to worry about losing valuable gear.
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Neutrality with other Scavs: Other Scavs won’t attack you as long as your reputation with the trader Fence is positive.
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Reputation Bonuses: The higher your reputation with Fence, the more benefits you gain:
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Improved Scav starting gear, including high-value items like a TerraGroup Labs access keycard.
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Reduced costs for services like the Car Extracts for your PMC.
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Larger BTR storage for transferring items to your hideout without extracting yourself.
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Faster Scav Case delivery times in your hideout.
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Higher resale prices when selling items to Fence, as well as access to level 2 stock.
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More extract points when playing as a Scav.
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Cooperation from AI Scavs, who will follow or assist you if requested.
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Neutrality with Scav Bosses once you reach reputation level 6, allowing you to stay close to them, assist them, and loot defeated PMCs.
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Disadvantages of Using the SCAV
While using the Scav have clear advantages, there are also drawbacks:
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Cooldown timer: Scavs are not always available. After each Scav raid, there is a cooldown period that decreases as your Fence reputation improves. You can reduce this timer further by building and upgrading the Intelligence Center in your hideout.
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Random gear: Scavs spawn with unpredictable equipment, which usually includes low-quality weapons, ammo, and armor. Healing items are often limited.
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Reputation penalties: Killing other Scavs (AI and players) or Bosses (except Partisan) makes you a Rogue Scav, which results in a loss of Fence reputation. Also, all Scavs, Bosses and their guards will become hostile and shoot you. This restriction forces you to avoid the usual “shoot-on-sight” mentality, which can lead to hesitation (and death) in critical moments.
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Late spawn: Scavs usually spawn into maps after the raid has already started. This means:
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Less time to gather loot or hunt for enemies (but also a quieter raid, with fewer players remaining, and probably some bodies to loot).
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Scav Karm and Fence Reputation
Scav Karma is represented by the reputation you have with the trader Fence.
If your Fence reputation falls below zero, all Scavs and Bosses will become hostile, attacking you on sight. Additionally, your Scav's random starting gear will be of much lower quality.
To see how to gain or lose Scav Karma (or Fence reputation) and its effect, check this page in the EFT Wiki.
When to use the Scav
As mentioned earlier, every player has their preferences.
I recommend using the Scav to learn a map you’re unfamiliar with, have a more relaxing raid and to look for loot.
When I was learning to play, after running a few raids in Practice Mode to get a first look at the map and learn extraction points, I used to do a few Scav runs to better understand the layout, hot zones, and typical players movements (while also looting items and gear from dead body I found).
Additionally, I sometimes used the Scav just to extract and pass its gear to my PMC, either to save money or to start a raid with minimal equipment. A sort of "Almost zero to hero", aiming to improve my loadout by killing other PMCs (or looting already dead ones), or just see what's going to happen without fear of losing my hard-earned gear (Gear Fear).
Now I use the Scav whenever I want to enjoy a quieter raid with less anxiety or when I want to avoid risking money and gear with my PMC (or when I have just the time for a quick run in Factory).
Fun fact: even the most relaxed raid using a Scav can become extremely tense and anxiogenic once you find by chance a great piece of loot and suddenly you want to extract alive to take it home with you!
To know more about how, why and when to play the Scav I suggest watching this great video by the unmached streamer Pestily: HOW TO USE YOUR SCAV! - GUIDE - Escape from Tarkov