Community Medieval Mode strategy

This article is about Community Medieval mode strategy. Medieval Mode is a mode added with the Australian Christmas update and is currently only activated by default on the map DeGroot Keep. As only certain weapons are allowed, class balance is drastically altered from normal gameplay.

General

Available multi-class items

• By default, melee weapons have a 12% chance of critical hits rather than the 2.5% chance of ranged weapons. Critical hits cause around 195 damage meaning all classes except Soldiers, Powerjack Pyros with a full overheal, Eyelander Demomen carrying 4 or more heads, and Heavies can be killed in one hit. Be aware of this when using weapons that cannot deal critical hits.
• In DeGroot Keep, the rocks around the tower at point B can be traversed by either team to surprise the enemy, although it is harder for the BLU team to scale the rocks onto the point. This is a recommended route for Scouts and Spies.
• The console code "tf_medieval_thirdperson 1" can be used to aid in melee weapon aiming.
• Placing a '!' or a '/' before anything you say in chat will stop the auto translate feature.

Scout

Available items

Because the Pistol and the Winger are unusable, always equip a drink.

• Without the presence of Sentry Guns, Bonk! Atomic Punch is limited to distractions and escapes.
• Because you must get into melee range to do damage, using Crit-a-Cola is very risky but can compensate for your lack of power.
• Throw Mad Milk when you see a large gathering of players to get the most use out of it.
  • Remember that Mad Milk is also useful for Spy checking. It is especially important for Scouts to do this since Snipers cannot use Jarate and Pyros lack an area effect fire weapon.

On the subject of melee weapons:

• Because all of your weapons deal less damage than other classes, use your speed to your advantage and circle-strafe to get as many hits as possible while taking as few as possible yourself.
• The Sandman's ball gives the Scout a ranged attack, albeit a very weak one, at the cost of fifteen health. The Wrap Assassin has a similar use but with lowered melee damage as the downside.
• Because the only forms of explosive damage in Medieval Mode are the Ullapool Caber and Kamikaze taunt, which can kill Scouts in one hit anyway, you can use the Candy Cane with relatively low risk and is, in this case, superior to the default bat and the Holy Mackerel, as it will allow you to get two health pickups per kill instead of one.
• The Sun-on-a-Stick is a situational weapon, therefore only use it when your team's Snipers are frequently shooting flaming arrows or you have a Pyro using the Sharpened Volcano Fragment.
• Try not to miss hits when using the Boston Basher/Three-Rune Blade or the self-damage will make you an easy kill. If you can, trying attacking near another object such as the wall or the floor. If the Boston Basher/Three-Rune Blade misses an enemy but strikes the terrain, it will not hurt you. With careful timing, the self-damage can be used to boost the Scout over the walls of DeGroot Keep but this leaves little health unless a health kit is found soon.
• The Fan O'War can help teammates do mini-crits to enemy teammates, but leaves you practically defenseless. A hit and run strategy is best used with this technique.
• The Atomizer gives the Scout extra maneuverability at the cost of some health but has severely lacking attack speed and power. Use it on offensive to out fox opponents and claim the capture points.
• When attacking, if your teammates are about to capture the second of the two outer points, wait by the main gate and you may be able to rush in and capture the final point before the defenders have a chance to react.

Soldier

Available items

As you cannot use any Rocket Launchers, and the Shotgun and Reserve Shooter are also not available, the Soldier is far more of a support class in Medieval Mode. Gunboats should not be equipped as the Soldier has no means of rocket jumping, Mantreads also suffer as there are fewer explosive weapons and it is much harder to get above and land on opponents. You should use one of the Soldier's bugles, which can be quite useful to buff teammates in the absence of Übercharges:

• The Buff Banner is extremely helpful when attacking the final point. Consider buffing friendly Snipers, especially if they can hit enemies with flaming arrows, as the afterburn will mini-crit as long as the Snipers are buffed. Buffing a friendly Pyro wielding the Sharpened Volcano Fragment will do the same. Bleeding is also affected by this, so coordination with your team is key.
• The Battalion's Backup is, conversely, helpful when defending the final point, or when a crit boosted enemy is about to charge in. If an enemy Soldier is using a Buff Banner, you may want to wait until he sounds his bugle, and then sound your own to cancel it out.
• The Concheror works well on either Offense or Defense, as teammates will constantly be attacking the enemy.

