General Musings ~ A TF2 Guide
Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2013 1:17 pm
Lately I've been making a concerted effort to improve my TF2 play. I'm putting my musings down for my own benefit, but I hope others can benefit by this as well. I'm intending for this to be a very basic guide aimed at solidifying the groundwork - after all, you can't build a skyscraper without a solid foundation. The following are meant to be general guidelines, not tailored for 6v6, Highlander, for pubs, or even for a particular game mode (with the exception of Mann vs Machine, which I am not discussing in this guide). I am, however, tailoring this guide for serious play and not for derping. I'm going to be posting a lot of facts in this guide, but I'm also going to be stating a lot of opinions. If you seem something factually wrong, please PM me or post in this thread to let me know; I'll gladly fix it. However, please don't get your undies in a bunch if you disagree with my opinions.
The first part of this guide is going to be a class-by-class breakdown. I'm going to go over basic facts about the class, discuss the particular niche each class fills, briefly touch on each class' counter class(es), and finally discuss ideal loadouts. In a second part to come later, I'll touch on a variety of general topics, little-known facts and tips, and scripting.
Scout
Basic Facts: Scout has 125 total hitpoints, buffable to 185. Alone amongst the classes, he posses the ability to double jump, allowing him to access hard-to-reach areas and making him more agile in combat. His base speed is 133%, making him the fastest running class in the game. He also captures at base rate of x2, making him ideal for capturing points and pushing payload carts.
Hard Counters: Engineer
Soft Counters: Soldier
Role: The main way to play scout is to work the flanks of the opponent. As a flanker, you'll be staying away from your teams main combat unit, instead trying to harass the enemies flank, providing a distraction while looking for isolated targets you can take out. All of this typically occurs as you are moving in to position to attack their combat group from the rear while they are engaged with your main combat unit. Flanker often works best with another scout, which is one of the primary tactics you would see in competitive 6v6. The real secret to success with scout comes in avoiding damage. You can pump out huge damage, but you're also incredibly weak. However, once you learn to dodge enemy attacks and you improve your aim, you will be a force to be reckoned with (just ask anyone who's faced off against Ruwin, who many consider one of the best players in TF2). The closest thing the Scout has to a hard counter is the engineer. While you likely won't be dying to him very frequently, his sentry guns can effectively deny large swathes of the map to you. With your low health, soldiers can often force you to back down with effective splash from their rockets. Beyond that, you'll just need to be wary of stray stickies and try to avoid closing within range of a pyro's flamethrower.
Best Loadout: Scattergun, Pistol, Basher/Fish/Atomizer
Your Scattergun throws out crazy damage at close range (105 damage at point blank), but due to the wide cone of fire, its effectiveness wears off as the distance increases between you and your target. As such, you'll want to be as close to your opponent as possible when engaging them. At medium range, use the pistol. It's more accurate than the Scattergun at that range, and actually deals surprisingly high amounts of damage (22 at point blank). Also, the first shot in a salvo is perfectly accurate and it takes 1.25 seconds to reset the bullet spread. I recommend the Boston Basher for melee as it lets you damage yourself to help build your medics uber and, in rare situations, allows for additional mobility through the use of basher jumps. Otherwise, you really shouldn't be using your melee weapon, since your primary is best at close range anyway. The fish is better than the stock bat, it at least lets you see through a spy's DR feign. I've little experience with the Atomizer, but the increased mobility and evasiveness offered by the third jump could be useful in the right hands.
Soldier
Basic Facts: The Soldier has 200 hitpoints, buffable to 300. While being the second slowest class in terms of running speed at only 80% speed, he is actually one of the most mobile classes because of the versatility offered by the signature "rocket jump."
Hard Counters: None
Soft Counters: Pyro, Sniper
Role: There are two ways to play soldier, commonly referred to as Pocket and Roamer. As a pocket soldier, you'll be sticking with your main combat unit. Your main job is to protect the medic and demoman while dealing out as much damage as you can. The pocket's role is pretty traditional; when you think of how most people play soldier, this is it. Contrarily, as a roaming soldier you will be staying away from the combat unit, working the flanks much like the flanker scout. You'll want to take advantage of the soldiers mobility (rocket jumping know-how is a must) to bomb key targets, usually the medic. One thing that is hard to get used to is the kamikaze nature of the Roamer. If you're getting healed by your team's medic, you're not doing this right. That said, health packs are your friend, especially if you can steal enemy health packs. You have 4 rockets. Use one or two to jump into position, then the rest to inflict as much damage as possible. For more info about roaming, search for Vhalin's guide (not linking due to nsfw language). Like the scout, soldier doesn't have a true hard counter. Pyro can reflect your rockets back at you, but with the shotgun you can chip away at their health, often causing them to retreat. You are vulnerable to snipers as well, with your lower walking speed and slightly larger head.
Best Loadout: Rocket Launcher, Shotgun/Gunboats/Buff Banner, Escape Plan/Disciplinary Action
Really the only rocket launcher worth using is the stock launcher. It does the most damage without any negative tradeoffs. In rare situations, the Direct Hit might be used to break a particularly thorny sentry nest, but taking down sentry guns is usually the job of your team's demoman. Some soldiers like to use the Black Box, but I don't. As a Pocket you'll be getting healed frequently, so you don't need the +15 heals; as a Roamer you need to be dealing as much damage as possible with little concern for personal longevity, which is contrary to the Black Box's nature. For a secondary weapon, I prefer the shotgun in almost every situation. More damage = better damage. The gunboats might be of assistance to roamers, allowing for more mobility and allowing for slightly longer longevity. The Buff Banner might fit nicely in a Pocket soldier's repertoire, but only if your team is working well together, both to take advantage of the buff, and to help protect you with your now reduced combat capabilities.
Pyro
Basic Facts: Pyro has 175 hitpoints, buffable to 260, and moves at base 100% speed. Pyro is (mostly) unique in the ability to deal Damage over Time with his flamethrower's afterburn. All flamethrower's afterburn lasts for 10 seconds unless extinguished manually. Pyro has the special ability to reflect projectiles and even forcibly reposition the enemy using his flamethrower's compression blast ability.
