Reward Challenge

## *Survivor* Gameplay

### Description

An opportunity for a tribe or an individual to obtain additional survival tools, food or other luxuries

### Appearances

All seasons

**Reward Challenges** are challenges that are used at both the tribal and individual level. Sometimes paired with Immunity Challenges, winning these challenges can provide tribes, individuals, or groups of individuals with items that make life at camp easier, escapes from the game, or a prize that they can enjoy after the game is completed.

## Tribal Rewards

During the tribal phase of the game, Reward Challenges offer items that will improve camp life, as well as meals and feasts. These are the most recurring tribal rewards:

* Fire-making supplies such as flint or matches; commonly offered as the first reward item of the season
* Additional fishing supplies such as fishing gear bait, fishing spear, tackle box and fishing boat
* Tarps, pillows, blankets and hammocks
* A tool kit containing a hammer, nails, saw, rope
* Additional food rations ranging from fresh produce (fruits, vegetables, spices), protein (raw fish or meat, live chickens), processed items (canned goods, trail mix, confectionaries)
* Full meals
* A clue to a Hidden Immunity Idol, which may be hidden in one of the reward items
* Letters from home and/or actual loved ones being allowed to visit camp
* Bath products

Sometimes, the winning tribe is told to choose 1 or 2 members of the losing tribe to join them on the reward.

## Individual Rewards

For post-merge rewards, the members of the merged tribe compete as individual units. There are some cases though that the merged tribe is separated into groups to compete for the reward. In most cases, if the number of players cannot be divisible into equal-numbered groups, either a single player wins the challenge (with the choice of choosing a tribemate to share his/her reward with), or divide them into groups, with one person singled out. The person left out predicts which team will win, and if they are correct, they can join the winning team on the reward. These are the most recurring individual rewards over the seasons:

* Feasts
* Spa/bath days
* A visit from a loved one or letters from home
* A car
* An advantage at the next Immunity Challenge
* A clue to a Hidden Immunity Idol

Like with tribal rewards, the winner can be told to choose some of those who did not win to join them on the reward, particularly if it is a car reward.

### Survivor Auction

*See also: Survivor Auction*
The *Survivor Auction* is a special Reward Challenge where the players are given money and must outbid each other to obtain certain items, mostly food. Items available in the auction may also include game advantages such as a Challenge Advantage for the upcoming Immunity Challenge, a clue to the Hidden Immunity Idol, or an Extra Vote.

## Strategy

During the pre-merge stage of the game, tribes that are allowed to sit out members may opt to let a weaker tribe member compete for the Reward Challenge so their stronger tribe members may compete at the Immunity Challenge to potentially better their chances of escaping Tribal Council.

Usually after the merge, winning Reward Challenges that entails leaving camp can be used for strategic gain. The winner(s) may be asked to pick one or more companions and use the time away from camp to talk about future voting options, whether to strengthen a bond between allies to solidify a voting plan, or take a non-ally to expand the winner's options. In this case, choosing a companion would be a tricky situation, as it could expose certain voting blocs that might not be known to the other contestants. Those who remain at camp during the reward could use this as an opportunity to band against the reward winners.