You can familiarize yourself with ss13 for as long as you want, even up to the point of knowing every mechanic in the game. No matter how vast your knowledge is, a single player can make or break your round, and players tend to operate on ss13 mechanics very loosely if at all.
This is a comprehensive guide to most if not every kind of player you can encounter on Bee and how to deal with them, both as crew and from an antag perspective. Many players also shift their playstyle/mentality for each round, so keep that in mind! This list is made and backed by personal experience, and made for fun, though it contains bonafide helpful advice. Have fun reading.
The main types:
1. The Worker
Characteristics: The worker is either in the process of mastering a department or has already mastered it. Their gameplay focus is on getting things done. As they focus on the job simulation aspect of the game, they tend to play jobs that benefit the station the most.
Where to find them: You can find The Worker in Engineering, Cargo, Science and Mining. Specifically, theyâll play an engineer, cargo tech, vanilla scientist or miner. Beyond that, they can theoretically be in any department except Command and Security, but this is rarer.
Typical Interaction: If a Worker sees you, theyâll probably just say hi or ignore you completely. If they see you in their department, theyâll either run or ask what you want bluntly. If youâre breaking in, theyâll definitely run. If you call them out, theyâre typically up for a talk.
How to deal with: If you need something from a Worker, or have your sights set on one, your best bet is messaging them using a PDA. You can wait outside their departments for ages without seeing them at times.
2. The Helper
Characteristics: The Helper wants to both do their part in the game as well as have a modicum of fun and freedom. Jobs that go beyond just doing a thing attract them. Theyâre here for both gameplay and interaction. They like making things/doing things for both themselves and others!
Where to find them: Youâll find the Helper in Medical, Science and Cargo. The Helper will usually be a Doctor, Geneticist, Scientist, Roboticist or Cargo Tech. You used to be able to find the Helper in Botany before it was obliterated. They can take command roles too!
Typical Interaction: If they see you, theyâll usually greet you! If you intrude on them, theyâll likely ask what you need unless youâre breaking in, and maybe even then! They might call security if you try to go after them specifically. Helpers typically do decent to high quality rp.
How to deal with: You can probably just knock on their window, though PDA typically works too. Sometimes theyâll ignore it though. Theyâll probably deliver anything you ask for unless itâs stupid. Beyond just asking to be let in, helpers typically enjoy setting up funny or complicated things, so you can use this to lure them or yourself in if you need to get close for syndie reasons.
3. The Demi-Scum
Depiction
Characteristics: The DS is here to play the game, but they also see it as a place to mess with people when they can. This leads to a decent player that sometimes ends up annoying and sour. The rules are your best friend here. The defining factor that makes them decent is that they typically arenât actually malicious, just an opportunist.
Where to find them: The DS can be found anywhere, but youâll probably notice them the most in high-traffic jobs like science, service or cargo. They can play literally any role, but usually not Captain, HoP or Security.
Typical Interaction: Theyâll ignore you unless you interact first. If they see you in their department, theyâll probably tell you to leave (manners range from please go away to get the fuck out). If you donât, or if they see you breaking in, theyâll try to kick you out themselves, or rarely call security. Expect to see shutters closed afterwards too. On the other hand, asking them for things tends to work, though they tend to oblige quickly and coldly. Theyâre still regular players so they can get caught up in rp or a project if they end up fancying it!
How to deal with: Just ask them for things. PDA is still as reliable as ever. if you get ignored, always pat yourself on the back before you tide in anywhere. Going to another person, another department, or hitting up a command member might work and doesnât risk anything unlike the hard way. If you really need to tide into a Demi-Scumâs department and theyâre being ignorant (or you need them dead), keep your gear on the low because they wonât hesitate to report you for minor things if they end up subdued. Spraycan is your friend. On the other hand, these guys can sometimes get forgetful and overescalate, in which case you can be the one calling on the law/rules.
4. The Social
Characteristics: Theyâre here to chat, help you out and typically have a nice, peaceful shift. Views on them tend to be very controversial.
Where to find them: Roaming around as Clown/Mime, Bar, Medbay and Kitchen. More rarely Cargo and Botany. AlsoâŠCommand.
Typical Interaction: Theyâll offer you things. Fancy surgery and implants? Ridiculous booze and plants? Giant glowing burgers? Theyâll do it. Theyâll also talk to you about most things. On the other hand they seldom leave their department. Expect to see some cool displays and getups. They might react badly to tiders, but tiding into them is also very easy. Expect to just get shoved out or yelled at. If theyâre in Command, expect to see lots of advice but little action (though the advice might be top tier).
How to deal with: Literally just walk up to them and talk. Look forward to entire, long conversations on PDAs if you start one up. As an antag, meanwhile, their places will typically be filled with people. Consider remote bombing or using proxies like cyborgs and golems. This is also the single person you can probably actually bribe or convince to join you (or help you as a non-antag doing anything shady). Yes, even if theyâre in Command.
5. The Man of Action
Characteristics: Theyâre here to fight. Those that are too brutal get bans, the rest adapt and learn until they become unstoppable killing/arresting machines.
