Among Us is an easy game to understand and play. Usually, it takes less than a day to change from a beginner to a regular player. Here are some basic strategies for you.
How a basic game might go[]
Here's how most generic games in public lobbies go:
- All players will spawn in the lobby, chat, walk around, and customize their character's appearance before the game starts.
- Once enough players join and the host presses the start button, there will be a 5-second countdown following the game's start. At the start, you'll be told whether you're An Impostor or a Crewmate, followed by a more specific role if you get one. Don't tell anyone what your role is so you do not get voted out!
- Everyone will spawn in the game at either the Cafeteria, Dropship, or Launchpad, on The Skeld, Polus, and MIRA HQ respectively.
- If you're playing on The Airship, you will need to choose from a selection of 3 rooms to spawn in within 10 seconds.
- The Crewmates will go around completing their designated tasks on the map, while The Impostor will try to blend in, fake tasks, Sabotage, and get kills in secret. Some Crewmates may stick in groups of 2, 3, or more to protect themselves and stay safe from the Impostor.
- As the game progresses, bodies will be reported and emergency meetings will be called. During emergency meetings, the players will discuss who they think is The Impostor and try to vote them out. If a player is voted out, they will essentially die and their identity as Crewmate or Impostor will be revealed (if the Confirm Ejects option is toggled to on, which is the case most times).
- This process of doing tasks, calling emergency meetings at appropriate times, and avoiding The Impostor will continue until either The Impostor has killed off enough of the Crew or the Crew has found and voted out The Impostor. The game will end automatically if Crewmates complete all their tasks (Crewmates win) or if certain Sabotages are not fixed in time (Impostors win). However, automatic win methods are unlikely.
While games can vary a lot, this is the basic structure for a normal Among Us game, and if a game skews too far off from this structure, someone in the game may be hacking or trolling, or the players may be playing with a custom set of rules. Also, keep in mind that you may be one of the people killed by An Impostor in a game, or you may be ejected, in which case you'll get to roam around the map as a ghost until the game ends or you decide to leave the game.
Basic tips[]
Start with The Skeld[]
The Skeld is the "original" map in the game as it is the most popular and favored map in all regions, so it's easier to find a server with a good amount of players. However, this is not the main reason you should start with this map. The Skeld has vents that do not lead to all other vents, which is good for Crewmates, and doors cannot be manually opened, which is good for Impostors. In addition, most in-game tasks can be found in The Skeld, another reason it is the "classic" map. This ensures that the balance of power between Crewmates and Impostors. Security cameras are another feature you can use to check who used the vent ability, killed, or did something suspicious.
Practice[]
In Practice, you can try different tasks and tactics, which can be used in a real game. You can choose to be any role or give yourself any task you want. This will help you so you won't get stuck on a task that will most likely get you killed by An Impostor when you play in a real game. As An Impostor, you can try different strategies that you can use in a real game. Also, try to remember the names of locations so you can report suspicious activity as a Crewmate during meetings. Practice allows the player to practice using vents and killing with dummies (not real players).
Know the basic terminology[]
- For a full list of slang terms, see the glossary.
Among Us has its own very universal "slang" or terminology that has spread throughout players. It's crucial to know this terminology as a new player because you will most likely encounter at least one of these words in a public game, and you'll need to know what it means.
- 2nd/3rd/4th Imp(o) - used in games with 1, 2, and 3 Impostors, respectively, a term for a Crewmate who is supporting The Impostors (ex. "I think Red might be a 3rd Impo.")
- Caf(e) - a quick way to say Cafeteria (ex. "I was in caf when you reported.")
- Cams - a quick way to refer to the Security ability (ex. "I was on cams, I saw Green use a vent!")
- Clear - Similar in meaning to 'safe', it means that a player is almost certainly not An Impostor (ex. "Green is clear, they were with me the whole time.")
- Comms - a quick way to say Communications (ex. "I saw Lime in comms doing tasks.")
- Dec(on) - a quick way to refer to Decontamination (ex. "White and I found the body in decon.")
- Elec(tric) - a quick way to say Electrical (ex. "The body was in elec!? I saw lime go in just a few seconds ago!")
- Imp(o) - a shortened way to say "Impostor" (ex. "Yellow's the imp, I saw them kill Cyan!")
- Med - a quick way to refer to MedBay or Medical, depending on the map. (ex. "I was in Med with White.")
- Nav/Navi - a quick way to say Navigation (ex. "I saw purple do a few tasks in nav and the task bar went up, I don't think it is them.")
- Out (a location) - means 'outside (a location)', usually near doors. (ex. "Red, Brown, and I found the body out Admin.")
- Purp - a quick way to say Purple (ex. "Purp could be The Impostor, they have not done any tasks yet.")
