Offclasses (competitive)

This article is for competitive play, based on the standard community competitive format.
The community competitive scene changes frequently. Some or all info may be outdated.

The standard competitive lineup has two slots designated for utilities. These are meant to give the team agency independent from the combo and provide situation-specific support by capturing points, getting picks, and/or controlling flanks or otherwise vital areas.

Utility players usually play scout most frequently by a wide margin, especially for mid fights and back-caps. Of all members of the standard competitive lineup, utilities generally change classes most, usually doing so to get a specific advantage during a final point standstill with a "situational" utility class. For some strategies, the pocket slot might switch to a situational utility class.

Scout

Main article: Scout (competitive)

Scout has the most versatility of the utility classes, and it is not uncommon for a utility player to go an entire match without switching out of scout.

Scout Advantages

• Usually reaches mid quickly.
• Can quickly capture points alone and in pairs.
• Quickly and easily moves between areas and levels of elevation, allowing for quick flanking.
• Has strong deathmatch capability at close-mid range and can use mobility to survive at mid-long range, both with relatively little healing.
• Has high damage output and many options when attacking, allowing for quick surprise picks and successful chasing.

Scout Disadvantages

• Is generally ineffective at long range.
• Contributes little to spam.
• Has trouble approaching well-guarded areas when there aren't open flanks.
• Usually can't hold a small area for very long when under fire.

Situationals

Based on map and game status, some classes can provide unique benefits over scout sufficient to make a class change worthwhile. Utility classes other than scout are oftentimes chosen based on the skills and preferences of the player, as very few situations occur wherein one situational utility is clearly a better choice than all others.

All situational utilities have the following drawbacks:

• Usually becomes suboptimal once the situation changes.
• Cannot get to mid as fast as scout.
• Cannot cap as fast as scout.
• Causes the other scout to lose his partner, giving him less survivability and flanking options.

Sniper

Main article: Sniper (competitive)

Sniper is the most common situational utility. He can be effective even if opponents are aware of and/or completely expect him, a rarity for situationals. He is an ideal choice when enemies are forced into open spaces, like most yards and the final points of maps like granary and yukon.

Sniper Advantages

• Can provide area denial/support.
• Can contribute immediately upon gaining vision of enemies.
• Rarely has to sacrifice himself when going for picks if someone watches his back.
• Can instantly pick medics with either uncharged headshots or full-charged bodyshots.

Sniper Disadvantages

• Suffers somewhat long transit times wherein he risks being ambushed.
• Has relatively poor deathmatch.
• Has trouble dealing with enemies coming from multiple directions/routes.
• Is generally less helpful for capping points, especially back-caps.

Heavy

Main article: Heavy (competitive)

Heavy is used most commonly to defend a final capture point, especially if he has team mates that are dead or respawning. He is ideal when mobility is a bottom priority and the team needs firepower to hold an area.

Heavy Advantages

• Can act as an emergency pocket if both soldiers are dead or out of reach.

• Is very good at taking out enemy scouts going for the medic.
• Makes an ideal defensive Über target because his ammo type and hit points alleviate the need to reload or go for cover as the Über is ending.

• Can defend a point with little support firepower.

• Suppresses scout rushes and back-caps with hitscan spread damage.
• Can physically stand on a point to block capture for a relatively long time.
• Can knock back rocketjumpers away from the point.

Heavy Disadvantages

• Has extremely slow travel time.
• Is prone to ambushes because of rev time.
• Is too slow and unwieldy to go for picks or do cleanup in most situations.
• Usually requires frequent medic attention.
• Is an easy target for snipers, spies, and kritzed explosives.
• Is very poor at patrolling multiple areas or going for/stopping a surprise back-cap.

Engineer

Main article: Engineer (competitive)

Engineer is a common choice when a team needs to defend a point and has some time to establish a nest. Unlike heavy, an engineer can usually avoid kritzed explosives and sniper fire, and his sentry gun can react to flanking scouts almost instantly. He is especially favorable in attack-defend maps with setup time, like gravelpit.

Engineer Advantages

• Has the strongest scout area denial when his level 3 sentry gun is up.
• Can knock back rocketjumpers without putting himself at risk.
• Can provide health and ammo to his team in areas where pickups are rare (most final points).
• Can defend against kritz comparatively well.

Engineer Disadvantages

• Requires extensive preparation time.
• Can be overwhelmed by a demoman quickly.
• Becomes much less effective once his buildings are destroyed or when his team no longer needs to defend the area.

Spy

Main article: Spy (competitive)

Spy is most helpful for breaking stalemates, particularly during final point standstills. Of all classes, he is the most handicapped when expected or spotted before striking. Because of this, spy is generally used sparingly, oftentimes to sacrifice himself to get the enemy medic in areas where a sniper can't get a clear shot. He is considered unfavorable when immediate efficacy and combat potential are high priorities.

Spy Advantages

• Can get picks with little or no support.
• Can reach targets that are behind cover.
• Can take out targets even when all flank routes are guarded.
• Is good for final point back-caps.
• Provides sapper support when team mates are pushing into a sentry nest.
• Can provide focused cleanup by watching enemy hit points and making use of ambassador.
• Can use the dead ringer for various support roles.

• Can absorb crit rockets and grenades for his team mates.
• Can body block pushing enemies going through chokes.
• Can get an enemy demoman to detonate his stickies to clear up a push route or cap a point.

Spy Disadvantages

• Relatively poor deathmatch.
• Takes a long time to set up picks that are usually far from guaranteed.
• Is very likely to die once he is spotted or gets a pick.
• Is prone to suffer from glitches with backstab mechanics.

Pyro

Main article: Pyro (competitive)

Pyro has a very specialized form of damage application and so is generally reserved for very specific competitive situations. His ability to ambush groups and cause them to become dispersed and uncoordinated can be used to set up a push or gain an edge in a mid fight, most famously on badlands. His airblast also sometimes sees defensive uses, especially on final points.

Pyro Advantages

• Provides pressure and distraction with ambush flames and afterburn.
• Can airblast people off of control points and/or high ground.
• Can use airblast to give his team an advantage in spam.
• Can airblast kritzed explosives back onto the enemy team.

Pyro Disadvantages

• Deals very little damage if enemies intercept him before he reaches close range.
• Has a poor approach when encountering enemies head-on.
• Cannot airblast projectiles as fast as enemies can fire them.
• Has unreliable fire particles.