User:TheJohns

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MvM Assessments

Class Assessment
Scout.png
Scout
Pictogram plus.png Excellent money collector

Pictogram plus.png Great support capability
Pictogram plus.png Flexible builds
Pictogram plus.png Fast respawn time
Pictogram minus.png Somewhat limited early game
Due to the Scout's unique abilities involving money collection, multiple debuff applications and a myriad of viable upgrade options, the Scout is an excellent addition to any team composition. Early game, the Scout is primarily focused on collecting the money while applying Mad Milk or the Fan O'War mark for death when opportunity presents, as well as marginal damage. Later, the Scout will have enough money to either buy resistance and focus on "tanking" or upgrade his primary so that he can dish out damage as well. He can also switch to the Sandman and buy the Mark on Death upgrade to make applying mini-crits easier.

Weapon Assessment
Scattergun
Scattergun
Probably the best choice for Scouts going for an offensive build. Buying Projectile Penetration early lets Scout provide a bit of "chip damage" early, and once you have enough money for damage, reload speed and clip size, he can dish out significant damage on his own.


Rating: Very Good

Force-a-Nature
Force-A-Nature
The Force-a-Nature is suited for a more support type build. While the pushback is somewhat difficult to control, pushback in general is useful, particularly in stalling giants in the FaN's case. While it can be built for damage like the Scattergun, its small clip size makes it somewhat less efficient than the Scattergun.


Rating: Good

Shortstop
Shortstop


Rating:

Soda Popper
Soda Popper
Similar in the FaN's capabilities, except it swaps out pushback for mini-crits. The constant mini-crit boosts lets the Scout deal more damage at certain periods and also lets the Scout be a threat at mid-range, thanks to the lack of damage falloff. While still not as good in terms of raw damage as the Scattergun, the Soda Popper is more effective against waves of regular robots.


Rating: Good

Baby Face's Blaster
Baby Face's Blaster
While the speed boost can be useful at times, the disadvantages often overshadows its advantage. The damage reduction means it's much weaker offensively, and the reduced speed without damage dealt often makes the Scout less effective at collecting money than without it, especially in cases where the Scout died before he can collect a lone pile of money far from the Teleporter.


Rating: Weak

Mad Milk
Mad Milk
Arguably the "best" secondary for the Scout. The Mad Milk's healing grant sustainability that allows the class to tank hits while damaging the robots, and is particularly useful against giants. The slowdown is also a nice addition to the Mad Milk's already powerful debuff. Generally, Mad Milk should be fully upgraded first, regardless of build.


Rating: Very Good

Bonk! Atomic Punch
Bonk! Atomic Punch
If money is sitting on or behind a highly dangerous area, Bonk allows the Scout to bypass that danger, especially in situations where the Scout just respawned or doesn't have enough health. It can also be used to tank incoming fire for a few seconds. While by no means bad, it's overshadowed by the Mad Milk's sheer effectiveness, and the invulnerability can be substituted with an Uber canteen, even though it costs money.


Rating: Good

Crit-a-Cola
Crit-a-Cola
Gives the Scout more damage and is one of the only sources of mini-crits against Tanks. However, taking mini-crits is very dangerous for Scouts, and is much more limited in its capabilities compared to his other secondaries. Can be used as a last-ditch effort against a Tank that's giving the team a very hard time.


Rating: Situational

Fan O'War
Fan O'War
Mark for death is a very powerful debuff against giants and the like. What makes the Fan O'War truly shine is it requires no credit investment to use it effectively. Later in the game, it can be substituted for a Sandman, or you can just stick to the Fan O'War if you don't plan on investing money on the Sandman.


Rating: Very Good

Sandman
Sandman
While it reduces the Scout's max health, marking an enemy at a range is far more safer than making a "suicide run" to mark a robot using the Fan O'War. Even then, as long as you continue to collect money the health penalty should be rather negligible.


Rating: Very Good



Class Assessment
Soldier.png
Soldier
Pictogram plus.png  High AoE damage

Pictogram plus.png  Great vs. Tanks
Pictogram plus.png  Doubles as support
Pictogram minus.png  Very money-dependent
The Soldier is a bread-and-butter class, and provides the team a little bit of everything. Any of his primaries can demolish a wave of robots, and when upgraded and combined with a crit boost, the Soldier can deal an insane amount of burst damage to giants and Tanks. The Soldier can also buff his teammates, and the Buff Banner is one of the only sources of mini-crits against tanks.

