The true Short Circuit stats after the January 9, 2014 update

[Knusperfrosch]

Here are the true Short Circuit stats after the January 9, 2014 update... because the patch notes are incorrect.

http://wiki.teamfortress.com/wiki/Short_Circuit
From the TF2 Wiki: Short Circuit Update history (retrieved January 10, 2014)

July 10, 2013 Patch

Changed attributes:
Ammo cost reduced when an attack destroys a projectile.
Ammo cost of firing reduced to -18 metal.
[Undocumented] Ammo cost increased to -36 metal when an attack does not destroy a projectile or hit a player.
[Undocumented] Increased firing speed by +25%.
[Undocumented] The weapon's muzzle now emits a spark effect when fired.
[Undocumented] Fixed attack arcing to nearby teammates as if they were enemies.

July 12, 2013 Patch

Updated the Short Circuit description to match the updated gameplay.

November 12, 2013 Patch

Added Collector's quality.

December 20, 2013 Patch

Changed attributes:
Attack speed up greatly.
Ammunition cost has been lowered to 5 metal per attack.
Players and Buildings are only targeted if in range and in front of attacking player.
Improved visual effects.

January 9, 2014 Patch

Changed attributes:
Damage lowered.
Consumes 15 metal per projectile destroyed.
Can no longer fire underwater.
Fixed a bug with orphaned particles.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Problem is, many of those official numbers are incorrect. Here are the REAL numbers, tested on tr_walkway_rc2 on January 10, 2014.

1) The DECEMBER 20, 2013 UPDATE update actually lowered the Short Circuit's damage output against players/bots from previously 5 points to 2 points per shot, a change which was left undocumented both in the patch notes and the TF2 Wiki. But the update did indeed massively speed up the attack speed.

Damage was not affected by range. It was always 2 damage per shot, no matter if point blank or at the maximum distance for the Short Circuit's arc (which is short range anyway). No random critical hits, as notes in the weapon description.

The Dec 20, 2013 update lowered the metal cost to a flat -5 metal per shot for both hitting players or destroying projectiles, from previous -36 metal per missed shot and -18 metal for destroying a projectile or shooting a player/bot (as per July 10, 2013 update).

Screenshot proof (screenshots date from Dec 25, 2013):
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=207894920 (2 damage per hit, cost -5 metal)
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=207896410
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=207898862 (New arc requires aiming)

(Note: Unfortunately, I forgot to upload a screenshot of it destroying a projectile, and the relevant screenshots are stored on another computer.)

2) The JANUARY 9, 2014 UPDATE actually increased the damage output to 10 points damage per shot! Fast attack speed is still the same as it was after the Dec 10, 2013 update.

Screenshot proof:
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=214708804 (Damage output against players/bots is 10 points/shot)

The metal cost for destroying a projectile is -20 metal, instead of -15 metal as the official patch notes claim! And, against projectiles it requires a bit more careful aiming than in the past, as the arc of electricity no longer creates an electricity "net" in front of the Engineer as it used to.

Screenshot proof:
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=214711095 (Metal cost for destroying projectiles is -20 metal instead of -15) VS ROCKET
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=214711177 (Metal cost for destroying projectiles is -20 metal instead of -15) VS ROCKET
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=214712869 (Metal cost for destroying projectiles is -20 metal instead of -15) VS ROCKET
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=214724003 (Metal cost for destroying projectiles is -20 metal instead of -15) VS GRENADE
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=214724099 (Metal cost for destroying projectiles is -20 metal instead of -15) VS GRENADE

Metal cost for a missed shot is -5 metal. Metal cost for hitting and damaging a playe/bot is also only -5 metal. Which means the Short Circuit is now actually even more dangerous against enemy players than less (except underwater).

Screenshot proof:
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=214709466 (Metal cost -5 for hitting a player/bot, part 1)
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=214709619 (Metal cost -5 for hitting a player/bot, part 2)
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=214711532 (Metal cost -5 for a missed shot)
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=214711693 (Metal cost -5 for a missed shot)

The philosophy behind the metal consumption has changed from previous "Let's make it cost more metal when you miss than when you hit/destroy a projectile" to "Let's make it cost more metal when you successfully destroy a projectile, limiting the number of projectile attacks you can counter (after all, you already reaped the benefit that the projectile is gone), but make it cost less if you miss or attack an enemy at close range, giving you the chance to try again." Personally, I'm fine with that.

