Community Medieval Mode strategy

Honorable Hand-to-Hand Combat.

This article is about Community Medieval mode strategy. Medieval Mode is a mode added with the Australian Christmas update and is currently only activated by default on the map DeGroot Keep. As only certain weapons are allowed, class balance is drastically altered from normal gameplay.

General strategy

Available multi-class items

• Try to equip as many weapon slots as allowed when choosing a class. This can give a crucial tactical advantage over enemies.
• Item set bonuses will not apply if one of the required weapons is not allowed. Currently, the only item set that is fully functional is the Medieval Medic set.
• By default, melee weapons have a 12% chance of critical hits as opposed to the 2.5% chance of ranged weapons. Critical hits cause around 195 damage meaning most classes can be killed in one hit; Notable exceptions include: Soldiers, Heavies, Powerjack Pyros with a full overheal, Demomen wearing the Ali Baba's Wee Booties or the Bootlegger, Demomen wielding the Eyelander and its variants carrying 4 or more heads, and Spies wielding the Dead Ringer or the Conniver's Kunai with a full overheal. Be aware of this when using weapons that cannot deal critical hits.
  • Attack with your melee weapon wisely. There is usually a set delay until you can swing again. Try to attack your enemies between their swings or outside of their range. Learn to recognize your critical swing animations for a clean kill.
  • When participating in an all-out brawl in close quarters be aware that hitboxes will mesh together. Thus when hitting an opponent in the midst of your teammates, some hits may not register to avoid friendly fire. Simply take a step back and approach from a different angle. Be cautious of this when you and your teammates have an enemy cornered or surrounded.
  • The console command "tf_medieval_thirdperson 1" can be used to aid in melee weapon aiming, but will hinder in aiming ranged weaponry.
• If the auto-translate feature hinders in communication, placing a ! or a / before anything you say in chat will stop it.
  • Additionally, using the "say" command in the console before typing in chat will also negate it.
• Overtime in Medieval Mode will only engage after time runs out if any of the points are partially capped or if the final point still has time left on the clock.
• Server plugins, such as Roll the Dice, are likely to have a more noticeable effect on gameplay. If this is giving you trouble simply join another server or use the plugin yourself.
• Lastly, in Medieval Mode, teamwork takes on a different role. Your teammates may not be able to reach you in time, meaning you must be able to fend for yourself. However, teamwork such as healing others, extinguishing fire, or simply watching each others' backs is essential to succeeding in this game mode.

Class-specific strategy

 Scout

Available Secondary Weapons

Secondary Weapons

• Bonk! Atomic Punch: Drinking this makes you invulnerable for 6 seconds, but the user cannot attack while active. Since Sentry Guns are absent in this mode, this weapon can be used effectively as a distraction or as an escape. Due to the invulnerability, you can leap over enemies in congested points and attack those unaware or distracted from behind with your melee weapon.
  • Using the Home Run taunt while invulnerable is also surprisingly effective on congested points. However, be sure to be invulnerable while the taunt completes lest you be killed quickly.
• Crit-a-Cola: Drinking this allows you to deal mini-crits with your melee weapon for 6 seconds. However, you will also taking mini-crits from any damage from enemies for the same duration. Due to a lack of reliable healing in this mode, this is a high risk-high reward strategy. Be sure to use this only if you are sure to finish off enemies and receive their health packs. Use this in conjunction with a friendly Soldier's Battalion's Backup to negate its negative effects.
  • Avoid Snipers with the Bushwacka, as the mini-crit you take will turn into full critical hit while the effect is active.
• Mad Milk: Enemies doused in Mad Milk will award health to attacking players for 10 seconds. This helps to support the user and their allies during brutal assaults. Throw this on highly contested points to aid in your and your teammates' survivability.
  • Mad Milk is also very effective for Spy checking as Pyros lack an effective fire weapon and Jarate is not allowed. Use this when you suspect a Spy is in the area to short out their Cloak.
  • Fire can whittle away precious health points in a short period of time. Use Mad Milk to quickly extinguish fires on yourself or on your teammates.

