Guides/Newcomers Guide

**Welcome to Super Animal World!** This guide is intended for those who are new to Super Animal Royale (SAR), or anyone who wishes to improve their general knowledge of the game, and hopefully will provide answers to any newcomer's questions regarding gameplay in SAR. The guide will cover the absolute basics of surviving and winning in the Animal Royale game mode, the types of weapons available to fight your way to victory, and provide general tips and strategies for players who wish to improve their gameplay. Note that other game modes exist, and more detailed information about other game modes are available on their individual pages.

Remember to review the Game Rules before playing!

## Basics

This section will cover the bare basics of playing Super Animal Royale. It will link to articles that describe the game interface and controls.

If you require more help, or have questions about playing Super Animal Royale, you can reach out to the community in the #new-player-help channel on the official SAR Discord server.

### Controls

*See also: Control Layouts*
To move your character around, use `W``A``S``D`PC PS Xbox/Switch Joy-Con. For Steam Deck, refer to Xbox controls.

To aim your weapon, use PC PS Xbox/Switch Joy-Con. To shoot or swing your melee weapon, use PC PS Xbox/Switch Joy-Con. To "sneak", which also enables you to see further than normal with certain weapons ("scoping") such as the  Sniper, use `Ctrl`PC PS Xbox/Switch Joy-Con (on controllers, press the left joystick down). You can roll and perfect jump roll while sneaking, which will make much less noise than usual. Rolling while sneaking keeps the view expanded if the weapon has a scope.

### HUD

The Heads-Up Display (HUD) is a visual representation on your screen of important information. Getting familiar with the HUD is important, as it displays information relevant to your character and position within the world.

### Super Jump Rolls

Super Jump Rolls (often shortened to rolls) are the most important and versatile way of moving around in Super Animal Royale. To roll, use `Space`PC PS Xbox/Switch Joy-Con. Rolls allow a player to move around the map quicker and dodge shots from other players. A **perfect** jump roll is executed when the player rolls for the second time immediately as their first roll ends, and results in a 10% movement speed increase. Perfect jump rolls result in sparkles being displayed behind the player. Learning how to roll around properly, and getting perfect jump rolls, will bring the biggest advantage to a player's gameplay and chances of victory. Fortunately, it is not difficult to learn, and can be quickly mastered. It is recommended to spend the time in the pre-game lobbies practising the timing of the perfect jump rolls.

* Super Owl rolling, without getting perfect rolls.
* Super Pixile Fox rolling. The sparkles behind it indicate perfect rolls

### Vehicles

 Hamster Balls and  Giant Emus can be found around the map and entered with `E`PC PS Xbox/Switch Joy-Con. While Giant Emus can be controlled much like regular movement, hamster balls have more friction to them, causing them to be harder to manoeuvre. It's recommended to practice using these vehicles, as they can allow rapid movement around the map. Using the main attack key, Giant Emus can "peck" whatever is under their beaks. Hamster Balls will also do damage when they run over an opponent. After 1 second, Hamster Balls reach their maximum speed, and can instantly kill any opponent that they run over. However, Hamster Balls are fragile, and can be broken with just three shots from a regular weapon. It's important to practice defending against Hamster Balls as well, by being fast and breaking the hamster ball by shooting it, as an opponent may kill you by riding in from off-screen while you are unaware.

### Looting

To pick up weapons, resources, and equipment, use `E`PC PS Xbox/Switch Joy-Con. Some resources and equipment are picked up automatically when the character moves over them. Weapons of the same type but better *rarity* have better statistics (e.g. damage): Common, Uncommon, Rare, Epic, Legendary.

### Map

The Map displays useful information such as your current location, the current status of the Super Skunk Gas, and the location of the Delivery Mole. To view the map, use `M`PC PS Xbox/Switch Joy-Con.

