Think like an anomaly detector
New Hunters try to inspect everything one prop at a time and run out of clock. Strong Hunters do the opposite: they let their eyes sweep and wait for something to feel "off." The human visual system is superb at flagging things that break a pattern — a seam that doesn't line up, a color that's a touch too clean, a shadow pointing the wrong way. Your job is to trust those flags and investigate them fast.
Scanning patterns that work
- Scan high to low. Start at ceiling level and work down. Hiders frequently forget to match overhead elements, so the top of a wall is a common weak point.
- Check corners and edges first. Corners are natural hiding spots and break up silhouettes. Clear them before open areas.
- Sweep, then re-sweep. The best Hiders sit where you already looked. Pass each zone twice, the second time from a different angle or height.
- Follow the light. Move so surfaces shift between light and shadow — a painted Hider often fails to update their shading when your viewpoint changes.
Red flags that give Hiders away
- "Too perfect" matches. Real surfaces carry noise, wear, and grime. A flawless, ultra-clean patch is often paint.
- Wrong shadow direction. If a surface's shading disagrees with the room's light source, a Hider painted it.
- Silhouette bumps. Even with great color, a chameleon-shaped bulge against a flat plane stands out.
- Missing ground shadow. A "prop" that doesn't cast a contact shadow where it meets the floor is a disguised player.
- Any movement. The loudest tell of all. Watch for the tiniest shift while you scan.
Hunter design & skin ideas
Many players look for Hunter paint and design ideas too. As the Hunter you're not hiding, so treat your look as expression: bold, high-contrast colors and clean readable shapes work well since blending in isn't the goal. Save your best camouflage concepts from the paint designs guide for when you're on the Hider side.
Don't fall for the bait
Skilled Hiders will try to waste your clock with decoys and obvious-looking traps. Learn to recognize and counter them in the decoys guide, and understand the mistakes that expose Hiders in why you get caught.