28 Series IV SCPs Definitely Worth Reading

When I put together my list of the best SCPs of all time, Series IV might have been the one series I explored the most.

Series IV is popular for the high number of Meta-SCPs that were released. Quite a few of the Series IV SCPs twisted tropes in various creative ways or played with them.

In Series IV, some of the most bizarre and creative articles of all time were released on the SCP-Wiki until then. Author-inclusion, Meta-narratives, format screws and many other concepts not only came into play but become popular during its time.

Series VI SCPs Intro Image
Image by Ittiz / CC BY-SA 3.0

Meta-articles were something to stay and over time they would involve, but Series IV can be considered the most meta-heavy series on the SCP-Wiki. And yet, Series IV doesn’t solely comprise Meta-articles. No, it comprises a plethora of fantastic articles, many of which I consider among the best SCPs of all time.

For this article, I want to present you with my twenty-eight favorite Series IV SCPs.

Notice: All articles cited here are licensed under CC-BY-SA.

Table of Contents

SCP-3000 – Anantashesha by A Random Day, djkaktus, and Joreth

Anantashesha is one of the best SCPs Series IV SCPs out there and one of the most well-written SCPs of all time. What starts slowly soon develops into a fantastic story. It’s not merely one about an anomalous entity by the same name, but one about personal journeys, believes, memory deterioration and much, much more. It’s truly one of the best SCPs on the entire SCP-Wiki and any fan should read it.

SCP-3001 – Red Reality by OZ Ouroboros

Red Reality tells the story of a paradoxical pocket, or a non-dimension. During an experiment, Dr. Scranton was transported into this same pocket. What makes this is SCP so great, however, are Dr. Scranton’s logs and what happens to him while he’s there. It’s a story of a man entirely alone, a man who’s slowly eroding both mentally and bodily. It’s a terrible, disturbing and sad story, but it’s also a fantastic one. This Series IV SCP truly packs a bunch and proves to be one of the best Series IV SCPs out there.

SCP-3003 – The End of History by Communism Will Win

The End of History is another great Series IV SCP. It’s an SCP full of world-building which details an interesting, alien but strangely human society. The descriptions of the society and how it functions are fantastically done and well thought out. What I truly loved about it, however, was the ending.

SCP-3004 – Imago by kinchtheknifeblade

I wasn’t a big fan of SCP-2852 – Cousin Johnny because I felt it was full of needless body horror and gore. This one ties into it, but it’s also vastly different. I loved how it ties into Christianity, but most of all, the description of the entity which can only be called truly Lovecraftian. What makes it even better, however, is its ending, the final tab and what it entails.

SCP-3007 – World of Two Artists by Zhange

World of Two Artists is an absolutely outstanding Series IV SCP. What’s first assumed to be about dreams of a strange cityscape soon turns much darker and more complex the more’s revealed about the place. What makes it so great, however, is that the horror wasn’t revealed by words alone, but pieces of art. This makes it an entirely different experience. Coupled with the descriptions of the cityscape, the horror and death all around it and the Lovecraftian implications the SCP itself holds make it truly great.

SCP-3008 – The Infinite IKEA by Mortos

The Infinite IKEA is one of the most popular articles on the page and for a good reason. I really love extradimensional SCPs and the Infinite IKEA might be the best of them. The idea of being trapped in a world that’s nothing but a giant IKEA is creative and fantastic in its own right. The reason this Series IV SCPs so great, however, is because of the long diary of a person who escaped from the Infinite IKEA.

SCP-3034 – The Counting Station by The Great Hippo

The Counting Station is another strange Series IV SCP. It’s a horror SCP concerning a counting station. What makes it so great, however, are the descriptions and the many details. The SCP isn’t merely a description of the anomalous object, but it includes an interview, audio analysis, and even incident logs. All of those details help to shed more light on what the Counting Station truly is, or might be. It’s a fantastic SCP, but its ending is truly great. One can’t help but wonder what would happen if the count ever reaches zero again.

SCP-3043 – Murphy Law in… Type 3043 — FOR MURDER! by The Great Hippo

Murphy Law is yet another format screw and one of the best one I’ve come upon. This Series IV SCP is written as a thriller noir from the perspective of the titular character. It’s such a strange idea, but such a well-written and well-done Series IV SCP. I can’t help but truly love it.

