Dispenser

From TF2 Wiki

Dispensers are buildings constructed by Engineers that provide refills of health to all nearby teammates and Disguised enemy Spies, as well as Ammo and Metal to any nearby player.

Dispensers cost 100 Metal to build and, if destroyed, the pieces can be collected by an Engineer for 50 Metal. A Dispenser's health increases during construction until it reaches a maximum of 150 health when complete. Dispensers contain 25 metal upon completion and thereafter generate 40 metal every 5 seconds unless upgraded. They can hold up to 400 metal, as represented by a gauge on the front of the dispenser.

Dispensers are solid (impassable) to the engineer that built it and to enemy team members but teammates can pass through easily. See the Engineer strategy page to read up on how this can be used to your (and your team's) advantage, including methods for spy detection.

Engineers rely on metal from their dispensers to construct and maintain their sentry guns and buildings, so it is generally seen as inconsiderate to take metal from another engineer's dispenser to use for your own construction, especially during the setup portion of a round. The gauge on the front of the Dispenser indicates how much Metal is currently stored; this gauge can be used by Engineers to decide whether or not to take Metal from another Engineer's Dispenser. Unlike in Team Fortress Classic, dispensers do not emit damage when detonated. There are two classes besides engineer that really benefit from staying close to a Dispenser.

• The Pyro standing near a dispenser can act as a mobile firewall. The dispenser is capable of replenishing the pyro's ammo as fast as he can fire so this is a great anti-Spy measure - but it does leave your team an attacker short.
• The Heavy can utilize a Dispenser in the same way as a Pyro, laying down a hail of bullets across a large area. This can be used as an anti-Spy measure, to defend an area such as a cap point or choke point. Any Heavy using this technique needs to be aware of the damage drop off of his minigun.
• Other classes will also benefit from the slow health recovery and ammo refill but since they have to reload are not quite as effective as the heavy and pyro.
• When entering Sudden death building a Dispenser first is important to provide health, ammunition and metal to your team.
• Dispensers give ammunition for any teammate nearby, including disguised enemy spies. As a Spy, if you see an enemy dispenser, consider leaving it intact to recharge cloak and fill your health meter.

Dispenser Levels

Since the December 11, 2008 Patch, all buildings are upgradable to a second and third level for 200 metal each.

• Level one: Generates 40 metal every 5 seconds. Heals at 10 HP/sec.
• Level two: Generates 50 metal every 5 seconds. Heals at 15 HP/sec.
• Level three: Generates 60 metal every 5 seconds. Heals at 20 HP/sec, similar to Medic's in-battle healing rate (24 HP/sec).

At level two, the front "button" panel in the middle of the Dispenser turns into a small tray filled with syringes and what appears to be a reference to Pills from Left4Dead, and at level three, a mechanical panel with a heartrate monitor expands out the top of the dispenser. Note, this panel is for effect only, this means standing on the Dispenser will NOT give the Engineer a higher boost than a normal Dispenser. A Level 2 Dispenser gives fifty ammo/metal per refill instead of forty, and a Level 3 Dispenser gives 60 ammo/metal per refill. At Level 3 the healing rate is increased to the rate of the Medigun. The time between metal refills is unchanged.

Buildings
Sentry gun	•	Dispenser	•	Teleporter