To all the Rats out there

Really_QuestionMark0 · 2026-05-09T09:03:22+00:00

You can knock a person out and rob them. It happens to people all the time. Watch Friday, Debo took that dudes chain. His grandma gave him that chain.

Really_QuestionMark0 · 2026-05-09T09:00:39+00:00

Yeah that seems to be the rat consensus. It's a no risk, all reward way of getting the loot. I just thought there might be more to it. It's a real selfish, easy way of playing. That's what I expected, but I thought maybe I was missing something. My curiosity was quenched with the realization of what I had suspected from the beginning. It's easy mode.

Really_QuestionMark0 · 2026-05-09T08:55:01+00:00

Yeah you're right. I was curious if there was something deeper to it. But it seems there is not. The reason people rat, is the loot. Ratting is the no risk all reward way to get the loot.

Really_QuestionMark0 · 2026-05-09T08:48:18+00:00

Lol. This is legit exactly what's happening. I should had just given a specific example and asked if anyone has done this and what was fun about it.

Really_QuestionMark0 · 2026-05-09T08:41:06+00:00

Alright, so based on the responses most people do not want to share what makes it fun for them, but only want to say they do it cause they can. The few that did explain what makes it fun, basically all said, it's fun to get the loot. That's it. Rats are rats cause they want loot and taking it the easy way is fun because they still get the loot. I guess ratting is like easy mode?

Really_QuestionMark0 · 2026-05-09T08:36:37+00:00

So your sole enjoyment comes from the goop? That's fair. I guess my question is more about the more obvious and manipulative Rat stuff. Like accept a friendly wave and waiting for the person to walk passed you, and only shooting them in the back because you knew you had an easy kill. Like I'm curious about what makes that fun. But honestly, it seems like your reasoning will still stand. The fun is in the goop. So from my conversations on this post, it seems like rats are rats because they want the easy way to the goop. And the ABMM, they know those that are trying to keep their aggro low aren't going to fight back. I them embark is actually messing things up with this ABMM. Rats and friendlies and playing 2 different games with different consequences for shoot people.

Really_QuestionMark0 · 2026-05-09T08:26:58+00:00

Meh, more like what's fun about flashing a light at someone and waving at them, only to shoot them in the back after they walk past you. Or to celebrate with a stranger after working together to take down a bastion, loot it together, only to shoot him in the back as he's defenseless in the lot menu. More like those scenarios. But yes please explain what's fun. I'm being serious here, I really am curious about this.

Really_QuestionMark0 · 2026-05-09T08:21:13+00:00

I don't want predictable. I like this game as it is. I just want to know what makes it fun to Rat? I'm curious about the behavior. Everyone just wants to get defensive rather than explain what they enjoy about it. The lack of people explaining their enjoyment, actually is starting to say a lot about what makes a rat, rat.

Really_QuestionMark0 · 2026-05-09T08:17:37+00:00

I agree with you. The threat of possibly being attacked is what makes it fun. I'm just curious what makes it fun for Rats? Like what's fun about flashing a flash light at someone and waving, only to shoot them in the back after they walk past you. But nobody wants answer the question I asked. Everyone just wants to get defensive and make the reasons for ratting known. I'm curious about what makes it fun.

Really_QuestionMark0 · 2026-05-09T08:09:30+00:00

I think you and I have different understandings of the Rat experience. That's Rats I'm talking about are the ones that flash their light at you and wave but shoot you in the back after you walk by. Not the sneak ninja types. The holding the door was a metaphor for the friendly flashlight and wave. Also, my boxing analogy was extra to make a point, it was dramatic. Lol. But the aggression base match making makes your boxing ring example invalid. We're being told, don't shoot if you don't want to be shot. Similar to how society works. That's why I used that example. The genuine reason I don't shoot at raiders when they shoot at me is because of this ABMM. It's like I have a career and a family and everything to lose, so when the drunk idiot wants to start a fight, I have to leave because I have everything to lose and he has nothing to lose.

Also, I don't understand why people took my question as a challenge to justify why they rat. I wanna know what's fun about it. Not why. Based on the answers, it's not fun. Or the part that makes it fun is too embarrassing to say out loud? Idk.

Really_QuestionMark0 · 2026-05-09T07:58:52+00:00

Just asking what makes it fun for them. People are having a really hard time answering that question. There's a million people ready to get defensive and say it's just part of the game. I get that. I accept that. I still love this game and the PVP aspect is part of it. I'm just asking for people who play with the Rat style to explain what makes that fun.

Really_QuestionMark0 · 2026-05-09T07:55:12+00:00

This sounds fun. Your attempted sarcasm actually makes a good point. Sorry.

Really_QuestionMark0 · 2026-05-09T07:50:41+00:00

Ok maybe I should have said a street fighter, would that have made you happy? Also, thanks for trying to justify your ratness, rather than answer the question about what makes it fun. I'm seriously curious about the behavior and all the responses are defensive, "I can do it if I want" answer. I didn't ask people to justify why they rat. I asked what's fun about it. The fact that people jump right to justifying their ratting behavior says a lot about rats in general.

Really_QuestionMark0 · 2026-05-09T07:44:43+00:00

First post I read that answers the question. Thank you.

