How to Beat Scout in TF2: The Fastest Class, Answered

Scout is the most annoying class in TF2 to fight badly. He is fast, he does massive damage up close, and he punishes every player who stands still.

The good news: Scout has 125 health, the same as several other classes, and he dies instantly to anything that hits him. Beating Scout is about tracking and spacing, not aim.

The universal rules

1. Keep moving. A stationary target is a Scattergun’s best friend. Strafe, jump, change direction — anything that breaks his tracking.

2. Fight at mid-range. The Scattergun falls off hard past a few meters. Do not let Scout choose the distance.

3. Do not chase. A Scout who runs away is faster than you. If you chase, you walk into his teammates.

4. Listen for the double jump. When Scout engages, he double jumps toward you. That sound tells you exactly when to shoot.

Class by class

Soldier: Scout’s hardest matchup. Your rockets kill him in one hit if you land them. Fire at his feet, not his body — splash catches him even when he strafes. Backpedal while firing so he cannot close. If he gets within five meters, you are in trouble, so control the distance from the start.

Heavy: You win any fight where the minigun is already spinning. The trick is spinning up before he arrives. Spin up behind cover when you hear a double jump, then walk out firing. Do not chase — he is faster. Let him come to the gun.

Pyro: Afterburn kills him even if he escapes the initial flame. Ambush from corners, because Pyro beats Scout at point-blank range but loses badly at mid-range. Your airblast also pushes him out of his circle-strafe, which resets the fight on your terms.

Demoman: Sticky traps are the answer. Scout walks into your traps constantly because he moves fast and unpredictably. Place stickies on health packs and common Scout routes, then detonate. Grenades also work if you lead him.

Engineer: Your Sentry tracks him automatically, which is exactly what a Scout hates. Stand next to your buildings and let them shoot. Your pistol out-ranges his Scattergun, so a duel at mid-range favors you.

Medic: You cannot win this fight alone. Stay behind your pocket — a Scout who attacks a pocketed Medic is attacking two players. If he rushes you alone, the syringe gun can kill him before his second Scattergun shot lands, but only if you hit it.

Sniper: A charged bodyshot or headshot kills him instantly. The problem is his speed — bodyshots at long range often miss. If a Scout is harassing you, either ask for help or relocate to a position with cover behind you.

Spy: You lose this fight. Scout is fast, unpredictable, and one Scattergun shot kills you. Wait for him to be distracted — fighting someone else, or standing still — and take the backstab when he is not looking.

Scout: The mirror match. Whoever lands the first Scattergun shot wins. Use cover to break his tracking and re-engage on your terms. The Pistol is your mid-range answer to his close-range game.

Where Scout beats you

Scout wins fights in three places:

• Close range. Point-blank Scattergun kills almost anything. Do not let him get there.
• Open ground with no cover. He can circle-strafe freely. Fight near walls and crates.
• Long sightlines where he can peek. He double jumps in, fires, and leaves before you can turn. Watch your flanks, not just your front.

What not to do

• Do not stand still while shooting him. Even Heavy has to reposition between fights.
• Do not miss your first shot. A Scout who takes damage usually runs, and you have wasted your opening.
• Do not follow him. He wants you to chase. That is how he leads you into his team.
• Do not ignore him. A Scout who is alive is capturing your point. He has to be dealt with, even if dealing with him is not your job.

The one-sentence version

Keep moving, fight at mid-range, and never chase — Scout wins every fight he chooses the terms of, and loses every fight where you do.