Death Run

“

Oh, zhis is not gut. Click to listen — The Medic on encountering a parkour section.

”

Death Run, or Obstacle Course on certain servers, is a variant of the VS Saxton Hale Mode and Freak Fortress 2, which strongly involves precise player movement, fast thinking, excellent perception, and acute map knowledge. The objective in this game mode is to survive traps and obstacles triggered by the opposite team.

Gameplay

In Death Run, the RED team consists of the "Runners" and the BLU team, usually 1 sole member, is the "Activator". The runners must navigate an obstacle course filled with traps which, when activated by the activator or sometimes triggered by a runner, will instantly kill any Runners caught in its range of effect. The activator can take the form of a number of custom bosses, such as Saxton Hale, or a default character model. When the round commences, the activator and runners spawn on two different sides of a special wall which allows only the activator to view the players on the field and where traps are hidden. On the Activator's side, there are various podiums that, when hit with a melee weapon, will activate a specific trap; these sides may also feature special pads used to catch up with quicker runners. The Runners' side consists of narrow hallways filled with a deadly arsenal of traps which can include crushing traps, dismembering traps, and gas chambers. Many courses also including platforming sections that involve jumping onto small platforms to cross a giant abyss that will either inflict heavy fall damage and trap them in the crevice or, more commonly, kill them instantly.

Endings

At the end of some maps, the remaining runners enter a room which allows them to choose various endings:

• Minigame- The surviving runners and the activator are transported into separate area of the map where a game is played. If the runners complete the objective given, either the activator will be killed or the team consisting of the runners instantly wins.

• Humiliation- The remaining runners are teleported into a room where the activator is helplessly trapped. The runners are usually given a set of buttons which trigger traps that instantly kill the activator, similar to the traps throughout the map. Sometimes a humiliation ending happens as a scene from a movie, where the runners watch the activator die.

• Instant Win- The player is teleported into the activator's side and the runners instantly win. Between rounds, teammates are able to attack and possibly kill the activator, depending on his amount of health. Usually this ending is locked with a code.

• Fight- One or all of the runners and the activator are teleported into a pit where they must fight to the death.

Strategy

• It is recommended to choose Instant Win if you are the last one alive or there is a small amount of players left.

• Many maps contain secret endings, which can be accessed through an easter egg or entering a valid combination of numbers on a keypad.
• Some maps simply cause the runners to win without any special endings upon reaching the end.

• Pay attention to sprays throughout the map, for most experienced players use sprays to mark both breakable floors and traps which are impossible to escape from.

• Many maps have breakable floors to prevent rushing, so always be careful when walking through normal looking walkways. It is recommended to hit the floor with a weapon to avoid mistakes.

• Some maps have a gate or wall which opens only when the activator has used a certain trap or has gotten through a part of the map to prevent rushing.

• Always look for easter eggs, which are usually very well hidden and require skill to access. Some can be beneficial, however most are aesthetic and can be things such as music or a special effect on the player who activated it.

• Both Bonk! Atomic Punch and Übercharge allow you to survive crushing traps and a few exploding traps, but watch out for knockback and traps that drain health.

• Some maps have a "Deathwall", a special 'trap' which appears when a certain amount of time has passed and slowly traverses through the map killing anyone slow or delayed enough for it to meet up with it.

• Many maps have a section with passageways, which only one is safe to pass. Always wait for somebody to show you the door to prevent using invalid advice. If you know that the "Kill-Doorway" has an activation button which causes it to change the door which kills you, think before going through the door everyone else has recently entered, as the activator may use it when enough people go through the correct door.

• Most servers disable all primary and secondary weapons that can inflict damage. Try to equip melee weapons that increase your speed to rush through traps.

• Most servers disable the usage of Scouts, unless the map is large enough for the activator to easily catch them should they rush. The Medic is the next fastest class, excluding the Escape Plan Soldier and Chargin' Targe Demoman, etc.

• It is recommended to equip a Sandvich or Dalokohs Bar/Fishcake while playing as a Heavy to restore health. This is also helpful for surviving traps that drain health.

• As a Medic, you can heal a player stuck in an enclosed trap by using the Amputator. You can also Ubercharge to help yourself and your patient to potentially survive an explosive trap.

• As a Demoman, take advantage of the Chargin' Targe to speed through long traps other classes wouldn't be fast enough to pass. However, you must be extra careful about breakable floors and holes when charging. Consider equipping the Persian Persuader to increase your charging speed, or the Claidheamh Mòr if you don't have one.

• As a Spy, you can use your Invisibility Watch/Enthusiast's Timepiece to rush the map. You can also use your Dead Ringer's explosive damage resistance to survive traps other classes normally wouldn't. Mind that many servers have disabled the Invisibility Watch/Enthusiast's Timepiece.

• As a Soldier, use your Escape Plan to travel faster through the map, but watch out for falling damage. It is also recommended as well to equip a Buff Banner to slow down in platforming sections.

• As a Soldier, using the Disciplinary Action can help you or another person rush with a higher chance of success, but it is often looked down upon due to it often being used before players begin a platforming section, ultimately causing them to fail and most likely die because of the Soldier.

• As a Spy, when you're cloaked in front of a trap, you can run in a little circle so the activator hears the footsteps and thinks you are passing by the trap, and the activator should hopefully activate the trap without killing anyone.

• If there are no other options, it may beneficial to sacrifice a player in order to spring a trap and spare the lives of the rest of the runners. Generally Heavy and Soldier players are good picks for this role, as they have bigger health pools than the other classes and may be able to survive the traps.

• Some maps disable weapons altogether, you can instead trick the activator by jumping in and out of the trap, or by rushing the map while the activator focuses on the bulk of the team.

• "Freerun" refers to a round where no traps will be activated, normally to get to the minigame option on the map.

• Be sure to Crouch jump (Ctrl + Space) instead of jumping, as most jumping based obstacles are too far apart for simple jumping to suffice.

Server settings

Some servers only let players choose Sniper as their role. It is because of:

• Scout: He has too much speed. He has double jump.
• Soldier: He can rocket jump.
• Pyro: He can do a flare jump.
• Demoman: He can do a stickybomb jump.
• Heavy: His speed is very low. Also he has a large health pool.
• Engineer: He can do a sentry-rocket jump.
• Medic: He can heal teammates.
• Spy: He can cloak.

The reason of why Sniper isn't banned:

He has 100% normal movement speed. He also has no weapons that can increase his speed / give buff to his teammates. Moreover, his health pool is normal.

See also

• Freak Fortress 2
• VS Saxton Hale Mode
• The Hidden