Medic buddy

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Zat vas doctor-assisted homicide! Click to listen — The Medic

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The term Medic buddy refers to a class that is particularly compatible with the Medic in any offensive or defensive scenario. A Medic Buddy is different from a “patient,” who is simply the player that a Medic is healing at any given moment. In most cases, any Medic buddy is a strong candidate for an ÜberCharge.

List of classes considered to be Medic "buddies"

The following classes are ideal choices for a Medic buddy. Traits they share are above-average health, high damage output, and the ability to deal damage to multiple enemies at one time. One of the most important strategic aspects a Medic can have is the ability to adapt to any situation. Keep in mind that some classes may be more useful than others in different situations. For example, a Soldier or Demoman is able to destroy Sentry Guns from a greater distance than a Heavy. This makes these classes preferable as Medic buddies when dealing with enemy Engineers.

Soldier

The Soldier’s high amount of health and raw attack power are a deadly combination when combined with the Medic’s constant healing. Consistently staying overhealed will allow the Soldier to perform rocket jumps to reach the battlefield safely and efficiently, greatly increasing his mobility. A Soldier/Medic pair is adept at destroying buildings from mid to long range, dealing splash damage against clustered opponents, and cleanly taking out specific targets. When paired with a Medic, it is advantageous for the Soldier to carry the Rocket Launcher instead of the Direct Hit. As a target for the Kritzkrieg, the Rocket Launcher’s greater splash damage allows the Soldier to hit multiple enemies, potentially gibbing all of them with a single Critical rocket. It is important that both members of the pair time any ÜberCharge so that it is deployed only when the Soldier is not reloading.

Pyro

The Pyro is built for close combat and will need to be exposed to enemy fire to deal the most damage. With a Medic providing a continuous source of healing, a Pyro can take a beating while easily incinerating his foes. However, because of the limited range of the Medic’s Medi Gun, following a Pyro into the fray often exposes the Medic to danger as well. As such, it is usually better for a Medic to heal Pyros when in defensive situations, where there is a reduced risk of encountering enemies. If the pair comes under heavy fire without an ÜberCharge ready, it is best to retreat in order to protect the Medic. Pyros are very efficient at destroying buildings and causing chaos when ÜberCharged, especially in narrow spaces. Because the Pyro’s Flamethrower range is so short, the Pyro is also susceptible to knockback. Unless a Sentry Gun is around the corner, however, it will still be necessary for the Medic to walk ahead of the Pyro in order to draw fire from the Sentry Gun. Because the Medic remains vulnerable for the duration of the Kritzkrieg, Pyros are generally not good recipients for it.

Demoman

Out of all of the nine classes, the Demoman, with his explosives, has the greatest attack potential. Like the Soldier, the Demoman can execute explosive jumps, greatly increasing his mobility. It is preferable that when paired with a Medic, the Demoman equip the Sticky Launcher or the Scottish Resistance over the Chargin’ Targe, as the need to attack at close range may endanger the Medic’s life and is relegated to a Pyro/Medic pair. Thus, the Demoman sacrifices the ability to defend himself and the Medic efficiently at close-range in order to deal consistent indirect damage. Still, all of his explosive weaponry can be brutal towards large clusters of enemies, making him an excellent choice for a Medic’s Kritzkrieg charge. Stickybombs have a very large explosive radius, allowing multiple enemies to be killed per bomb. The Demoman also has access to multiple melee weapons with extended range, allowing for enemies to easily be hit. Because the Demoman can lay down multiple Stickybombs before detonating all of them, he and a Medic working together are excellent for destroying Engineer buildings in almost any situation. In order to not waste any time, both members of the pair must time the ÜberCharge activation for when the Demoman has loaded weapons.

Heavy

The Heavy’s large pool of health points allows him to soak up a lot of damage, making him very difficult to defeat when overhealed. While his large size and slow speed makes him easy to follow and keep track of, they also easily attract the attention of enemy players. A Heavy with the GRU equipped can easily keep up with the Medic’s faster run speed as well as help build his ÜberCharge. When in combat, his significant close-range firepower helps greatly in protecting the Medic. The Heavy’s immobility when firing his Minigun makes him very vulnerable to knockback. When using the standard ÜberCharge, the Medic must sometimes walk in front of the Heavy in order to draw enemy fire. When charged with the Kritzkrieg, his Minigun can shred targets in almost any situation, whether the fighting is inside or outdoors. With both ÜberCharges, the Medic must give sufficient time for the Heavy to wind up his Minigun.

