Projectiles

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Projectile images

Projectiles, unlike hitscan bullets, do not travel instantaneously across the map, but rather at a preset speed, differing depending on the projectile, and are often subject to engine physics. Projectiles use a large hitbox shared by all classes to judge contact, the same as that used by melee weapons, other players, and the environment. The damage of a projectile is usually determined by the distance the target is from the attacker upon collision or, alternatively, from the spot said attacker was at upon death. Many projectiles have unique properties, which differ depending on the weapon. Projectiles are not affected by lag compensation.

A Heavy's dropped Sandvich, pieces of destroyed Stickybombs, buildings, Sappers, and dropped weapon pickups from dead players are not considered projectiles. Although they are launched and subject to engine physics, they have different properties.

Special projectiles

The properties of projectiles differ depending on the weapon that fired them. Projectiles often damage on contact like a hitscan bullet. Alternatively, many projectiles generate explosions upon contact, or in the case of the Demoman, generate explosions and destroy themselves when a certain time has passed (in the case of grenades) or at the Demoman's cue (in the case of Stickybombs). All projectiles except rockets and energy blasts are subject to gravity and fall downward. The damage of the projectiles that are fired from the Demoman's weapons (after five seconds, in the case of stickybombs), the Flare Gun, the Detonator, the Manmelter, a level 3 Sentry Gun, and the Huntsman are not affected by distance; however, the Crusader's Crossbow has an inverted damage falloff (which means damage and healing increase by distance). Certain projectiles apply effects upon contact. The baseballs launched by the Sandman apply a stunning effect, while the Wrap Assassin's bauble inflicts bleed, and flares set enemies on fire. Jarate and Mad Milk do not deal damage at all, but instead apply their respective effects to enemies, temporarily remove the Cloaking ability from Spies, and put out fires within their splash radius. The Blutsauger and Black Box restore health to the firing Medic or Soldier on a hit, and the Crusader's Crossbow heals and damages a teammate or enemy respectively. The Huntsman can also be made to apply the fire effect when ignited. Note that effects are not applied when the target is ÜberCharged.

Stickybombs adhere to the environment, but bounce off spawn walls, players, and certain other objects. Arrows stick to players and the environment, but only cosmetically; syringes also cosmetically stick to the environment. Rockets from a level 3 Sentry Gun track targets slightly and circle each other in flight; the cluster of four is considered a single object.

Flames

Main article: Fire

Flames are large, damage-dealing, player-igniting 'particles' fired from the Pyro's primary weapons: the Flamethrower, Backburner, Degreaser, Rainblower, and Phlogistinator. They use the projectile hitbox to judge contact, like projectiles, but do not have a visible model, have both a limited lifetime and a maximum distance, and have their damage largely determined by time since being fired rather than distance. Also unlike projectiles, flames do not stop when they collide with players or buildings, but instead continue moving and dealing damage to other objects until their maximum lifespan is reached. Flames also do not make contact with the environment; however, they will not deal damage should the center of the particle first pass through the environment or through water. Flames have a "negative" curve that cause them to drift upward, and their momentum is partially determined by the firing Pyro's movement. Both the Righteous Bison and the Pomson 6000 fire a mass of flame particles instead of a normal projectile, and use the particle hitboxes. However, unlike 'usual' flame particles, their shots do not light targets on fire and have no set lifetime. As such, they are able to light Huntsman arrows, cannot be reflected, and penetrate targets.

Explosions

Explosions are instantly damaging splash effects produced by projectiles (and the Kamikaze taunt and Ullapool Caber melee weapon), that usually have significant knockback. They also use the projectile hitbox. The knockback, size, and damage of explosions vary depending on the projectile that generates them. Explosions cannot pass through walls, and thus conform their shape to the shape of their surroundings. They deal damage and knockback proportional to the amount of hitbox encompassed in their radius and the distance between their origins and the midpoints of affected players. Explosions can hit the player that fired them, which may be used to augment jumping.

The compression blast and splash effects from Jarate and Mad Milk are sometimes classified as explosions, and have similar properties, conforming to walls in the same way.

Explosions (with the exception of the Scottish Resistance) will not destroy stickybombs but will knock them away.

Syringes

Syringes, fired by the Syringe Gun, the Blutsauger, and the Overdose, are the only projectile amongst Stock weapons that cannot be destroyed or reflected by other projectiles or a compression blast. They also deal bullet damage (therefore inflicting bonus damage to enemies with a weakness to bullets and disarming Stickybombs), which is also unique amongst projectiles.

Other properties of projectiles

The compression blast ability of the Pyro's primary weapons can reflect all projectiles except syringes and small energy beams from the Righteous Bison and the Pomson 6000. With the exception of Stickybombs, once reflected, projectiles switch ownership to the Pyro who reflected them and deal Mini-Crit damage on enemies they hit. Baseballs from the Sandman can be reflected by a well-timed swing with the Sandman.

The Huntsman's arrows critically headshot when they pierce a particular area of the projectile hitbox that is shared by all classes. The Backburner Crits when attacking an area behind of the hitbox. The flares from a Flare Gun deal Critical hits on burning players.

When colliding in mid-air, Critical projectiles and arrows destroy other projectiles. Flares can destroy other flares. Stickybombs can be destroyed by bullets, syringes, melee weapons, or the Scottish Resistance's stickybombs, dropping ammo.