---
# System prepended metadata

title: Contract Killer (minor midround/latejoin antagonist)

---

# Contract Killer (minor midround/latejoin antagonist)

## Abstract

Contract killers are a midround and latejoin minor antagonist, picked from the crew much like sleeper agents/Syndicate infiltrators. They are antagonists with a very simple mission: assassinate one randomly-chosen member of the crew. As killing some members of the crew, such as heads of staff, may prove challenging, the contract killer has help available to them. By spending time around their target, they can "gather intel" - once enough is gathered, they can summon a special gear kit. Using this kit, they can attempt to kill their target off once and for all. When this is done, their mission is "concluded", and they can go back to being a member of the crew.

## What is a "minor antagonist"?

This is a somewhat new term, but it is simply meant to differentiate from "major" antagonists like Traitor and Heretic. Minor antagonists are not intended as round-defining threats, but instead are intended to provide some spice and shake things up. They are not supposed to cause major collateral damage, and should not escalate past what their role asks of them (in this case, doing whatever is necessary to kill off one person). Ideally, minor antagonists should *never* purposely try to cause a shuttle call. A good example already in the game are revenants - they cause chaos and mess with the crew in silly ways, but they are almost never the "main event".

## Goals

1. Broaden the cast of potential threats hidden among the crew, including shoring up the tiny, tiny list of latejoin antags.
2. Give an interesting gameplay experience that performs similar evil to traitors but in a much more focused way.
3. Introduce a new sort of uncertainty into the gameplay loop of SS13 by having another way your co-workers might be out to betray you.

## Non-Goals

1. Make the contract killer incriminate themselves. The "prototype" version of this antag required you to do goofy tasks like take pictures of the target that blatantly marked you as a contract killer. This is not particularly fun for anyone.
2. Make things excessively hard for the contract killer. The point of the killer being able to unlock a gear kit is so that they are not completely unprepared if asked to do a difficult assassination. A gun or some other fun tools might make all the difference in the world.
3. Provide a lot of "busy work" objectives. Contract killers are here to do one thing, and that should be the *entire* focus. No thefts, no side murders, nothing but preparation and execution.
4. Force you to do anything specific with the body. Round removal is neither necessary nor disallowed - the focus is simply on creating an interesting story (so silently tossing your target into the supermatter is at least discouraged). The third objective given to contract killers is a suggestion on what to do with the body, but it is just that - a suggestion.

## Objectives

### 1: Gather Intel

"Gather Intel" is an objective taken and modified from the permanently disabled (and frankly upsetting) Obsessed antag. It requires you to spend a certain amount of time close to (within 7 tiles of) your assassination target in order to "gather intel" on their behavior and the like. While the timer for this may need adjustment, the current assumption is 5 minutes - enough time that you may need to put effort in, but not long enough to be grueling.

While gathering intel, you receive a small mood boost. Once the timer has run out, you receive a larger mood boost that lasts for 10 minutes, but you can no longer improve your mood simply by standing near the target. Once this happens, you *also* gain access to the ability to summon gear (see below).

This objective serves a few purposes. First, it gates receiving your fun murder kit behind having to put in some effort to prepare - so you can't simply summon a gun seconds after you roll contract killer and start blasting. Second, it creates some nice opportunity for RP and foreshadowing. Spending 5 minutes around someone is not hard, but should encourage having a scene with them, setting up for your murder attempt being less out of nowhere. Finally, it provides a unique sort of objective not seen elsewhere in the game, which should provide nice variety.

### 2: Assassinate Target

This one needs little description. It is a classic assassination mission like many other antags used. As usual for Orbstation, it is up to you whether you want to permanently kill your target or not, though your decision may be colored by the next objective.

### 3: Special Instructions

Your employer has a special request for you. This is, largely, a freeform RP objective that makes a suggestion about what to do during or after your kill. There may be a fair number of these - examples may include "make it look like an accident", "plant a calling card and leave the body in a certain place", "make sure they find the head", "anonymously publish a photo of the body to a newscaster", and so on. This provides a springboard for adding more trouble to the round, giving ways to reveal to the crew that a murder has occurred. However, it is not meant to be restrictive - if the player has a more interesting idea, then like always, they may do that instead.

## Contract Killer Gear

Upon completing your first objective, you gain the ability to call in special gear to help you on your mission. These will be special, thematic sets, like Syndie-kits but on a smaller scope. Each contract killer will be offered a choice of 3-5 kits (TBD), and the selected one can be summoned (via a UI button) in a secure briefcase that only they know the code to. This will either be summoned via bluespace pod, or appear somewhere in maintenance as a dead drop (one of thes should be decided on). As a small added bonus, this briefcase has surprisingly decent damage as a thrown weapon.

Gear kits include the following:

* Hitman Kit: Silenced Makarov with one spare ammo magazine. Some coins. A nice suit. (11 TC equivalent)
* A Box of Assorted Knives and Sharp Objects: A wide variety of knives, randomly selected. Will always include a combat knife and an edagger. Also contains boots and a fannypack for knife storage. (No clear TC equivalent)
* Disguise Kit: A chameleon kit, an Agent ID, and no-slip chameleon shoes. (6 TC equivalent)
* Power Fist Starter Kit: A power fist and a pre-pressurized oxygen tank. Punch your target across the room! (6 TC equivalent)
* Briefcase of Holding: The briefcase itself has the capacity of a bag of holding. Use it to store whatever you want on the path to murder! (No TC equivalent)
* KILLING KIT FOR STRONG ASSASSINS: A Zetan-themed kit. Has a completely random Zetan-themed weapon (not always useful) and some other goofy shit. Rare.
* Prop Hunter's Kit: A chameleon projector. A rush gland implanter (for if you get caught). (7 TC equivalent)
* Miniature Poisoner's Kit: A bottle of a random deadly poison and a bottle of antitoxin (for killing jellypeople). A dart gun. A few piercing syringes. (4 TC equivalent, but the poison is nice).
* Briefcase Full of Loose Viscera: Contains a large assortment of Lavaland monster bits, from which you can craft a variety of armor and weapons. Not subtle at all.
* Cheese Rusher's Kit: Contains implanters for a ratfolk stomach and a cheese implant, along with three entire cheese wheels. Maybe an evil mousetrap?
* Wizard Federation Contraband Kit: Contains 2 wizard items chosen randomly from a list. They fell off the back of a wizard truck. Don't ask questions.