Team Fortress 2 Engineer: Best Items and Skills

Team Fortress 2 is a great game full of exciting classes that can enhance any player’s personality and abilities. However, choosing the perfect character can be difficult, whether you’re a TF2 newbie or have been playing it for years. Sometimes you just get stuck with the one you started with, and then you feel like you’re throwing back all your gameplay hours by experimenting. Luckily, we’re coming to the rescue, because we’re going to help you explore all the other classes. Today we’ll talk about the Engineer, including his most useful abilities and weapons.

Basic Information About the Engineer

The Engineer is a defensive Team Fortress 2 class, along with Heavy and Demoman. However, truth be told, we believe that this is only due to his size. If we were to classify him based on what he actually does during a match, we’d put him more in the Support category, along with Medic, Sniper, and Spy. But more on that in a second.

First, let’s talk about where the Engineer actually comes from. If you’re a little familiar with the history of Team Fortress 2, then you know that Valve has released short videos introducing each class to the game. The video for our favorite handyman was a bit different from the others, as he was made to be a bit more mysterious. In the footage, he talked about himself while playing the guitar at the same time. He said that his job was to solve problems, but not of a philosophical nature, but rather of a mechanical nature. And that is actually very true. Though we’re not quite sure how the engineer got interested in mechanics and fixing things, considering that he’s supposedly a Texas native with rural roots, we have to admit that he’s really good at it. His amazing skills make him a truly indispensable class during any match. 

See also: Best Cosmetic Items for TF2 Pyro

What Are Engineer’s Skills?

As we have already mentioned, theoretically the engineer is a defensive class, however, his skillset and the tasks he performs on the maps are definitely more suited to the support category. His main task is not to fight, but to build all kinds of structures that will help his team win the match. These include Sentry Guns, which fire at the enemy, Dispensers, which aid in health restoration, and Teleporters, which help other players travel quickly. Also, it’s important to note, that once such structures are created, his work doesn’t end. Then, he has to make sure they aren’t destroyed by enemy spies, which is why he has to constantly repair or move his creations to other, safer places. 

When it comes to the Engineer’s basic skills, he is about middle of the pack when it comes to pretty much everything. His health is 125 and his speed is 100%. This means that moving around the map and fighting basic enemies shouldn’t be a problem, but it won’t be exceptionally easy either.

What’s the Best Way to Play Engineer?

As you have already guessed, playing Engineer, is much different than playing any other class. Therefore, we want to focus on a few important elements that are a must when choosing a strategy for this character.

See also: Best Cosmetic Items for TF2 Scout

Stop Fighting, Keep Building

When playing as an engineer, the most important thing to remember is what role you play on the map. If you are the type of person who likes to stand in front and be the first to clash with the enemy, this is probably not the class for you, because anyone who steps into the shoes of this amazing handyman must first and foremost think strategically.

As a Battle engineer, your focus won’t be on fighting, but rather on finding safe places and repairing buildings. Moreover, you should always keep an eye on how your team members are doing. After all, your job is to facilitate their victory and offer support through your buildings. 

Stock up on Metal

In addition, you must remember that to build and improve your creations, you need metal. Hence, your task will also be to ensure that you always have an abundance of the materials you need. At the beginning of the game you get 200 units, however, we assure you that in the face of the whole match, this is as much as nothing. Especially when you will have to suddenly save your structures from falling apart. Thus, you have to constantly look for ammo boxes and dead units from which you can loot. Of course, your team members will be helping you with this, however, the responsibility falls mainly on you as the Engineer. 

Know Your Structures

The Sentry Gun, Dispenser, and Teleporter are, of course, the main constructions that the Engineer must focus on. However, it is important for players choosing this class to be aware of all the other items this character is capable of building or using. Especially since many of them can actually improve the functioning of others. For example, the Wrangler can improve the range of the Sentry Gun. Also, the the Gunslinger’s Combat Mini-Sentry, while it may seem smaller and less effective, is actually great because it requires less time and metal to build than the regular version.

