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 force of Team Fortress 2. His class itself is a heavy weapon — big, slow, tough, and powerful; players can wade into battles 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.

Quick tips

• Hurry through any open areas. You're the favorite target of Snipers. Consider jumping up and down or quickly crouching to throw off their aim.

• Look out behind you! Any competent Spy will invariably attack you at some point during a game. Listen for the de-cloaking sound and check your back whenever it is safe to do so.

• Use lunchbox items behind cover — you're completely helpless during the four seconds it takes to get their effects. Try to position your back against a wall to prevent opportunistic Spies from backstabbing you.
  • You can press your secondary-fire button (right-click by default) to throw your food items to someone else, like your Medic.

• Consider arming the Fists of Steel while crossing open areas or to distract Sentry Guns.
  • Optionally utilizing the Buffalo Steak Sandvich and taking advantage of the Fists of Steel's protection to charge through a contested area.

• If you have a Medic healing you, keep them protected by staying in front of them and blocking attacks meant for them.

• Pick up ammo often. Though 200 seems like a lot, your Minigun fires ten rounds per second, and will deplete your ammo in 20 seconds.

• If you see enemies at medium to long range, fire a burst at them and then change position. The longer you stay still trying to chip away at their health, the more likely you are to be killed by a Sniper or Spy.

• Keep moving! If you stay in one place for too long, enemies will remember where you are and target you.

• Consider equipping the Gloves of Running Urgently, the Eviction Notice, or the Buffalo Steak Sandvich to reach the front lines faster.
  • Keep in mind that the Buffalo Steak Sandvich will cause you to only be able to use your melee weapons, and it will not heal any health.
  • Also keep in mind that both the Gloves of Running Urgently and the Eviction Notice will drain your max health over time to a minimum of 100 while deployed, so be sure to holster them when you are sure that you can reach the frontlines at Heavy's normal speed so you can restore all the drained health back over time and have enough to survive in combat.

General

• As the class with the most health, the Heavy is capable of absorbing a lot of damage before going down. This endurance can allow him to stay on the front lines longer than other classes. Use this to distract the enemy and take pressure off wounded teammates.
  • However, remember that due to the Heavy's slow speed and large hitbox, it's also far easier for players to cause severe 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.

• Beginner Heavy players should aim to develop the mentality that they will automatically retreat no matter what when their health drops to around 125 HP (plus/minus 25 HP). As they gain experience, they will be better suited to judge a situation to see if they should retreat early or stay and fight to the death.

Snipers can take out a Heavy with one fully charged Headshot, so keep out of their sights! If forced to traverse Sniper sight-lines, jump and crouch regularly to throw off their aim. In tighter spaces, weaving left to right while crouching regularly as you turn can also throw off their aim.

• With 300 HP, the Heavy is capable of being overhealed up to 450 HP, which can allow players to absorb even more damage. A Heavy with a Medic is easily one of the most powerful combinations in the game.

• Being the slowest class in the game and lacking any advanced mobility options, the Heavy usually has top Teleporter priority. In the absence of Teleporters, it is important to plan your route ahead so as to not waste time by going the wrong way.
  • It's also viable to use the Gloves of Running Urgently to get to the frontline quicker if there is no Teleporter, but you will lack a reliable melee weapon.

• 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 lull 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. While still extremely powerful during a push, Heavies are most effectively used in defensive situations, as they can easily suppress enemy movements and help break up pushes.

• A Heavy standing next to a Dispenser, health/ammo pickups, or pushing the Payload cart can get a constant supply of ammo and health, letting players fire their Minigun continuously without the need for additional ammo or a Medic.

• Watch out for an enemy-colored laser dot. Though Heavies have a large health pool, one well-placed Sniper headshot can take them down instantly.
  • Firing the Minigun at Snipers may not do much damage, but will cause them to flinch unless they have the Cozy Camper and are at full charge, ruining their aim. However, a good Sniper may still be able to land a headshot, so jump and crouch regularly to throw their aim off, but be aware that crouching will cause you to stay stationary for as long as you are crouched.

• Heavies are high-priority targets for Spies. Check your back before spinning up your Minigun.
  • Because of the Minigun's wide spread, firing occasionally out in the open can hit and reveal a cloaked Spy. This allows players to Spy-check over longer distances.
  • The Huo-Long Heater on a Payload can also help in this case, but a good Spy will jump before backstabbing to avoid the ring of fire, so Spy-checking is still important.

• When firing any of his primary weapons, a Heavy's bullets actually originate from his head, not his gun barrel. This mechanic can be used to fire "through" solid objects that reach up to the Heavy's neck, allowing you to deal considerable damage to enemies from behind cover. As an additional bonus, this will also make your profile much lower, generally giving you a bit more survivability. Remember that Snipers can still headshot you, though. ^{[citation needed]}

• Pushing the cart in Payload games can be quite effective if there are teammates to support the push. Use the cart as cover and shoot from behind it. The cart acts as a moving Dispenser, and health and ammo will be replenished automatically, increasing the Heavy's already impressive endurance.

• Take care of Medics! A Heavy/Medic pair can be a devastating force, but only if the two of them work together. Remember that a Medic usually has other teammates to worry about besides a Heavy, so be observant of when the Medic is and isn't healing you. Be sure to throw your Sandvich to your Medic if he is low on health. You can also block incoming projectiles for your Medic if necessary.
  • You can block more damage by equipping the Fists of Steel.

• Communication is the key! Keep communicating with your Medic to reduce the chance of getting separated. This can also help with ÜberCharge because you can tell your Medic when to deploy it so that it is not wasted.

• Patience is important - although it may be tempting to rush into the front lines with your team, your slow speed and large profile makes you an easy target. It may be worth waiting in an area where you can ambush the enemy team if you feel like they're pushing forward.

• Lunchbox items such as Sandviches cannot be eaten when the Heavy is airborne or swimming. However, they can still be thrown with secondary fire.

• To compensate for the speed reduction during the primary weapon's spin-up time, run towards the spot you intend to fire from. Before reaching that spot, jump to keep momentum, and hold the fire button to start the spin-up. You will land on your intended spot, and begin firing; this will give some extra distance to your targets. This is also most useful when firing around corners.
  • You can also Crouch-jump to jump a further distance or just make yourself a smaller target in mid-air.

Weapon Specific

Primary Weapons

Minigun + reskins

Weapon	Kill Icon	Ammo	Damage
		Carried	Point Blank	Medium Range	Long Range	Critical
Stock Minigun		200	50-54	5-30	5-10	27
Promotional Iron Curtain

• At close range, the Minigun can easily tear through the health of most classes, but at range, the high spread of the weapon renders it useless for distant engagement.

• Knowing when not to fire is key to good Heavy play. Wasting ammo whittling away long-range targets or on ÜberCharged pairs will leave players without their Minigun at a crucial point.

• Remember that holding the Alternate-Fire button (right-click by default) will keep the Minigun spun up and ready to shoot at a moment's notice; taking up station in strategic defensive positions and staying spun up is often an excellent alternative to attempting an assault as a Heavy.
  • Remember that spinning up the Minigun will greatly reduce movement speed as well as emit a distinctive sound. Attentive enemies will know that you are nearby.
  • Jump and tap the alternate fire button to move at near-full speed while still being able to spin up quickly.

• Mouse tracking speed doesn't decrease when the Minigun is spinning. Setting the mouse to a high sensitivity can allow players to quickly lock on to moving targets.

• One of the keys to using the Minigun effectively is learning to jump and spin up at the same time. Use this when going around corners to ambush the enemy.

Natascha + reskins

Weapon	Kill Icon	Ammo	Damage
		Carried	Point Blank	Medium Range	Long Range	Critical
Unlock Natascha		200	32-36	5-20	3-10	20.25

• Natascha fires the bullets that greatly slow any enemy hit for a brief period of time, but the slowdown effect decrease over distance. In addition, the user receives 20% damage resistance when spun-up, but only if the player received enough damage to go below 50% health, similar to the Brass Beast. As downsides, The Natascha has a 30% increased spin-up time and deals 25% less damage compared with the stock Minigun.

• Natascha changes Heavy's role from the spearhead of the team to a team player, making enemies easier for teammates to hit. Adjust your strategy accordingly.

• Natascha is particularly effective against faster classes (such as the Scout), since it counteracts their speed advantage by inhibiting their movement. Use Natascha to prevent speedy classes from reaching cover or dodging your shots, making them easier to pick off.
  • Natascha's slowing effect 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 down Demomen who use the Chargin' Targe, Splendid Screen, or Tide Turner to charge.
    • Slowdown negates a charge, which can stop a Demoman's assault in his tracks, allowing you to counterattack.
  • Natascha can be a better choice than the Minigun for dealing with Spies, reducing the chance of an enemy Spy escaping after a successful Spy-check.

• When working with a teammate on defense, such as a Demoman, Soldier, or Minigun-wielding Heavy, Natascha can make Scouts, Pyros, and Medics easier targets for slow-moving projectiles and allows other Heavies time to spin up their guns.

• You gain a 20% damage resistance when spun up and received enough damage to go below 50% health. This effectively gives you 337 health when not overhealed and revved up. However, the resistance will not come into effect until below 50% health, meaning that even if you are fully overhealed, you can still be killed instantly by a fully-charged Sniper Rifle headshot.
  • While still does not provide protection from high bursts, Dalokohs Bar can be used in junction with Natascha to heighten this 50% health trigger by a bit increasing your max health also providing overheal, giving you time to react and retreat when needed.

• Because of Natascha's damage penalty, it's best to avoid fighting Heavies that are wielding a different primary weapon (especially the Brass Beast), or an Engineer's Sentry Gun, unless a Medic is providing support or teammates are nearby.

• The slowing effect makes the Heavy more frustrating to fight, giving him a much larger presence in battle, and can be very effective at giving suppressive fire.

Brass Beast + reskins

Weapon	Kill Icon	Ammo	Damage
		Carried	Point Blank	Medium Range	Long Range	Critical
Craft Brass Beast		200	60-65	6-36	5-12	32.4

• The Brass Beast deals 20% more damage than the stock Minigun. In addition, the user receives 20% damage resistance when spun-up, but only if the player received enough damage to go below 50% health, similar to Natascha. However, this comes at the cost of a 50% slower spin-up time and 60% slower movement speed compared to the stock Minigun.

