Community Heavy strategy

“

I have plan for you: more pain! Click to listen — The Heavy

”

The Heavy, as the class name suggests, is the full frontal attack troop of TF2. The class itself is a heavy weapon - big, slow, tough, and powerful - players can to wade in where other classes dare not. The Heavy's usefulness as a shock troop on the front lines, defense breaker, and wide-area defender should not be underestimated or ignored by either side.

General

• As the class with the most HP, the Heavy is capable of absorbing a large amount of punishment before going down. This endurance can allow you to stay on the front lines for longer durations than other classes. Use this to your advantage by keeping the pressure on the enemy if your teammates need to replenish their health or ammo.
  • However, remember that due to the Heavy's slow speed and large hitbox, it is far easier for players to cause damage to the Heavy, so always be ready to retreat behind cover. As powerful as the Heavy is, players should keep in mind that they are still vulnerable to concentrated attacks, and that the Heavy's slow movement can increase this vulnerability.
  • With 300 HP, the Heavy is capable of being overhealed up to 450 HP, which can allow players to absorb even more punishment than ever. A Heavy with a Medic in tow is easily one of the most powerful combos in the game.

• As the slowest class in the game, Heavy players should get used to planning their moves ahead of time. Knowing what path to take, where the best places to deploy your Minigun are, and the shortest path to cover and support can mitigate the Heavy's slow speed.
  • Similarly, Heavies are among the highest priority classes for Teleporters. While other classes like Scouts can quickly reach the front lines from spawn, doing so as a Heavy wastes precious time during which you could be attacking the enemy team.
  • Conversely, due to your slow speed, successfully setting up an ambush can have devastating effects, if only for the reason that the other team will not expect you to be there. A Heavy that can surprise a group of enemies can easily kill 2-3 of their number and force the rest to retreat.
  • As it is relatively uncommon for players to look up, setting up an ambush from above lets you mow down unaware enemies from close range before they can react. This can negate your slow speed as you do not have to race to chase down your enemies if you get behind them.

• Thanks to the class's size, strength, firepower, and general obviousness, Heavy players draw a lot of attention in a fight. This allows Heavies to dictate the focus and pace of a battle merely by their presence and positioning. Heavies can be used to distract enemies while more maneuverable classes such as Scouts and Pyros can ambush and flank the enemy, and their absence can be used to lead the foe into a false sense of security.

• Remember that in spite of the class's considerable offensive power, the Heavy is a Defensive type class. Heavies used in defensive situations can suppress enemy movements and break up pushes, and only needing to wait for the enemy to approach negates the Heavy's movement speed disadvantage.
  • A Heavy standing next to a Dispenser can get a constant supply of ammo, letting players fire their Minigun without worrying about running out of ammo.

File:Headshot heavy.jpg

Snipers can take out a Heavy with one fully charged Headshot, so keep out of their sights!

• Although the Heavy has a lot of Health, a well-placed Sniper shot can take players down in one hit, and the Heavy's slow movement and large size makes things easy for the Sniper. Sniper dots are a warning sign to watch for. Heavies should never stand still or spin up their Minigun in open areas, and should seek safer, more closed-off spaces when possible.
  • If you can see a Sniper, you can force them to lose their aim by firing on them, and they may retreat. Remember that while a Minigun round at long range will do negligible damage, being hit will cause the Sniper's scope to jump, making you a harder target to hit.

• As a Heavy, you're always a prime target for Spies, especially due to your slow movement speed, so make sure to watch your back often. When you spin up your Minigun, always be sure to have a teammate watching your back, as Spies can rarely resist backstabbing a spun-up Heavy.
  • Because of your Minigun's wide spread, firing occasionally out in the open can hit and reveal a Cloaked Spy. This allows you to Spy-check over longer distances.

• Pushing the cart in Payload games can be quite effective if your team will work with you. Use the cart as cover and aim over the top if the angle permits (bullets won't pass through it). Furthermore, as the cart acts as a moving Dispenser, your health and ammo will be automatically replenished, making you a much harder target to take down.