Available Melee Weapons

Melee Weapons

• Atomizer: This weapon allows you to triple jump, but at a precious cost of 10 health. The decreased damage means you will have to rely on your increased mobility or a critical hit to finish off an opponent. However, this will likely lead to a significant loss of health in the encounter. Jump wisely.
  • It is possible to scale walls and gain a tactical advantage over enemies in their own base.
• Bat and Frying Pan: This is the default melee weapon for the Scout. Take advantage of your fast firing speed and critical hits to finish off opponents.
• Boston Basher and Three-Rune Blade: This will deal melee damage and bleeding damage on a successful hit. However, a missed swing can take out half a Scout's health due to the bleedout. Try not to miss.
  • Use this in conjunction with a friendly Soldier's Buff Banner to dish out extra bleed damage.
  • While it is possible to "triple jump" with this weapon to scale walls, it is not recommended due to the bleedout and lack of reliable health sources. However, this will give a distinct tactical advantage over enemies whilst being in their base.
  • This weapon is also useful for Spy-checking; keep a sharp eye out for bleeding stuck "allies".
• Candy Cane: This weapon will drop two small medkits on a successful kill in Medieval Mode. The only downside is the vulnerability to explosive damage which, in Medieval Mode, is limited to the Ullapool Caber and the Soldier's Kamikaze taunt. However, in general, it is an upgrade to the default Bat.
• Fan O'War: This deals substantially less damage than any other melee weapon in game. However, an enemy that is marked for death will receive all damage as mini-crits. You can only mark one enemy at a time, but it will be unlikely to kill an enemy by yourself. Use this to mark an enemy in congested areas so your teammates can easily take him down.
• Holy Mackerel and Unarmed Combat: The attributes are the same as the default bat. However, the lack of a "FISH KILL!" or "ARM KILL!" in the kill feed can tell if a Spy is using Dead Ringer.
• Sandman: This grants the ability to throw a baseball that will stun an enemy on a successful hit. However, you will have a lower health of 110. Always have the ball ready to shoot to aid in escapes or attacks. Remember, the farther away from the target you are, the longer the ball will stun. Use the ball on congested areas to guarantee a stun.
• Sun-on-a-Stick: This weapon has limited use by itself due to its lower damage output, but it is very useful for killing enemies "tagged" by a Sniper's flaming Huntsman arrow, or a Pyro's Sharpened Volcano Fragment.
• Wrap Assassin: Similar to Sandman, this weapon can shoot an ornament that bleeds upon contact with an enemy. However, the melee damage is significantly less than the standard Bat. Throw the bauble in congested areas and try to attack enemies on low health to inflict the most damage.

Scout Strategy

• You lack any of your primary weapons. You must rely more on your other weapons, your speed, and double-jumping ability to survive.
• Use your drinks to get through and clear out points.
• Your melee weapons deal less damage than other classes but it is compensated by a faster firing speed. Use your speed to your advantage and circle-strafe to get as many hits as possible while taking as few as possible yourself.
• Your double capping ability and mobility will aid in getting to and capturing points.

 Soldier

Available Secondary Weapons

Secondary Weapons

• Battalion's Backup: This weapon is helpful when defending congested points for reduced overall damage from enemies, or when a crit boosted enemy is about to charge in. If an enemy Soldier is using a Buff Banner, you may want to wait until he sounds his bugle, and then sound your own to cancel it out.
• Buff Banner: This weapon is extremely helpful when attacking congested points. The increased melee damage will put a considerable dent in their personnel defenses. Consider buffing friendly Snipers, especially if they can hit enemies with flaming arrows, as the afterburn will mini-crit as long as the Snipers are buffed. Buffing a friendly Pyro wielding the Sharpened Volcano Fragment will do the same. Buffing a friendly Medic with the Crusader's Crossbow will result in the same mini-crit damage being applied to the arrows. Bleeding is also affected by this, so coordination with your team is key.
• Concheror: This weapon works well on either Offense or Defense, as teammates will constantly be attacking the enemy. The healing they get from attacking will greatly increase their chances of survivability.

Note on Banners: The Rage meter either fills by taking damage or receiving damage. Though you have a high pool of health, you will likely come off damaged in a fight. You must have a source of healing to deal or receive extended damage. After all, you must be alive to sound the bugle. Also the halo effect surrounding your teammates's feet can be used for Spy-checking as enemy Spies will not receive the halo effect.

• Mantreads: This weapon has seen limited use for users jumping off of walls on onto enemy players to deal fall damage. This can be useful for players jumping onto congested points.

