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[[Image:Critical.png|right|300px|The Engineer feeling a critical hit.]]

{{Quotation|'''The Scout'''|Dere ain't enough crits in the world ta kill me!|sound=Scout_dominationsol06.wav}}

'''Critical hits''', also known as "'''crits'''" or "'''full crits'''", are attacks that do extra [[damage]] and have distinctive sound effects when fired and upon [[Media:Crit_hit.wav|hitting]] a target. Players on the receiving end of the attack will have the words 'Critical Hit!!!' (or 'Mini-Crit!' respectively) appear over their head in green letters, accompanied by a loud ding.

Critical hits can be easily distinguished from normal hits. Most [[melee]] weapons have a unique swinging animation. Explosive projectiles, such as [[Rocket Launcher|rockets]] or [[Stickybomb Launcher|stickybombs]], have a team-colored glow and sparkle effect. Bullets have team-colored trails. These visual affects are accompanied by a crackling electric sound upon firing.

Self-inflicted critical hits will not deal critical damage to the user, but will still play the sound effect.

Critical hits deal three times the base damage of the weapon and ignore both the distance modification and the random damage modification of normal shots, though explosive weapon crits still suffer from splash damage fall-off. As a result, weapons that are normally merely nusiances at long range (such as [[Minigun]]s) can become dangerous when critting. The extra damage is of the "critical" type instead of matching the weapon's original type, meaning it cannot be resisted by the [[Vaccinator]] or [[Upgrade Station]] buffs - though Upgrade Stations do sell an independent "crit resistance" buff, which reduces the extra damage.

When a player is killed by a critical hit, the class will let out a loud scream that differs from ordinary non-melee deaths, unless the class was killed by a critical explosive (in which case they let out a larger "ouch" noise than explosive kills usually cause). The kill feed icon for a critical hit can be easily recognized, as the weapon will be surrounded by a red glow.

Crits and mini-crits do not stack in any form - that is, meeting multiple conditions to earn a crit or a mini-crit will not deal any more than regular critical damage. For example, the [[Frontier Justice]]'s revenge crits do not deal any additional damage when the [[Engineer]] is [[ÜberCharge]]d by the [[Medic]] using the [[Kritzkrieg]], while attacking an enemy under the influence of both [[Jarate]] and the [[Fan O'War]] will only result in a single mini-crit. This means that team co-ordination is required if multiple players have ways to increase their crit output, or extra damage will be wasted. If both a mini-crit and full critical hit occurs with the same attack, the critical hit overrides the mini-crit.

If the 'Display damage done as text over your target' [[Multiplayer options#Advanced multiplayer options|advanced option]] or hud_combattext 1 [[Console|console command]] has been enabled, the 'Critical Hit!!!' text will not be displayed. The damage dealt will be drawn in a larger font instead.

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== Critical hit chance ==
{{see also|Damage}}

[[Image:CritHitChance.png|thumb|150px|right|Critical hit chance based on damage.]]

The base crit chance for standard weapons is 2%. This is modified by a bonus percentage based on how much damage the player has done in the last 20 seconds, which scales from 0% at 0 damage to 10% at 800 damage.<ref name=blog1>http://www.tf2.com/post.php?id=2221</ref> For example, if the player has dealt 200 damage in the past 20 seconds, the additional bonus percentage is 2.5% and so the overall crit chance is 4.5%. As a result, the highest natural crit chance attainable is 12%.

Melee weapons are designed to crit far more often than ranged ones in order to encourage their usage at close range. Their base crit chance starts at 15% - higher than attainable for ranged weapons with the recent damage bonus maxed out - and their recent damage bonus scales from 0% to 10%, meaning a player that has done 800 damage or more in the last 20 seconds has a melee crit rate of 25%.

Among those weapons that trigger randomly, critical hit probability is determined differently based on the type of weapon. Single-shot weapons, which, for example, include the [[Shotgun]], [[Revolver]], and [[Rocket Launcher]], determine the chance to crit with every shot. Thus, every shot of the Shotgun will have a 2% chance to launch a flurry of critical pellets, assuming no previous damage done. Rapid-fire weapons, however, which include the [[Minigun]], [[Syringe Gun]], [[Flamethrower]], and [[Pistol]] check for critical hits once a second. With weapons like these, a positive crit determination results in all shots for the next '''two''' seconds being critical. This only applies to the active weapon; getting two seconds of crits on one's Pistol will not cause their Shotgun to fire crits during this time.
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== Special cases ==
[[Image:Revenge_Crits.png|thumb|right|An [[Engineer]] with the [[Frontier Justice]]'s Revenge Crits available.]]
There is a wide variety of situations that affect whether a weapon can deal critical hits or not.

