Tough Break Update

This article is for content released in the update. For the patch itself, see December 17, 2015 Patch.

The Tough Break Update was a major update added in the 2015 Smissmas season that spanned from December 17, 2015 to April 11, 2016.

The update introduced 4 new weapon collections, 15 community-created new cosmetics, 4 community-created new maps, and 3 new taunts. It also added the Tough Break Campaign, a three-month contract campaign which allows players to complete 26 skill-based challenges to unlock one-of-a-kind weapons and exclusive weapon and cosmetic cases. To participate in the Tough Break Campaign, players must purchase the Tough Break Campaign Pass.

Additional content was further added in the December 22, 2015 Patch, introducing the Gun Mettle and Tough Break Festivizer.

Additions

Cosmetics

Main article: Cosmetic items

Tools

Main article: Tools

Maps

Name	Picture	Game mode	File name
Highpass		King of the Hill	koth_highpass
Landfall		Capture the Flag	ctf_landfall
Snowycoast		Payload	pl_snowycoast
Vanguard		Control Point	cp_vanguard

Tweaked Classes

Class	Changes
Pyro	Added: Extinguishing a teammate will now return 20 health to the Pyro.
	Changed: Consecutive Airblasts will no longer prevent enemies from air-strafing until they touch the ground
	Changed: The base Flamethrower's damage fall off over distance has been decreased, resulting in higher damage output at range
Demoman	Changed: Shield bash now deals damage at all ranges, scaled by distance
	Changed: Melee damage boost after shield bash is based on amount of charge consumed. Now provides mini-crit at 25% depleted, and full crit at 60% depleted.
	Added: Charging now removes debuffs from the Demoknight (Bleed, Fire, Mad Milk, Jarate)
	Changed: All Swords now have a slower deploy and holster speed compared to base weapons in addition to their increased melee range
Engineer	Added: After removing a Sapper from a sentry, there is now a 0.5s delay before the sentry is active again
	Changed: Sentries brought into a respawn room no longer detonate outside of Mann vs. Machine
Medic	Added: Medics now have slightly higher health regeneration when healing a hurt patient
	Changed: During setup time, ÜberCharge build rate is now increased by 3x
Spy	Added: The HUD 'Cloak' meter now displays 'MOTION' and 'FEIGN' when Cloak and Dagger and Dead Ringer are equipped respectively
All classes	Changed: Base weapon switch speed changed from 0.67 seconds to 0.5 seconds
	Added: Upon spawning, friendly players (including disguised spies) will show an outline for 10 seconds

