SCP Object Classes: A Beginner’s Guide to Classifying the Inexplicable

The SCP Foundation’s objective framework hinges on rigorous classification—a systematic process designed to contain and understand anomalous entities, objects, and phenomena. Central to this effort is the categorization of SCP Object Classes, a taxonomy that governs how anomalies are contained, studied, and controlled. For researchers, staff, and curious observers alike, grasping the nuances of SCP Object Classes is essential.

This guide offers a comprehensive, operator-grade breakdown of the primary classifications, their defining traits, and practical implications—spelling out what users at every level must know.

At the core of the SCP Foundation’s operational protocol lies the SCP Object Class system: a hierarchical scheme used to bánable (Classified Anomalous Item), Safe (non-threatening), or Controlled (manageable but high-risk) entities. Classes serve not only as containment labels but as dynamic designations influencing operational procedures, security measures, and researcher behavior.

Understanding them provides critical insight into how reality’s most unstable phenomena are managed.

Class S: The Protected Standard

Objects under Class S are deemed benign by Foundation standards, though possession demands strict oversight. These items are characterized by low threat potential but require containment to prevent misuse,诱导好奇, or accidental exposure. Examples include everyday items exhibiting anomalous properties—such as a pocket watch that occasionally rewinds time within a five-minute window, documented under SCP-XXXX—but not posing systemic danger.

Objects in Class S are typically stored in low-security environments with routine monitoring.

Access is limited and logged, reflecting the Foundation’s cautious approach to even minor anomalies. Researchers may study S Class items under controlled lab conditions, where deviations from expectation are cataloged but contained without escalation.

Class D: Limited Anomalies with Mitigated Risk

Class D represents anomalies exhibiting observable deviations from natural laws but without large-scale destructive capacity. Entities or objects under this class may influence perception, alter localized physics, or induce brief cognitive distortions—yet direct harm is rare.

A well-known example is SCP--Pierre, a porcelain doll reportedly imbued with selective memory manipulation; possessors note fleeting emotional shifts in observers but no aggressive behavior.

Containment strategies emphasize environmental safeguards and restricted access. Foundation agents train personnel to recognize subtle behavioral changes in both substances and organisms, implementing behavioral intervention protocols. S Class D handling requires dual-verification logins and periodic cognitive assessment to prevent escalation.

Class C: Measured Danger

SCP-Class C entities possess definitive anomalous properties capable of serious injury or societal disruption if uncontained.

These objects or beings often operate within confined parameters, making physical barriers and procedural discipline critical. Notable S Class C examples include SCP-218, a mural that shifts its imagery to reflect the observer’s trauma—potentially triggering severe psychological distress if studied improperly.

Containment centers for Class C objects feature reinforced perimeters, electromagnetic dampeners, and 24/7 surveillance. Access is strictly authorized, with training requiring psychological resilience and familiarity with emergency de-escalation protocols.

Researchers operate under supervised conditions, using remote diagnostics whenever possible to minimize exposure risk.

Class B: Performance-Ready Anomalies

Class B objects are anomalies exhibiting measurable, repeatable behaviors suited for integration into experimental research or controlled deployment. These items are designed to demonstrate anomalous effects clearly—such as SCP-931, a compound that enhances healing rates but only under specific biometric triggers—making them invaluable for scientific inquiry.

Containment under Class B involves structured testing environments with fail-safes and real-time monitoring. Facilities are equipped with automated shutdown systems and automated recovery clusters.

Staff protocols mandate detailed data logging and post-incident reviews. Despite their utility, Field Operations Units (FOUs) rigorously log all Class B interactions due to latent volatility.

Class A: Functional Anomalies with Global Implications

Operated at a strategic threshold, Class A anomalies possess properties significant enough to influence infrastructure, policy, or public perception—often warranting interagency coordination. These items are implemented in staged exposure programs, balancing utility with risk mitigation.

A canonical instance is SCP-0001, a surveillance network embedded with non-physical observation capabilities, raising profound ethical and security concerns.

Containment is managed by dedicated high-level personnel within reinforced secure installations. Security levels exceed Standard Minimum, with physical and digital access tightly controlled. Public exposure is prohibited until full risk assessment confirms zero leakage potential.

Communication protocols are heavily restricted, often channeled only through Foundation-approved oversight bodies to prevent cascading societal effects.

Class L: Restricted Containment and Silence

Class L objects are anomalies deemed too volatile for open study, trusted only for whispered existence within the Foundation’s inner circles. These items exhibit unpredictable behavior or destabilizing effects, necessitating near-total isolation. SCP-4329, a dimensional fracture in a hallway tile that occasionally spawns quantized echoes of past events, is classified L due to its unpredictable temporal leakage.

Handling requires Level-9 clearance with immersion-based containment chambers.

Field observations are virtualized whenever possible. Personnel undergo prolonged psychological screening and loyalty reinforcement. Broadcasting existence is forbidden; documentation remains compartmentalized, accessible only to Level-Theta researchers authorized on a strict need-to-know basis.

Class F: Final Seal and Total Suppression

Class F represents anomalies beyond containment—entities or phenomena whose threat exceeds even theoretical mitigation strategies.

These are considered uncontainable by current protocols, demanding permanent suppression. SCP-999, known colloquially as “The Silent”, manifests as a perpetual auditory anomaly that induces irreversible cognitive collapse in prolonged exposure—rendering its existence a constant operational black hole.

Containment, if possible, relies on hypothetical dimensional stasing and acoustic dampening arrays in a locked rootlet. Direct interaction is prohibited by Foundation directives.員related research is limited to simulations and inverse engineering, aiming to understand annihilation thresholds rather than active study.

The priority is not consumption but prevention and exclusion.

Each SCP Object Class functions as both a scientific category and a security imperative, reflecting the Foundation’s commitment to bounded exploration of the unknown. From benign afternoon anomalies (Class S) to existential threats (Class F), the system ensures progress without compromise. Understanding these classifications empowers practitioners to navigate reality’s most dangerous gradients with precision and restraint—transforming chaos into control.

As anomalies evolve and new manifestations emerge, the Object Class framework remains dynamic, undergoing periodic review by the Anomalous Containment Review Board (ACRB).

Ongoing training, protocol refinement, and cross-divisional intelligence sharing reinforce the Foundation’s ability to adapt. Rooted in discipline and driven by responsibility, SCP Object Classes define the modern frontier of anomaly management—where taxonomy converges with survival.

In an era where the unexplainable challenges conventional logic, the SCP Foundation’s classification system offers a lifeline: a structured, operational language for the unknowable. By mastering Class S through Class F, researchers step into a domain where every label carries weight—and every anomaly, a measurable frontier.