• Take care of your Medic! A Heavy-Medic pair can be a devastating force, but only if you work together. Remember that your Medic usually has other teammates to worry about besides you, so be observant of when the Medic is and isn't with you. Pay attention to the type of ÜberCharge your Medic deploys. If you are carrying a Sandvich, you can throw it to your Medic to keep him or her healthy. Listen and watch for enemies attacking your Medic, and focus your attack on them whenever you can do so safely. Medics will often help watch your back for Spies, but do not depend on them to check for you. If you are near full overheal, it is sometimes helpful to try and block incoming rockets or grenades that would otherwise hit your Medic. Finally, try to let your Medic know if you are out of Minigun ammo, so you can use ÜberCharge most effectively.

Weapon Specific

Example Combinations
Combo			Usage
Minigun	or Dalokohs Bar or Sandvich	Fists of Steel	This setup is good for an all-rounded, objective oriented Heavy. As most enemies generally attack with ranged weapons, the Fists of Steel can provide 60% damage reduction from player and Sentry Gun fire, allowing the Heavy to walk right into heavily defended objectives; this increased damage resistance can also allow particularly aggressive players to use melee attacks to successfully kill players or destroy Sentry Guns. In a Payload map, the Heavy can even use the bomb cart as an additional shield, as well as health replenishment, allowing players to escort the cart with ease. The Minigun provides a modest amount of damage, while the short spin-up time allows Heavy players to switch from the Fists of Steel directly with minimal penalties. As the Minigun does not suffer any spin-up penalties compared to the Heavy's other two unlockable primary weapons. Due to the obstacles a Heavy with this loadout faces, a lunchbox item is preferred over the Shotgun. The Dalokohs Bar is useful by giving the Heavy extra health in the event that there are no Medics nearby to give a buff or to heal 60 HP when injured. The Sandvich is useful for healing a Medic who is buffing you to guarantee longer survivability for both.
Natascha	Sandvich	GRU	A good offensive-support setup for when you know you'll mostly face non-Heavies in close-quarter combat, and when you'll be paired with a Medic constantly. Natascha's slow effect can be used to help your teammates finish off any particularly fast enemies, and with a Medic backing you up allows you to sustain fire even in the face of overwhelming force. While healing yourself with the Sandvich will not always be necessary due to having a Medic along, the Sandvich can be dropped both to keep your Medic alive as well as keep other teammates in the fight if your Medic is too busy. The GRU gives players a significant maneuverability advantage, allowing them to quickly respond to enemy movements or to reach objectives more quickly, and the self-damage while equipped will build up the Medic's ÜberCharge meter faster.
Brass Beast	Shotgun	or K.G.B or Fists of Steel	This set-up is for a strictly defensive Heavy whose main goal is to mow-down enemy offensive pushes and stop them from advancing. The Brass Beast's increased damage allows you to counter Sasha-wielding Heavies, but its increased spin-up time and slow movement speed means that you have to position yourself strategically, preferably next to a Dispenser. The Shotgun can provide vital secondary fire in the event that you are ambushed and cannot spin up the Brass Beast in time. Your choice of melee weapon will affect how you conduct defenses: The K.G.B. can be used to quickly give yourself a temporary boost in firepower, allowing you to deal with offensive pushes decisively. Due to the long spin-up time of the Brass Beast, the Shotgun is incredibly useful for utilising the 5 second Crit boost. Furthermore, the K.G.B can be used to decisively deal with any Heavies on the other team who attempt to use the Fists of Steel's sheer defensive potential to accomplish objectives, due to being able to kill such Heavies quickly with melee attacks without worrying about receiving double melee damage in return. The Fists of Steel can be used to physically prevent enemies from accomplishing an objective by using the high ranged weapon damage reduction, but beware of Scouts or Fists of Steel-equipped Heavies.
Brass Beast	Buffalo Steak Sandvich	Warrior's Spirit	The Hibernating Bear Having 5% Crits protection in exchange of having max health of 280hp, this Polycount set is geared toward strategic positioning, high-damage attacks, with provisions against Crits – especially useful due to the stationary nature of a deployed Brass Beast. The Brass Beast's increased damage potential makes it a good direct assault weapon, but its slower movement speed and higher spin up time requires careful positioning on the player's part. Alternatively, it can be used for defense, especially if your team's Engineers have not had the time to properly deploy their Sentry Guns yet; the Crit protection will force opponents to be more skillful instead of relying on the random roll. In Medieval Mode, the Warrior's Spirit's higher base damage and a relatively fast swing can provide much-needed offensive potential when fighting against Demomen using the Chargin' Targe and melee weapon combination. The Buffalo Steak Sandvich can either be eaten normally to increase the melee damage and speed of the Heavy, or thrown on the ground for quick healing; combined with the increased resistance against Critical hits, this set makes the Heavy a good class for assault in Medieval Mode.
Minigun	Buffalo Steak Sandvich	K.G.B	This setup is mainly used for an offensive Heavy. The Minigun provides good damage against most classes, with a much needed spin-up time than the Brass Beast to quickly cover and attack areas. A medic will be essential in order to push forward in most maps, particularly in Payload. The Buffalo Steak will provide a quick heal for yourself or the medic, allowing either one to survive much longer in battle. The KGB can be extremely powerful when combined with the Buffalo Steak. With bonus Mini-Crits along with added speed boost, scoring kills with the KGB will be much easier, but it can be harder since you take Mini-Crit damage. This setup is extremely useful in Medieval Mode, which maximizes the KGB's effectiveness in combat.