Available Melee Weapons

Melee Weapons

• Disciplinary Action: This weapon is good for speeding up slower teammates like Heavies but is poor for self-defense due to the reduced damage. However, you will also gain a speed bonus, allowing you to maneuver yourself towards enemies or to make a hasty retreat. It has a long range, even longer than the Eyelander, so you should be able to get a few hits or two on anyone who isn't faster than you. It also works well for spychecking: disguised Spies nor yourself will receive a speed bonus.
• Equalizer: This can be used if you can maneuver yourself well and avoid attacks. It's important to remember that the Medic's Medicating Melody taunt with the Amputator and his Crusader's Crossbow arrows will not heal you if you have the Equalizer out.
  • It is worth noting that the Equalizer's Kamikaze taunt is one of the few ways to cause explosive damage in Medieval Mode; it is suicidal, but try using it to catch enemies coming around corners or clearing contested points.
• Using the Battalion's Backup and Equalizer, try to take small amounts of damage to build up your rage meter. Then, switch to your Equalizer to make a quick escape, regroup with your teammates, unleash the rage and help mow down your enemies with the Equalizer.
• Half-Zatoichi: This weapon doles out consistent damage over a long range and will completely heal you on a successful kill. You are not likely to need to switch to your banner before you achieve at least one kill. Keep in mind, however, that an enemy Soldier or Demoman wielding the Half-Zatoichi can kill you in one hit, and vice versa.

A note on the Half-Zatoichi: If you see an enemy approaching with the weapon, it is best to keep him at a distance and strike him between his swings. One critical hit from the sword will kill you as a class with health under 195, restore him to full health, and due to how critical hits are calculated, give him more of a chance to inflict critical hits.

• Market Gardener: As with the Gunboats, the absence of Rocket Jumping makes the Market Gardener a poor choice as there is no way to activate its ability.
• Pain Train: This weapon is good on Offense due to the increased capture rate. As there are no bullets flying, there are no downsides. However, the Demoman's shield bash currently counts as bullet damage and should be taken into account.
• Shovel and Frying Pan: These weapons are good for dealing consistent damage at all health levels.

Soldier Strategy

• You do not have any of your powerful Rocket Launchers and cannot rocket jump to quickly move around. Your slow speed will also hamper maneuvering around enemies. Thus the Soldier is far more of a support class in Medieval Mode.
• Your high health pool will enable you to sustain and deliver damage.
• Use your banners to aid or repel a push in the absence of ÜberCharges.

 Pyro

Available Melee Weapons

Melee Weapons

• Axtinguisher and Postal Pummeler: The use of these weapons is limited due to it inability to deal random critical hits, weakened melee damage, and due to fire only being present in the form of a flaming Huntsman arrow or the Sharpened Volcano Fragment. If there is already another Pyro on your team wielding the Fragment, you can follow them with the Axtinguisher to make for a deadly combination.
• Back Scratcher: This weapon generally reigns superior as a Pyro weapon for Medieval Mode, due to the increased melee damage, increased healing from medkits, and the fact that everyone drops a medkit upon death. This weapon will, however, diminish the Medic's healing from the Crusader's Crossbow and the Medicating Melody taunt of the Amputator.
• Fire Axe and Frying Pan: This weapon will provide consistent damage, but consider giving another weapon a try.
• Powerjack: This weapon can heal the user and provides one of the few ways to gain an overheal. However, its increased melee vulnerability gives it a drawback in large melee fights.
• Sharpened Volcano Fragment: This weapon is strongly recommended for its ability to set enemies aflame, thereby causing damage over time and is a useful tool for spychecking. However the decreased melee damage and the general prevalence of fire-resistant shields means that this is more of a hit-and-run tactic. Pair up with another Pyro wielding the Axtinguisher or Postal Pummeler to make an effective and deadly combination.
• Homewrecker and Maul: Due to the absence of buildings, these weapon are a poor choice for Medieval Mode due to the decreased melee damage; you should choose another of the weapon instead.
• Third Degree: This weapon is used best when you see a Medic doing a Medicating Melody taunt with the Amputator. If any player being healed by the Medic is hit with a Third Degree, all damage will be transferred to the Medic and any other healing players for the duration of the taunt.

Pyro Strategy

• With the loss of your Flamethrowers, you are unable to Spy-check effectively, set people on fire with regularity, or use the compression blast to extinguish teammates and push enemies away.
• As with playing Pyro in general, you are best suited towards ambushing and catching people off guard to be effective.
• You have an innate resistance to afterburn from the Sharpened Volcano Fragment and flaming Huntsman arrows. However, this does not protect you from the raw damage that they cause.

