Arson for Dummies: How I Stopped Donating Nerve to the Police
Hello, fellow Torn citizens!
Today I'm here to save you from making the same mistakes I did when I first discovered Arson. Like every curious criminal, I saw "Arson" and thought, "Wow, setting things on fire sounds fun and profitable!"
Turns out, what I was actually doing was setting my nerves on fire.
I failed countless attempts, got arrested more times than I'd like to admit, and spent enough time in jail to qualify for a permanent parking spot. To make things worse, some random heroes kept busting me out, only for me to immediately go back and fail another crime.
After reading several guides and forums, I was still completely confused by all those mysterious symbols and percentages. So I did what any sensible Torn player would do:
I became the test subject.
After extensive research (and several beatings from cops and angry strangers), I discovered a few useful things.
Basics :
Arson contains the following actions:
- Inquire: Presents the lore for the target. This costs 0 nerve
- Breach (3 nerve): Access the target. This costs 3 nerve and may fail sometimes.
- Plant Evidence (5 nerves): Some jobs may have a “Plant Evidence” requirement which will prompt this action which costs 5 nerve and require a miscellaneous item (more under “The Jobs”)
- Place (5 nerve): Add starter fuels before ignition. This must be done at least once before ignition
- Ignite (5 nerve): Starts the fire, increasing intensity and momentum based on the starters placed
- Stoke (5 nerve): Adds fuel to the fire, failure rate varying depending on the accelerant used
- Dampen (5 nerve): Smothers the fire, reducing intensity and momentum. failure rate varying depending on the dampener used
- Collect (2 nerve) - no fails
Critical outcomes may result in:
- losing Windproof Lighter or Blanket
- jail time between 6 hours 15 minutes and 16 hours 45 minutes (from stoking and dampening)
- loss of life, which is a percentage from maximum life (from igniting, stoking and dampening)
- hospitalization, if loss of life exceeds players current life, of 12 hours 21 minutes and 18 hours (from stoking).
The main objective of Arson is to cause the required amount of damage to a property. When you're just starting out, you'll only have access to Gasoline, a Basic Lighter, and a Blanket to help control the fire.
Some jobs will require you to completely burn down the target, while others will ask you to keep the damage above or below a specific percentage. The required damage amount is shown in the job details, but understanding how much damage to cause and what the symbols mean can be confusing at first. To help with that, here's a basic explanation of the symbols you'll encounter.
Arson can seem complicated when you're new to it, but it becomes much easier as you gain experience. The mechanics start to make sense, the payouts improve, and you'll find yourself completing jobs more consistently.
For your first Arson attempt, you've probably already tried it—whether you made some money or ended up failing. Either way, here's a simple guide to help you understand the basics and complete your first Arson properly.
Symbols:
Suspicion must be kept low, use low suspicion accelerants like Oxygen, Saltpetre and Kerosene, or use Methane to remove suspicion.
Destruction must reach 100%
More than X% damage Destruction must go past X% (reaching X% is fine)
Less than X% damage Destruction must NOT go past X% (reaching X% is fine)
A miscellaneous item must be placed in advance. This will vary depending on the job.
Accelerants of a type different from the one specified will fail the job. If the requirement is “Specific accelerant : Gaseous”, then only Oxygen, Methane, and Hydrogen may be used. Igniters and dampeners are allowed regardless
Same as insurance but less strict, keep suspicion low by using Oxygen, Saltpetre, etc.
Opposite of accidental cause, suspicion must be high. Using Gasoline and Magnesium is recommended.
Visibility must be high. Using Magnesium and Diesel is recommended.
Jobs will have a motive. Currently it is not known if these have any bearing on the job in any capacity, but it's theorized they're only for flavor.
Payout System:
There are a few simple rules that determine how much you'll get paid depending on the job requirements:
-
Maximum Damage jobs pay based on how close you get to the target damage. For example, if the target is 55% and you cause 50% damage, you'll receive approximately 90.9% of the maximum reward.
-
Minimum Damage jobs always pay the full reward as long as you successfully meet the minimum damage requirement.
-
Damage Range and Total Destruction jobs also pay the full reward when completed successfully.
-
Jobs with no damage requirement scale their payout based on the amount of destruction caused. If you cause 90% damage, you'll receive 90% of the listed reward.
Keep in mind that after the payout is calculated, Torn will randomly adjust it by up to 10% higher or lower, so your final reward may vary slightly.
Unlocking New Igniters, Accelerants, and Dampeners
As your Arson skill increases, you'll gain access to 12 special targets. Successfully completing these milestone jobs will unlock new tools, giving you more options to start, fuel, or control fires.
| Arson Skill | Target | Unlock |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Dental Surgery (A Bitter Taste) | Oxygen Tank |
| 10 | Barn (The Bolted Horse) | Potassium Nitrate |
| 15 | Gas Station (Blown to High Heaven) | Diesel |
| 20 | Firework Store (Sky High Prices) | Magnesium Shavings |
| 25 | Restroom (Shit Happens) | Methane Tank |
| 30 | Recording Studio (Roast Beef) | Molotov Cocktail |
| 40 | Aircraft Hangar (Plane and Simple) | Kerosene |
| 50 | Foundry (Hot Under the Collar) | Thermite |
| 60 | Raceway (Finish Line) | Sand |
| 70 | Homeless Camp (Bummed Out) | Hydrogen Tank |
| 80 | Pest Control Hub (Bugging Me) | Flamethrower |
| 90 | Fire Station | Fire Extinguisher |
These unlocks are one of the main reasons to keep pushing your Arson skill. Every new item gives you additional ways to manage fires, making future jobs easier, more efficient, and often more profitable.
Dental Surgery (A Bitter Taste)
THE UNIQUES
As you progress through Arson, 4 special unique targets will unlock contacts. These contacts give you access to new jobs that generally offer better payouts than standard contracts.
| Contact | Crime Skill Unlock | Unique Target | Advice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chase Swindlehurst | 1 | Shack – Cut to the Chase | An easy introduction. Throw a few canisters of Gasoline at it and you're good to go. |
| Marvelous Mudenda | 5 | Bordello – Hell Fire | Similar to Chase's job. 3–4 canisters of Gasoline should do the trick. |
| Denise David | 48 | Bookies – Improving the Odds | Start with Diesel and Magnesium, then keep feeding the fire with Diesel as needed. |
| Ethan McChad | 50 | Clock Tower – Cooking Time | Uses the same strategy as Denise's contract: Diesel + Magnesium, then maintain with Diesel. |
These contacts are worth unlocking as soon as possible, as they open the door to more profitable Arson jobs and help speed up your progression.
Final Words
That wraps up my beginner's guide to Arson. Hopefully this saves you some nerve, keeps you out of jail a little longer, and prevents you from turning every job into an accidental disaster.
I'm not claiming to know everything, so if you spot any mistakes or have additional tips, feel free to share them and I'll update the guide.
If this guide helped you make a few extra bucks, avoid a few failed crimes, or simply saved you from wasting nerve the way I did, feel free to show your appreciation however you see fit. My mailbox is always open, and so is my wallet.
Good luck, stay profitable, and remember:
The goal isn't to burn everything down just enough to get paid and save nerves.