HANDS ON GUIDE

Support #1 - The Medic

Medic: 150HP

Medics are enjoyable characters especially if you don’t want to worry about aiming. The best way to play the Medic is as a pure support class, and unlike other games you’re rewarded with an assist point should someone you’re healing get a kill. If you come under enemy fire, find a quiet place to take cover. Anywhere will do, as Medics steadily regenerate health when hurt.

Primary Weapon: Syringe Pistol

Even though it’s inadvisable to take on opponents, the Syringe Pistol can be an effective weapon. It’s fast firing and accurate, after a fashion. All the shots follow the same trajectory from the gun, but they suffer from bullet drop. This means you can spray syringes from the gun as you would water from a hose. At close ranges it’s relatively easy to saturate a target with syringes, and although each hit does only a little damage, a sustained burst is enough to force many enemies into retreat.

The bullet drop makes the gun useless at long range, and extremely difficult to use at mid range against a moving target. It’s better to attach yourself to a more powerful class by way of your Medi Gun.

Secondary Weapon: Medi Gun

The Medi Gun can be used to heal and ‘buff’ team mates – yes, you can take your teammates to over 100% health. It has a secondary fire which grants both the medic and patient invulnerability for ten seconds. It’s designed to be as easy to use as possible. Once locked onto a target it requires no aim. You’re free to take cover, as long as your healing target remains in range and in sight. When you start to heal another player, your fortunes become entwined. A good player will keep the enemy away from you, whilst racking up your assist points by taking them down. A bad player will drag you deep into a firefight they have no chance of winning, and get you both killed. Choosing a good player to pair yourself with is very important, and you will build your own relationships with classes and players through experience.

The thing you’re likely to suffer most, though, is ‘killing the Medic’ syndrome. If you’re paired with a fully buffed Heavy, then the most effective strategy for the enemy is to kill you first. If you can’t stay in cover, then stay at a distance from your partner, and keep running around randomly. If you stand still you’re easy prey for a Sniper or any class with a reasonably accurate weapon and the will to use it. Keep your partner between the enemy and yourself, and hope your ubercharge fills before you get killed or have a chance to get into cover.

Invulnerability

As you heal and buff player your ubercharge bar will slowly fill up. The current level of charge is shown to both you and your partner, which helps the offensive player of the pair get ready for their shot of invulnerability. When the ubercharge bar is full, your character will shout out ‘I’m fully charged’ and you’re ready to deploy an invulnerability shield around your partner and self.

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