 Demoman

Available Primary Weapons

Primary Weapons

• Ali Baba's Wee Booties and Bootlegger: If you have these weapons, you should equip them. The extra health and turning (assuming you have a shield equipped) will assist in taking down enemies.

Available Secondary Weapons

Secondary Weapons

• Chargin' Targe: This weapon has better passive defensive bonuses against fire and explosions, making it a better choice when facing Sharpened Volcano Fragment Pyros and Ullapool Caber Demomen.
• Splendid Screen: This weapon on the other hand, has more offensive power with a shield bash that can oneshot weaker enemies.

Note on shields: Demomen can use the rocks and other features of scenery to quickly scale walls and leap over obstacles. Any weapon that cannot deal random critical hits, such as the Eyelander, will be granted a critical swing near the end of the charge. Use this to your advantage. Additionally, if aimed correctly, you can still pop people into the air with the shield bash, rendering them helpless and with low health: easy prey for your melee weapon.

Available Melee Weapons

Melee Weapons

The Demoman has the most melee weapons of any class. Try them out:

• Bottle, Frying Pan and Scottish Handshake: These are reliable weapons with no drawbacks. However, consider using other weapons.
• Claidheamh Mòr: This weapon has the advantage of an increased charge length and a larger melee range. However, it cannot randomly crit normally and will reduce the Demoman's initial health.
• Eyelander, Horseless Headless Horseman's Headtaker and Nessie's Nine Iron: These weapons collect heads and have a larger melee range. This is very useful, especially once the Demoman builds his health, speed and shield damage bonuses as more heads collected. However, it cannot randomly crit normally and will reduce the Demoman's initial health.
• Half-Zatoichi: This weapon doles out consistent damage over a long range and will completely heal you on a successful kill. You also have no other weapons to actively switch. Keep in mind, however, that an enemy Soldier or Demoman wielding the Half-Zatoichi can kill you in one hit, and vice versa.

A note on the Half-Zatoichi: If you see an enemy approaching with the weapon, it is best to keep him at a distance and strike him between his swings. One critical hit from the sword will kill you as a class with health under 195, restore him to full health, and due to how critical hits are calculated, give him more of a chance to inflict more critical hits.

• Pain Train: This weapon is a good choice for Offense as it provides a capture bonus. Since there are no bullets, there are no drawbacks. However, the Demoman's charge registers as bullet damage.
• Scotsman's Skullcutter: This weapon, with its increased damage and ability to crit, can be extremely effective (especially when combined with a charge). Its move speed reduction can be an issue, though. Avoid this weapon if you are focusing on speed.
• Persian Persuader: This weapon's charge recharge increase is extremely useful. Since most available weapons do not use ammo anyway, it effectively adds extra health packs to the map from dropped weapons. Just remember that the disadvantage of this weapon is that it cannot deal any random critical hits. Despite going very well with a shield and boots, frequent charges aren't as neccesary in Medeivil mode, and the health you gain will be negligable, as dead enemies already drop health packs.
• The Ullapool Caber is the only weapon capable of causing explosive damage (barring the Soldier's Kamikaze taunt), and can easily take out a cluster of enemies with a full shield charge. Once exploded, it is effectively useless due to no random crits and the low damage output. Be wary, as the resultant explosion and fall damage can leave you will very little health.
  • Use the caber and the shield bash to to clear out congested points and oneshot weaker enemies. Once in the air, you can change direction mid-air and charge back to where you came from to resupply.
  • The blast knockback can be used to jump onto walls, allowing instant use of your shield charge. However, this will leave you with low health and a less effective melee weapon.

Demoman Strategy

• Without his explosive weaponry, the Demoman can no longer fill his role as a demolitions expert. However, due to the large array of weapons that are still available to him and access to all of his weapon slots, the Demoman is arguably the most effective class in Medieval Mode.
• Use the charge granted by the shields to speed through to objectives and avoid obstacles.
• Since most of your weapons have longer ranges, you can keep people at bay without suffering melee damage yourself.

