Demoman

The Demoman is the fourth class of Team Fortress 2, and is labeled as a "Defensive" class by Valve. However, due to the variety of projectile weapons available to him, a Demoman can be highly versatile, able to both lead offensive pushes or to defend a given area. His role comprises area denial, choke spamming and crowd control. The blast radius of his weapons makes him a ready counter to the Engineer's buildings, while he himself is opposed by most close-combat classes. A good Demoman can hold off an entire team with well-timed and well-placed spam. On 5CP and KOTH maps, he is most often the first to arrive at the midfight due to the use of Stickybomb Jumps, which allow for a high mobility over long distances, effectively countering his third-lowest move speed of all the classes. He possesses both the highest DPS in the game (using the Stickybomb Launcher) and the third-highest health cap.

6v6

Main article: Demoman (6v6)

In 6's, Demoman holds the primary role of dealing initial damage and crowd control. He makes sure the enemy never pushes into his team without taking damage and uses his spamming abilities to funnel the enemy team so they can be cleaned up by his teammates. He is also essential for defending as his sticky traps can get him easy kills and force the enemy to retreat, and his pill spam can easy chunk the enemy teams health if they are careless with their positioning. Demo is considered one of the harder roles in 6's due to his lack of mobility, causing him to have to consider his positioning carefully if he wishes to both not die quickly in a fight and still do substantial damage to the enemy. Due to the nature and main goal of the class being damage dealing, with great damage output potential at medium to long ranges, the demoman is often unprepared for close-range fights leaving him vulnerable to fast and dynamic classes such as the scout or a Roaming Soldier.

Highlander

Main article: Demoman (Highlander)

In Highlander, the Demoman's main job is dealing high amounts of damage. His weapons are great at dishing out large amounts of damage to crowds of players and slow, high HP targets. However he lacks the ability to reliably protect himself from close range threats (most often from the Scout), so he is often paired up with the Heavy and Medic to form the core of a Highlander team. He serves a similar role to his 6's counterpart of dealing damage and leading up uber pushes, but he is also expected to deal with sentry nests.

Weapons

Asterisks (*) indicate an outdated season/whitelist

Primary

			Weapon				4v4	6v6		Highlander
							UGC	Global Whitelist	RGL	UGC	RGL	ETF2L
			Grenade Launcher				Always	Always	align="center" height="5px"	Always	align="center" height="5px"	Always
							The Grenade Launcher is recommended for medium to close range. A single grenade (or "pill") does 100 damage when it is a direct hit. It is often used to spam chokes when the demo already has a sticky trap set up, and because pills are tangible they can roll across the ground if they have not hit someone directly before touching the wall or floor or ceiling (these are often called rollers). Rollers can do 35 to 70 damage depending on the distance from the person they are near.
			Ali Baba's Wee Booties				Allowed	Allowed	align="center" height="5px"	Allowed	align="center" height="5px"	Allowed
							The Ali Baba's Wee Booties increase the demoman's health from 175 to 200, allowing him to take more spam and survive for longer. Many demomen wear the item because their grenade aim is off or bad, or for kritzkrieg pushes in order to stay alive longer without invulnerability.
			Loch-n-Load				Banned	Allowed	align="center" height="5px"	Banned	align="center" height="5px"	Allowed
							The Loch n' Load deals 20% more damage to buildings, and the projectile moves 25% faster, but only holds 3 pipes in a clip (25% less), has lower splash radius, and will not turn into rollers upon hitting a surface. It is much less spammy than the stock grenade launcher. It is more dangerous to yourself, as you take more damage from close range direct pipes, but it can two shot level three sentry guns, compared to the stock taking three pills. The Loch n load is easier to aim than stock pills, since you don't have to lead as much due to the faster projectile. It is not used in competitive often because it has less spam capability.
			Loose Cannon				Banned	Allowed	align="center" height="5px"	Allowed	align="center" height="5px"	Allowed
							The Loose Cannon fires cannonballs that explode after one second, and can be "cooked" by holding down the fire button to make them explode sooner. They don't explode on contact with the target, and instead knock the target back, which can be used to deny Über pushes. If the cannonball hits a target and then explodes within half a second, the explosion will minicrit. However, it deals significantly less damage than the other primaries (60 damage on a direct hit to the grenade launcher's 100). In practice, the low damage, range, and firing speed gives it little flexibility and demands more effort on the player's part to achieve results that are more easily gotten with other options. As such, it is rarely used in comp.
			B.A.S.E. Jumper				Banned	Allowed	align="center" height="5px"	Allowed	align="center" height="5px"	Allowed
							The B.A.S.E. Jumper deploys a parachute upon a second tap of the jump button. It allows the user to glide to the floor at a vertically steady rate. This, in turn, also removes any potential for fall damage.
			Iron Bomber				Allowed	Allowed	align="center" height="5px"	Allowed	align="center" height="5px"	Allowed
							The Iron Bomber is a community-created primary weapon. The grenades fired by the Iron Bomber are spherical in shape, glow, and do not bounce or roll much at all, leaving them to explode in mostly the same place as where they first collided with an object (aside from the effects of gravity). They have a 20% smaller blast radius (except for the Demoman who fired it) and deal 10% less damage than normal grenades if they explode on their timer (as opposed to directly hitting an enemy).

