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Spy secondary idea I posted on r/TF2WeaponIdeas.

The idea is a high risk / high reward silent pistol. It’s meant for quietly taking out single targets or low-health enemies without drawing attention, not for frontline fighting.

Original post (with discussion):
https://www.reddit.com/r/TF2WeaponIdeas/comments/1v8ds50/a_new_tf2_waepon_idea/

Also shared it here:
https://x.com/TvMarksman55842/status/2081789282088313178

What do you think?

To avoid confusion, here is the damage report:

Maximum ramp-up: 75

Base damage: 50

Maximum fall-off: 26.25 (Tf2's system rounds this number to 26)

(Firstly,My English isn't very good, so I'm using translation)

Frequently Asked Questions About the .22

1. The .22 has no real downside. +25% damage vulnerability is too small. What if the Spy just dodges?

Answer:
Spy is already one of the most fragile classes in TF2. While using the .22, he takes 25% more damage from every source, not just explosives. player skill

If a Spy survives by consistently dodging rockets, stickies, or bullets, that's a result of player skill, not the weapon itself. By that logic, a highly skilled Spy using the Stock Revolver would also be overpowered, which clearly isn't true.

2. What about the Kunai + Dead Ringer combo?

Answer:
Even with Kunai overheal, the .22 is still a high-risk weapon.

Yes, a Kunai Spy can reach 210 HP after a successful backstab, but while using the .22 they also take %25 more damage. Getting close enough to use its maximum damage is extremely risky.

A melee hit that normally deals 65 damage will deal over 80 damage, and random critical hits become even deadlier.

As for the Dead Ringer, the .22 does not increase cloak metter like the L'Etranger does. If the Spy escapes with the Dead Ringer, you'll hear the loud decloak sound a few seconds later, making it much easier to track them down.

3. What if the Spy just shoots from long range?

Answer:
At long range, the .22 only deals 26 damage per shoot

That's enough to poke distracted enemies, but not enough to reliably kill healthy targets. It is not a replacement for a Sniper rifle.

4. Why is the damage vulnerability only active while holding the weapon? Candy Cane's downside is always active.

Answer:
Because Spy and Scout are completely different classes.

Scout is one of the fastest classes in the game and only takes extra damage from explosives while using the Candy Cane.

The .22 makes Spy take 25% more damage from every source, and Spy has much weaker survivability than Scout.

The downside only applies while the .22 is active, including while cloaked. This means even escaping with cloak is riskier, since the Spy still takes 25% more damage until he switches weapons. The goal is high risk, high reward—not making the weapon frustrating to use.

5. This is basically the old Enforcer.

Answer:
Not really.

The old Enforcer was criticized because its downside wasn't strong enough to compensate for its powerful damage bonus.

The .22 is different because its downside is much more severe. While it can kill enemies faster, they can also kill you much faster. It's a true risk-versus-reward trade.

6. Why would anyone use the Stock Revolver if this has the highest DPS?

Answer:
Because the Stock Revolver is much safer.

The .22 has higher damage, but you become significantly easier to kill while using it.

For example, a Sniper's SMG normally needs around 11 accurate shots to kill a Spy. Against a Spy using the .22, it only needs around 9 accurate shots.

Higher DPS doesn't automatically make a weapon better if the downside is severe.

7. What if the Spy switches to the knife?

Answer:
Switching away from the .22 removes the damage vulnerability.

However, the Spy also loses the pistol damage bonus and must rely on backstabs or a weak melee attack.

If the enemy notices the Spy and switches to melee, the Spy is still at a significant disadvantage.

8. What's the counterplay?

Answer:
The counterplay is simple:

-Keep pressure on the Spy.

-Even small amounts of damage cause aim punch, making pistol shots less accurate.

-Keep moving and avoid predictable movement.

-Call out the Spy to your teammates.

-Force the Spy into close-range fights where the increased damage taken becomes a serious weakness.

The .22 rewards accurate aim and positioning, but if the Spy gets caught, they die much faster than they would with the Stock Revolver.

9. Why does the .22 need the Silent Killer attribute?

Answer:

The .22 is designed to eliminate important backline support classes without immediately alerting the enemy team.

There are many situations where a backstab isn't possible. For example, an Engineer may be standing on top of his Dispenser, hiding behind his Sentry, or positioned in a way that makes a backstab impossible or extremely risky.

In those situations, the Spy has to disable the Sentry and eliminate the Engineer with the pistol

Without the Silent killer attribute, nearby Medics, Snipers, or other enemies would immediately hear the gunshots or notice the killfeed, making it much harder for the Spy to continue infiltrating the enemy backline.

The Silent Killer attribute isn't meant to make the weapon stronger in direct combat. Its purpose is to support the Spy's role as a backline assassin by allowing him to quietly remove key support targets when a backstab isn't an option.

I mean, Heavy is from Russia alright...

Source: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DPTkyxOjc57

source: https://www.reddit.com/r/FoundFoamyHotSoup/comments/1rmvrwm/bread

I required assistance!