Bleeding

“

It's only gonna get worse, mate. Click to listen — The Sniper

”

Bleeding is an attrition damage effect similar to Afterburn that causes a gradual loss of health until it stops. Bleed duration does not stack on multiple hits: Being struck again by a bleed-inflicting weapon does not increase the bleed time, but rather 'resets' it to full duration . The only way to stop Bleeding is by finding a Health kit or a resupply cabinet, though any other healing source can cancel out the damage.

Bleed damage cannot crit, however it can still mini-crit if the target is covered in Jarate or if the player who caused the bleeding has been buffed by the Buff Banner.

Indications of bleeding

Red drop on health display. Find a Medic fast!

If you are bleeding:

• You will notice a red drop on your Health display, which will indicate that you have been wounded with a Bleed-inflicting weapon.
• You will flinch, as with fire, each time the Bleeding inflicts damage.
• Your screen will appear to swim and have a red hue.

If a teammate or enemy is bleeding:

• Blood will drip from the teammate and they will flinch as their Health drains away.
• Spies will bleed as well, even if they're cloaked or disguised.

Tribalman's Shiv

Bleed kill icon

The Tribalman's Shiv was the first weapon capable of inflicting bleeding damage. The initial blow will inflict a base 32 (29 to 36) damage, and cause the player to bleed. Dealing 3 to 5 damage per tick (every half-second) totaling to 8.5 damage per second for 6 seconds (51 damage total)

Southern Hospitality

The Southern Hospitality also uses the bleeding effect. It lasts for 5 seconds, doing 3-5 damage every half second for a total of approximately 42.5 extra damage. This results in about 107 total damage from one hit of the Southern Hospitality.

Key differences between Bleeding and Afterburn

Bleeding differs in a few key ways to Afterburn:

• Bleeding cannot be removed except by visiting resupply cabinet or grabbing a Health pick-up. Therefore it cannot be negated by:
  • Water
  • Healing from a Medic or a Dispenser
  • Jarate or
  • a Compression blast
• It has a different, more distracting, visual effect to afterburn.
• It does 4 damage every half second as opposed to 3 for afterburn.