Escape from Tarkov gives you two ways into a raid. As a PMC you bring your own gear from your stash and risk it; as a Scav you get random gear and lose nothing if you die, you just have to wait out a cooldown before the next Scav run. In both cases one rule applies: you only keep the loot if you make it out. This guide explains how PMC and Scav differ, how to check active exits with the O key and which extracts come with conditions. Valid as of 20 October 2026 and patch 1.2.0.0.
PMC vs Scav at a glance
Your PMC is your main character. When you create it you pick a faction, USEC or BEAR, and this is the character you level, complete quests with and build your loadouts for. You take into the raid whatever is in your stash, and anything you take in can be lost.
The Scav is a “free” character. Its gear is random, so you risk nothing from your stash. Die as a Scav and you lose nothing. Make it out and the loot from the raid goes to your main character. There is a timed cooldown between Scav runs, so you cannot keep sending a Scav in endlessly.
| PMC | Scav | |
|---|---|---|
| Gear | your own, from your stash | random |
| What you risk on death | everything you carry except the secure container | nothing of your own |
| What you keep after extracting | your gear and the loot | the loot goes to your main character |
| AI Scavs | this advantage does not apply | do not treat you as a threat until you attack |
What you lose and what you keep
Dying in a raid means losing everything you have on you. The exception is the secure container: Alpha, Beta or Gamma depending on your game edition. You keep it even after death, which is why the most valuable things you find belong in it. Which edition comes with which container size is covered in our editions and prices guide.
Why Scav runs are worth it
A Scav run is a way to get loot with no risk. Your main character’s gear stays safe, and you get to learn the maps at your own pace. AI Scavs do not treat you as a threat while you are a Scav until you attack them, so you can move around the map more freely than as a PMC. The moment you fire first, that advantage is gone.
Extraction: how to get out of a raid
A raid does not end when you kill enemies; it ends when you leave the map through one of the exits. Tarkov does not make this easy: there is no regular map showing your position and extracts are not marked on any map. Reviewers therefore recommend keeping a map open on a second monitor or your phone.
Check active exits with the O key
Not every exit is open to everyone. Active extracts depend on where you spawned on the map and on whether you are playing as a PMC or a Scav. Double-tap the O key to see the list of exits you can use. Do it right at the start of the raid so you know where you are heading, not when someone is already chasing you.
Exits with conditions
Some exits have a condition, shown with a question mark “?” in the list. Typically you need a key or have to pay in roubles. Before you count on such an exit, make sure you can meet the condition. Otherwise you reach the spot and still cannot get out.
What patch 1.2.0.0 added
Patch 1.2.0.0, released on 6 October 2026, added new exits on Customs for both PMCs and Scavs. If you are going by an older map, keep in mind that Customs now has extracts that are missing from it. BSG publishes further patches in its official news.
PMC and Scav across game modes
Since patch 1.1.0.0 you have three kinds of characters: PvP Zone, PvE Zone and the seasonal character. Each has its own progression, and they differ in who you meet in a raid. In the PvE Zone every other PMC is AI, so you can practise extracts without live opponents. How the PvE Zone works and what it costs is explained in our PvE Zone guide. When the seasonal character resets is covered in our guide to wipes and seasons. If you are new to Tarkov, start with our beginner’s guide.
Join our Discord to find raid partners who can show you the extracts on each map: GamersTogether Discord.
FAQ
Your PMC is your main character with your own gear from the stash, which you lose on death. A Scav has random gear, you risk nothing by dying, and loot from a successful extraction goes to your main character.
Double-tap the O key to see the list of active exits. The game does not mark them on a map, so it helps to have a map on a second monitor or your phone.
The exit has a condition, such as a key or a payment in roubles. You cannot leave the raid that way unless you meet it.
Only the contents of your secure container, Alpha, Beta or Gamma depending on your edition. You lose everything else you carry.
Scav runs have a timed cooldown. Once it runs out, you can head into a raid as a Scav again.
Information verified on 20 October 2026. More guides are waiting in our Escape from Tarkov hub.