Heavy (competitive)

This article is for competitive play, based on the standard community competitive format. For the generic article on this topic, see: Heavy.
The community competitive scene changes frequently. Some or all info may be outdated.

The Heavy is considered a situational pocket and utility class sometimes used in the standard competitive lineup. Heavies are valued for their tanking capacity and sustained damage output.

Information

Health

Class	Health	Overheal	Quick-Fix Overheal
Heavy	300	450	376
Under the effects of the Dalokohs Bar or Fishcake	350	500†	426
With the Fists of Steel equipped	300	390	346
With the Fists of Steel equipped and while under the effects of the Dalokohs Bar or Fishcake	350	440	396

^†Theoretical value. Overheal does not exceed 150% of the classes' maximum health.

Speed

Condition	Normal	Backward	Crouched	Swimming
Heavy	77 %	69 %	26 %	61 %
Any of the Heavy's Primary weapons spun up, except the Brass Beast	37 %	33 %	0 %	29 %
Brass Beast spun up	15 %	15 %	0 %	12 %
Under the effects of the Buffalo Steak Sandvich	104 %	93 %	35 %	83 %
Wielding the Gloves of Running Urgently	100 %	90 %	33 %	80 %
Wielding the Eviction Notice	88 %	79 %	29 %	71 %

Weapons

Main article: Heavy weapons (competitive)

The Heavy uses his primary weapon to deal large damage at close to medium range. Heavies are slow, and even slower while spun up. Many players counteract this by jump-revving (spinning their minigun in mid-air) which can be useful in ambushing; or will use the Gloves of Running Urgently to get to a destination more quickly. Note however, that the Gloves of Running Urgently are banned in many competitive leagues.

Primary

Weapon	Kill icon	Ammo Loaded	Ammo Carried	Damage Range	Notes / Special Abilities
Stock Minigun		200	N/A	Base: 9 Crit: 27 [40 rounds / sec.]	Secondary fire spins-up the barrel without firing.  Fires 4 bullets per unit of ammo used.
Promotional Iron Curtain
Unlock Natascha		200	N/A	Base: 6.75 Crit: 20.25 [40 rounds / sec.]	Secondary fire spins-up the barrel without firing.  Fires 4 bullets per unit of ammo used.  On hit: slows down enemy players.  Slowdown-on-hit effect is reduced over distance.  +20% damage resistance when spun up and health is less than 50% of max.  Deals 25% less damage.  30% longer spin-up time.
Craft Brass Beast		200	N/A	Base: 10.8 Crit: 32.4 [40 rounds / sec.]	Secondary fire spins-up the barrel without firing.  Fires 4 bullets per unit of ammo used.  +20% damage bonus.  20% damage resistance when spun up and health is less than 50% of max.  50% slower spin up time.  60% slower move speed when deployed.
Craft Tomislav		200	N/A	Base: 9 Crit: 27 [33 rounds / sec.]	Secondary fire deploys the barrel without firing.  Fires 4 bullets per unit of ammo used.  20% faster spin up time.  20% more accurate.  Silent Killer: No spin-up sound.  20% slower firing speed.
Promotional / Craft Huo-Long Heater		200	N/A	Base: 8.1 Crit: 24.3 [40 rounds / sec.] Afterburn: 8 / sec. × 7.5 secs.	Secondary fire deploys the barrel without firing.  Fires 4 bullets per unit of ammo used.  Create a ring of flames while spun up.  25% more damage against burning players.  Deals 10% less damage.  Consumes an additional 4 ammo per second while spun up.

Usage

Due to his slow speed, the Heavy is a situational utility class. However, their large amount of health and high close-range damage output makes Heavies ideal for holding crucial Control Points, especially the final Control Points of 5-CP maps like Badlands. In Sixes play, a team will generally switch out a Scout for a Heavy when trying to hold the last point, though substituting a Soldier for a Heavy is also common.

Common Tactics

First and foremost, it is recommended to read the player-based Highlander Heavy guide, in order to reach a larger understanding of the class.

In general, the Heavy is often used when defending the last Point on 5 CP-maps, or on A/D maps such as Gravel Pit. Usually in this case, a team's Medic will focus on healing the team's Heavy, as the Heavy is able to possess a maximum amount of 450 health. This allows the Heavy to absorb a lot of damage and delay the enemy team more as opposed to a lower health class. The Heavy is also able to output very high damage at close range, which is crucial for keeping the Medic alive. Often the Heavy will replace the Pocket Soldier, or perhaps allow additional Soldiers to act as Roamers.

5-CP Push Strategies

Teams will very rarely use a Heavy at the start of a 5-CP map. His slow speed means that a team starting off with a Heavy will typically attack the mid point with one less player than the other team, which may make the difference between winning or losing a mid fight. His high health makes him a useful defender in this game-mode, which is why he is often used on last point holds.

If a team needs to defend a relatively open area where there is little cover, a Heavy may be useful in buying time for the rest of the team to organize and repel a push because of his large amount of health.

Attack-Defend Strategies

When defending on an Attack/Defend map, the low mobility of the Heavy is mitigated somewhat, as enemies will come to him instead of the other way around. This allows him to keep his Minigun spun up without worrying as much about needing to quickly move around, compared to a Heavy on offense. Even so, Heavies are still very vulnerable to spam and/or crossfire sent towards the point, as their large frame and slow movement makes them more easily targeted than faster classes such as Scouts.

Capture-the-Flag Strategies

The Heavy can be a great asset when defending the Intelligence room in maps such as Turbine, where there is a very little cover. A fully buffed Heavy can halt an enemy advance and repel attackers, assisting the team's Engineer in the defense of the Intelligence room. If a team that is attacking the enemy intelligence chooses to use a Heavy, a useful strategy may be to let his teammates pick up the enemy intelligence, then provide cover to them with Minigun fire as they make their escape.

Anti-Heavy Classes

The Sniper

As the Heavy is slow, it is easier for the Sniper to snipe him than other classes. He is especially vulnerable while eating a Sandvich, as he must stay still to eat it. The Sniper can also use Jarate to counter his high health, though it’s mostly effective when using the Sydney Sleeper.

The Spy

As the Heavy is slow, it is not difficult for a Spy to backstab him. The Heavy may counter this by using the Huo-Long Heater. Like against the Sniper, he is especially vulnerable when eating a sandvich.

See also

• Heavy weapons (competitive)
• Heavy
• Classes (competitive)
• Standard competitive lineup