Weapon Assessment
Rocket Launcher
Rocket Launcher
High damage, large splash radius and ease of aim means the Rocket Launcher is just as powerful as it is in the base game. Although the default Rocket Launcher is an acceptable option, the other primaries have bonuses that will outweigh its disadvantage pretty fast, particularly clip size.


Rating: Good

Direct Hit
Direct Hit


Rating:

Black Box
Black Box


Rating: Good

Cow Mangler 5000
Cow Mangler 5000
While slightly weaker than the default Rocket Launcher, the Cow Mangler's main strength is its infinite ammo, which by itself is a big advantage, as it removes the need to retreat to collect ammo and saves money. However, the Cow Mangler comes with a huge disadvantage of not being able to be crit boosted at all, thus greatly reducing its effectiveness against Tanks. The alt-fire charge shot also useless, since it uses up all the ammo regardless of clip size.


Rating: Good

Beggar's Bazooka
Beggar's Bazooka
Many Soldiers swear by the Begger's Bazooka as their choice of primary in MvM, and for a good reason. Firing multiple rockets means the Soldier can take out a wave of robots or a giant very quickly, and it makes the most out of a crit boost Canteen once reload and firing speed are fully upgraded. It does have its disadvantages, as ammo is a constant issue and you can't gain ammo from dispensers, range deviation means you have to get close to make sure all the rockets hit, and the Begger's Bazooka requires a lot of money to reach its peak.


Rating: Very Good

Buff Banner
Buff Banner
The best secondary for the Soldier in MvM, period. You won't be relying on your secondaries for damage in MvM, and compared to the Battalion's Backup or the Concheror, the mini-crit boost from the Buff Banner is the most useful out of the three. It is the most accessible source of mini-crits in general, and practically the only source of mini-crits against Tanks.


Rating: Very Good

Battalion's Backup
Battalion's Backup
The damage resistance aid you and your team's survivability, plus it makes crit-boosted robots a much lower threat for a few seconds. Unfortunately, the fact that it can only be charged by taking damage makes charging it a hassle. The start-up times makes using it cumbersome if you don't use it ahead of time.


Rating: Situational

Concheror
Concheror
While healing increases survivability against constant fire, it's not as generally useful as mini-crits and is often overshadowed by the Mad Milk. The startup makes using it in an emergency cumbersome.


Rating: Situational

Escape Plan
Escape Plan
Probably the only viable melee weapon choice for the Soldier. Thanks to the effectiveness of his primary after upgrades (as well as its dependency on upgrades), there will only be few cases where you use your Melee for damage. The Escape Plan's speed boost makes it a great weapon for retreating.


Rating: Good



Class Assessment
Pyro.png
Pyro
Pictogram plus.png  Can Airblast

Pictogram plus.png  Lots of weapon choices
Pictogram plus.png  Flexible builds
Pictogram minus.png  Short range effectiveness
Pictogram minus.png  Dependent on resistances
The Pyro's trump card is his airblast, allowing him to stall giants and most importantly, reset the bomb by pushing the bomb carrier into a pit. A Pyro dedicated to resetting the bomb can greatly increase the chance of his team winning a mission. Beyond this, the Pyro is capable of other roles, whether it's drawing fire and tanking hits, dealing heavy damage up close with an upgraded Flamethrower or heavy damage long range with an upgraded Flare Gun.

Weapon Assessment
Flame Thrower
Flame Thrower
Typically, the dedicated "pusher" Pyro will simply upgrade his airblast force and ammo capacity, and dump the rest on resistances and Uber Canteens. However, the damage capabilities of the Flamethrower should not be overlooked. If you can manage to upgrade the damage, the Flamethrower can burn through waves of robots, giants and even Tanks.


Rating: Very Good

Degreaser
Degreaser
Although slightly weaker than the default Flamethrower, the reduced damage is almost negligible in case of pure "pusher" Pyros, as they are not focused on dealing damage in the first place. The Degreaser is more suitable if you plan on relying on another weapon for damage.


Rating: Very Good

Backburner
Backburner


Rating: Situational

Phlogistinator
Phlogistinator


Rating:

Flare Gun
Flare Gun
The Flare Gun allows the Pyro to be a threat at long range, particularly against giants. If you can manage to upgrade it, it allows the Pyro to deal a constant 120 damage per hit after the first shot while being out of harm's way. While not as powerful as the Flamethrower, it's also cheaper to upgrade.


