Knockback
| “ | Hey, I'm flyin'!
Click to listen
— The Scout
|
” |
Knock back is a side effect of some weapons that pushes a player away from the source of the knock back. In Team Fortress 2, knock back varies from very slight (only preventing you from moving forward temporarily), to extreme (launching you several feet into the air). Knock back can be useful strategically, such as when juggling opponents. Nearly all weapons provide knock back which scales up with the attack's damage, but the effect is very slight and hardly noticeable until the attack's damage approaches ~100. This can be changed for functionality purposes, like the powerful knock back possessed by the Force-A-Nature and Sentry Guns.
Knock back can also be used to interrupt taunting animations (especially taunt kills) and item uses (knocking back a Scout before he finishes drinking a Bonk! will prematurely stop him from drinking).
Sources of Knock Back
There are several sources of knock back in the game ranging from weapons and buildings, to the environment itself.
| Weapons with knock back | Severity of knock back |
|---|---|
| Rocket Launcher rockets | Causes players to be launched through the air. |
| Sticky bombs | Causes players to be launched through the air. |
| Grenade Launcher grenades | Causes players to be launched through the air. |
| Scattergun fire | Pushes players back a bit if the shot was fired point blank. |
| Force-A-Nature fire | Causes enemies to be launched through the air, launches an airborne wielder in the opposite direction. |
| Sentry Gun automatic fire | Pushes players away from the Sentry Gun, can pin airborne targets to a wall/ceiling or send them flying at high speeds. |
| Sentry Gun rockets | Causes players to be knocked backwards a few feet. |
| Compression blast ability | Causes players to be launched aerially backwards for several feet. |
| Sniper Rifle fire | Pushes players back a bit if they're in the air. |
| Huntsman arrow | Pushes players back a bit if they're in the air. |
| Non-lethal Melee weapon Critical hits | Launches players with greater force than rockets, but the strike must be on an airborne opponent or focused upwards from a crouching position. |
| Pumpkin bombs | Pushes players back. Sends them flying if they are caught in the explosion while airborne. |
| Natascha | Focus fire pushes players back at point blank. |
| GRU | Inflicts self knockback which can be used to reach previously inaccessible or difficult to reach areas. Does not cancel own taunt. |
| Instant kill attacks | ÜberCharged enemies are invulnerable to nearly all sources of damage, but substantially powerful attacks such as taunt attacks and backstabs which would kill all normal players, can send invincible players great distances. |