Don't get caught in the Super Skunk Gas! Being in the gas makes you take damage over time, and this damage increases based on the amount of time passed in the match. Make sure to be aware of the gas timer and where the gas and safe zone currently is in the full-screen map. Try to generally head in the direction of the safe zone. If you're already caught in gas, keep moving. Find Speed Mushrooms, Emus, Hamsterballs, or anything that will bring you to safety. Don't fight in the gas!

### Dodging

Dodging shots is important, as repairing armor and healing yourself takes time and resources and leaves you vulnerable. This is something that must be practised. It's worth noting that shots from different weapons must be dodged differently. Dodging the shots of a player using a semi-automatic weapon such as a  Magnum or  Sniper can be done by moving in a zig-zag manner, but the same action against an automatic weapon like the  AK will lead you being quickly shredded. Instead, you should use cover, or attempt to distract, confuse, or mislead the opponent, when fighting against automatic weapons.

### Aiming

Many new players are understandably concerned about their aim. Improving one's aim usually comes down to practice and hand-eye coordination, and making your sense of intuition about where players are and where they will go next better ("gamesense"). (This also involves the "information game" where you keep yourself alert of any hints to where enemies might be: see #The Information Game.) Super Animal Royale has no "hitscan" mechanic, meaning that bullets will fly naturally towards the opponent. You will need to aim ahead of where a player is moving in order to hit them. This takes time and practice. Give yourself time to get used to aiming at opponents. It's also worth noting that while improving your aim you should also focus on dodging the shots of your opponent. After all, if you die, you don't get a chance to fight back. You can also read the Weapons section below for help regarding specific weapons.

New players can also consider playing the  S.A.W. vs Rebellion Limited Time Mode when it is available. S.A.W. vs Rebellion features respawns and class kits of different weapons, which allows new players to try out different types of weapons and respawn if they die, which is good practice for the Battle Royale mode.

### Parties

Parties allow players to team up for the Duos and Squads modes (as well as other game modes that allow squads). To create a party, use one of the + signs on the main menu. A party will be created, where you can then invite friends into. For more information about the various party types, see the Party article.

### Customizations

Customization items and Animal breeds are used to change the appearance of your character. Customizations offer no competitive advantage at all. Newcomers can get a few free customizations by claiming the public Coupon Codes. There is also a chance for free cosmetics to drop when the player gains Levels, and players can use the free in-game  Carl Coins currency to buy free cosmetics from Cackling Carl's Cart, where cosmetics rotate every day and week.

Newcomers can also consider purchasing the current Season Starter Pack or Super Edition for a set of customizations. Super Animal Passes also include many cosmetics for a low  S.A.W. Ticket price. Some tiers of the pass are free and can be claimed without buying the pass.

To unlock animal breeds, visit the Research Lab from the main menu, where you can spend animal DNA and Super Serum to unlock new breeds. Animal DNA and Super Serum can be earned from playing matches.

### Super Animal Account

A Super Animal Account allows you to synchronise your data and progression between different platforms. If you choose to "skip" creating a Super Animal Account at the beginning, you can always create an account later. It is important to note that you should *sign-in to your account when you play on a different platform*. If you create a second account on a different platform, you cannot merge the accounts, and must contact the developers to unlink one of the accounts (and you will lose your progress on that account).

**Important**:  S.A.W. Tickets are **not** synchronised due to platform limitations. Choose one platform to make S.A.W. Tickets purchases on. Purchases made **will** synchronise.

## Weapons

*See also: Guides/Weapon Guide*

There are myriad of weapon types available in the world of *Super Animal Royale*, all with each of their own function and playstyle. In general, it is recommended to have both a long-ranged weapon, for hitting animals further from the player, and a short-ranged weapon for dealing with threats such as  Giant Emus and  Hamster Balls, which due to their speed can quickly catch up with an unprepared player.

To get better with using the weapons, practice makes perfect. In the lobbies before games start, players can pick up and test guns in the Super Shooting Gallery. This is an excellent time to practice using these weapons and get used to how they feel. A beginner will likely want to loot weapons that are simpler to use such as the  AK,  SMG, or the  Shotgun (and the direct upgrades to these weapons such as the  M16,  Thomas Gun and the  JAG-7), and gradually get used to the other weapons, which may require more practice to understand.

