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# Engineer Melees

Engineer Melee Options

## Southern Hospitality   ![](https://1855190657-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FAhmQhkCOL7zESC4SBHku%2Fuploads%2FHb41GO88THIwhmMMH5Nv%2F100px-Item_icon_Southern_Hospitality.png?alt=media\&token=5119ebe7-3a8d-4892-bfdc-2f719f300564)

| Attributes                                                                                  |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| <mark style="color:blue;">**+5% Faster Move Speed on Wearer**</mark>                        |
| <mark style="color:blue;">**+500% Sentry Build Speed**</mark>                               |
| <mark style="color:blue;">**+70% Sentry Firing Speed**</mark>                               |
| <mark style="color:red;">**+20% Fire Damage Vulnerability on Wearer**</mark>                |
| <mark style="color:red;">**When Held: -20% Slower Firing Speed**</mark>                     |
| <mark style="color:yellow;">**On Hit: Bleed for 5 seconds**</mark>                          |
| <mark style="color:orange;">**Building Cost (Sentry/Dispenser = 75 Metal)**</mark>          |
| <mark style="color:orange;">**Building HP: (Sentry 25 HP \| Dispenser 38/45/53 HP)**</mark> |

For the aggressive Engineer who likes to be in the fight as often as possible, the Southern Hospitality allows him to spend little time setting up Mini-sentries and more time actually defending against the zombies; especially coupled with the sentry firing speed on this. With the greatly increased sentry build speed, your sentry will **near instantly** be setup when placed down. Although, the wrench's slower firing speed will make maintenance on sentries and dispensers take longer. The decreased building health also makes using your buildings incredibly weak - where even a zombie scout can take them down in one hit.

Despite all of these penalties, the insane building speed of your sentry makes this one of the Engineer's strongest wrenches as it significantly decreases the downtime Engineer may spend setting up allowing him to focus on defending. Also, don't forget about the god-send speed buff - always something to appreciate in ZE. The fire damage vulnerability is largely negligible due to the plentiful healing that most teams have and that fact that you yourself can set up Dispensers

## Jag   ![](https://1855190657-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FAhmQhkCOL7zESC4SBHku%2Fuploads%2FmmqBivHVQbw6Vzm5haTB%2F100px-Item_icon_Jag.png?alt=media\&token=c11036ff-bf6a-49ec-b28c-c53c3df86386)

| Attributes                                                                                     |
| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| <mark style="color:blue;">**+50% Sentry Firing Speed**</mark>                                  |
| <mark style="color:blue;">**+50% Faster Build Speed**</mark>                                   |
| <mark style="color:blue;">**When Held: +20% Faster Firing Speed**</mark>                       |
| <mark style="color:blue;">**+30% Construction Hit Speed Boost**</mark>                         |
| <mark style="color:red;">**-25% Damage Penalty**</mark>                                        |
| <mark style="color:red;">**-20% Slower Repair Rate**</mark>                                    |
| <mark style="color:orange;">**Building Cost (Sentry/Dispenser = 140 Metal)**</mark>            |
| <mark style="color:orange;">**Building HP (Sentry 100 HP \| Dispenser 150/180/216 HP)**</mark> |

The Jag is an alternative option for Engineers who want to set up and upgrade all buildings quickly at the cost of setting up Mini-sentries near instantly. This wrench also doesn't have the building HP penalty, letting you barricade with your buildings nearly on demand and set up in B*oss Arenas that have Healing Enabled*. It's also able to replenish ammo for your sentry much quicker which is extremely helpful as Engineer sentries start out with so little ammo. The only downsides the Jag has compared to the other wrenches is that it's on the lower end of sentry firing speed at 50% compared to the other wrenches' 60% to 70% firing speed. The slower repair rate is somewhat offset by the faster firing speed.

## Wrench   ![](https://1855190657-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FAhmQhkCOL7zESC4SBHku%2Fuploads%2FCeCu5BGwEtwoxam7ptxj%2F100px-Item_icon_Wrench.png?alt=media\&token=9b85d9f1-5189-4aca-a011-c7c7e38e231d)

| Attributes                                                                                                           |
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| <mark style="color:blue;">**+10% Sentry Damage Bonus**</mark>                                                        |
| <mark style="color:blue;">**+20% Faster Build Speed**</mark>                                                         |
| <mark style="color:blue;">**+60% Sentry Firing Speed**</mark>                                                        |
| <mark style="color:blue;">**+50% Sentry Range**</mark>                                                               |
| <mark style="color:blue;">**+150% Dispenser Range**</mark>                                                           |
| <mark style="color:orange;">**Sentries can start with full ammo (if NOT hit more than 2 times) on construct**</mark> |
| <mark style="color:orange;">**Building Cost (Sentry/Dispenser = 80 Metal)**</mark>                                   |
| <mark style="color:orange;">**Building HP (Sentry 100 HP \| Dispenser 150/180/216 HP)**</mark>                       |

