updates

It’s a big one this time around. The first factors to catch the eye are the addition of a community map (CP_Freight) and a new item.

The new item is a secondary for the Scout, replacing his Lugermorph/Pistol/Bonk!, called Crit-a-Cola. This lunchbox item gives the player guaranteed mini-crits for a small period of time, and as a negative makes him take guaranteed minicrits. I’d keep talking about it, but that’s what I want to focus on.

Along with these two additions and a few tweaks, there were quite a few balancing changes and bug fixes for the classes and their weapons.

Scout
The scout ended up not just receiving his new item, but also getting his Bonk! Atomic Punch and Sandman altered. The Bonk! now has it’s slowdown effect removed (would make the Scout move really slow for a few seconds after the Bonk! dodge effect went away) in favour of a charging metre which goes up in time, like the Jarate and Chargin’ Targe. The Sandman also received a small buff, in which an enemy stunned by the ball has his ability to run reduced a little. This is obviously so the scout can catch him quickly.
While welcome the Sandman’s change, I’m a little wary of the Bonk! Atomic Punch’s change. This seems to remove all the negatives associated with the item, as the Scout can use it then carry on his way without worrying about someone catching up to him. There also happens to be an achievement which requires the player to kill a Scout who is caught in the “post-dodge” slowdown effect called “Retire The Runner”¹. I can’t help but wonder if this change effectively kills this achievement (at least until Valve fix it).

Pyro
As an avid pyro player this particularly update interests me. On the negatives side of things, the Flamethrowers now do 20% less damage than previously, and the after burn damage they rely on so much has been reduced too. On the other side, the airblast received a number of boosts. Airblast now shoots quicker and takes only 20 ammo (allowing for 10 blasts total, in comparison to the previous 8). Any deaths caused by an airblast (air blasting off a cliff, into a train, etc) count as a kill credit for the Pyro, and any projectiles reflected with the blast will minicrit.
This seems like Valve are trying to do one of three things. This will make Backburner Pyros use their weapon a bit more strategically (actually ambushing their enemies for the guaranteed crits), otherwise they may not be able to make their kill. It will also make people use airblast a lot more thus creating new strategy against Demomen and Soldiers, and will make people use the Axtinguisher more. With the Axtinguisher guaranteeing a critical hit on burning players, and flame not doing so much damage, there is more incentive now in switching weapons.

Demoman
Now I don’t play Demoman much, and even when I do I don’t play as a Demoknight, so I’m not sure whether this change to the Chargin’ Targe is a buff or a nerf. Looking at it, it seems to be altered so that players using the Eyelander skillfully will get more power. The Targe is altered so when damage is dealt from the charge, it takes into account any heads claimed with the Eyelander² and adds +10 damage per head.
It seems like a good idea, but I’m not sure how it’ll work in practice.

Heavy
Heavy got a rather all round positive update as well; the minigun and Natasha both spin up and slow down quicker, and the player can move faster while shooting too. This will make it harder for those who tend to try to surprise the Heavy player and kill them before they can react. Also, Heavys gain a whole point for sharing their Sandvich item with teammates, obviously an attempt to get Heavys to stop being selfish with their food.

Sniper
The last class to get what seems to be all buffs was the Sniper. The changes centre around the Huntsman unlockable, and mainly on it’s relationship with the Pyro. A Huntsman Sniper can now have his arrow lit by a Pyro without it having to be aimed, and if the arrow is lowered, the flame isn’t lost. The player can also ready his arrow while jumping now, but it can still only be shot once feet are on the ground again.
The flaming arrow changes are quite welcome in my books; originally you had to light it then use it straight away, as after keeping the arrow primed too long would cause it to shoot off randomly. This way, you can make more accurate and deadly shots, and take your time the whole way through.

There were a few bug fixes here and there too, notable ones being:

• The amount count in the HUD now flashes red when you’re low on ammo.
• Extinguishing a burning teammate now earns a full bonus point (was half a point).
• Killing yourself with your own sentry no longer increments the sentry’s kill counter.
• Fixed crit-boosted players not getting critical hits if their weapon has custom no-crit behavior.

There’s quite a few other changes in the update, all of which can be viewed here. What do you think of the various nerfs and buffs the classes received? Are you happy or annoyed?

1. Today, in the 119th update, Valve have fixed it to work with someone under the Crit-a-Cola effect instead.
2. for the unaware, the Eyelander is a sword which decapitates it’s victims

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