• Carrying the Shotgun as a secondary weapon is recommended to compensate for the Brass Beast's long spin-up time. This allows players to quickly have a weapon ready to fire in event of an ambush.
  • While seen as nothing unusual, Panic Attack is one of the better shotguns in this situation, allowing you to exploit your perceived weakness to sneak in quick shots on unsuspecting opponents. When enemies see a Brass Beast-wielding Heavy, they will expect to have enough time to take cover while the Heavy goes through a painful spin-up time; the speed of the Panic Attack should easily catch them off-guard.

• Due to the extremely slow walking speed while spun up, this weapon is most effective in defensive situations that do not require a significant amount of movement. For positioning, it's advised to follow Scouts or stick around established Sentry Nests to help defend an area under contention.

• While the slower speed incurred when spun up may sound counterintuitive to a game on offense, the Brass Beast does have some usefulness when playing on the offensive.
  • The ​Brass Beast can be used very effectively at long range thanks to its 20% damage bonus. If the bearer knows how to burst fire at range by leading a small array of bullet groups, it can greatly deny any peekers and deal chip damage with tighter spread.
  • The damage resistance can give a Heavy the precious time he needs to capture a point or stay rooted in for longer, such as when pushing the Payload cart.

• Positioning yourself with the Brass Beast takes a lot of forethought and also a lot of practice to get used to. As a rule of thumb, let the enemy come to you in relatively small spaces; although the Brass Beast will do good damage at longer ranges, you will be at very high risk if you try to take advantage of this due to you being almost immobile.
  • Take advantage of its greater damage potential by guarding bottlenecks and choke points, where the enemy has less room to maneuver and avoid fire.

• In team defenses, try to pair up with another Heavy that is using Natascha. The Natascha-wielding Heavy can slow nearby targets down, maximizing the amount of damage that the Brass Beast can do.

• Make good use of Dispensers with this weapon. The slower movement speed when spinning means it's difficult for players to keep the Brass Beast well-stocked with ammo, as others may take the dropped ammo from dead foes first, as well as making the Heavy an easier target for explosive splash damage.

• With the Brass Beast equipped, enemy Heavies are often less of a threat. If you keep your gun spun up, you should nearly always win against other Heavies, assuming that they don't ambush you.
  • Though enemy Heavies do generally become less of a threat, a Heavy with the stock Minigun can spin up and kill you faster than you can spin up and kill them because of the Brass Beast's slower spin-up time. While your damage output per second quickly catches up with the stock Minigun and surpasses it, Brass Beast's initial damage is still slow due to its slower spin up time.

• Even if you trivialize Heavy versus Heavy fights with increased damage, there's one thing you should avoid, and it's still spraying the Brass Beast at vast open areas without cover. Besides the potential threat of any ambush class having any easy time getting the drop on you (or Snipers blowing your head off), any enemy Heavy with proper Shotgun accuracy can still pelt you if they ever land on your blind spot or at least deal heavy damage before going down.

• The 20% damage resistance while spun-up allows you stay in combat longer. You are still not invincible, though, and with the very low mobility of this weapon, it should not be used outside of defensive situations where you have a lower chance of getting caught out of position.
  • When used with the max health buff of Dalokohs Bar, damage resistance would be more beneficial, triggering early and giving you time to react before anything that could wipe you comes your way.
  • If you are fully overhealed, a fully-charged Sniper headshot will still kill you. Do not become overconfident. Crouch regularly to dodge headshots.

• Hiding around the corner for unaware players is a good way to make a quick ambush. However, the Brass Beast makes a distinctive sound when spun up, alerting attentive players to your location.

• The speed penalty notably makes you even slower than the Payload cart. However, you can use the Payload cart to your advantage by hanging just in front of it, letting it push you forward with it. This can allow you to stay at a more comfortable speed and makes your speed penalty less noticeable. Be aware that since you will be at the front of the cart, this will make you the first target your opponents will fire at, drawing some generally unwanted attention. Use this technique wisely!

• Make sure you have the Brass Beast spun up before your Medic deploys his ÜberCharge, as the spin-up time will decrease the amount of time you have to deal damage on an ÜberCharge. Use the Übercharge defensively.

Tomislav + reskins

Weapon	Kill Icon	Ammo	Damage
		Carried	Point Blank	Medium Range	Long Range	Critical
Craft Tomislav		200	50-54	5-30	5-10	27

• The Tomislav features a 20% faster spin-up time and 20% more accuracy than the stock Minigun. It also features the "Silent Killer" effect of no maintained spin-up sound, though it still has a quiet jingling sound as the weapon is spinning-up. However, this comes at the cost of a 20% reduction in firing speed.

• Because of its silent spin-up, the Tomislav is ideal for surprising foes as they turn corners. Ambushing a foe at point-blank range in this manner results in a very quick, nearly unavoidable kill; they cannot retreat fast enough to escape the finishing burst as you follow them, and they usually cannot outlast the Heavy's health if they choose to fight anyway.

• If you find an area where you can efficiently execute such ambushes, make sure you do not use the same spot each time. Victims of your rampage will quickly warn their teammates, who will bring backup or keep their weapons ready as they approach the ambush zone.

• The Tomislav's rapid spin-up generally compensates for many of the weaknesses of the Shotgun, while also filling in for the Shotgun's role. If your ammo efficiency is good and/or you expect to use mostly defensive tactics, a Sandvich or Second Banana may be a better use of your secondary slot.

• While the 20% faster spin up time is definitely noticeable and allows you to play a more mobile style, you are still vulnerable if confronted by multiple enemies with your gun not spun up.

• Normally, switching to a primary while boosted from the Killing Gloves of Boxing is an inefficient use of the Crit-boost period; the Tomislav is a powerful exception to this rule, as you can switch to, deploy, and fire the weapon less than a second after you connect with the gloves. This is a very effective way to clear an area while ÜberCharged.

• When coordinating with a Medi Gun-equipped Medic, feel free to close the distance more in the early part of an offensive ÜberCharge, as you will have additional time to fire nonetheless.

• Listen carefully for enemy Heavies and their Miniguns; should you engage, you will lose in a head-to-head fight with all but Natascha-wielding Heavies (assuming both of you are spun up and ready to fire and all else being equal). However, if you can catch them up-close and undeployed, you will most likely win — you can spin up faster than they can.

• The increased accuracy of the Tomislav means that it is more efficient at longer ranges than the default Minigun. While not accurate enough to kill targets at long range, it can be used to deplete an enemy's health enough to force them to retreat.

• Use the Tomislav to harass distant enemy Snipers. It can hit more shots with its increased accuracy, causing Snipers to flinch and throwing off their aim. Be careful; a competent Sniper may still land a headshot. Tap the Crouch button repeatedly to dodge any potential headshots.

• While the Tomislav's increased accuracy comes in handy for dispatching targets at longer ranges, the tighter bullet spread compared to the stock Minigun can prove a detriment when tracking mobile targets at short ranges. Consider using the Tomislav against slow, mid-range foes such as Demomen, but consider the stock Minigun against problematic Scouts or when your latency to the server makes it more difficult to track opponents.

Huo-Long Heater

Weapon	Kill Icon	Ammo	Damage				Effect
		Carried	Point Blank	Medium Range	Long Range	Critical	Fire Ring	Afterburn
Craft Huo-Long Heater		200	50-54	5-30	5-10	27	12-18	36 damage over 6 seconds

• The Huo-Long Heater continuously emits a ring of fire around the Heavy that ignites nearby foes while spun up. It also deals 25% damage bonus against burning players. However, the ring of fire consumes 4 ammo per second and is not generated if the Huo-Long Heater is out of ammo, and it also deals 10% less damage.

• It is often best to carry a Shotgun for Heavy's secondary weapon, as the Huo-Long Heater will consume ammo far quicker than the other Miniguns. In the event that you run out of ammo, rely on the Shotgun, but do not try to substitute it for the Heater's firepower. The Family Business is recommended due to its larger ammo clip and faster firing speed. In maps with plenty of ammo boxes, consider using health-replenishing secondary weapons such as the Sandvich instead.

• Focus more on long-ranged assaults with your Minigun fire than on self-defensive, close-ranged attacks. The ring of fire will protect you from close-ranged enemy assaults, though it will not finish them off completely.
  • Do not rely completely on the ring of fire or its afterburn to kill nearby enemies. Unless your opponent is low on health, the flames will most likely not be effective enough to kill even a Spy attempting to backstab, but it may still ignite them, unless they jump over the flames.

• Rely heavily on teammates. Your ammo is more limited than usual, and you will be likely to run out of ammo directly in enemy territory. Teammates will be able to support you in this situation as well as to finish off any enemy ignited by your flames while you focus on key targets, or when you are not spun up as to not waste ammo.
  • A Pyro with any sort of Flare Gun or the Gas Passer and Soldier with a Cow Mangler 5000 can tag targets for you to finish from afar without wasting too much ammo.

• Pay attention to any reserve of ammo nearby. Fallen players' dropped ammo packs will be able to restore your quickly-depleted ammo for a longer assault.

• Conserve ammo as much as possible. It is best to keep your Heater spun up only when in an area vulnerable to ambush or near a source of ammo, like a Dispenser. Otherwise, you may run out of ammo quickly.

• Attempt to get close to enemies. If you are far away from them then they will take less damage from your bullets and will be out of the range of your flames. Pairing with the Gloves of Running Urgently or Eviction Notice can allow you to close into your enemies much quicker.

• The Heavy's own size added to the ring of fire that surrounds him can allow him to act as an even greater defensive figure, able to block off passageways and ward off enemies, while protecting himself from attacks.
  • Playing an ambush-oriented mindset can allow you to put the Huo-Long Heater's full potential out. Always try to get a drop on enemies from the high ground if they're pushing. Jump revving from corners can help you to flush them out.

• The ring of flames you create can also serve as a deterrent for Spies. In particular, those armed with the Spy-cicle will have their Spy-cicle temporarily melted by the flames. Spies attempting to backstab you while you are revved up will be ignited, or if armed with the Spy-cicle, will start screaming as if they're on fire despite not being aflame. Keep an eye out for any friendly players who have been lit on fire — they may be an enemy Spy.
  • Just because you have a ring of fire doesn't mean a Spy won't backstab or try to shoot you. Keep Spy-checking teammates with stray fire.
  • Experienced Spies can sometimes jump into melee range and strike before landing on the ground, scoring a backstab without being ignited by the ring of flames. Continue to stay alert for Spies approaching behind you and spin it up mid-air repetitively as you hit the ground at the cost of a small bit of ammo if you're not comfortable with the environment.
  • Positioning at sloped surfaces such as ramps and stairs will allow you to deter any backstab attempt from below ground. Try to run for ramps with the Shotgun equipped so you won't be forced to spin up at a bad position.