The stock Wrench is also a good option as a default melee if you're not too concerned about selective buffs and debuffs, as it boasts a bit of everything one could want. The main appeal with this wrench is its increase to Dispenser range that, when paired with the Wrangler, buffs it ridiculously. This is extremely beneficial for boss fights that don't nerf healing giving your Dispensers a significantly larger AoE heal. Even for normal defenses, it's beneficial by allowing your teammates to push further while still receiving heals. The sentry range is usually meaningless since a constantly approaching horde of zombies will keep causing them to target those nearby. Although, it can be useful for defending parkour sections by shooting at zombies further back thus maintaining greater spacing. The extra build speed helps it from lacking behind as much as being without a jag - coupled with the building cost itself, and you aren't penalized on repairing them when needed. Honestly the go-to if you plan on using wrangled sentries to block doorways and alike.

## Eureka Effect   ![](https://1855190657-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FAhmQhkCOL7zESC4SBHku%2Fuploads%2FjbRe7x20M9E3e8NP6Xho%2F100px-Item_icon_Eureka_Effect.png?alt=media\&token=2801d93a-23c3-4123-a397-0bb37324c810)

| Attributes                                                                                                           |
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| <mark style="color:blue;">**+50% Sentry Damage Bonus**</mark>                                                        |
| <mark style="color:red;">**-50% Firing Rate Speed**</mark>                                                           |
| <mark style="color:red;">**-50% Sentry Build Speed**</mark>                                                          |
| <mark style="color:red;">**-20% Construction Hit Speed Boost**</mark>                                                |
| <mark style="color:red;">**-20% Less Metal From Pickups and Dispensers**</mark>                                      |
| <mark style="color:orange;">**Sentries can start with full ammo (if NOT hit more than 3 times) on construct**</mark> |
| <mark style="color:orange;">**Building Cost (Sentry/Dispenser = 100 Metal)**</mark>                                  |
| <mark style="color:orange;">**Building HP (Sentry 100 HP \| Dispenser 150/180/216 HP)**</mark>                       |

In contrast to the Southern Hospitality, the Eureka Effect promotes a more passive and defensive playstyle. Due to the slow build speed of your sentry and construction hit speed boost penalty, setting up your buildings will take much longer requiring you to preemptively build them and move them as you go *(unless you're using the wrangler.)* At least once it's set up, your Mini-sentry will deal substantial knockback, and is in fact one of the two sentry gun options that will **begin with full ammo** once constructed.\
\
While it does boast the best defensive sentry power; when you're forced to stall, zombies pushing into a defense can easily cause your hard-built sentry to be destroyed, instantly making all the effort carrying it along worthless. Most defenses tend to be too short for it to matter as you could have easily spent that time actually defending instead of carrying it about or building, so it's **highly recommended** to use the [**Sentinel Engineer**](/tf2-zombie-escape-guide/human-zombie-guides-stats-here/human-meta-discussion-outdated-+loadouts/class-loadouts-demoman-heavy-engineer.md#sentinel-engineer) loadout if you want *even more kick* to it and quicker build times.

## Gunslinger   ![](https://1855190657-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FAhmQhkCOL7zESC4SBHku%2Fuploads%2FaUyj6PCphVdsmIG0xXzT%2F100px-Item_icon_Gunslinger.png?alt=media\&token=369038e5-0b18-48c2-b31c-164031b17de8)

| Attributes                                                                                     |
| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| <mark style="color:blue;">**+25 Max Health on Wearer**</mark>                                  |
| <mark style="color:blue;">**+150% Sentry Build Speed**</mark>                                  |
| <mark style="color:blue;">**+60% Sentry Firing Speed**</mark>                                  |
| <mark style="color:orange;">**Third punch in a row always crits**</mark>                       |
| <mark style="color:orange;">**Building Cost (Sentry/Dispenser = 100 Metal)**</mark>            |
| <mark style="color:orange;">**Building HP (Sentry 100 HP \| Dispenser 150/180/216 HP)**</mark> |

Providing a nice HP bonus that lets you tank zombie hits save for a few weapon interactions, and offering a nice sentry build speed bonus; the Gunslinger is a good all-rounder Engineer melee. There's not much to say about this weapon other than that it's consistent but doesn't really specialize in anything unless you like staying up front to melee zombie heavies.