Hard Counters: Heavy
Soft Counters: Scout, Engineer
Role: Though many like to play pyro offensively, truly it is a support class; in fact, it fills the very epitome of a utility role. As pyro, you'll want to primarily stay with your main combat unit, constantly spewing flames every which way to make sure no enemy spy can get through to your core combat players. You'll also want to help protect your engineer. You have one of the most versatile abilities in the game in your compression blast. Compression blast allows you to effectively stall an uber single-handedly, it allows you to extinguish burning teammates, and it lets you reflect enemy projectiles (specifically all rockets including sentry rockets, grenades, sticky bombs, baseballs, ornaments, flares, liquid projectiles such as jarate and milk, all arrows and bolts, and cleavers). Finally, with the homewrecker you can knock sappers off of friendly engineer buildings. While the camera reel glory may be reserved for other classes, your ability to provide support to your teammates is unparalleled. Perhaps the most difficult aspect of pyro is knowing which of your many support roles to fill at any one given time, and you'll often feel like you need to be everywhere at once. As pyro you're weak to hitscan weapons. In particular, heavies can easily mow you down and scouts can chip away at your health while staying out of range of your flames.
Best Loadout: Flame Thrower/Degreaser, Shotgun/Flare Gun, Homewrecker
In most situations, I recommend using the Degreaser over the stock flame thrower, as the reduced fire damage is negligible considering that few people actually die from fire damage (especially on competent teams), while the ability to quick switch to the shotgun or flare gun dramatically increases your personal ability to finish off foes. Both offer great utility with cheap compression blast. I prefer the shotgun as a secondary, but truly the flare gun is a virtually equal side-grade. The shotgun allows for consistent hitscan damage, whereas the flare allows for critical kills on burning opponents. I recommend the homewrecker as a melee weapon to increase your utility.
Special Note: Many people think the Phlogistinator is a good, or even OP weapon. Contrarily, it's quite bad. You dramatically cut down your usefulness to the team for the occasional glory run when you get ubered while Mmmph is hot. Competent players know how to stop you in your tracks if you try to Mmmph without an uber, and you're ignoring your key role as the penultimate utility player.
Demoman
Basic Facts: Demoman has 175 hitpoints buffable to 260. He moves at 93% base speed, but he is actually the fastest class in the game when considering his uniqe ability to "sticky jump." With sticky jumping, you can easily be the first to the center point of any 5 cp map.
Hard Counters: Scout
Soft Counters: Pyro
Role: Demoman is a lean, mean, medium-range damage dealing machine. As demo, you'll want to be sticking with your primary combat group throwing out as much damage possible. And you can do it, as you have some of the most powerful weapons in the game at your disposal. However, note that I labelled the demo as a "damage dealing machine" and not a "killing machine." While it's true you will get many kills, that's not your primary goal. Your goal is to weaken the opponents and allow your teammates to finish them off with their more precise hitscan weapons (scout, heavy) and rockets (soldier). Aside from dealing out maximum damage, your primary role is area denial. A clever stickybomb trap can easily kill multiple unsuspecting enemies with a single click of the mouse, and the knowledge that sticky traps might exist can sometimes be enough to stall an enemy push until you've been dealt with. You are, however, weak at close range. Scouts who can close on you will usually demolish you (and you are often priority number one for them anyway). Pyros can reflect both your primary and secondary weapon, making them particularly thorny to deal with as well.
Best Loadout Grenade Launcher, Stickybomb Launcher, Bottle/Paintrain.
More so than any other class, the Demoman benefits most from using his stock weapons. They simply allow for maximum versatility and damage potential. Pipe grenades deal 105 damage on direct hit, and up to 64 even after rolling around. Each sticky bomb you place deals 138 damage. Several detonated at once can easily kill multiple enemies. They can also be airshot (exploded in mid-air) allowing for continuous, accurate damage. Finally, stickybombs allow for greatly increased mobility through stickybomb jumping. I recommend the bottle as a melee weapon. Hopefully any teammates who get too close to you can be eliminated by teammates, but the reliable damage with no negative trade-offs make the bottle a decent option in a pinch. You might consider using the pain train for faster capping while on the offensive, but note that it does make you more susceptible to your biggest enemy, the scout.
Heavy
Basic Facts: Heavy is the, well, heaviest class. He has 300 hitpoints and can be buffed to 450. However, you are the slowest class, moving at only 77% base speed. Moreover, you have a very large frame and a huge head, making you an easy target. That said, Heavy fills the "tank" role well, and with dedicated support, can be a beast that is hard to take out.
Hard Counters: Spy, Sniper
Soft Counters: Soldier, Demo, Scout
Role: Heavy is the tank class of TF2. You have more hitpoints than any other class and your minigun deals devastating damage at close range, but you are slow moving. The heavy often forms the core of the main combat group. You'll often find yourself with a medic buddy, and you will probably have one attached to you during a push - but don't think you by rights deserve to have one glued to you constantly. With your massive amount of HP you can take a bit more abuse while your medic heals your teammates. There seems to be a prevailing thought that heavies with medics are nearly invincible. True, they take a lot of abuse before dying, but if that combo was truly as powerful as many think, why is it not used in competitive? The answer is that the heavy has a surprising number of weaknesses. His slow movement makes you an easy target for enemy spies and snipers, and you are easily dealt with by concentrated explosive damage. Even scouts can take you down with 3 quick meatshots. So while you are powerful, don't forget that you have a myriad of weaknesses that can be exploited.
Best Loadout Minigun, Sandvich, Gloves of Running Urgently/Fists of Steel.
Bar none, the best primary weapon is the Minigun. Some things to consdier: each unit of ammo expended actually results in 4 bullets being shot, and each bullet deals 9 base damage. At full-spin, you shoot 10 times per second, or 40 bullets per second. At point blank range, you destroy everything, and quickly. However, the Minigun suffers from high damage fall-off and a wide cone of fire, rendering it much less effective at medium and far range (unless under the effect of a kritzkrieg, as critical hits don't suffer fall-off!). The only time I would consider a different Minigun is when attacking on payload maps. You can sit on the cart and cheese the Huo-Long Heater, using the cart's ammo dispensing to make up for the increased ammo expenditure. That said, I intrinsically don't like the idea of the Heavy having fire damage, and sitting on the cart like that encourages bad habits. For a secondary, pack the Sandvich. It's healing can save you or a teammate in a pinch. Finally, for a melee weapon, consider the GRU to help get you to the front line (but remember you'll be susceptible to mini-crits during and briefly after you use it) or the Fists of Steel to help reduce damage. You shouldn't be attacking with any weapon other than your minigun anyway.
