Kill assist

A Kill Assist

“

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

”

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

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

Example

Killer + Assister 

 Target

Consider the example demonstrated in the image

1. A BLU Pyro called Assister is using a Flamethrower on a RED Scout called Target.
2. Assister stops attacking. Target has suffered direct damage from the Flamethrower and is now on fire.
3. A BLU Demoman called Killer places Stickybombs beneath Target and then detonates them.
4. The Stickybombs kill Target. They also happen to kill Killer because he's too close when they detonate.

Result

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

Gaining kill assists

Priority

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

1. Soaking the victim in Jarate.
2. Healing the killer at the time of the kill (this includes healing disguised enemy Spies, even if the healing beam breaks upon kill).
3. Engineers healing the killer with a Dispenser.
4. Lighting the victim on fire, provided they are still on fire at the time of the kill. (The last player to light them on fire gets priority.)
5. Wounding the victim. (The player who dealt the most damage gets priority.)
6. Boosting the killer with the Buff Banner, Battalion's Backup or Concheror.
7. A kill assist may also be awarded to select miscellaneous items, most noticeably when in Pyroland.

Examples

• A BLU Scout has been killed by a RED Engineer wearing the Teddy Roosebelt, while being healed by a Medic. A friendly Soldier dealt damage to the target beforehand.
  • The Engineer is given kill credit and the Medic is given the kill assist. The Soldier gets no points, as simply wounding the Scout is further down the priority list.

• A RED Demoman has been covered in Jarate and then killed by a BLU Sniper, who was being healed by an Engineer's Dispenser at the time.
  • The Sniper is given kill credit and the Engineer is given the kill assist. While Jarate is higher up the priority list, it was thrown by the killer and thus is ignored, giving the Engineer the kill assist.

General

Other ways that you can gain kill assists include:

• Upgrading or restocking a fellow Engineer's Sentry Gun with your Wrench.
• Stunning the victim with any stun-capable weapon, such as the Sandman.
• Airblasting the victim shortly before the kill.
• Marking the enemy for death with the Fan O'War.

Additional notes

• Kill assists are worth half a point and will be counted as a full point every two of them.
• If the person who receives a kill assist is being dominated by the victim, they will get a revenge kill. Similarly, assist kills count as one of the four kills needed to dominate a player.
• A Medic will only receive a kill assist if the player is being actively healed. Overheal, at any stage of decay, does not count.
• It is possible to assist yourself by throwing Jarate and then killing your target or by hitting them with the Sandman's baseball and killing them.
• If the enemy kills himself (e.g. fall damage, the Demoman's explosives, the Soldier's rockets, or the Kamikaze taunt) you'll still receive credit for the kill, but it will not count as a kill assist.
• While Jarate grants a kill assist, Mad Milk has no assist score given to the Scout.
• Kill assists count as a point whilst using a Dueling Mini Game.
• Some hats and miscellaneous items can be credited as being assisted by the player on unassisted kills when using the Pyrovision Goggles.

Related achievements

 Scout

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

 Soldier

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

 Pyro

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

 Demoman

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

 Heavy

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

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

 Engineer

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

 Medic

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

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

 Sniper

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

Update history

September 15, 2011 Patch

• Fixed a rare server crash related to assists

June 27, 2012 Patch

• [Undocumented] Triboniophorus Tyrannus and Alien Swarm Parasite are now credited as being assisted by the player on unassisted kills.
• [Undocumented] Pocket Medic, Cremator's Conscience, Balloonicorn, and Bird-Man of Aberdeen are now credited with assists on unassisted kills.

June 28, 2012 Patch

• Teddy Roosebelt can now get assist credits.

September 4, 2012 Patch

• The Birdcage, Hat of Undeniable Wealth And Respect, and Scrap Pack are now credited with assists on unassisted kills.