The Classes of TF2: A basic rundown

The basics of all 9 classes in TF2, with basic descripion, class roles, and tips on how to improve!

Introduction

Hey, My name's Arcanus44, and after almost 3000 hours of tf2, I decided to compile a guide of the basic roles of the classes. If you're new and looking for a quick guide to show you how things are done, then go no further!

Scout

Scout: this guy is the nuisance class. He jumps, moves fast, and has a damn powerful weapon if you know how to use it right. Scout's main jobs are pushing the cart, capping points, etc due to his 2x cap ability. His other role is playing the flank; circling around the enemy and attacking from the sides/rear. Scout is most effective when he gets the jump on his opponents.

How to play:
Don't rush in on the front lines thinking that because you're fast, you're invincible. Don't think as well that you can take on any enemy you get the jump on. One of your best abilities is to chase enemies that are running away and finish off that last chunk of health.

How to get better as him:
-practice, practice, practice. This is probably gonna go with all of the classes.
-be unpredictable. the human mind is astoundingly adept at discovering patterns. if you circle strafe around an enemy, they'll quickly catch on. So, stay unpredictable; have no discernible pattern to your movements.
-save that double jump. The double jump is the scout's most powerful tool, as it can allow him to completely reverse his direction midair. If you are being airblasted by a pyro, don't instantly double jump away; good pyros can easily lock you in and take you out. Instead, wait for the moment he tries to attack you: be it with shotgun, flare, etc. Dodging stuff like that is very satisfying. I soldier main; when a scout double jumps, it is very easy to predict where he is going to land, and there isn’t much he can do about it. I could write an essay on the psychological battle between scouts and soldiers, but that’s probably for another time.

Soldier

The offense. Soldier is one of the most offensive classes in the game, save for the demo. He has the potential to have a higher mobility than the scout (rocket jumping) and can play both a direct offensive, flank, or offensive support class depending on your weapons. Soldier’s job is, again, dependent upon his role. Direct offensive? Be on the front lines and kill everything. Flank? Same as scout, but with rockets. Offensive support? Get that banner up and help out your team.

How to play:
Use your mobility to your advantage. I main with gunboats; it’s a ridiculously amazing item and it gives you more mobility than all the other classes. The secondary weapon you use is up to you, and that secondary can definitely switch up the way the class is played. In addition, make sure you know the weapon you use. Learn the rocket launcher inside and out: damage, distance falloff, rocket speed, etc.

How to get better:
-RACKIT JAMP. Sorry, I got a little excited. There are hundreds of jump maps out there for honing your skills; if you’re like me, you’ll love them. Start with jump_beef or jump_rush, and never give up.
-Prediction. This is soldier’s most powerful tool. The ability to forsee where the enemy will be and shoot your rocket so the two meet up. How to best practice this? Fight a lot of scouts.
-Focus on splash damage. A lot of times, you won’t be able to get a direct rocket hit on your enemy. So, shoot their feet, the wall they’re next to, other players that are close to them, you get it. Don’t go for bodyshots, unless you’re using the Direct Hit.

Pyro

This guy, while being in the offensive class, is actually a support class. Pyro’s job is to waste enemy ubers with airblast, protect the medic and sentry, and to take out spies and light classes (classes with 125 hp).

How to play:
Use your airblast. Don’t be that guy that w+m1’s all over the place. For experienced players, those pyros are an incredible nuisance. The airblast can be used to reflect projectiles (see the wiki for a full list), push back enemy players, and extinguish allies. Stay close to your medic and make sure nothing gets too close to him.

How to get better:
-Learn TF2 Psychology 101. The more you understand the way a soldier/demo/sniper/etc’s mind works, the better you can predict when they are going to shoot, and the better you can airblast.
-Spycheck EVERYTHING. That demo, that scout, that barrel, that intel, that skybox. EVERYTHING.
-Combo. The degreaser gives you +65% weapon switch speed. That’s insane. Coupled with the flare or axtinguisher, you can ignite, switch, and dole out massive damage at mid to close range.

Demoman

Demoman: The most powerful class in TF2. The demoman is capable of dealing obscene amounts of damage, provided you know what you’re doing. Demo’s job is to be with his medic and protect him; his next job is to BLOW EVERYTHING THE F*CK UP. Literally, if you see it, blow it up. And if you can’t blow it up, set a sticky trap and blow it up later!

How to play:
Demo is listed as a defensive class, yet he can play both defense and offense. With defense, use sticky traps to your advantage, on offense, use everything you have and reload when you have the time.

How to get better:
-STICKY JAMP. Yeah, there are jump maps for demo, too. :3
-Learn the sticky rhythm. This is your most powerful weapon, moreso than the pill launcher. The way to use it offensively is shoot 1,shoot 2, det 1, shoot 3, det 2, shoot 4, det 3… once you learn this technique, you can go up against heavy-medic combos and come out on top.
-Prediction. Unfortunately, demo not only has to do soldier-based prediction, but he also has to to arc prediction. To practice this, use the sticky jumper, and go to a map you’re comfortable with, preferably a 24/7 server, and just have fun until you get the hang of it.

Heavy

I am heavy weapons guy. Yes, yes he is. Heavy is another offense/defense class. However, his minigun has terrible damage falloff and a wide scatter. Your best performance can be found by jumping around a corner, minigun spun up, and ambushing unsuspecting enemies. A big factor to this guy is intimidation; a lot of the times you will just see a heavy-medic pair and run: mission accomplished.