In terms of melee weapons:

• The Shovel or Frying Pan are good if you want to do consistent damage at all health levels, but the Pain Train should be used in place of either when attacking, as there are no bullets flying, and thus no added vulnerabilities. However, the Demoman's shield bash currently counts as bullet damage and should be taken into account.
• The Equalizer can be used if you can maneuver yourself well and avoid attacks. It's important to remember that the Medic's Medicating Melody taunt with the Amputator will not heal you if you have the Equalizer out. Additionally, the Equalizer's Kamikaze taunt is one of the few ways to cause explosive damage in Medieval Mode; try catching enemies coming around corners or charging into the final point off-guard.
• Using the Battalion's Backup and Equalizer, try to take small amounts of damage to build up your rage meter. Then, switch to your Equalizer to make a quick escape, regroup with your teammates, unleash the rage and help mow down your enemies with the Equalizer.
• The Half-Zatoichi is a good weapon to use because the Soldier does not use a primary weapon and rarely uses his secondary. Keep in mind, however, that an enemy Soldier or Demoman wielding the Half-Zatoichi can kill you in one hit, and vice versa.
• The Disciplinary Action is good for speeding up slower teammates like Heavies but is poor for self-defense, making the Soldier even more of a support class. However it does have a long range, even longer than the Eyelander, so you should be able to get a few hits or two on anyone who isn't faster than you. It also works well for Spychecking - disguised Spies will not be sped up.
• As with the Gunboats, the absence of Rocket Jumping makes the Market Gardener a poor choice as there is no way to activate its ability.

Pyro

Available items

The Pyro has no equipable primary or secondary weapons but has an innate resistance to afterburn and a decent selection of melee weapons.

• While the Fire Axe will provide consistent damage, the Back Scratcher is a generally superior replacement for Medieval Mode, as everyone drops medkits upon death. This will, however, diminish the Medic's healing from the Crusader's Crossbow and the Medicating Melody taunt of the Amputator.
• The Axtinguisher/Postal Pummeler's use is limited, due to fire only being present in the form of a flaming Huntsman arrow or the Sharpened Volcano Fragment, the only weapon which gives the Pyro his signature ability to set enemies on fire. However, if there is already another Pyro on your team wielding the Fragment, you can follow them with the Axtinguisher to make for a deadly combination.
• The Powerjack can heal and provides one of the few ways to gain an overheal. However, its increased melee vulnerability gives it a drawback in large melee fights.
• The Sharpened Volcano Fragment is strongly recommended for its ability to set enemies aflame, thereby causing damage over time and is a useful tool for spychecking.
• Due to the absence of buildings, the Homewrecker and Maul are a poor choice for Medieval Mode; you should choose one of the above weapons instead.
• Since the Third Degree's ability concerns Mediguns which are banned, other weapons should be used.

Demoman

Available items

Due to the Grenade Launchers and Stickybomb Launchers being unavailable, you should equip Ali Baba's Wee Booties/Bootlegger and one of the Shields.

• The Chargin' Targe has better passive defensive bonuses against fire and explosions, making it a better choice when facing Volcano Shard Pyros and Ullapool Caber Demomen.
• The Splendid Screen, on the other hand, has more offensive power with a shield bash that can oneshot weaker enemies with enough heads.

• With either shield, Demomen can use the rock outside BLU spawn as a ramp and charge onto the RED battlements quickly, allowing him to take out enemy Snipers or rush the final point.

The Demoman has the most melee weapons of any class. Try them out:

• The Bottle, Frying Pan and Scottish Handshake are reliable weapons with no drawbacks, though the Pain Train is a much better choice for offense as it provides a capture bonus and only the Demoman's charge is affected by its damage vulnerability.
• The ability of the Eyelander, Horseless Headless Horseman's Headtaker and Nessie's Nine Iron to collect heads, as well as their larger range, is very useful, especially once the Demoman builds his health, speed and shield damage bonuses. It cannot crit and will reduce the Demoman's initial health.
• The Scotsman's Skullcutter, with its increased damage and ability to crit, can be extremely effective (especially when combined with a charge). Its move speed reduction can be an issue, though. Avoid this weapon if you are focusing on speed.
• The Claidheamh Mòr has the advantage of an increased charge length. RED Demomen who are quick and lucky can potentially charge into BLU players heading to point A, scoring a surprise kill as the match begins. It cannot crit and will reduce the Demoman's initial health.
• The Ullapool Caber is the only weapon capable of causing explosive damage (barring the Soldier's Kamikaze taunt), and can easily take out a cluster of enemies with a full shield charge. Once exploded, it is effectively useless thanks to both no random crits and the low damage after explosion.
  • This is extremely useful for clearing control points, especially the final cap of Degroot Keep. Remember that you can hit the floor at the end of the charge if there are no enemies in range; it will still crit enemies in range of the blast.
  • The blast knockback can be used to jump onto the castle's battlement, allowing the same strategies as a Demoman using a shield charge to ramp up there. This will leave you with less health and a less effective melee weapon, though.
• The Half-Zatoichi is a good weapon to use for the healing capacity, and the Demoman can't switch weapons anyway. Other Soldiers and Demomen with the weapon can oneshot you as easily as you can them, though.
• The Persian Persuader's charge recharge is extremely useful, and as no available weapon uses ammo anyway, it effectively adds extra health packs to the map. Just remember that the disadvantage of this weapon, is that it can't do any random critical hits.