Knowing these facts can determine the fate of the match. Therefore, in order to give you a good idea of the most useful items, we will do a brief review of the best weapons for the Engineer.

And don’t forget that when starting out with a particular class, it’s a good idea to stock up on a decent set of cosmetic skins. To raise funds for a new collection, you can sell your old items on SkinCashier!

What Are the Best TF2 Engineer Weapons?

Engineer’s stock weapons are:

• Shotgun
• Pistol
• Wrench

However, the game provides many better options that players can use to gain an advantage. Here’s a rundown of our 5 favorite Engineer items to help you increase your team’s chances of winning.

1. Gunslinger

Gunslinger is the most versatile item an engineer can own. It’s a melee weapon that costs $0.09, and while it may not look like much, this prosthetic arm will certainly help you win, regardless of your skill level. First of all, it significantly improves maximum health, secondly, it increases build speed by 150%, and thirdly, it reduces metal cost by 23%. In addition, it guarantees a critical hit on the third consecutive blow. Can it get any better than that?

2. Jag

Another melee weapon on our list is a TF2 classic – the Jag. Although it may seem very simple, sometimes it’s the simple items that can change the fate of an entire match. In fact, this is a particularly good choice for beginners who want to try something different from the Wrench. The Jag rewards the user with a 30% increase in build speed and a 15% increase in rapid fire. Of course, it’s also important to keep in mind its disadvantages, namely lower damage and a 20% slower repair rate. However, if you are looking for something that will allow you to erect buildings faster in your first matches, this item is exactly what you need.

3. Wrangler

The Wrangler is a secondary weapon and a favorite of many Engineer enthusiasts. Although we mentioned it earlier, we think it’s worth learning a little more about.

As you already know, one of the main tasks of this class is to build Sentry Guns. Meanwhile, the task of this 80-looking device is to control them. However, why would anyone need something like that?

Here it is important to note that all Sentry Guns are automatically triggered by default. This means that they destroy targets on their own, which of course can be effective, but it can also be very annoying. That’s why Valve has released an item that allows players to take command of them and also, to place a protective shield around them, which absorbs 66% of all incoming damage. This is great if you have a specific strategy in mind that requires blasting something other than your enemies. Keep in mind, however, that when using the Wrangler, the Sentry Guns will have a reduced repair speed and reduced ammo.

4. Widowmaker

Ok, we know that all we have said is that the main task of the Engineer is not to fight, but to build. And this is still true, however, it is important to remember that anything can happen during a match. This means that you may find yourself in a bad situation that will require you to pull out your guns and protect yourself and your buildings. If that’s the case, you need something solid that will allow you to continue the mission quickly. 

Widowmaker is what you might call a high-risk, high-reward primary weapon. Why? Well, it actually consumes 30 units of metal with each shot, which is…. A LOT. However, it returns the same amount of metal, provided you actually hit the target. What’s more, it doesn’t need to be reloaded. This means that if you are a good enough shooter, you can kill enemies without ever needing to stop!

5. Pomson 600

We should warn you that Pomson 600 has quite a reputation in Team Fortress. Whether it’s used by your team’s engineer or the opposing team, you’ll probably hate it at some point. However, that doesn’t change the fact that if used correctly, it can perform brilliantly. It is a primary weapon that requires no ammunition. What’s more, it’s a Medic and Spy’s nightmare, as it interrupts their main skills, ÜberCharge and cloak. Also, it’s very effective if you want to vaporize enemies, as it deals as much as 60 damage with each of its projectiles. However, we can’t lie to you. It is quite difficult to use, especially if you are trying to shoot near your teammates. Plus, it deals almost no damage to enemy buildings. Nevertheless, if you want something spectacular, this weapon is for you.

Conclusions

The engineer is a very powerful class in Team Fortress 2 that fulfills many roles during a match. From erecting buildings, to defending team members, to quick repairs. All of these fall under his responsibilities and, if done correctly, can decide the fate of the match. So if you decide to play this character, be sure to learn about his skills and weapons in order to plan your strategy. After all, as befits an engineer, a good plan is essential.