Estratégia da comunidade em Versus Saxton Hale

Nucleus (VSH)

Este artigo é sobre estratégia da comunidade em Versus Saxton Hale.

Estratégia geral (como Saxton Hale)

Saxton Hale

• Se você está lutando contra um alvo com Saúde alta (como um Heavy ou um Soldier com sobrevida) e não usou o Saxton Punch! a um tempo, pode ser mais vantajoso esperar um pouco a habilidade recarregar para causar dano extra.
• Se há várias construções de Engineer construídas muito próximas umas das outras, especialmente Sentinelas, um Saxton Punch! pode destruir o Nest inteiro. Isso também pode ferir significativamente o(s) Engineer(s), se eles estiverem próximos, e potencialmente outros membros do time RED (caso eles também estiverem próximos).
• Tente usar a Sweeping Charge frequentemente, tanto para alcançar rapidamente Scouts irritantes ou, em conjunto com o Brave Jump, alcançar áreas vantajosas. Ela causa dano moderado e empurra inimigos para trás, o que também significa que você pode lançar um Medic no ar e eliminar uma das fontes de cura mais consistentes para os Mercenários.
• Há certos inimigos que são de alta prioridade. Abaixo há alguns desses alvos, o motivo de terem prioridade tão alta, e como lidar com eles.
  • Medics são especialmente preocupantes, visto que eles podem impedir que você mate os Mercenários com um soco, como de costume. Eles possuem uma redução de 30% de dano contra seus ataques, mas são empurrados para trás com 300 Unidades Hammer extra de força. Utilize isso em sua vantagem, acerte um Medic uma vez para empurrá-lo contra a parede, e então acerte-o novamente para finalizá-lo.
    • Medics fazendo Überchain, embora imprático, podem ser um grande perigo caso você os deixe acertá-lo. Esforce-se para separá-los com um soco, ou utilize o Mighty Slam para empurrar ambos Medics para trás com grande força.
    • Também deve ser notado que a Überserra concede ao Medic tanto o dobro da taxa de ÜberCarga quanto 50% de ÜberCarga por acerto.
  • Engineers também são de alta prioridade, pois se muitos se juntarem para criar um nest, isso poderá se tornar uma das maiores ameaças a você. Experimente esperar o seu Saxton Punch carregar, então tente ou utilizar uma de suas habilidades para se aproximar com maior facilidade ou tente correr diretamente até o nest para se prevenir de empurrões potenciais, embora a Mighty Slam ignore empurrões e possa ser utilizada para destruir diversas Sentinelas e Fornecedores de uma vez.
  • Pyros também devem ser priorizados, visto que a sua rajada de ar é uma das mecânicas mais fortes neste modo de jogo, já que ela pode proteger o Medic, assim como impedir que você capture o ponto de controle.
    • Tente armar um ataque surpresa com a Sweeping Charge ou o Brave Jump em conjunto com o Mighty Slam, então elimine-o enquanto está em pânico.
    • Pyros que utilizam o Flogistinador não são uma ameaça tão grande, pois você pode facilmente matá-los em função da sua falta da rajada de ar. Você também pode evitar os seus impulsos críticos esperando ao lado deles e os matando assim que a sua invulnerabilidade acabar. Porém, se um Medic ativa uma ÜberCarga em um Pyro enquanto ele ainda tem um impulso crítico, é fortemente aconselhável que você corra e persiga alvos diferentes.

Estratégia geral (contra Saxton Hale)

• Procure manter o time junto, ao invés de jogar sozinho, pois Saxton pode eliminar facilmente jogadores que estejam sozinhos. Certifique-se que vocês não estejam muito próximos uns dos outros de forma que Saxton poderia facilmente matar o seu time inteiro.
• O braço esquerdo de Saxton Hale brilha com a cor vermelha quando o Saxton Punch! está pronto. Esplahem-se para minimizar os danos de um ataque.
• Caso esteja em uma queda fatal, tente acertar uma superfície com a sua arma corpo a corpo para escalar a parede e zerar o dano de queda.
• Caso você possua a provocação Pedra, Papel e Tesoura e seja o último Mercenário vivo, pergunte a Hale se ele está disposto a participar em uma batalha de mãos. Caso você vença, Hale morrerá. Caso você perca, você terá atrasado o inevitável.