Minigun / Iron Curtain

• The Minigun is capable of dealing significant damage at close and medium ranges; any enemy caught by its stream will usually die in seconds. However, the Minigun must first be spun up in order to fire.

• Remember that holding alternate fire will keep your Minigun spun up and ready to shoot at a moment's notice; stationing yourself in strategic defensive positions and staying spun up is often an excellent alternative to attempting an assault as a Heavy.
  • Beware that spinning up your Minigun will cause you to slow down significantly, making you greatly vulnerable to enemy fire. Be especially wary of spinning up in wide-open areas, where cover is scarce and enemies can attack from multiple directions and Snipers can line up easy headshots.
  • Also be wary that the sound of a spun-up Minigun is highly distinctive; keeping your weapon spun-up alerts the enemy to your presence long before they can see you.
  • Instead of holding the alternate fire to keep the gun spinning, tapping the alt-fire button allows you to enter a spin down phase, which allows you to move at normal speed while being able to deploy the gun quickly.

• Although the Minigun fires bullets over a wide range, the spread of the weapon greatly reduces its utility at longer ranges, so try to use it in close- to mid-range situations; think of it as a Shotgun with no rate of fire or reloading drawbacks.

• Your aiming speed does not decrease when your Minigun is spinning. Setting your mouse to a high sensitivity can allow you to quickly track in on targets that suddenly appear or try to strafe around you to avoid your fire.

• Knowing when not to fire is key to good Heavy play. Wasting ammo whittling away long-range targets or on ÜberCharged pairs will leave you without bullets when you need them most, and suddenly ceasing fire to gain a speed boost to get out of sight can allow even a lumbering Heavy to out-maneuver the other team, rather than relying on firepower in a dangerous situation.

• One of the keys to using the Minigun effectively is learning to jump and spin up at the same time. As the Minigun can be spun-up in mid-air, this can be used to negate the movement penalty suffered before the Minigun can be fired. It is especially effective if done around corners, as it gives enemy players next to no warning that a Heavy is about to attack, whereas spinning up while approaching a corner on foot will slow you down and alert the enemy beforehand.

• Don't forget that you have a Shotgun and Fists as well. The Shotgun is the weapon to use when you need to maneuver quickly, as it makes you a much harder target than using the Minigun (especially for Snipers). Fists are a good alternative for conserving ammo, especially if you've traded your Shotgun for the Sandvich. It's also good against enemies trying to fight you close range (such as Spies), though you have to be careful not to let them run out of your range and change to a long range weapon.