Secondary

			Weapon				4v4	6v6		Highlander
							UGC	Global Whitelist	RGL	UGC	RGL	ETF2L
			Stickybomb Launcher				Always	Always	align="center" height="5px"	Always	align="center" height="5px"	Always
							The Stickybomb Launcher is the most versatile weapon for the demoman, and almost all upper-level competitive demomen swear by it. It can be used for almost any range, from close to medium to far, because of its charging ability. A single stickybomb (mostly referred to as a "sticky") will do 135 damage maximum and 20 damage minimum depending on the distance of the enemy player. By holding down the left click button, the demoman can charge a sticky in order to fire it farther, proportional to the amount of time charged. Many use this for area denial by spamming long-range stickies through a choke point that is too long for pills to reach. It is also used to plant a "stickytrap", a small, packed together group of stickies on a wall outside of a choke point that is detonated when a team pushes through, dealing high amounts of damage. Some well-placed stickytraps can often go unseen and may even kill multiple enemies. It is also used for sticky-jumps, where the player places a sticky under their feet and detonates it to propel them in a certain direction at high-speeds. The minimum damage from a successful stickyjump a player can take is 45, and can do around 100 damage max (often resulting in a failed stickyjump).
			Sticky Jumper				Allowed	Allowed	align="center" height="5px"	Allowed	align="center" height="5px"	Allowed
							The Sticky Jumper can be used in combination with the Ullapool Caber to attempt a pick on the medic or other important class. It is occasionally used as a way of flanking the other team. Usage of this weapon is typically in desperation to rush to the point, or simply "trolling" the other team.
			Chargin' Targe				Allowed	Allowed	align="center" height="5px"	Allowed	align="center" height="5px"	Allowed
							The Chargin' Targe is a shield that replaces the Demo's stickybomb launcher. It grants 50% fire resistance, 30% explosive resistance, and the ability to charge. Charging moves the Demoman forward a short distance extremely fast and deals 50 damage at the end of the charge if you hit an enemy. Charging also removes any debuffs the Demoman may have. A very small portion of 6v6 players still use this, as it denies them the ability to arrive at midfights first and it has fraction of the damage and versatility that the stickybomb launcher has. Despite this the Chargin' Targe is used rarely, mainly in highlander, for a pick based playstyle or for early game med picks on Payload.
			Splendid Screen				Allowed	Allowed	align="center" height="5px"	Allowed	align="center" height="5px"	Allowed
							The Splendid Screen functions the same as the Chargin' Targe, but only has 20% fire resistance and 15% explosive resistance. Charging will always deal damage from any range and will deal 70% more damage. The Splendid Screen sees very little use in competitive play because it doesn't have the damage and versatility of the stickybomb launcher, or the damage resistance of the Chargin' Targe.
			Scottish Resistance				Allowed	Allowed	align="center" height="5px"	Allowed	align="center" height="5px"	Allowed
							The Scottish Resistance has a 25% faster firing rate and a max of 6 more stickys out at a time compared to stickybomb launcher. In combination with the ability to detonate stickies separately , this allows for the demoman to setup multiple traps and cover multiple entrances to a location. The stickies have a .8 second longer arm time making spamming out areas and use in direct combat much less effective. Used rarely when defending, usually to set up traps on attack defend maps.
			Tide Turner				Allowed	Allowed	align="center" height="5px"	Allowed	align="center" height="5px"	Allowed
							The Tide Turner is a community-created shield. Its functions are similar to the Chargin' Targe but it gives a player full control of turning while charging and a kill will replenish 75% of the charge meter. Being damaged whilst charging reduces the remaining charge time. It provides 15% fire and explosive damage resistance.
			Quickiebomb Launcher				Allowed	Allowed	align="center" height="5px"	Allowed	align="center" height="5px"	Allowed
							The Quickiebomb Launcher is a community-created secondary weapon. The stickybombs are armed 0.2 seconds more quickly, making them detonatable after roughly half a second and optimizing them for quick in-combat detonations (or "airbursting"). Additionally, due to a 70% decrease in max charge time, the charge meter is filled up after only two seconds instead of four, allowing long-range "sticky sniping" at a much higher rate of fire. This is complemented by an increase in damage based on charge by up to 35%. The stickybombs are also able to destroy enemy stickybombs, similar to the Scottish Resistance. However, the Quickiebomb Launcher has a 50% smaller clip size (loading only 4 bombs at a time), and its stickybombs deal 15% less damage.

