Headshot-Avoiding Unusuals

Alright, so you’ve bought yourself a fancy unusual. Or maybe you unboxed it. Good for you. Well done. But do you realise that you are now 99% more visible to the enemy team? No, I’m not referring to the bug where the Disco Beat Down effect could be seen through thin walls. I’m talking about the fact that you have a large glowing sign that says “Shoot me!” on your head.

Maybe we ought to avoid this. Here’s my list of Headshot-avoiding unusuals.

Number 6: The Cloudy Effects
I could say the Steaming effect, but as far as I’m aware, no one likes the Steaming effect. On the other hand, the cloudy effects, like Stormy Storm, are both nicer to look at, easier to sell, worth more and just overall better in every way. While the cloud can be seen at a distance, it roughens up the shape of your head. Avoid the Halloween effects though, as they are much more brightly coloured. A giant red cloud with a skull in it is going to attract attention.

Number 5: Steaming
I decided to throw in Steaming as I used to own a Steaming Otolaryngologist’s Mirror, and half the time, people would say they didn’t know I was wearing an unusual. Of course they knew I was, I just killed them with my Ubersaw.

Number 4: Bubbling
Just Bubbling, as Cauldron Bubbles has a nice green fart cloud around it. But yes, Bubbling is a nice effect, it’s a shame no one appreciates it because it’s hard to see. So it’s pretty much perfect for this list. Mind you, the outline of the bubbles is white, and that can be seen from quite a distance, but it’s certainly better than, say, Cauldron Bubbles. Although, because Cauldron Bubbles is a Halloween effect, it’s a better investment. If you’re looking for a good, cheap effect, Bubbles are good.

Number 3: Nuts and Bolts
Fun fact, if you look carefully, you’ll occasionally see various nuts and bolts falling out of orbit and onto the ground. And they do actually hit the ground. They even bounce a bit! Yet everyone kinda ignores that and the only even remotely valuable nuts and bolts hats belong solely to Engineers. Nonetheless, at a distance, these flying pieces of metal quickly become invisible, just a few floating specs around one’s eyes.

Number 2: Confetti
Confetti is the surprising runner up on this list. Because of the way the confetti falls, it’s harder to follow. The individual particles twist and flicker out of view. Confetti also has the bonus of coming in two colours, purple and green, and most hats can be painted to match the effect. Despite that, both confetti effects aren’t worth that much, although purple is generally more valuable than green.

Number 1: Massed Flies
What used to be considered the most cancerous effect of all recently got buffed, so the effect actually looks like massed flies! Alright, not quite true, but these little black specs are nearly invisible from a distance. They’re also nearly invisible at mid range. They’re also rather invisible close up and right in your face. They’re flying black dots. That’s probably why Massed Flies will almost always be a cheap effect. It certainly doesn’t catch the all-seeing eye of those pro Snipers though.

Next time, we’ll go through the most visible effects, the ones bound to get you focused down by the enemy team.