The following weapon list will briefly explain each weapon in SAR, alongside guidance for New players to decided which they should pick to get the feel of the game. Alongside each also comes with number value scaling from 1 to 5 used for determining the difficulty, threat, and mobility of each weapon:

* Difficulty : How hard it is to effectively use the weapon.
* Threat : How much damage a weapon can inflict within as little time as possible.
* Mobility : How much the weapon allows for running and gunning.
* Flexibility : How effective the weapon is when used outside its intended range.

### Assault Rifles

 AK and the  M16 are arguably the most user-friendly weapons in the game, making them the go-to weapon for most newcomers. It has easy to control spread, decent damage, while also often being capable of quickly take down players at any distance comfortably.

Difficulty : 1 ★☆☆☆☆

Threat : 3 ★★★☆☆

Mobility : 2 ★★☆☆☆

Flexibility : 4 ★★★★☆

### Submachine Guns

 SMG and  Thomas Gun, are the close-range counterpart of the Assault Rifles, maintaining its ease of use just like Assaults Rifles, although more tailored for mobility and close range combat. A great candidate weapon for newcomers who prefers more mobility to engage enemies closer and more quickly, but doesn't want to sacrifice too much of long range effectiveness.

Difficulty : 1 ★☆☆☆☆

Threat : 3 ★★★☆☆

Mobility : 3 ★★★☆☆

Flexibility : 3 ★★★☆☆

### Machine Guns (Superite Lasers and Miniguns)

 Superite Laser and  Minigun are famous for its insanely high firerate and capability to dish out high damage at the sacrifice of offensive capability such as mobility and accuracy. A nice weapon to use for those who doesn't care about engaging enemies and prefer to defend themselves, especially effective against those pesky agile opponents.

Difficulty : 1 ★☆☆☆☆

Threat : 4 ★★★★☆

Mobility : 1 ★☆☆☆☆

Flexibility : 4 ★★★★☆

### Hand Cannons

 Magnum and  Deagle are duelist weapons, built especially for one to one combat. It is a semi-auto weapon, making it a harder to use but more efficient weapon than Assault Rifle. Practicing to shoot and rolling with this weapon will allow the user to deal considerable damage while making themselves harder to hit. New players are recommended to practice their aim with this weapon to sharpen their accuracy.

Difficulty : 3 ★★★☆☆

Threat : 4 ★★★★☆

Mobility : 4 ★★★★☆

Flexibility : 3 ★★★☆☆

### Handguns

 Pistol,  Dual Pistols, and  Silenced Pistol bears similarity to Submachine Guns with even more damage up close, but being semi-auto at the cost of lower magazine size, and possibility of "jamming" if one pull the trigger faster than the gun's firerate can keep up. The players must remember to always keeps their enemies close when using this weapon, and they will surely and quickly wipe out their adversary. New players are recommended to learn about the importance of covers and positioning by adapting to this weapon.

Difficulty : 2 ★★☆☆☆

Threat : 4 ★★★★☆

Mobility : 4 ★★★★☆

Flexibility : 2 ★★☆☆☆

### Long-range Rifle

 Hunting Rifle and  Sniper are High damage and high accuracy long range weapon, but are terrible for spamming without understanding of the weapon behavior. While it can quickly wipe out the opponents, new players are recommended to train their aiming skills more before wielding this weapon, as it severely punishes players that misses their shots because of its long delay between shots (and even longer delay should they want their next shot to be accurate).

Difficulty : 4 ★★★★☆

Threat : 5 ★★★★★

Mobility : 2 ★★☆☆☆

Flexibility : 2 ★★☆☆☆

### Shotguns

 Shotgun and  JAG-7, just like Snipers, are high damage short range weapon, but requires close quarter combat. Its semi automatic nature means that although it can quickly wipe the opponents, missing the shots makes the user a really easy target that has unfortunately expose themselves too much for the enemies' picking. New players need to learn better positioning to not expose themselves for too long in order to use this weapon effectively.