List of classes considered to be Medic "baddies"

It is generally unwise to choose the following classes as a Medic buddy. These classes are usually not found on the frontlines of the battlefield, where most healing is needed, due to their low health and specific roles. They all lack the crowd control capabilities of the more ideal Medic buddies, making defending the Medic more difficult.

Scout

The Scout’s low health and suicidal style of play usually mean that he will die easily, even when being healed. The Scout’s fast speed makes it impossible for a Medic to keep up, but he will still often be injured and run back to be healed. These brief periods of time where the two are together are when most Scout/Medic pairs work together. All of the Scout’s weapons run out of ammunition relatively quickly, making an offensive push on the front lines unfeasible. A good Scout is capable of avoiding most damage without an ÜberCharge, making him one of the last candidates to receive it. Should this happen as a last resort, the Scout should stay near the Medic so as to keep the ÜberCharge. Because the Scout’s damage output is so high, he can be a surprisingly good Kritzkrieg target in tight quarters or defensive positions. Even so, an unbuffed Scout may have difficulty dealing with clusters of enemies, making him a poor Medic buddy.

Engineer

Because Engineers can build their own Dispensers and stay away from fighting, having a Medic around would prove to be very little help. A Medic specifically healing an Engineer would only occur in special situations, such as when an Engineer is trying to repair a Sentry Gun under enemy fire. An Engineer on the front lines that is using the Wrangler bears much destructive potential but is even more immobile than the Heavy, making him an unfavorable ÜberCharge candidate. A more unconventional tactic would for a Medic to ÜberCharge an Engineer as he deploys his Sentry Gun in a key offensive position; the pair can use their invulnerability to shield the Sentry Gun from enemy fire.

Sniper

The Sniper tends to sit at the back of the battlefield, so it is rare that a Medic will heal him. Still, there are situations where healing a Sniper may be beneficial to the team. If locked in a Sniper duel, an overhealed Sniper cannot be killed with a fully charged bodyshot or even an uncharged headshot, giving him a strong advantage. A Sniper carrying the Huntsman will often fight close to the front lines and will require healing. Even when at the front lines, the Sniper’s lack of strong close-range weaponry and the long intervals between shots make protecting the Medic incredibly difficult. Because of these reasons, the Sniper is a poor choice for either of the two ÜberCharges. It is notable that when under the influence of Kritzkrieg, the Sniper does not need to use his Sniper Rifle’s scope to deal the equivalent of an uncharged headshot.

Another Medic

Although Medics do regenerate health over time, they cannot use their Medigun to rapidly heal themselves. While it is important that Medics heal each other to stay alive, it is unwise to for them to accompany each other as Medic buddies in an offensive push. The Medic, with his moderate health pool and fast speed, has above-average survivability but low damage output. Unless in a desperate situation, time spent fighting would be better spent building ÜberCharge for use on another class. If the Medics are feeling particularly ambitious, they may be able to pull off the Chain ÜberCharge strategy.

Spy

Because the Spy relies on stealth and disguises, healing him while he is near an enemy will usually blow his cover. Medics should use discretion and heal offensive classes before the Spy. However, since fire negates the Spy’s disguise and Cloak, he should be one of the first classes a Medic extinguishes after encountering a Pyro. Not counting backstabs, the Spy has the lowest damage output out of all nine classes, making him a terrible choice for a frontal assault using any ÜberCharge.

