Healing

A RED team Medic healing a RED Heavy

“

Click to listen

— The Scout

”

Healing is an ability primarily possessed by the Medic class while using his Medi Gun or Kritzkrieg. By training his healing beam on an ally (or a disguised enemy Spy), the Medic can actively restore the player's health. In addition to restoring health, healing also enables the Medic to fill up his ÜberCharge bar. The Medic cannot heal buildings, which must be repaired using the Engineer's melee weapon, such as a Wrench.

Healing and ÜberCharge rates

Healing rate is linearly based upon how long ago the target was last damaged. If the target was damaged less than 10 seconds ago, then they are healed at the normal rate of 24 health per second. From 10 to 15 seconds, this rate increases linearly from 24 up to a maximum of 72 health per second. This mechanic is in place to encourage falling back to heal, as without the boosted healing rate, players often found that fighting, dying, and respawning was quicker than falling back, being healed to full, then re-engaging.[1]

ÜberCharge building rate is halved if the target is at 142.5% health or above. If more than one Medic is healing the target, charge building speed is divided by a factor of the number of Medics healing that target.[2]

For exact timings, see the individual pages for the Medi Gun, Kritzkrieg and Quick-Fix.

Overheal

An overheal refers to a player's health being up to 150% above their maximum HP. Medics can overheal players with any secondary healing tool except for the Quick-Fix. The player's health cross on the HUD will glow more brightly as he or she is more overhealed. A particle effect consisting of small team-colored health symbols will surround an overhealed player. The Hatless Update increased the size of the overheal symbols.

A full overheal will fade away in exactly 20 seconds for all classes, provided that the player does not take additional damage. While a Heavy's health can be boosted to 450, it will return to its base of 300 in the same time as a Scout, whose health can be boosted to 185 from 125. If a Medic heals a player already at 100% health, it will take 1 to 3 seconds to raise them to 150% health (overhealed). Classes with the higher starting health take longer to fully overheal.

During setup time, or while approaching an objective, a Medic can keep multiple teammates on the front line overhealed instead of only their primary healing target. This also increases the speed at which the ÜberCharge bar rises.

When calculating the amount of overheal a class gets, if the number added turns into an increment that doesn't follow the pattern of 5's (5, 10, 15, 20, etc), the amount always goes down to the nearest 5th increment (i.e. 175 -> 262.5 would be changed to 260).

Class	Modifier	Normal Max	Over-healed Max
Scout	Base	125	185
Scout	With the Sandman equipped.	110	165
Scout	With the Special Delivery Pack equipped.	150	225
Soldier	Base	200	300
Pyro	Base	175	260
Demoman	Base	175	260
Demoman	With the Eyelander or HHHH equipped and no decapitations.	150	225
Demoman	With the Eyelander or HHHH equipped after one decapitation.	165	245
Demoman	With the Eyelander or HHHH equipped after two decapitations.	180	270
Demoman	With the Eyelander or HHHH equipped after three decapitations.	195	290
Demoman	With the Eyelander or HHHH equipped after four decapitations.	210	315
Demoman	With the Claidheamh Mòr equipped.	160	240
Heavy	Base	300	450
Heavy	After consuming the Dalokohs Bar.	350	450
Heavy	With the Warrior's Spirit equipped.	280	420
Heavy	With the Warrior's Spirit equipped after consuming the Dalokohs Bar.	330	420
Engineer	Base	125	185
Engineer	With the Gunslinger equipped.	150	225
Medic	Base	150	225
Medic	With the Vita-Saw equipped.	140	210
Sniper	Base	125	185
Sniper	With Darwin's Danger Shield equipped.	150	225
Spy	Base	125	185
Spy	With the Conniver's Kunai equipped.	60	90
Civilian	Base	50	75

Non-Medic Healing

Most maps are also dotted with varying sizes of health pickups.
The Resupply Lockers in spawns will grant a player full health.
Dispensers and Payload carts will actively heal friendly players and Spies disguised as friendly players who stand near them.
Scouts may use Mad Milk to enable themselves and their allies to recover health by damaging opponents covered in it.
Players killed by Scouts who have the Candy Cane equipped will drop a small medkit.
Soldiers can heal 15 health per opponent hit with the Black Box.
When activated, the Concheror heals 35% of all damage inflicted by people within range of the banner.
Pyros reflecting a rocket fired by the Black Box also regain 15 health if the rocket damages an opponent.
Pyros who obtain a kill with the Powerjack gain up to 75 health, which may overheal the Pyro.
Demomen who decapitate an enemy using the Eyelander or the Horseless Headless Horsemann's Headtaker recover 15HP along with the increase to their max health.
A Soldier or Demoman are fully healed upon a successful kill when wielding the Half-Zatoichi.
Heavies may also consume Sandviches or Dalokohs Bars to regain health, and can drop Sandviches or Buffalo Steak Sandviches for other players to use.
Medics wielding the Kritzkrieg can use its taunt to recover their own health.
The Blutsauger will heal the Medic 3 hitpoints for every shot fired that hits an enemy.
Spies who backstab someone with the Conniver's Kunai will gain a massive overheal of 120 health.

For more detailed information on other sources of healing, see the Health page.

Medic! icons

"Medic!" bubble (health at or above 100%)
"Medic!" bubble, when hurt (health below 100%)
Automatic Medic notification bubble (depends on your multiplayer advanced settings)