Kill assist

A Kill Assist

“

That was doctor-assisted homicide! Click to listen — The Medic on his kill assist

”

A kill assist is awarded to a player dealing a fair amount of damage to an enemy before another team member finishes the enemy off.

Participating in a kill assist will give the player half a point, and may sometimes produce a special class-specific audio response.

Example

Killer + Assister 

 Target

Consider the example demonstrated in the image

1. A BLU Pyro called Assister is using a Flamethrower on a RED Scout called Target.
2. Assister stops attacking. Target has suffered direct damage from the Flamethrower and is now on fire.
3. A BLU Demoman called Killer places Stickybombs beneath Target and then detonates them.
4. The Stickybombs kill Target.

Result

• Killer is awarded a kill because the Stickybombs dealt the last damage to Target.
• Assister is awarded a kill assist for damaging Target prior to Killer.
• Assister is not awarded a kill because his attack was not the one that killed Target.
• The killfeed notification for a kill with a kill assist: Killer + Assister (Killer's Weapon) Target. A zoomed-in view of the notification is featured at the bottom of the image.

Gaining kill assists

Only one player can assist in a kill. The game determines the identity of that player based on a list of priorities.

1. Debuffs
   1. Stunning the victim.
   2. Soaking the victim in Jarate.
   3. Soaking the victim in Mad Milk.
   4. Marking the victim for death with the Fan O' War.
   5. Soaking the victim with the Gas Passer.
2. Healing
   1. Healing the killer at the time of the kill (this includes healing disguised enemy Spies, even if the healing beam breaks upon kill). If two Medics are healing a target, the first to have healed him gets the assist. If the second Medic deploys any type of ÜberCharge to their target, all the assists will still go to the first Medic. Healing via Dispenser does not count.
3. Buffs
   1. Boosting the killer with the Buff Banner.
   2. Boosting the killer with the Battalion's Backup.
   3. Boosting the killer with the Concheror.
4. Other
   1. Wounding the victim within the past 3 seconds. The player who dealt damage most recently gets the assist.
   2. Repairing the Sentry Gun that gets a kill within the past 3 seconds (this includes upgrades and ammo refills, even if the Engineer is out of metal). The Engineer who repaired the Sentry Gun most recently gets the assist.
   3. Provided that none of the above have happened, a kill assist will be awarded to select cosmetic items for any users in Pyroland. If the killer has more than one applicable items equipped, one will be picked at random for the killfeed notice.

Notes

• Kill assists are worth half a point and will only give the player a point once they get two of them.
• If the person who receives a kill assist is being dominated by the victim, they will get a revenge kill. Similarly, assist kills count as one of the four kills needed to dominate a player, or as a point while using a Dueling Mini Game.
• A Medic will only receive a kill assist if the player is being actively healed. Overheal, at any stage of decay, does not count.
• A Medic cannot receive a kill assist if the player kills using a Sentry Gun. Sentry Rockets are an exception however.
• A suicide due to self-action or environmental damage has no effect on kill assists.
• Bleeding, Airblasts, Fire, and the Holiday Punch have no additional priority beyond damage.
• A Medic can assist with killing himself, his teammates, or destroying a friendly building if he's healing a disguised enemy Spy.
• Buildings destructions will only credit Spies who are sapping the building or Medics who are healing the person, with Spies having a higher priority.

Bugs

• Sometimes assists will fail to register.
  • This tends to happen very often for assisters who sets an enemy player on fire.
• An assist via debuffs will fail to register if the killer uses debuffs with a higher priority.
• Weapons that have hit counters on the killfeed (such as the Holy Mackerel and the Hot Hand) will not show highlighted for who assisted on the final blow.

Related achievements

 Scout

Strike Zone Kill or assist kill 50 enemies while they are stunned or slowed.

 Soldier

Brothers in Harms Kill 10 enemies while assisting or being assisted by another Soldier.

 Pyro

Second Degree Burn Kill a burning enemy who was ignited by another Pyro.

 Demoman

Well Plaid! Kill 10 enemies while assisting or being assisted by another Demoman.

 Heavy

Division of Labor Kill 10 enemies with a Medic assisting you, where neither of you die. Kollectivization Get 1000 assists. Lenin A Hand Help 5 teammates get revenge on their nemeses.

Red Oktoberfest Earn a domination for a Medic who's healing you. Soviet Union Get 25 enemy kills where you either assist or are assisted by another Heavy. Spyalectical Materialism Kill or assist in killing 10 cloaked Spies.

 Engineer

Deputized Get 10 assists with another Engineer where a sentry gun was involved in the kill.

 Medic

Autoclave Assist in burning 5 enemies with a single ÜberCharge on a Pyro. Big Pharma Assist a Heavy in killing 10 enemies, where neither of you die. Blast Assist Assist in exploding 5 enemies with a single ÜberCharge on a Soldier. Blunt Trauma Assist in punching 2 enemies with a single ÜberCharge on a Heavy. Consultation Assist a fellow Medic in killing 3 enemies in a single life.

Doctor Assisted Homicide Assist in killing 20 nemeses. Medical Breakthrough Assist in destroying 5 enemy Engineer buildings with a single ÜberCharge on a Demoman. Ubi concordia, ibi victoria Assist in killing 3 enemies on an enemy control point, in a single life. You'll Feel a Little Prick Assist in killing 3 enemies with a single ÜberCharge on a Scout.

 Sniper

Number One Assistant Score 5 Assists with the Jarate in a single round.

Update history

September 15, 2011 Patch

• Fixed a rare server crash related to assists.

January 8, 2013 Patch

• Fixed being able to score assists with yourself in certain situations.