Planning for ÜberCharges

ÜberCharging another player involves a certain amount of decision making, personal preferences, and consideration of the team's tactical goal. While a simple list of criteria for choosing Medic buddies cannot be defined, here are some guidelines for a few general scenarios:

Goals

• Raw damage: For pure damage, the best choices are a Pyro or Heavy. The Heavy can deal respectable damage at mid-range while also being very deadly in close quarters. However, the Heavy's slow movement speed (especially while spun up) and bullet spread will limit his effectiveness at longer ranges if the enemy uses cover or retreats. Pyros are best suited for ambushes, and being ÜberCharged only increases the potential damage done as they do not have to worry about being killed while closing the range. Unlike the Heavy, Pyros do not need to worry about speed or cover and enemies that have been ignited will continue to take damage even after retreating, which can result in even more kills. Of course, Pyros suffer from a significantly shorter range, which means that they may waste charge time chasing distant enemies.

• Tactical targets: If you want to take out a specific target or need to gain an immediate advantage, you may want to select a Soldier or Demoman. Soldiers have an advantage in terms of range, but Demoman are able to kill several enemies if they are grouped closely together. Both ÜberCharged Soldiers and Demomen can provide the push necessary for your team to gain momentum in battle as they can move quickly while firing and deal substantial amounts of damage.

• Sentry removal: If you want to take down a Sentry Gun nest at close range, choose either a Pyro or a Demo. Pyros are generally more effective in taking out Sentry Guns in close quarters, although map geography dictates which class is more appropriate. If the Sentry Gun is out of effective range, you may wish to close in while running in front of your patient so that the Sentry Gun's knockback does not push him back before the ÜberCharge runs out. If you must take out a difficult Sentry Gun protected by an Engineer or from a longer range, Demomen are the best choice because they can use Stickybombs to destroy the gun in one attack. This prevents the Engineer from repairing it between the damage from a Soldier's rockets or the Heavy's Minigun fire.

Guidelines

• Ensure your patient has a full ammo clip and has reloaded before activating an ÜberCharge.

• On a Sniper map, an ÜberCharged Sniper can take out a few of the opposition while charged. It should be noted, however, that this is a specialized use, and ÜberCharge used on a Sniper is generally a waste.

• As a last resort, ÜberCharge to protect yourself while you find another teammate rather than lose a full charge.

Planning for the Kritzkrieg

The Kritzkrieg charge must be prepared in a far different manner than the traditional ÜberCharge. Boasting considerably more offensive power than the ÜberCharge and a faster charging time that allows its use more frequently, its drawback is that it does not possess the sheer defensive power of an ÜberCharge. Because of this, you must be more careful in using a Kritzkrieg charge. This drawback does not make the Kritzkrieg inferior, but instead forces the Medic's choices in ÜberCharge recipient to be drastically altered.

The biggest difference between preparing for a Kritzkrieg ÜberCharge as opposed to a Medi Gun ÜberCharge is twofold. First, a Kritzkrieg relies even more on communication than a regular ÜberCharge pair does. While a Medi Gun Über pair, even without communication, can turn the tide of battle as both members are immune from damage, an impromptu Kritzkrieg assault almost always results in disaster. The other difference is that preparing for a Kritzkrieg is not only knowing what classes you should use it on, and what situations it shines in, but it also relies heavily on when NOT to use it over the traditional Medi Gun. Use your judgment in what weapon you should pick.

This is a general list of good targets for a Kritzkrieg charge, from most effective in most situations to least effective, with explanation.

• The Soldier is a good obvious choice. His high health coupled with superior mobility (due to rocket jumping) give him a respectable amount of survivability, while his Rocket Launcher allows him to splash his Critical rockets over wide areas and kill multiple targets with a single rocket. Just be wary of enemy Pyros using Compression Blast, which can spell the end for you and/or the Soldier if they manage to deflect one of your rockets back in your face. Always make sure that the Soldier is carrying the Rocket Launcher and not the Direct Hit, which has a significantly smaller splash radius.

• The Demoman may seem like an odd choice as his main method of attack is indirect, but due to the nature of Kritzkrieg this is more of a blessing than a curse. Whereas an Über pair can wade through opponents, a Kritzkrieg pair is still confined by the fact that they can both die very easily. A Kritzkrieged Demoman should use his Stickybomb Launcher whenever possible, since it gives him more control over when to detonate his explosives. If planned correctly, the pair can launch a full round of Critical stickies, causing a large amount of damage over a large area. The applications for both defensive play (especially in Setup) and offensive play are limitless. For a Demoman using the Eyelander and Chargin' Targe, the Kritzkrieg can negate the Eyelander's inability to land random Critical hits, allowing him to take multiple heads in one push.