Difficulty : 3 ★★★☆☆

Threat : 5 ★★★★★

Mobility : 3 ★★★☆☆

Flexibility : 1 ★☆☆☆☆

### Sparrow Weapons

 Bow & Sparrow and  Sparrow Launcher in many ways, share their similarities with Hand Cannon, although with much higher skill ceiling, its ability to tag enemies and reveal their location, and damaging through armor. Sparrow Launcher are more closer and more familiar to Hand Cannon, and therefore are easier to pick up and learn. However, because of its inverse firing mechanism, it is often considered the hardest weapon to use in the game, and New Players aren't recommended to pick up this weapon for now. Only when they can master rolling and firing with Hand Cannon effectively should they consider adapting to this weapon.

Difficulty : 5 ★★★★★ (Bow)/ 3 ★★★☆☆ (Launcher)

Threat : 4 ★★★★☆ (Bow) / 4 ★★★★☆ (Launcher)

Mobility : 5 ★★★★★ (Bow) / 4 ★★★★☆ (Launcher)

Flexibility : 3 ★★★☆☆ (Bow) / 3 ★★★☆☆ (Launcher)

### Dart Guns

Dart Guns also share a lot of similarity of playstyle with Hand Cannon, but with ability to ignore armor. However it deals damage over time instead of instantaneous, slowing down its DPS (Damage per second) ratio. Therefore having knowledge of positioning and usage of cover has its improtance heightened compared to normal Hand Cannon.

Alternatively, it is a great gun for new players who are averse in engaging combat and much prefer aiding their teammates instead, as this gun also allows them to shoot at their team to heal them up. each shot heals up 24 points of HP over time, therefore most teammates can be completely healed with only 5 darts. It is not recommended to spam the dart shots since it doesn't speed up its healing, only extending its duration.

Difficulty : 4 ★★★★☆

Threat : 4 ★★★★☆

Mobility : 4 ★★★★☆

Flexibility : 3 ★★★☆☆

### BCG ( Big Clucking Gun )

 Big Clucking Gun delivers a massive damage and armor penetration in a wide area, but it is also an extremely high skill ceiling thanks to its inverted firing mechanism similar to bows, with the added danger of harming the user themselves, along with its curved trajectory, making it also one of the hardest weapon to utilize. New Players should consider understanding how bow and sparrow works before learning to use this weapon.

Difficulty : 5 ★★★★★

Threat : 5 ★★★★★

Mobility : 3 ★★★☆☆

Flexibility : 4 ★★★★☆

## Throwables

Aside than weapons, the game also includes a number of utility Throwables which are useful as extra tools to win a fight. Instead of straight line, most throwables are deployed instead by launching them in a curved trajectory, and can be thrown over some walls and obstracles that are too tall for bullets to shoot through. There are a total of five throwables in the game.

* Grenade: Creates high explosion 1,5 seconds after it is thrown, capable of dealing massive damage to the enemies (and the thrower themselves) caught near its center of explosion. Also damages their armor based on how much damage they take.
* Skunk Bomb: Releases Skunk gas when hitting the ground after it is thrown, gradually dealing damage over time to the enemies (and the thrower themselves) staying within its gas radius. The skunk gas will remain for 8.4 seconds before dissipating.
* Banana: ~~The best, the greatest, and the source of satiation for the Super Animals.~~ Leaves behind a slippery banana peel after thrown, causing any super animals (enemies, the thrower, and even teammates) to slip and become immobile for few seconds. The banana peel will never despawn naturally. When eaten using  Banana Forker, heals 25 HP to the players eating it instantly.
* Lucky Cat Mine: Leaves behind a proximity mine when after it is thrown, which will trigger and quickly explode when any living beings (all super animals, and even Giant Emus) walk into its detection radius. Has less base damage and explosion radius than Grenades, but is guaranteed at least 20 points of damage and a point of armor damage to anyone caught in its explosion.
* Zip-and-Go: Deploys a zipline that connects between the desired point of placement and the players' current position. Deployed Zip-and-Go can be used to traverse through gaps and very short walls, and multiple of the can be connected with each other. Has a bullet-like trajectory unlike other throwables, and therefore cannot be used to create passage through walls tall enough that bullets cannot shoot through.

