Competitive item restrictions

“

Click to listen

— The Soldier on banned weapons

”

Within some competitive leagues, competitive item restrictions during matches are employed to ensure balanced gameplay.

Players are typically restricted from wearing a complete class set, such as a Polycount Pack set, which gives a class bonus.

If new weapons are released in midst of a competition season, they will typically become restricted from play unless given approval by the league's administrators and team leaders.

Item Whitelist

The item whitelist is a simple text file, item_whitelist.txt by default, with a simple binary switch after each value to determine whether it is enabled or not.

Weapon bans during a match are enforced by the use of an item whitelist.

To enable a whitelist, simply define its name and location using the mp_tournament_whitelist command.

Example: mp_tournament_whitelist "cfg/item_whitelist.txt"

In order to restrict a weapon from being played, simply set the value to "0" next to the weapon's name.

Example: "The Shortstop" "0"

The same goes for allowing a weapon to be used, changing the value to "1" instead.

Example: "The Shortstop" "1"

One also has the ability to enable or disable all unlisted items on a whitelist by using the following paramater:

"unlisted_items_default_to" "0" or "1"

Using this command, one can easily build a whitelist adding only items they want allowed or banned, depending on the above parameter's value.

To obtain a full list of items that can be added to a whitelist, use the item_show_whitelistable_definitions command in the server console.

sv_cheats "1" must be set on the server in order to use this command.

Here is a sample whitelist with all current definable items:

File:Item whitelist stock.txt

List of restricted items

Class	Slot	Weapon	ETF2L 6v6 S12	UGC 6v6 S8	UGC Highlander S6†	CEVO 6v6 S8	ESEA 6v6 S10
Scout	Primary	Scattergun	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Force-A-Nature	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Shortstop	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
		Soda Popper	No	No	Yes	No	No
	Secondary	Pistol	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Bonk! Atomic Punch	No	No	Yes	Yes	No
		Lugermorph	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Crit-a-Cola	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Mad Milk	No	No	Yes	No	No
		Winger	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
	Melee	Bat	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Sandman	No	No	Yes	No	No
		Holy Mackerel	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Candy Cane	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
		Boston Basher	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
		Sun-on-a-Stick	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Fan O'War	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Three-Rune Blade	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
		Atomizer	No	No	Yes	No	No
		Unarmed Combat	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Wrap Assassin	No	Yes	Yes	No	No
Soldier	Primary	Rocket Launcher	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Direct Hit	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Black Box	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Rocket Jumper	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
		Liberty Launcher	No	No	Yes	No	No
		Cow Mangler 5000	No	No	Yes	No	No
		Original	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
	Secondary	Shotgun	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Buff Banner	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Gunboats	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Battalion's Backup	No	No	Yes	No	No
		Concheror	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Mantreads	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Reserve Shooter	No	No	No	No	No
		Righteous Bison	No	No	Yes	No	No
	Melee	Shovel	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Equalizer	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Pain Train	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Half-Zatoichi	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Disciplinary Action	No	No	Yes	No	No
		Market Gardener	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Pyro	Primary	Flamethrower	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Backburner	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Degreaser	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Phlogistinator	No	No	No	No	No
	Secondary	Shotgun	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Flare Gun	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Detonator	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Reserve Shooter	No	No	No	No	No
		Manmelter	No	Yes	Yes	No	No
	Melee	Fire Axe	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Axtinguisher	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Homewrecker	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Powerjack	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Back Scratcher	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Sharpened Volcano Fragment	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Maul	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Postal Pummeler	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Third Degree	No	No	Yes	No	No
Demoman	Primary	Grenade Launcher	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Loch-n-Load	No	No	Yes	Yes	No
		Ali Baba's Wee Booties	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Bootlegger	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
	Secondary	Stickybomb Launcher	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Chargin' Targe	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Scottish Resistance	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Sticky Jumper	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
		Splendid Screen	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
	Melee	Bottle	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Eyelander	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Scotsman's Skullcutter	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Horseless Headless Horsemann's Headtaker	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Pain Train	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Ullapool Caber	No	No	Yes	No	No
		Claidheamh Mòr	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Half-Zatoichi	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Persian Persuader	No	No	Yes	Yes	No
		Nessie's Nine Iron	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Heavy	Primary	Minigun	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Natascha	No	No	Yes	No	No
		Iron Curtain	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Brass Beast	No	No	Yes	No	No
		Tomislav	No	No	Yes	No	No
	Secondary	Shotgun	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Sandvich	No	No	Yes	Yes	No
		Dalokohs Bar	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Buffalo Steak Sandvich	No	No	Yes	No	No
		Fishcake	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Family Business	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
	Melee	Fists	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Killing Gloves of Boxing	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Gloves of Running Urgently	No	No	Yes	No	No
		Warrior's Spirit	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Fists of Steel	No	No	Yes	No	No
		Eviction Notice	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Holiday Punch	No	No	No	No	No
		Apoco-Fists	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Engineer	Primary	Shotgun	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Frontier Justice	No	No	Yes	Yes	No
		Widowmaker	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
		Pomson 6000	No	No	No	No	No
	Secondary	Pistol	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Lugermorph	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Wrangler	No	No	Yes	No	No
		Short Circuit	No	Yes	Yes	No	No
	Melee	Wrench	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Golden Wrench	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Gunslinger	No	No	Yes	Yes	No
		Southern Hospitality	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Jag	No	No	Yes	Yes	No
		Eureka Effect	No	Yes	Yes	No	No
Medic	Primary	Syringe Gun	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Blutsauger	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Crusader's Crossbow	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Overdose	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
	Secondary	Medi Gun	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Kritzkrieg	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Quick-Fix	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
	Melee	Bonesaw	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Übersaw	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Vita-Saw	No	No	Yes	No	No
		Amputator	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Solemn Vow	No	No	Yes	Yes	No
Sniper	Primary	Sniper Rifle	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Huntsman	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Sydney Sleeper	No	No	Yes	Yes	No
		Bazaar Bargain	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Machina	No	No	No	No	No
	Secondary	Submachine Gun	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Jarate	No	No	Yes	Yes	No
		Razorback	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Darwin's Danger Shield	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
	Melee	Kukri	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Tribalman's Shiv	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Bushwacka	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Shahanshah	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Spy	Primary	Revolver	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Big Kill	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Ambassador	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		L'Etranger	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Enforcer	No	No	No	No	No
		Diamondback	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
	Melee	Knife	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Your Eternal Reward	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Conniver's Kunai	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Big Earner	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Wanga Prick	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Spy-cicle	No	Yes	Yes	No	No
		Black Rose	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
	PDA2	Invisibility Watch	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Cloak and Dagger	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Dead Ringer	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Enthusiast's Timepiece	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
All	Melee	Saxxy	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Conscientious Objector	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		Frying Pan	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes