Classes

"Mercenaries" redirects here. For the cosmetic item, see Mercenary.

The official group picture from Valve, featuring the (from left to right): Pyro, Engineer, Spy, Heavy, Sniper, Scout, Soldier, Demoman, and the Medic

“

Are you dangerous like Heavy, or coward like Scout? Click to listen — The Heavy

”

There are nine official classes that can be played in Team Fortress 2 alongside one community created one; they are as follows:

Official classes

•  Scout
•  Soldier
•  Pyro
•  Demoman
•  Heavy
•  Engineer
•  Medic
•  Sniper
•  Spy

Other playable characters

•  Saxton Hale

Class roles

All nine main classes are grouped into three specific combat types, offensive, defensive, and support, but all can be played outside their assigned role depending on the player's choice of strategy. Community created Classes are special by only being available in their very own centered custom game modes.

Offensive

Offensive classes (Scout, Soldier, and Pyro) are the main attack force of the team. Whether it is assaulting Control Points or grabbing the Intelligence, these classes focus on mobility. Scouts have the ability to capture points twice as fast as any other class and can get there with their top-tier speed and double jumps. Soldiers pack a punch with their devastating Rocket Launchers, and can attack from unexpected directions by rocket jumping. Pyros can wreak fiery havoc in enemy ranks with a well-timed ambush or extinguish their own burning friends, and offer the highest speed/health ratio of all classes (barring buffs or nonstandard equipment).

Defensive

Defensive classes (Demoman, Heavy, and Engineer) serve to inhibit enemy access and to hold enemies back from vital points on the map. Overall, the defensive group has the most firepower of all the groups. Demomen can safeguard areas with stickybombs that they can detonate when enemies come by. Heavies are great for mowing down incoming troops and pushing back forces. Heavies can also keep enemies in an area while whittling their health for teammates to finish off. Engineers can build Sentry Guns for effective area defense, as well as build Teleporters and Dispensers for logistical support of the team.

Support

Support classes (Medic, Sniper, and Spy) cannot hold the fight on their own, but their specialized abilities can tip the balance in their team's favor. They offer the offensive and defensive classes an extra edge in battle and can help turn the tide of the game. Whether crippling the enemy advance from behind or keeping teammates healed, the support classes are always handy to have around. Medics offer a mobile means of healing for teammates, capable of overhealing them to 150% of their maximum health, and can provide a range of buffs such as invincibility, 100% Critical hit rate, 300% healing rate as well as immunity to movement impairing effects, or 75% resistance to bullets, explosions, or fire. Snipers can eliminate key targets from a distance and use Jarate to extinguish teammates on fire and increase the damage dealt to the enemy. Spies can infiltrate enemy lines undetected, disable and deconstruct buildings, and assassinate critical menaces.

Random

The Random role randomly selects one of the nine classes for the player; it can be used when they are unsure who to play, and it is a great way to get familiar with the characters.

Subclass

Subclass is a term used to describe a set of weapons a class has that drastically changes the way a class is played. There is currently only one official subclass, the Demoknight. Not to be confused with playstyle, a term used to describe a loadout that benefits from playing in a certain way but keeps the core mechanics of a class (such as Trolldier or Gunslinger Engineer).

Health points

Class health points comparison

The "All class" portrait, featuring the Pyro, the Heavy and the Medic, one of each class type.

Class	Health	Overheal	Quick-Fix Overheal
Scout	125	185	158
With the Sandman equipped	110	165	139
Soldier	200	300	251
With the Battalion's Backup equipped	220	330	276
Pyro	175	260	220
Demoman	175	260	220
With weapon slot boots equipped	200	300	251
With a head-taking melee weapon equipped with 0 heads	150	225	189
With a head-taking melee weapon equipped with 1 head	165	245	208
With a head-taking melee weapon equipped with 2 heads	180	270	226
With a head-taking melee weapon equipped with 3 heads	195	290	245
With a head-taking melee weapon with 4 or more heads	210	315	264
With weapon slot boots and a head-taking melee weapon equipped with 0 heads	175	260	220
With weapon slot boots and a head-taking melee weapon equipped with 1 head	190	285	239
With weapon slot boots and a head-taking melee weapon equipped with 2 heads	205	305	258
With weapon slot boots and a head-taking melee weapon equipped with 3 heads	220	330	276
With weapon slot boots and a head-taking melee weapon equipped with 4 or more heads	235	350	295
Heavy	300	450	376
Under the effects of the Dalokohs Bar or Fishcake	350	500†	426
With the Fists of Steel equipped	300	390	346
With the Fists of Steel equipped and while under the effects of the Dalokohs Bar or Fishcake	350	440	396
Engineer	125	185	158
With the Gunslinger equipped	150	225	189
Medic	150	225	189
With the Vita-Saw equipped	140	210	176
Sniper	125	185	158
Spy	125	185	158
With the Big Earner equipped	100	150	126
With Conniver's Kunai equipped	70	105	89
Maximum overheal from Conniver's Kunai backstabs	N/A	210	N/A

^†Theoretical value. Overheal does not exceed 150% of the classes' maximum health.