Engineer
Basic Facts: Like the scout, the Engineer has only 125 hitpoints, buffed to 185. He runs at base 100% speed. And, his primary weapon is at best secondary on several other classes. But, the engineer is the only class that can construct battlefield buildings, providing extra DPS in the form of static Sentry Guns, extra healing and ammo in the form of Dispensers, and quick movement to the front line with Teleporters.
Hard Counters: Spy, Demo
Soft Counters: Heavy
Role: There are two main ways to play engineer. Both have much in common, but a few key differences. The first style is the level three sentry engineer, or defensive engineer. As a defensive engineer, your job is to build level three sentries to hold down key locations while your team is defending a point. In addition, you'll want to get level three dispensers to provide metal and healing, and level three teleporters so your team can get to the fight faster. The second style is the mini-sentry engineer, or offensive engineer. Like the defensive engineer, you'll be supporting your team by building level three teleporters and level three dispensers; however, unlike the defensive engineer, you won't have a static sentry. Instead you'll be placing mini sentries in unexpected locations to provide extra DPS for your team as they push on offense. One major mistake I see when people use mini-sentries is that they treat them like level three sentries. Mini-sentries aren't going to hold anything on defense (a single sticky bomb destroys one). But, they can be very pesky when placed to aid a push, or when put in unexpected locations. They build quickly and cheaply, so don't be afraid to place them aggressively. As engineer, your biggest threat will be enemy spies and demomen. Spies can sap your stuff, whereas demomen are very effective at taking out sentry emplacements.
Best Loadout: Shotgun/Frontier Justice/Widomaker, Pistol/Wrangler, Southern Hospitality/Gunslinger
For a primary weapon, I typically prefer the shotgun. It provides reliable damage without any trade-offs. The Frontier Justice is popular on offensive engineers, who stores up their crits and try to make picks, though I'm not sure it's quite the upgrade some people think it is. The widowmaker can be devastating at times, but can easily leave you without metal. It's best in conjunction with mini-sentries. For a skilled defensive engineer, your best secondary is the Wrangler. It makes your sentry really difficult to take out and allows you to shoot past its maximum range. Otherwise, I prefer the pistol. Finally, use the gunslinger if you want mini-sentries, and the stock wrench or the Southern Hospitality. I tend to prefer the Southern Hospitality over the stock wrench as I find the bleed effect useful for tracking down enemy spies, while the extra damage from fire shouldn't matter unless they uber a pyro into your gun, in which case you're probably doomed anyway.
Medic
Basic Facts: The medic has 150 hitpoints, buffed to 225. He moves at 107% base speed, making him the second quickest class in terms of running speed. The medic is the only class in the game that regenerates HP. He has a base healing rate of 3 HP per second, which scales up to a potential 6 HP per second the longer it's been since you've taken damage.
Hard Counters: Scout
Soft Counters: Soldier, Spy
Role: The primary role of the medic is to heal your team (shocking, right?). Your ubercharge is one of the defining points of Team Fortress 2. Especially in competitive play, the game revolves around the medic and his uber. Medic is an unpopular class at pub-level, but it's so vital to any team's success. I could write pages alone on how to play medic, but here are a few basic tips. First, always be healing someone. If you're not healing, your uber is not gaining any uber charge. Second, learn how to avoid damage, both through positioning yourself adroitly, and through learning how to move effectively while on the field of battle. Third, don't attack the enemy. I know it's very tempting to charge down a lone target and whack him with your ubersaw, but the medic should really only be attacking as a last resort. Do your job and heal your teammates; trust them to do their job, and they'll reward you in turn. Finally, make good use of voice comms. While important for every class, good voice comms are especially important for the medic, who often takes the role of the field general. Let your teammates know your uber percentage, alert them to any danger to your person, and be the one making calls about when to push and when to hold. Medic is often high on the priority list for all enemy class; in particular, watch out for scouts, who often will try to flank and make a pick on you. You'll go down in two shots if they get close enough. Soldiers may also try to bomb you, either forcing your uber or even potentially killing you. Finally, spies will be coming for you too. Have a pair of eyes on the back of your head; better yet, a pyro friend to protect you.
Best Loadout: Crusader's Crossbow/, Medi Gun/Kritzkreig, Ubersaw
Since I do not recommend attacking as a medic, the best 'primary weapon' is the Crusader's Crossbow. The potential for long range heals adds another dimension to the medic which can not be overlooked. If you're unwilling/unable to learn how to use the crossbow, the overdose is an okay alternative, as it can somewhat aid in your survivability. The Medi Gun is the best medic secondary, bar none. As mentioned before, it's one of the defining features that forms what TF2 is. In almost every situation, it should be used over any other medic secondary. Some stats about it: a healing target can be overhealed to 150% their base health. Try to overheal as many people as you can before a push. If everyone on your team is overhealed, it's like have 50% more people. At a base rate, it takes 80 seconds to charge your uber, and when popped, it grants invulnerability to you and your target for 8 seconds. If your heal target is already buffed, or is being healed by another medic, it takes 160 seconds to charge your uber. Conversely, at max rate (with crit heals) it takes only 40 seconds to charge your uber. What are crit heals? Well, the medi gun has a variable healing rate. In the simplest terms, the longer your healing target has been out of combat, the faster you heal them. A target who is in combat heals at rate of 24 HP per second. Compare that with a target who has not been dealt damage for 15 seconds or longer, who heals at a rate of 72 HP per second (this is the rate known as 'crit heals'). You can share your ubercharge with multiple targets - but know that each additional target reduces the charge duration by 50%. However, even if they only share the charge for a split second (or a flash), they remain ubered for approximately 1 second, which can be a very effective means of keeping teammates alive. A final tip: when you are at 97%-99% of your charge, call out a random voice command: this overrides your medic calling out that he is fully charged, helping to keep the other team unaware of your uber percentage. It's worth your while to occasionally switch to the Kritzkreig. When you activate your charge, your ubercharge target recieves guaranteed critical hits. When unsuspected, it can devastate a team. But, use it frequently and it becomes predictable, and easy to avoid/counter. For a melee weapon, I do recommend the ubersaw. Each hit yields a bonus 25% to your ubercharge. I do not, however, recommend using your saw unless you absolutely have no other options. Too often I see medics charging willy-nilly with their saw only to be cut down, dropped uber fizzling around their body.