SCP-3045 – bzzip.exe by The Great Hippo

There are many strange Series IV SCPs out there, but bzzip.exe might be amongst the strangest ones. It’s an SCP that combines great humor with bizarre horror and imagery. What I loved the most were the increasingly simplified summaries of Hamlet. They were truly funny and had me laugh out loud multiple times. In later parts, however, this Series IV SCP changes its tone entirely and turns from humor to nothing short of horror.

SCP-3109 – Indeterminate Source by HammerMaiden

Indeterminate Source is another hard science-fiction SCP and one of the best Series IV SCPs. It’s an idea that’s as fantastic as it’s weird. The entire SCP is one about disorientation, twisted memories, and a confusing order of events. It also provides us with some very interesting future world-building. While it might be confusing and heavy on the scientific details, it’s very much worth reading.

SCP-3117 – A Monster-Shaped Hole by The Great Hippo

There are many horror SCPs on the SCP-Wiki, but A Monster-Shaped Hole is entirely unique. It’s a Series IV SCP that’s more about concepts, more about thoughts and imagination than an actual monster. This, however, is exactly the reason that makes it so great and elevates it above many other Series IV SCPs.

SCP-3125 – The Escapee by qntm

How do you contain something you know nothing about? This question is at the center of this Series IV SCP and makes it a paradox. The descriptions are great and well-written, but more so is the mystery behind it and the danger the entity holds. It’s without a doubt one of the best Series IV SCPs and one of the best on the entire SCP-Wiki.

SCP-3179 – The Seed by Tanhony

I don’t know why, but robotic SCPs and the Church of the Broken God have always been amongst my favorite creations on the entire SCP-Wiki. The entity described in this SCP is no different concerning a liquid metal organism. It’s one that’s not only able to alter its form but also create smaller entities. What made this article so interesting, however, were the historical details about the entity and the attempted containment breaches.

SCP-3211 – There is No Canon by Croquembouche

There is No Canon might be amongst the strangest SCPs on the entire SCP-Wiki. Reading this SCP is a strange experience and it will most likely leave you wondering what exactly is going on in this article. And yet, there might not be a clear answer, and it might just be another, unresolved mystery.

SCP-3288 – The Aristocrats by Metaphysician

The Aristocrats is one of the longest Series IV SCPs. It’s, however, extremely well-written and tells a fantastic story. What starts out with strange murder cases in Vienna soon grows in scope. I truly loved every single part of this Series IV SCP. While it takes some historical liberties, it shouldn’t deter from its enjoyment. I believe it’s one of the best Series IV SCPs and one of my all-time favorites.

SCP-3301 – THE FOUNDATION by djkaktus

THE FOUNDATION is a Series IV SCP about a board game which was created by Dr. Wonderteinment for the Foundation. It’s a bit of a weird SCP, one that honestly doesn’t feel like an SCP. Instead, it’s merely a description of a game with rules, cards and everything else it contains, albeit an anomalous game. It’s an extremely interesting, enjoyable and complex article, however, one should remember that this is more a description of a board game than a true SCP.

SCP-3333 – Tower by Jekeled

Tower is another extradimensional Series IV SCP. This one’s about a fire lookout with a top door. This top door leads to another lookout above, which sprouts another top door. All those lookouts stacked on top of one another create a tower. Yet, the higher one climbs, the stranger things get. The SCP comprises several exploration logs, which slowly reveal more about the strange tower. What makes this Series IV SCP truly terrifying is the last exploration log in which we learn what happens to those who make it to the top of the tower.

SCP-3444 – She Took The Midnight Train Going Anywhere… by Tufto

She Took The Midnight Train Going Anywhere… really wasn’t my type of SCP. It’s long, ambitious and creative. As many other SCPs by Tufto, it’s well-written, well-done and, at times, even humorous. As I said, this is not what I’m looking for in an SCP. One has to admit that a lot of effort went into writing it. While it’s not for me, other people might truly enjoy it. Read it and see for yourself, but I think for the writing and the idea alone, it’s worth a read.

SCP-3515 – Unearth by psul

Unearth is another genuine horror SCP, but a rather bizarre one. It’s about claustrophobia, about being stuck and full of surreal and nightmarish imagery. What I enjoyed the most were the dialogues, which were heavy with emotion and truly made you feel the futility and, of course, the claustrophobia the D-Class suffered from. It’s a truly twisted Series IV SCP.

SCP-3626 – Do not stop reading this document by kemoT01

This was another very interesting Series IV SCP with a nice little twist in it. It’s interesting to see how far people will go to keep themselves safe. What I loved the most, however, was the ending which I thought was fantastically well-played.

SCP-3733 – Everybody Else by notgull

This is a rather simple Series IV SCP, but one I truly came to love. It’s a fantastic diversion from the general SCP tropes and it’s very, very creepy. What makes it so great, and so terrifying, however, are the interview logs, at least once you understand what’s truly going on.

SCP-3739 – Mind-Milk™ by Moosphere, Inc. by Lt Flops

Well, we’ve officially entered bizarro world. Mind-Milk™ by Moosphere, Inc. might be the most bizarre Series IV SCP out there. It’s full of surreal ideas and imagery and a wild ride I think needs to be imagined. It’s an SCP about disgusting milk slowly taking over the world, people being changed into udders and much, much more. While it can be confusing in parts, it’s also extremely well-done and well-written. If you like bizarre SCPs, this one’s a must-read.

SCP-3838 – Nomads of the 4th-Dimensional Steppe by Tufto

Nomads of the 4th-Dimensional Steppe is another Series IV SCP by Tufto. He’s, at least in my opinion, one of the best, if not the best, writers in terms of prose on the Wiki. Once more, he doesn’t disappoint. This Series IV SCP is one of the most creative I’ve come upon. It’s about nomad tribes who all live in the same area, but not at the same time. Instead of space, they divide up time as their living space. It’s such a weird, yet well-done idea, but of course that’s not all. No, there’s more going on.

SCP-3930 – The Pattern Screamer by djkaktus

Here we have another truly strange SCP, but one that’s absolutely outstanding. It’s another entry by djkaktus and this Series IV SCP might be my absolute favorite of his. Imagine a space that doesn’t exist, and that’s simply not there. What would you see if you stare at it? That’s what this Series IV SCP is all about. It’s an extremely strange and unsettling SCP, one that toys heavily with pattern recognition. As so often, though, that’s not all it’s about.

SCP-3935 – This Thing a Quiet Madness Made by djkaktus

Another Series IV SCP by djkaktus. This SCP is about another small town in which strange things happen. At first, the SCP only concerns the local high school, which is plagued by strange incidents. Soon, however, the SCP turns darker as more and more details about the town and the events that happened there are revealed. Not all the information, and not all that’s going on, might be apparent right away, however. Once things fall into place, however, one might realize that this SCP is all about a different type of horror.

SCP-3939 – [NUMBER RESERVED; AWAITING RESEARCHER] by Croquembouche

There are a few Series IV SCPs as clever as this one, but it’s also really long. While I enjoyed it for what it was and appreciate the effort that was put into it, I think parts of it were a bit too long. Overall, though, the twist, the ending and the explanation of what was actually going on were extremely well done. You should definitely check this one out.

SCP-3986 – The Observatory of Genghis Khan by Tufto

The Observatory of Genghis Khan is another Series IV SCP by Tufto. Yet again, it’s extremely well-written. This SCP concerns a mysterious observatory in which the body of Genghis Khan is entombed. What makes this one so great is the mystery of the place and the outstanding writing. The best part, in my opinion, however, is the ending. The last line is one of the best in the entire SCP-Wiki.

SCP-3989 – The Bone Orchard by HammerMaiden

The Bone Orchard is a Series IV SCP feature the horrors of sarkicism. It features a space-time anomaly in Syria, one that turns out stranger than originally thought. What makes this one so great are the exploration logs. They show just how much is going on and what sorts of horrors are out there. The descriptions, the imagery and the many entities we encounter are all extremely well-done. It is, however, heavy on references to and information from other SCPs related to sarkicism.

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