• The ring of flames can also set players on fire if they're behind thin cover. Use this to try to dislodge a stubborn defender.

• This weapon can also be used to defend friendly Engineer nests. Dispensers will give you a continuous source of ammo, and the ring of flames you create will ignite enemy Spies attempting to sap buildings.
  • Similarly, the weapon is quite efficient when pushing the cart in Payload and Payload Race game modes. The cart's ammo supply is enough to keep the weapon spun-up continuously, and the ring of fire will provide protection to you and your nearby teammates who are pushing it.
  • Also, the Huo-Long Heater is very useful on most King of the Hill maps due to their close quarters and smaller map size.

• When taunting with the Huo-Long Heater while spinning up, the ring of fire will still be active and you will still continue to lose ammo.

Secondary Weapons

Shotgun + reskins

Weapon	Kill Icon	Ammo		Damage
		Loaded	Carried	Point Blank	Medium Range	Long Range	Critical
Stock Shotgun		6	32	86-90	24-67	3-26	180

• The Shotgun allows Heavy to stay mobile. Use it in situations where losing mobility is disadvantageous, such as:
  • Fighting Demomen and Soldiers, negating their ability to use cover to hit you with splash damage whilst remaining safe from Minigun fire.
  • Retreating.
  • Picking off a retreating enemy.
  • Attempting to close distance whilst ÜberCharged.
  • Fighting while in view of an enemy Sniper.
  • When getting to Health and Ammo pickups quickly is important.
  • "Bull-rushing" ranged weapon classes to close from mid range to close where the Shotgun excels.

• The Shotgun also provides a ranged backup weapon when you have run out of Minigun ammo.

• If there are multiple friendly Medics on the team, then it may be a better idea to equip the Shotgun over the Sandvich or other edibles, since replenishing health is not an issue.

• Keep in mind that without the Sandvich, players 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.

• You can also try and use the Shotgun to bait reckless enemies around corners if going around said corner with the Minigun is too dangerous or you're low on health.
  • This strategy can be more effective with the Tomislav, as the enemy won't hear you until it's too late.

• Although the Sandvich is better than this weapon in many cases, don't underestimate the Shotgun's power! It becomes very effective in defensive scenarios, especially if friendly Engineers have Dispensers present and Medic support is available, effectively removing the need to carry a source of self-healing. However, you won't be able to drop your Sandvich and provide quick healing for your Medic.
  • If there are at least two Medics on your team, consider equipping the Shotgun instead as they now have access to a quick-healing source.

Family Business + reskins

Weapon	Kill Icon	Ammo		Damage
		Loaded	Carried	Point Blank	Medium Range	Long Range	Critical
Craft Family Business		8	32	74-76	20-52	3-22	153

• Compared to the Shotgun, the Family Business has about ~2.25% less damage per second. This is less important than the reduction in per-shot damage, which means that it takes an additional shot to kill classes such as Pyros, Demomen, and (at ranges other than point-blank) Heavies.

• The Family Business does best at longer ranges than the Shotgun, where its ammo count gives it a notable damage advantage per clip over the Shotgun and the reduction in per-shot damage is less impactful. At closer ranges, the Shotgun's increased per-shot damage gives it an edge against tankier classes, but the Family Business still does more damage per clip.

• Though the decreased damage makes it less useful in direct combat and as an ambush weapon, the increased clip-size and firing speed makes it useful for picking off distant or wounded targets that cannot be killed by a Minigun due to distance or the Minigun's reduced movement speed.
  • The Family Business is particularly useful against Snipers and Engineers; it can throw off Snipers' aim from afar, and the spray of bullets makes it more likely you can damage an Engineer trying to hide behind his Sentry when attacking the Sentry itself is unfeasible. It can also distract Wrangler-wielding Engineers.

• The increased clip-size of the Family Business makes it possible to destroy a Mini-Sentry or Level 1 Sentry from just outside its maximum targeting range. This is technically also possible with the Shotgun, but is considerably harder to pull off, as all the shots need to hit for it to happen, whereas with the Family Business, it's a lot more likely to due to the extra shots counteracting the damage penalty.

• The added clip-size and faster firing speed of the Family Business makes it a superior "Run and Gun" weapon for the Heavy — it lacks the spin-up time of a Minigun, and when running forward, accuracy is often secondary in necessity compared to the rate of fire. In this situation, the Family Business makes for a great weapon for running between objectives, and is a little better than the Shotgun for this purpose. It also is quite handy, in the same vein, for chasing down enemies trying to flee, especially faster classes like Spies and Scouts, since — again — the rate of fire helps a lot more than a raw punch in such a situation.
  • Paired with the Heavy's substantial health, a full-health Heavy can use the Family Business to "bull rush" mid-range specialist classes such as Soldiers and Demomen while firing. As most players expect a Heavy to switch to a Minigun, this tactic can catch many players by surprise (if the distance you need to close isn't too far). The large clip enables you to do significant damage while closing the distance and your large health pool allows you to soak up damage.

• The lack of the Tomislav's firing noise means that the Family Business is a great backup weapon for it — enemies won't have any clue what you're going to use until you start firing, making the Tomislav and Family Business a good ambush combo. While the Shotgun can be used the same way, the Family Business' larger clip size means fewer reloads during a fight and more damage dealt per-clip.

• There are a number of situations where the Shotgun is a better choice than the Family Business, so equip the two accordingly. The higher damage of the Shotgun means that it's much better when it comes to ambushing foes, medium-and-close-range combat (where the Shotgun will typically win a damage race against the Family Business), and for dissuading mobile melee attackers, such as Demomen.

• The Family Business pairs well with the Killing Gloves of Boxing's Crit-on-kill, as the increased clip-size and firing speed means you can deal more Critical damage faster than with the Shotgun.

Panic Attack + reskins

Weapon	Kill Icon	Ammo		Damage
		Loaded	Carried	Point Blank	Medium Range	Long Range	Critical
Craft Panic Attack		6	32	6.3-94	4.2-63	2.1-31.5	189

• The Panic Attack has a 50% faster deploy speed, 50% more pellets, and fires its pellets in a fixed pattern at the cost of 20% less damage, and a bullet spread that widens out the longer it is fired.

• Capable of dealing 108 damage at point blank if all pellets connect, the Panic Attack can deal slightly more damage than the Scout's Scattergun. This can make it useful for ambushing enemies and taking them out before they can react.

• Two pellets will always shoot straight down the crosshair, allowing you to deal more consistent damage compared to the Shotgun or Family Business. However, it is less effective at range due to it's damage penalty and gradual bullet spread increase.

• The Panic Attack deploys 50% faster compared to the Shotgun. This means you can pull it out almost immediately when you are threatened.

• It takes roughly 1.5 seconds for the bullet spread to reset to normal. As such, you can simply wait for the reload animation to begin, and fire again with similar accuracy.

Sandvich + reskins

Weapon	Ammo		Eating
	Loaded	Carried	Health Gained	Duration	Recharge Time
Unlock Sandvich	1	∞	300	4.3 seconds	30 seconds
Promotional Robo-Sandvich

• When eaten, the Sandvich fully restores the Heavy's HP over four seconds; during this process, the Heavy becomes immobile and emits loud eating noises. The Sandvich has a 30-second cooldown after use while below full health.

• Try to use the Sandvich only when behind cover and in the presence of teammates. As the Heavy is completely immobile while recovering health, enemies can very easily kill you while you're helpless. Never eat near an enemy base or near a large passageway, even if your team has full control over the area, as even a Scout can easily kill a Heavy having a meal in the corner of the room. Exposed areas such as rooftops or balconies are not ideal, as Snipers, Soldiers, and Pyros armed with flare guns and other enemies with powerful long range weapons can cause major damage during his consumption.
  • Try to eat with your back to a wall to prevent opportunistic Spies from backstabbing you. In addition, try to stand somewhere where a Spy is unable to use a height advantage to drop down on you.

• Use your secondary-fire key (default key: MOUSE2) to throw the 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 injured teammates quickly recover health. This is especially useful for healing Medics, as they cannot heal themselves as quickly while being damaged, and doing so prevents them from dying and losing their ÜberCharge.
  • Sandviches cannot be used on yourself this way. Picking it up will recharge your Sandvich.
  • Enemies can use your dropped Sandvich(es). Make sure to pick up your Sandvich if your teammates don't use it.
  • It's possible to use a dropped Sandvich to lure injured enemies toward you. Make sure they don't pick it up, though, or killing them will become much harder.

• Be generous with your Sandvich — if you're at full health, picking up even a small health pack will instantly recharge it. If you see a teammate with less than half health and there are no health packs, Medics, or Dispensers in the very immediate vicinity, don't hesitate to toss them some health — your Sandvich will recharge in 30 seconds. By eliminating some time they would have spent backtracking for health, you may have made your next push stronger.
  • This can be used to teammates' benefit when picking up small health packs, as the Sandvich can be dropped for a teammate, and the small health pack picked up to fully recharge the Food meter, effectively turning the small health pack into a medium one.

• Without a fallback weapon such as the Shotgun or the Family Business, you are forced to rely solely on using the Minigun to do damage in open areas.

• By immediately performing a taunt upon equipping the Sandvich, the one-second weapon-change delay can be bypassed, allowing for faster consumption.

• Do not try to hold a Sandvich when enemies are around, especially when Scouts are around, as they gain 75 health from your dropped Sandvich instead of the normal 50 if you die while holding it.

• Remember that your teammates don't have eyes in the back of their heads, and teammates ignoring their health could lead to them charging into battle at low health. You are slower than your teammates, so remember to drop it in front of them if you can. You can use the Gloves of Running Urgently to keep up with them if they are ignoring/can't see your Sandvich.

• A common tactic, especially in competitive play, involves masking the voice line of the Heavy consuming the Sandvich by immediately having him say anything else (usually "Yes" or "No" or more rarely "Spy!") after the taunt is initiated. Enemy players will tend to tune out the stock voice lines and probably won't suspect that a Heavy is nearby chewing away while passing by.
  • If they happen to be already quite close, then this may not work very well.

Dalokohs Bar + reskins

Weapon	Ammo		Eating
	Loaded	Carried	Health Gained	Duration of Eating	Effect Duration
Craft Dalokohs Bar	1	∞	100 and raises maximum health to 350.	4.3 seconds	10 seconds
Promotional Fishcake

• When eaten, the Dalokohs Bar restores 100 HP over four seconds and increases the Heavy's maximum health to 350 HP for 30 seconds; during this process, the Heavy becomes immobile and emits loud eating noises. The Dalokohs Bar has a 10-second cooldown after use.