 Heavy

Available Secondary Weapons

Secondary Weapons

As the Shotguns are unusable, always make sure to equip a lunchbox item:

• Sandvich: This a great way to heal yourself in the absence of reliable sources of healing. Bet sure to position your self behind cover or against a wall to ward off attackers and backstabs.
  • Your can drop your Sandvich to heal your teammates or a Medic who is taunt healing you. Be sure to watch his back.
  • Refill your Sandvich instantly by walking over one of the many small healthkits that arose following your bologna-fueled rampage.
• Dalokohs Bar and Fishcake: These are more useful in Medieval Mode than in conventional gameplay due to Medics being unable to overheal. Health pickups will grant slightly more health while your maximum health is increased. You may eat as many as you want, but as with the Sandvich, position yourself to avoid attack and backstabs.
• Buffalo Steak Sandvich: This can be used to grant added speed and deal Mini-Crits with your melee weapon of choice; use this to your advantage in Medieval Mode, but beware, as all hits taken will also be Mini-Crits.
  • Be especially careful against Snipers using the Bushwacka, as all Mini-Crits will be turned into Critical hits!
  • Use in conjunction with friendly Soldier's Battalion's Backup to negate Mini-Crits against you and become an (almost) unstoppable killing machine!

Available Melee Weapons

Melee Weapons

• Eviction Notice: This weapon allows the Heavy to attack faster than a Scout at the cost of overall damage. Combine with the Buffalo Steak Sandvich to do 156 base damage in a single second.
• Fists, Apoco-Fists and Frying Pan: These weapons deal consistent damage with no downsides
  • If there is a group of enemies huddling on a point, you may have a chance to perform a Showdown. But use it with caution, or you will be a sitting duck.
• Fists of Steel: This weapon is detrimental to the Heavy due to vulnerability against melee weapons, which are widely used in this mode. However, it does gives resistance to ranged weapons such as the Huntsman used by the Sniper.
• Gloves of Running Urgently: This weapon have a health draining effect which is hard to counteract without a source of reliable healing; this combined with its low damage output make you a ticking time-bomb and make it a poor choice for Medieval Mode.
• Holiday Punch: This weapon functions similarly to the Fists, with the additional backstab-like mechanic of forcing enemies to laugh. Random critical hits also triggers this effect from any angle. You can finish them off with any method of your choosing.
  • Note that eating the Buffalo Steak Sandvich will not cause enemies to laugh with this weapon; It merely provides mini-crits instead of full crits.
• Killing Gloves of Boxing: This weapon can guarantee crits for 5 seconds after a successful kill. Use this to your advantage in areas with many enemies, such as contested control points. However, due to the lower attack speed you have to make every hit count.
  • When used with the Buffalo Steak Sandvich, use the initial mini-crit buff to get a kill and lead to the K.G.B.'s crit buff, which in conjunction with the Steak Sandvich's speed boost becomes an extremely deadly and devastating combo.
• Warrior's Spirit: This weapon is a good choice due to its higher damage output and ability to crit, compensating for the 20 health reduction.

Heavy Strategy

• Without your Miniguns you lack a powerful source of damage. But with your high pool of health and your lunchbox items, you can still be a formidable opponent.
• Your slow speed hinders your ability to chase down opponents. Your large frame prevents you from being ignored. You can be more effective by lying in wait around corners and in hidden alcoves: Kill those cowards before they have a chance to recover.

 Engineer

Available Melee Weapons

Melee Weapons

• Eureka Effect: This weapon is capable of dealing random crits and has the advantage of teleporting to your spawn with full health. Be sure to avoid enemies before you perform the taunt.
• Gunslinger: This weapon gives you a much needed extra 25 health (bringing you up to 150). You cannot deal random crits, but you receive a guaranteed crit after three successive punches on an enemy.
  • If an enemy is sufficiently distracted, you can finish them off with the Organ Grinder. Be aware of other enemies before you do this though.
• Jag: Without the ability to construct buildings and the reduced damage, this weapon is poorly suited towards Medieval Mode.
• Southern Hospitality: This weapon makes enemies bleed dealing a significant amount of damage over time. This more than compensates it's inability to grant random critical hits. Be wary of afterburn from flaming arrows or a Pyro's Sharpened Volcano Fragment.
  • This is especially useful for Spy checking in the absence of Pyros.
  • If a friendly Soldier uses a Buff Banner, stay in range to ensure the bleed effect does additional damage.
• Wrench and Golden Wrench: These are not recommended in Medieval Mode: Though you'll have the same speed and do the same damage as a Pyro wielding the Fire Axe, you have significantly less health than other attacking classes.