• The Scout may appear to be a poor choice for a Kritzkrieg charge given his low health, short range, and the difficulty for a Medic to keep up, but in close quarters combat, the Scout's Scattergun can actually be a dangerous weapon when used with a Kritzkrieg. The deadliness of a Kritzkrieged Scout increases substantially if the pair is able to pull off an ambush. It must be noted that the Force-A-Nature should almost never be used with a Kritzkrieg in virtually any circumstance, given that valuable time will be lost reloading, as the weapon can only fire two rounds before its magazine is depleted. But when a Kritzkrieg is used together with a competent Scout, a good deal of damage can be done in the right situations. This is the best way to get the You'll Feel a Little Prick achievement.

• The Heavy is an awesome sight while invulnerable, but is not as good as the Soldier for a Kritzkrieg pair. Due to the Heavy's low mobility, coupled with his inaccuracy and the Minigun's spin up time, it is generally a bad idea to Kritzkrieg a Heavy in favor of a Soldier, who can dart in and out while constantly firing off rockets. However, unlike the Soldier, the Heavy can fire shots without the need to reload. This leads to (especially in closed spaces) a massive amount of continuous damage in a short amount of time. Kritzkrieging for suppression fire is a good tactic as even a long range hit will chew into the HP of less hardy classes. Also, Critical hits from the Minigun do not suffer from damage falloff, making even long-range Heavy shots very effective, though inaccurate.

• The Pyro makes a poor choice for a Kritzkrieg in most situations, with their low buffed health. Though their flames deal considerable damage especially if they have Critical damage, if they're using a weapon such as the Backburner the Kritzkrieg is far less useful, especially compared to the raw power of an invulnerable Pyro. In situations where a heavy defensive group is holding ground, a Kritzkrieged Pyro can destroy the entire group before they can react, if they are all focused on a different front. The heavy is too slow when firing and other classes have to reload. If there is a Sentry Gun or they notice the attack, it could fail. Additionally, special mention must be given to the compression blast, which can turn an enemy's projectile into a Critical when under the effect of a KritzCharge.

• A Sniper under the effects of a Kritzkrieg can wipe out all classes with less than 150 HP, due to the fact that the Sniper Rifle does 150+ damage with a Critical unscoped body-shot. Any hit on these classes will be an instant kill, and the Sniper may be wasting time by scoping, unless aiming for larger targets or over longer distances.

• The Medic also seems like an odd choice, but can be useful if there is no superior choice. The rapid-fire from a Medic's Syringe Gun or Blutsauger will often take down opponents quickly. Using the Kritzkrieg can be effective for Medics trying to obtain the Consultation achievement.

The rest of the classes are usually poor Kritzkrieg targets - even if the Engineer or Spy can deal a lot more damage if all their hits turn into Criticals, they are more unreliable not true in comparison to the classes listed here. Circumstances may dictate otherwise, so use discretion.

Being a Medic buddy

A surefire way for any player to never be followed by a Medic is by being a poor Medic buddy.

The most important thing about coordinating with a Medic is communication. A Medic buddy should use a microphone or voice commands to warn or direct the Medic. If the Medic does not give orders, his patient should take charge of the situation and speak about how and where to use an ÜberCharge.

Being constantly healed does not make a patient invincible, especially when under heavy enemy fire. A Medic buddy typically should not push too far forward into enemy territory and know when to retreat, especially if the Medic could easily be flanked. If the Medic is behind cover, a Medic buddy should not move very far away, as the Medic’s Medigun has limited range. While the Medic does regenerate health, he cannot heal himself. Priority to receive health packs should always go to the Medic, who can then proceed to heal everyone else.

Keeping the Medic alive allows all team members to easily access a source of healing. In return for healing, a Medic buddy is expected to protect the Medic. A Medic will often die rather than pull out their Syringe Gun, as they trust their patient to eliminate any nearby threats. Because of their importance to the team, Medics will often be targeted by Scouts, Pyros, Snipers, and Spies, classes that rely on ambushes or opportunities. It is necessary to keep moving around while looking for any potential threats.