• At the end of the 30-second time limit, any health over 300 becomes overheal health and will fully drain away in about 7 seconds.

• Somewhat like the Sandvich, the Dalokohs Bar has a cooldown timer after use, but you can recharge it instantly by visiting a Resupply cabinet, picking up your own thrown Dalokohs Bar, or collecting any health pickup while at full health.

• The extra 50 HP allows you 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 hit from the Stickybomb Launcher and Direct Hit when fighting outside very close range. All of these weapons are used by Heavy's most common counter-classes, and the extra health may give you time to finish off your opponent; however, without the 100% healing power of the Sandvich, he may be hard-pressed to find healing without a Medic.

• 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.
  • Since, unlike the Sandvich, the Dalokohs Bar recharges in 10 seconds instead of 30, meaning it can be used more often to heal smaller wounds. Knowing where Dispenser(s) are deployed or where health pickups are is advised.
  • Increasing the maximum health, the Dalokohs Bar also allows Heavy to benefit better from Medium health kits and allows him to guard an area.
  • Small health kits can be spared for teammates with ease at secured areas and you can toss the Dalokohs Bar on top of the small health kit pickup for a filling healing for the next teammate.

• Even though the Dalokohs Bar increases Heavy's maximum health to 350, Medics can still only overheal the Heavy to 450 HP, making the Dalokohs Bar less effective when there are numerous friendly Medics.
  • If you decide to overextend with a Medic, know that Dalokohs Bar can't heal him very much. You have to lead the Medic to the health kit pickup areas safely and be sure he's hidden and well aware of potential burst damage classes surrounding you.

• The Dalokohs Bar can be thrown to heal teammates (equivalent to a small health kit). This can be particularly useful for healing friendly Medics, as their health regeneration will probably make up for the lost healing the Sandvich would have provided, but the faster recharge of the Dalokohs Bar will allow extra uses if you and the Medic are put under constant, but somewhat light pressure.
  • For heavier engagements or for leaving food lying around for teammates to pick up later if needed, the Sandvich is usually a better choice.

Buffalo Steak Sandvich

Weapon	Ammo		Eating
	Loaded	Carried	Buff	Eating Duration	Duration of Effect	Recharge Time
Craft Buffalo Steak Sandvich	1	∞	Increases speed by 35%, turns damage dealt into Mini-Crits, and increases damage taken by 20%. Prevents usage of non-melee weapons for the duration of the buff.	4.3 seconds	16 seconds	30 seconds

• When eaten, the Buffalo Steak Sandvich gives the user the ability to deal mini-crits and increased movement speed by 35% for 16 seconds; during this process, the Heavy becomes immobile and emits loud eating noises. The user's damage vulnerability is also increased by 20% while under the effect of the Buffalo Steak Sandvich. The Buffalo Steak Sandvich has a 30-seconds cooldown after using while below full health.

• Like the Sandvich, the Buffalo Steak Sandvich can be dropped with alt-fire (default key: MOUSE2). A dropped Buffalo Steak Sandvich behaves the same as a regular Sandvich, replenishing 50% of the health of whoever picks it up, excluding the person who threw it.

• The speed boost can be useful in more ways than simple offense; it can aid in scouting and can help get players to their destinations quickly. Note, however, that players are more vulnerable to attack after eating a Buffalo Steak Sandvich due to having a 20% damage vulnerability and being locked to melee weapons for 16 seconds.
  • A particularly effective tactic is to use the Buffalo Steak Sandvich at the start of Arena mode's setup time (or any other gamemodes'); the now-faster Heavy will be able to reach the front lines faster and the effect will wear off as combat begins, allowing players to make surprising offensive rushes and ambushes against lighter classes. However, after the first life, a different lunchbox item will in most situations be more effective, rendering this tactic as a one-time gimmick at the beginning of a round.
  • The speed boost can also be used to gain access to places that were previously inaccessible to Heavies. Some jumps that would normally only be accessible to most other classes can be done by a Heavy under the effects of the Buffalo Steak Sandvich.

• If an enemy is chasing you at a distance, turn a corner and use the Buffalo Steak Sandvich. By using the third-person camera, it's possible to spot the enemy whilst eating and, with good timing, pop out again with a surprise melee attack.

• Make sure not to charge at enemies, because they can still use most of their weapons at range, which can result in swift death when combined with the 20% damage vulnerability.
  • An exception to this rule is in DeGroot Keep, where most enemies can only use melee weapons.

• Many of the Heavy's melee weapons benefit from the use of Buffalo Steak Sandvich:
  • The Fists of Steel can be combined with the Buffalo Steak Sandvich for soaking up the extra 20% damage vulnerability caused by the Buffalo Steak Sandvich's side-effect.
    • Note, however, that if an enemy decides to engage you in melee combat, you'll take 120% additional damage from the attacks, meaning that even/especially a Scout can be very dangerous.
  • The Killing Gloves of Boxing can be useful with this weapon as well, if you get one kill and you still have the effects of the steak, you can use the speed buff to keep up with an enemy, and the Killing Gloves of Boxing's critical boost will be able to 1-hit kill most classes save for a Demoman with the Bootlegger/Ali Baba's Wee Booties and/or multiple heads with the Eyelander, Soldiers, or Heavies.
  • The Warrior's Spirit is another good weapon to use with this because of how much damage it can do. A single mini-crit from the Warrior's Spirit can do up to 132 damage, enough to kill light classes with a single strike and reduce heavier classes to critically low health. It will additionally give you 50 Health per kill, increasing your survivability if you get kills often.
    • Note that this may only work when ambushing, because you will take significantly increased damage (55% more damage taken), which can be very dangerous.
  • Combining this weapon and the Eviction Notice will allow you to cover a significant amount of ground without too much of a health drain penalty compared to the Gloves of Running Urgently.
    • Despite their speed boosts stacking, it may not be recommended to use this weapon in combination with EN due to your steadily decreasing health pool. However, if properly used, this weapon combo can be very effective; you gain 35% extra speed from the combined speed buffs making you a very mobile, melee-based Scout, but with "approximately" more health (because you lose health over time).

Second Banana

Weapon	Ammo		Eating
	Loaded	Carried	Health Gained	Duration	Recharge Time
Contract Second Banana	1	∞	200	4.3 seconds	10 seconds

• When eaten, the Second Banana restores 200 HP over four seconds; during this process, the Heavy becomes immobile and emits loud eating noises. The Second Banana has a 10-seconds cooldown after using while below full health.

• Dropping the Second Banana with alternate fire functions as a small health kit, compared to the Sandvich (which functions as a medium health kit).

• The Second Banana doesn't provide a medium health pack like the Sandvich does, thus making it inferior in terms of team healing overall.
  • However, when eaten solely by the Heavy, it provides a significant boost in sustainable self-healing, even more than the Sandvich due to its faster recharge rate.

• A flanker Heavy playstyle that isn't in gunfire constantly can use this lunchbox item to heal up from firefights where the Dalokahs Bar would have been lackluster.

• It's better to use the Sandvich if you have a Medic due to the Second Banana only throwing a small health pack. Try using it when you are on your own and healing a Medic isn't top priority.

Melee Weapons

Fists + reskins

Weapon	Kill Icon	Attack Interval	Damage
			Point Blank	Critical
Stock Fists		0.8 seconds	65	195
Promotional Frying Pan
Promotional Saxxy
Drop Conscientious Objector
Promotional Apoco-Fists
Promotional Freedom Staff
Drop Bat Outta Hell
Promotional Memory Maker
Drop Ham Shank
Reward Golden Frying Pan
Achievement Necro Smasher
Uncrate Crossing Guard
Promotional Prinny Machete

• The Fists are a fallback weapon and are the Heavy's only fallback weapon if a secondary weapon other than one of the Heavy's Shotguns are equipped. It's also good against any class that is cornered or not expecting a Heavy to engage in melee combat.

• Despite being the slowest class, the Heavy is one of the classes who will often come out on top in a melee battle thanks to his large health pool. The Fists can be used more liberally if you don't want to waste precious primary ammo on classes that can easily go down in two or three punches.

• The Fists are similar to the Medic's Bonesaw; you have a weapon that deals more DPS, but it's better for starting off battles and you have a higher crit chance. Because the Miniguns make a loud and very noticeable noise, it's great for attacking distracted enemies. Even if they notice you before you kill them, you have the Minigun or, against stronger classes where the spin-up time would leave you vulnerable, the Shotgun to back you up.

• Because his other melee weapons either drain your health, make you weaker against attacks or take slower to fire between punches, the Fists are the only one of Heavy's melee weapons that gives you a reliable last resort.

Killing Gloves of Boxing

Weapon	Kill Icon	Attack Interval	Damage		Effect
			Point Blank	Critical	Critical Boost
Unlock Killing Gloves of Boxing		0.97 seconds	65	195	5 seconds -

• In exchange for a slower swing speed, the Killing Gloves of Boxing grant the Heavy 5 seconds of guaranteed critical hits if he scores a kill with them.

• The guaranteed critical hits can be transferred to other weapons as well. Therefore, it's 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.

• The slow swing speed coupled with the Heavy's slow movement speed makes using the K.G.B. a risky prospect. It's best to use them when facing a cornered enemy, or have a Medic to provide constant healing.
  • However, if the Crit-boost can be achieved in tight corridors, keep using the K.G.B. 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 4 or more heads), and Heavies, who will fall if a second hit is landed.

• Using the Buffalo Steak Sandvich can assist in getting the first melee kill, as players will be able to move faster and deal Mini-Crits. However, beware that all damage taken will be increased by 25% 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 a melee kill is achieved.
  • This strategy is even more effective in Medieval Mode, as most other enemy classes will not be carrying long-range weapons.

• While switching to the Minigun wastes more time than switching to a Shotgun, the Minigun deals devastating damage when crit-boosted. Consider switching to the Minigun when taking aim at a crowd of targets or when taking advantage of the lack of damage falloff to "snipe" a long-range foe.

• If a friendly Heavy is using the K.G.B., avoid "stealing" kills against weakened targets, since the Heavy will not be rewarded with crits for assists.

• The K.G.B.'s slower swing rate means that it's more difficult to successfully kill an unsuspecting enemy before they notice. If you're carrying a Shotgun, try softening up targets as much as you can before finishing them off, in case you can't kill them with your melee.

Gloves of Running Urgently + reskins

Weapon	Kill Icon	Attack Interval	Damage		Effect
			Point Blank	Critical	Speed Boost
Craft Gloves of Running Urgently		0.8 seconds	65	195	299 Hammer units/sec
Uncrate Bread Bite

• The Gloves of Running Urgently is a weapon that allows the Heavy to move 30% faster while active in exchange for having their maximum health drained.

• Use the G.R.U. to reach the front lines faster and keep up with teammates, but make sure to know where the frontlines are so as to switch away on approach and be free of the Health drain upon arriving at the fight.
  • The G.R.U. can also be used to escape losing combat situations. This can allow players to survive and rendezvous with teammates to continue the fight, rather than be killed and forced to respawn.
  • Dodging enemy fire is also more effective when using the G.R.U., since players can use the increased maneuverability to actively dodge projectiles as well as make it more difficult to aim Hitscan weapons.
  • Remember that the Buffalo Steak Sandvich's speed boost does not stack with that of the G.R.U. A Heavy under the effects of both will still only move at a maximum speed of 311 HU/sec.
• If arriving at the front lines with enough health is imperative, put the G.R.U. away partway to your journey there. You'll arrive with more health, while still being able to get there a little faster than normal.

• When under the effects of an ÜberCharge, use the G.R.U. to push in closer to a Sentry Gun until you are close enough to nullify its knockback. The extra acceleration allows players go straight up to a Sentry Gun and use the Minigun's full damage potential, rather than settle for firing at it from longer ranges where the spread makes a Heavy ineffective.

• Beware of the amount of fire you are taking, and consider only using the G.R.U. in a close-range 1-on-1 confrontation.

• The steadily decreasing health pool may sound counterproductive to melee combat, but the increased movement speed makes it much easier to chase down and punch opponents.
  • Additionally, a single critical punch will kill or severely injure most classes.

• Pairing this with the Dalokohs Bar can be very helpful at mitigating the health drain of the G.R.U. Unlike the Second Banana or Sandvich, the Dalokohs Bar will give you overheal if eaten while under the effects of the G.R.U's health drain. This allows you to quickly get back to max health, allowing for longer use of the G.R.U.
  • The Dalokohs Bar will also stop the G.R.U's health drain at 150 health, compared to 100.

Warrior's Spirit

Weapon	Kill Icon	Attack Interval	Damage
			Point Blank	Critical
Craft Warrior's Spirit		0.8 seconds	85	254

• The Warrior's Spirit deals 30% extra melee damage and heal the user 50 health on kill while also increases damage vulnerable from all sources while active by 30%.

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

• This weapon can allow a Heavy to kill a Medic with two punches, Demomen, Pyros and Soldiers in three and another Heavy in four. This can give you a significant advantage when melee combat is imminent.

• This weapon promotes a melee-centric playstyle; the +50 health on a kill from this weapon means that you can engage in melee combat more liberally and win more fights where an additional punch would have been required. Additionally, it can also be used for a bit of quick healing against distracted or cornered enemies.

• Take heed of the rather large damage-taken penalty while active. When wielding this weapon, you instantly drop your effective health from 300 to 210 (245 when using the Dalakohs Bar). While you still technically have more health than a Soldier, you'll still generally need to get the first strike on an opponent, because your damage and their damage will match and you'll only have your comparatively large health pool as an initial advantage, provided you aren't injured.

• The Warrior's Spirit works best as a combo weapon with other secondary weapons:
  • The Buffalo Steak Sandvich is a good item to use with this, because it not only increases your move speed for a limited time, but also grants you a mini-crit boost. Two mini-crits from this weapon will kill any non-overhealed class but a Heavy, who will fall to a third hit. Just be aware that the 25% extra damage you take is very dangerous with the added 30% damage taken increase on wearer.
  • The Warrior's Spirit makes for an excellent choice in conjunction with a type of Shotgun, since it allows you to deal sufficient close-ranged damage to make a melee kill almost guaranteed on low-health enemies.
  • The Warrior's Spirit can supplement the Dalakohs Bar rather effectively. Because the Heavy receives a temporary overheal of 50 extra base health, you can use it before attacking your enemies to increase the damage required to kill you.

• In the event that you are ÜberCharged with the stock Medi Gun, this weapon acts as direct upgrade to stock, since the incoming damage vulnerability normally incurred when using this weapon is inapplicable.
  • A Medic using the Kritkrieg can increase your damage output exponentially. Critical hits from the Warrior's Spirit deal enough damage to kill every class except for another Heavy (Or overhealed Soldiers, Pyros and Demomen) in one punch, while leaving him at the mercy of just a second punch to go down. Take care that you do not charge into battle though, because you will still take increased damage and could easily die.
  • The Vaccinator's ÜberCharges can make up for the damage vulnerability and will still protect you from 45% of the selected weapon type.

• Use the Spirit as a way to bait enemies into close quarters combat. The sight of a Warrior's Spirit Heavy may entice opponents to approach and attempt to kill you, so if you turn a corner and anticipate their push forward, you can very easily overwhelm and possibly kill them before they can damage you too severely.

• The Warrior's Spirit's upside becomes less noticeable or even detrimental when fighting against Scouts, Spies or Engineers, since it will still require two punches to kill any of these classes at full health and makes it riskier to fight them up close where your extra damage vulnerability could be fatal. If there are multiple Scouts, or medium-health classes on the enemy team, another melee weapon could prove to be more effective against them.

• One thing that should be noted about the Warrior's Spirit is that it blocks a lot of the screen, making it difficult to keep track of your surroundings, something of high priority when using a melee weapon. Use it wisely!

Fists of Steel

Weapon	Kill Icon	Attack Interval	Damage
			Point Blank	Critical
Craft Fists of Steel		0.8 seconds	65	195

• The Fists of Steel can significantly reduce the Heavy's vulnerability if ambushed or when attacked while traversing areas. As the Heavy has effectively 500 HP, it's possible to survive fully-charged headshots under certain conditions. Using the Dalokohs Bar, you can survive a fully-charged Machina headshot.

• When retreating, equipping the Fists of Steel can increase the chances of a successful escape. Enemy players trying to finish such a fleeing Heavy will not be able to deal enough damage to get a kill before the Heavy can retreat behind cover or find some health.

• The damage resistance makes the continuous healing given by Medics, Dispensers, and the Payload more effective by proportion.

• 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 protecting friendly Sentry Gun nests against an enemy ÜberCharge.

• 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 the Heavy a much greater chance of success at accomplishing such objectives as damage can more or less be soaked up.
  • Consider standing on top of the cart in order to draw attention to you so you can absorb and heal off headshots and other powerful attacks for your team.

• Make sure not to get into a melee battle, due to the double damage enemies can deal with their melee weapons.
  • Because of this, it's generally a bad idea to equip the Fists of Steel in Medieval Mode, unless there's a large amount of Snipers using the Huntsman or Medics using the Crusader's Crossbow on the opposing team.
    • The Heavy effectively has 150 max health in a melee battle, meaning you can still win a melee fight with the weaker classes if switching to your Shotgun or Minigun would get you killed first.

• A Heavy using the Fists of Steel can be an enticing target for classes that would otherwise use ranged weapons. Baiting an enemy into chasing you with a melee weapon and then switching to your Minigun can be a very effective technique.

• The Tomislav is a good weapon to pair with the Fists of Steel, as you can quickly spin the Tomislav up to take out faster enemies wielding melee weapons trying to take advantage of the double damage melee weapons will inflict on you.

• With the change to the mechanics of the holster/deploy penalty of the weapon, this weapon no longer messes with your switch speed amongst other weapons. Now it only doubles the time it takes for you to switch out from the Fists of Steel. This allows you to bring out the Fists quickly in open areas and give you space to switch back to your primary or secondary weapons when in the safety of cover and/or teammates.

• Eating Buffalo Steak Sandvich will make the Fists of Steel perfect for crossing wide-open spaces or retreating. The incoming non-melee damage will be still less than usual, and you will be able to move faster than the majority of classes. The only ones who can reach you and deliver a melee hit are Scout, Medic, and explosive-jumping Soldier and Demoman. All of them have quite low health, so even a single mini-crit punch is enough to discourage or even kill them. However, beware of shield-using Demomen, as they can easily reach and kill you with a single melee crit.

• Approaching an enemy wielding the Scotsman's Skullcutter, Back Scratcher, Warrior's Spirit, or the Equalizer (at low health) is a bad idea because of how much damage these weapons do. A single crit from any of these weapons will do enough damage to kill you in one shot, even if you're fully overhealed.

Eviction Notice

Weapon	Kill Icon	Attack Interval	Damage
			Point Blank	Critical
Craft Eviction Notice		0.4 seconds	26	78

• The Eviction Notice's improved attack rate makes the Heavy's melee attack faster than even most of the Scout's melee weapons, while dealing roughly equivalent damage. It also gives him a 3-second speed buff with a successful hit on an opponent.

• This weapon attacks 40% faster, but inflicts 60% less damage, making the damage-per-second 20% less than that of the stock fists, meaning other melee weapons are overall more effective. However, the chance of Critical hits paired with the high attack rate means that the Eviction Notice is considerably more effective for beating down a weakened opponent, especially with the Buffalo Steak Sandvich's Mini-Crits and speed buffs. The speed boost of the weapon also means that slower enemies are less likely to get away.

• The Eviction Notice is used to great effect when used to corner, panic, or ambush enemies. Because the Eviction Notice will get off 4 punches in the time it takes the K.G.B. to attack twice, it is extremely effective at taking enemies down quickly, provided you get the element of surprise.

• The higher melee speed paired with the Heavy's natural punch means this weapon can also be effective in "Bull Rushing" players off of cliffs and off ledges, for much the same reason the Scout can — the first instinct of many players when melee attacked is to clear some distance, and the Eviction Notice's rapid punch rate means players will be in that much more of a panic when they try to escape.

• This weapon can be effective in a melee fight, as you will land many more hits than your opponent. Simply hold down your mouse button and back away every time he swings, and move forward between swings. This is especially useful against fast, weak classes like Scouts that could dodge your normal punches.

• Your weakness in melee combat is your speed, but the Eviction Notice's on-hit speed boost allows you to outrun all classes but the Scout and keep up with your opponent. The speed boost can also be used for a quick getaway; hit your enemy once and then retreat.

