How to Play As a Scout in Team Fortress 2

Last Updated: October 8, 2020

Scouts, the American flag runners of Team Fortress 2. Having a thing for baseball and a need for speed, Scouts hold an in-game record for being the fastest through their class speed. Saying that, Scouts can capture control points and move payloads twice as fast. In addition to speed, Scouts are the only class that can double jump. Armed with a deadly Scattergun, a Pistol and his deadly Bat, he'll not only capture the intelligence and leave the opposing team confused, he will also have a good time doing it.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:
Getting Ready

1
Gather your items. As discussed above, Scouts have a 6/32 medium-close ranged Scattergun (Primary). Aside from this, he also wields a 12/36 medium ranged Pistol (Secondary) and finally, the Bat, which is completely deadly for picking at the opposing players' health until death (Melee). The other two weapons are his speed and double jump, which the Scout possesses for movement, confusion and evasion. Learn these in a combo.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:
Using Items

1
Use the Scattergun. It is very powerful. It works well in medium ranges and can be lethal at short range. It is stronger than the regular Shotgun. To do maximum damage with this weapon, you have to be up close to your target. Reload this weapon whenever you're out of combat range, and make sure to think ahead and plan your reloads carefully if you have to do so during battle. This could mean popping behind some cover to do so. The scattergun like the shotgun has a very diverse shot pattern, but this changes from competitive to casual play. The spray of bullets is a consistent pattern with no random crits, as where it is random in casual and with crits.
2
Use the Pistol in long ranges. The Pistol is the most accurate weapon the Scout has, and it is perfect for picking off enemies who try to flee. This weapon does more damage than the Scattergun at long ranges. The Pistol also has a very fast rate of fire. You can use it as a second-hand weapon to the Scattergun. To fire it at maximum speed, you should rapidly click the mouse button instead of holding it down.
3
Use the Baseball bat at point-blank range. The baseball bat can be lethal when in range. It is also very fast. However, if you miss a swing, your plan could go awry. You should only use this on an unsuspecting enemy whose back is turned, or when the Scattergun and Pistol are not available for use. This weapon, compared to the other melee weapons in the game, swings faster, but each swing does less damage, so it isn't like the burst damage of the other melee weapons. Beware if your target is also trying to use their melee, as a critical hit from it will kill you instantly if your health is low.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:
Using the Scout Skills

1
Assess the Scout's abilities.
- 1. The Scout runs around 1/3 faster than the other classes that run at standard speed. The Scout is also capable of using a double jump to dart around in the air during combat or reach places unreachable to other classes (excluding Soldiers and Demomen). The superior speed and movement is one of the key abilities to his style of gameplay, and you should hardly ever be staying still. Jump around and move in unpredictable patterns during combat to make it harder for the enemy to aim at you, giving you a further advantage.
- 2. The Scout has a health pool of 125 HP. This is one of the Scout's main weaknesses; being exposed to heavy damage (such as a Heavy's Minigun or a Sentry gun) will kill you very quickly. You will be constantly rushing for health packs or a Medic to keep yourself alive. Make sure you memorize the maps you play on so you know how to retreat from a battle or rush for a health pack to heal you.
2
Remember your speed. As a Scout, your biggest advantage is speed. This allows you to escape in tight spots. Scout, with the exception of Spy, is the only class who can get into a fight and get away clean by running away. You can run across places other classes can't. You can easily capture the "intelligence" in Capture The Flag games. You can also easily capture control points, as Scouts capture twice as fast, and can run before any enemies attack them. You can also use your speed, to a certain extent, to avoid enemy fire, although don't rely on it for heavy, concentrated fire. Jumping around and running in unpredictable patterns in combat makes it harder for the enemy to accurately aim at you, so use this to your advantage.
3
Remember your health. As a Scout, your biggest disadvantage is your low health pool. Your health pool is at only 125, so you will be constantly rushing around for health packs. Make sure you memorize the maps and remember where they are. One of the best way of staying alive is attacking while your targets are focused on killing one of your team-mates. If you are at the center of attention, you are likely to take heavy damage and die very quickly.
4
Use your double jump! As a Scout, you can, while in the air, jump again to get a double jump. You can reach places inaccessible to other classes (excluding Soldiers and Demomen). Utilizing your double jumps to take small shortcuts on maps can make you traverse even quicker, or get you into advantageous positions (e.g. straight behind your targets without them knowing, allowing you to wound or even kill them).
5
Take the front lines! Scouts aren't particularly known for their defensive abilities, but they perform at their best on the front lines. Being in a small group is the most convenient, as Scouts are known to die quickly if they're on their own with a lot of enemies surrounding them. Assisting your team-mates in attacking ensures the highest rate of survival for you, if your enemies keep their attention off you. Strike at them from positions they wouldn't expect, and even if you don't manage to kill them in the first encounter, run off to get a health pack or something else, and strike again when their attention is focused on something else. Scouts are probably at their weakest if they get caught up in direct confrontations. Assisting other players attack and attacking from unexpected positions greatly bolsters their ability to perform better.
6
Contribute to your team, and don't be self-centered. Scouts aren't well known for massive killing sprees. Helping your team through a group perspective, such as capping the point, or attempting to get the enemy Intel, is an area where you shine, as you are specialized in doing these things (Scouts cap twice as fast as other players, and can make great carriers due to their speed).