A Medic with the Medi Gun, Kritzkrieg, or Vaccinator may overheal a teammate to 150% of their normal health maximum. The Quick-Fix can overheal up to only 125% of a teammate's health, but can still maintain fully overhealed health created by the Medi Gun, Vaccinator, or Kritzkrieg. If hurt, a player can refill their health through a number of ways.

Speed

Escape Plan speed values vs. health

Speed is measured in-game using the command cl_showpos 1, measuring in velocity units (v.) The standard movement speed is 100% (that of the Engineer, Pyro, and Sniper). Note that forward speed is obtained by pressing the forward, left, or right keys, the backward speed is obtained by pressing the backward key, while crouching speed is found by pressing the crouch button. Backward speed is generally calculated by 90% of the class's forward speed, while crouching is at 33%. Forward and backward speeds are the same when crouching or charging/zooming as a Sniper. During humiliation, all classes on the winning team will move 10% faster and all on the losing team will move 10% slower.

All normal forward speeds are capped at 520v or 173%; backwards-capped at 468v or 156%; crouched at 173.33v, or 58%; swimming at 416v, or 139%.

For Spies, disguising as a slower class (Soldier, Pyro, Engineer, Sniper, Demoman, or Heavy) will accurately reduce the Spy's speed to the appropriate speed of the class he is disguised as, e.g. the Spy disguised as the Heavy will move to the speed of Heavy, and remain at that speed unless he breaks disguise or cloaks. Disguising as a faster class (Scout), however, will not make the Spy move faster and he will continue to move at 107% speed (Spy`s default speed). Disguising as a player wielding a weapon that increases move speed (eg Powerjack or Overdose) will show the disguised Spy as carrying the weapon, but will not actually increase speed.

A Demoman wielding the Eyelander, Horseless Headless Horsemann's Headtaker, or Nessie's Nine Iron gains approximately 7% of his base speed with every kill or "head" taken with it. While charging with the Chargin' Targe, Splendid Screen, or Tide Turner equipped, he moves at 250% of the standard movement speed. The Soldier's speed while wielding the Escape Plan increases by 10% with every loss of 40 health below 200.

A Soldier who has activated the effects of the Concheror nearby their teammate, or has hit a teammate within the last 4 seconds with the Disciplinary Action, allows the teammate and the Soldier himself to move up to 140% of the speed they normally would.

A Medic who has any secondary weapon equipped is able to match the speed of any faster-moving teammate while they are connected by the healing beam.

