The Nine Classes Compendium#

Team Fortress 2 fields 9 mercenaries across Offensive, Defensive, and Support roles. Each class’s HP and movement speed are fixed base values (speed expressed as a percentage of baseline); loadouts and weapon choices are covered in Weapons Data.

Classes carry no official tier ranking: Offense, Defense, and Support each own a stretch of the battlefield — read what your team lacks first, then match your own feel to the right speed and HP tier.

Scout#

The fast-footed kid from Boston — the fastest class in the game.

Core techniques:

• Use the team’s highest movement speed to grab control points and health packs first

• Avoid frontal fights; strike fast from the flank, then retreat

• In payload/control-point modes the Scout is the capping mainstay — 133% speed gets him to the point first

Matchups: Relies on distance and terrain; fears the Pyro’s close-range pressure and his own low HP.

Soldier#

The all-purpose rocket man from the American Midwest.

Core techniques:

• Rockets have splash damage, ideal against grouped targets

• The Rocket Jump provides the highest mobility ceiling in the game

• Ammo management matters; the shotgun cleans up at close range

Matchups: High HP plus burst lets him fight most classes, but the Pyro beats him up close and the Sniper punishes him at range.

Pyro#

An enigmatic pyromaniac — the nightmare of close-range fights.

Core techniques:

• Fire damage is continuous and nearly undodgeable; close-range output is enormous

• A puff of flames is the most direct Spy check — suspicious targets reveal themselves

• Corner ambushes and tight corridors are the Pyro’s home turf

Matchups: Dominates Scouts and Spies at point-blank, but short range leaves him countered by Soldiers and Demomen’s explosives, plus Snipers.

Demoman#

The one-eyed Scottish demolitions expert.

Core techniques:

• Stickies lock corridors, set traps, and detonate remotely

• Grenades hit hard but demand landing prediction

• The Sticky Jump is the Demoman’s version of the Rocket Jump

• Bridges offense and defense — one of the team’s core damage slots

Matchups: Grenades and stickies shred Engineer buildings; melee range and low HP are the weaknesses.

Heavy#

The frontline fortress from Russia.

Core techniques:

• The minigun needs a spin-up before firing; rev it before engaging

• High HP suits frontal pushes and holding objectives

• He moves slowly and leans heavily on a Medic’s healing

Matchups: Targeted by Spy backstabs and Demoman sticky traps; open ground makes him easy Sniper prey.

Engineer#

The Texas defense specialist who builds Sentries, Dispensers, and Teleporters.

Core techniques:

• Sentry placement is everything — guarding key chokepoints maximizes value

• The Dispenser heals and supplies teammates, the logistical heart of a defense line

• Teleporters send teammates straight to the front, cutting respawn commutes

• Whack buildings with the wrench to upgrade and repair

Matchups: Buildings fear Demomen and Spies with Sappers; his own HP is low and he loses straight gunfights.

Medic#

The field doctor from Stuttgart, Germany — the team’s engine.

Core techniques:

• Constant healing is the core duty; prioritize teammates who are dealing damage

• A completed ÜberCharge grants 8 seconds of invulnerability — the starting gun of every key fight

• Self-defense is limited; always stand behind teammates

Matchups: Countered by nearly everything; protecting the Medic is everyone’s job.

Sniper#

Born in New Zealand, raised by an Australian family — the long-range hunter.

Core techniques:

• A charged, scoped headshot heavily wounds or outright kills most classes

• Keep a safe distance and pick sniping spots with cover

• Always watch for Spies — sniping perches are their favorite haunt

Matchups: At range he counters nearly everyone; Scout, Spy, and other close-range units punish him in return.

Spy#

The infiltration specialist from France.

Core techniques:

• Disguise as an enemy class to slip behind lines; combine with cloaking to approach targets

• A backstab heavily wounds any class from behind — but it’s not an absolute kill: targets in special states (Über invulnerability, Dead Ringer) survive backstabs

• Use Sappers to disable and destroy Sentries and Dispensers

• Demands sharp judgment and patience — the highest skill ceiling in the game

Matchups: Ambushing Engineers and Snipers works best; the Pyro is their nemesis.

Class Matchup Cheat Sheet#

The nine classes have no official numeric counter system; the table below is long-standing community consensus (full matrix on the hub page):