Where to find them: Security and Command for PvP. Mining and Exploration for PvE. Players may choose one path or become generalists.
Typical Interaction: Youâll see them very rarely. When you do youâll either be impressed by their competence or saving their ass. They tend to follow the social patters of a Worker. They can be responsible for both barebones and incredibly prosperous shifts depending on skill level. Security can also find all the antags very quickly if theyâre good, but thatâs what dynamic is for.
How to deal with: Just be nice to them. They tend to ignore PDAs if in mining or exploration. Theyâre just as social and/or helpful as the average guy and might even share loot with you. If theyâre in Security or Command though, you can live easy if youâre regular crew. An antag will have to be extremely stealthy to pull anything off if security is staffed by veteran MoAs. Even newer players can threaten you since theyâll still be extremely investigative or fast to act. One last thing, donât hestitate to report them if they overescalate or validhunt. Bans/appeals for it are common and sometimes they get overzealous. Donât let it become a habit.
6. The Madman
Characteristics: The Madman is here to try new things or hard-to-pull-off things. Theyâll put in a lot of effort but their contributions can be really cool. Sadly this kind of hyperfocus comes at a cost as both their roleplay and combat skills tend to suffer.
Where to find them: Engineering, Cargo and Command. More rarely: Clown, Mime and Science.
Typical Interaction: Why is there a Giant Tesla in Cargo? Why is there a Xenomorph pen? Why are there five DNA Vaults? Why does the Escape Shuttle have 6 lathes and a full Engine? Etc etc etc etc. Also, sometimes theyâll show you ridiculous mechanics you never heard of.
How to deal with: Just let them do their thing and theyâll probably ignore you. You can always help them if you feel like it. Asking them for stuff tends to work if itâs an easy task, otherwise theyâll just tell you âlaterâ or similar. If youâre an antag that needs them dead, try to be nice and let them finish their projects first. Theyâre probably the one person thatâll just die to a gun or baton.
7. The Parent
Characteristics: Theyâre here to save your life. After that, theyâll either call you shit or pat you on the back.
Where to find them: Medical and Security, mostly. More rarely Atmos and Engineering.
Typical Interaction: They find your corpse in maints or space, and bring you back to life. Alternatively theyâll bust in the room swat-style while a ling chokes you. They actually use cameras and crew pinpointers. They yell at you to put suit sensors on every shift, and call you bad when you donât.
How to deal with: Max your suit sensors. If no oneâs dead, theyâll be in their departments and act as a Worker/Social hybrid most of the time. Otherwise theyâll be patrolling around and waiting for people to rescue. These are objectively one of the best and most-helpful player-types you can ever run into. Show your gratitude. As an antag, turn off peopleâs sensors from the strip menu after you do your dirty deeds, and stick to maints and creative ways of disposal. Theyâre less likely to kill you but more likely to just revive your target no matter what you do.
8. The Scumbag
Characteristics: The scumbag suffered a mass extermination after repeated rule updates and the death of LRP. Conversely this means the surviving members are sly, cunning and otherwise despicable. The scumbag has two objectives: stay alive and ruin your day. On their journeys theyâve either started multiaccounting, or have learned how to shit on people within the rules.
Where to find them: Everywhere but bar and medical, but rarely.
Typical Interaction: For a multiaccounter, theyâll probably just straight up grief. For the other variant, see:
The List of Scumbag Tactics
- The Traditional Validbait: Theyâll start a fight over something really petty and carefully make sure they arenât actually using anything dangerous. The moment you retaliate meaningfully, expect to get critted and called an idiot, or reported if you win. If done poorly, can be reported. Experienced Scumbags make sure the reason is something believable, even going to great lengths to set it up.
How to counter: Call out to security on the radio. Walk over to security. Cryo if theyâre too persistent. Or just go ssd.
- The Ogre Lair: Their department will be kept closed, PDAs and radio will be ignored. The department will alternatively be left unmanned, but theyâll be right behind, waiting. Anyone whoâs not in command that dares step inside is tresspassing and will be shoved out and perhaps provoked. If you arenât wise enough to back off, theyâll use anything they have against you, call security, or even report you.
How to counter: Go to another person if possible (this is usually done when theyâre alone to prevent this option though). Go to another department if possible. Remember, circuit imprinter is your friend. Donât hestitate to ask command about whatâs happening, ask for an id change, or even ahelp. (Make sure your ID actually has the job name or they will have a fit when you show up.) Or just cryo.
- The Ogre Dungeon: A department will be barricaded. Examples include turrets in science and engineering or bamboo traps in botany. It might also be walled in. Expect all exits to be sealed. They will then expect you to ask for things on radio or PDA, and likely ignore it or postpone. Say goodbye to that department. (Note: this is a viable strategy during war, nations, wizard, etc. donât confuse it for this!)
How to counter: in addition to the Ogre Lair counters, you can simply ahelp. This will usually be seen as too much by admins (but typically wonât result in any meaningful punishment).