## Strategy

In general, one thing that new players tend to overlook is that Super Animal Royale is a battle royale game. The objective is to survive the longest, rather than to get the most kills. Sometimes, it's worth playing more passively, rather than rush into battle. It's also worth damaging other players even if you do not kill them as you deplete their resources. Leaving other players weakened, while trying not to lose your own resources, makes it more likely that they will die, which increases your chance of winning.

### Looting

Generally, it's better to loot the items of dead players, as it is inefficient to move around an area picking up items. Chopping crates and grass is not efficient compared to regular looting and even dangerous (as it reveals your location to other players through the fog of war) and is not recommended. Killing players with better weapons will also allow you to pick up their weapons, and even if you don't get any kills, it's possible that some better weapons are left around their graves, as the player who killed them didn't take the weapons. Keep in mind that ammunition is as important as looting good weapons. Rarer ammunition types like Sniper Ammo and Special Ammo typically are harder to come by later in the game. It's probably best to collect them when you see them early in the game, instead of only after you get a weapon that uses them, if you wish to use those weapons later on.

It's good to have a plan of where you want to loot. More "dense" areas like S.A.W. Security HQ and Pixile Port have greater quantities of loot than less-urban areas. Going from one of these locations to another instead of wandering about randomly is a good way to increase your chances of finding better loot. If an area seems already looted when you get there, it might be worth skipping the location and moving on.

Higher rarities of weapons (Epic and Legendary), which include special versions of weapons that are more powerful, only drop from  Rebel Caches and  Mole Crates.  Rebel Caches can be found around the map and opened to reveal the loot inside, while the Mole Crate only appears two times a game. When the Delivery Mole is about to appear at a location and deliver the Mole Crate, a notification will appear in the top part of the screen, and the location of the Delivery Mole will be shown on the map.

There is typically much fighting around the location of the Mole Crate, as players fight for the strong weapons that can be contained within. Generally, the earlier you reach the Delivery Mole, the better chances you have to grab the loot, and it is most preferable to arrive before the Delivery Mole delivers the crate and grab it as soon as it is delivered. Judge how far you are from the Mole Crate and where it is. Mole Crates on the edges of the map (for example, on the southern beach) generally attract fewer players.

It's advisable to *not stick around after you loot the Mole Crate*. If you've obtained a good weapon from the crate, it may be tempting to stick around and fight with it. This is not advisable as your opponents may have strength in numbers. As a new player, if you wish to loot the Mole Crate, it's advisable to have a way to quickly get out, such as a  Giant Emu or  Hamster Ball. These vehicles will let you flee from the area quickly if the fighting is too intense (or you can simply Perfect Jump Roll away). If you already have a Legendary weapon, you can also consider preventing other players from grabbing the mole crate and thus prevent others from getting weapons that are as strong as yours.

### Drop Location

A common mistake made by new players is dropping immediately at the start of the Giant Eagle flight (a "hot-drop": dropping into a location with many other players around). It's better to be patient and drop far away from anyone else, for several reasons:

* In a hot-drop, there is less good loot available as other players might take the loot. You will be at a disadvantage throughout the game if you start out with bad loot.
* It is dangerous as there are many players around. If you get hurt, you are at a disadvantage as you will need to heal and that wastes valuable time that you could be using to loot.
* The start of the eagle flight is usually at the edge of the map, further away from the center where the Circle of Life has a higher possibility to be (e.g. if you are on the east edge of the map, there is a 4/5 chance that the circle is in the center, or on the west, south, or north edges, further away from you).