Estratégia específica de classe (contra Saxton Hale)

 Scout

• A Destruidora do Degenerado é uma ótima escolha de arma primária, permitindo que você escape de Saxton com a sua Energia cheia após alguns acertos. Devido à falta geral de fontes de dano (como a falta de Sentinelas inimigas), não há muito com o que se preocupar quanto a perder a sua quantidade de Energia.
• A Força da Natureza pode ser uma ferramenta útil para empurrar Hale para trás quando este estiver próximo, possivelmente para uma fonte de dano ambiental.
• Usar Bonk! Pancada Atômica pode ser ótimo para atrair Hale para longe do resto de seu time para flanquear.
• Considerando que há apenas um alvo para causar dano, o Leite Louco é uma escolha excelente, pois permite que seus companheiros de equipe curem Saúde perdida ao acertar o alvo no qual já estavam focados, permitindo uma maior longevidade do seu time.
• Embora arriscado, acertar Hale com o Leque d'Guerra marca-o para a morte, permitindo que você e seu time cause danos minicrits por um curto período de tempo (15 segundos).
• A Criti-Cola pode ser uma boa amplificadora de dano, pois a desvantagem de marcar você para a morte pode ser quase inteiramente ignorado, visto que Saxton é capaz de matá-lo com um acerto independentemente.

 Soldier

• Banners are effective in keeping your team alive or increasing the damage done against Hale.
  • Although risky, the Market Gardener can be used to instantly charge a banner.
• All Banners are useful in their own ways, below is a few of each one's use cases.
  • The Buff Banner is useful in increasing your team's offensive power, and when Hale is at moderate levels of health, it can often be the difference between a win and a loss.
    • Additionally, it also allows your team to consistently pepper Hale with moderate damage from large ranges, due to Mini-crits having a lack of damage falloff, further increasing the offensive power of your team.
    • However, it is rendered obsolete due to the Mini-crit buff the mercenaries receive when there are 3 left. It is still useful in the earlier stages of the game.
  • The Concheror excels at giving your team the longevity they need to take on Hale head-on more comfortably.
    • The speed boost the Conch provides allows teammates near the start of the game to be able to better escape Hale, or have an easier time outmaneuvering him.
    • The health gain on hit also gives friendly Heavies and Pyros an easier time dealing with Hale, as the DPS the Metralhadora Giratória and Flamethrower have, in addition to the speed boost allows them to be able to heal a good amount of the damage they took from Hale.
    • The reduced amount of damage needed to activate the Conch means it is far more versatile than other banners, due to the extremely useful buff they give in this game mode.
    • The speed boost becomes obsolete when Hale reaches higher speeds due to his speed scaling in relation to how much health he has left.
  • The Battalions Backup is extremely useful at greatly dampening Hale's attacks, allowing teammates to stay in the fight for longer.
    • The damage reduction it provides means that all classes, with the exception of light classes (unless they are overhealed!) can survive 2 punches from Hale, with Heavies being able to survive 4, and Soldiers with the Battalions being able to survive 3 with overheal.
    • Additionally, overhealed Soldiers with or without the Battalions can survive Saxton Punch, with Heavies being able to survive it with or without overheal.
    • The increased health from the Battalions often doesn't come into play, as you still die in 2 hits with or without it equipped if you do not have overheal, however since your max health is increased, you do receive more health from health packs, which can be the difference between life and death.
    • Unlike other banners, the Battalions is useful at all times, as the damage reduction can often allow you and a friendly Pyro to be able to cap the final point, with the Battalions being a safety net.
• It is recommended that you use either the Lança-Foguetes, Black Box, Original, or the Direct Hit with the Banners as they all boast great and reliable damage.
  • The Direct Hit in particular deals 25% extra damage, which can charge the Banner faster. It also has the ability to Mini-crit Hale whenever he is airborne.
    • You do have to be especially accurate, due to the 70% explosion penalty.
• Consider using the Market Gardener to deal large amounts of damage to Hale, as there is no real downside to it aside from a slower wall climb speed.
  • Trolldier can actually be viable if you are good at rocket jumping, and can consistently hit Gardens, as Hale will have a hard time hitting a highly mobile target that only stops to reload their Lança-Foguetes. Be advised that the Rocket Jumper no longer has its extra ammo buff, so you will need to use ammo packs or Dispensers often.
    • One launcher you could utilise is the Liberty Launcher in conjunction with the Gunboats, as it both severely reduces the amount of self-damage you take as well as having an extra rocket in the clip. The damage penalty doesn't matter as much as you will usually be using your Market Gardener to deal damage, but it is useful for dealing some damage if you miss the Garden.
    • You do risk underperforming or being caught out as you will spend a good amount of time travelling to ammo packs or reloading due to the nature of the Liberty Launcher and the Rocket Jumper, but the potential payoff is incredible.