Class speed comparison

Class	Normal	Backward	Crouched	Swimming
Scout	133 %	120 %	44 %	107 %
Baby Face's Blaster at 0% boost	120 %	108 %	40 %	96 %
Baby Face's Blaster at 50% boost	147 %	132 %	49 %	117 %
Baby Face's Blaster at 100% boost	173 %	156 %	58 %	139 %
Soldier	80 %	72 %	27 %	64 %
Charging the Cow Mangler 5000	27 %	27 %	9 %	21 %
Wielding the Escape Plan over 160 Health	80 %	72 %	27 %	64 %
Wielding the Escape Plan between 160 and 121 Health	88 %	79 %	29 %	70 %
Wielding the Escape Plan between 120 and 81 Health	96 %	86 %	32 %	77 %
Wielding the Escape Plan between 80 and 41 Health	112 %	101 %	37 %	90 %
Wielding the Escape Plan below 41 Health	128 %	115 %	43 %	102 %
Pyro	100 %	90 %	33 %	80 %
Wielding the Powerjack	115 %	104 %	38 %	92 %
Demoman	93 %	84 %	31 %	75 %
With weapon slot boots and a shield equipped	103 %	92 %	34 %	82 %
With a head-taking melee weapon equipped with 0 heads	93 %	84 %	31 %	75 %
With a head-taking melee weapon equipped with 1 head	101 %	91 %	34 %	81 %
With a head-taking melee weapon equipped with 2 heads	108 %	97 %	36 %	87 %
With a head-taking melee weapon equipped with 3 heads	116 %	104 %	39 %	93 %
With a head-taking melee weapon equipped with 4 or more heads	123 %	111 %	41 %	99 %
With weapon slot boots, a shield, and a head-taking melee weapon equipped with 0 heads	103 %	92 %	34 %	82 %
With weapon slot boots, a shield, and a head-taking melee weapon equipped with 1 head	111 %	100 %	37 %	89 %
With weapon slot boots, a shield, and a head-taking melee weapon equipped with 2 heads	119 %	107 %	40 %	95 %
With weapon slot boots, a shield, and a head-taking melee weapon equipped with 3 heads	127 %	115 %	42 %	102 %
With weapon slot boots, a shield, and a head-taking melee weapon equipped with 4 or more heads	136 %	122 %	45 %	108 %
Wielding the Scotsman's Skullcutter	79 %	71 %	26 %	63 %
Wielding the Scotsman's Skullcutter with weapon slot boots and a shield equipped	87 %	79 %	29 %	70 %
Charging with a shield	250 %	N/A	N/A	200 %
Charging with a shield and wielding the Scotsman's Skullcutter	213 %	N/A	N/A	170 %
Charging with a shield and wielding the Scotsman's Skullcutter with weapon slot boots equipped	234 %	N/A	N/A	187 %
Heavy	77 %	69 %	26 %	61 %
Any of the Heavy's Primary weapons spun up, except the Brass Beast	37 %	33 %	0 %	29 %
Brass Beast spun up	15 %	15 %	0 %	12 %
Under the effects of the Buffalo Steak Sandvich	104 %	93 %	35 %	83 %
Wielding the Gloves of Running Urgently	100 %	90 %	33 %	80 %
Wielding the Eviction Notice	88 %	79 %	29 %	71 %
Engineer	100 %	90 %	33 %	80 %
Hauling a building	90 %	81 %	30 %	72 %
Medic	107 %	96 %	36 %	85 %
Wielding the Overdose at 100% ÜberCharge	128 %	115 %	43 %	102 %
Healing a Scout	133 %	120 %	44 %	107 %
Sniper	100 %	90 %	33 %	80 %
With any Rifle, except the Classic, zoomed in	27 %	27 %	9 %	21 %
Charging the Classic at either zoom level	27 %	27 %	9 %	21 %
With the Huntsman drawn	53 %	53 %	18 %	N/A
Spy	107 %	96 %	36 %	85 %
Disguised as a Scout	107 %	96 %	36 %	85 %
Disguised as a Soldier	80 %	72 %	27 %	64 %
Disguised as a Pyro	100 %	90 %	33 %	80 %
Disguised as a Demoman	93 %	84 %	31 %	75 %
Disguised as a Heavy	77 %	69 %	26 %	61 %
Disguised as a Engineer	100 %	90 %	33 %	80 %
Disguised as a Medic	107 %	96 %	36 %	85 %
Disguised as a Sniper	100 %	90 %	33 %	80 %

Size

A height chart for all the classes.

All classes have varying heights, with the Engineer being the shortest and the Heavy being the tallest of the classes for the purposes of tracing Hitscan weapons. Classes also have various builds and general body sizes; each class has its own individual set of shaped hitboxes used for bullet-based attacks.

However, for the purposes of collisions with objects, players, melee attacks, and projectiles, all classes are considered to be the same width and height. This also means that no class has an advantage or disadvantage when it comes to navigating corners or tight spaces.

Update history

May 21, 2008 Patch

• Improved prediction of Spy's speed changes when disguising.

January 6, 2011 Patch (Beta)

• Player health increased 100%.

January 13, 2011 Patch (Beta)

• Player health increased 25%. (over normal – not the previous 100% increase)

February 11, 2011 Patch (Beta)

• Restored player health to normal values.

June 27, 2012 Patch (Pyromania Update)

• [Undocumented] Increased the running speed cap from 450HU/s to 520HU/s.

July 7, 2016 Patch (Meet Your Match Update)

• Spy max speed increased to 320 (from 300).

October 18, 2024 Patch (Scream Fortress XVI)

• Fixed players not being able to select a class and spawn after watching an intro video.

Unused content

• In 2017, Drew Wolf, a former Valve design artist, updated his personal website and uploaded some concept art of the female version of the classes created by him. According to the note made by Drew Wolf, there used to be "an internal pitch project" made by Valve "to bring female characters to the cast of Team Fortress 2", and "the goal of the project was to dive deep into possibilities and facilitate creative discussion". However, Drew's artwork does not include the Pyro class, as their gender is still unknown.
• A console variable named tf_player_use_female_models was found in the game's source code that is related to the female classes. The console variable would haved modified the loading of player models to append _female to end of the player model filename, for example scout_female.mdl. The only known existing official model of any female class is that of the Soldier. The model was created in 2009 and nothing else came of it.
• A Civilian class was meant to appear in the removed VIP gamemode, where one team had to escort the Civilian class to safety while the other one had to kill him by any means, however it was cut and later replaced by Payload.

Gallery

• 

  Concept art of female Scout.

• 

  Concept art of female Soldier.

• 

  Concept art of female Demoman.

• 

  Concept art of female Engineer.

• 

  Concept art of female Demoman, Scout and Engineer.

• 

  Concept art of female Heavy, Scout, Soldier and Medic.

• 

  Concept art of female Demoman, Heavy, Spy, Engineer and Medic.