Engineer Strategy

• Without the Shotgun, Pistol, or Buildings, the Engineer's role in Medieval Mode is very limited. Try to avoid taking damage and catch enemies off their guard. Your small stature can be easy to miss.
• The misconception of the Engineer's high crit rate is due to the fact that he has a Sentry Gun to deal massive amounts of damage. Without it, you have the same chance of dealing out crits as anyone else.
• With your low health, be aware of nearby health kits. Keep tabs on where your Medic, especially if you are using the Southern Hospitality and catch fire. If you are on fire or bleeding and taking mini-crit damage from an enemy Soldier's Buff Banner, see if there is a friendly Soldier using the Battalion's Backup and stay in range.
• If neither the Gunslinger nor the Southern Hospitality are available to you, you may want to consider switching to another class.

 Medic

Available Primary Weapons

Primary Weapons

Crusader's Crossbow: This weapon is one of the only two ranged weapons allowed in this mode. Use it if you have it. Be aware of the weapon's slower reload time than the Huntsman. As with aiming all projectile weaponry: lead with your arrows; they will arc and take time to get to your enemy and, if the shot is not aimed properly, he may have moved on.

• You can heal teammates at long range, and provide a reliable ranged attack.
• You can fire bolts through the window slits, the gaps of the spawn gates, and through the gate to the final control point, just like the Sniper's Huntsman.
• If you see a mass of players, firing bolts at them even at random will almost guarantee a useful hit, either damaging an enemy or healing an ally. Pump away!
• Make sure to memorize the ammo placements, as the Crusader's Crossbow is the only weapon that uses ammo aside from the aforementioned Huntsman and the Spy's watches.
• Do not be afraid to fire a shot, then get behind cover to reload. Exposing yourself while reloading will do little to help you.
• Keep moving when firing and reloading! You don't want to be a victim of a backstab or a headshot.

Available Melee Weapons

Melee Weapons

• Amputator: This weapon is one of the more superior melee weapons available to the Medic in Medieval Mode. On top of regular damage, its taunt, the Medicating Melody, is one of the only sources of healing in this mode. However, when performing the taunt, be sure to be behind cover or against a wall to prevent enemy attacks, headshots, and backstabs. Your teammates should be protecting you as you are completely vulnerable in this state. Do not attempt to do this taunt without the Amputator lest your teammates accuse you of pulling a Template:W whilst they slowly burn to death from afterburn.
  • Using the Crusader's Crossbow and Amputator together increases your passive health regeneration, making you a true Medieval Medic. This can combat afterburn, bleeding, and allow you to take sustained damage and heal from it faster.
• Bonesaw and Frying Pan: This weapon will do consistent damage, but consider using a different weapon.
• Solemn Vow: This weapon will allow you to see the enemy health, similar to a Spy. Use this to your advantage and alert your teammates to help you to go in for the kill.
• Übersaw: Due to the absence of Medi Guns, this weapon provides less utility. Its slowing swing rate means you have to make every shot count. You can finish off unaware enemies with the Spinal Tap kill taunt but be aware of enemies before doing so.
• Vita-Saw: Similar to the Übersaw, this weapon is poor choice given the absence of Medi-Guns. It lowers your health by 10 with no real benefit.

Medic Strategy

• Without your Medi Gun you are unable to provide a reliable source of healing. However, your choice of weaponry can allow you to heal teammates provided you use them correctly.
• Your natural health regeneration, moderate health, Crossbow, and healing abilities can make you a formidable opponent and ally if you know how to pick your fights and help others.
• Since you have a ranged weapon, you gain a distinct advantage over others who must get within melee range to attack you. However, the slow reload time means you must make every shot count and judge when you should pull out your melee.
  • You can spam arrows at contested points to ensure damage, but do not be afraid to pull out your melee and get in there, especially if your arrows don't hit anything.
• On congested points, it can be surprisingly effective to slip into the background and taunt heal with the Amputator. Enemies will be unlikely to notice that their opponents are not losing health.
  • On another note: be sure to know when it is better to taunt-heal your teammates versus directly joining into the fray with your weapons. If you are killed, your team will be without another body to attack or defend the point.