• Combining the speed from a punch with a Minigun is a risky but rewarding tactic. While you will have less health due to the Eviction Notice's health drain, the punch will allow you to move quicker while the Minigun is deployed and easily move around, away, or towards the enemy at a considerably faster speed.

• Unlike the Gloves of Running Urgently, the speed boost of the Buffalo Steak Sandvich stacks with the speed boost of the Eviction Notice. Use them together to cover lots of ground in a very short time.

Holiday Punch

Weapon	Kill Icon	Attack Interval	Damage
			Point Blank	Critical
Uncrate/Craft Holiday Punch		0.8 seconds	65	N/A

• While remaining a last resort like the other versions of the Fists, the Holiday Punch is notable as it provides the advantage of forcing the enemy to laugh upon a hit to the back or a critical hit; as a result, consider surprising or repeatedly punching enemies in order to gain an easy kill.

• Since the Minigun needs to spin up, the Shotgun is not too powerful, and the Holiday Punch comes with the High Noon taunt, it is recommended you abuse the instant kill ability by taunting upon stunning an enemy.

• The Holiday Punch can be a great ambush weapon if used correctly, and paired with weapons such as the Tomislav, it can be used to immobilize one or more enemies from behind and finish them off with a fast-hitting weapon.

• This weapon can crush Übercharge pushes if you can get the element of surprise. Simply go behind and hit the Medic, breaking the healing beam, and waste up to five seconds of precious time.

• This weapon can almost be seen as a direct upgrade to the fists — while critical punches with the stock fists deal a lot of damage, the Holiday Punch leaves the target completely immobile, allowing you to nearly guarantee a kill. However, it might be less reliable against experienced players, as the laughing can be avoided by jumping, and it is possible to get killed while you finish them off.

• Any Medics carrying the Ubersaw can also benefit from stun-locked enemies. Simply tickle your target, and allow the Medic to strike or taunt kill him for an easy 100% Übercharge.

Kill taunts

High Noon

	Kill Icon	Weapon	Damage	Duration	Details
High Noon		Fists Saxxy Apoco-Fists Holiday Punch	500	3 seconds	The Heavy mimics a quick-draw pistol showdown, resulting in instant death for any enemy in the way.

• The High Noon is the fastest kill taunt in the game, taking only 3 seconds to kill your opponent.

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

• Until the Heavy shouts POW! Haha!, the taunt is completely silent. Using this, it's possible to kill an enemy coming around the corner without them knowing you were even there.
  • Additionally, if you're being chased, you can turn a corner and time the taunt to catch them just as they pass through.

• The High Noon acts as a short-ranged but very wide-hitting Pistol, making it the only kill taunt with range (About the length of one of the shipping crates in Turbine's mid-section). In melee-only Sudden Death, this can provide a considerable advantage.

• Unlike most other kill taunts, the High Noon taunt can 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 taunt attacks in a straight line, so it's possible to aim it through tight spaces and surprise unaware targets. It's 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.

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

Weapon combinations

Example Combinations
Combo			Usage
Minigun	Sandvich or Dalokohs Bar or Second Banana or Shotgun	Fists or Gloves of Running Urgently or 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 40% 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. The Gloves of Running Urgently will allow the Heavy, on the other hand, to get to objectives faster, but will reduce his max health. If neither the Fists of Steel nor the Gloves of Running Urgently will work, the stock Fists can be used in place of them. On 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, but is incredibly devastating at close range. The short spin-up time allows players to switch from the Fists of Steel with minimal penalties, as the Minigun has a fairly fast spin-up time and the potential for high amounts of burst damage. Due to the obstacles a Heavy with this loadout faces, a lunchbox item is preferred over any Shotgun. The Dalokohs Bar is only useful by giving the Heavy extra health in the event that there are no Medics nearby to give a buff, if there are none at all in the current team line up, or to heal 100 HP when injured repeatedly thanks to its quick recharge rate. The Second Banana is an alternative option that recharges just as quickly allowing you to heal 200 HP instead at the expense of being unable to get yourself a pre-combat health buff. The Sandvich is much more useful for healing supporting Medics, and other teammates to guarantee longer survivability for all, and since you can gather more Sandviches by running over medkits at full health, there will be times where you will almost have an infinite supply of Sandviches, depending on the map, the locations, and the frequency of said medkits. The Shotgun can prove to be a reliable backup weapon should the Minigun's spin-up rate proves to be too long; it can also be used on the way to an objective if the Gloves of Running Urgently are not equipped. The Shotgun also deals a surprising amount of damage. However, while using the Shotgun, a lunchbox item cannot be held; this makes the Heavy more reliant upon Medics, health packs, and Dispensers.
Natascha	Sandvich	Gloves of Running Urgently	A good offensive-support setup for when facing non-Heavies in close-quarter combat, and when paired with a Medic constantly. Natascha's slow effect can be used to help teammates finish off any particularly fast enemies, and a Pocket Medic allows players to sustain fire even in the face of overwhelming force. While replenishing health with the Sandvich will not always be necessary due to having a Medic along, the Sandvich can be dropped both to keep the Medic alive as well as keep other teammates in the fight if the 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.
Brass Beast	Family Business	Killing Gloves of Boxing 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 players to counter Sasha-wielding Heavies, but its increased spin-up time and slow movement speed means that strategic positioning is required, preferably next to a Dispenser. The Family Business can provide vital secondary fire in the event of an ambush where players cannot spin up the Brass Beast in time, and its choice over Shotgun is due to its overall benefit as an escape weapon. Which melee weapon to use will depend on the type of defense needed. 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 other Fists of Steel-equipped Heavies. The K.G.B. can be used to quickly give players a temporary boost in firepower to deal with offensive pushes decisively. Due to the long spin-up time of the Brass Beast, the Shotgun is incredibly useful for utilizing 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.
Brass Beast	Buffalo Steak Sandvich	Warrior's Spirit	The Hibernating Bear This "official" set is very controversial, since the Brass Beast is a defensive weapon, but the Buffalo Steak Sandvich and Warrior's Spirit are more offensive in nature (though the steak can be thrown to allies with low health). This set is much-used in Medieval Mode, because the Steak Sandvich gives mini-crits, which work very well with the Warrior's Spirit to kill enemies with a few punches. Typically, this set defends with the Brass Beast, and if you need to eliminate enemies without the Beast's slowness, you eat the Steak and hit the enemies with your fists.
Tomislav	Second Banana	Gloves of Running Urgently	One of the best setups for the offensive lone wolf. The G.R.U. allows the Heavy to quickly arrive to the battle, while the quick spin-up of the Tomislav eliminates the need of the Shotgun, and allows the Heavy to use cover, shoot a few rounds, and then retreat behind cover to heal with the Second Banana, which can be done repeatedly when in need due to its much quicker recharge time compared to the Sandvich. Do note that the slower firing speed makes it a bad choice against other Heavies, so if Minigun/Brass Beast Heavies are encountered, the Tomislav-wielding Heavy should quickly retreat or attempt to take advantage of their longer spin-up time. Due to the silent spin-up of the Tomislav, this build could also be used for flanking enemies and catching them off guard. Use the GRU and various side paths in order to maneuver behind enemy lines, use the Second Banana to heal any damage taken while flanking, then use the Tomislav in order to attack lone enemies from behind or from the side. If performed successfully, the enemy won't have enough time to mount a successful counterattack, often getting killed before they can even react.
Minigun or Tomislav	Buffalo Steak Sandvich	Holiday Punch or Killing Gloves of Boxing or Eviction Notice or Fists of Steel	This setup is for a Heavy who likes to engage with his melee weapons, with the aid of the Buffalo Steak Sandvich for increased speed and damage, allowing him to surprise enemies with a couple Mini-Crit punches and retreat before extra fire can be drawn to him, or attack another distracted enemy. The Holiday Punch should be used when you can effectively circle-strafe around the enemy, and cause them to laugh after punching them in the back. Mini-Crits will not cause an enemy to laugh, but do provide Mini-Crit damage, so you must hit them in the back or get a random critical hit to cause them to laugh. The K.G.B. is more of a high risk, high reward weapon when combined with the Buffalo Steak Sandvich, as you have decreased attack speed, but when you do kill someone, you will gain a critical hit boost, which can kill most enemies in 1 hit. The Eviction Notice has a faster firing rate than the regular Fists (and variants), making landing blows much easier, although the damage per second is lower overall. The Fists of Steel more than negate the mini-crits for all ranged damage, allowing you to survive much longer. The Minigun provides a reliable weapon when the Buffalo Steak Sandvich is recharging, while the Tomislav can be quickly fired when the effects run out and is great for switching from melee combat. This setup should not be used for direct combat if you are the only Heavy on your team and lack a Medic, as when the enemy sees a Heavy, they almost always direct their fire to him.
Tomislav	Family Business	Eviction Notice	Black Market Business The Black Market Business set trades some of the Heavy's sheer firepower for the ability to ambush and flank foes more effectively. The faster spin-up time of the Tomislav allows you to quickly engage or disengage from combat, while the silent spin-up bonus allows the player to quietly wait around corners or chokepoints and ambush enemies as they pass by, rather than fighting enemies head-on; a compensation for its 20% reduction in firing speed. The Family Business can be used to finish weakened enemies outside of the Tomislav's range, be used as an escape weapon, or to provide cover fire when crossing open ground. The Eviction Notice can be used to quickly dispatch unsuspecting Scouts and Medics from behind. Beware of Minigun, Natascha, or Brass Beast-wielding Heavies, however, as they will be able to quickly overpower you with their primary weapon. With no Sandvich to heal yourself, always make sure that a Medic or medkit is nearby.
Huo-Long Heater	Shotgun or Family Business or Panic Attack	Gloves of Running Urgently	A set for Heavies on an offensive push. The Huo-Long Heater is an excellent weapon for clearing out tunnels or congested areas, as the fire it creates will drive enemies backwards and ignite other Heavies, making it easier for you to finish them off. However, the Heater uses up ammo extremely quickly, so use your Shotgun when engaging a lone enemy instead of wasting precious ammunition, use the Family Business for an increased clip size, but less damage dealt on the flipside, or use the Panic Attack if a close-range rush is incoming and you need a good amount of firepower in a hurry, despite not reaching the clip size potential of the other Shotguns. The GRU can be used to reach contested areas quickly; however, it can be traded for another melee weapon's benefits if the map is small or an Engineer has constructed a Teleporter.
Huo-Long Heater or Natascha	Shotgun or Dalokohs Bar or Family Business	Fists of Steel or Eviction Notice or Holiday Punch	A set for Heavies on a defensive push, also mainly used for Spy checking and ambushing purposes. The Huo-Long Heater, while offensive in nature, can be used as a great Spy checking tool while also doing the Heavy's natural thing. Natascha's slow mechanic can be used in Spy-checks and help teammates in finish any particular enemy. However, the Huo-Long Heater can use ammo quickly, so the Family Business or stock Shotgun can be used for backup when you are low on ammo. Natascha deals less damage at the other Miniguns, so use Shotgun is recommended. The Dalokohs Bar can be used as a more suitable alternative if you want to tank more damage; coupled with the Fists of Steel, it can make you even more of a threat to deal with while enemies try to attack. The Eviction Notice or Holiday Punch can make you more of an surprise predator, if you want to go the ambush route.
Natascha or Brass Beast	Sandvich	Fists of Steel or Eviction Notice or Gloves of Running Urgently	This loadout is preferable for any player who wants to use Heavy in Mann VS Machine, as the slowing power of the Natascha, or the heavy damage of the Brass Beast, allows the Heavy to fill the roll of either team support or tank DPS. Most of the Heavy's points should be invested in his primary weapons, and as such, his primary weapons should do the most they can for him in return. The Natascha allows the Heavy to slow numerous enemies all at once, thus giving your team more time to dispatch enemies. By purchasing Projectile penetration, this increases the number of enemies slowed per tick, as each bullet can hit and slow multiple enemies. On a similar note, the Brass Beast allows the Heavy to mow down enemies with a constant barrage of stronger bullets, at the cost of movement speed. Since the Heavy often sits next to the Dispenser anyway, the lack of movement speed on his primary is negligible at best. Add the Destroy Projectile upgrade to either of these weapons, and you'll see most threats rapidly dwindle in strength against a good team with a good Heavy. The Sandvich and the melee weapons are all pretty much tools of the trade for the MVM Heavy, and thus have no required upgrades. The Sandvich itself is often tossed out to heal the Heavy's fellow teammates, as the Dispenser often keeps the Heavy alive. However, don't feel bad about retreating to eat the Sandvich yourself, should things get hectic. As for the melee weapons, they're used either to decrease damage as the Heavy retreats to safety (via the Fists of Steel), or return to the fight (in the case of Eviction Notice and Gloves of Running Urgently).
Tomislav or Brass Beast	Shotgun or Family Business or Panic Attack	Gloves of Running Urgently or Killing Gloves of Boxing	"Fat Scout" This loadout focuses on running around with your Shotgun of choice, using your sheer health pool to get into close range. The primary is less important to this playstyle, though the Tomislav's slower spin-up time complements the idea of staying mobile quite well. Alternatively, the Brass Beast may be used to suddenly go on the defensive. The Shotgun you use is mostly up to preference, though the Panic Attack's switch speed lets you switch to your melee or primary more quickly. The Gloves of Running Urgently are useful to this playstyle, as they allow you to reposition yourself much faster than you would normally be able to. Alternatively, you can use the Killing Gloves of Boxing to finish fights and give another weapon 5 seconds of guaranteed crits. If using the K.G.B., the Tomislav is vastly preferable to the Brass Beast for capitalizing on critical hits thanks to its much slower spin-up time, but since your playstyle focuses on using shotguns, this may not matter as much.
Unless marked with a †, all weapons can be substituted with reskins.

