Water

“

Click to listen

— The Pyro speaking when submerged

”

An orthographic example of deep water in Team Fortress 2.

Water is an environmental feature that can be found in many maps as a terrain feature and gameplay element. There are two types of water: shallow and deep. Shallow water absorbs all impact from a fall, conducts electricity for the Neon Annihilator to strike Critical hits, and reveals the wet footsteps of Spies (which also become more audible). It is otherwise a cosmetic part of the game.

Deep water allows a character to fully submerge and swim around. Immersion in deep water instantly negates the effects of afterburn, Jarate, Mad Milk, and the Gas Passer, and prevents these debuffs from occurring until the player surfaces. Some maps feature submerged routes into the enemy base, which are often poorly defended in comparison to ground-level entrances. Like shallow water, deep water also negates fall damage.

Engineers can construct buildings underwater just like on land. Due to the low visibility of submerged objects, deep water is often a great spot to conceal a Teleporter or a Sentry Gun. However, Sentry Guns cannot see targets that are across the water's boundary no matter how close they are, making submerged Sentry Guns solely useful for underwater targets.

Remaining submerged in water for too long causes the player to drown. While drowning, a gagging, choking sound is heard and the player experiences a periodic loss of health and flinches (such as with bleeding and afterburn effects), and the screen flashes blue to warn the player. To negate this, the player must reach the surface, where the health lost due to drowning regenerates over time at a gradually increased rate. Upon surfacing from the water after drowning, a gurgling sound is heard by the player. Standing next to a Dispenser, picking up a Medkit, or being healed by a Medic restores the player's health faster than it is lost due to drowning.

Like shallow water, hitting enemies with the Neon Annihilator while they are standing in deep water, swimming, or who have recently surfaced from water deals Critical hits.

Deep water causes several impairments:

Submerging in water obscures the player's vision with bubbles for a few seconds.
Surfacing on the water can affect vision, making aiming difficult. To counter this, fully submerge, especially if battling a submerged opponent.
Swimming in deep water decreases the maneuverability of all classes by 20%, making them vulnerable targets for enemies who have the advantage of higher ground or more suitable weapons.
Players are considered to be in a constant state of falling while in water, and are not considered standing still even when resting on the bottom of the body of water. As a result:
- Players cannot taunt while underwater, or consume any lunchbox items (such items can still be dropped if possible).
- Players cannot enter Teleporters, although they can still emerge from teleporter exits per normal.
- The Scout cannot double jump while underwater.
- The Cloak and Dagger cannot recharge while cloaked underwater.
All in-game sound is muffled while the player is underwater, including voice chat. Setting the cvar dsp_water to 0 removes this effect.
Projectiles that must be thrown by hand (Sandman baseballs, Wrap Assassin baubles, Mad Milk, Jarate) cannot be used.
Firing any of the Pyro's flamethrowers underwater simply wastes ammo and ejects a stream of harmless bubbles instead of fire; Pyros are also unable to airblast at all. Additionally, flare-based secondary weapons cannot be fired. The Sharpened Volcano Fragment does not ignite enemies underwater.
The Demoman's projectiles travel slower and cover a shorter distance underwater due to the physical effects of the water on them.
The Engineer cannot fire his Short Circuit underwater.
Shots fired by the Medic's Crusader's Crossbow or the Sniper's Huntsman and Fortified Compound are deflected significantly when fired into water.
Any player surfacing from a body of water displays dripping water particles for a few seconds. This is detrimental to cloaked Spies, as this can reveal their presences to the enemy. Likewise, if a Spy attempts to cloak while underwater, the bubbles they make can still be seen, although they are still difficult to catch. Players who are dripping with water are considered "wet", and the Neon Annihilator does critical damage against them even if they are on dry land.

