All TF2 Characters (Classes) Explained

Team Fortress 2, also known as TF2 in the gaming community, is one of the oldest first-person shooter games and can be regarded as one of the pioneers in the FPS genre. Released in 2007, the game has developed quite a bit since then, encompassing over 9 separate classes. Each class showcases a different playstyle and allows teams to adapt their game plans accordingly.
Choosing your class might seem daunting at first. That’s why we’ll review all TF2 characters available in-game, explaining their strengths and weaknesses and your ideal pick.

Who Are You In The Battle?

Team Fortress 2 has adapted excellently to match the game style of newer FPS games like Valorant. As we mentioned, there are nine available classes in TF2. The fun part is every class plays an integral role in carrying the team in their capacity. Here’s a list of all nine classes according to their playstyles:

• 🔺 Offensive: Soldier, Scout, Pyro
• 🔺 Defensive: Demoman, Engineer, Heavy
• 🔺 Support: Spy, Medic, Sniper

Offensive

Starting, we’ve got classes from the offensive playstyle. These include Soldier, Scout, and Pyro. Classes from this playstyle mainly focus on capturing objectives, also called Intelligence, and attacking enemy players. They’re fast, aggressive, and can take you out before you know it.

Soldier

Soldier is the first offensive class we’ll be talking about. They are known for their iconic rocket launchers and the ability to rocket jump into unexpected places. Compared to its counterparts, the Soldier class has slightly lower movement speed but makes up for it in survivability.

Learning to rocket jump like a pro is crucial to unlocking the class’s true potential. He is one of the easier TF2 characters and can be used by beginners to get the hang of the game. The default weapons for this class are rocket launcher (primary), shotgun (secondary), and shovel (melee).

If you’re interested in getting better at the Soldier class, here are some beginner tips for you:

• ☑ Learn how to rocket jump efficiently and reduce self-damage in the process.
• ☑ Always keep your rocket launcher loaded for quick plays.
• ☑ Understand how to aim mid-air at enemies for maximum damage output.

Scout

If going head-to-head isn’t your thing and you prefer sneakier tactics, Scout might be the ideal TF2 character for you. Scout has the highest mobility stat in the game, which comes at a lower health stat cost. He excels at short combat and disappearing.

This class can come in clutch in cases where you cannot break through the enemy’s initial defense line. When playing Scout, you’ll have a scattergun (primary), pistol (secondary), and bat (melee) as your default weapons.

Looking to get better at Scout before you take him for a spin? Check out these starter tips:

• ☑ Full focus objectives as that is what you’re best at. Capture an objective and leave before enemies spot you.
• ☑ If you’re cornered in a close-combat situation, the Scattergun can deal insane amounts of damage at close range.
• ☑ Don’t stay stationary. Scouts are most effective when they’re constantly moving since they are also able to dodge enemy projectiles.

Pyro

Any game is incomplete without a pyromancer class, which is exactly what Pyro brings to Team Fortress 2. One of the most interesting TF2 characters, Pyro loves to set his opponents ablaze.
If you’ve picked up Pyro, you’ll have access to the flame thrower (primary), shotgun (secondary), and fire axe (melee) as default weapons. This is not a beginner-level TF2 character and requires some finesse. Pyros can pull off impressive maneuvers like displacing enemies, reflecting enemy projectiles, and extinguishing flames off burning teammates.

To get better at Pyro, here are some basic tips you should follow:

• ☑ What this class lacks in mobility, they make up for in burst damage. You’ll need to catch enemies off-guard to ensure they don’t escape.
• ☑ Pyros lack long-range offensive capabilities. The further an enemy, the lower your damage output.
• ☑ No need to stay after setting an enemy on fire. With enough damage, they will die from the afterburn.

Defensive

Now that we’ve covered all TF2 characters with offensive playstyles, let’s move on to defense classes. These include Demoman, Heavy, and Engineer. As you’ve probably already guessed, defensive classes are great at warding off areas and hindering enemy advances.

Demoman

Demoman stays true to his name and loves demolishing enemies as they pass through his sticky-bomb-infested routes. With the ability to place and remotely detonate his sticky bombs, Demomans can take out large clusters of enemies with one swift blow. His weapons have a large area of effect and can deal widespread damage to enemies and teammates.

Launch grenades from afar to take out enemies, or stop them from capturing objectives by booby-trapping the entire area, Demoman has several playstyles. The default weapons with this class are grenade launcher (primary), sticky bomb launcher (secondary), and bottle (melee).

To learn this class better, here are some tips to get you started:

• ☑ Don’t stay near your sticky bombs since they can also damage you.
• ☑ Putting sticky bombs beneath your feet can launch you into the air for more tactical plays.
• ☑ Hide sticky bombs in hard-to-spot places to take out unsuspecting enemies.