Sniper
Basic Facts: Sniper has 125 hitpoints, buffable to 185. He moves at base 100% speed. The sniper is one of two classes known as "picking" classes (along with the spy), due to his ability to score guaranteed critical hits with scoped headshots.
Hard Counters: Spy
Soft Counters: Sniper, Scout, Soldier, Demo
Role: As sniper you want to take advantage of your ability to make long-distance picks to greatly weaken or kill key enemy classes. Take advantage of locations with long sight lines to effectively shut down approach avenues for the enemy. A good sniper with a little bit of support can easily lock down an entire area, allowing the combo a bit more freedom to focus on their task at hand. There aren't really multiple ways to play sniper, but there are different approaches to the class. Some like to sit back, scope in and let that scope charge fill up (450 damage on full charge kills all classes in one hit), and wait for the enemy to walk into/near the crosshair. You'll see this play style being used in conjunction with Machina snipers frequently, due to the boost that weapon receives on full charge. I believe that sort of sniping style is generally inferior to the other main style, quickscoping. To quickscope, you place your crosshair on the enemy, then scope and shoot. To pull this off effectively, you'll need good twitch reflexes and an understanding of your mouse sensitivity. Quickscoping also allows you to be more fluid and mobile, rather than static. You can bring the fight to the enemy rather than wait for them to come to you. Quickscope headshots deal 150 damage, so they're often not enough to kill a target outright - but with good teamwork and communication, you can alert your team to the players that are low on HP and have them finish the job (or vice versa). The stereotypical counter to sniper is spy. Really though, you're weak to all classes at short range, especially mobile classes who can close on you quickly. Either stay behind lines as a camping sniper, or try to utilize team support as a quickscoper.
Best Loadout: Sniper Rifle, Jarate/SMG, Kukri/Shiv/Bushwacka
I prefer the stock Sniper Rifle over all other options. I don't like the Machina because I prefer to not play the camping style of sniper. The Bazaar Bargain might seem like a great option if you have amazing aim, but unfortunately it's an inferior weapon due to uncontrollable factors. In order to make the Bazaar Bargain better than stock, you need to have three headshots in a row. Even the best snipers have to deal with lag differential, and you're likely to miss a fair share of shots because of it (plus, hitting an engineer building counts as a miss). The lack of critical hits cripples the Sydney Sleeper in my book. Remember, a death is a death, even a body shot - but, you should be going for as many headshots as possible. Jarate is a great option to use to support your team. A well tossed piss-pot can really aid a push with guaranteed mini-crits. If you're finding that you're dying a lot to enemies who are getting too close to you for comfort, then consider the SMG, which can put out a surprising amount of damage (only 8 damage per bullet, but 10 bullets per second). As far as melee weapons, your best bet is probably the stock Kukri, though the Bushwacka pairs well with Jarate (though you should be using Jarate to help your combo, not yourself), and the Shiv deals more damage over time than the Kukri, but I tend to prefer upfront damage rather than DoT, as I like to assume the enemy has competent medics and knowledge of health pack locations.
Spy
Basic Facts: Spyhas 125 hitpoints, buffable to 185. He moves at base 100% speed. The sniper is one of two classes known as "picking" classes (along with the sniper), due to his ability to score guaranteed critical hits with backstabs. Spy is unique in his ability to cloak and become completely invisible, and to disguise as the enemy team. He also can see the weapons of the class he is disguised as, allowing him to share that info with his team.
Hard Counters: Pyro
Soft Counters: Almost all classes, Snipers w/ Jarate, Scouts w/ Mad Milk
Role: Ah the spy. Probably the most overplayed class on pubs, but it's satisfying to 1-hit kill and really good spies can mess up your day (probably why every new player wants to play it!). There are many different ways to play spy, and almost all of his unlockables lend themselves to a different, and usable, strategy. His strategy also shifts based on the game mode you are playing. But the basic role is the same: get behind enemy lines and take out key targets. Key targets usually include the medics, the heavier classes (Heavy, Demo, Soldier), and the engineer and his buildings. A few general tips: Use your revolver. Too many spies forget that their primary weapon is the revolver, and it can really deal a lot of damage. Also, be smart about disguising. Don't always disguise as the same class, and don't act in ways that class wouldn't act. Generally, try not to be disguised for long, as no disguise will hold up for any prolonged duration of time. Finally: know the map. Know all the alternative routes, know where the metal packs are, and know where the enemy team is likely to be.
Best Loadout: There are many different load-outs you can use as spy. I'll discuss each in turn. A few bad weapons to avoid are the big Earner and the Diamondback.
My preferred load-out that allows for the most versatility is the ambassador, the stock knife, and the stock sapper. Note that the Ambassador is really only good if you can reliably hit headshots, otherwise the stock revolver is a very good choice that deals quite a lot of consistent damage (base 40 damage per shot). The red-tape recorder is a great alternative to the stock sapper, but tends to work better with good team coordination. Which watch you use will depend on the situation. Certain maps favor certain watches as well. With the invis watch, you can turn completely invisible and get behind enemy lines. Plan your route to include picking up the metal along the way to recharge/prolong your cloak. Once behind enemy lines, strike quickly. If possible, fade back out after you strike. Going for isolated targets helps prolong your life. The dead ringer doesn't let you cloak normally, but instead you'll feign death when taking any form of damage when active, and then cloak for a base of 6.5 seconds. That time can be extended via metal, but your 90% damage reduction phase only ever lasts the base 6.5 seconds. The DR also makes a very loud noise when uncloaking, so make sure you scan the area before you use it. Finally, the Cloak and Dagger allows for potentially indefinitely cloaking, as long as you stand still. While cloaked, it recharges while standing still, but drains extra fast while moving. Moreover, metal doesn't replenish your charge. It seems to be the preferred watch for new spies, but in actuality requires a lot of finesse. It's easy to fall into the trap of standing for too long, waiting for the perfect opportunity. A final option is the Sarahan Spy set. It requires the Familiar Fez hat, the Eternal Reward knife, and L'Etranger revolver. The Eternal Reward does not let you disguise - instead you instantly steal the identity of your victims (who leave no corpse and won't show in the kill feed). L'Etranger grants charge to your cloak with hits, at reduced damage. This set works well with the Dead Ringer, as the set bonus reduces cloak noise considerably. While using this set can be effective, I consider it derpy and as such won't be going into strategies for it.