Heavy

Available items

As the Shotgun is unusable, always make sure to equip a lunchbox item:

• The Sandvich is a great way to heal yourself or your teammates in the absence of a Medic.
• The Dalokohs Bar/Fishcake is more useful in Medieval Mode than in conventional gameplay due to Medics being unable to overheal, and the increased amount of health pickups, which grant slightly more health while your maximum health is increased.
• The Buffalo Steak Sandvich can be used to grant added speed and have you deal Mini-Crits with your melee weapon of choice; use this to your advantage in Medieval Mode, but beware, as all hits taken will also be Mini-Crits. Be especially careful against Snipers using the Bushwacka, as all Mini-Crits will be turned into Critical hits! Use in conjunction with friendly Soldier's Battalion's Backup to negate Mini-Crits against you and rid your enemies of all their blood!

And as for melee:

• Your Fists are a good choice, especially with the increased chances of enemies grouping together, giving you a chance to land a Showdown. But use it with caution, or you will be an easy target for the enemies.
• The Killing Gloves of Boxing can guarantee crits for 5 seconds after a kill with them. Use this to your advantage in areas with many enemies, such as the final control point. When used with the Buffalo Steak Sandvich, use the initial mini-crit buff to get a kill and lead to the K.G.B.'s crit buff, which in conjunction with the Steak Sandvich's speed boost becomes an extremely deadly and devastating combo. Due to the lower attack speed you have to make every hit count.
• The Warrior's Spirit is also a good choice due to its higher damage output and ability to crit, compensating for the 20 health reduction.
• The Eviction Notice allows the Heavy to attack faster than a Scout at the cost of damage. Combine with the Buffalo Steak Sandvich to do 156 base damage in a single second.

These melee weapons should generally be avoided:

• The Gloves of Running Urgently have a health draining effect which is hard to counteract with the lack of Medi Guns; this combined with its low damage output make it a poor choice for Medieval Mode.
• The Fists of Steel is detrimental to the Heavy's vulnerability against melee weapons, which are widely used in this mode. However, it does gives resistance to ranged weapons such as the Huntsman used by the Sniper.

Engineer

Available items

Without the Shotgun, Pistol, or Buildings, the Engineer's role in Medieval Mode is very limited. Specifically:

• The stock Wrench and the Golden Wrench are not recommended as you'll have the same speed and do the same damage as a Pyro wielding the Fire Axe, but with significantly less health (125 instead of a Pyro's 175).
• The Jag is worse, doing 25% less damage than the Wrench with none of its usual benefits.

Instead of using those, use one of the two weapons below, though keep in mind that neither of them deal random critical hits:

• The Gunslinger gives you a much needed extra 25 health (bringing you up to 150), a guaranteed crit after three successive punches on an enemy, and a Kill taunt: the Organ Grinder.
• The Southern Hospitality makes enemies bleed, which is especially useful for Spy checking in the absence of Pyros, but the afterburn from flaming arrows or a Pyro's Sharpened Volcano Fragment should be considered. If a friendly Soldier uses a Buff Banner, stay in range to ensure the bleed effect does additional damage.
• With your low health, ensure you know where the health kits are. Keep tabs on where your Medic is, especially if you are using the Southern Hospitality and catch fire. If you are on fire or bleeding and taking mini-crit damage from an enemy Soldier's Buff Banner, see if there is a friendly Soldier using the Battalion's Backup and stay in range.

If neither the Gunslinger nor the Southern Hospitality are available to you, you may want to consider switching to another class.

Medic

Available items

As the Syringe Gun and Medi Guns are not available, it's highly recommended you equip the Crusader's Crossbow:

• The Crusader's Crossbow is the only way to heal teammates at long range, and provides a reliable ranged attack.
• You can fire bolts through the window slits, the gaps of the spawn gates, and through the gate to the final control point, just like the Sniper's Huntsman.
• Make sure to memorize the ammo placements, as the Crusader's Crossbow is the only weapon that uses ammo aside from the aforementioned Huntsman and the Spy's watches.
• If you see a mass of players, firing bolts at them even at random will almost guarantee a useful hit, either damaging an enemy or healing an ally. Pump away!

When it comes to your choice of a melee weapon:

• The stock Bonesaw will do consistent damage, but the Amputator is superior. Its Medicating Melody taunt can be used to directly heal teammates in the absence of the Medi Gun or Crossbow. This is especially effective when the fight is clustered around control points. Try to find a sheltered place to perform the taunt, as you are a sitting duck while you perform it.
  • Using the Crusader's Crossbow and Amputator together increases your passive health regeneration, making you a true Medieval Medic.
• Like the Amputator, the Solemn Vow is superior to the Bonesaw, in this case, it will allow you to see the enemies health. Use this to your advantage.