Community Q&A

Question

I sometimes see scouts that can go on massive killing sprees and with impeccable aim. Is this just luck?

Community Answer

It depends. They could be pro, lucky or using a cheat tool. Look at their Steam-Profiles for VAC (Valve Anti-Cheat) bans to see if they have used cheats in the past. Yes :)
Question

Is Team Fortress available on console?

Trenton Brooks

Community Answer

Yes, on the Xbox 360 and Xbox One. I'd advise you to just play the PC version for two reasons. 1. It's free on PC, while you pay $15-$30 for 3 games on Xbox. 2. It's not updated on the Xbox. There is no double jump, no rocket jump, just a boring version that restricts how you can play.
Question

How do I become the best scout?

Community Answer

You never stop moving. If you come face to face woth a heavy, your best bet is to quickly double jump to the side while firing your shot gun. Try and get behind the heavy and swing away with your Melee. You can also go to options and turn on the quick switch for weapons.
Question

How good is backscatter?

Community Answer

It is really bad, use stock if you want to do well. Stock is better because it has more ammo and is more accurate. The mini-crits on the Backscatter is almost never useful.
Question

What should I do if I'm playing as a scout and I encounter a deadlier scout in Team Fortress 2?

Community Answer

Best thing to do is flank him, catch him off guard, or use your other teammates to your advantage!
Question

I find it difficult to aim as a scout because of his speed. What should I do to improve?

Community Answer

Practice! Play a bit every day, take a break, then play more. Another solution is to turn down your sensitivity, making it easier to aim directly.
Question

Is the P.B.P.P. useful?

Community Answer

It is incredibly useful due to the health regeneration abilities. I use the stock pistol though, as I find that I usually can find a health pack or a medic.
Question

Can I use a soda popper instead of a scattergun when playing as a scout?

Community Answer

Definitely - the soda popper is one of the scout's best weapons. Combine it with the winger and the atomizer and you should do well.
Question

Is the Mad Milk good?

Peanut Mann

Community Answer

It is very good in most situations, it's very useful in Mann vs Machine mode. In a Casual or Competitive match, you can provide a lot of healing support for you and your entire team.
Question

Is the Force a Nature better than the stock scattergun?

Peanut Mann

Community Answer

Depends on the map and situation, if the map you're playing on has a cliff or some form of ledge, you can use the Force-a-Nature to push them off the edge. But in most situations the stock does better than the Force-a-Nature.

Warnings

Don't come up to a Heavy's face and try shooting him. You'll be dead in a minute. Instead, try to come from behind him when he's distracted by one of your teammates and blast away.

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Do not attempt to double jump straight over Sticky Bombs. The blast radius is large enough to kill you or seriously damage you. Attempting to destroy them by firing at them with your Pistol or Scattergun is the best you can do, or kill the Demoman first.

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Don't forget, the Scout is one of the weakest classes in the game health wise, but it is the fastest, so use it to your advantage.

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If you catch fire from a Pyro, back away immediately, and run to the nearest health pack, Medic, or body of water. You can attempt to try to finish the Pyro off if you are at adequate or good health, otherwise run away as soon as possible. Fighting the Pyro underwater on in a body of water will force him to use the Shotgun or Axe, where you have the advantage.

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