- Reac - a quick way to say Reactor (ex. "There was a double kill in reac.")
- Rep - a quick way to refer to the report ability (ex. "Isn't it a bit odd that Pink is the one to rep every dead body?")
- Sab(o) - a quick, general way to refer to the Sabotage ability or refer to a Sabotage (ex. "Orange stopped right as the sabo happened, maybe they did it!")
- Safe - almost certain that one is not An Impostor. (ex. "Blue safe, they did a visual task in front of me.")
- Sec - a quick way to refer to the Security location (ex. "I was in sec the whole time.")
- Self/Self-rep - a quick way to suggest that a self-report occurred, which is when An Impostor reports their own kills (ex. "I was checking Vitals; this must be a self!")
- Spec - short for Specimen Room (ex. "I was in spec.")
- Stack - A form of kill where The Impostor has killed in such a large group that it is difficult to tell who did it (ex. "Did anyone see who did that stack kill?")
- Sus - short for "suspicious" or "suspect;" used to describe someone who may be acting suspiciously or is a suspect for being An Impostor (ex. "Red is acting sus, they're not doing any tasks!")
- Swipe - a quick way to say the common task Swipe Card, usually to be stated when somebody did the task but the task bar did not go up, or when nobody had the task when somebody was doing it. (ex. "We do not have swipe but Green faked it!")
- Vent - a shortened version of saying "used the vent ability"; seeing a player vent is a surefire way to know that they're An Impostor (ex. "Blue's The Impostor, I saw them vent!")
- Weapons - another name for Clear Asteroids in Weapons. (ex. "Orange obviously faked weapons.")
- Where - a quick, convenient way to say: "Where was the body?;" which is normally asked at the start of an emergency meeting after a body's been reported (usually said as its own sentence).
- Y-hall - a quick way to refer to the Hallway on MIRA HQ monitored on the Doorlog (ex. "Lime was standing next to a body in the Y-hall!")
Do's and Don'ts[]
Impostor[]
- Don't: randomly shut doors as An Impostor; you could miss an opportunity to kill Crewmates.
- Don't: use vents or kill near cameras; you will be caught and most likely ejected.
- Don't: disconnect if you are caught. This makes it harder for the other Impostor(s) without your assistance in sabotaging.
- Don't: Sabotage without a purpose. This can get in your and other Impostors' way or prevent better-planned sabotage from another Impostor.
- Don't: say things like "I saw [color] kill" with more than four players left because Crewmates will know you are lying once the witness' role is revealed if confirm ejects is on. Instead, say something like: "I saw [color] near that area."
- Don't: fake common tasks that are not on your task list. Common tasks are Swipe Card, Fix Wiring, Enter Id Code, Insert Keys, and Scan Boarding Pass.
- Don't: fake visual tasks. The four visual tasks are Submit Scan, Clear Asteroids, Empty Garbage, and Prime Shields. Faking them may expose your identity as The Impostor more easily.
- Don't: panic when spotted killing or venting.
- Don't: say you are safe because you fixed a Sabotage, as Impostors can fix sabotages too.
- Don't: declare yourself safe, as people will ask who can confirm your claim, exposing weaknesses in your claim.
- Do: trap victims by locking doors and kill them, proceed to escape via vents.
- Do: walk away from the area so that you don't look suspicious.
- Do: report the body and pin the blame on the player who spotted you.
- Do: close doors near the emergency meeting room and try to eliminate the witness.
- Do: Sabotage so the witness can't call an emergency meeting.
Crewmate[]
- Don't: hesitate to report a body or call a meeting, as that makes you look very suspicious at the start.
- Don't: follow people randomly; any player caught doing this might seem suspicious.
- Don't: stare at security cameras too long, as you may get killed by An Impostor.
- Don't: waste emergency meetings if you don't have solid evidence.
- Don't: randomly accuse without proper facts; you may seem very suspicious.
- Do: immediately report bodies as soon as you see them unless you are looking for any Impostors running away.
- Do: call an emergency meeting as quickly as possible if you see An Impostor vent, kill, or do something else incriminating.
- Do: complete tasks so Crewmates can win.
- Do: run to the nearest task if you think someone you are following suspects you.
- Do: if you're feeling unsafe or are done with your tasks, stick in groups of 3 or more, or follow someone who's confirmed you as a Crewmate.
- Do: patrol and do tasks, and occasionally check the security cameras.
- Do: get some evidence, such as seeing someone vent or kill.
- Do: skip or listen to others explain instead of wasting a vote and looking suspicious. Try to vote near the end of voting time.
- Do: try to remember accessories or the name of someone you want to mention if you forgot the color or you are colorblind.
- Do: try to fix reactors, lights, or anything else Sabotaged; this might make you look less suspicious to other players.