It's better for the purposes of winning to drop at central locations further away from players. In general, it's better to stay close to the center of the Circle of Life:

* The Delivery Mole spawns within the Circle of Life. At the center of the circle, you can reach it faster wherever it is.
* You get to loot the central locations within the circle before other players. Mind that the central locations will become the end-game circle.
* You do not need to flee from gas.

### Fleeing and Healing

When the fighting gets tough, remember that you can run! A major mistake many new players make is not realizing when to flee. Sometimes, it's not wise to fight (if you are at full health, with a good weapon, and there's enemies all about fighting each other, it's probably best to lay low and wait for an opportunity.) When fleeing from an opponent (using Perfect Jump Rolls, vehicles, or throwables to block the opponent's path), you should make sure you cannot be found by another player before you start healing. Choosing the place where you heal is very important. Healing next to a campfire may be appealing, but remember that it's also a clear sign to other players visible through walls that a player was there recently. It's a common mistake to think that you're safe, start healing, and then find that your opponent has thrown a grenade right at your legs. Make sure your opponent isn't still chasing you first - if they are, keep running!

Keep in mind that  Mushrooms and  Coconuts can heal you for a small amount of health. Perfect Jump Rolling between them to eat them while in an area with them can increase your health quickly. You do not need to heal completely from them - they can increase your health and reduce the amount of time you spend healing. Standing near to a  Campfire and healing makes you heal twice as fast (as the campfire restores health along with the healing from the Health Juice). It is not recommended to find campfires specifically to heal unless you are already near one, as regular healing is fast enough. Also note that campfires are visible through the fog of war and leave you vulnerable (especially when first lighting them). During events, event items are spread across Super Animal World, and can also heal the player.

Remember to pay attention to whether your enemies can see or hear you. Using a loud weapon like a Sniper, Deagle or Magnum can be heard by enemies very far away. Generally, footsteps are too soft to hear, even when not creeping (and creeping makes you too slow). When hiding from opponents, you can simply walk around and not roll (rolling is louder). Make sure that your actions are not visible through walls (such as walking through bushes, cutting grass with Claw Boots or with the melee, breaking boxes -- you will get used to what can and cannot be seen by observing your enemies making the same mistake.)

While healing, if you are at low health, it's probably advisable to tape your armor up first, rather than start chugging  Health Juice. Even one tick of armor will nullify one shot from an opponent, no matter what weapon they're using (unless it has armor pierce, but weapons with armor pierce generally have lower projectile speeds that make them easier to dodge), which can make the difference between fleeing and living longer to fight again or dying right there and then.

### The Information Game

SAR is also a game where information matters a lot. Where your opponents are, what weapons and resources they have verus yours, and where they're likely to go is important. Concealing these factors from your enemies is also important. Sometimes you can be tricky and hide behind a tree or obstacle staying still to get a stealth kill, or stay quiet so your opponents don't expect you. Make sure you keep the noise that you make in account as well - healing and repairing your armor is very loud, and if any enemies are around (which may be not known to you), they will be able to surprise you.

Certain actions are visible through the fog of war (e.g. breaking crates, exploding barrels, chopping grass, shaking bushes) and you can use this to locate where enemies are while staying alert about it yourself.

Knowing where your opponents are is also important for using throwables. If you see an enemy entering a confined space, it's possible to catch them with a throwable.

Generally, you do not need to sneak around to conceal your movements from other players, as footsteps are quite quiet. However, mind that gunshots are quite loud and any enemy nearby can probably hear them.

### Pre-aiming

Pre-aiming is an important aspect of being able to hit opponents. Pre-aiming involves having mental knowledge of where your enemy is (from sound cues, seeing the enemy briefly, or through intuition or "gamesense" - the positions of enemies can be guessed especially during the endgame when the Circle of Life is small), or where they may appear (entrances to your current location) and positioning your cursor where you expect them to appear on your screen. Pre-aiming allows you to act quicker and shoot your opponent before they can react, as your cursor will already be where the enemy is.