Tweaked Weapons

Class	Weapon	Changes
Scout	Pretty Boy's Pocket Pistol	Changed: Increased health recovered on hit from +3 to +5
	Mad Milk	Added: Extinguishing an ally will now reduce the cool down by 20%
	Wrap Assassin	Changed: Ornament shatters on all impacts, dealing a small amount of damage in a small radius. Bleed effect still only applies to a target that is struck directly.
		Changed: Ball recharge rate increased by 25%
		Changed: Damage penalty reduced from -70% to -65%
Soldier	Beggar's Bazooka	Changed: Decreased blast radius by 20%
	Concheror	Changed: Doubled health regeneration rate. Regeneration rate is now decreased if player has been recently damaged.
	B.A.S.E. Jumper	Removed: Removed hidden property of up draft when on fire
	Market Gardener	Added: Added 20% Attack Speed penalty
	Air Strike	Changed: Reduced blast radius by 20% when rocket jumping (28% reduction when compared to stock)
Pyro	Degreaser	Changed: No longer boosts all-around switch speed. Instead, boosts switch-to speed by 60% and switch-from speed by 30%.
		Removed: Removed damage penalty
		Changed: Increased Airblast cost by 25%
		Changed: Increased afterburn penalty to from 25% to 66%
	Phlogistinator	Removed: Removed 10% damage penalty.
		Added: When activating 'MMMPH', the taunting Pyro gains temporary invulnerability and immunity to knockback effects
	Axtinguisher	Added: Properties changed
		100% Chance to crit against burning targets
		33% Damage penalty
		20% Slower attack speed
		75% Slower switch-to speed
Demoman	Splendid Screen	Removed: Removed the ability to deal charge impact damage at any range (now native to all shields)
		Added: Now increases recharge rate by 50%
		Changed: Increased blast resistance from 15% to 20%
	Tide Turner	Changed: Now grants mini-crit instead of full-crit on charge bash
		Changed: Reduced resistances to 15%
	Chargin' Targe	Changed: Reduced blast resistance from 40% to 30%
		Removed: Removed fire immunity
	Claidheamh Mòr	Removed: Removed charge duration bonus
		Added: Now restores 25 health on kill
		Removed: Removed health penalty
		Added: Now increases damage taken while active by 15%
	Persian Persuader	Removed: Removed ammo pickups granting health instead of ammo
		Added: Added penalties of reduced primary and secondary ammo
		Added: Ammo pickups now replenish charge
		Added: Now gains charge meter on hit
	Quickiebomb Launcher	Changed: Fizzle time increased from 2 seconds to 4 seconds
	Ullapool Caber	Changed: Base melee damage increased from 35 to 55
		Added: Added 20% fire rate penalty
		Added: Added 100% switch-to time penalty
	Loose Cannon	Changed: Reduced projectile speed (now a visible attribute)
		Changed: Reduced cannon impact damage from 60 to 50. Damage also scales with distance.
		Changed: Reduced knockback from cannon hit. Knockback strength is now similar to airblast.
Heavy	Fists of Steel	Removed: Removed deploy time penalty
		Added: Added penalty of increased holster time by 100%
	Gloves of Running Urgently	Added: Added 50% holster time penalty
	Warrior's Spirit	Changed: Now heals 50 health on kill
		Changed: Damage received and dealt increased by 30%
		Removed: Removed health penalty
	Eviction Notice	Added: Now provides 15% move speed bonus
		Added: Now increases damage taken by 20%
		Changed: Firing speed decreased from 50% to 40%
Engineer	Jag	Added: Added damage penalty against buildings. Now takes 3 hits to destroy a Sapper.
	Rescue Ranger	Changed: Healing per bolt reduced from 75 to 60
Medic	Amputator	Changed: Taunt can now be activated by alt-fire
		Added: Healing done with the taunt now grants small amounts of ÜberCharge
	Vaccinator	Removed: Removed 10% health regeneration on proper resist
		Added: Added slight ÜberCharge build on proper resist
		Changed: Increased ÜberCharge rate from +50% to +67%
		Changed: Reduced overhealed ÜberCharge build rate penalty to 33% from 66%. As this penalty is applied after the base increase, healing an overhealed patient is now 33% more effective.
	Crusader's Crossbow	Added: Healing a player with a syringe now grants a small amount of ÜberCharge
	Quick-Fix	Changed: Fixed cases where Quick-Fix ÜberCharged players could still be affected by certain knock-back effects
		Added: Players can no longer capture objectives while under the effects of Quick-Fix ÜberCharge
Sniper	Huntsman	Changed: Can be fired while off the ground
	Cleaner's Carbine	Changed: Reduced firing rate penalty from 35% to 20%
		Added: Added 'CRIKEY' meter which is filled by dealing damage
		Changed: Mini-crits are no longer activated by kill, but can instead be activated by alt-fire when the 'CRIKEY' meter is filled
	Cozy Camper	Changed: Quadrupled health regeneration rate. Regeneration rate is now decreased if player has been recently damaged.
	Jarate	Added: Extinguishing an ally now reduces the cooldown by 20%
Spy	Dead Ringer	Changed: Initial damage reduction when feigning death increased to 75% from 50%
	Spy-cicle	Changed: Fire immunity shield no longer appears when fire immunity is triggered
Soldier Pyro Heavy Engineer	Panic Attack	Changed: No longer auto-fires when fully loaded. Shots can be held and released at will.
Soldier Pyro	Reserve Shooter	Changed: No longer boosts all-around switch speed, instead boosts switch-to speed by 20% and switch-from speed by 15%
		Changed: No longer mini-crits any airborne target (i.e. jumping). Target must be forced in to the air via blastjump, knockback, airblast, or grapple.
Soldier Demoman	Half-Zatoichi	Changed: Now considered a sword (increased holster and deploy time and increased range)
		Changed: Honorbound changed. Deals 50 self-damage on holster if no kill was made. Cannot be holstered if player is below 50 life and no kill was made.
		Changed: 100% life restore on kill changed to 50% health gain on kill that can result in overheal
		Added: No random crits

Gallery

• 

  In-game notification.

See Also

• Tough Break Campaign

External Links

• The Tough Break Update