NEO Scavenger

NEO Scavenger

149 ratings
A Few Pointers for the NEO Scavenger
By jayT0H
This guide is moreso a list of tips, pointers, and advice that I've compiled after watching many, many new scavengers die BILLIONS OF DEATHS due to overlooking some of the smaller details in NEO Scavenger ( ̄▽ ̄)ノ
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Intro/Disclaimer
Hi! First off, thanks for checking this guide out! A couple things to get out of the way - this guide, again, is more of a list than an actual guide, and; NEO Scavenger is a huge, brilliant game--I can cover and go over a ton of more tips/advice, but I feel that it's more important for you, the scavengers, to explore and become wasteland vets through trial and error.
THE POINTERS
You Can Rotate Items

  • Use the arrow keys to rotate items after picking them up with your cursor. The game thrives on inventory management, so make those spaces count!

You Have A Shoulder To Hang A Something On

  • If you pick up a "strappable" item (e.g. crowbar) with your cursor, you'll see a strap/line running vertically on your character's right shoulder (left side from your view). Slap that baby on that shoulder like a cool person. Note: The strapped item cannot be used in combat.

  • You also have a neck! Wear a half of a pair of binoculars with a strap with pride and see farther without holding it in your hand(s)!

Enemies Have Skills And Conditions, Too

  • When in combat or spying on enemies, you'll be able to see their status - what skills they have and how their condition is. USE THIS INFORMATION!!

  • I have seen the following scenario happen to so many scavengers: 1) scavenger goes up to raider; 2) scavenger hands out a super beat down; 3) raider retaliates a bit; 4) scavenger dies; 5) scavenger complains that NEO Scavenger isn't fair because s/he did way more damage to the raider and the raider was bleeding and choking and torn in half.

  • In the above scenario, the raider, guaranteed, had the tough skill. Spend some time looking at the skills and traits when making a new character--it'll help you understand your opponent.

You Can Use More Than One Item While Scavenging

  • Have a lighter? Cool; use it when scavenging! Have a lockpick and the lockpick skill also? Great! Use all three while scavenging!

  • You want all three of those bars/gauges on the scavenging screen to be as full and green as possible. The loot bar determines the chance of finding loot, the safety bar is the chance of looting with/out harm, and the sneak bar essentially determines the noisiness of your scavenging.

You Get Wood And Water From Crafting

  • Pop in a forest or lake or marsh or whatever into the crafting ingredients and receive good stuff!

Use Vehicles To Hold More Dirty Rags

  • Need more room? Use (right-click & take OR drag & drop) a vehicle and drag that sucka around!

Things Degenerate Over Time

  • Pay attention to your items' condition levels--they'll slowly but surely lower over time into nothingness.

You Don't Have To Scavenge

  • If you accidently choose to scavenge a certain hex/location unintentionally, don't fret! Choose the "Scavenging a hex" option to go back to the list of hexes to scavenge.

  • This is really handy since you can "preview" which hexes are best/worst to loot up.

  • Don't forget--choosing not to scavenge any hex doesn't waste a turn!

Closing
Again, NEO Scavenger is a deep, deep game. Take your time and use your eyes--hover over things to find out useful information, READ, drag and drop things around, right click items, etc!
39 Comments
SPAG 30 Mar, 2024 @ 5:30pm 
@Moose Instructions unclear, A ghost dude tried to give me a hug
Moose 29 Mar, 2024 @ 1:48am 
Don't forget, you should take off your amulet asap as it attracts enemies.
PolarBear 19 Mar, 2024 @ 3:14pm 
Asked a question about rotating, was brought here. I'm off to happily ever after. :steamhappy::steamfacepalm::steamsalty:
SPAG 29 Dec, 2022 @ 3:23pm 
i like how in reading the comments, that rotating items is the one thing that everyone's freaking out about, like in an inventory that doesnt auto organize, thats one of the most mechanics in inventory management lmfao
Psysop 8 Dec, 2022 @ 5:51pm 
What I find shocking to read is the number of people that obviously had not read the manual and the help section of the game before looking for tips here.
Trungad 18 Jul, 2022 @ 9:14pm 
You have 2 shoulder slots
one for crobars the other for dufflebags and laptopbags
Capt. Slappy 5 Jan, 2022 @ 3:33pm 
You can rotate items?!?!? Well fuck me...
ams0233 28 Dec, 2021 @ 7:09am 
You can also put bodies onto your hand to carry. Helps with getting them to the woods.
ams0233 28 Dec, 2021 @ 7:07am 
Wash bleeding wounds with clean water and bind with clean rags. Replace them when they get dirty.
Cowmaster64 27 Dec, 2021 @ 9:37pm 
for the "You Have A Shoulder To Hang A Something On" section, you can also use the other side for more storage (duffel bag and soft birch bag).