• 200 bullets seems like a lot, but when you start firing it will disappear rather quickly! Pay attention to fallen weapons of enemies/team-mates, weapon crates or Dispensers.

• At mid-range or closer, the Minigun has a higher damage output than any other weapon in the game, save for Critical hits. Keep this in mind and stand your ground when facing opponents one-on-one.

Natascha

• Natascha is an unlockable primary weapon for the Heavy. It deals 25% less damage than the Minigun and has a 30% longer spin-up time, but will cause a slow effect on any enemy that is hit, reducing their speed to roughly a third of their normal speed if hit constantly.
  • Natascha's slow effect is reduced over range. Therefore, as with the Minigun, its effectiveness is best at close to medium range.

• Natascha is particularly effective against faster classes (such as the Scout) since it counteracts their speed advantage. Use Natascha to prevent speedy classes from reaching cover, so that you and your teammates can finish them off.

• Due to Natascha doing less damage, it is best to avoid fighting Heavies that are wielding the Minigun (or especially the Brass Beast), or an Engineer's Sentry Gun, unless you have a Medic buddy or are part of a team assault.

• When working with a teammate on defense such as a Demoman, Soldier, or Sasha-wielding Heavy, Natascha can make Scouts, Medics, and Pyros easier targets for slow moving projectiles and allows other Heavies time to spin up their guns. In this manner, you can whittle down a target's health while preparing them for a finishing blow from your team. This makes Natascha an ideal support weapon for helping your teammates in preventing enemy pushes from becoming successful.

• Natascha can be a better choice than Sasha for dealing with Spies, as Natascha reduces the chance of an enemy Spy successfully fleeing from you after a successful Spy-check.

• The slowdown of Natascha also affects vertical momentum, meaning that any opponent trying to jump (including rocket jumps and sticky jumps) will come up short when hit. This can be used to defend high vantage points against Soldiers and Demomen trying to take the high ground.

• Natascha can slow Demoman even when using the Chargin' Targe, so using it can prevent a Demoman from making a successful kill.

Brass Beast

• The Brass Beast is a craftable primary weapon for the Heavy. It does 20% more base damage than the Minigun, but it has a 50% slower spin-up time, and reduces the Heavy's movement speed by 60%.

• Due to the extremely slow walking speed while spun up, this weapon is great in defensive situations that do not require a significant amount of movement.
  • Take advantage of its greater damage potential by guarding bottlenecks and chokepoints, where the enemy has less room to avoid your fire.
  • When used in an assault/offensive, this weapon is more effective when used for brute force attack/support than an ambush.

• This weapon may occasionally be superior to a sentry:
  • A Sentry Gun's placement is restricted, but a Brass Beast Heavy may deploy anywhere that players can reach.
  • A level 2/3 Sentry Gun takes much longer to set up, so cannot be deployed in front of enemies.
  • A Spy can easily sap a Sentry and take the objective before the Sappers are removed, while other classes can stay out of its range to destroy it. Provided a Heavy regularly spychecks, players can avoid being backstabbed and can fire at enemies from any distance.
  • Automated Sentry Guns will only target and attack one person at a time. On the other hand, a Heavy may Spy-check anyone that comes near and can quickly change targets or move where necessary. Although use of the Wrangler does solve this to an extent, the Engineer has relatively low health and the Sentry Gun shuts down temporarily on the Engineer's death. Additionally, the Sentry Gun still cannot move without being packed up, and the laser sight makes its position rather obvious.
  • Even a Combat Mini-Sentry has a slower deployment time than a Heavy with the Brass Beast(2.5s when building and 1.5s when moving, compared to 1.3s to spin up the Brass Beast), and is much weaker in terms of damage and health.

• Using tap-spin (by tapping primary/secondary fire) allows you to quickly deploy the gun while able to walk at a normal speed. This is helpful when evading attacks or moving to a new position.

• Using the Shotgun as your secondary weapon is recommended due to the Brass Beast's long spin-up time. This allows players to quickly have a weapon ready to fire in event of an ambush.

