Team Fortress 2 Guide: Core Game Systems and Mechanics
Team Fortress 2 remains one of the most played class-based shooters ever made. Whether you downloaded it yesterday or clocked 3,000 hours, understanding the core systems behind TF2 makes every match more rewarding. This guide breaks down the nine classes, every major game mode, and the item and trading systems that keep the community thriving.
Table of Contents
- The Nine Classes
- Offense Classes
- Defense Classes
- Support Classes
- Game Modes
- The Item System
- Trading Basics
The Nine Classes
TF2 divides its roster into three categories: Offense, Defense, and Support. Each class has a distinct health pool, movement speed, and weapon set. No two classes play alike, and team composition matters more than individual skill in most situations.
Offense Classes
Scout is the fastest class at 133% base speed with 125 HP. His Scattergun deals devastating damage up close, and his double jump lets him reach spots nobody else can. Scout excels at flanking, capturing points, and picking off weakened targets.
Soldier sits at 200 HP and carries the Rocket Launcher, one of the most versatile weapons in the game. He moves slowly on the ground but rocket jumping gives him incredible mobility. Soldier works in almost any team composition and rewards both new and experienced players.
Pyro has 175 HP and wields the Flame Thrower. Airblast reflects projectiles and pushes enemies back, making Pyro a surprisingly defensive class. Pyro shuts down Spies, denies Ubers, and controls tight corridors. The skill ceiling is higher than most people expect.
Defense Classes
Demoman brings 175 HP and two explosive weapons: the Grenade Launcher and Stickybomb Launcher. Sticky traps control chokepoints. Direct pipes deal 100 damage each. In competitive play, Demoman consistently deals the most damage per match.
Heavy is the tank at 300 HP with the Minigun. He shreds anything within medium range but moves at 77% speed while revved up. Heavy anchors a team's position and pairs beautifully with Medic. Positioning determines whether you dominate or feed.
Engineer builds three structures: the Sentry Gun, Dispenser, and Teleporter. A well-placed Sentry locks down entire areas. The Dispenser keeps your team alive and stocked on ammo. Teleporters win games by keeping your team at the front line. Engineer requires game sense more than aim.
Support Classes
Medic heals teammates with the Medi Gun and builds UberCharge, the most powerful ability in TF2. A full Uber grants 8 seconds of invulnerability. Medic has 150 HP but regenerates health passively. Every team needs a Medic, and good Medics carry matches.
Sniper picks off targets from long range with charged headshots dealing 150 to 450 damage. He has 125 HP and no escape tools, so positioning is everything. Sniper punishes teams that overextend and can single-handedly break a stalemate.
Spy disguises as enemy players and turns invisible with the Cloak. His backstab kills any class instantly. The Sapper disables and destroys Engineer buildings. Spy demands patience, map knowledge, and the ability to read enemy behavior. He is the hardest class to play well but devastating when mastered.
Game Modes
TF2 offers several core game modes, each demanding different strategies and class compositions.
Payload is the most popular mode. BLU pushes a cart along a track by standing near it. RED defends. The cart heals BLU players nearby and serves as mobile cover. Maps like Upward, Badwater, and Borneo are community favorites. Check our tier list to see which classes dominate Payload.
Control Points (5CP) features five capture points on a symmetrical map. Teams push from their last point toward the enemy's. This mode rewards aggressive play and fast rotations. Process and Snakewater are competitive staples.
King of the Hill has one central point. Capture it and your team's timer counts down from 3:00. Lose the point and your timer pauses. Fast-paced and chaotic, KOTH maps like Harvest and Viaduct produce constant fighting.
Capture the Flag tasks each team with stealing the enemy's intelligence briefcase and returning it to base. CTF tends to produce long stalemates but remains popular in casual play. 2Fort is the iconic CTF map.
Mann vs Machine (MvM) is a cooperative mode where six players defend against waves of robots. Players earn credits to upgrade their weapons between waves. MvM has its own meta, with Engineer, Heavy, Medic, Scout, Soldier, and Demoman forming the standard lineup. Our walkthrough covers MvM progression in detail.
The Item System
Every class starts with a stock loadout, and stock weapons are competitive in nearly every situation. Additional weapons drop randomly as you play, roughly one drop every 30 to 70 minutes of active gameplay, with a weekly cap.
Weapons fall into three categories:
| Category | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Stock | Default weapons, always reliable | Rocket Launcher, Scattergun |
| Unlocks | Sidegrades with tradeoffs | Gunboats (less self-damage, no Shotgun) |
| Reskins | Identical stats, different appearance | Australium Rocket Launcher |
Most unlockable weapons are sidegrades, not upgrades. The Gunboats reduce rocket jump damage but you lose your Shotgun. The Kritzkrieg grants critical hits instead of invulnerability. Choosing the right loadout depends on the map, mode, and team composition. Our builds guide covers optimal loadouts for every class.
Cosmetic items like hats, unusual effects, and skins have no gameplay impact but drive TF2's economy. Unusual hats with particle effects can be worth hundreds or thousands of dollars.
Trading Basics
TF2 has one of the oldest player-driven economies in gaming. Trading happens through Steam's trade system, third-party sites like backpack.tf and scrap.tf, and community trade servers.
Refined Metal serves as the base currency. You craft two weapons of the same class into one Scrap Metal, three Scrap into one Reclaimed, and three Reclaimed into one Refined. Keys purchased from the Mann Co. Store are the premium currency and currently trade for around 70 Refined Metal.
A few rules keep you safe when trading. Never trade outside Steam's official system. Check prices on backpack.tf before accepting offers. Be skeptical of anyone rushing you. Our beginner's guide has more details on avoiding scams.
TF2's systems interact in ways that reward curiosity. The more you understand about classes, modes, items, and trading, the more you get out of every session. Pick a class, queue up, and start learning by playing.