=== Weapons that can gain both random crits and situational crits ===

{{List of weapons with random and situational crits}}‎

=== Weapons that cannot gain random crits but can gain situational crits ===

The following weapons have a 0% chance of random crits in all situations, but can still deal critical hits in specific situations or if the user is crit-boosted.

{{List of weapons without random but with situational crits}}

=== Weapons that cannot gain random crits and cannot gain situational crits ===

The following weapons have a 0% chance of random crits in all situations and do not have a mean of scoring crits on their own, though they can still deliver crits if another effect is in play.

{{List of weapons without random or situational crits}}

=== Weapons that cannot crit in any way ===

The following weapons cannot deal critical hits in any way. They can however mini-crit if the situation is right.

{{List of weapons unable to crit}}

=== Weapons that are exempt ===

The following items do not operate as conventional weapons and so are exempt from the concept of critical hits. Note that they will still glow when crit-boosted, there will simply be no effect.

{{List of weapons unable to crit or mini-crit}}

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== Crit boost ==

'''Crit boost''' is a state in which a player is guaranteed to deal critical hits with any weapon. A crit boost is demonstrated by the player's weapon glowing in their team color, with [[Particle effects#Critical spark|sparks]] of electricity surging and crackling from it. This affects most weapons that do not normally deal random critical hits, such as the Knife, Sniper Rifle, Gunslinger, and Eyelander, causing them to deal critical attacks for the duration of the boost. The Cow Mangler 5000, on the other hand, will not receive critical hits from a crit boost.

A crit boost can be attained under the following circumstances: 

* During [[Match outcomes#Humiliation|Humiliation]], the winning team is granted a crit boost. 

* The [[Übercharge]] from the [[Kritzkrieg]] grants the Medic's heal target an 8 second crit boost. 

* Capturing the intelligence in a game of [[Capture the Flag]] gives the entire capturing team a 10 second crit boost. This value can be altered or disabled by the [[server]] host console via a command.

* In the event version of [[Harvest]], [[Mann Manor]], [[Eyeaduct]], and [[Ghost Fort]] during Halloween, killed players randomly drop candy-filled [[Halloween pumpkins]]. When picked up, the player is awarded around 3–4 seconds of crit boost.

* Upon killing an enemy with the [[Killing Gloves of Boxing]], the Heavy will be crit boosted for 5 seconds. The crit boost applies not only to the Killing Gloves of Boxing, but to all the Heavy's currently equipped weapons.

*The [[Phlogistinator]] allows a Pyro to crit boost itself for about 10 seconds upon activating "Mmmph", but the crit boost only affects the Phlogistinator.

* Killing an enemy with the [[Cleaner's Carbine]] will grant the Sniper 3 seconds of crit boost. This applies to all of the Sniper's currently equipped weapons.

* Using a Critical Hit Boost [[Power Up Canteen]] in [[Mann vs. Machine (game mode)|Mann vs. Machine]].
{{anchor|First blood}}

=== First Blood ===
In [[Arena mode|Arena Mode]], a ''''First Blood'''' buff is granted to a player who achieves the first kill of a round. It consists of a five-second crit boost.

*If players switch weapons during the buff, the electricity around their weapon will disappear, but critical hits will still be delivered.

*Triggering [[Dead Ringer|feign death]] with the Dead Ringer gives the attacker the 'First Blood' buff. 

*The 'First Blood' buff counts as an ÜberCharge towards the [[Heavy achievements|Heavy achievement]] ''Supreme Soviet''.

== Gallery ==
<gallery perrow=3>
Image:Crit Bullets.png|Crit [[Bullets]].
Image:Crit Rockets.png|Crit [[Rockets]].
Image:Crit Flames.png|Crit [[Flames]].
Image:Crit Grenades.png|Crit [[Grenades]].
Image:Crit Stickybombs.png|Crit [[Stickybombs]].
</gallery>

== Mini-crits ==
[[Image:Minicrits.png|right|350px|A Demoman being pelted by mini-crits.]]