- The Long Way: Practiced by Security, this notorious technique involves cuffing someone, usually just a regular crew member, and holding them in for a ridiculous amount of time. Excuses to lengthen this time include trying to find other people, discussing things with other people, pretending not to know how things work, quesitoning that lasts far too long, expecially slow stripping and checking, or even just waiting or going ssd. The goal is to make you either lash out verbally or disconnect. Actually putting you in a cell with a timer will thus be avoided by them.
How to Counter: Minimize ss13 and watch a funny video. Check in every five minutes until theyâre gone. Donât bother looking at whatâs happening. Reports wonât do anything as âincompetenceâ isnât really punishable as non-Command. On the other hand if they are playing Command, a report can end their career, so remember that.
- The Tools of the Trade: This is a particularly nasty tactic in which a Scumbag plays a particular department specifically to obliterate people with department gear. Used to be prevalent in mining. Still prevalent in science, botany, the kitchen and cargo. Clever Scumbags will use nonlethal methods, others will simply kill you. A clever scumbag will have a backstory and excuse for everything. Examples include being instantly teleported to a deathtrap, dying in few hits/shots, getting gunned down, getting stamcritted by a mech, etc.
How to Counter: Ahelp lethal iterations of this. Against nonlethals, you have no counter beyond simply never meeting this person unless youâre their colleague. Donât even try tiding. As an antag, go for sabotage and indirect methods like bombings or traps. Donât face the people who specifically prepared to kill you. Find indirect methods or wait for a new round. The only thing that stops this are departmental nerfs. Mining already died for it, others likely will too.
- The Intimidate: Classic and admittedly actually funny technique involving threatening someone incredibly hard. Of course, if the threatened person tries anything beyond shoving, theyâre either getting beat down or reported.
How to Counter: Ignore or unironically bite back. If you can turn this tactic on the Scumbag, you might get attacked first and thus get the rights to an ahelp.
- And more. Methods evolve over time.
How to deal with: Report them if theyâre breaking the rules. Easy as that. The more frustrating situation arises when a scumbag isnât actually breaking any rules, indicating a degree of experience on their side. In this situation, itâs important to steel yourself and just walk away. There are other departments, other things you can do this round, and perhaps even other rounds. Donât feed trolls. As an antag, meanwhile, donât get too overzealous as theyâll report you for anything, even if you arenât boning. Avoid killing them unless absolutely necessary because they will bullshit in ahelps as well. In fact Iâd just advise to avoid the person entirely no matter what youâre doing. (For an example, in case youâre wondering why you should be so cautious: lets say you get into a fight with this person as an antag, but you donât use lethals so eventually they get to walk away. They ahelp. The admin is forced to mark it as an IC issue. They now immediately assume you are an antag and will follow you until they see proof, then try to subdue you with various means)
Subtypes
1. The Paranoid
Characteristics: This is a person who may appear to be scummy, skittish, or otherwise uncanny. In reality theyâre just deathly scared of dying.
Where to find them: Anywhere.
Typical Interaction: They refuse to be in shoving distance and have a fondness for closed doors. Theyâll actually run if you make a syndicate joke. Theyâll run away if they see you doing anything remotely interesting.
How to deal with: Literally just be nice. If you can pacify the situation youâll figure out that this person is just playing way too carefully. If theyâre your target, try to go for brainwashing or borging instead of leaving them permadead, as this develops this unhealthy mindset further.
2. The Shitsec
Characteristics: This is a security player that doesnât know how to do things correctly or efficiently. Not to be confused with a literal shitter playing sec (see Scumbag, maybe Demi-Scum). This person can give a terrible impression but it comes from incompetence and inexperience combined with their position.
Where to find them: Well, sec. (Itâs everywhere, but only sec makes you annoyed when it happens.)
Typical Interaction: Harmbaton! Disabler spam! 20 minute cell timer! Bad searches! Long searches! Generally bad procedure! Going for lethals!
How to deal with: Just offer advice. LOOC is your friend. If they tell you to fuck off youâre dealing with scum. Far more likely, is that theyâll heed your advice and become a better security player. Keep your cool! Theyâre also usually easy targets for antagsâŠbut donât. Let them learn and save them for roundend.
3. The Extremist
Depiction
Characteristics: A player that acts as if it is a single-player game. Not to be confused with scum. These guys just manage way too many things for their jobs in-game. An inhenrent stigma associated with playing Command means they often technically break the rules by doing this from lesser jobs (though it is rarely punished unless there are other factors).
Where to find them: Science, Engineering, Cargo, Assistants.
Typical Interaction: Tiding through various departments, gathering important and useful items, and putting them to use. Examples include making engines, doing Xenobiology, getting research points or tons of money, etc. These guys will walk in your department, grab shit and walk out. Not too suspicious but annoying.
How to deal with: LOOC tell them to play command. Promote them to command if possible (do not give AA!). For more annoying/malicious/on-the-nose iterations, LOOC and tell them theyâre breaking rules, or even ahelp if it gets too far. Only you can be the judge of when the fun stops and things get obnoxious.
This list is WIP.