• In team defenses, try to pair up with another Heavy that is using Natascha. The Natascha-wielding Heavy can slow targets down for you, allowing you to maximize the amount of damage you do.

• Make good use of Dispensers with this weapon. The slower movement speed when spinning means it is difficult for you to keep the Brass Beast well stocked with ammo as others may take the dropped weapons of dead foes before you reach them, as well as making you an easier target for explosive splash damage.

• You can negate the extra spin-up slow down by using the jump and spin technique, mentioned in the Minigun strategy above.

Shotgun

• The Shotgun is the maneuvering weapon of the Heavy. Use when moving from point to point, retreating, approaching a Sniper, or avoiding Rockets, Stickies and Grenades. It is also handy if you run out of Minigun ammo.
  • One major advantage that the Shotgun has over the Minigun is its lack of a noise signature. While players will immediately notice the presence of a spun-up Minigun, the Shotgun does not make any noise.
  • In particular, the Shotgun is good for ambushing enemies. Most players will expect a Heavy to use the Minigun, and will be unable to counter a maneuvering Heavy firing the Shotgun. While you cannot deal as much damage as with the Minigun, you can also deny enemies the ability to escape or use cover.

• If you believe the speed decrease and spin-up time of the Minigun will be a hindrance to a successful attack, switch to your Shotgun instead.

• If your team has lots of able-bodied Medics, then it may be a better idea to bring this over the Sandvich, since healing yourself is not an issue. However, you can drop the Sandvich to heal and potentially save your Medic's life and precious ÜberCharge.

• The Shotgun is useful if you have low Minigun ammo and don't want to waste it on lower-risk classes, such as Spies or Pyros.

• Keep in mind that without the Sandvich, you will need to rely more on Health Packs and Medics to stay alive. Try to memorize the map's health pack locations, and keep within easy distance of teammates should the need to retreat arise.

Sandvich

• The Sandvich is an unlockable secondary weapon for the Heavy. When eaten, it fully restores your HP over four seconds; during this process, the Heavy becomes immobile and emits loud eating noises.

• Remember to use the Sandvich only when behind cover and in the presence of teammates. As you are completely immobile while recovering health, you will be an easy target for enemies.
  • Try to eat with your back to a wall. A Spy that happens upon a dining Heavy can spell disaster. In addition, make sure to stand somewhere where a Spy is unable to jump on top of you.

• You can use alternate fire to throw your Sandvich onto the ground. A dropped Sandvich acts as a medium health pack, replenishing 50% of a player's HP when picked up, and stopping burning/bleeding damage. Use it to help endangered teammates quickly recover health. This is especially advisable for healing Medics, as they cannot heal themselves and doing so helps them to retain their ÜberCharge meter.
  • You can pick up your own thrown Sandvich from the ground for 150 instant healing. This can be used to quickly replenish health while moving. Furthermore, a dropped Sandvich can be used to provide yourself with a quick health boost in the middle of battle if dropped behind a corner beforehand.
  • Enemies can see dropped Sandviches, you can set traps by dropping a Sandvich and ambushing enemies that try to pick it up.

• The Sandvich has a 30 second cooldown if you throw it or eat it when injured. Picking up a health item while at full HP restores the Sandvich instantly.
  • This can be used to your advantage when picking up small health packs, as you can drop the Sandvich for a teammate and pick up the health kit to replenish your Food meter.

• Without your Shotgun, Snipers are much deadlier, and without a fallback weapon you are forced to rely on using your Minigun to do damage.

• You can taunt with The Sandvich on in order to eliminate the 1 second delay after weapon change, effectively giving you an extra second.

• You cannot eat the Sandvich whilst your feet are off the ground or while swimming. However, you can still throw it.

• Take advantage of the Sandvich being a projectile to throw it over ledges to teammates in need.

Dalokohs Bar

• The Dalokohs Bar is a craftable secondary weapon for the Heavy. Consuming the Dalokohs Bar restores 60 HP over four seconds when eaten, and increases the Heavy's maximum health to 350 HP for 30 seconds. As with the Sandvich, the Heavy becomes immobile and makes highly audible eating noises.
  • At the end of the 30-second time limit, any health over 300 becomes overheal health.

