Projectile Shield

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The Projectile Shield is an upgrade function for the Medic's secondary weapons available through the Mann vs. Machine Upgrade Station. Purchasing the first upgrade permits the Medic to build up an Energy charge by healing teammates for activation of the Projectile Shield. When activated, a glowing shield appears in an arc in front of the Medic, blocking most enemy attacks through it, stopping Robots from passing through it, and damaging any Robot it touches. The second upgrade doubles the shield's width and doubles the damage dealt.

Charging and activation

When a Medi Gun is equipped after the Projectile Shield upgrade, an additional Energy charge bar appears next to the ÜberCharge bar. The Energy bar fills much faster and from more sources than the ÜberCharge. The Medic may build Energy by healing damaged teammate, Overhealing teammates, healing teammates who are damaging Robots, blocking teammate damage with Invulnerability ÜberCharges, or Reanimating fallen teammates. A beep cues the Medic player when charge is complete. When Energy is fully charged, pressing the Special-Attack key (attack3) deploys the Projectile Shield for many seconds.

Projectile Shield activation does not interfere with the normal operation of the Medic's secondary weapons; the beam can continue to Heal or Reanimate, Canteens can still be shared, and the ability to build and activate ÜberCharge continues.

Effectiveness

The Projectile Shield can destroy rockets, grenades, stickybombs, Huntsman arrows, and most other projectiles. It can also block attacks from hitscan weapons, and will deal damage to robots that come into contact with it. It can also make bots stop moving if the Projectile Shield us blocking the path they want to take.

However, this does not make the Projectile Shield a perfect defense. Some projectiles that would normally be blocked by the Projectile Shield can pass straight through on rare occasions, usually when the Medic is moving forward. Splash damage from explosives can also go through under the Projectile Shield if there are openings for it.

The Projectile Shield cannot block attacks from any of the Pyro's primary weapons, the Pomson 6000, or the Righteous Bison. It is also unable to block splashes from Mad Milk, Jarate, or the Gas Passer.

Weapons with increased melee range, such as the Demoman's swords, can also pass through the Projectile Shield.

If the Medic gets too close to a robot, the robot will be able to shoot through the Projectile Shield.

Damage

Robots, including Tanks, touching the Projectile Shield receive on-going Damage as long as they are in contact. The damage dealt by the Projectile Shield can quickly kill the weakest Robots.

The Shield cannot inflict Critical Hits, but Mini-crits are possible.

Strategy

Main article: Community Projectile Shield strategy

Related achievements

Wall of Pain Block 5,000 damage with the shield as a Medic in a single life.

Update history

November 21, 2013 Patch (Two Cities Update)

• Projectile Shield Upgrade
  • Build Energy by healing teammates, reviving and preventing damage via Invuln ÜberCharge.
  • Press ATTACK3 to activate when Energy meter is full (mouse3 by default)
  • While active:
    • Blocks all enemy projectiles
    • Damages enemies on touch

Bugs

• Projectile Shield can block teammate melee hits and Medi Gun beams.
• Buying the Projectile Shield upgrade, then swapping to another class, and then swapping back to Medic will cause the Projectile Shield to last for 10 seconds instead of 12.
  • Refunding upgrades will fix this bug

Gallery

• Projectile Shield second upgrade anthal.jpg

  Second upgrade coverage.

External links

• The Projectile Shield is not your friend, a demonstration of both effectiveness and weapons getting through the Projectile Shield.