Thanks for reading part one. Please let me know your thoughts! And, stay tuned for part II!
The first part of this guide is going to be a class-by-class breakdown. I'm going to go over basic facts about the class, discuss the particular niche each class fills, briefly touch on each class' counter class(es), and finally discuss ideal loadouts. In a second part to come later, I'll touch on a variety of general topics, little-known facts and tips, and scripting.
Scout
Basic Facts: Scout has 125 total hitpoints, buffable to 185. Alone amongst the classes, he posses the ability to double jump, allowing him to access hard-to-reach areas and making him more agile in combat. His base speed is 133%, making him the fastest running class in the game. He also captures at base rate of x2, making him ideal for capturing points and pushing payload carts.
Hard Counters: Engineer
Soft Counters: Soldier
Role: The main way to play scout is to work the flanks of the opponent. As a flanker, you'll be staying away from your teams main combat unit, instead trying to harass the enemies flank, providing a distraction while looking for isolated targets you can take out. All of this typically occurs as you are moving in to position to attack their combat group from the rear while they are engaged with your main combat unit. Flanker often works best with another scout, which is one of the primary tactics you would see in competitive 6v6. The real secret to success with scout comes in avoiding damage. You can pump out huge damage, but you're also incredibly weak. However, once you learn to dodge enemy attacks and you improve your aim, you will be a force to be reckoned with (just ask anyone who's faced off against Ruwin, who many consider one of the best players in TF2). The closest thing the Scout has to a hard counter is the engineer. While you likely won't be dying to him very frequently, his sentry guns can effectively deny large swathes of the map to you. With your low health, soldiers can often force you to back down with effective splash from their rockets. Beyond that, you'll just need to be wary of stray stickies and try to avoid closing within range of a pyro's flamethrower.
Best Loadout: Scattergun, Pistol, Basher/Fish/Atomizer
Your Scattergun throws out crazy damage at close range (105 damage at point blank), but due to the wide cone of fire, its effectiveness wears off as the distance increases between you and your target. As such, you'll want to be as close to your opponent as possible when engaging them. At medium range, use the pistol. It's more accurate than the Scattergun at that range, and actually deals surprisingly high amounts of damage (22 at point blank). Also, the first shot in a salvo is perfectly accurate and it takes 1.25 seconds to reset the bullet spread. I recommend the Boston Basher for melee as it lets you damage yourself to help build your medics uber and, in rare situations, allows for additional mobility through the use of basher jumps. Otherwise, you really shouldn't be using your melee weapon, since your primary is best at close range anyway. The fish is better than the stock bat, it at least lets you see through a spy's DR feign. I've little experience with the Atomizer, but the increased mobility and evasiveness offered by the third jump could be useful in the right hands.
Soldier
Basic Facts: The Soldier has 200 hitpoints, buffable to 300. While being the second slowest class in terms of running speed at only 80% speed, he is actually one of the most mobile classes because of the versatility offered by the signature "rocket jump."
Hard Counters: None
Soft Counters: Pyro, Sniper
Role: There are two ways to play soldier, commonly referred to as Pocket and Roamer. As a pocket soldier, you'll be sticking with your main combat unit. Your main job is to protect the medic and demoman while dealing out as much damage as you can. The pocket's role is pretty traditional; when you think of how most people play soldier, this is it. Contrarily, as a roaming soldier you will be staying away from the combat unit, working the flanks much like the flanker scout. You'll want to take advantage of the soldiers mobility (rocket jumping know-how is a must) to bomb key targets, usually the medic. One thing that is hard to get used to is the kamikaze nature of the Roamer. If you're getting healed by your team's medic, you're not doing this right. That said, health packs are your friend, especially if you can steal enemy health packs. You have 4 rockets. Use one or two to jump into position, then the rest to inflict as much damage as possible. For more info about roaming, search for Vhalin's guide (not linking due to nsfw language). Like the scout, soldier doesn't have a true hard counter. Pyro can reflect your rockets back at you, but with the shotgun you can chip away at their health, often causing them to retreat. You are vulnerable to snipers as well, with your lower walking speed and slightly larger head.
Best Loadout: Rocket Launcher, Shotgun/Gunboats/Buff Banner, Escape Plan/Disciplinary Action
Really the only rocket launcher worth using is the stock launcher. It does the most damage without any negative tradeoffs. In rare situations, the Direct Hit might be used to break a particularly thorny sentry nest, but taking down sentry guns is usually the job of your team's demoman. Some soldiers like to use the Black Box, but I don't. As a Pocket you'll be getting healed frequently, so you don't need the +15 heals; as a Roamer you need to be dealing as much damage as possible with little concern for personal longevity, which is contrary to the Black Box's nature. For a secondary weapon, I prefer the shotgun in almost every situation. More damage = better damage. The gunboats might be of assistance to roamers, allowing for more mobility and allowing for slightly longer longevity. The Buff Banner might fit nicely in a Pocket soldier's repertoire, but only if your team is working well together, both to take advantage of the buff, and to help protect you with your now reduced combat capabilities.
Pyro
Basic Facts: Pyro has 175 hitpoints, buffable to 260, and moves at base 100% speed. Pyro is (mostly) unique in the ability to deal Damage over Time with his flamethrower's afterburn. All flamethrower's afterburn lasts for 10 seconds unless extinguished manually. Pyro has the special ability to reflect projectiles and even forcibly reposition the enemy using his flamethrower's compression blast ability.
