Team Fortress 2 (TF2): Best Counters For Every Class

As the premiere class-based multiplayer first-person shooter, Team Fortress 2 comes with nine (actually) iconic classes that can cater to almost any playstyle, whether you like stealth gameplay, sniping, fast-paced, or more “relaxing” play styles. Each class is also incredibly deep, with easy-to-understand and pick-up mechanics but an immensely high skill ceiling with virtually no limit on how much better you can get.

Almost every class also has a direct counter, where another class either removes the threat they pose or neutralizes their ability to be effective (often the same thing). We’ll cover all possible TF2 class counters in this guide.

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Best Class Counters for Scout in Team Fortress 2

The Scout is unique in that there’s no class that can hard counter him, especially after the introduction of the BONK energy drink and the dozens of other items he can use. However, he has a couple of soft counters, specifically the Engineer and the Sniper. Both classes rely on being far away from enemies, and the Engineers Sentry Guns can track even the squirreliest Scout. The average Sniper might have trouble shooting the Scout’s “frickin’ tiny little head,” but anyone with a good shot will find Scouts fairly easy targets. All the other classes can hold their own, but ultimately, the best way to best a Scout is with another Scout.

Best Class Counters for Soldier in Team Fortress 2

Like Scout, there aren’t many true hard counters for Soldier, as he’s designed to be an all-rounder, though at the highest levels, he’s one of the fastest and most powerful classes in the game. A Sniper with a good shot won’t have a tough time dealing with a Soldier stuck airborne, and if a Spy can catch him before he starts rocket jumping, he’s toast. Engineer Sentry Guns are also a possible counter, though a Soldier who knows where the Sentry is can go outside its targeting range and shoot it freely. The Pyro’s reflect essentially neutralizes a Soldier’s rockets, but he comes with a shotgun for close engagements.

Best Class Counters for Pyro in Team Fortress 2

Pyro is historically regarded as one of the weakest classes thanks to their lack of range, mobility options, and generally less-effective kit. Pyros also have quite a few counters, particularly the Sniper and Engineer. Just don’t expect someone who mains Pyro to go easy on you, as their air blast can give them a free rocket jump, some of their flamethrowers can deal guaranteed crits, and they can douse the flames of enemy Pyros, as well. Just don’t ask them to do much at range besides pestering their enemies, but again, someone skilled with the Flare Gun can be a menace.

Best Class Counters for Demoman in Team Fortress 2

“Demo is overpowered” is one of the oldest arguments in Team Fortress 2 — so much so that he’s actually seen some nerfs in the past sixteen years. Pyros have one of the biggest advantages: they can air blast both a Demoman’s stickies and pills, and any planted stickers can be easily destroyed with a few bullets. Even an average Sniper shouldn’t have too much trouble getting a headshot on a Demo, a Scout can get in close enough to avoid most of Demo’s spam, and the Spy runs faster.

Best Class Counters for Heavy in Team Fortress 2

The Heavy might be the poster boy for TF2, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have his share of weaknesses. As the slowest class in the game, Spies see him as the easiest possible prey. His big head makes him an easy target for Sniper (and there’s a voice line joking about that), and while he can face tank more damage than any other class, a Sentry Gun from anything beyond close range will melt him. Even a Pyro and Scout can simply circle strafe around the minigun, and both Demo and Soldier can easily get out of a Heavy’s killzone. Perhaps the only class that doesn’t counter Heavy in some way is Medic, but they never should in the first place.

Best Class Counters for Engineer in Team Fortress 2

The classic Engineer’s strategy is to build their base (one Level Three Sentry, one Dispenser, and a Teleporter) and make sure it stays up as long as possible. Those with the Gunslinger (which is my preferred playstyle) can be a little more active, placing Mini-Sentries in clever spots and taking down bigger prey with the Frontier Justice. Either way, a Spy is an Engineer’s worst nightmare, as his Sapper completely removes any Engy building from play and will eventually destroy them outright if not dealt with. Demoman and Soldier are also good counters, as they can dismantle even a well-defended Sentry from a distance or with a good Ubercharge behind them.

Best Class Counters for Medic in Team Fortress 2

The Medic isn’t really built for combat, though he can fight in a pinch, so anything in the game with a gun (read: every other class) is technically a hard counter to the Medic from a combat point of view. And any class that can interrupt a Medic’s ability to heal, like a Pyro, Demo, or Soldier knocking them out of beam range, could also qualify. However, no other class can provide infinite crits or heal nearly as well, so in that way, the Medic has no direct support counter.

Best Class Counters for Sniper in Team Fortress 2

The Sniper is most vulnerable up close (less so with the Huntsman), but in their traditional role, they play in the backlines, scoped in for long periods, making them a Spy’s favorite prey besides Heavies. They’re also at risk from enemy Snipers and Pyros with the Flare Gun, as any damage tick knocks a Sniper off his scope. None of the other classes offer an immediate counter to a Sniper, so if there’s one with a good shot, you have to focus him first and foremost.

Best Class Counters for Spy in Team Fortress 2

The Spy’s main counter is the Pyro, as not only can fire reveal invisible Spies, but disguised Spies will also catch fire the instant a puff of flame touches them. And while it’s not a class, the dreaded Crit Wrench is probably a Spy’s greatest enemy. Plus, the only classes that don’t immediately win in a close-range fight with a Spy are the Sniper and Medic, and either can quickly dispatch the handsome rogue if they’re skilled enough. That said, I don’t think there’s another class in TF2 that offers the same risk/reward as Spy, and he’s been my main since 2008 for that reason, among many others.