Fire
| “ | I appear to have burst into flames.
Click to listen
— The Spy on the blatantly obvious
|
” |
Fire, or afterburn, refers to the damage-over-time effect inflicted on a player when hit by a variety of weapons, most commonly those of the Pyro. Fire is useful for hit-and-run tactics and for weakening or finishing off an opponent if the damage from the weapon alone is not enough to kill them. This allows attackers to score kills even while dead, as the fire damage may finish off a wounded opponent.
Upon being set aflame, a player's character will automatically scream out that they are on fire, alerting nearby Medics and teammates to their plight. Setting an opponent on fire also creates a disorienting effect on their screen view (flames will engulf the edges of the screen and a burning sound is heard). This can be used to a team's advantage if the Pyro is able to ambush a group of attacking foes. Snipers lit on fire will find it extremely difficult to perform an accurate shot, as the scoped view will move every time the Sniper takes damage from the burning (an effect the Sniper can prevent by equipping the Cozy Camper). When calling for a Medic, the balloon with the Medic symbol will be on fire, notifying a Medic of his plight. This helps put burning players as a priority to heal.
Fire can be used to perform Spy checks. A small burst of flame will ignite an enemy Spy, even if cloaked or disguised. Burning players give off an additional coloured particle effect revealing their true allegiance; this is a useful effect for distinguishing disguised Spies.
The fire effect starts immediately upon damage from a weapon that causes it. Each fire effect will last for 10 seconds. Additional hits from these weapons will restart the duration of the fire back to ten seconds. Fire damages a player every half-second for 3 HP each tick (2 HP each tick for the Degreaser), totaling 60 damage over those ten seconds (40 damage for the Degreaser). Afterburn damage cannot crit; however, it can mini-crit if the target is under a mini-crit debuff, such as covered in Jarate, marked for death, or if the attacking Pyro is buffed by the Buff Banner.
Note that enemy Pyros cannot be set on fire. While Pyros still take contact damage from the Flamethrower, they will not take further damage over time. The Pyro does, however, count as on fire for a brief second while he appears with the charred graphical effect after taking damage from a fire-inducing weapon, and while he takes no additional damage, he can still suffer critical hits from the Axtinguisher, Postal Pummeler, Sun-on-a-Stick, Flare Gun, and mini-crits from the Detonator.
It is possible to allow gibs to catch fire (if a burning player is killed by an explosion) with the cl_burninggibs 1/0 command.
Contents
Weapons which inflict afterburn
| Weapon | Notes |
|---|---|
 Flame Thrower |
Only stock weapon with afterburn ability. |
 Backburner |
|
 Degreaser |
Afterburn caused by this weapon deals 25% less damage compared to the default Flamethrower. |
 Phlogistinator |
|
 Rainblower |
Afterburn caused by this weapon also has a sparkling particle effect, only visible to players in Pyroland. |
 Flare Gun |
|
 Detonator |
|
 Manmelter |
|
 Scorch Shot |
|
 Sharpened Volcano Fragment |
|
 Cow Mangler 5000 |
Both enemies and the user will be set ablaze by charged shots. |
 Huntsman |
Arrows can be ignited by an ally by firing any Pyro primary weapon, the Righteous Bison, or the Pomson 6000, as well as approaching the torches placed in DeGroot Keep. |
Surviving fire
The following will extinguish a player who is on fire:
- Picking up a Health pack, Sandvich, or Buffalo Steak Sandvich(the latter two do not apply to the Heavy who dropped the Sandvich).
- Completely immersing one's self in a body of water. Puddles and low-level water (such as in the sewer tunnels in 2Fort) will not extinguish a burning player.
- Being the recipient of a regular ÜberCharge; a Kritzkrieg charge will not extinguish the flames if the target is already being healed.
- Being healed by a Medic, Dispenser, or Payload cart for a full second will extinguish flames.