 Pyro

• Airblasting is an effective tool to keep yourself and teammates away from Hale's attacks or to put him in an unfavourable position (such as a hazard or a corner). An rajada de ar can prevent Saxton from landing a Mighty Slam attack entirely.
• The Flare Gun combos well with fellow Pyros dealing fire damage. It may be difficult to hit Saxton, but you are rewarded with critical damage more often than not, so consider using rajada de ar to push Hale in a predictable direction and make it easier to hit him.
• The Thermal Thruster can be a good escape tool when you are out of ammo. Note that the increased deployment speed leaves you vulnerable for a while.
• The Axtinguisher bonus damage to burning targets stacks with critical hits, dealing up to 300+ damage. The knockback melee weapons provide also allow you to quickly deal high burst damage to Hale, then get away.
• The Hot Hand's double hit can be used to wall climb faster.
• The Phlogistinator can get guaranteed crits on Saxton Hale, but removes your ability to rajada de ar. Consider using this if you have another Pyro on your team or if your team is good at protecting you.
  • The alt-fire taunt's temporary Über can protect you from Saxton's damage. If timed right, you may be able to use his knockback to get to safety or deal crits early.
• The Scorch Shot is also highly recommended, as it can function as a mini-rajada de ar in regards to its knockback, allowing for you to get away if you cannot rajada de ar reliably.

 Demoman

• Try to lure him into a hidden sticky trap to take a good chunk of his HP.
  • The Scottish Resistance is the most suitable weapon for this, as it allows Demo to set a sticky trap with up to 14 stickies.
• Consider equipping the Loose Cannon as your primary to knock him out if he starts focusing on you or is reaching too close to you.
• The Chargin' Targe, Splendid Screen, and Tide Turner can act as a one-hit immunity against Hale's primary attack or the death penalty of a Rock, Paper, Scissors match.
• The Half-Zatoichi heals the player for every successful hit against Hale, making it an excellent option for surviving close encounters.
• The Eyelander grants heads for each successful hit against Hale. The increased movement speed can be helpful for dodging Hale's attacks, or for chasing him around the map.
• The Swords also provide greater mobility with regards to wall-climbing, as the increased melee range allows them to more easily strike the floor to gain a height advantage. This can be used to either make a quick get-away from Hale, or to better approach him.

 Heavy

• All Miniguns have a 40% damage reduction to Saxton Hale.
• As the class with the highest health pool, you can always survive a normal punch at full health (two if fully overhealed).
• Keep an eye on your ammo counter, as you can run out of ammo very quickly. Make sure to find where your Engineer put his Dispenser for easy access to unlimited ammo. A voice response plays if you are low on ammo.
• Consider using the Escopeta or Tomislav to take advantage of the higher mobility they provide.
  • The Tomislav's quicker rev-up time and better accuracy is a great all-around primary for the Heavy, considering Saxton Hale's speed and your own speed.
• The Brass Beast is an ultimate damage dealer, especially when paired with a Kritzkrieg Medic, with its trade-off being the lack of mobility. Consider using it in high places where Hale might have difficulty reaching you.
• The Natascha's slowdown-on-hit ability has a 15% chance of applying against Hale, making it less viable to use in close proximity. Much like the Brass Beast, consider using it in spots where Hale is not able to easily reach you, especially on high places.
• The large knockback of melee weapons means that a skilled Heavy can use them to push Saxton back, while still gaining benefits from on-hit effects.
  • The Warrior's Spirit grants Heavies 50 health points for every hit against Hale, allowing for increased survivability.
  • The Killing Gloves of Boxing trigger a 5 second crit boost on every hit, allowing for a high risk, high reward playstyle. If paired with Mad Milk or a Medic, a Heavy can chew through Hale's health in a massive burst while still surviving his onslaught.
• The Eviction Notice's quicker firing speed lets Heavies wall climb faster and to higher places.
• Beware of Saxton Hale's Super Punch, as it can usually deal fatal damage, although a full overheal can just barely take the hit.
• The Punhos of Steel are rather detrimental when fighting Saxton. Not only do they make you more vulnerable to Saxton's melee-heavy combat style whilst active, but the reduction to healing decreases your survivability even more.
• The Holiday Punch can be used to stun Hale in a laughing animation, allowing your team to get in some free damage. However, if Hale takes too much damage, he will blast out of the stun, damaging and knocking back those nearby.

 Engineer

• The Rescue Ranger is a great pick to pack up your Sentry Guns when Saxton is damaging it, as well to repair friendly Sentry Guns from other Engineers.
  • The Wrangler is a good tool to tank damage before teleporting your Sentry Gun.
• Try to hide your Dispenser out of sight or in places where Hale does not pass through, communicating to your team where you have placed it can be helpful to ensure they have a safe place to retreat.
• Place your Sentry Gun in clear view of where Saxton will likely be to maximize time spent dealing damage.
  • Sentry Guns are a very good deterrant that may take attention away from your teammates.
• Due to the lack of respawn, Teleporters can be used as an escape option rather than for quick reinforcements.
  • The Eureka Effect can let you hide Teleporters more easily, but beware of the long taunt animation.
• Dispensers, Teleporters, and Sentry Guns can be used to block Saxton's movement on the ground. This can slow him greatly in corridors or other areas of importance.
  • Teleporters are effective on ramps and inclines where the incline may prevent you from simply stepping over the teleporter.
  • Be careful however, an experienced Saxton can tear through your buildings with his charge attack.
• When using the Frontier Justice, remember that your Sentry Gun will be credited with one assist when it deals 200 damage to Saxton, giving you a Revenge Crit.

 Medic

• Medics take only 70% damage from Hale's fist, allowing you to survive a hit.
• All Mediguns have a quicker ÜberCarga rate with the Ubersaw equipped.
  • The Ubersaw also grants 50% uber per hit, needing only 2 hits to have full Über.
• Prioritize the classes closest to Saxton Hale, as they are the ones in the most danger.
• The normal Arma Médica's ÜberCarga is best used on teammates that can deal large amount of damage, either if they are about to die or if they are very close to Hale. This can force him away while dealing a lot of damage.
  • Changing targets during ÜberCarga is very important, considering the Saxton Hale player may focus other teammates close to him when he sees someone being ÜberCharged.
• Although risky, consider going off alone and baiting Saxton into following you, then use your ÜberCarga when he is near you. This can waste his time and allow your team to deal a lot of damage in the meantime.
• The Kritzkrieg is a great damage dealer, but as a trade off it makes you and other allies more vulnerable during Über. Considering equipping it only if there is another Medic running the default Arma Médica.

 Sniper

• High areas give a better vantage point on Saxton's head and have an escape route downward if he spots you.
• Sniper is an easy class to pick off due to his lone wolf playstyle. Avoid the attention of Saxton by hiding in low-visibility spots, frequently changing spots, or having a route to teammates that can protect you.
• The Sydney Sleeper is a great support tool to shoot Hale from far away and increase your team's damage output.
• The Bazaar Bargain is highly recommended, as its higher charge rate increases your damage output greatly.
• The Machina has the potential to deal large amounts of damage, but also has a larger chance of giving away your position to Hale.
• Although very risky, the Huntsman and the Fortified Compound taunt kill can be used to stun Hale, allowing your team to pile on some damage for free.
  • Saxton Hale can break out of a stun after 2 seconds, blasting everyone away from him.

 Spy

• Use the Dead Ringer to survive a hit from Saxton. Consider luring him away from your team first to buy more time for them to deal damage.
• The Kunai and the Big Earner on kill effects trigger on backstab, allowing you to escape more easily.
• Consider disguising as a friendly teammate with the Kit de Disfarce to conceal that you are a Spy or gain the Enforcer's damage bonus.
  • Consider disguising as a friendly Scout, as they will commonly use the Baby Face's Blaster, masking your slower movement speed.
    • It also is better for hiding due to the Scout's smaller stature, in addition to the fact Hale's will commonly not check their back if they think it is simply a Scout behind them.
  • Disguising as a friendly Medic can also divert Saxton Hale's attention if you use the Dead Ringer, as it can lure Hale into a disadvantageous position thinking they are chasing a Medic, when they are in fact a particularly devious Spy.
  • Disguising as a Heavy or Soldier is ill-advised if you are not using the Dead Ringer, as Hales commonly target these classes due to their high damage output.
• It should be noted that due Spy's knives registering a hit the moment you press M1, wall climbing is slightly easier and you can gain more height. It is detrimental to wall-climb using the floor if using it for simple mobility however, as you will lose a great deal of speed while crouching to ensure you hit the ground, which can be all the difference in life-or-death situations.