• The Dalokohs Bar follows the same limits as the Sandvich: it cannot be eaten while in mid-air or swimming, it has a 30-second cooldown if eaten while injured, and picking up a health kit at full health restores the Food meter.
  • However, unlike the Sandvich, the Dalokohs Bar cannot be dropped, meaning that players cannot heal endangered teammates.

• The extra 50 HP allows the user to withstand a minimum of one more shot from the Scattergun, the Grenade Launcher or the Sniper Rifle (minimally charged headshots or bodyshots). It may also allow a minimum of one more shot from the Stickybomb Launcher and Direct Hit when fighting outside very close range. All of these weapons are used by the Heavy's most common enemies and the extra hit may give the Heavy time to finish off his opponent, however without the 100% healing power of the Sandvich they will be troubled to find healing afterward.

• The Dalokohs Bar can be particularly useful for Heavies that can obtain a constant source of healing but lack a nearby friendly Medic for overhealing or a Dispenser for healing.

• Take advantage of the fact that the Dalokohs Bar increases your maximum HP and use it only at full health or while overhealed. This allows you to have it ready for immediate use after increasing your HP to 350 in the event that you need it.

• Even though the Dalokohs Bar increases your maximum health to 350, Medics can still only overheal you to 450 HP, making the bar less effective when there are numerous Medics on your team.
  • Furthermore, due to a bug Dispensers will still only heal you up to 300 HP.

Buffalo Steak Sandvich

• The Buffalo Steak Sandvich is a craftable secondary weapon for the Heavy. When consumed, it increases the Heavy's movement speed by roughly 35%, and makes any damage dealt and taken by the Heavy Mini-Crits for 15 seconds. For the duration of the Buffalo Steak Sandvich's effects, the Heavy is limited to using only melee weapons.

• Like the Sandvich, the Buffalo Steak Sandvich can be dropped with alternate fire. A dropped Buffalo Steak Sandvich behaves the same as a regular Sandvich, replenishing 50% of the health of whoever picks it up.

• The speed boost can be handy in more ways than simple offense; it can aid in scouting and can help get players to their destinations quickly. Note, however, that you are more vulnerable to attack after eating a Buffalo Steak Sandvich due to the Mini-Crits.
  • A particularly effective tactic is to use the Buffalo Steak Sandvich at the start of Arena mode's setup time; you will be able to reach the front line faster and the effect will wear off as you enter combat, allowing you to make surprising offensive rushes on lighter classes.

• If an enemy is chasing you at a distance, turn a corner and use the Buffalo Steak Sandvich. You will be able to spot the enemy with the third-person view whist eating and, with good timing, can pop out again with a surprise melee attack.

• Make sure not to charge at enemies because they can still use their non-melee weapons at range, and with you taking Mini-Crits you'll be taken down easily.

• Generally you should avoid using it with the Fists of Steel, as the additional damage you take from melee attacks, along with Mini-Crits, allows you to be easily killed.

Fists

• Fists are a fallback weapon, and are your only fallback weapon if you traded your Shotgun for the Sandvich. It is also good against any class that is cornered or not expecting you to engage in melee combat.

• Pressing secondary fire will cause players to punch using their right arm. This is purely cosmetic and has no effect on gameplay.

Showdown

• Keep in mind the attack speed for this taunt. If you can time it right, it is a perfect revenge tool during humiliation. It also can be used against either distracted Heavies or scoped Snipers, saving ammo for other classes.

• Unlike other taunts, the Showdown taunt must be manually aimed. This allows players to hit targets from above or below, as long as the target is within the player's line of fire when the "lethal" portion of the taunt is executed.

• The Showdown acts as a short ranged but very wide hitting Pistol, making it the only kill taunt with range. In melee-only Sudden Death, this can give you a considerable advantage.

• In Attack/Defend and Payload maps, it is possible to achieve a kill with this. Stand in front of the gates, and taunt when there is a second left on the Setup clock.