 Sniper

Available Primary Weapons

Primary Weapons

• Huntsman: Allows you to shoot an arrow that travel in arcs. In maps such as DeGroot Keep, you can use the torches spread around the map to light up the arrow and and deal afterburn damage. Because it is a projectile weapon and travels in arcs, it's harder to pick a headshot. The key to using this weapon is timing and precision and it takes some time to get used to it. However, the larger hitboxes, the ability to headshot, and the fact that its the only one of two other ranged weapons in this mode makes it more than an adequate sidearm (provided you actually hit someone with it).
  • Due to the stunning effect of the Skewer taunt. You can immediately immobilize then kill enemies charging towards you. Remember to watch out for other enemies before doing this taunt.

Available Secondary Weapons

Secondary Weapons

• Cozy Camper: While it may help steady your charged shot while bleeding, given that this is a fast-based mode and that you must constantly move around even when charging your shot, it does little to help you against enemy attacks.
• Darwin's Danger Shield: Its health bonus of 50 can help you survive assaults longer, but it does not protect against backstabs.
• Razorback: Shields against one backstab attempt. This is more useful in Medieval Mode than in normal gameplay, as Spies cannot use Revolvers in this mode.

Available Melee Weapons

Melee Weapons

• Bushwacka: While mini-crit opportunities are rare since Jarate is not allowed, this is can be lethal to enemies, dealing out full critical hits, when: teamed up with a Buff Banner Soldier, against a Scout under the effects of Crit-a-Cola, enemies marked for death by the Scout's Fan O'War, or against a Heavy under the effects of the Buffalo Steak Sandvich. The drawback is that you are more vulnerable to fire damage, so watch out for Pyros wielding the Sharpened Volcano Fragment and flaming Huntsman arrows from other Snipers.
• Kukri and Frying Pan: This deals consistent damage and has no advantages nor drawbacks.
• Shahanshah: Similar to a Soldier's Equalizer, this weapon deals less damage when health is more than 50%, and more damage when health is less than 50%. This makes the weapon useful if you are hit during a melee fight. Use your health to your advantage.
• Tribalman's Shiv: Causes bleeding damage, making it good for dealing with Spies and making weaker enemies retreat, but its low raw melee makes it less effective in group fights. Maneuver around accordingly to deal the greatest amount of long-term damage to the most people.

Sniper Strategy

• Your main focus does not change as you retain the ability to headshot. Pick off key targets according, but don't be afraid to get into important capture points and fight.
• Focusing your fire with other Snipers can be extremely effective and can allow for quicker kills.
• Fire in crenellations and through window slits then get behind cover to reload.
• Keep moving! And only expose yourself when needed. You don't want to fall victim to a backstab or a headshot.
• Know where the ammo boxes are. You only have 12 arrows, make them count.
• Shield-bearing Demomen are easy targets if they charge towards you, as they will run in a straight line. Use this to your advantage.
• Before the gates opens, you can still fire your Huntsman through the gaps.

 Spy

Available Melee Weapons

Melee Weapons

• Big Earner: This while allow you to rapidly fill up your Cloak upon a backstab, making this especially useful with the Dead Ringer. The health penalty means you have to use it with caution.
• Conniver's Kunai: This weapon requires a high-risk, high-reward approach. Due huge loss of initial health, many of the classes have a chance to kill you in one single hit. This is one of the few weapons allowed in this mode that can grant the user an overheal. Upon a successful backstab, you will immediately gain increased survivability. Plan to land successive backstabs to keep up your health. Trick shots such as the stair-stab and the matador are very effective. Paired with a Dead Ringer, you can be unstoppable.
• Knife, Black Rose, and Sharp Dresser: These offer no advantages nor disadvantages. Use surprise to sneak up on enemies.
• Spy-cicle: This weapon offers a relatively safe experience for the Spy. All kills will not show up in the kill feed and will be virtually silent, except for the giant frozen calling cards. The weapon gives immunity to being ignited by Sharpened Volcanic Fragment and lit Huntsman arrows; this weapon recharges instantly on constant with fire in Medieval Mode. Use this weapon if you are having trouble getting kills as a Spy.
• Your Eternal Reward, Wanga Prick: Using these weapons, as in general gameplay, is risky business as you cannot disguise. Quickly land backstabs to avoid being discovered; the silent kills, disappearing corpses, and lack of notification in the kill feed will provide for your escape. Note that backstabbing enemies capturing a point will not break capture.