Cooperative class strategies

 Scout

Heavies are masters of covering fire when on the advance, and this perfectly supplements a Scout's speed. With a Heavy's firepower dealing damage, Scouts can more safely push carts, capture control points, steal intelligence or ambush enemies, and combined with the Scout's own power, can make an ideal pair up.

• A Heavy with a Sandvich can be invaluable to the fragile Scout, especially since it heals him for 75 health instead of the standard 63. If you're both in a secure place and you do not need to use a Sandvich, handing one out to the more easily-wounded Scout can make all the difference when away from a Medic, Dispenser, or supply cabinet.

• Consider using the Natascha while supporting a Scout. Natascha's slowdown effect can more effectively delay or halt enemy pursuit of a Scout on the move, while leaving them more vulnerable to his Scattergun or Pistol, and your onslaught.

• Scouts position themselves in places that also make great spots to attack your enemies from as the Heavy, such as through chokepoints, down long corridors, or generally out of the enemy's sight so they may ambush enemies. Try following friendly Scouts for some ideal firing positions.

• Using the Gloves of Running Urgently can help you keep up with a Scout.

• You have much higher health than a Scout, so if the Scout is inexperienced, you can protect him. This works best if you constantly have your Fists of Steel out, the Scout doing the main damage, while you body block for him. If someone approaches, you can punch them to add extra support.

 Soldier

Together, a Heavy and Soldier duo can make a tough pair, second in combined health only to two Heavies working together.

• The Soldier's Rocket Launcher gives a Heavy-Soldier pair something the Heavy lacks alone: range. Rockets can travel over a long distance, and a Heavy's Minigun tracers can effectively point at enemy positions a Soldier can quickly light up.

• On the offense, being under the effect of a Buff Banner can make a Heavy-Soldier combo devastating. On the defense, a Soldier using the Concheror or Battalion's Backup can effectively make a Soldier-Heavy pair a very formidable wall of HP and projectiles.

• Soldiers lose a good amount of health from rocket jumping, so saving your Sandvich or another food item can be very helpful to an actively rocket jumping Soldier.

• You excel at killing Pyros, who can airblast a Soldier's rockets. Eliminating them allows a Soldier to more liberally use his Rocket Launcher and cause wanton destruction with little-to-no resistance.

• Soldiers are excellent at attacking two of a Heavy's major threats, the Sniper and Spy. Soldiers who are rocket jumping can close the distance on a distant Sniper and easily blow them up. The large splash radius of the Rocket Launcher can also make it difficult for a found-out Spy to get close without being obliterated.

• Soldiers are far more mobile than you, so it will be difficult to follow your buddy if he decides to jump away to a high place or chase down any fleeing attackers. This can generally make working with a Soldier somewhat limited.

 Pyro

Pyros are one of a few excellent distractions for incoming Heavies. The chaos that a Pyro can cause by setting whole chunks of the enemy team on fire can draw attention away from a spun-up Heavy.

• When working with a Pyro, use the Huo-Long Heater. You will deal 25% more damage to enemies set ablaze and can help the Pyro finish off targets who escape from the range of their Flamethrower.
  • A Dragon's Fury and Huo-Long Heater combo is extremely devastating due to the significantly increased damage of targets afflicted with afterburn.

• Pyro directly counters one of the classes you are vulnerable to, the Spy. Pyro is the premiere Spy-checker and can easily take care of a lone Spy once their cover is blown. The Pyro can also deter a Sniper from taking shots at you with the use of their Flare Gun, Detonator, or Scorch Shot.

• In direct combat, Pyros can frustrate the efforts of Soldiers and Demomen with well-timed Compression Blasts, leaving them open to a Heavy's sustained fire.

• Pyros have one main weakness when supporting Heavies, and that is the lack of any real long-range attack capability. Rockets or Grenades that a Pyro cannot spot, long-range Revolver or Ambassador attacks, Sentry Guns, other Heavies and, of course, Snipers all pose major threats to both Pyro and Heavy. This makes Pyro support a strictly close-to-midrange affair.

 Demoman

Heavies can be just as good as Demomen at area denial for specific locations, and their power combined can make for an ideal defense. Pinning down enemies with the spread of your Minigun's fire, while a Demoman throws out a barrage of grenades or stickybombs can easily obliterate any foe.

• Never underestimate the power of cooperation. A Heavy and a Demoman working together can herd enemies into a Stickybomb trap by laying down suppressive fire.
  • The Natascha can make any enemy stickybomb fodder when they are attempting to fall back.
  • Heavy can take care of any enemies who may have survived a burst of stickybombs with his Minigun's wide spread of damage.
• The combined power of both the Minigun and Demoman's Grenade Launcher or Stickybomb Launcher can leave both an Engineer and his buildings under a considerate amount of pressure and may outright destroy a sentry nest under the right circumstances.
• While Demoman carries no hitscan weapons to the battlefield, the Heavy primarily uses hitscan weapons, allowing a pair to cover each other's weaknesses.
  • Heavy can protect Demomen by bodyblocking them in the same way he would a Medic and allow them time to carpet a point in stickybombs or aid in defending them from Scouts or Spies.
  • Demomen can eliminate any enemies from far outside of Heavy's Minigun range, but becomes weaker in comparison in close combat without a sword or boots. You can protect him from close range, while he can take care of any threats from medium to long ranges.
• Demomen tend to take a lot of damage from up close explosives, sticky jumps, or misfires if they are using the Loose Cannon. Be sure to carry a Sandvich or other lunchbox items to give him a health boost when necessary.
• Because a Demoknight can only attack enemies from a slightly larger than average melee range, it's important to protect him from bullet-based attacks and give supporting fire if he cannot finish an enemy completely on his own.
  • However, do be cautious not to 'steal' any kills from a Demoknight, as if he does not get the killing blow, he will not gain a head for his efforts.
• An Eyelander-wielding Demoknight and a Buffalo Steak Sandvich Heavy can make for a great pair when in Medieval Mode. The two together can soak up plenty of melee damage, while moving far faster than normal and can take control of a point in little-to no time with a coordinated attack.
  • The K.G.B. will increase this damage output and allow the Demoknight to rush forward, with the Heavy following behind to finish off weakened and fleeing attackers.

 Heavy

Covering fellow Heavies is imperative for a pair or group of Heavies on the move. Unless you are certain where your enemies will be coming from, check each others' blind spots often and scan for threats. If a single Heavy is a conspicuous presence, a group of them is near impossible to ignore.

• On the attack, deliberate maneuvering and timing are key. Heavies are slow, and if an attack is mistimed or its angle chosen badly, the defense can pick apart a multi-Heavy assault. Cover areas other Heavies are not attacking and come together as one single blow: if a group of Heavies gets flanked, it's hard to stem off being entirely surrounded due to their sloth.

• Consider remembering which Heavies on your team have Sandviches or similar food items and which don't. When away from Medics or nearby Health Kits, passing out food to other Heavies is vital to extended autonomy.

