Guides
PvP Hacking Guide
How to hack other players, defend yourself, and wage digital warfare.
PvP Overview
In Stamp Collector Simulator, players can launch network attacks against each other. These attacks deliver malware, steal resources, or disrupt operations — and deal SI (System Integrity) damage that can end a player’s run. PvP is a core part of the multiplayer experience.
How PvP Works
- Find a target — use Network Scan or Backtrace to discover other players
- Add them as a contact — scanned players become contacts you can target
- Cast a hack spell — play a Security or Data spell targeting a contact
- Network thread launches — the attack travels as a network thread to the victim
- Thread resolves — after duration, the attack effect is applied to the victim
Network Thread Duration
All PvP attacks take: baseDurationHours × 2 + 40 hours (scaled by world timescale). This gives victims time to detect and potentially respond to incoming attacks.
Offensive Spells
Security Tree (Primary Attack Tree)
Level 1 — Probing Attacks:
| Spell | Effect | SI Damage | Requires | Hack Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foreign Script | Steals 500 money | 3 | 1 Basic Security Shard | 1 |
| Targeted Attack | Destroys 1 random software permanent | 8 | 2 Basic Security Shards | 1 |
Level 2 — Sustained Attacks:
| Spell | Effect | SI Damage | Requires | Hack Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trojan | Injects net_trojan malware (10 HDD + 102 RAM drain) | 5 | 1 Core Security Shard | 2 |
| System Breach | Cancels ALL running threads | 7 | 3 Core + 1 Basic Security Shard | 2 |
Level 3 — Devastating Attacks:
| Spell | Effect | SI Damage | Requires | Hack Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Banking Intrusion | Sets target money to 0 | 15 | 2 Advanced + 1 Core Security Shard | 3 |
| BIOS Exploit | Injects net_bios_exploit (128 HDD + 68 RAM drain) | 8 | 1 Advanced Security Shard | 3 |
| Buffer Overflow | Destroys ALL non-malware software permanents | 20 | 3 Advanced Security Shards | 3 |
Data Tree (Utility & Intelligence)
| Spell | Effect | Requires |
|---|---|---|
| Network Scan | Adds top 10 stamp holders as contacts | 1 Core Data Shard |
| Backtrace | Identifies sources of incoming network threads | None |
| Data Harvest | Steals 1 random card from target’s HDD | 1 Advanced Data Shard + contact |
| Memory Leak Exploit | Injects net_memory_leak (170 HDD + 510 RAM drain) | 1 Core Data Shard + contact |
| Counterhack | Mirrors incoming attacks back at attacker | 2 Advanced Data Shards |
Defensive Strategies
Passive Defenses
Some permanents automatically protect against attacks:
- Airgapped Architecture — completely blocks Targeted Attack
- ICE (Intrusion Countermeasures Electronics) — sacrifices itself to block Targeted Attack
- Magellan Protocol — sacrifices itself to block Targeted Attack
Active Defenses
- Entropy Wipe — removes ALL malware permanents (requires 2 Basic Data Shards)
- Backtrace — identifies who is attacking you so you can retaliate
- Counterhack — mirrors incoming network threads back at the attacker (requires 2 Advanced Data Shards)
Strategic Defense
- Diversify income — don’t put all your production into one thread type that System Breach can wipe
- Keep spare resources — a buffer of money protects against Foreign Script and Banking Intrusion
- Check for malware regularly — malware drains capacity silently
- Favor From Above — grants adversary immunity until the adversary is killed or sleeps (not PvP attacks)
Hack Levels and Adversary Damage
Hack spells also damage adversaries when targeted at them:
- Level 1 — 1 HP damage
- Level 2 — 4 HP damage (level²)
- Level 3 — 9 HP damage (level²)
This dual-use makes Security tree investment valuable for both PvP and PvE.
SI Damage in PvP
Every PvP attack now deals SI damage to the victim. This means PvP can kill. A coordinated attack of 3 Buffer Overflows (20 SI each) deals 60 SI — more than half a player’s max health.
Defensive perks against PvP SI damage:
- Firewall Primer — first 3 attacks deal 0 SI damage (blocks both adversary AND player attacks)
- Hardened Shell — +20 max SI gives more buffer against incoming PvP damage
Tips
- Scout first — Network Scan costs resources. Only attack targets worth hitting
- System Breach is king — canceling all threads is devastating; 7 SI damage on top
- Stack malware — multiple Trojans and BIOS Exploits compound drain AND SI damage
- Buffer Overflow is the PvP nuke — 20 SI damage + wipes all software. Two of these deal 40 SI
- Retaliate quickly — use Backtrace to find attackers, then hit back hard
- Don’t neglect defense — Entropy Wipe should always be in your toolkit
- PvP kills give XP — adversary kills reward 50 XP each toward your account level