Water (Classic)

Water can be found in many maps as a terrain feature and gameplay element.

Immersion in water will negate the afterburn effects instantly. Water completely negates fall damage. If the player is a Pyro, his Flamethrower cannot be used and his Incendiary Cannon (Classic) and Napalm Grenade will not deal afterburn. Some maps feature submerged routes into the enemy base, which are often poorly defended in comparison to ground-level entrances.

In addition, Engineers can construct buildings underwater just like on land. Due to the low visibility of submerged objects, deep water is often a great spot to conceal a Teleporter or a Sentry Gun. However, Sentry Guns cannot see targets that are across the water's boundary and players cannot use Teleporter entrances.

Remaining submerged in water for too long will cause the player to drown. While drowning, a gagging, choking sound is heard and the player will experience a periodic loss of heath and will flinch (such as with bleeding and afterburn effects), and the screen will flash blue to warn the player. To negate this, the player must reach the surface, where the health lost due to drowning regenerates over time. Upon surfacing the water after drowning, a gurgling sound is heard by the player.

Maps with Water

• Avanti: A well near the first Blue spawn is a great place to hide a defensive teleporter.
• 2Fort: Under the middle bridge.
• Crossover 2 (Classic): Under the middle bridge.
• Well: There are canals, one for each team in the middle courtyard and in the flag capture zones.
• Rock 2 (Classic): The middle lake, also contains passageways.
• Cz2 (Classic): eponymous canals throughout the map.
• Boot Camp (Classic): There are two large tanks in the back courtyard.
• Bounce (Classic): The backyard and a passageway are both flooded.
• Gasworks (Classic): The basement is completely flooded.
• Lambda Bunker (Classic): First Floor on the central area of the map.
• Subtransit (Classic): The pool and canals.
• Undertow (Classic): The pool and waterfall near the spawns.