• With a Heavy-Heavy pair, it is a good idea to have a Fists of Steel plus Shotgun Heavy and a Minigun plus Sandvich Heavy. The Fists of Steel and Shotgun Heavy can be the damage dealer if things get out of hand, and the Minigun plus Sandvich Heavy can be the main damage dealer and can help support the Heavy with the Shotgun. Remember that Miniguns have a long spin up time, so the Shotgun Heavy is the one to deal with battles with no time. Even if he doesn't kill the opponent almost immediately, he will have created enough of a distraction for the Minigun Heavy to finish him off.

• Few things are more dreadful than being caught by a Heavy using Natascha for its slowdown effect. High on that list is being caught by a Heavy wielding Natascha while another Heavy employs one of the other Miniguns for maximum firepower. For instance, a Natascha Heavy and a Brass Beast Heavy can be a fearsome defense. Conversely, a Natascha Heavy and a Tomislav Heavy can make good on their pushes by targeting priority targets, like a Medic or an Engineer with a toolbox, and keeping them from escaping.

• Two Natascha Heavies will not have the firepower of their more heavily armed comrades, but a double slowdown effect is death to classes who rely on their speed and reflexes at close range to survive, like Scouts, Spies, and Pyros. Often, it will cause Soldiers and Demomen to be reluctant about approaching you at all. Demoknights will be especially discouraged as they usually need to get into melee range to do the most damage, but neither shield provides any resistance against bullet damage and the slowdown effect instantly negates their charges.

• Whether as a pair or group of Heavies, remember that it will be a field day for competent Snipers. Take cover!

• An effective strategy for attacking on Payload maps is to stack 2-3 Heavies around the cart. The healing and ammo provided by the cart can sustain the Heavy group, and one of the Heavies can stand on top of the cart to act as a moving Sentry for the rest of the group. This strategy is better on Frontier, because the unique cart has more room to stand on. Be careful, however, as opposing Demomen and Snipers can easily counter this strategy.

 Engineer

Engineers and Heavies fulfil the same defensive role in a very similar fashion. Due to the nature of both classes, there isn't a lot of direct help you can do for your Engie buddies. There is still plenty of teamwork to be found, however.

• Heavy's large presence is often enough to distract enemies from a Sentry Gun being placed just around the corner.

• Engineer's Teleporters are invaluable to a Heavy. Being able to get to the frontlines in the blink of an eye allows you to wade into some of the most crucial fights that much quicker.

• Heavies chew through ammo very quickly, even quicker when using the Huo-Long Heater. Dispensers placed in convenient or tactical positions guarantees that a Heavy will never be without their Minigun when it's needed most. Simply standing next to a Dispenser will allow you to fire indefinitely.
  • Enemy Spies can often be found hanging around Dispensers, so watch for teammates that seem suspicious. Additionally, any wayward healing particles that are extending out to empty space may be an invisible Spy topping off his health, ammo and cloak.

• You are like a moving Sentry Gun if you stand beside an Engineer's Dispenser. Telling your Engineer to place his Dispenser just around the corner from a key point, and firing your Minigun at any enemies who may flood in can be a spectacularly effective strategy.

• Heavy may be slow, but his firepower is not a laughing matter and as such they can make an excellent escort for an Engineer carrying buildings to the next point when a Pyro or Scout isn't present.

• If an Engineer is away from his Sentry Gun, it cannot easily defend itself. While you cannot repair it, you CAN guard it in a similar way the Pyro can by body blocking any incoming projectiles and destroying placed stickybombs with burst fire.
  • If needed, stand beside a Sentry Gun if it's under direct fire; your presence will force the enemy to choose between shooting you or the Sentry Gun, and your combined firepower will stop everything short of an ÜberCharge.

• If the Engineer is trying to deploy an Offensive Level 3 Sentry Gun, hang just in front of him and try to absorb a bit of fire that is directed at that Sentry Gun and also help him Spycheck. Most of the time, this can mean the difference between a Level 3 Sentry wiping the other team or you and the Engineer ending up dead.

• Despite your impressive combined firepower, you and Engineer are still vulnerable to focus fire. Snipers in particular love to cause headaches for both Heavy and Engies, so you must always remain vigilant in keeping an eye out for your buddy, and vice versa.

 Medic

The Heavy is the ideal Medic buddy in almost any circumstance; he has a huge amount of health (especially when overhealed), a large hitbox to hide behind, and is usually very effective when ÜberCharged. When coupled with a Medic, taking advantage of these characteristics can help you wade through your foes.

• As a Heavy, most Medics will often come to you for protection or for initiating an offensive ÜberCharge. Be on constant alert for the icon that notifies you that you are being healed and make sure not to put the Medic in a position that could get him killed and by extension, yourself.
• The Sandvich, or similar lunchbox items can be extremely helpful to a Medic, as it will heal him for half his total health, which, when supplemented by his passive healing, can possibly save him from what would have normally been assured death.
• In most situations, the default Minigun is the most reliable primary to use when pocketed; it lacks the slower spin-up that Natascha and the Brass Beast have, the fire rate is faster than the Tomislav, and it does more damage than Natascha or Huo-Long Heater.
• An important part of teaming up with Medics is to always be prepared to protect them, as they are always in danger of being attacked, or killed. Here are some things to keep in mind when deciding to partner up with your Medic-buddy:
  • Medics are prime targets for ambushes from Scouts, Spies, Demoknights, and Pyros. Keep a close eye on your buddy, and cover fire any alternate routes or chokepoints if he is forced to flee.
  • Medics will almost always be targeted first, so make sure that your Medic is behind you or covered at all times.
  • A Sandvich may be far more useful for it's health boost if the Medic player is inexperienced with the class, while carrying a Shotgun or it's variants can be a decent pick with more experienced Medics who can already keep themselves alive well enough on their own.
  • If your Medic is having issues with enemy Snipers, ensure that you are body-blocking him, or that he is out of the way before crossing through an open area where a Sniper could be present. Even if you die from the Sniper, the Medic will still have a better chance of retreating back to the safety of cover, or other teammates.
• Don't be afraid to eat your own food items if the Medic's healing isn't sufficient enough to keep you alive for long. Make sure to retreat to a health pack so that your Medic can top off on health as well.
  • You can also give your Medic your Sandvich and pick up a Small Health kit to recharge it, effectively doubling the amount of health the Medic receives while recharging your food meter.
• The laugh-inducing critical hits from the Holiday Punch can allow the Medic to use the Spinal Tap taunt and grant a full 100% ÜberCharge bar in less than 4 seconds.
• Make sure to watch for when a Medic is and is not healing you. Though you have a very large amount of health, you still are susceptible to focus fire and Sniper headshots, even if fully overhealed.
  • Most importantly, check your back if a Medic has suddenly stopped healing you, or you hear his death scream; a Spy may have killed your buddy and will be right behind you.
• Similarly to the Pyro's Back Scratcher, Medics gain the same rate of ÜberCharge relative to the less healing you receive while the Fists of Steel are equipped as your Melee Weapon. Use this to increase the amount of ÜberCharge the Medic obtains while you are being healed or retreating.

 Sniper

Heavies and Snipers have a surprising amount of synergy, and help to cover each other's weakness to range difference, while also strengthening the effectiveness of both classes.

• Allied Snipers are one of your best friends, as they will most often be the ones that are protecting you from any enemy Snipers who are focusing on you.

• Supporting a Sniper as a Heavy can be as easy as using your large amount of HP and presence to draw enemies out into the open. By giving the enemy something very conspicuous to fight against, the Sniper can go unnoticed until the kills start to stack up.

• Sniper is at his weakest when forced to be in direct confrontation with other classes, such as Scouts, Pyros, and Spies, or Demoknights. Even doing something as simple as killing any of these classes is immensely helpful to a Sniper who is holding down an open area.

• Keep an eye out for, and kill any Spies: Snipers tend to not even notice other players around them while scoped in, especially when using the Cozy Camper or Hitman's Heatmaker while in Focus Mode, and this makes the Sniper a juicy target for backstabs.

• Snipers at mid-to-close range can benefit greatly from suppressive fire. Any class who may have survived a partially-charged shot can be easily finished off by the Minigun's wide cone of damage.
  • This also works the opposite way as well; anything too far away to be greatly damaged by the Minigun can be dealt with by accurate Sniper fire, even if it's not an ideal shooting spot for the Sniper.

• Enemies under fire from the Natascha will be much easier for the Sniper to headshot due to the slowdown effect.

• Snipers with the Sydney Sleeper or simply using normal Jarate can be an effective combo. Since the Sydney Sleeper charges faster and covers targets in Jarate, this can weaken the opponent from long range and allow the Heavy to deal considerably more damage, especially with weaker Miniguns like Natascha or the Tomislav.

• A Heavy and Huntsman Sniper can be an effective pair when positioned down corridors or chokepoints. With the combined power of the Minigun and a Huntsman arrow directly in the head, the pair can even kill an over-healed Heavy faster than they have time to react.

 Spy

As with supporting Pyros, Heavies make a fantastic distraction to draw enemy attention away from a Spy sneaking behind enemy lines. A Heavy who is good at drawing fire and prolonging combat can help keep the pressure off a fragile Spy until it's too late for the enemy.

• Just by existing at the frontlines, the Heavy makes Spy more effective at his role. Coordinating a low stakes skirmish, or fake push is often all the opening a Spy needs to be able to sneak into the backlines and cause havoc for the enemy team.

• Avoid sticking too close to a Spy. Heavies are prime targets for Pyro ambushes, Soldier rocket attacks, or Demoman grenade strikes, and having a Spy damaged as collateral can very rapidly blow their cover.

• Both the Spy and Heavy are excellent at destroying Sentry Guns. If a Spy can simply sap a Sentry Gun, that increases the chances of a Heavy finishing it, or the Engineer off before it can be saved.

• Heavies, with their high sustainable damage are the bane of Pyros, Scouts (when using Natascha), and Demoknights, all of which cause trouble for Spies.

• Spies tend to prioritize backstabbing Engineers, Medics, Demomen, and of course, Snipers, the absence of which allows you to more liberally traverse the map.

• Unsurprisingly, friendly Spies will often be found at low health from explosions, stray fire, or afterburn. Giving them a Sandvich when out of the enemy's sightlines could be the defining factor in whether an enemy Medic dies, losing their ÜberCharge advantage, or activates their ÜberCharge, potentially dealing a significant blow to your team.
  • As tempting as it may be, try not to throw a Sandvich out to a friendly Spy in open areas. Tossing food items around to someone who should be invisible to the other team is a surefire way to blow a friendly Spy's cover.

• Be prepared to do cleanup, a Heavy's Minigun barrage can easily rectify a botched backstab attempt on fleeing enemies.

See also

• Team strategy