This gamemode is much like a cross between the oridinary arena mode and the well known hide and seek game.

We have as always 2 teams. The RED team is fully made of scouts, which are disguised as the props and have no way of attacking until only one prop is left. The final prop will be given the currently equipped melee weapon.

The BLU team is made by default of pyros, but the class can be changed at will. The BLU team has all of its weapons, with some exeptions:

• The Demoman cannot equip any Grenade Launcher but the Loose Cannon and cannot equip the Stickybomb Launcher and Scottish Resistance.
  
• The Heavy cannot equip any Minigun.
  
• The Engineer can only build a dispenser.
  
• The Medic cannot equip any Medi Gun or the Solemn Vow.
  
• The Spy is completely discarded.

Each server has different blacklists, but these are those I commonly meet.

Now you know who is what. Let's get on the gameplay.

The maps have a "ph_" prefix, so a prophunt map may be ph_sawmill for example.

At first there is a 15 second timer to start the timer of 30 to 60 seconds (depending on map size) for the RED team to go and look for a spot. After that the BLU team can leave their spawn to seek out the props. They have on average 3 minutes to kill all the props.

At the middle of the map, there is an uncaptureable control point, which when passed over fills the bypasser to full health. After the control point has been used, one has to wait around 1 minute before they can use it again (each player individual).

The BLU team will slowly drain health if their weapons are fired, preventing spam. Flame Throwers will drain the least, while melee weapons will do the most. If a BLU kills a prop, he will be restored to full health. Assists also count.

If there is only one prop left, the BLU team will be coated in Jarate for a short time and the last prop is given his melee weapon, allowing to kill the rest of the BLU team easily.

After each round the teams are swapped.

• Pick a spot you fit in, for example, hiding in a pallet of crates is a good idea if you are a crate.
  
• Some props are not intended to be viewed from a certain side, i.e. the Control Point. It cannot be viewed from the bottom, so hiding in a high spot is a good idea.
  
• Try looking for dark spots, these are easy to overlook.
  
• ~70% of all players do not tend to look up.
  
• Go to a spot where the hunters don't look and often forget it. Hiding there may turn the tide of a round.
  
• Do not reveal yourself after a round. The hunters will learn.
  
• You cannot drown as a prop. Hiding underwater while being unsuspicious is effective, but smart pyros will grab their shotgun or melee weapon.
  
• Clipping makes you very obvious (a crate inside a wall does not make sense).
  
• Sometimes clipping is natural, commonly in vegetation.
  
• Pick a spot with an exit. If a pyro has found you, for example in a narrow hallway with a dead end, it means death for you.
  
• Pressing Mouse1 (left mouse button) will lock your prop, so you can observe your surroundings without drawing attention.
  
• Work with other prop teammates to create a natural spot.
  
• Keep your mouth shut. Calling for a medic may expose you. Also, using voicechat completely reveals you.

• Picking other classes won't make you bad, a Heavy can survive numerous checks thanks to his health.
  
• While being a class other than the pyro, you can look at the middle of a suspicious prop and call for a spy. If your character says "That Scout's a spy!", then it is confirmed.
  
• As a pyro, jumping and firing your flamethrower simultaneously allows you to rocket yourself up to higher spots.
  
• Don't try to spam your weapons. A single puff is enough.
  
• Taunt attacks won't drain your health.
  
• When you found a prop but failed to kill him, notify your team on what it is.
  
• Charging at a running prop as a demoman causes the prop to panic, giving your team an advantage.
  
• Spare your ammo reserves. Light a prop up and then hit it with either Flare Gun or Axtinguisher so you won't have to waste ammo.
  
• Taunt attacking at a suspicious prop may either kill it or expose their spot.
  
• Go there where you normally don't expect them, e.g on roofs, ledges etc.
  
• If a prop is running in circles, and you are chasing with another teammate, split up.

The Bat: A good choice, no pros or cons make you really average.
Holy Mackerel: Not a good choice, if you are the last one alive, hitting a pyro will let the entire team know where you are.
Sandman: Allows you to stun the hunters, allowing easy escape, but the lesser health will make you fraigle.
Candy Cane: Generally a good choice if you can kill pyros. The dropped health pack will grant you a long time to live.
Boston Basher: Should be only used for experts, otherwise you can die very easily.
Sun-on-a-Stick: Nobody on BLU will be ever on fire, and the lesser damage doesn't make up with anything.
Fan O'War: Seriously?
Atomizer: Allows you to reach better spots, althrough most of them are accessible with simple doublejumps.
Wrap Assasin: Good aim is rewarded with survivability. Make most of it's use with the bauble, as the main attack is pretty weak.


Pyro

Pholognisator: The faster fire rate will drain your health down to red in mere seconds.
Flare Gun/ Detonator: The crits will prove useful.
Scorch Shot: Allows you to check a large area with just one shot.
Manmelter: Recommended for chasing props that are not on fire.
Backscratcher: Just great. There is no medic or dispenser that could help you anyways.

Heavy

Holiday Punch: Critical hits on a suspicious prop will render it immobile and forces it to laugh, allowing a quick painful death.
Sandvich: Allows you to heal yourself and your teammates.
Warrior's Spirit: Makes a good job at finishing scouts with 2 hits.

Medic

Vaccinator: It hasn't been yet blacklisted.

Sniper

Huntsman: The taunt allows for an easy kill.
Jarate: Allows to check a large area. Doesn't cover the props, but forces them to make a distinct noise, letting you know that a prop is somewhere in the area you threw your jarate.
Tribleman's Shiv: Inflicts bleed.

• On some servers, while on the prop team and wearing any hat or miscancellous item, the items will float above said prop. This may apply to servers with the older version of PropHunt.
  
• Many props are not supposed to be moved around, such as the control point or chimney. In these cases, they will look invisible from a certain angle, commonly the bottom.
  
• Very new weapons like the Vaccinator may be not blacklisted in most servers by deafault.
  
• The prop team will have their hitboxes at the center of the prop. If it is a pile of wood, it cannot be shot from the ends, if it is a bucket, it can shot be above it and vice versa.
  
• At some intervals, if you look closely and you are the last one alive in the prop team, for a pitch second you will see your melee weapon floating above your prop.
  
• While taunting, and having proplock disabled, if you turn around, the prop will also turn.
  
• Your prop mostly doesn't match the lightwraps, e.g. sometimes if you hide in a dark area you will appear as if shined on.
  
• When you crouch jump as a prop, you will appear as if you elevated. This is normal, as the bottom of your prop matches the bottom of your character.
  
• Very large props, such as a tree, will give you trouble, as they can cover your entire screen.
  
• Small props' burning particles will be dense togheter, while the big prop ones will have them spread widely. Some props like the demoman target will have their burning particles at the bottom center.

Pick spots where you fit and aren't suspicious, don't let the hunters learn, don't spam your weapons and don't go a class when there is no need to. Look where others don't look and do not look where others look.

Have fun!