Rating: Good

Detonator
Detonator
If used the same way as the Flare Gun, it's inferior in every way. It only mini-crits burning enemies, so its power is greatly diminished. Detonating it to light multiple enemies has little point, since the burn damage is rather negligible.


Rating: Weak

Manmelter
Manmelter
Pyro robots are an uncommon sight, so there are few opportunities to charge it, and even then you are not likely to deliberately extinguish a teammate, let alone find a burning one. It deals no bonus damage against burning enemies, which makes it already inferior to the Flare Gun. Even when charged, you are limited to how many times you can charge it, while the condition required to crit with the Flare Gun is to simply hit the target once.


Rating: Very Weak

Scorch Shot
Scorch Shot


Rating:

Axtinguisher
Axtinguisher
The Axtinguisher is perfect for Pyros who don't plan on upgrading the Flamethrower's damage. It allows you to conserve your ammo for airblasts and does not require heavy investment to use it effectively. You can use it to take out Uber Medics in desperate situations, but you need to do it fast.


Rating: Very Good

Back Scratcher
Back Scratcher


Rating:

Powerjack
Powerjack


Rating:

Third Degree
Third Degree
While its use is limited, it does have one trick: If crit boosted, it will eliminate a Medic in one hit. You can use this to take out a group of Uber Medics all healing the same giant if you lack any other way to eliminate them in one hit.


Rating: Situational



Class Assessment
Demoman.png
Demoman
Pictogram plus.png High AoE damage

Pictogram plus.png Good vs. Tanks & Uber Medics
Pictogram plus.png (Demoknight) Natural resistances
Pictogram plus.png (Demoknight) Good vs. Steel Gauntlets
Pictogram minus.png (Both) Very money-dependent
Pictogram minus.png (Demoknight) Melee-range effectiveness
Pictogram minus.png (Demoknight) No Sticky Launcher
Similar to the Soldier, the Demoman also excels in dealing heavy AoE damage. Unlike the Soldier who deals damage in a "spray and pray" style, the Demoman needs a little more time to prep his shots. The Demoman's ability to stack Sticky Bombs means that he has little trouble dealing with Uber Medics. Should he decide to swap his Sticky Launcher for the board, the Demoknight has some powerful advantages, although it means he will often the the brunt of the attack.

Weapon Assessment
Grenade Launcher
Grenade Launcher
If you plan on using your Grenade Launcher as your main weapon, its functionality is similar to the Rocket Launcher. You can use it behind cover more effectively than the Rocket Launcher, but it's ineffective at longer ranges. Combine with the Chargin' Targe and you got a slightly more durable and faster Soldier. It had little use as a sidearm to the Sticky Launcher later in the game.


Rating: Good

Loch-n-Load
Loch-n-Load
While the extra damage is a strong bonus, it requires utmost accuracy to use, and it can become difficult to aim in certain situations. You also won't be able to "Spray and Pray" at a safe location.


Rating: Situational

Loose Cannon
Loose Cannon
The damage reduction after contact on surface makes it more difficult and less effective as an AoE weapon, but the knockback is a very valuable asset. It's easier to knockback with the Loose Cannon than with other explosive weapons, and it can be used to push back giants and ubered robots when needed. The utility makes it a strong sidearm to the Sticky Launcher.


Rating: Very Good

Ali Baba's Wee Booties
Ali Baba's Wee Booties
The Booties is a good item to have if you plan on relying exclusively on your Sticky Launcher, as it gives you a slight boost to your health in exchange for a weapon you don't plan on using. On the other hand, on a Demoknight setup, this means that you have no ranged capabilities whatsoever, which makes the Demoknight helpless against melee-oriented giants and forces you to play offensively.


Rating: Situational

Stickybomb Launcher
Stickybomb Launcher
The Sticky Launcher is a very effective weapon in MvM mode. It is a powerful AoE weapon especially with upgrades, and it can be prepped between waves of robots to deal massive damage in an area. It uses Crit canteens very efficiently, and it eliminates Uber Medics very effectively.


Rating: Very Good

Scottish Resistance
Scottish Resistance
Just as powerful as the Sticky Launcher, but even more effective Tat defense. The extra sticky bombs deployable allows for even better sticky carpets, and the ability to selectively detonate bombs makes it more efficient. The bonus firing speed also saves some money on upgrades. However, the longer priming time makes it harder to use when under pressure or in succession.


Rating: Very Good

Chargin' Targe
Chargin' Targe
Equipping the Chargin' Targe means you are sacrificing the very powerful Sticky Launcher, but it does come with its own benefits. The extra resistances provided helps the Demoman survive longer, and the charge can be used to get in or get out of fights quickly. Having the Chargin' Targe equipped lets you upgrade your melee weapon damage.


