Tough Break Update

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

“

The New Mexico Department of Labor has found the Administrator in violation of every safety law they have, including 106 violations of the Employee Electroshock (Face, Trunk and Genital) Protection Act and 496 unexplained workplace disappearances. This means Miss Pauling has been state-mandated to take her first vacation in... well, ever. It also means she'll still be working round the clock, since those kill-contracts won't assign themselves. — Tough Break Update publicity blurb

”

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 had to obtain the Tough Break Campaign Pass, which was available for purchase in the Mann Co. Store. Players were invited to fulfill contracts ostensibly handed out by Miss Pauling via postcards on her state-mandated vacation.

Additional content was further added in the December 22, 2015 Patch, such as the 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: The base Flamethrower's damage fall off over distance has been decreased, resulting in higher damage output at range
	Changed: Consecutive Airblasts will no longer prevent enemies from air-strafing until they touch the ground
Demoman	Added: Charging now removes debuffs from the Demoknight (Bleed, Fire, Mad Milk, Jarate)
	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.
	Changed: All Swords now have a slower deploy and holster speed compared to base weapons in addition to their increased melee range
Engineer	Changed: Sentry Guns brought into a respawn room no longer detonate outside of Mann vs. Machine
	Added: After removing a Sapper from a Sentry Gun, there is now a 0.5s delay before the sentry is active again
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	Added: Upon spawning, friendly players (including disguised Spies) will show an outline for 10 seconds
	Changed: Base weapon switch speed changed from 0.67 seconds to 0.5 seconds

Tweaked Weapons

Class	Weapon	Changes
Scout	Mad Milk	Added: Extinguishing an ally will now reduce the cool down by 20%
	Pretty Boy's Pocket Pistol	Changed: Increased health recovered on hit from +3 to +5
	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%
	Air Strike	Changed: Reduced blast radius by 20% when rocket jumping (28% reduction when compared to stock)
	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
Pyro	Degreaser	Changed: No longer boosts all-around switch speed. Instead, boosts switch-to speed by 60% and switch-from speed by 30%.
		Changed: Increased Airblast cost by 25%
		Changed: Increased afterburn penalty to from 25% to 66%
		Removed: Removed damage penalty
	Phlogistinator	Removed: Removed 10% damage penalty.
		Added: When activating 'MMMPH', the taunting Pyro gains temporary invulnerability and immunity to knockback effects
	Axtinguisher	Changed Stats changed
		100% Chance to crit against burning targets
		33% Damage penalty
		20% Slower attack speed
		75% Slower switch-to speed
Demoman	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.
	Chargin' Targe	Changed: Reduced blast resistance from 40% to 30%
		Removed: Removed fire immunity
	Splendid Screen	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%
	Quickiebomb Launcher	Changed: Fizzle time increased from 2 seconds to 4 seconds
	Ullapool Caber	Added: Added 20% fire rate penalty
		Added: Added 100% switch-to time penalty
		Changed: Base melee damage increased from 35 to 55
	Claidheamh Mòr	Added: Now restores 25 health on kill
		Added: Now increases damage taken while active by 15%
		Removed: Removed health penalty
		Removed: Removed charge duration bonus
	Persian Persuader	Added: Ammo pickups now replenish charge
		Added: Added penalties of reduced primary and secondary ammo
		Added: Now gains charge meter on hit
		Removed: Removed ammo pickups granting health instead of ammo
Heavy	Gloves of Running Urgently	Added: Added 50% holster time penalty
	Fists of Steel	Added: Added penalty of increased holster time by 100%
		Removed: Removed deploy time penalty
	Warrior's Spirit	Changed: Damage dealt increased by 30%
		Changed: Now heals 50 health on kill
		Changed: Damage received 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	Rescue Ranger	Changed: Healing per bolt reduced from 75 to 60
	Jag	Added: Added damage penalty against buildings. Now takes 3 hits to destroy a Sapper.
Medic	Crusader's Crossbow	Added: Healing a player with a syringe now grants a small amount of ÜberCharge
	Quick-Fix	Added: Players can no longer capture objectives while under the effects of Quick-Fix ÜberCharge
		Changed: Fixed cases where Quick-Fix ÜberCharged players could still be affected by certain knock-back effects
	Vaccinator	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.
		Removed: Removed 10% health regeneration on proper resist
	Amputator	Added: Healing done with the taunt now grants small amounts of ÜberCharge
		Changed: Taunt can now be activated by alt-fire
Sniper	Huntsman	Changed: Can be fired while off the ground
	Jarate	Added: Extinguishing an ally now reduces the cooldown by 20%
	Cozy Camper	Changed: Quadrupled health regeneration rate. Regeneration rate is now decreased if player has been recently damaged.
	Cleaner's Carbine	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
		Changed: Reduced firing rate penalty from 35% to 20%
Spy	Spy-cicle	Changed: Fire immunity shield no longer appears when fire immunity is triggered
	Dead Ringer	Changed: Initial damage reduction when feigning death increased to 75% from 50%
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	Added: No random crits
		Changed: Now considered a sword (increased holster and deploy time and increased range)
		Changed: 100% life restore on kill changed to 50% health gain on kill that can result in overheal
		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.
Soldier Pyro Heavy Engineer	Panic Attack	Changed: No longer auto-fires when fully loaded. Shots can be held and released at will.

Gallery

• 

  In-game notification.

• 

  Screenshot of the Tough Break Update.

• 

  "New! The Alamo in Scenic Teufort, New Mexico"

• 

  "Greetings from Slurry Beach"

• 

  "Bombs delivered by cart, the way they were meant to be, at...Granny's World Headquarters"

• 

  "Visit the Teufort Public Library - Home of the World's Largest Continuously Burning Book Fire!

• 

  "Merasmus's Ancient Sumerican Carnival"

• 

  "Mann Co. Recalled Product Outlet Mall"

• 

  "Poopy Joe's Rapid Descent"

• 

  "The John Doe Raccoon Sanctuary"

• 

  "Hey Dummy! Visit The Tom Jones Museum

See also

• Tough Break Campaign

External links

• The Tough Break Update