The Nine Hero Classes in Team Fortress 2 – Which to Choose as a Beginner

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Like any online game, Team Fortress too can be either fun or utterly annoying depending on the teammates, enemies and your level of skill. If you are new to this massively popular game, here’s a short guide to TF2 classes and suggestions for your first pick.

Detailed View of Hero Classes

There are nine official hero classes in Team Fortress 2, and they are as follows:

• Demoman
• Engineer
• Heavy
• Medic
• Pyro
• Scout
• Sniper
• Soldier
• Spy

The classes can be divided into three main roles – offensive (Scout, Soldier, Pyro), defensive (Demoman, Heavy, Engineer) and supportive (Medic, Sniper, Spy). However, these roles are not mandatory, and you can play a character outside their role, depending on your chosen strategy. For beginner players, though, it’s recommended to stick to the primary position.

If you are new to this amusing shooter, which we assume you are, these short descriptions with basic stats will help you decide on the suitable class and dive right into the fun running and shooting havoc.

1. Demoman – No

Many new players believe that Demoman is an easy pick, since the hero abilities allow you to deal a massive amount of damage in one shot, and set traps. However, due to low-speed levels and rather difficult controls, the Scottish demolition expert may not be the best choice for the player. Demoman is incredibly vulnerable in melee combat unless you have great control of the aim, which takes time to master. However, as alluring as the 300 critical damage can be, you are unlikely to master him in a few first games, which will ruin all the fun you are supposed to have.

2. Engineer – No

The reason why you shouldn’t choose Engineer among all the available Team Fortress 2 characters lies not only in stats but also in the main mechanics of the hero. First of all, Engineer, as a support hero, has low health level, which means you won’t survive even two hits from an experienced player. Furthermore, a beginner will hardly be able to grasp the concept of constructing buildings to kill enemies for you rather than doing it yourself. You won’t be likely to have fun at first trying to figure out how your hero works, plus you don’t get to run and shoot at every moving target.

3. Heavy – Yes

This is the first right choice for a beginner. First of all, you have 300 health – that’s twice the amount some other TF characters have, and such a massive amount of HP allows a new player to fool around, make mistakes, and learn. Moreover, you are the definition of a killing machine in the Team Fortress universe. The entire team orbits around you, protecting you from all dangers, as you smash through the enemy crew. You don’t have to control too many things at once while playing as a Heavy, which makes it a perfect hero for beginners. The one thing you should look out for is the opponent spy, who can kill you with one clever backstab.

4. Medic – Maybe

You rarely find a player in a shooter who isn’t there to kill enemies, right? This is why Medic is the least played character among all the Team Fortress 2 classes. The controls are not particularly difficult; it’s rather the fact that your teammates rely on you. And you don’t get to take part in the crazy havoc going on on the map. You need to learn how to prioritize who to heal first and to master the art of quick decisions. Another main role is to look out for a Spy and attack him when you spot the saboteur near your allies. If you enjoy a support role in multiplayer games, then this role is perfect for you. However, most players don’t, hence it earned a “maybe”.

5. Pyro – Yes

Despite the fact that this hero is among the most hated in the community, Pyro is a great choice for beginners. Why? First of all, the mechanics of the character allow you to carry games even without significant shooting skills. The flamethrower doesn’t require you to aim precisely to deal a lot of damage, plus you can score a kill due to the afterburn ability. Avoid using the W+M1 (W on your keyboard and left mouse button) strategy, as it is seen as extremely simplistic and prevents you from learning other creative fighting techniques. This strategy can be easily abused, as Pyro’s stats allow you attack long enough to deal significant damage, but other players often label it as lack of skill. Take it from us, there are a lot of fun things you can do as a Pyro even if it’s your first ever take on shooters.

6. Scout – No

Many players make the mistake of choosing this character because it may seem familiar at first if the player has previous experience in such games as “Call of Duty” or “Battlefield.” The truth is, this is one of the hardest classes in the game, and even if you know how to shoot an enemy, Scout will take some time to readjust. To play fairly well, you will have to gain a basic understanding of the hero’s mechanics, and learn specific skills, such as “flicking” aim.

Despite the Scout’s speed being the highest among all TF2 class speeds, in the beginning, this will ruin your game rather than help it.

7. Sniper – No/Maybe

This gaming class requires even more skill than the Scout, and it’s almost impossible for a beginner to score kills from the first game, or, at least, have fun doing it. If you are a veteran CS:GO player with crazy skills, then mastering Sniper won’t take a lot of time. However, for a new player, Sniper will be overwhelming. You have to employ all your concentration power to hit enemies and watch out for every other class, as Snipers are very vulnerable due to their low HP level and frequent immobile position. You may be ok as a sniper and charge body shots, but you will barely have fun.

8. Soldier – Yes

Soldier is one of the best classes for a beginner, and arguably one of the best classes in the game. Players don’t need to think and calculate their moves to kill enemies due to their big blast radius. All you need to do for a successful game is see an enemy, then fire. In the event that your rocket launcher is not the best option for some reason, shotgun is a nice backup and a great “hitscan”. This class usually brings the most satisfaction into the game for a beginner. Moreover, after a few rounds, you will be able to take down a few enemies at a time. Plus, you can rocket jump – doesn’t that sound like an epic start?

9. Spy – No

Spy is allegedly the most sophisticated class in the Team Fortress 2. To be successful in this role, you need to predict the behavior of every other class: their thoughts and their future moves. Spy is also a vulnerable hero due to having low HP, so any other class can easily kill you once you have been discovered. Your gear includes a knife, a sapper, a revolver, and a cloaking device. You will spend a lot of time trying to master these items and their unique strategies, and won’t have a lot of chances to relax and enjoy the game. So, Spy is a class for an advanced TF2 player.

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