Brimstone (map)

For the all class cosmetic item, see Brimstone.

For the Demoman cosmetic item, see A Whiff of the Old Brimstone.

Brimstone (map)
Basic Information
Developer(s):	Unknown
Map Info
Environment:	Halloween
Setting:	Nighttime, overcast
Hazards:	Pumpkin bombs, Ghost, MONOCULUS, Skeletons, Horseless Headless Horseman, Merasmus Visual effects only: Steam
Map Photos
Map Overview

“

It's Friday night of the living dead! Let's lose our minds, here we go for Halloween! ... Redmond Mann has risen from the depths of Hell and you must return him to that ghastly awful place! Do it, if you dare! — from Brimstone's spooky workshop description

”

Brimstone is a community-created Payload map added in the Scream Fortress 2016 update. Brimstone was contributed to the Steam Workshop, and is a Halloween version of Fifthcurve.

Go into the light!

With the exception of the two buildings housing the BLU Base and BLU's forward spawn, all buildings are marked for RED, with a number of interiors decorated as Redmond Mann's personal quarters or offices. The battle portrays BLU pushing the risen Redmond in the Payload cart to deliver him back to Hell; Blutarch and Veikko are already there, waiting.

The map features the voice of Merasmus, who casts spells on players for their suffering. The Horseless Headless Horsemann, the Skeleton King and his minions, and MONOCULUS may appear. Merasmus himself may even appear if too much time is taken in the last area.

Comparing this map with the previous year's Hellstone map, both are single-stage, five-point Payload maps having about the same distance to cover. But, whereas Hellstone is close and tight, Brimstone is more open with long sight lines and a series of defensive upper-story sniping positions. Progressively stronger bosses can spawn ahead of the cart as it is pushed through both maps. Instead of monsters spawning at guaranteed predictable events, this map's monsters spawn with some spontaneity. Maybe the Horsemann or MONOCULUS will show up when the cart gets far enough, maybe not. Maybe Merasmus will show up soon after the fourth point is captured, maybe only as the cart is on the edge of the Pit, or maybe not at all.

In the spaces between the last two capture points lie a number of scattered coffins showing a white light within. Sometime after the fourth point is captured, the lids of these coffins disappear and a hidden haunted calliope winds up and plays Misfortune Teller. Players who "go into the light" are transported to a Hell populated with rare Magic Spells, Skeletons, and, usually, other players shooting at them.

Brimstone was contributed to the Steam Workshop.

Locations

Note: The map's 5 control points are named after spellbook pages.

Also note: If you're having trouble with finding the locations listed here, you can scroll down to the Helpful overview section to see their exact position marked on the map.

• Lumber Mill: The map opens on a fairly simple, large, open yard of a lumber mill. Even though the tracks run through low ground, some cover is provided by map structures until the cart reaches a long inclined slope.

• Garage: After the inclined slope, the track turns into the long interior of the Garage; this track has a straight line of sight from the BLU base. However, just before the capture point, the track turns into the capture point between two inclined slopes that are exposed to a range of RED fire.

• Tumidum (A): Capture of the first point causes the opening of the shortcut between BLU Base and Gratanter (B). Capture of the first point also causes the arrival of Merasmus (voice only), who shortly after begins casting spells on the players.

• Wet Paint!: Shortly after the first point, the track has two alternate courses around the tower in the middle of the square. Selection of the path taken is random, complicating RED's defense of this section.

• BLU's advanced spawn: In the corner behind Wet Paint!, the advanced spawn for BLU has two alternate sets of doors; the first set of doors open on the side of Gratanter (B), while the second set of doors open on the side of Audere (C).

• Gratanter (B): Capture of the second point opens BLU's advanced spawn doors on that side. This capture also switches RED to its second spawn.

• Satellite Dish/Library/Dump Truck: The two-story Library has a commanding view of Gratanter (B) and the Dump Truck choke point. If he spawns, the Horseless Headless Horsemann spawns between the Library and the concrete blocks (behind the bunch of autumn leaves).

• First RED Spawn: The Skeleton King's spawn point is inside the alcove to the right of the RED spawn.

• Audere (C): Capture of the third point switches BLU's advanced spawn doors to this side, and switches RED spawning to the final RED Base.

• Brick building: A small, two story building made out of brick which sits right in front of second checkpoint.

• Sniper Nest: The Sniper Nest commands the approach to Congeriae (D). Decently supplied with Ammo, it has good communication with the second RED spawn in the Warehouse and, given proper support, is difficult to take with a frontal assault.