Engineer

From Sentry Guns to Teleporters, the Engineer has a building for every purpose. Due to his low mobility and survivability, this class relies on creating frontline defenses in the form of Sentry Guns. These will fire at any enemies in sight while the Dispenser continuously restores health and ammo to surrounding teammates.

For Engineers, the basic weapons are shotgun (primary), pistol (secondary), and wrench (melee). With his trustee Wrench, you can constantly repair damaged buildings, making them indestructible.

For those interested in this class and willing to learn it further, these points should help boost your journey:

• Don’t build randomly. Build Sentry Guns, Dispensers, and Teleports at points beneficial to your team.
• Enemy Spies can blow up your buildings. Make sure to keep a check on all your buildings periodically.
• Upgrade Sentry Guns with your Wrench to give them more health and firepower.

Heavy

Given the right opportunity, Heavies can take on the enemy team independently. But their slow speed makes them vulnerable to Snipers and Spies. You can think of the Heavy as a glass cannon since he can shred entire hordes of enemies with his minigun.

The default weapons for this class are a minigun (primary), a shotgun (secondary), and fists (melee). Remember that he has unparalleled firepower, so keeping him alive is worth it.
To get better at the Heavy class fast, you can try out these tips to get you started:

• ☑ Heavies are great for ambush areas. When you sense an ambush, target the enemies and take them down before they reach you.
• ☑ The minigun requires a lot of ammo. To avoid running out, pick up fallen ammo boxes to reload.
• ☑ Clear surprise areas and escort medics to keep them safe.

Support

The last class, which has TF2 characters, is from the support playstyle. They include the spy, medic, and sniper. These classes aren’t optimized to fight independently, but they can enable their teammates to turn the tide of the battle.

Spy

Spy is our first support class, boasting invisibility and stealth all around. His biggest perk is infiltrating enemy lines and getting information on their players and traps. He can also disguise himself as other players, luring enemies into a false sense of security. He doesn’t have a lot of survivability though so you’ll need to keep your health in check.

The default weapons for a Spy are a revolver (secondary), a knife (melee), a disguise kit (primary PDA), an invis watch (secondary PDA), and a sapper (building). There are many ways to play the Spy and get inside the enemy, but it is one of the harder classes among all TF2 characters.

If you want to get better fast with Spy, here are some general tips for you:

• ☑ Disguise yourself as an enemy to get close to enemy players. Backstab them when the time is right.
• ☑ Sappers destroy Engineer’s Sentry Guns.
• ☑ Spies can use enemy Dispensers and Teleporters while disguised.

Medic

The TF2 equivalent of a healer, the Medic is a vital class to be played in every comp. He is the team’s main source of healing and must be protected at all costs. Becoming part of the action isn’t the Medic’s thing, as he prefers to stay behind the action line and heal up his teammates with his Medi Gun.

Looking at default weapons for the Medic, you’ll have access to a syringe gun (primary), medi gun (secondary), and bone saw (melee). Using this combination of weapons, your only job is keeping your team healthy and out of sight.

If the Medic’s playstyle interests you, these tips should help you get better at him:

• ☑ The Medi Gun can buff teammates to 150% if they’re already full health.
• ☑ Be alert for teammates calling for your help.
• ☑ Focus on teammates who are more damaged than those who are less damaged.

Sniper

The Sniper is the last supportive class and TF2 character we have. They have one job as you have probably guessed it; taking out enemy players from afar. The Sniper excels in long-range combat, something that was severely lacking in all TF2 characters. Mount him up on hard-to-reach places and watch him pick out enemies individually.

The default weapons for Snipers are the sniper rifle (primary), SMG (secondary), and kukri (melee). The Sniper’s chances of survival fall as enemies close the distance. He’s terrible in close combat and needs to be protected.

To get better at playing Sniper, you should follow these general guidelines:

• ☑ Aim for headshots to inflict critical damage.
• ☑ Zoom in on unknowing enemies before firing to take them out otherwise you will give away your position.
• ☑ Your SMG is good if someone gets too close, so use it well.

FAQ

How Many Characters are in TF2?

There are nine character classes in TF2, categorized into offensive, defensive, and support characters. Offensive TF2 characters include Soldier, Pyro, and Scout. Defensive characters include Demoman, Engineer, and Heavy. Support characters include Spy, Medic, and Sniper.

How to Change Characters in TF2?

To change character classes in TF2, you need to first open Settings and navigate to the “Keyboard” tab. Select “Change Class” and then “Edit Key” from there. Set your preferred key bind for character changes, after which you can simply press that key to change characters in TF2.