Purloin Guest List is one of the missions in SpyParty.

Mission Description Edit

The guest list is resting on Toby's tray. When Toby offers a drink to the spy, he or she will have an opportunity to purloin (steal) the list. Once the guest list has been purloined, the spy can optionally return the guest list to the tray. In a sense, this mission is similar to the Swap Statue mission, except the "statue" comes to the spy instead of the spy going to it. The spy does not have to wait for Toby to decide to visit them; they can use the "Request a Drink" action to summon Toby to their location. Because Toby will not offer a drink to someone whose left hand is occupied, this mission is not possible while the spy is holding a drink, a book, or a statue.

Action Test Edit

An action test determines how stealthily the spy purloins or returns the guest list:

• Green: The spy refuses a drink and does not take or return the list. The spy can see the list blinking (or the space where it will be returned), but it looks unchanged to the sniper. The next NPC that accepts a drink from Toby takes (or returns) the list, causing it to appear or disappear more quickly than it does on a white action test (though the exact timing varies somewhat). This can result in unlimited overtime.
• White/ignored: The spy accepts a drink, and both players can see the guest list fade out/in slowly.
• Red: The spy accepts a drink, and both players can see the guest list flash on Toby's tray for a few moments.
• Aborted: The spy is clumsy with Toby's tray, failing the action and resulting in a loud, conspicuous crashing sound. The sound is captioned on the screen if the option to do so is enabled in the game preferences. This penalty is applied if the spy attempts to move before the action test completes, or while the spy is interacting with Toby following a red or white action test. On a green action test, the spy can move immediately after the action test with no penalty.

Spy Strategy Edit

You will of course want to purloin when the sniper isn't looking, if at all possible. Try purloining when the sniper's view is obstructed, or when they are distracted with another activity. For example, after you say "banana bread", the sniper will may be occupied with the task of lowlighting people who where not in conversation; this can create an opportunity to purloin.

Summoning Toby can be convenient, but you must be careful about when you exercise this option. If Toby is summoned while he is on his way to serve someone else, he will immediately change direction to go to you, which may be noticed by an observant sniper.

If you didn't get a green action test, your character will be holding a drink after the purloin. This could make you more suspicious to the sniper if they didn't see you take the list, but noticed quickly that it was gone. You have the option to gulp the drink to quickly get rid of it, although you'll get shot if the sniper notices that the drink disappeared from your hand and realizes you only just took it from Toby's tray.

If you can get to a pad quickly and Toby is nearby, rushing the purloin can be a viable strategy, as the sniper may be too busy memorizing statues to notice it. However, if they notice a green action test that early in the game, you are more likely to be shot, as Toby will have visited fewer people before that.

Returning the guest list to the tray is risky. If the spy manages to pull it off, the sniper may never realize it was taken. However, returning it gives the sniper another chance to notice a tell.

Another risky but potentially useful strategy is to green test the purloin, then call Toby back before someone else takes it and accept a drink. This can make the sniper think that no purloin is pending, potentially eliminating you from the list of suspects when the purloin does happen. However, this requires Toby to visit you twice in a short amount of time, which may be noticed by the sniper and tip them off to what you're doing.

Sniper Strategy Edit

Camping the purloin involves keeping track of who Toby has served. If the guest list blinks or fades gradually, shoot the person Toby just served. (They will be holding a drink if they haven't quickly gulped it.) If the list fades almost instantly, it was a green purloin, which is harder to catch. To do so, you have to keep a suspect list in your head: every time a guest rejects a drink, you add them to the list, and every time a guest takes a drink and the list stays on the tray, you clear the suspect list. When the list disappears, one of the people on your suspect list is the spy, and everyone else can be lowlit. If Toby visits the same person twice in a very short amount of time, that person is likely the spy; they may be trying to obscure a green purloin by calling Toby back and taking a drink.

If Toby suddenly changes direction while in transit, that may be a sign that the spy has summoned him. If that is true, the next person Toby visits would be the spy, and they may be trying to pull off a purloin. Keep in mind, though, that Toby can also suddenly change direction when his original target's left hand becomes occupied, or his path becomes suddenly obstructed.

If you hear a loud crashing sound, the spy is right next to Toby.

Map Specifics Edit

• Ballroom: The sniper's low viewing angle makes it difficult for them to see the guest list, making it more likely that they'll miss the purloin.
• Balcony and Modern: The sniper's high viewing angle, the map's small size and the small number of partygoers make it difficult for the spy to purloin successfully. There are also no statues or bookcases, meaning there are three fewer possible missions for the sniper to have to track. Against an experienced sniper, anything less than a green action test is almost guaranteed to get the spy shot.
• Veranda: When the sniper is off to one side of the map, the building blocks the sniper's view of the other side, affording the spy an opportunity to purloin there. Viewing the map from the middle increases cover from other guests along the sides. There are also a large number of guests.
• Courtyard I and Courtyard II: The sniper has a reasonably good viewing angle and can almost see the entire map at once; the central pedestal is the only source of cover for the spy. There are no bookcases, so the sniper need not keep an eye out for a microfilm transfer. Only the high number of partygoers works in the spy's favor here.
• Panopticon: There are many partygoers on the map, and sniper can only view about a third of the map at once, providing many opportunities for the spy to purloin without being seen. Additionally, the pillars can provide some cover, as the sniper cannot move laterally to get around the obstruction. However, the sniper's high viewing angle makes it fairly easy for them to see if the list has been taken as Toby moves about.
• Gallery: Due to local liquor laws, Toby will not go outside; the spy must be inside to purloin the guest list. The map's depth and many NPCs cause a lot of activity and cover inside the building, making it potentially difficult for the sniper to spot the purloin.

The Purloin Guest List mission is not available on Beginner Ballroom to avoid over-complicating things for new players.