Summary: I doubt the current tweaks, after the massive upgrade the Dec 20, 2013 update did to the Short Circuit, will persuade the competitive TF2 leagues to take the Short Circuit off the list of banned weapons, especially with the second big damage increase vs players. Prior to the Dec 20, 2013 changes, the Short Circuit was hampered in performing its main function by being too slow and eating up too much metal, making it unviable except as a purely defensive novelty weapon while sitting on a level 3 dispenser. Right now it is a rapid-fire defensive+offensive side-arm for the Engineer, especially in MvM, competing with the MvM Medic's new anti-projectile energy shield.

[Maple]

So did you say it does more damage now?

Trollgineer is still in business!

[Tealtyr]

10 damage a hit with same fire rate...
WHAT HAVE YOU DONE VALVE
Scratch that, I see how the damage works now.
Still awesome though.

[Juno Brier]

Originally posted by spaghetti-sensei:

10 damage a hit with same fire rate...
WHAT HAVE YOU DONE VALVE

What they did is make the Short Circuit viable without being overpowered.
The Pistol does more damage than that at a higher fire rate and without draining your precious metal.

[Maple]

Originally posted by spaghetti-sensei:

10 damage a hit with same fire rate...
WHAT HAVE YOU DONE VALVE

Made an OK weapon ACTUALLY OP. This wouldn't have happened if the community hadn't cried and whined...

[Maple]

Ohmygod
If you pair
A short circuit and widowmaker
Oh god I just invented the noobiest combo in the world

[Smugleaf]

Originally posted by Santa's Little ClamFace:

Made an OK weapon ACTUALLY OP. This wouldn't have happened if the community hadn't cried and whined...

The Short Circuit isn't overpowered; just adapt.

[he who remembers]

Originally posted by Santa's Little ClamFace:

So did you say it does more damage now?

Trollgineer is still in business!

its damage was never the issue

[he who remembers]

Originally posted by Smugleaf:

Originally posted by Santa's Little ClamFace:

Made an OK weapon ACTUALLY OP. This wouldn't have happened if the community hadn't cried and whined...

The Short Circuit isn't overpowered; just adapt.

its banned from comps because its so balanced....

[Maple]

Originally posted by Smugleaf:

Originally posted by Santa's Little ClamFace:

Made an OK weapon ACTUALLY OP. This wouldn't have happened if the community hadn't cried and whined...

The Short Circuit isn't overpowered; just adapt.

As a weapon, it is now. Let's see, 10 damage for 5 metal...
Land all shots of 200 metal and deal 400 damage In that insane hitspeed.

[Smugleaf]

Originally posted by Santa's Little ClamFace:

As a weapon, it is now. Let's see, 10 damage for 5 metal...
Land all shots of 200 metal and deal 400 damage In that insane hitspeed.

The Short Circuit doesn't work on hitscan, so go heavy and kill the engineer.

[Knusperfrosch]

Originally posted by Shou Toramaru:

The Pistol does more damage than that at a higher fire rate and without draining your precious metal.

The firing rate for the Short Circuit is higher and you can fire 40 shots against players before your 200 metal run out (or 10 shots against projectiles, down from previously 40 after the Dec 20 2013 update).

The pistol only has 12 shots loaded in the magazine. It does slightly more damage and has a longer range, but slower attack intervall (0.17 instead of 0.15 seconds according to the official numbers), and doesn't not have the versatility.
Maximum ramp-up 150% 22
Base damage 100% 15
Maximum fall-off 50% 8
Point blank 22
Medium range 13-17
Long range 8-10


It's the Short Circuits's new ability to rapidly destroy all sorts of incoming projectiles, at far higher speed and lower metal cost that before, that made the competitive leagues ban it after Dec 20, 2013. Maybe they will put it back on the whitelist once they've tested it for balance, maybe not. After all, Short Circuit replaces wrangler, and a wrangled sentry is still a terrible force.

[Maple]

Originally posted by Smugleaf:

Originally posted by Santa's Little ClamFace:

As a weapon, it is now. Let's see, 10 damage for 5 metal...
Land all shots of 200 metal and deal 400 damage In that insane hitspeed.

The Short Circuit doesn't work on hitscan, so go heavy and kill the engineer.

Fine, get all ZAPS. Happy?

[zipKill_FRAG]

Troll Engies just got nerfed, gg

[ShenanAgain]

Originally posted by \≡FBC≡/ Crunchy Frog:

The metal cost for destroying a projectile is -20 metal, instead of -15 metal as the official patch notes claim!

I think this is actually working as intended; it's 5 metal to fire the weapon and an additional 15 metal to destroy a projectile. One projectile costs 20 metal, two would cost 35, three 50, etc.

[Maple]

Originally posted by Prostitute Femme Pyro:

Troll Engies just got nerfed, gg

Nice name, prostitute female pyro.