How to Complete Scarytale Romance Challenge (June 2026)

The BitLife Scarytale Romance Challenge requires players to create a female character from Colorado, become a psychiatrist, rent out a haunted storybook home, marry the tenant, and poison them in the haunted house. This dark twist on a fairy tale romance challenge runs from May 13-17, 2023, and requires the Landlord Expansion Pack to complete. Follow our comprehensive guide to master each objective efficiently and avoid common pitfalls that many players encounter.

Quick Reference: Scarytale Romance Challenge Objectives

Objective	Requirements	Difficulty	Time Needed
Be born female in Colorado	Create female character, select Denver as birthplace	Easy	Immediate
Become a psychiatrist	High smarts, Psychology major, Medical School	Medium	20+ years
Rent haunted storybook home	Landlord Expansion Pack, $500K-$1M+	Hard	Variable
Wed tenant of haunted home	Build relationship, propose	Medium	2-5 years
Poison spouse in haunted home	Crime menu, poison method	Medium	Variable

Understanding the Challenge Requirements

Before diving into the step-by-step walkthrough, it’s crucial to understand that the Scarytale Romance Challenge requires the Landlord Expansion Pack, which costs $4.99 in the BitLife store. This DLC is essential as it introduces the real estate and tenant mechanics needed for three of the five objectives. Without this expansion, you cannot complete the challenge, so make sure to purchase it before beginning your journey.

The challenge combines elements of career progression, real estate management, relationship building, and criminal activities, making it one of the more complex BitLife challenges that requires careful planning and patience.

Step 1: Be Born a Female in Colorado

The first objective is straightforward but requires knowing exactly where to look in the character creation menu:

1. Start a new custom life
2. Select Female as your gender
3. Choose United States as your country
4. Select Denver as your birth city (Denver is Colorado’s capital and the only Colorado city available in BitLife)

Pro Tip: Denver is the only city in Colorado available in BitLife, so you must select this location to satisfy the “born in Colorado” requirement. There are no alternative cities within the state in the game.

Step 2: Become a Psychiatrist

This objective requires careful planning from childhood and takes approximately 20+ years of game time to complete. Here’s the detailed breakdown:

Childhood Preparation (Ages 0-17)

• Maintain High Smarts: Use the “Study Harder” option at least twice each year to keep your Smarts stat above 90
• Avoid Activities: Don’t engage in activities that could lower your smarts or get you in trouble
• Build Good Habits: Develop discipline and focus to help with academic success

University Education (Ages 18-22)

• Choose the Right Major: Select either Psychology or Biology as your university major
• Continue Studying: Use “Study Harder” regularly to maintain high grades
• Apply for Scholarships: High smarts should qualify you for financial aid

Medical School (Ages 22-26)

• Apply Immediately: After graduating university, apply to medical school right away
• Maintain Excellence: Keep studying hard to ensure successful completion
• Financial Planning: Medical school is expensive, so save money or take loans if needed

Becoming a Psychiatrist (Age 26+)

• Job Search: After graduating medical school, visit the Full-Time Job section
• Look for “Jr. Psychiatrist”: This entry-level position should appear in the job listings
• Ace the Interview: Prepare well for the interview to secure the position
• Alternative Method: If the Jr. Psychiatrist position doesn’t appear immediately, close and reopen the app or age up a year to refresh the job listings

Expert Strategy: Some players report better success finding the psychiatrist position by maintaining smarts above 95 throughout their education and having a clean criminal record.

Step 3: Rent Out a Haunted Storybook Home

This is often the most challenging and time-consuming objective, requiring both patience and significant financial resources.

Financial Preparation

• Save Money: Haunted storybook homes typically cost between $500,000 and $1,000,000+
• Career Advancement: Work as a psychiatrist for several years to build savings
• Side Income: Consider additional income sources like part-time jobs or investments

Finding the Haunted Storybook Home

1. Navigate to Activities → Shopping → Real Estate
2. Choose a real estate agent and browse their property catalog
3. Look for a distinctive mushroom-shaped house surrounded by grass (this is the visual identifier for storybook homes)
4. Specifically search for properties labeled “Haunted Storybook Home”

Critical Tips:

• If no haunted storybook homes appear, age up one year and check again
• The haunted storybook home is rarer than regular haunted houses
• Be prepared to search for 10-15 years or more in some cases
• Some players report better luck by checking different real estate agents

Purchasing and Renting

1. Buy the Property: Purchase the haunted storybook home with cash or mortgage
2. Access Property Menu: Find the property in your assets list
3. Rent It Out: Select the “Rent” option to find a tenant
4. Choose Wisely: Select a tenant who matches your sexual orientation and seems compatible

Advanced Strategy: Save your game before searching for the house. If you don’t find it after several years, reload your save and try again to avoid wasting valuable game time.