• The taunt attacks in a straight line, so it is possible to aim it through tight spaces and surprise unaware targets. It is possible to do a "Pinshot" by aiming the taunt through a thin crack that leads to another part of the map. For example, a crack under a bridge can be exploited to hit someone under or above the bridge.

Killing Gloves of Boxing

• The K.G.B. are unlockable melee weapons for the Heavy. Upon killing an enemy, players are guaranteed Critical hits for the next 5 seconds, and can kill additional enemies using the K.G.B to continually reset the boost time. However, the K.G.B. has a 20% slower swinging speed.

• The guaranteed Critical hits can be transferred to other weapons as well. Therefore, it is possible to kill an enemy, then quickly switch to another weapon to kill enemies beyond melee range. However, switching weapons wastes precious time, and spinning up the Minigun wastes even more; in addition, the Shotgun's Criticals are less powerful than those of the K.G.B. If possible, get multiple kills (2 or more) with the K.G.B. before switching to another weapon.
  • Keep in mind however that spinning up the Minigun eats up a lot of your Crit time as stated in the in-game hints. The Shotgun is a much nicer pairing since it allows for instantaneous shooting, not to mention that most classes (unless overhealed) will succumb to a single critical Shotgun blast at close range.

• The slow swing speed coupled with the Heavy's slow movement speed makes using them a risky prospect. It is best to use them when you have an enemy cornered, or have a Medic to prevent you from getting killed before killing an enemy.
  • However, if you do manage a kill and you are in tight corridors, keep using them while there are still enemies around; a Critical hit with the K.G.B. will kill all non-overhealed classes with a single hit except Soldiers, Demomen (with the Eyelander and with 5 or more heads) and Heavies, who will fall if a second hit is landed.

• Using the Buffalo Steak Sandvich can assist you in getting the first melee kill, as you will be able to move faster and deal Mini-Crits. However, beware that you will still have Mini-Crits inflicted upon yourself for the duration of the Buffalo Steak Sandvich's buff, so try to time an attack so that the Buffalo Steak Sandvich's effects run out as soon as you get the melee kill.
  • This strategy is even more effective in Medieval Mode, as most other enemy classes will not be carrying long-range weapons. Just one kill with the gloves, while under the steak's effect, will make you an incredibly powerful class.

Gloves of Running Urgently

• The G.R.U. are craftable melee weapons for the Heavy. While equipped, the Heavy's movement speed is increased by 30%, but players lose 6 HP/sec. Furthermore, all melee damage dealt is reduced by 50%.

• Use the GRU to reach the front lines faster and keep up with teammates, but make sure you know the location of health kits on the map, have a Medic healing you or have the Sandvich equipped, so that you do not reach the front lines with too little HP.
  • The GRU can also be used to escape combat situations where you know you can't win. This can allow you to survive and rendezvous with teammates where otherwise you would be forced to respawn.
  • Dodging enemy fire is also more effective when using the GRU, since you can use the increased maneuverability to actively dodge explosives and arrows fired by the Huntsman

• With a Medic healing you, you can negate the -6 damage penalty, and help build the Medic's ÜberCharge meter as well. A Sandvich can also be used to sustain health where necessary. The Dalakohs Bar works as well, but the lower health regained and the need to stop and eat, rather than a quick throw, makes it less effective compared to the Sandvich. The Buffalo Steak Sandvich, like the normal Sandvich, can be dropped as well.

• With the added speed, you can use trick jumps that the faster classes can do, like jumping onto the bridge on 2Fort.
  • The damage penalty also adds a very slight amount of knockback when you are in the air. Time it so that in the middle of your jump it ticks, and you will be sent ever so slightly further, thus allowing you to reach even more previously inaccessible places (such as point E in Steel). If possible try to use the momentum from the gloves to your advantage by quickly switching back to your Minigun and revving it up for added jump distance.

• Remember that the GRU does much less damage than standard melee weapons, so it may not be wise to get into a melee fight unless you have a preexisting advantage (such as a health kit near to you, a nearby Medic, or if your target is already damaged).

