Boxing Ring

> ***Note:** This page is heavily outdated since early 2020, around the time Boxing was first introduced to Modified. Much of the information here is now primarily for historical purposes, as the Boxing mode has received various updates and additions since.*
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**Boxing Ring** is a map in Slender Fortress, a collaboration map created by Demon Hamster Eating My Wafflez and Mentrillum, as well introducing *Boxing Mode*, aka *RAID II.*

## Description

Simply put, a boxing ring is an arena where contestants fight eachother by utilizing various punches to knock them out. In this map, however, it's a bloody battle to the death, all against one.

## In Slender Fortress

Boxing Ring is the first Slender Fortress map to introduce and utilize a special gamemode, that being Boxing/RAID II. In this map, players are, as always, restricted to their melee weapons, as well as blink and flashlight being disabled, sprint being infinite, and most melee weapons are unrestricted. Players must defeat the "champion" boss in order for it to drop it's trophy (a belt in this case) to enable the escape trigger and win the match. If players do not attempt to defeat the boss in time, they will die. Collecting the trophy is the only way to win the match, as survival is, as the map puts it, a sign of "cowardice". When the champion boss reaches 75%, 50%, and 25% health, they will enrage and the difficulty gets set to Hardcore, Insane, and Nightmare respectively. The champion boss' health also scales with how many players there are in the server and what class that player is. Depending on how the champion boss is coded, they often receive new damage effects and/or abilities.

## Recommendation

* Since players will be taking heavy damage, there are some health kits in the ring to grab. At the left and right of the ring, there are gates that occasionally open, revealing a full health kit. Grab these kits only when there's an emergency.

* Bosses such as the Argonite Giant and Jaraxxus have attacks with dangerous abilities if they attack in a short amount of time. Their first attack, however, deals moderate damage with no effects. Players can rush in, attack, take the first attack from the boss, wait for the cooldown of the boss' first attack, then repeat the process. This is a good strategy to limit taking damage from the boss and not having to deal with the nasty debuffs.

* When a boss enrages, it leaves itself open to further attacks. However, the enrage animation is short.

* The best class for the gamemode is arguably Heavy; he can soak up massive damage, while also doing decent damage to the boss as well. One can also run with the Warrior's Spirit, but they must be careful as they will take more damage and will need very frequent trips to the nearest health kit. Not to mention his sluggish speed can mean game over when going up against faster bosses.

* Soldiers with the Disciplinary Action can mean the difference between life and death. Their speed boosts are amazing and the weapon has a long range at the cost of decreased damage output. Risky players can also run with the Equalizer, but it's better to equip the stock Shovel (and reskins) or the Disciplinary Action, as Equalizer Soldiers will be forced to be at low health constantly to deal considerable damage with the risk of getting killed.
* Demomen with the Skullcutter can deal massive damage to the boss without the fears of taking increased damage. However, as the Skullcutter decreases the Demoman's speed, it will be difficult to outrun bosses, especially when they're enraged.
* Pyros can also be great damage dealers if they're armed with the Backscratcher. While the Backscratcher increases the damage taken, it retains it's positive more health from health kits effect. Not only will they benefit from increased health from health kits, they will be using less, giving other teammates a chance to heal up. Pyros can also use the Powerjack if they want to try hit and run tactics, but it would be better if they use the stock Fire Axe (and reskins) or the Backscratcher. Pyros are the Argonite Magician's worst nightmare, as that boss can only utilize ignite delays and slowdowns, something Pyro is immune to minus the slowdown effects. However, Pyros should be aware of the Magician's attack; it is fast and can dish out mean damage, as well as the aforementioned slowdown effect.
* At one point, Medics were a huge game changer in the gamemode thanks to the Amputator. They could sit back and heal many teammates at once. Nowadays, the Amputator has been banned, making Medic not a very good choice. However, Medic still retains his health regeneration and can distract the boss. A downside is that Medic cannot pick up health kits, so if that Medic is in a tight situation, they may not make it out alive.
* Classes like Scout, Engineer, Sniper, and Spy are practically useless in this gamemode. Their frail health and low damage output will just send them right back into the waiting room, courtesy of the boss. If it's not the boss that does so, then it's the round timer. In the worst case scenario, it's neither the boss or the timer, but their teammates.

## Current list of bosses

* ***Argonite Giant*** (First boss for Boxing Ring. Utilizes mark for death and bleeding. Second lowest health.)
* ***Argonite Magician*** (Utilizes ignite delay and slowdown. Lowest health.)
* ***Jaraxxus*** (Utilizes mark for death, bleeding, full stun, and milk. Second highest health.)
* ***Rage Sniper*** (Utilizes electrocution, mark for death, bleeding, and slowdown. Highest health.)

## Trivia

* This map was originally an idea by Demon Hamster circa 2019. He would mention a "Boxer Insanity" boss that is simply Insanity, but rigged to Heavy and wears the Killing Gloves of Boxing, Toss-Proof Towel, and a headband.
	+ The map would be finally created when Demon Hamster and Mentrillum were testing the new chase pathing capabilities on random maps, one of them being the Trade Minecraft map by Neonheights. In the map, there is a boxing ring that players can fight in with melee. Demon Hamster and Mentrillum were fighting a RAID boss in the boxing ring and Mentrillum wondered "What if there was a boxing map for Slender Fortress?" Thus, the map has been created with a new gamemode for Slender Fortress.
* The map uses custom win, stalemate, and lose sounds, as well as a custom class selection menu music all provided by The Gaben.
	+ The map is also the first SF2 map to utilize custom sound replacements.
* Currently, there are 4 music tracks in the map. They are:
	+ Lift Me Up by *Five Finger Death Punch*.
	+ Come and Get It by *I Prevail.*
	+ Scrape by *Blue Stahli.*
	+ Big Top Bopfrom *Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze.*