• Warehouse: The Warehouse sets up a battle over the long hall with opposing balconies, which are secure to either side.

• Congeriae (D): Some time after the capture of the fourth point, as the game progresses, several coffins in the final area open white portals to the island in Hell.

• Veteris (E): Capturing this point returns Redmond to Hell. The blast unleashes the fires and bats out of Hell. The Gibus-wearing Ghost that has been following the action is seen flying away.

• Hell Island: (Hell Pit) The Underworld of this map has an island surrounded by infernal lava.
  • Hell Island has two sections, and at the distant end of each section is a glowing white portal exit back to the map. Three Rare Magic Spells pickups are available in each section. Several Skeletons spawn near the exits and chase down any players.
    • One section, Purgatory, is reached by jumping through the purple portals left by teleporting MONOCULUS or jumping into the Bombinomicon that appears if Merasmus is defeated.
    • The other section is reached by entering the coffins while the white portals are open or by jumping into the portal opened when MONOCULUS is killed.
  • On entering the Underworld, players receive a very brief Invulnerability.
  • Players on the island suffer the health drain that increases in damage over time.
  • When exiting the Underworld through a white portal, players receive Invulnerability, overheal, speed boost, and crit boost, each for limited times.
  • Teleporters and other buildings cannot be placed in the Underworld.

• 

  BLU Base and the Lumber Mill yard.

• 

  Capture point A from inside the Garage.

• 

  Alternate track routes around Wet Paint!

• 

  Capture points B and C; Library to the right.

• 

  Warehouse: interior hall and capture point D.

• 

  Final point E; cart dump into the Hell Pit.

• 

  Purgatory.

• 

  Hell Island.

Helpful overview

1.Lumber Mill
2.Garage
3.Wet Paint!
4.Shortcut to B point
5.Library
6.Dump truck
7.Brick building
8.Warehouse
9.Snipers nest

Blue/red diagonal lines: Blu/Red first spawn
Blue/red double diagonal lines: Blu/Red second spawn
Blue/red double diagonal lines w/ a circle: Third Red/Blu spawn

Yellow circle: First checkpoint (Tumidum)
Green circle: Second checkpoint (Gratanter)
Blue circle: Third checkpoint (Audere)
Purple circle: Fourth checkpoint (Congeriae)
White circle: Fifth checkpoint (Veteris)

Merasmus spells

Earthquakes shake players and release deadly clouds of steam.

Several of the spells that Merasmus casts have effects similar to those experienced on Ghost Fort or Moonshine Event; however, many spells he casts have no effect other than a sound cue. Spells that have notable effects on players include:

• Tiny Melee Curse: All players are shrunk and restricted to melee weapons. The "Day of Defeat" anthem adapted for DeGroot Keep plays through to the end of the curse. Players that are on uneven ground or are too close to a wall or some other object at the end of the curse suffer a crushing death.

• The Crit Boostening: All players are granted 100% critical hits.

• Super Speed: All players run faster.

• Skeleton Summons: The Skeleton King and some Skeletons are summoned.

• Jarate Curse: All players suffer the effects of Jarate.

• Shake Yer Boo-ty: Random earthquakes occur between Tumidum (A) and Congeriae (D), jostling players and releasing hellish clouds of deadly steam.

Halloween monsters

Ghost.

Skeleton King.

The Halloween enemies have randomized chances of spawning at various times or capture points.

• Two Ghosts spawn at random times and places, taking randomly selected fixed courses. These Ghosts continue to haunt the action around the cart as it moves through the map.
  • The Gibus-wearing Ghost spawns from the beginning of the round and takes course generally supportive of BLU (entering openings from BLU's direction).
  • When the Tumidum (A) point is captured, a second hatless ghost spawns in the rear area of the RED team. This Ghost's paths tend to follow the tracks, occasionally interfering with BLU's push.
• At any time between the captures of Tumidum (A) and Congeriae (D), the Skeleton King and several skeletons may be summoned by one of Merasmus' random spells.
• At any capture of either Gratanter (B) or Audere (C), there is a one-in-eight chance of the Horseless Headless Horsemann appearing.
  • The Horsemann (B) should center on Audere and will not chase players much further than either Wet Paint! or Congeriae.
  • The Horsemann (C) should work its way towards Veteris and, once near there, will not chase players much further back than Congeriae.
• At any capture of Congeriae (D), there is a one-in-eight chance of MONOCULUS appearing, spawning over the open lava pit in direct view of the capture point.
• If play continues for more than 6.666666666666667 minutes (400 seconds) after capture of Congeriae (D), Merasmus will appear some time in the next 20 seconds, should the game continue that long.