Hard Counters: Heavy
Soft Counters: Scout, Engineer
Role: Though many like to play pyro offensively, truly it is a support class; in fact, it fills the very epitome of a utility role. As pyro, you'll want to primarily stay with your main combat unit, constantly spewing flames every which way to make sure no enemy spy can get through to your core combat players. You'll also want to help protect your engineer. You have one of the most versatile abilities in the game in your compression blast. Compression blast allows you to effectively stall an uber single-handedly, it allows you to extinguish burning teammates, and it lets you reflect enemy projectiles (specifically all rockets including sentry rockets, grenades, sticky bombs, baseballs, ornaments, flares, liquid projectiles such as jarate and milk, all arrows and bolts, and cleavers). Finally, with the homewrecker you can knock sappers off of friendly engineer buildings. While the camera reel glory may be reserved for other classes, your ability to provide support to your teammates is unparalleled. Perhaps the most difficult aspect of pyro is knowing which of your many support roles to fill at any one given time, and you'll often feel like you need to be everywhere at once. As pyro you're weak to hitscan weapons. In particular, heavies can easily mow you down and scouts can chip away at your health while staying out of range of your flames.
Best Loadout: Flame Thrower/Degreaser, Shotgun/Flare Gun, Homewrecker
In most situations, I recommend using the Degreaser over the stock flame thrower, as the reduced fire damage is negligible considering that few people actually die from fire damage (especially on competent teams), while the ability to quick switch to the shotgun or flare gun dramatically increases your personal ability to finish off foes. Both offer great utility with cheap compression blast. I prefer the shotgun as a secondary, but truly the flare gun is a virtually equal side-grade. The shotgun allows for consistent hitscan damage, whereas the flare allows for critical kills on burning opponents. I recommend the homewrecker as a melee weapon to increase your utility.
Special Note: Many people think the Phlogistinator is a good, or even OP weapon. Contrarily, it's quite bad. You dramatically cut down your usefulness to the team for the occasional glory run when you get ubered while Mmmph is hot. Competent players know how to stop you in your tracks if you try to Mmmph without an uber, and you're ignoring your key role as the penultimate utility player.
Demoman
Basic Facts: Demoman has 175 hitpoints buffable to 260. He moves at 93% base speed, but he is actually the fastest class in the game when considering his uniqe ability to "sticky jump." With sticky jumping, you can easily be the first to the center point of any 5 cp map.
Hard Counters: Scout
Soft Counters: Pyro
Role: Demoman is a lean, mean, medium-range damage dealing machine. As demo, you'll want to be sticking with your primary combat group throwing out as much damage possible. And you can do it, as you have some of the most powerful weapons in the game at your disposal. However, note that I labelled the demo as a "damage dealing machine" and not a "killing machine." While it's true you will get many kills, that's not your primary goal. Your goal is to weaken the opponents and allow your teammates to finish them off with their more precise hitscan weapons (scout, heavy) and rockets (soldier). Aside from dealing out maximum damage, your primary role is area denial. A clever stickybomb trap can easily kill multiple unsuspecting enemies with a single click of the mouse, and the knowledge that sticky traps might exist can sometimes be enough to stall an enemy push until you've been dealt with. You are, however, weak at close range. Scouts who can close on you will usually demolish you (and you are often priority number one for them anyway). Pyros can reflect both your primary and secondary weapon, making them particularly thorny to deal with as well.
Best Loadout Grenade Launcher, Stickybomb Launcher, Bottle/Paintrain.
More so than any other class, the Demoman benefits most from using his stock weapons. They simply allow for maximum versatility and damage potential. Pipe grenades deal 105 damage on direct hit, and up to 64 even after rolling around. Each sticky bomb you place deals 138 damage. Several detonated at once can easily kill multiple enemies. They can also be airshot (exploded in mid-air) allowing for continuous, accurate damage. Finally, stickybombs allow for greatly increased mobility through stickybomb jumping. I recommend the bottle as a melee weapon. Hopefully any teammates who get too close to you can be eliminated by teammates, but the reliable damage with no negative trade-offs make the bottle a decent option in a pinch. You might consider using the pain train for faster capping while on the offensive, but note that it does make you more susceptible to your biggest enemy, the scout.
Heavy
Basic Facts: Heavy is the, well, heaviest class. He has 300 hitpoints and can be buffed to 450. However, you are the slowest class, moving at only 77% base speed. Moreover, you have a very large frame and a huge head, making you an easy target. That said, Heavy fills the "tank" role well, and with dedicated support, can be a beast that is hard to take out.
Hard Counters: Spy, Sniper
Soft Counters: Soldier, Demo, Scout
Role: Heavy is the tank class of TF2. You have more hitpoints than any other class and your minigun deals devastating damage at close range, but you are slow moving. The heavy often forms the core of the main combat group. You'll often find yourself with a medic buddy, and you will probably have one attached to you during a push - but don't think you by rights deserve to have one glued to you constantly. With your massive amount of HP you can take a bit more abuse while your medic heals your teammates. There seems to be a prevailing thought that heavies with medics are nearly invincible. True, they take a lot of abuse before dying, but if that combo was truly as powerful as many think, why is it not used in competitive? The answer is that the heavy has a surprising number of weaknesses. His slow movement makes you an easy target for enemy spies and snipers, and you are easily dealt with by concentrated explosive damage. Even scouts can take you down with 3 quick meatshots. So while you are powerful, don't forget that you have a myriad of weaknesses that can be exploited.
Best Loadout Minigun, Sandvich, Gloves of Running Urgently/Fists of Steel.
Bar none, the best primary weapon is the Minigun. Some things to consdier: each unit of ammo expended actually results in 4 bullets being shot, and each bullet deals 9 base damage. At full-spin, you shoot 10 times per second, or 40 bullets per second. At point blank range, you destroy everything, and quickly. However, the Minigun suffers from high damage fall-off and a wide cone of fire, rendering it much less effective at medium and far range (unless under the effect of a kritzkrieg, as critical hits don't suffer fall-off!). The only time I would consider a different Minigun is when attacking on payload maps. You can sit on the cart and cheese the Huo-Long Heater, using the cart's ammo dispensing to make up for the increased ammo expenditure. That said, I intrinsically don't like the idea of the Heavy having fire damage, and sitting on the cart like that encourages bad habits. For a secondary, pack the Sandvich. It's healing can save you or a teammate in a pinch. Finally, for a melee weapon, consider the GRU to help get you to the front line (but remember you'll be susceptible to mini-crits during and briefly after you use it) or the Fists of Steel to help reduce damage. You shouldn't be attacking with any weapon other than your minigun anyway.
Engineer
Basic Facts: Like the scout, the Engineer has only 125 hitpoints, buffed to 185. He runs at base 100% speed. And, his primary weapon is at best secondary on several other classes. But, the engineer is the only class that can construct battlefield buildings, providing extra DPS in the form of static Sentry Guns, extra healing and ammo in the form of Dispensers, and quick movement to the front line with Teleporters.