'''Mini-crits''' add an extra 35% damage to a weapon's damage. Like normal critical hits, they ignore damage falloff, but unlike critical hits, they are still given ramp-up at close range and random spread. Full crits override mini-crits. Like full crits, mini-crits will have a glowing red outline in their kill icons and will be displayed with a larger font when combat text is enabled. If either the player is under a Mini-crit buff state, such as the Buff Banner or Buffalo Steak Sandvich (or the victim is under a Mini-crit debuff state, such as Jarate or being marked for death), all taunt attacks will also Mini-crit.

There are currently eight ways for a player to deal mini-crits to all other players:
*Attacking as a Scout while under the effects of [[Crit-a-Cola]].
*Attacking as a Scout while under the hype effect of the [[Soda Popper]].
*Hitting an enemy from long range with the [[Flying Guillotine]].
*Attacking while under the effects of a friendly Soldier's [[Buff Banner]].
*Shooting enemies with the [[Cow Mangler 5000]]'s charged shot.
*As a Pyro, hitting an enemy with a [[reflect]]ed [[projectile]] (other than [[stickybomb]]s).
*Melee hits midway through your [[Chargin' Targe]] or [[Splendid Screen]] charge.
*Attacking as a Heavy while under the effects of the [[Buffalo Steak Sandvich]].

There are also currently six effects that force a particular player to take mini-crits from all incoming damage:
*Being marked by the [[Fan O'War]].
*Being a Scout who is under the effects of Crit-a-Cola.
*Being a Heavy who is under the effects of the Buffalo Steak Sandvich.
*Being a Heavy who has the [[Gloves of Running Urgently]] active, or has had them active in the last three seconds.
*Being an Engineer who is [[haul]]ing a [[building]] with the [[Rescue Ranger]] equipped, or has done so in the last three seconds.
*Being covered in [[Jarate]].

Finally, there are three ways of achieving mini-crits that require both the attacker and the target to be in a particular situation:
*Hitting an airborne enemy with the [[Direct Hit]] who was propelled airborne by an explosion.
*Shooting an airborne enemy with the [[Reserve Shooter]] during the 3-second mini-crit period it has after switching to it.
*Hitting a burning enemy with the [[Detonator]].

Former ways to achieve a mini-crit:

*The [[Sun-on-a-Stick]] originally dealt mini-crits on burning enemies. It currently deals full crits.
*The [[Flare Gun]] originally dealt mini-crits on burning enemies at close range. It currently deals full crits regardless of range.
*Formerly Mini-Crits could be delivered by shooting enemies to the head with the [[Ambassador]]. It currently deals full crits.
*The Pyro's [[Compression Blast]] was formerly able to turn enemy Stickybombs into mini-crits by reflecting them. It now gives no mini-crit boost on reflecting Stickybombs.
*The [[Direct Hit]] formerly dealt mini-crits to any airborne target. The weapon now inflicts mini-crit damage to airborne targets who have been launched into the air by an explosion.  

=== Mini-crit boost ===
A '''mini-crit boost''' is the state of having all damage being dealt modified into mini-crit damage. Currently, this is achievable while under the effects of Crit-a-Cola, an active Buff Banner, the Buffalo Steak Sandvich, or the deployed hype meter of the Soda Popper. While being mini-crit boosted, the player's active weapon glows a faint yellow on [[RED]], or a faint blue-green on [[BLU]], and has the same color effect of particles swirling around their feet.

All damage sources, including [[afterburn]] and Sentry Guns, only deal mini-crit damage when the player dealing the damage is being boosted. If the player leaves the boost after firing a projectile while the projectile is in mid-flight, it will lose its status as a mini-crit. Conversely, after the Pyro sets fire to several players, returning to a mini-crit boost will immediately transform any afterburn damage to mini-crit status. Sentry Guns will only mini-crit while the Engineer is being mini-crit boosted.
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== Related achievements ==

=== {{class link|Scout}} ===
{{Achievement table
| 1 = {{Show achievement|Scout|First Blood}}
| 2 = {{Show achievement|Scout|First Blood, Part 2}}
}}

=== {{class link|Soldier}} ===
{{Achievement table
| 1 = {{Show achievement|Soldier|Crockets Are Such B.S.}}
| 2 = {{Show achievement|Soldier|Tri-Splatteral Damage}}
}}

=== {{class link|Pyro}} ===
{{Achievement table
| 1 = {{Show achievement|Pyro|Hotshot}}
}}

=== {{class link|Demoman}} ===
{{Achievement table
| 1 = {{Show achievement|Demoman|Beat Me Up, Scotty}}
}}