How to play:
You want to protect your medic, just like demo. Like I said before, a big factor is intimidation. Don’t think that you’re some tank that can survive anything. I’ve killed plenty of heavies in my time. Make sure you also have a good understanding of your surroundings; snipers and spies can take you out in a single hit, and you’re the slowest class in the game.

How to get better:
-Situational awareness. Be cautious at all times, and spycheck often. Make sure to look behind you any chance you get, because more often than not you will catch a spy trying to get at you or your medic. Make sure you also know where the enemy sniper is, as he is another threat.
-Positioning. Going with the previous point, make sure you select good locations to harass the enemy, while not being completely out in the open. You’re essentially a portable sentry, except more vulnerable.
-Tracking. Make sure you can keep your gun on people, so you can shoot them and they die. Yeah, not exactly a very intricate point.

Engineer

The man with the robot gun thingy. Engineer finds a place to put his sh*t, puts his sh*t in said place, and sits there repairing said sh*t. He is a very defensive class, with the gunslinger (aka the devil) being his offensive option.

How to play:
Buildin’ a sentry! Find good vantage points where your sentry can’t easily be spammed out, and start building. Make sure you’re near some ammo packs so you can keep building when you run out of metal. Make sure you put emphasis on that teleporter, too, as that helps your team out immensely.

How to get better:
-Be patient. As an engie, your stuff will get shot, sapped, blown up, and smacked by that one REALLY stupid scout wielding a pan. Make sure you have the patience to build your stuff up again.
-Spies. Your pyro should be able to handle spies, however if one sneaks by o if you don’t have a pyro, put priority on the spy. The second you go to your sentry, he will backstab you. TO avoid this, either go for the spy, or remain very mobile when removing the sapper. Also accept the fact that sometimes you will lose your sentry.
-Vantage points. As said above, don’t put your sentry in the middle of the battlefield where it can be easily shot down unless your team has a very firm grasp on the situation. Use locations that are not easily accessible by spies and can’t be spammed from a distance.

Medic

Ze Doktor. This guy is the most important member of a team. Ever. He is responsible for keeping your team alive, and 1 medic is the difference between a loss and a victory. However, he is also the biggest target. EVERYONE wants you dead, and it’s your team’s job to defend you.

How to play:
Keep your team alive. I set my game so if any ally has 50% health or less, there is a notification on my screen to heal them. Heal the important targets first, and do not, I repeat, DO NOT, heal just the heavy. We all hate you if you do that.

How to get better:
-Talk to the pros. Find someone who has experience in medic; they can give you extensive rundowns on when to pop, where to be, who to heal, etc.
-“Pop it, don’t drop it.” This phrase, made famous by angrysockpuppet, holds very true. Even if it would be a wasted uber, it is better to have gotten that out and wasted it than to have not even popped in the first place.
-Situational awareness. See heavy bullet point.

Sniper

Sniper: The man with a jar of p*ss. This guy is a long range support, however, don’t let the word “support” fool you. A sniper, if good/lucky enough, can completely decimate the enemy team, and nobody can even get close enough to kill him.

How to play:
Find a vantage point, and do some dynamic camping. Dynamic camping is staying in a general area, but not a single spot. Sniper works best when he’s got a good line of sight and a hefty distance between him and the enemy. Do your best to see that that happens. Unless you run huntsman, in which case have fun. Sniper’s job is to take out the classes that really matter: medic, heavy, demo, etc.

How to get better:
-DON’T THINK YOU HAVE TO GET ALL HEADSHOTS. This is a problem 99% of snipers suffer from. They think they need to get all the headshots all the time. Not true. You can oneshot light classes with a fully charged bodyshot, and yeah, some of them will give you sh*t about it, but hey, they’re dead, you’re not. :P
-Hardscope first, then transition into quickscoping. Hardscoping is taking time, charging your shots, and making them count. This is good for early players as it teaches you not to waste shots. Once you feel comfortable, you can start transitioning to quickscoping.
-Stay out of plain sight. The most dangerous sniper is one you can't see until after you're dead, remember that.

Spy

The sneaky man. This guy, like the sniper, can cause serious damage if your team is unaware. He preys on that lack of caution and awareness, and can devastate the enemy in a very short amount of time. He has a wide arsenal of gadgets and weapons that can create a multitude of different playstyles.

How to play:
This is largely dependent on your watch. If you run inviswatch/cloak and dagger, your job is to make sure the enemy never sees you or even suspects you are a spy. If you run dead ringer, then you can afford the luxury of being caught, and therefore can play more aggressively. Spy’s job is, like the sniper, to take out the important classes. He also has to go up against engie nests with his sapper.

How to get better:
-Practice, practice, practice. Find a friend who is good at spy and let them coach you. You can learn a lot from them.
-Don’t be the hero; know when to back out. You’re a light class; you’re not invincible.
-Trickstabs. These flashy kills are not only extremely gratifying, but also very effective at killing the enemy. Stairstabs, cornerstabs, understabs, and matador stabs are all very effective at killing.
-Use your revolver. Yeah, you actually have one of those. Weird, huh?

Conclusion

Thanks for reading my guide! If you found it helpful, give it a good rating! If you feel it wasted your time, give it a good rating! :P

Feel free to let me know in the comments if there are any extra details I missed or should add.

-Arcanus44

Artwork thanks to biggreenpepper: http://biggreenpepper.deviantart.com/

[Cryomancer42]

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