Step 4: Wed the Tenant of Your Haunted Storybook Home

This objective combines relationship building with strategic planning:

Building the Relationship

1. Initial Contact: Start interacting with your tenant regularly
2. Increase Relationship: Use these activities to improve your relationship meter:
   • Compliment them frequently
   • Give gifts to show appreciation
   • Converse regularly to build rapport
3. Monitor Progress: Watch for the relationship bar to turn completely green

Dating and Marriage

1. Ask Them Out: Once the relationship is strong (green bar), ask them on a date
2. Continue Dating: Maintain the relationship through regular interactions
3. Propose Marriage: Either wait for them to propose or take the initiative yourself
4. Get Married: Complete the marriage ceremony

Important Considerations:

• Choose a tenant who won’t go to prison (you need them alive for the final objective)
• The relationship building process typically takes 2-5 years
• Haunted houses can cause tenants to move out or die, so work efficiently
• If the tenant moves out before marriage, you’ll need to find a new one

Step 5: Poison Your Spouse in Your Haunted Storybook Home

The final objective requires careful timing and access to the right criminal method:

Preparing for the Act

1. Ensure Marriage: Make sure you’re legally married to your tenant
2. Location Check: Confirm you’re in the haunted storybook home
3. Build Courage: Some players report better success with higher courage stats

Executing the Poisoning

1. Navigate to Activities → Crime → Murder
2. Select Your Spouse: Choose your tenant spouse as the target
3. Choose Poison Method: Select “poison them” as the murder method
4. Commit the Act: Confirm the murder to complete the final objective

Critical Timing Notes:

• The poison method may not appear immediately in the crime menu
• If unavailable, age up one year and check again
• Some players wait 5-10 years for the poison method to become available
• Save before attempting murder in case you need to retry

Avoiding Consequences

• Success Rate: The poison method typically has a high success rate
• Legal Risks: Be prepared for potential legal consequences if caught
• Save Strategy: Consider saving before attempting the murder

Common Challenges and Solutions

Challenge 1: Can’t Find Haunted Storybook Home

Solution:

• Age up yearly and check all real estate agents
• Save before searching and reload if unsuccessful
• Be patient – some players report searching 15+ years

Challenge 2: Psychiatrist Job Not Appearing

Solution:

• Ensure smarts are above 90 throughout education
• Try closing and reopening the app
• Age up one year and check job listings again

Challenge 3: Tenant Moves Out Before Marriage

Solution:

• Build relationship quickly
• Avoid negative interactions
• Choose tenants with high compatibility
• Save regularly to reload if needed

Challenge 4: Poison Method Not Available

Solution:

• Age up yearly and check crime menu
• Ensure you’re in the haunted storybook home
• Try different times of day or seasons

Advanced Tips and Strategies

Financial Management

• Early Investment: Start saving money as soon as you become a psychiatrist
• Side Hustles: Consider part-time jobs to boost income
• Smart Purchases: Don’t overspend on unnecessary items before buying the haunted house

Time Optimization

• Speed Running: Focus only on challenge objectives to complete faster
• Save Management: Save at key decision points to avoid replaying entire lives
• Efficient Aging: Only age up when necessary to progress objectives

Relationship Building

• Gift Strategy: Give expensive gifts to speed up relationship building
• Compliment Frequency: Compliment multiple times per year for faster progress
• Compatibility Check: Choose tenants with similar interests and age ranges

Platform-Specific Information

iOS vs. Android Differences

• Expansion Pack: Available on both platforms for the same price
• Challenge Timing: May vary slightly by region and platform
• Save Systems: Different cloud save options between platforms

Device Performance

• Older Devices: May experience longer load times when searching for properties
• Battery Life: Extended play sessions may drain battery faster
• Storage Space: Ensure adequate storage for smooth gameplay

Community Resources

Official Resources

• BitLife Official Website: candywriter.com – Developer news and updates
• BitLife Twitter: @BitLifeApp – Official announcements and challenge hints
• BitLife Instagram: @bitlifeapp – Visual updates and community features

Community Platforms

• BitLife Wiki: Fandom Wiki – Comprehensive game information

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need the Landlord Expansion Pack for this challenge?

