Melee: Difference between revisions

'''Melee''' weapons are a type of [[Weapons|weapon]] that have a limited and typically short range and do not require ammo, making them a reliable, if risky, last resort option should a player run out. Most classes' default melees do 65 damage, the only exceptions being the [[Scout]] and [[Civilian]], whose melees do 35 damage in exchange for a , and the [[Spy]], whose knife does 40 damage. Melee weapons have an increased chance of [[critical hits]] from the 2% to 12% chance on non-melees to a 15% to 60% chance, depending on recent damage or healing done. This can make them effective, albeit risky, ambush tools to try and quickly eliminate other classes. These random [[critical hits]] do not apply to the [[Knife]], [[Harvester]], or [[Chekhov's Punch]]. Some melee weapons have a different swing animation, such as the [[Fists]] uppercutting or the [[Kukri]] swinging downwards. The [[Demoman]]'s [[bottle]] breaks on a critical hit. This is a purely visual change and otherwise does not affect the weapon in any way.

Due to their niche uses and the standard set by [[Engineer]] and [[Spy]], a common theme among melee weapon design is to trade the consistent damage and/or random [[critical hits]] for some sort of utility. The [[Wrench]] for example, maintains the standard stock melee stats, but with the added ability to heal and upgrade buildings, as well as refill [[Sentry Gun]]s with ammo. In addition, the [[Knife]] has added utility in being able to one shot any class from behind with a guaranteed [[critical hit]], called a backstab. It is worth noting backstabs can only happen from behind enemies, and attempting to attack an enemy with a crit boosted knife from the front will result in the [[Knife]] critting as normal, dealing 120 damage. Other examples of utility melees include The [[Harvester]], [[Chekhov's Punch]], [[Shock Therapy]], [[Umbrella]], [[Derby Cane]], [[Uberspritze]], and [[Fishwhacker]].