• 

  The Horseless Headless Horsemann

• 

  MONOCULUS

• 

  Merasmus the Magician

Strategy

Main article: Community Brimstone strategy

See also: Community Mann Manor strategy for Horseless Headless Horsemann

"Go on, pretend Merasmus isn't even here." (see General Merasmus Strategy) General mechanics for dealing with or exploiting the monsters on other maps apply here as well. However, even if there may be various tactical reasons to attack certain monsters, in general no objectives or achievements are to be gained by attacking the monsters in any form. The monsters are there only as distractions and disruptions, adding chaos and spontaneity to the holiday theme. Player's interaction with the monsters should be avoiding monster damage to their own team while encouraging as much monster damage as possible to the other team.

• Neither team can have any reliance on the relatively unlikely appearance of the Horsemann or MONOCULUS. However, Skeletons can be expected to appear at least once in any round, Ghosts are a continuous presence around the cart, and Merasmus is almost certain to disrupt any effective RED defense of the final point.
• "That never gets old!": The better RED's defense is, the more spells Merasmus casts. BLU should rapidly assess any spell effect for any opportunity to break a strong RED position. Likewise, RED can see a late Skeletons spawn as a chance to force BLU to give up ground.
• "It's so beautiful!": RED should take some care jumping "into the light" at the last point; on the one hand, leaving the underworld to BLU grants them access to powerful spells that can blast through the final defense, but on the other hand, rushing into the light en masse effectively abandons the final defensive position. BLU should judge if any large number of RED players rushing into the light is an opportunity to advance the cart or to wipe out under-protected Sentry Guns and Dispensers.
• "What goes around comes around.": Earlier Horsemann or Skeleton spawns tend to disrupt RED's defense while later spawns tend to attack BLU from behind.
• "How are we for time?": The late appearance of Merasmus is particularly disruptive to the RED defense and Merasmus will spare no Sentry Guns.
• "Biggy Wiggy": As time runs out on the Tiny Melee Curse, the player should stay away from walls, carts, objects, and uneven ground to avoid the crushing death at the end of the spell.

Update history

October 21, 2016 Patch (Scream Fortress 2016)

• Brimstone was added to the game.

October 25, 2016 Patch

• Fixed RED players getting inside BLU's 2nd forward spawn.
• Fixed skull's teeth in hell being non-solid.
• Fixed hell's coffin tune and tiny spell song sometimes playing to the next round from previous round.
• Fixed some players dropping into hell's lava in rare cases.
• Fixed big pumpkin in RED 2nd base being non-solid.

November 2, 2016 Patch

• Fixed exploit where players could get under the map near BLU starting area.
• Fixed exploit where players could get out of the map near graveyard.
• Fixed exploit where players could enter RED base as BLU.
• Fixed some skeletons running into lava when there are no enemies in Hell.
• Fixed medieval tiny spell & other Merasmus voice spells lasting too long for some players.
• Fixed big ghost getting stuck when map ends.
• Fixed a spot where players could get stuck if entering it under the Minify spell.
• Fixed another case of non-solid pumpkin.
• Tuned respawn time for RED team at last area.

October 26, 2017 Patch

• Players now crit and healthboost when exiting the Hell area instead of just ubercharge.
• Increased slightly RED team respawn time on the last area.
• Fixed the coffin music playing into the next round from previous one.
• Fixed Monoculus sometimes getting stuck to certain locations.
• Fixed players sometimes getting stuck to other players in Hell area.
• Adjusted preferred nav-path for Merasmus to prevent him going into RED final base.

October 25, 2018 Patch

• Fixed a bug where players could spam "escaped from underworld".

Gallery

• 

  Brimstone's workshop map icon

• 

  The hidden island in Hell

• 

  Damage graph showing the number of players vs. the Horsemann's health

• 

  Blutarch Mann's Grave on Hell Island

• 

  Blutarch's minecart model used to show the tombstone

• 

  Models for the Ghost animations, hidden in the Grey Gravel building

See also

The Redmond Cycle:

• Helltower, Redmond is taken to Hell.
• Gorge Event, Redmond has escaped from Hell with his coffin; BLU assaults his mansion to send him back.
• Brimstone, Redmond is taken back to Hell.

The Stone™ Series:

1. Hellstone
2. Brimstone
3. Gravestone