Yes, absolutely. The Landlord Expansion Pack is required as it introduces the real estate and tenant mechanics needed for three of the five objectives. Without this DLC, you cannot rent out properties or have tenants, making the challenge impossible to complete.

How long does it take to complete the Scarytale Romance Challenge?

Typically 25-40 years of game time. The psychiatrist career path takes 20+ years, finding the haunted storybook home can take 5-15 years, and building the relationship typically takes 2-5 years. Patient players may complete it faster with optimal strategies.

What if I can’t find the poison murder method?

Keep aging up and checking the crime menu. The poison method appears randomly and may take several years to become available. Some players report waiting 5-10 years for it to appear. Ensure you’re in the haunted storybook home when checking.

Can I complete this challenge without going to medical school?

No, you cannot. Becoming a psychiatrist requires completing medical school after university. There are no shortcuts or alternative paths to becoming a psychiatrist in BitLife.

What happens if my tenant dies before I can marry them?

You’ll need to find a new tenant. Haunted houses can be dangerous, and tenants may die from supernatural events. If this happens, rent the property to a new tenant and start the relationship building process again.

Is there a specific time or season when haunted storybook homes appear more frequently?

No, appearance seems completely random. Some players claim better luck during certain seasons, but there’s no confirmed pattern. The key is persistence and checking every year without fail.

Can I complete this challenge after the official dates have passed?

Yes, you can. While the challenge was active from May 13-17, 2023, you can still complete it if you have access to the challenge vault or if it appears in your archived challenges. Some players report being able to access expired challenges through the challenge vault feature.

What’s the best way to maintain high smarts throughout the challenge?

Study Harder twice per year from childhood through medical school. Avoid activities that lower smarts, and consider reading books or visiting the library when available. Maintaining smarts above 90 is crucial for medical school acceptance and job opportunities.

Can I marry someone other than my tenant and still complete the challenge?

No, you must marry your specific tenant. The challenge requires you to wed “the tenant of your haunted storybook home,” so marrying anyone else won’t satisfy this objective.

What should I do if I get caught attempting to murder my spouse?

Reload your save and try again. If you don’t have a recent save, you may need to start a new life. The poison method generally has a high success rate, but there’s always a risk of getting caught.

Related Content Recommendations

Other BitLife Challenges You Might Enjoy

• Black Widow Challenge: Similar dark romance theme with multiple marriages
• Haunted House Challenge: Focuses on supernatural property management
• Medical Career Challenge: For players who enjoyed the psychiatrist path

Advanced BitLife Strategies

• Real Estate Investment Guide: Learn to build wealth through property
• Career Optimization Tips: Maximize your professional success in BitLife
• Relationship Building Mastery: Improve your social interactions in the game

Expansion Pack Guides

• Landlord Pack Complete Guide: Master all real estate features
• Boss Mode Strategies: Get the most out of premium features
• Best Value DLCs: Which expansion packs offer the most content

Expert Tips for Challenge Completion

From the Community

• Save Management: “Save before every major decision point – before buying the house, before proposing, and before attempting murder.” – Experienced BitLife Player
• Patience is Key: “The haunted storybook home took me 13 years to find. Don’t give up!” – Challenge Veteran
• Relationship Building: “Compliment three times per year and give expensive gifts for fastest relationship progress.” – Speed Runner

Developer Insights

The Scarytale Romance Challenge was designed to showcase the Landlord Expansion Pack’s features while creating a narrative that combines romance, career progression, and dark humor typical of BitLife’s challenge design philosophy.

Final Thoughts

The BitLife Scarytale Romance Challenge represents one of the more complex and engaging challenges in the game, requiring players to master multiple gameplay systems while maintaining careful planning and patience. By following this comprehensive guide, you’ll be well-equipped to tackle each objective efficiently and join the ranks of players who have successfully completed this dark fairy tale adventure.

Remember that persistence is key – whether you’re searching for that elusive haunted storybook home or waiting for the perfect moment to strike with poison. With the strategies outlined in this guide, you’ll be able to navigate the challenges more effectively and enjoy the unique narrative that this special challenge delivers.

Call to Action: Bookmark this guide for quick reference during your challenge attempt, and join the BitLife community on Reddit and Discord to share your success stories and help other players complete this engaging challenge!