- Being splashed with Jarate by a friendly Sniper or Mad Milk from a friendly Scout. Snipers and Scouts can also extinguish themselves by throwing their respective containers at their feet.
- Being air blasted by a friendly Pyro.
- Activating the Dead Ringer as a Spy.
- Receiving the effects of a Resupply locker.
- Backstabbing someone while holding the Conniver's Kunai as a Spy.
- Killing someone with the Half-Zatoichi as a Soldier or Demoman.
- Picking up ammo or weapons while using the Persian Persuader.
- Being extinguished by the alternate fire of a friendly Pyro's Manmelter.
- Switching to the Spy-cicle, if it is not already the active weapon, as a Spy.
The following methods do not extinguish the afterburn, but can help burning players survive by healing faster than the afterburn can deal damage or by mitigating afterburn's damage:
- Eating the Sandvich (non-dropped) or Dalokohs Bar.
- Being healed by a Medic, a Dispenser, or the Payload cart for less than a full second.
- Drinking Bonk! Atomic Punch will stop any afterburn damage, although it may resume after the effects of Bonk! have worn off. Note that it does not protect against afterburn inflicted by the Flare Gun or Detonator.
- A Medic's health regeneration will often be enough. With the Syringe Gun or Overdose, the minimum healing rate (3/sec) will restore health at half the rate of afterburn damage.
- A Medic's Oktoberfest taunt may save a Medic low on health.
- The healing received on-hit when using the Blutsauger or Black Box.
- Shooting an enemy coated with Mad Milk will heal 60% of the damage dealt.
- Health gained on-kill with the Eyelander, Horseless Headless Horsemann's Headtaker, or Nessie's Nine Iron as the Demoman.
- The Chargin' Targe offers a 50% fire resistance that applies to afterburn.
- The Splendid Screen offers a 20% fire resistance that applies to afterburn.
- The Battalion's Backup provides a 35% damage resistance to the Soldier and all teammates in range of him.
- The Dead Ringer provides a 90% damage resistance if set alight while cloaked as Spy.
- The Medieval Medic set bonus will allow the player to almost out-heal the Degreaser's afterburn (taking 5 of total damage) and boosts their chances of surviving normal afterburn.
- The Expert's Ordnance set bonus provides a 10% fire resistance that applies to afterburn.
When active, the Spy-cicle gives a Spy a couple seconds of immunity from being set alight, however it does not affect afterburn.
Weapon specific
The following weapons provide additional resistance or vulnerability against fire-based attacks. Note that both contact damage (barring the melee damage from the Sharpened Volcano Fragment) and afterburn are modified.
| Weapon/Item set | Effect |
|---|---|
 Bushwacka |
 Grants 20% fire damage vulnerability on wearer
|
 Chargin' Targe |
 Grants 50% fire damage resistance on wearer
|
 The Expert's Ordnance |
Grants 10% fire damage resistance on wearer
|
 Pretty Boy's Pocket Pistol |
50% fire damage vulnerability on wearer
|
 Splendid Screen |
Grants 20% fire damage resistance on wearer
|
 Spy-cicle |
On Hit by Fire: Become fireproof for 2 seconds
|
 Southern Hospitality |
Grants 20% fire damage vulnerability on wearer
|
Related achievements
General
|
|
Soldier
|
Pyro
|
|
Heavy
|
Engineer
|
Medic
|
|
Sniper
|
Spy
|
Bugs
- Burning ragdolls will not be extinguished when submerged in water.
- A burning player will cease to take damage if the enemy who inflicted the afterburn changes teams, but will visually remain on fire for the default duration.
Kill icons
Deflected flare
Flaming Huntsman
Flaming Huntsman afterburn
Flaming Huntsman headshot (Not used in-game)
Deflected flaming Huntsman (Not used in-game)
Deflected flaming Huntsman headshot (Not used in-game)
Suicide from Cow Mangler 5000 charge-shot afterburn
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
