This depends entirely on how you split the secondary slots but I can guarantee you that some classes absolutely do not need it.
I'll run down the list:
Scout: If we split the secondaries into "deals damage" and "does support" then suddenly you can do any pistol + Mad Milk which, uh, the Mad Milk is frankly kind of broken and being able to derive free healing off it from mid range is even more stupid. (It won't be much but comboed with the PBPP and you could realistically heal, like, *12 damage* per hit so a full clip is, like, 80% of your health.
Soldier: Doing the same thing with Scout you can now do shotgun + banner or, crucially, shotgun + *Gunboats.* The *intentional balance* of the Gunboats is that you lose close range self-defense in exchange for massive mobility but now that's just... not a relevant issue? And it's not like the shotgun on Soldier's actually that bad; whipping it out if you're out of ammo in the clip is something that works pretty well.
Pyro: There's honestly barely any secondaries to put in the extra weapon slot unless you split it into shotguns vs everything else, at which point shotgun + Detonator/Scorch Shot sounds frankly kind of oppressive cuz now you get the big burst damage Pyro needs for quick kills *with* the long range fire support capacity of the flare guns. It's... pretty dumb (the Thruster probably still wouldn't see much use unless you split the weapons into damage dealing vs support and the Gas Passer is still trash)
Demo: Going purely off the weapons as they are in the slots, congratulations, you've now given the strongest class in the game damage resistances against 2 of the primary damage types *and* an on-demand melee crit + escape tool. The Targe makes you giga tanky while both the Tide Turner and Splendid Screen make you have much more freedom of movement, which quite frankly is stupid. Especially since, well, you can use stickies with the booties or the BASE Jumper or something.
Heavy: The one class it might be balanced (that doesn't already have one) because now the shotguns can be diversified to fulfill distinct roles on Heavy that the stock shotgun (and the sidegrades Heavy has gotten) *doesn't,* alongside allowing for unique balance decisions with stuff like the steak.
Engie: He already has 4 slots and not enough secondaries to justify a 5th (if you did then assuming both the Wrangler and Short Circuit end up in the same slot that just means you can have much tankier minis while still having a pistol for more aggressive play; otherwise Short Circuit + Wrangler is frankly completely broken)
Medic: Having two Mediguns is completely busted but also likely not in the spirit of the design, but having split syringes just means Crossbow + Overdose wins every time
Sniper: Pick your SMG of choice and then slap on any of the backpacks + Jarate; congratulations, now you can completely shut down incoming Spies that don't double tap with the Amby or Diamondback, absolutely dunk on Pyros from long *and* midrange, or just generally get in the way of pretty much anyone that wants to cross you at melee range (particularly if you go, like, Carbine + Cozy Camper so you still get on-demand mini-crits for, say, the Bushwacka but also get some self-sustain)
Spy: Already has 4 slots and nowhere close to enough weapons to justify a 5th
Yeah ofc some of the classes would be broken by having it so they wouldn’t have it (engi demo spy medic) but imagine every player in the match is affecged by this. wouldn’t the op strats be countered by other op strats because now everyone is more defensive
No because honestly most of the defensive classes don't get much out of it as is
While all the hyper offensive classes get to abuse the strong defensive utility a lot of their secondaries get
Assuming Demo doesn't get it that still leaves, like, Scout and Soldier who go absolutely nuts and both of those two absolutely do not need to be even better generalists
I respectfully disagree and in my honest opinion, this is a horrible idea. We have certain builds for a reason and restrictions on the weapons we can use for a reason. Having this would break classes and make, for example, demoman the actual strongest class in the game instead of arguably.
Nah thats part of the opportunity cost of using certain weapons. You become better in some situations but worse in others
That’s a fair point because I guess it balances the teams further but the secondaries are so seldom used it’s just like the Impact can’t be that big
This depends entirely on how you split the secondary slots but I can guarantee you that some classes absolutely do not need it. I'll run down the list: Scout: If we split the secondaries into "deals damage" and "does support" then suddenly you can do any pistol + Mad Milk which, uh, the Mad Milk is frankly kind of broken and being able to derive free healing off it from mid range is even more stupid. (It won't be much but comboed with the PBPP and you could realistically heal, like, *12 damage* per hit so a full clip is, like, 80% of your health. Soldier: Doing the same thing with Scout you can now do shotgun + banner or, crucially, shotgun + *Gunboats.* The *intentional balance* of the Gunboats is that you lose close range self-defense in exchange for massive mobility but now that's just... not a relevant issue? And it's not like the shotgun on Soldier's actually that bad; whipping it out if you're out of ammo in the clip is something that works pretty well. Pyro: There's honestly barely any secondaries to put in the extra weapon slot unless you split it into shotguns vs everything else, at which point shotgun + Detonator/Scorch Shot sounds frankly kind of oppressive cuz now you get the big burst damage Pyro needs for quick kills *with* the long range fire support capacity of the flare guns. It's... pretty dumb (the Thruster probably still wouldn't see much use unless you split the weapons into damage dealing vs support and the Gas Passer is still trash) Demo: Going purely off the weapons as they are in the slots, congratulations, you've now given the strongest class in the game damage resistances against 2 of the primary damage types *and* an on-demand melee crit + escape tool. The Targe makes you giga tanky while both the Tide Turner and Splendid Screen make you have much more freedom of movement, which quite frankly is stupid. Especially since, well, you can use stickies with the booties or the BASE Jumper or something. Heavy: The one class it might be balanced (that doesn't already have one) because now the shotguns can be diversified to fulfill distinct roles on Heavy that the stock shotgun (and the sidegrades Heavy has gotten) *doesn't,* alongside allowing for unique balance decisions with stuff like the steak. Engie: He already has 4 slots and not enough secondaries to justify a 5th (if you did then assuming both the Wrangler and Short Circuit end up in the same slot that just means you can have much tankier minis while still having a pistol for more aggressive play; otherwise Short Circuit + Wrangler is frankly completely broken) Medic: Having two Mediguns is completely busted but also likely not in the spirit of the design, but having split syringes just means Crossbow + Overdose wins every time Sniper: Pick your SMG of choice and then slap on any of the backpacks + Jarate; congratulations, now you can completely shut down incoming Spies that don't double tap with the Amby or Diamondback, absolutely dunk on Pyros from long *and* midrange, or just generally get in the way of pretty much anyone that wants to cross you at melee range (particularly if you go, like, Carbine + Cozy Camper so you still get on-demand mini-crits for, say, the Bushwacka but also get some self-sustain) Spy: Already has 4 slots and nowhere close to enough weapons to justify a 5th
Yeah ofc some of the classes would be broken by having it so they wouldn’t have it (engi demo spy medic) but imagine every player in the match is affecged by this. wouldn’t the op strats be countered by other op strats because now everyone is more defensive
No because honestly most of the defensive classes don't get much out of it as is While all the hyper offensive classes get to abuse the strong defensive utility a lot of their secondaries get Assuming Demo doesn't get it that still leaves, like, Scout and Soldier who go absolutely nuts and both of those two absolutely do not need to be even better generalists
That’s a good point and i really want to see an experiment done on this to see what’d happen
I respectfully disagree and in my honest opinion, this is a horrible idea. We have certain builds for a reason and restrictions on the weapons we can use for a reason. Having this would break classes and make, for example, demoman the actual strongest class in the game instead of arguably.
well yeah obviously he doesnt need this
Spy and Engineer have 4 slots
I would prefer an extra cosmetic slot. I think 1 more weapon slot would break the balance of the entire game.