List of maps with water
Map	Water location	Gallery
2Fort	There is a large pool of deep water beneath the bridge in the center of the map. The sewers at each team's base contain shallow water as well.
2Fort Invasion	Identical to the water on 2Fort.
Applejack	There is a shallow puddle of water leading to the courtyard in both team's buildings.
Asteroid	On each side, inside both bases, there is deep water under the B point.
Atoll	The map takes place on an island that is surrounded by water.
Atom Smash	There is a large pool of water under the delivery point. There is a small pool of water near the catwalk stairs.
Badlands (Arena)	On each side, there is a small pond of deep water beneath the small concrete bridge to the left of the spawn room.
Badlands (King of the Hill)	Identical water locations to the Arena version.
Banana Bay	The entire map is surrounded by an ocean of deep water.
Bigrock	A large pool of water is seen near the robot spawn area, with a waterfall running into it. It is out of bounds, however.
Bloodwater	There is a shallow pool of blood-colored water between the second and third checkpoints.
Brew	A river flows along the side of the map near the the first Control Point.
Cachoeira	The helicopter and entrances to the caves are surrounded by shallow water. A lake stretches across the edge of the map. Between both spawns out-of-bounds is a pool of deep water (and a submarine).
Canaveral	A bay of deep water connected to the ocean resides under the central Control Point.
Cashworks	A river runs underneath 2 bridges near the final checkpoint.
Coal Pit	There is a large puddle of water with floating chunks of ice around the base of control point C's tower. Another large puddle of water with chunks of ice is found in front of the small shack near control point B and it continues into the cave.
Corruption	The coastline surrounds the outdoor portions of the map. There is a large deadly body of water in the back of the BLU team's first spawn room.
Crasher	There is a shallow pool of water under the bridge in the center of the map.
Cursed Cove	At the end of the cove is the sea, which can be partially entered. Additionally, when players enter Davy Jones' Locker, Jones has driven the water back from the shipwreck. After a time Jones allows the swimable water to return, drowing players that do not leave it soon enough.
DeGroot Keep	A waterfall flows into a large lake at the bottom of a gorge running along the side of the map.
Devastation	There are flooded corridors and room at the bottom of the play-space.
Distillery	There is a pool of water at the bottom of a gorge underneath a building.
Doomsday	There is a small pool of deep water at the broken crate area, underneath the pick-up location for the neutral Australium.
Double Cross	A pool of deep water is found beneath the drop hatches of the spawn rooms.
Embargo	The ocean is below the start of the Payload track. A small room contains a shallow hot spa.
Eyeaduct	A large body of water containing Loot Island, separate from the main map. Falling in causes instant death.
Freight	Two large bodies of water connect from the exits of RED and BLU's buildings under the main buildings to a small pool on the other side of the midpoint. The water allows for flanking and an easy way around the trains.
Frontier	The rightmost exit of BLU spawn leads to a small, barely noticeable area covered with shallow water.
Frostwatch	On the first stage there is a small lake behind a fence near the second control point. On the second stage there is a large lake down below, behind BLU's spawn as well as one behind RED's spawn. There is also a small body of water behind a fence near control point B. On the third stage a river runs through the map right outside of BLU's spawn.
Ghost Fort	A large body of water containing Skull Island, separate from the main map. Falling in causes instant death.
Graveyard	Multiple small puddles surround the central building.
Hadal	Leading into Control Point C is a sewer containing shallow water. Out-of-bounds underneath BLU spawn is a pool of deep water.
Hardwood	There is a lake out-of-bounds behind the BLU team's initial spawn building.
Helltrain	One of the places the trains drive through has a bridge with a river underneath. Another has a lake at the bottom of a canyon. Another is entirely underwater (only cosmetic).
Hydro	There is shallow water in the Dam and Warehouse territories.
Krampus	Underneath the capture point is a small stream of near-deep water. Further up the stream it becomes more shallow as it surrounds a statue.
Laughter	Holes on the tracks drop players onto the crocodile-infested waters below the boardwalk. The whole map is set on a boardwalk.
Lakeside	In the center building next to the control point there is a small pool of deep water. A lake is next to the middle of the map.
Mannhattan	A large ocean exists that surrounds the outer areas of the robot carrier tank (out of bounds).
Mannsylvania	A river runs underneath the bridge to Dracula's castle.
Megalo	Next to both spawn rooms behind a fence are small pools of water.