=== {{class link|Heavy}} ===
{{Achievement table
| 1 = {{Show achievement|Heavy|Communist Mani-Fisto}}
| 2 = {{Show achievement|Heavy|Crock Block}}
}}

=== {{class link|Engineer}} ===
{{Achievement table
| 1 = {{Show achievement|Engineer|Revengineering}}
| 2 = {{Show achievement|Engineer|Unforgiven }}
}}

=== {{class link|Medic}} ===
{{Achievement table
| 1 = {{Show achievement|Medic|Triage}}
}}

=== [[File:Backpack Full Head of Steam.png|45px|link=Foundry_achievements]] [[Foundry achievements]] ===
{{Achievement table
| 1 = {{Show achievement|Foundry|Cap Trap}}
}}

=== [[File:Mvm navicon.png|20px|link=Mann vs. Machievements]] [[Mann vs. Machievements]] ===
{{Achievement table
| 1 = {{Show achievement|Mann vs. Machievements|Kritical Terror}}
}}

== Update history ==
{{Update history | '''{{Patch name|12|20|2007}}'''
* Fixed critical bullet tracers not being visible to players other than the firer.

'''{{Patch name|2|14|2008}}'''
* Added a small delay (200 ms) before a zoomed Sniper shot can get a critical hit.

'''{{Patch name|3|6|2008}}'''
* Fixed critical modifier for explosive weapons (rockets, pipe bombs) increasing critical chance more than intended.

'''{{Patch name|2|24|2009}}''' ([[Scout Update]])
* Added crit boosted on/off sound effects.

'''{{Patch name|7|14|2009}}'''
* Fixed Mini-Crits resulting in reduced damage for weapons at close ranges.

'''{{Patch name|7|21|2009|xbox}}'''
* Added Option to Toggle Critical hits.

'''{{Patch name|9|30|2010}}''' ([[Mann-Conomy Update]])
* {{Undocumented}} The [[Frontier Justice]] now works correctly with critical boosts.

'''{{Patch name|10|19|2010}}'''
* Fixed the [[Holy Mackerel]] hit triggering the first blood event in Arena mode.

'''{{Patch name|1|10|2011}}'''
* Fixed the Heavy's [[Fists]] not playing the critical hit animation.

'''{{Patch name|2|7|2011}}'''
* The [[Sun-on-a-Stick]] was changed to always mini-crit against burning targets if the attack is not already critical.

'''{{Patch name|3|11|2011}}'''
* Fixed the revenge crit label not being localized correctly.

'''{{Patch name|4|14|2011}}''' ([[Hatless Update]])
* Replaced the no-crit attribute with -25% damage on the following:
** [[Eyelander]]
** [[Gunslinger]]
** [[Southern Hospitality]]
** [[Powerjack]]
** [[Horseless Headless Horseman's Headtaker]]
** [[Ullapool Caber]]
** [[Claidheamh Mòr]].

'''{{Patch name|4|15|2011}}'''
* Replaced the -25% damage attribute with no-crit attribute on the following:
** Eyelander
** Gunslinger
** Southern Hospitality
** Horseless Headless Horseman's Headtaker
** Ullapool Caber
** Claidheamh Mòr

'''{{Patch name|6|28|2011}}'''
* Fixed a case where Crit Boost effects were being removed from players being healed.
* Fixed a problem with [[Arena]] mode first blood Crit Boost not removing itself at the correct time.

'''{{patch name|2|2|2012}}'''
* Fixed a [[server]] crash caused by [[Holiday Punch]] critical attacks on physics objects.

'''{{Patch name|4|27|2012}}'''
* {{Undocumented}} [[Stickybomb Launcher|Stickybombs]] and [[Grenade Launcher|grenades]] now have a team-colored aura when fired and a rapidly flashing critical particle effect.

'''{{Patch name|12|21|2012}}'''
* Fixed a regression with mini-crit damage calculation.

'''{{Patch name|1|8|2013}}'''
* Fixed a regression where Mini-Crits were being affected by long-range damage fall-off.}}

==Bugs==
* The vast majority of effects and achievements cannot tell the difference between a critical hit and a mini-crit, and as a result treat all mini-crits as regular crits. This makes it possible to gain crit-based achievements using only mini-crits.
* The "Mini Crit!" text is still displayed when combat text is enabled if a teammate assists you with a mini-crit, instead of showing the damage they dealt.
* Crit indicators are still displayed even if the "victim" is ÜberCharged and receives no damage.

== References ==
<references/>

[[Category:Gameplay]]