Rating: Situational

Splendid Screen
Splendid Screen
Same as the Chargin' Targe, except with weaker resistances. Typically shield bash is rarely used as a main source of damage, which makes its advantage mainly useless.


Rating: Weak

Bottle
Bottle


Rating: Very Good

Ullapool Caber
Ullapool Caber


Rating: Very Good

Eyelander
Eyelander
The standard Demoknight weapon. The main drawback of the Eyelander is its weak start, in both that you need kills to offset its health penalty and you need invest a significant amount of money on both the weapon and your resistances. But once you are able to rack up kills and keep them, the Demoman becomes a fast and tanky melee character.


Rating: Good

Half-Zatoichi
Half-Zatoichi
Unlike the Eyelander, the Half-Zatoichi has a much easier early game. The heal on kill saves money as the health on kill is not a requirement early on, and it lacks a health penalty. The Honorbound mechanic is not a big drawback, as kills are plentiful in MvM.


Rating: Very Good

Scotsman's Skullcutter
Scotsman's Skullcutter


Rating: Situational

Persian Persuader
Persian Persuader


Rating: Situational



Class Assessment
Heavy.png
Heavy
Pictogram plus.png Consistent damage

Pictogram plus.png Great at mid range
Pictogram plus.png Has some defensive capabilities
Pictogram minus.png Not the best damage dealer
The Heavy's main strength is his never-ending source of damage, as long as he's near an ammo supply. His Minigun allows him to endlessly mow down a wave of robots, and buying upgrades such as Destroy Projectiles and Knockback Rage lets him diminish the effectiveness of the robot's all-out offense. While he lacks pure damage compared to the Soldier or Demoman, he is nevertheless a welcome addition to any team.

Weapon Assessment
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Rating: '



Class Assessment
Engineer.png
Engineer
Pictogram plus.png Practically a requirement in MvM

Pictogram minus.png Attracts Sentry Busters
Due to the fact that Mann vs. Machine involves playing defense, the Engineer naturally shines in this mode. His Teleporter let his teammates get to the front lines faster, the Dispenser heals and restocks ammo for him and his teammates, and the Sentry Gun excels against groups of robots and giants. The Engineer's sheer effectiveness means that you will need at least one Engineer in any MvM game.

Weapon Assessment



Class Assessment
Medic.png
Medic
Pictogram plus.png Heals his teammates

Pictogram plus.png Gives his teammates Ubers & Crits
Pictogram minus.png Little to no direct damage
Just like in the base game, the Medic's primary goal is to keep his teammates alive. A powerful feature of the Medic is his ability to share his Canteens, further increasing the effectiveness of his teammates. While he won't be dealing much damage directly, the Medic's indirect power makes him a powerful asset.

Weapon Assessment



Class Assessment
Sniper.png
Sniper
Pictogram plus.png Has Jarate

Pictogram plus.png Excels vs. Giants & Snipers
Pictogram plus.png Explosive Headshot can clear waves
Pictogram minus.png High skill cap
Pictogram minus.png Highly situational
Pictogram minus.png Very money-dependent
Pictogram minus.png Weak vs. Tanks
The Sniper's effectiveness fluctuates greatly depending on several factors such as wave composition and has a high skill cap, which is why playing Sniper tends to draw hate from teammates. In no way does this mean the Sniper is useless. His Jarate is a very accessible source of mini-crits, and once his Sniper Rifle is significantly upgraded, he can deal an extreme amount of damage to giants and deal heavy AoE damage to clusters of robots surrounding the giant with Explosive Headshots. On the down side, the Sniper is weak against tanks.

Weapon Assessment



Class Assessment
Spy.png
Spy
Pictogram plus.png Versatile role

Pictogram plus.png Sapper is the only source of hard disable
Pictogram plus.png Can deal great damage to giants
Pictogram plus.png Good vs. Steel Gauntlets, Uber Medics & Engineers
Pictogram minus.png Situational effectiveness
Pictogram minus.png Weak vs. Tanks
The Spy fulfills a variety of roles in MvM, including it's money collecting, disabling a group of robots and slowing giants to a crawl or backstabbing a giant halfway to death. While the Sapper has a significant cooldown time, it completely disables regular robots, making it a valuable weapon against a dangerous group of robots. The Spy is very ineffective when dealing with Tanks, however.

Weapon Assessment