### Third-partying

In a battle royale game like Super Animal Royale, third-partying can be an effective strategy to win. This involves baiting two enemies into attacking each other, then fighting the weakened opponents. You can also take advantage of a fight between two other players as they are likely both weakened.

### Drink-offs

A **drink-off** occurs when the final Super Skunk Gas ring is closing, and the opponents have difficulty reaching each other. The two players must drink Health Juice as quickly as possible, to ensure that the opponent runs out of health first. To do this, a powerup like  Cupgrade or  Skunk Gas Snorkel is useful, and may make or break a win. If you predict a drink-off is going to happen, it may be worth swapping your current power-up for a Cupgrade or a Skunk Gas Snorkel.

Although a drink-off is sometimes necessary, it might be possible to surprise an opponent who is attempting to drink you off if you can reach them. This is possible to do if you have a  Skunk Gas Snorkel or have utility throwables.

### Strafing

It is important that while attacking an enemy you are also dodging the shots that they shoot at you (i.e. Strafing). Changing your position, hiding behind cover, or circling around the enemy can make it harder for the enemy to hit you with their own shots. Shooting a few rounds, rolling, then shooting again, preferably without losing the perfect roll combo, is a good way to dodge shots while attacking an enemy. This is especially important for weapons like the  Bow & Sparrow.

### Avoiding combat

It may be a good idea to avoid combat if you wish to win. Combat can sap your resources and leave you vulnerable while you recover. Sometimes, it's wiser to be quiet, and stick to the edges of the Circle of Life, especially late-game where enemies are likely to have stronger weapons that can quickly break your armor. Similarly, if you have worse weapons, it's probably better to third-party a player with good weapons and let other players fight them, then grab their loot when they die.

Remember that since the objective is to be the last one standing, it's not necessary to kill other players to get a winning advantage. Sometimes, damaging players in order to deplete their resources, leaving them vulnerable and possibly out of the action is enough to give you an advantage over the rest.

## Improving

A new player shouldn't fear losing their first couple of rounds. In a battle royale game, even the most experienced of players will still lose the majority of their games. Joining a new match only takes two to three minutes at most, so losing doesn't really set you back - after all, rounds are short in Super Animal Royale. Practicing by playing and learning from your mistakes is a great way to improve.

### Player count

As a new player, you might have difficulties playing against other, more experienced players. That's alright - to practice against a lobby of bots, change through the servers until you find a lobby that has a lower player count at the current time. You can see the amount of players in the top right corner in the lobby at around 20 seconds before the round starts (at 15 seconds, bots populate the lobby, obscuring the player count).

## Tips

* **Never disrespect the opponent's line of sight!** One of the more common mistakes that even good players tend to make is ignoring the opponent's line of sight, blindly believing that their bodies can tank the bullets. However, without armor, a player can only take on average between two to four shots before dying, and even then, armor will only allow additional one to three shots to tank. Always try to maintain self-preservation when engaging a fight, avoiding as much of exposure as possible, and consider the direction which your opponent will shoot.
* **Avoid engaging in a fight without armor if possible!** On top of adding extra hit points to the player, an armor will always take priority of taking damage from most weapons (except weapons that ignore / penetrate armors). This means, as long as there are armor points left equipped, the players can survive even shots that would otherwise be lethal. Try to always have at least one point of armor before every fight.
* **Learn weapon weights!** Every weapon has a specific weight, which can impact your overall mobility by quite a bit. If you're trying to run away from a fight or you're not in a fight, your best bet will be your melee to get the slight edge over your opponent.

## Other guides

* Guides/Weapon Guide - Guide to more advanced weapon strategy
* Guides/Weapon Comparison - Comparison of weapons in SAR
* Guides/Troubleshooting - Troubleshoot common issues with the game