Megaton	The map takes place on an island in the middle of the ocean.
Moonshine Event	A lagoon surrounds the center control point areas.
Mossrock	There is a small stream of water just after point A.
Murky	The majority of the outdoor area is covered with water.
Nightfall	On stage 3, there is a very small pond of deep water in the center of the map under the cart tracks.
Odyssey	The ocean resides off the edge of the cliff near the second capture point.
Overgrown	There is a river along the right edges of the map near BLU's spawn.
Pelican Peak	There is an out-of-bounds lake behind the RED team's flag capture zone. There is an out-of-bounds pool of water near the overpass in the centre of the map. There is a pool of water underneath the overpass in the middle of the map. There are two pools of water in the underground tunnels connecting to the vents.
Phoenix	There is a water wheel behind BLU's first spawn building that leads into a small stream that enters the spawn. There is a shallow pool of water next to BLU's first spawn building. There is a shallow pool of water near the final checkpoint.
Pier	A long canal of deep water runs through the center of the map underneath the first capture point. The indoor dockyard with the third capture point has deep water. The map is surrounded by ocean, but the island cannot be circumnavigated.
Pipeline	On stage 3, the small canal beneath the cart tracks has deep water.
Polar	A small lake resides outside the map behind the final checkpoint. Another is in the clearing behind BLU Team's second spawn room.
Powerhouse	The center of the map has a channel of deep water.
Ravine	At the lower side of the map underneath the tall, large building, deep water can be found in the small alcove.
Reckoner	There are two lakes out-of-bounds next to roads. There is rushing water under the pipes next to the final control points.
Rottenburg	At the left side of the spawn area, a large river of water can be found over a railing.
Rumford	A long river flows out of a dam and runs along one side of the map.
Sandcastle	A hose pours water into a large puddle at the bottom of a gorge running along the side of the map.
Sanitarium	There is water in the fountain in the courtyard.
Sawmill	Bodies of deep water are found at the Lumbershack and Waterfall areas of the map. In the Capture the Flag version, shallow water also covers the Intelligence room's floor.	(Capture the Flag)
Selbyen	The map takes place on a harbour connected to the sea.
Sharkbay	The harbour area around the control point is full of instant-death shark-infested water. There are shark tanks in both spawn rooms.
Skirmish	There is a large lake out-of-bounds. There is a small pool of water connected to a waterfall in a cave. The water is alligator-infested and instantly kills mercenaries.
Slime	Water surrounds the play-space. A hallway next to the control point leads into a flooded tunnel. There is a beach with shallow water near the control point. On both sides of the map, outside the spawn rooms there is a ramp with a shallow puddle.
SnowVille	On both sides of the map connected to the central building is drop-down to a flooded passageway.
Snowycoast	Water surrounds the mothership at the final point's pitfall.
Spineyard	The map is surrounded by the ocean. There is a fountain near the start of the Payload track. There is a circular pond, a pool on a balcony, and another fountain near the final checkpoint.
Standin	Shallow water surrounds the platform Point A is on.
Suijin	The river surrounds the center control point (shallow water), and waterfalls off the edge of the cliff.
Sulfur	There is a miniature pond behind BLU's spawn room. There is a tub of steaming water inside BLU's spawn room. There is a small pool of steaming water outside of BLU's spawn leading to control point A. There is a river and multiple waterfalls next to and underneath control point A. There is a lake of steaming water underneath control point B. This lake connects to a large pool of boiling water surrounding and enveloping control point D.
Sunshine	There is an ocean outside the map.
Swiftwater	First BLU spawn leads to small river (shallow water).
Thunder Mountain	On stage 2, there is a small stream which has deep water right outside of the BLU spawn.
Timbertown	Small pools around the map.
Tiny Rock	There is a lake of water far out-of-bounds at the end of a large gorge.
Venice	There is an ocean behind BLU's initial spawn room. The map has canals of water running through it.
Watchtower	There are small ponds of deep water around the valley below the central tower.
Watergate	The center of the map has a canal of deep water.
Well	Deep water channels outside the teams' buildings consisting of underwater routes connecting each team's base building to the central train house building. The Capture the Flag version is similar to the Control Point version, except the route to the central building is removed with the building itself. The Arena version features a small pool adjacent to the central building which offers a quick route to the main point.
Woods	There is a large lake with a boathouse.