Back Scratcher
“ | When asked about it, the Pyro claims to have found it in the garden and has been using it as a backscratcher, though we must admit we have always wondered how the bent teeth and bloodstains got there. Now we know.
— Back Scratcher publicity blurb
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The Back Scratcher is a community-created melee weapon for the Pyro. It is a heavy-duty gardening rake, consisting of a wooden handle with a green metal head at one end, and a rubber cap on the other. The teeth on the head are bloodstained and bent.
The Back Scratcher deals 25% more melee damage than the Fire Axe and raises healing from health packs and dropped lunchbox items by 50%. As a result, small and medium health packs bestow 52, approximately 30%, and 132, approximately 75% health. In exchange, healing from Medics, Dispensers, and Payload carts is slowed by 75%, forcing the user to rely more on health packs scattered around the map.
As the slowed healing does not affect the rate at which a Medic's ÜberCharge is filled, this allows heavily-injured Pyros to greatly build up an ÜberCharge.
The weapon was originally created for the Fancy vs. Nasty Update as a replacement skin for the Axtinguisher and has since been officially added to the game.
Contents
[hide]Damage and function times
[collapse]Damage and function times | ||
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Damage type | Melee | |
Ranged or Melee damage? | Melee | |
Damage | ||
Base damage | 100% | 81 |
Critical | 244 | |
Mini-Crit | 110 | |
Function times | ||
Attack interval | 0.8 s | |
Values are approximate and determined by community testing. |
Healing rates
Heal Source | Healing Rate | ||||
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Injured ≤ 10 seconds ago | Injured ≥ 15 seconds ago | ||||
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6 per second
Vaccinator overheal: |
18 per second
Vaccinator overheal: | |||
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8.4 per second
With ÜberCharge: |
25.2 per second
With ÜberCharge: | |||
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6.25 per second | 18.75 per second | |||
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Level 1: 2.5 per second Level 2: Level 3: |
Level 1: 2.5 per second Level 2: Level 3: | |||
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2.5 per second | 2.5 per second | |||
Values are approximate and determined by community testing. |
Demonstration
Crafting
Blueprint
Axtinguisher | Scotsman's Skullcutter | Back Scratcher | ||
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Class Token - Pyro | Slot Token - Melee | Scrap Metal | Possible Results | |||||||||||||||||||
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Strange variant
[expand]Strange variant information |
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Related achievements
Pyro
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Update history
- The Back Scratcher was added to the game.
- The Back Scratcher was added to the Mann Co. Store, made craftable, and included in random drops.
- The Back Scratcher was given a unique kill icon.
- Fixed melee attacks not destroying remote detonation pipes (Stickybombs).
- [Undocumented] The damage bonus attribute was changed from "+25% damage done" to "+25% damage bonus".
- [Undocumented] Added Strange quality.
- [Undocumented] Added Collector's quality.
December 21, 2017 Patch (Smissmas 2017)
- Added Festivized variant.
Bugs
- The Crusader's Crossbow is unaffected by the stat "-75% health from healers on wearer", causing full healing to be applied to the Pyro.
Trivia
- Usually in the shape of a miniature rake, a backscratcher is a tool used for scratching areas that cannot easily be reached by one's own hands, typically the middle of back; that is, to "scratch one's own back".
- A flanking Pyro may ambush an enemy from behind, "scratching their back" for them with the rake.
- Scratch (someone's) back is an idiom for doing someone a favor, such as Healing; however, the health pack buff makes it easier for (or requires) the flanking Pyro to "scratch their own back" with Health Pickups.
Gallery
RED Festivized variant.
BLU Festivized variant.
See also
[expand]Weapons |
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