A guard.
- For the guard who appears on day 9 and pays for detaining entrants, see Calensk. For the green guard who appears on day 17, see Sergiu Volda.
Guards, sometimes called border guards, are armed Arstotzkan personnel and officials tasked with protecting the East Grestin border checkpoint.
Most guards appear as blue sprites, as opposed to the black sprites that the game uses for most other characters. Guards use rifles and appear to have orders to shoot anyone who attempts to cross the checkpoint illegally. Sergiu Volda is a guard distinguished by his green sprite.
It is possible to fire at the guards once the inspector gains access to weapons, but doing so will end the game. Shooting a guard at any point with a tranquilizer gun causes ending 8 while shooting a guard with a rifle triggers ending 7. In both cases, the inspector is either arrested for assaulting an Arstotzkan official (ending 8) or killing an Arstotzkan official (ending 7), with both crimes being punishable by death - the game ends with their fate unknown.
Front guards[]
From day 2 to day 16, five guards (two front guards and three back guards) defend the checkpoint.
Several guards appear on the Kolechian side of the border wall and are tasked with detaining criminals and document forgers. Calensk is one such guard who is just to the left of the entrants walking into the booth. The border wall is never attacked by climbing while front guards are present.
On day 16, The Truth of Arstotzka mentions that Arstotzkan ministries are fighting over qualified staff as there is a need for guards and soldiers. This coincides with the disappearance of all front guards at the checkpoint. The inspector is tasked with border security and gains access to a tranquilizer gun.
Back guards[]
Three back guards immediately before a suicide bomber kills them on day 6.
There are up to three guards on the Arstotzkan side of the border (and a short way back from the wall), tasked with eliminating attackers. These guards can get killed during terrorist attacks if the inspector does not neutralize attackers fast enough. Sergiu is one of the back guards since day 17.
Guard changes[]
- Day 1: No front guards. One guard stationed in the back.
- Day 3: Following the terrorist attack on day 2, four new guards are deployed: two front guards, and three back guards.
- Day 16: Front guards removed as Arstotzkan ministries fight over staff. Back guards remain.
- Day 17: Sergiu Volda joins the back guards.
- Days 18–26: Depends on player's choices. Sergiu (and other guards) may survive the terrorist attack or die.
- Day 27: Depends on player's choices. If Sergiu is still alive, he will be transferred elsewhere, and a normal guard will stand at his post for the rest of the game.