Hard Counters: Spy, Demo
Soft Counters: Heavy
Role: There are two main ways to play engineer. Both have much in common, but a few key differences. The first style is the level three sentry engineer, or defensive engineer. As a defensive engineer, your job is to build level three sentries to hold down key locations while your team is defending a point. In addition, you'll want to get level three dispensers to provide metal and healing, and level three teleporters so your team can get to the fight faster. The second style is the mini-sentry engineer, or offensive engineer. Like the defensive engineer, you'll be supporting your team by building level three teleporters and level three dispensers; however, unlike the defensive engineer, you won't have a static sentry. Instead you'll be placing mini sentries in unexpected locations to provide extra DPS for your team as they push on offense. One major mistake I see when people use mini-sentries is that they treat them like level three sentries. Mini-sentries aren't going to hold anything on defense (a single sticky bomb destroys one). But, they can be very pesky when placed to aid a push, or when put in unexpected locations. They build quickly and cheaply, so don't be afraid to place them aggressively. As engineer, your biggest threat will be enemy spies and demomen. Spies can sap your stuff, whereas demomen are very effective at taking out sentry emplacements.
Best Loadout: Shotgun/Frontier Justice/Widomaker, Pistol/Wrangler, Southern Hospitality/Gunslinger
For a primary weapon, I typically prefer the shotgun. It provides reliable damage without any trade-offs. The Frontier Justice is popular on offensive engineers, who stores up their crits and try to make picks, though I'm not sure it's quite the upgrade some people think it is. The widowmaker can be devastating at times, but can easily leave you without metal. It's best in conjunction with mini-sentries. For a skilled defensive engineer, your best secondary is the Wrangler. It makes your sentry really difficult to take out and allows you to shoot past its maximum range. Otherwise, I prefer the pistol. Finally, use the gunslinger if you want mini-sentries, and the stock wrench or the Southern Hospitality. I tend to prefer the Southern Hospitality over the stock wrench as I find the bleed effect useful for tracking down enemy spies, while the extra damage from fire shouldn't matter unless they uber a pyro into your gun, in which case you're probably doomed anyway.
Medic
Basic Facts: The medic has 150 hitpoints, buffed to 225. He moves at 107% base speed, making him the second quickest class in terms of running speed. The medic is the only class in the game that regenerates HP. He has a base healing rate of 3 HP per second, which scales up to a potential 6 HP per second the longer it's been since you've taken damage.
Hard Counters: Scout
Soft Counters: Soldier, Spy
Role: The primary role of the medic is to heal your team (shocking, right?). Your ubercharge is one of the defining points of Team Fortress 2. Especially in competitive play, the game revolves around the medic and his uber. Medic is an unpopular class at pub-level, but it's so vital to any team's success. I could write pages alone on how to play medic, but here are a few basic tips. First, always be healing someone. If you're not healing, your uber is not gaining any uber charge. Second, learn how to avoid damage, both through positioning yourself adroitly, and through learning how to move effectively while on the field of battle. Third, don't attack the enemy. I know it's very tempting to charge down a lone target and whack him with your ubersaw, but the medic should really only be attacking as a last resort. Do your job and heal your teammates; trust them to do their job, and they'll reward you in turn. Finally, make good use of voice comms. While important for every class, good voice comms are especially important for the medic, who often takes the role of the field general. Let your teammates know your uber percentage, alert them to any danger to your person, and be the one making calls about when to push and when to hold. Medic is often high on the priority list for all enemy class; in particular, watch out for scouts, who often will try to flank and make a pick on you. You'll go down in two shots if they get close enough. Soldiers may also try to bomb you, either forcing your uber or even potentially killing you. Finally, spies will be coming for you too. Have a pair of eyes on the back of your head; better yet, a pyro friend to protect you.
Best Loadout: Crusader's Crossbow/, Medi Gun/Kritzkreig, Ubersaw
Since I do not recommend attacking as a medic, the best 'primary weapon' is the Crusader's Crossbow. The potential for long range heals adds another dimension to the medic which can not be overlooked. If you're unwilling/unable to learn how to use the crossbow, the overdose is an okay alternative, as it can somewhat aid in your survivability. The Medi Gun is the best medic secondary, bar none. As mentioned before, it's one of the defining features that forms what TF2 is. In almost every situation, it should be used over any other medic secondary. Some stats about it: a healing target can be overhealed to 150% their base health. Try to overheal as many people as you can before a push. If everyone on your team is overhealed, it's like have 50% more people. At a base rate, it takes 80 seconds to charge your uber, and when popped, it grants invulnerability to you and your target for 8 seconds. If your heal target is already buffed, or is being healed by another medic, it takes 160 seconds to charge your uber. Conversely, at max rate (with crit heals) it takes only 40 seconds to charge your uber. What are crit heals? Well, the medi gun has a variable healing rate. In the simplest terms, the longer your healing target has been out of combat, the faster you heal them. A target who is in combat heals at rate of 24 HP per second. Compare that with a target who has not been dealt damage for 15 seconds or longer, who heals at a rate of 72 HP per second (this is the rate known as 'crit heals'). You can share your ubercharge with multiple targets - but know that each additional target reduces the charge duration by 50%. However, even if they only share the charge for a split second (or a flash), they remain ubered for approximately 1 second, which can be a very effective means of keeping teammates alive. A final tip: when you are at 97%-99% of your charge, call out a random voice command: this overrides your medic calling out that he is fully charged, helping to keep the other team unaware of your uber percentage. It's worth your while to occasionally switch to the Kritzkreig. When you activate your charge, your ubercharge target recieves guaranteed critical hits. When unsuspected, it can devastate a team. But, use it frequently and it becomes predictable, and easy to avoid/counter. For a melee weapon, I do recommend the ubersaw. Each hit yields a bonus 25% to your ubercharge. I do not, however, recommend using your saw unless you absolutely have no other options. Too often I see medics charging willy-nilly with their saw only to be cut down, dropped uber fizzling around their body.
Sniper
Basic Facts: Sniper has 125 hitpoints, buffable to 185. He moves at base 100% speed. The sniper is one of two classes known as "picking" classes (along with the spy), due to his ability to score guaranteed critical hits with scoped headshots.
