SOLDIER

Liberty Launcher

+25% clip size

+40% projectile speed

+15% faster firing speed

-25% blast damage from rocket jumps

-25% damage penalty

-10% explosion radius

Changes

Added 15% faster firing speed

Added -10% explosion radius

Boosting the speed of the launcher was seen as something that would fit and help with its ability to be more versatile. A slight nerf on the blast radius makes the faster firing and traveling rockets require more accuracy.

Cow Mangler 5000

Does not require ammo

Alt-Fire charges the weapon, firing after 2 seconds or by pressing Fire beforehand

At 33% charge your blast deals afterburn, at 66% +75% projectile speed, at 100% your blast deals mini-crits and disables buildings

No random critical hits

Gradually lose speed as you charge, down to -66% at 100%

-30% projectile speed

Deals only 20% damage to buildings

Taking 40 damage while charging will cause an explosive backfire!

Minicrits whenever it would normally crit

Changes

Slowdown while charging occurs gradually up until full

Added different stages to charge, with ability to cancel earlier

Added increased projectile speed at 66%+ charge

Added -30% projectile speed

If damaged (>=40) while charging, charge is cancelled and weapon backfires

On backfire, clip is emptied and an explosion happens on your position

A new rebalance to help differentiate the Cow Mangler some more. The charge system was revamped to allow for more aggressive use with less slowdown and with the ability to cancel the charge. Additionally the faster projectile speed can allow it to be more threatening. This is counterbalanced with an initially slower speed making it worse at longer ranges without charge. Additionally with the ability to trigger a backfire, the charging now requires better evasion to use effectively.

Air Strike

-15% blast damage from rocket jumps

Increased attack speed while blast jumping

Clip size increased on kill

-15% damage penalty

-20% explosion radius

Changes

Removed blast radius penalty while rocket jumping

Increased blast radius penalty to -20%

The aim of these changes is to make the weapon more consistent in its upsides and downsides, while also providing more leniency in bombing runs.

Buff Banner

+50% max primary ammo on wearer

Provides an offensive buff that causes

nearby team members to do mini-crits

Rage charges with 600 damage done

Changes

Added +50% max primary ammo on wearer

Gives the weapon a passive upside to match the other banners and in-line with its offensive theme, improving the soldier’s sustainability without a secondary.

The Mantreads

-75% reduction in push force taken from damage

Deals 3x falling damage to the player you land on

-75% reduction in airblast vulnerability

200% increased air control when blast jumping

-65% less damage to self while blast jumping

Changes

Increased base stomp damage by 20

Added -65% less damage to self while blast jumping

In addition to making stomps more impactful, the user is given added resistance to any self-damage taken while already blast jumping. This can be used to make more dangerous bombs and survive with more health, or to provide more opportunities for chaining pogo jumps. It should be befitting of an item that is geared towards larger, more committed rocket jumps.

Reserve Shooter

Mini-crits targets launched airborne by enemy explosions

This weapon deploys 20% faster

20% more accurate

-33% clip size

Changes

Added 20% accuracy bonus

Mini-crits only against targets not launched by their own explosives, rocket packs, etc

A major point of consternation for the weapon was how its mini-crits punished mobility abilities of enemies. In trying to make the weapon more fair to fight against, it has been limited to not trigger minicrits for their own blast jumps, and only when an enemy launches them up. For this more limited usage, it's accuracy bonus was improved slightly to improve it's range and combo potential, the former being of particular benefit to Pyro who doesn't benefit from a combo with the weapon.

Righteous Bison

Does not require ammo

Fires a projectile that passes through and hits multiple targets

Projectile cannot be deflected

Deals only 20% damage to buildings

-33% clip size

Changes

Increased firing & reload speed to match stock shotgun

Increased damage by 150% (20➡50)

Increased projectile speed by 50%

Improved hit detection

No longer multi-hits single targets

Attempting to make the weapon more active and reliable to hit with, and making the damage more consistent without simply being lucky with how targets are oriented or moving.

B.A.S.E. Jumper

Press 'JUMP' key in the air to deploy

Deployed Parachutes slow your descent for up to 6 seconds

-25% blast damage from blast jumps

100% increased air control

Parachute closes when taking up to 100 damage

Changes

100% increased air control

Added -25% blast damage from blast jumps

Added 6 second time limit on deploy

Taking damage closes it sooner, up to 100 damage

Giving back the player better control of their jumps should give it increased utility in addition to the reduced blast damage allowing for more frequent usage. However, it required nerfing the ability to stay airborne indefinitely and allowing enemies to counter a soldier/demo with on-demand high ground.

Panic Attack

Alt-Fire: dump entire clip at 33% faster firing speed

+50% bullets per shot

This weapon deploys 50% faster

Fires a wide, fixed shot pattern

-15% damage penalty

-34% clip size

Successive shots become less accurate with alt-fire

Changes

Reduced damage penalty to 15%

Successive shots only become less accurate with alt-fire

Added -34% clip size penalty

Added Alt-Fire: dump entire clip at 33% faster firing speed

This intends to merge the old sneeze gun design with the current version. The damage was upped slightly to make it more effective in close range and perform better as a side-grade, with the alt-fire replicating ability to quickly sneeze out the current clip with a still worsening spread as a trade-off.

The Equalizer

While active:

RUSH: Gain a speed boost for 2 seconds when drawn under 50% HP

-50% reduction in push force taken from damage

+40% increase in damage when health <50% of max

-40% decrease in damage when health >50% of max

RUSH can be used once until healed over 50% HP

This weapon holsters 50% slower

-90% less healing from Medic sources

Changes

Removed linear damage scaling

Added RUSH, giving a speed boost for 2 seconds under 50% HP

Added -50% reduction in push force taken from damage

Added 40% damage increase when below 50% health

Added 40% damage decrease when above 50% health

RUSH can be used once until healed over 50% HP

Added 50% slower holster speed

More consistent damage the user can track, making higher damage more consistently useful as a last resort weapon while keeping it in check with the slower swing. The knockback resistance and the addition of a one-time speed should help in trying to close the gap with the soldier’s usual subpar speed, while being limited as a resource for emergencies.

Pain Train

+1 capture rate on wearer

Gain a 3 second speed boost on defending a point or collecting objectives

10% damage vulnerability on wearer

Changes

Added 3 second speed boost on defending a point or collecting objectives

Removed bullet vulnerability

Added 10% damage vulnerability on wearer

Expanding its use with a buff for defenders or collectors of objectives in certain modes, so the item is more versatile. To make up for this, the specific type vulnerability was replaced by a full vulnerability that's about as impactful.

Disciplinary Action

On Hit Teammate: Boosts both players' speed for several seconds

70% longer melee range

-25% damage penalty

No Random Crits

+25% blast damage from rocket jumps

Changes

Added No Random Crits

Added +25% blast damage from rocket jumps

A slight nerf to its damage output given the melee comboing, and a downside that better counterbalances the added mobility you and your team gain. By making your own core mobility option more costly, it better emphasizes the team support aspect and limits your effectiveness while roaming.