These melee weapons should generally be avoided:

• The lack of Medi Guns makes the Vita-Saw a poor choice, as it lowers your health by 10 with no benefit.
• Similarly, the Übersaw is less useful, giving you 20% slower swinging speed, with the only benefit being the ability to use its Spinal Tap Kill taunt.

Sniper

Available items

"Wave goodbye ta yer head, wanker!"

Always equip the Huntsman and a shield since rifles, the SMG, and Jarate are barred. On the choice of shield:

• Snipers that focus on long range shots should use the Razorback to prevent backstabs by Spies. Snipers that use the Huntsman as a medium range weapon should consider equipping the Darwin's Danger Shield instead for the health boost.
• The Darwin's Danger Shield is recommended if you are not going to work with Spies, it's health bonus can make a big difference as it will allow you to:

Survive charged lit Huntsman bodyshot for a little more until you find a health pack if you are near the torches to light up your Huntsman, take another melee hit before dying or provide additional damage buff for your Shahansha.

• The Razorback is more useful than in regular game modes because Spies cannot use revolvers.

As for the choice of melee:

• The default Kukri deals decent damage and has no major drawbacks
• The Tribalman's Shiv causes bleeding damage making it good for dealing with Spies and making weaker enemies retreat, but its low attack power makes it less effective in group fights.
• The Bushwacka is only useful when teamed up with a Buff Banner Soldier, against a Scout under the effects of Crit-a-Cola, or against a Heavy under the effects of the Buffalo Steak Sandvich. Watch out for Pyros wielding the Sharpened Volcano Fragment in addition to flaming arrows from other Snipers. The Bushwacka will probably kill anyone marked for death by the Scout's Fan O'War, so work together with a Scout or keep an eye out for marked players.
• Use the Shahanshah in situations where you don't expect to directly fight until your health is low.

General Strategy:

• When on the BLU team on DeGroot Keep, once the main gate opens, position yourself in front of the gate, and fire arrows toward the capture point, ducking to the side out of the gate's line of fire after each shot. People will be clustering around the capture point and it will be easy to hit opponents without much aiming.
• Conversely, when on the RED team on DeGroot Keep, once the main gate opens, put yourself in a position where you can shoot outwards through the main gate into the battlefield. As most enemies will be rushing in a straight line through the corridor toward you with melee weapons, it will be very easy to hit them as well.
• Remember that arrows can pass through the holes in the gates and the tower window slits.
• Snipers can ignite their arrows using the torches spread throughout DeGroot Keep.
  • Right clicking after igniting an arrow allows you to move around and shoot the arrow elsewhere.
• Focusing your fire with other Snipers can be extremely effective and can allow for quicker kills.
• Before the gate to the final control point opens, you can still fire your Huntsman through the gaps.
  • This can also be used at the BLU team's spawn area, as demonstrated to the right.

Spy

Available items

While the Spy's most important weapons are largely unaffected, the behavior of enemies is vastly different to other modes due to the focus on melee – adjust your strategies as needed.

• Stay out of direct melee fight since your knife does terrible damage. Instead, backstab enemies when they are distracted in battle.
• Without the presence of the Flamethrower, Spies are harder to find. Even so, watch out for classes with bleeding effect weapons, and other threats such as Scouts with Mad Milk, Snipers with flaming arrows, and Pyros with the Sharpened Volcano Fragment.
• The best time to backstab the defending team is when the gate is open and they are focusing their attention on it, leaving them exposed.
• By the same token, while defending the last point, you can easily drop down from the battlements and backstab foes entering or clustering around the gates.
• With the Cloak and Dagger, use the alcoves at points A and B to hide and wait for an opportune moment to strike.
• The Dead Ringer can be used well, as spychecking is harder with melee weapons.
• Pay attention to what weapon your disguise is carrying (especially if you're using Your Eternal Reward). If your disguise is holding a weapon that cannot be used in Medieval Mode, that gives the enemy team an obvious sign that you are a Spy. Press "Use Last Disguise" to change your weapon to a melee one.
• If not using a disguise, try to stab the enemy as fast as you can; if he is using tf_medieval_thirdperson 1 they might see you approaching from behind.
• Use the Conniver's Kunai with caution. Unless you have good experience, this weapon is a poor choice due to the huge loss of health when in use. Thanks to the huge loss of health, many of the classes have a chance to kill you in one single hit. Use similar caution with the Big Earner.
• Use the Spy-cicle when possible. The weapon gives immunity to being ignited by Sharpened Volcanic Fragment and lit arrows as this weapon recharges instantly in Medieval Mode.
• Degroot Keep is a great place to practise and use trickstabs, since the enemy can only use melee weapons, so they are very predictable and it's very easy to stairstab and side stab. Strafing to the side and stabbing charging Demomen can shut them down.