Available PDA

Disguise Kit

• As a Spy, you still have access to your Disguise Kit in Medieval Mode. Disguise as an enemy or an ally and act accordingly.
  • Note that this is not available to the Spy that uses a Your Eternal Reward.
  • Disguising before cloaking will leave a smoke trail that will reveal your location. Cloak, then disguise.
• Pay attention to what weapon your disguise is carrying (especially if you're using Your Eternal Reward). If your disguise is holding a weapon that cannot be used in Medieval Mode, that gives the enemy team an obvious sign that you are a Spy. Since your only weapon available to you is your melee, press "Use Last Disguise" to change your disguised weapon to a melee one.

Available Watches

Watches

• Cloak and Dagger: If finding ammo is a problem, the Cloak and Dagger can help you remain invisible indefinitely. Use the alcoves, corners, rocks, or even in the open and wait for an opportune moment to strike.
• Dead Ringer: This can be used well, especially if your knife has a health penalty as spychecking is harder with melee weapons. This provides an adequate escape if your backstab attempt goes wrong.
  • Even on a feigned death, you will still drop a health pack. Use this to remediate fall damage or to give yourself a health boost. This, however, also makes Spy-checking much harder.
• Invisibility Watch and Enthusiast's Timepiece: Use this if you must be invisible for a short period of time, such as sneaking into the enemy base. Once inside, backstab your way to victory.

Spy Strategy

While the Spy's most important weapons are largely unaffected, the behavior of enemies is vastly different to other modes due to the focus on melee – adjust your strategies as needed.

• Stay out of direct melee fights since your knife does terrible damage. Instead, backstab enemies when they are distracted in battle. Trick backstabs can very effective as most enemies are focused on frontal assaults. If a single enemy does directly engage you step back, avoid the swings, and when they miss and expose their back, backstab away.
• Without the presence of the Flamethrower, Spies are harder to find. Even so, watch out for classes with bleeding effect weapons, and other threats such as Scouts with Mad Milk, Snipers with flaming arrows, and Pyros with the Sharpened Volcano Fragment.
• The best time to backstab the defending team is when the gate is open and they are focusing their attention on it, leaving them exposed.
• By the same token, while defending the last point, you can easily drop down from the battlements and backstab foes entering or clustering around the gates.
• If not using a disguise, try to stab the enemy as fast as you can; if he is using tf_medieval_thirdperson 1 they might see you approaching from behind.
• Due to the large amount of carnage on the field, you will be able to find enough dropped weapons and health packs to discreetly fill your health and Cloak.
• If you're observant enough, you'll quickly realize that enemies are very predictable. It may be a good plan to try and fake them out by strafing one way then quickly strafing the other. Most enemies will look the way you first strafed, opening their back wide open to you. If your enemies start catching on to your fake strafe, you can execute the fake, then fake back again, going the way you originally strafed to once again open their backs to you.
• Since Spy-checking is extremely limited in Medieval Mode, the Spy is actually the best class to counteract it. With your disguise, you can observe and call attention to "teammates" that are acting strangely: "teammates" that are jumping over others may be trying to force a stair-stab, "teammates" closely following another may be trying to backstab slower moving classes, "teammates" hiding in dark areas or around corners can be trying to do corner-stabs, "teammates" at the top of stairs facing you are prime candidates for Spies attempting stair-stabs.
• Some Spies are true professionals and can backstab in most situations. Remember that the Spy has a 180 degree backstab angle that can instantly kill any class. This is especially important to remember in melee-based Medieval Mode. These Spies are confident enough to take you on in hand-to-hand and win.
  • When faced with such a Spy, do not engage him.
  • Take alternate routes if a Spy is camping an entrance.
  • Try to attack him at range, and if he is using the Dead Ringer, force him to waste his Cloak.
  • Do not make move in a predicable pattern (such as moving in a straight line) that the Spy can maneuver around and backstab you.
  • If this is one of the professional Spies, he is most likely using the Conniver's Kunai for the overheal. It is best to run interference against him so that he does not gain another backstab, letting the overheal decay naturally so that he is in a vulnerable 60 HP state. Even still, engaging him while you are at low health reduces his benefit of landing a backstab on you as well as removing his disguise, exposing him to your teammates.
• Most knives will allow you to perform the deadly Fencing taunt. You can use this on unaware opponents, but remember to watch out for enemies (especially Spies) before doing so.