Scribes are mid-level enemies encountered in Wolfenstein.

OverviewEdit

Scribes are scholars and mystics attached to the SS Paranormal Division, dispatched to Isenstadt as part of the operation to harness the power of the Veil and Black Sun Dimension. They are implied to be knowledgeable about the Thule race and to posess the ability to read minds and control Sniffers; in the mission Farm, the facility's two Scribes are called "Handlers" by a scientist. They also have potent combat abilities, using powers similar to those of the Thule Medallion.

Scribes are often mentioned in connection with interrogation and torture of Golden Dawn prisoners; Sergei Kovlov was apparently questioned by a Scribe, and in the mission SS Headquarters it is implied that the full interrogation procedure they use renders the victim completely insane. Richter appears to be a Scribe, though this is never explicitly stated.

StrategyEdit

Scribes have three main abilities; they can fire spherical energy blasts, they can generate protective barriers using the Veil power Shield, and they can move around almost instanteously using the Veil power Mire. The energy blasts are fast moving (far faster than the energy balls of a Heavy Trooper) but are not hitscan, and can be dodged at long range. Their damage appears to fall off at range; close up, even one blast can critically damage the player on normal difficulty. The Shield ability does not fully protect from a Scribe's projectiles and should not be relied on in combat with them, and the Reflective Crystal cannot reflect their projectiles. Typically a Scribe will try to move close to the player before firing to maximise damage. Scribes have 60 health points.

Generating a shield requires the Scribe to stand still, and they will usually make a groaning sound as they generate it; the shields themselves make a humming sound. Scribes can shield large numbers of enemies or themselves, but not both, and once the shield is generated they will usually stand still to maintain it, rendering them vulnerable. If shielding only themselves, however, they may react to being approached by suddenly dropping the shield and attacking with a quick volley of energy blasts.

While their Shield appears to be oval, collision detection treats it as rectangular. This makes it harder to shoot around it as the shield's corners are invisible. The shield is completely useless against Empowered attacks and does not protect them against melee attacks, so it is very easy to kill a Scribe generating shields using the Kar98's bayonet. If the Scribe is killed, all Shields will immediately vanish.

Their Mire ability manifests as running from place to place almost instantly, leaving a blurry trail behind them. The speed of this ability makes it difficult to react to by triggering the player's own Mire ability; if this is done, however, the Scribe will run at normal speed. Scribes will use Mire to escape if they take a lot of damage from bullet-based weapons in a short space of time or need to dodge a grenade, and this can override their normal need to stand still while generating a Shield.

After the mission Farm, especially in Downtown, Scribes are frequently encountered leading packs of Sniffers; their usual tactic is to Shield the Sniffers and hang back, then rush the player when all the Sniffers are dead in an attempt to finish them off. This tactic is easily exploited if the player can evade the Sniffers and reach the Scribe beyond them, since he can generally be killed easily with the bayonet before he can react.

LocationsEdit

The first Scribes are encountered during the mission Dig Site; the first will have his back to BJ and can easily be killed before he reacts, but the two later Scribes will have to be fought normally. Scribes are a fairly common enemy in both missions and town hubs, and frequently one or more Scribes will be found in a town hub spawn wave. After the mission Farm, Scribes will frequently be seen leading groups of up to half a dozen Sniffers.

EquipmentEdit

Scribes do not carry any special equipment and do not use weapons, relying on their mystical powers. They do not drop anything when they die.

QuotesEdit

• "Acerrimus ex omnibus nostris sensibus est sensus videndi. Magna res est vocis et silenti temperamentum. Respice post te, mortalum te esse memento." ("The keenest of all our senses is the sense of sight. The great thing is to know when to speak and when to keep quiet. Look behind you, remember that you are mortal")
• "Someone will pay dearly for putting me down here." - A Scribe in the sewers of Downtown.

TriviaEdit

• The English voice actor for Scribes is Jim Ward, who also voiced Jack Krauser in Resident Evil 4 and Granin in Metal Gear Solid 3.

See alsoEdit

• Geist
• Veil Assassin
• Sniffers

GalleryEdit

A Scribe prepares to attack

A Scribe uses his Shield power

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