Hard Counters: Spy
Soft Counters: Sniper, Scout, Soldier, Demo
Role: As sniper you want to take advantage of your ability to make long-distance picks to greatly weaken or kill key enemy classes. Take advantage of locations with long sight lines to effectively shut down approach avenues for the enemy. A good sniper with a little bit of support can easily lock down an entire area, allowing the combo a bit more freedom to focus on their task at hand. There aren't really multiple ways to play sniper, but there are different approaches to the class. Some like to sit back, scope in and let that scope charge fill up (450 damage on full charge kills all classes in one hit), and wait for the enemy to walk into/near the crosshair. You'll see this play style being used in conjunction with Machina snipers frequently, due to the boost that weapon receives on full charge. I believe that sort of sniping style is generally inferior to the other main style, quickscoping. To quickscope, you place your crosshair on the enemy, then scope and shoot. To pull this off effectively, you'll need good twitch reflexes and an understanding of your mouse sensitivity. Quickscoping also allows you to be more fluid and mobile, rather than static. You can bring the fight to the enemy rather than wait for them to come to you. Quickscope headshots deal 150 damage, so they're often not enough to kill a target outright - but with good teamwork and communication, you can alert your team to the players that are low on HP and have them finish the job (or vice versa). The stereotypical counter to sniper is spy. Really though, you're weak to all classes at short range, especially mobile classes who can close on you quickly. Either stay behind lines as a camping sniper, or try to utilize team support as a quickscoper.
Best Loadout: Sniper Rifle, Jarate/SMG, Kukri/Shiv/Bushwacka
I prefer the stock Sniper Rifle over all other options. I don't like the Machina because I prefer to not play the camping style of sniper. The Bazaar Bargain might seem like a great option if you have amazing aim, but unfortunately it's an inferior weapon due to uncontrollable factors. In order to make the Bazaar Bargain better than stock, you need to have three headshots in a row. Even the best snipers have to deal with lag differential, and you're likely to miss a fair share of shots because of it (plus, hitting an engineer building counts as a miss). The lack of critical hits cripples the Sydney Sleeper in my book. Remember, a death is a death, even a body shot - but, you should be going for as many headshots as possible. Jarate is a great option to use to support your team. A well tossed piss-pot can really aid a push with guaranteed mini-crits. If you're finding that you're dying a lot to enemies who are getting too close to you for comfort, then consider the SMG, which can put out a surprising amount of damage (only 8 damage per bullet, but 10 bullets per second). As far as melee weapons, your best bet is probably the stock Kukri, though the Bushwacka pairs well with Jarate (though you should be using Jarate to help your combo, not yourself), and the Shiv deals more damage over time than the Kukri, but I tend to prefer upfront damage rather than DoT, as I like to assume the enemy has competent medics and knowledge of health pack locations.
Spy
Basic Facts: Spyhas 125 hitpoints, buffable to 185. He moves at base 100% speed. The sniper is one of two classes known as "picking" classes (along with the sniper), due to his ability to score guaranteed critical hits with backstabs. Spy is unique in his ability to cloak and become completely invisible, and to disguise as the enemy team. He also can see the weapons of the class he is disguised as, allowing him to share that info with his team.
Hard Counters: Pyro
Soft Counters: Almost all classes, Snipers w/ Jarate, Scouts w/ Mad Milk
Role: Ah the spy. Probably the most overplayed class on pubs, but it's satisfying to 1-hit kill and really good spies can mess up your day (probably why every new player wants to play it!). There are many different ways to play spy, and almost all of his unlockables lend themselves to a different, and usable, strategy. His strategy also shifts based on the game mode you are playing. But the basic role is the same: get behind enemy lines and take out key targets. Key targets usually include the medics, the heavier classes (Heavy, Demo, Soldier), and the engineer and his buildings. A few general tips: Use your revolver. Too many spies forget that their primary weapon is the revolver, and it can really deal a lot of damage. Also, be smart about disguising. Don't always disguise as the same class, and don't act in ways that class wouldn't act. Generally, try not to be disguised for long, as no disguise will hold up for any prolonged duration of time. Finally: know the map. Know all the alternative routes, know where the metal packs are, and know where the enemy team is likely to be.
Best Loadout: There are many different load-outs you can use as spy. I'll discuss each in turn. A few bad weapons to avoid are the big Earner and the Diamondback.
My preferred load-out that allows for the most versatility is the ambassador, the stock knife, and the stock sapper. Note that the Ambassador is really only good if you can reliably hit headshots, otherwise the stock revolver is a very good choice that deals quite a lot of consistent damage (base 40 damage per shot). The red-tape recorder is a great alternative to the stock sapper, but tends to work better with good team coordination. Which watch you use will depend on the situation. Certain maps favor certain watches as well. With the invis watch, you can turn completely invisible and get behind enemy lines. Plan your route to include picking up the metal along the way to recharge/prolong your cloak. Once behind enemy lines, strike quickly. If possible, fade back out after you strike. Going for isolated targets helps prolong your life. The dead ringer doesn't let you cloak normally, but instead you'll feign death when taking any form of damage when active, and then cloak for a base of 6.5 seconds. That time can be extended via metal, but your 90% damage reduction phase only ever lasts the base 6.5 seconds. The DR also makes a very loud noise when uncloaking, so make sure you scan the area before you use it. Finally, the Cloak and Dagger allows for potentially indefinitely cloaking, as long as you stand still. While cloaked, it recharges while standing still, but drains extra fast while moving. Moreover, metal doesn't replenish your charge. It seems to be the preferred watch for new spies, but in actuality requires a lot of finesse. It's easy to fall into the trap of standing for too long, waiting for the perfect opportunity. A final option is the Sarahan Spy set. It requires the Familiar Fez hat, the Eternal Reward knife, and L'Etranger revolver. The Eternal Reward does not let you disguise - instead you instantly steal the identity of your victims (who leave no corpse and won't show in the kill feed). L'Etranger grants charge to your cloak with hits, at reduced damage. This set works well with the Dead Ringer, as the set bonus reduces cloak noise considerably. While using this set can be effective, I consider it derpy and as such won't be going into strategies for it.
Thanks for reading part one. Please let me know your thoughts! And, stay tuned for part II!