• When under the effects of an ÜberCharge, use the GRU to push in closer to a Sentry Gun until you reach the range that overwhelms its knockback. Your extra acceleration allows you go straight up to a Sentry Gun and use your Minigun's full damage potential, rather than at longer ranges where the spread makes a Heavy ineffective.

• Fast switching the GRU and jumping can give you a speed boost while in mid-air, while taking less damage.

• Beware of running out of ammo on all other weapons. Remember that when a weapon runs out of ammo, you will automatically switch to an alternate weapon, and then your melee; you may be forced to equip the GRU when you don't want to and start taking damage.

• Do not equip GRU if the server has melee-only Sudden Death enabled, as you will die faster due to the health drain.

• Consider using this with the Dalokohs Bar, as the 50 health buff that you can keep consuming when you get to eat the bar again, gets you to the front lines faster, with less base health lost.

Warrior's Spirit

• The Warrior's Spirit are craftable melee weapons for the Heavy. The Warrior's Spirit deal 30% more base damage, but reduce the Heavy's maximum HP to 280.

• The Warrior's Spirit can be used to give players an edge in melee fights. As the Heavy already has a significant amount of HP, being able to deal more damage allows players to kill their enemies before they take too much damage.

• Due to the health penalty, the maximum amount of health that a Medic can overheal you to is 420 rather than 450.
  • The Dalokohs Bar can be used to partially negate the health penalty. However, this does not increase the maximum overheal health.

Fists of Steel

• The Fists of Steel are craftable melee weapons for the Heavy. While equipped, the Heavy takes 60% less damage from ranged weapons. However, players will take double damage from melee attacks.

• The Fists of Steel can significantly reduce the Heavy's vulnerability if ambushed or when attacked while traversing areas. As the Heavy has effectively 750 HP, even fully charged headshots from Snipers will not kill players.

• If you need to retreat, equipping the Fists of Steel can give you a greater chance to escape. Enemy players firing at you will not be able to damage you enough before you can retreat behind cover or find some health.

• The Fists of Steel are extremely valuable for accomplishing objectives such as capturing points, pushing the Payload cart or capturing the Intelligence. As most players will often try to protect objectives from a distance, using the Fists of Steel can give you a much greater chance of success at accomplishing such objectives.
  • A Heavy with the Fists of Steel pushing the Payload cart can be especially hard to defeat. As the cart still heals the Heavy at the normal rate and the Heavy takes reduced damage, a Heavy pushing the cart can last for a very long time.

• Make sure not to get into a melee battle due to the doubled damage an enemy can deal to you with their melee weapons. Therefore, do not equip this is Medieval mode.
  • Be especially wary of Pyros equipped with the Axtinguisher, as a Critical hit is guaranteed to kill you unless you are fully overhealed.

• A Heavy with the Fists of Steel equipped can effectively shield a Sentry Gun from a barrage of rockets with ease, and soak up quite a bit of Minigun damage, which makes it ideal for maintaining your team's Sentry Gun nests against an enemy ÜberCharge. Using the Fists of Steel can turn a Heavy into a mobile shield that can protect teammates and friendly buildings against damage.

• The Dalokohs Bar can be a useful lunchbox item to take with the Fists of Steel. As Medics will generally avoid pocket healing a Heavy that only has melee weapons equipped, the Dalokohs Bar can give players an additional 50 HP edge, which translates to an extra 125 HP worth of projectile damage

The Hibernating Bear

• With critical damage resistance you can counter Crit-boosted enemies. Combined, it's excellent for defense purposes, with a moderate to good performance in direct, well planned assault.

• The reduced Critical damage extends to Mini-Crits as well. This makes you more effective in the face of Jarate and the Buff Banner.

• While it may seem the tradeoff of health (-20 HP) for Crit protection make the item set bonus moot, note that Crits are highly damaging. By minimize the chance of Crits landing on you, you take less damage. Thus, this set rewards players who play defensively.

• Note that you cannot survive a fully charged headshot even when overhealed, as a Headshot will still do 428 damage while your maximum HP when overhealed is 420.

See also

• Team strategy