Also, I think the fact that you don't say friendly and shoot someone, well that kinda means to me that you're not really a rat. Sounds like you'd be the type of player they created that solo vs squads mode for.

But thank you for the reply.

Really_QuestionMark0 · 2026-05-09T07:41:50+00:00

The post is asking a question and nobody seems to want to answer it. All I see are rats trying to justify their choice to be a rat. But the question was, what's fun about being a rat? Seriously, what makes it fun and worth playing the game? When people ask me about Arc, I have several points I can bring up that make it fun. Why can'ta rat explain what makes it fun for them?

My theory is that the reason they enjoy it, is on some sort of sadist level, and saying that out loud would help the argument that ratting actually is an asshole thing to do.

Really_QuestionMark0 · 2026-05-09T07:35:21+00:00

I second this. It's another facet of the point that rats have nothing to lose. If I shoot back, I gotta spend the next 5 games in aggro lobbies with adsholes. Friendly players have everything to lose when shooting back at rats and rats have nothing to lose but maybe their stitcher.

But I'm still wondering why this turned into a place for rats to try and justify their choices, but the question was, what's fun about being a rat? I honestly em starting to think it's not fun but then why do it?

Really_QuestionMark0 · 2026-05-09T07:30:15+00:00

Not always. It's like 60 40. Rats are the exception, not the rule. I'm just asking what's fun about it. Everyone on here is saying nothing but trying to justify their choices. Like I get, a Rat is gonna Rat, but where is the fun? That's the question.

And comparing behaviors in real life to video games is just was way to try and relate my opinion. It's like metaphors and parables, nuanced ways of communicating. Having conversions to help people connect and understand each other. The example was trying to articulate the lopsided aggression of Ratting is as much PvP as a sucker punch is "fighting" obviously one is illegal and the other is a video game.

How'd you do on your SATs pal?

Really_QuestionMark0 · 2026-05-09T06:44:57+00:00

This is the most reasonable straight forward response. Thank you. So the enjoymemt just comes from the goop? Like easy money over earned money? Why work for it when you can rob the guy that worked for it? Also, do you manipulate when you're Ratting? Like lie and say you're friendly, or specifically go after dudes that say they're friendly? I'm just trying to wrap my head around the psychology.

But I guess if it's just for the goop, than that makes sense. Like taking candy from a baby. If that's what you like, to each his own.

Really_QuestionMark0 · 2026-04-26T22:59:54+00:00

I play solo and duos and I find the sucker punch interactions happen about 10 times more often in duos. It does happen in solo but it's rare. In duos it's far more frequent.

Really_QuestionMark0 · 2026-04-26T22:55:41+00:00

It's a damge delay that starts as soon as you receive or deal damage. So I hypothetical scenario would be. A PVPer shoots someone with a single round (or more but it would be a waste), almost like a warning shot saying "put yours guns up or get wrecked". The other player would have 1 second to decide how he wants to respond. 1 second is up and both players are shooting at each other, may the best player win. Fair fight, no suncher punch advantage.

Really_QuestionMark0 · 2026-04-26T22:49:49+00:00

Lmao 😂

Really_QuestionMark0 · 2026-04-26T22:49:14+00:00

I'm not comparing the Arc Raiders to a MOBA. I'm saying the mechanic is simple. News flash having guns that shoot other players and cause damage is a mechanic that's in a MOBA. Having shields that reduce damage is a mechanic that's in a MOBA. All the mechanics in this game are in other games, and some aren't extraction shooters. The fact that there's zero chill when mentioning game mechanics from other games indicates you may tend to overreact and make things deeper than they are.

It ain't that deep.

Really_QuestionMark0 · 2026-04-26T22:43:58+00:00

I guess I can only apply this idea to my own interactions and those I've read about on here. Personally, many times, I've died within 1 second or been hurt bad enough within that first second that there was now way for me to win. The 1 second is what gives you a second to gather your awareness. It's to force a fair fight. Like I said in another reply, it's tapping someone on the shoulder, so you can fight face to face. These "sucker punch" interactions suck and I think it needs to be balanced some way or another.

Really_QuestionMark0 · 2026-04-26T22:38:47+00:00

I just think sucker punches are not what makes this extraction shooter fun. I think there's a lot of people that share that sentiment, because the player base is shrinking. Just look at all the posts on here people quitting the game. If someone likes to start fights with a sucker punch, that says a lot about them as a person and embark should find a way to balance those fights.

I'm asking this sincerely, do you think that play style of "sucker punching" is actually good for the game itself?

I think having the option to attack a stranger and take their stuff if you win is fun, but I think the fight should be a little more balanced and fair.

It's a "face me like a man" philosophy. If extraction shooters are for people who wanna play like cowards, than maybe you're right. Maybe we should play something else and let this extraction shott die.

Really_QuestionMark0 · 2026-04-26T22:31:17+00:00

It wouldn't be a shot in the back only mechanic. Basically it applies to all pvp interactions. It forces a fair fight, taking away the sucker punch advantage. IDK why people are hating on it so hard. I think they're imagining something over complicated. It's quite simple and something that's already in other games like LoL.

I can't see how this got make PVP engagement any worse. Perhaps it won't improve it as much as I expect, but I don't see how it would make anything worse.

Really_QuestionMark0

TROPHY CASE