Melee

			Weapon				4v4	6v6		Highlander
							UGC	Global Whitelist	RGL	UGC	RGL	ETF2L
			Bottle				Always	Always	align="center" height="5px"	Always	align="center" height="5px"	Always
							The Bottle is the default melee weapon for the Demoman. It will break when it strikes something with a critical hit. This is completely cosmetic.
			Pain Train				Allowed	Allowed	align="center" height="5px"	Allowed	align="center" height="5px"	Allowed
							The Pain Train lets you cap control points and push the payload bomb cart at 2x speed, but gives you a 10% vulnerability to bullets. Many Demomen use the Pain Train in Stopwatch games on Offense to maximize cap time and therefore also their team's chances of having the faster time, and more commonly in 5cp to capture control points faster.
			Half-Zatoichi				Allowed	Allowed	align="center" height="5px"	Allowed	align="center" height="5px"	Allowed
							The Half-Zatoichi grants the Demoman 50% base health gain upon a kill and grants you 37% longer melee range, however, it deals 50 damage to self if it is removed from the active weapon slot before a kill with it and this is why this item is rarely used in competitive Team Fortress 2.
			Ullapool Caber				Allowed	Allowed	align="center" height="5px"	Allowed	align="center" height="5px"	Allowed
							The Ullapool Caber is rarely used due to its immense nerf in the Gun Mettle update, It can still be used as the Demoman rarely uses Melee, and when the time comes it can have some nice extra damage. partnered with the shield, medic picks are an idea possibility with the crit functionality of said shields, due to the 105+225 damage of a critical hit.
			Eyelander				Allowed	Allowed	align="center" height="5px"	Allowed	align="center" height="5px"	Allowed
							The Eyelander gives 37% longer melee range, allows you to gain "heads" from killing enemies (decapitating them) giving you 15 higher max hp and 8% faster movement speed from each head capping at 4, with the potential of 210 max hp and 125% movement speed. This comes at a cost of 25 less max health to start with, spawning at 150hp. This is considered the best of the sword weapons, next to the half-zatoichi, but the eyelander weapon for demoman is not viable in competitive. The health loss allows you to be uncharged headshotted, and only allows you to be overhealed to 225hp, being quite squishy compared to 260. Two sword kills, to get you above the normal 175/93% hp/speed is very unlikely.
			Scotsman's Skullcutter				Allowed	Allowed	align="center" height="5px"	Allowed	align="center" height="5px"	Allowed
							The Scotsman's Skullcutter grants you 37% longer melee range, 20% more damage with your melee for the cost of 15% slower overall speed when the weapon is active, making you considerably less mobile while wielding the weapon. This weapon was considered to be the most useless demoman melee weapon. Your pipes and stickies already have the highest damage output in the entire game, so additional damage and reach on your melee weapon is extraneous. You move merely 2% faster than a heavy, completely negating your ability to chase down opponents, or retreating from opponents when the weapon is active. Since the penalty only affects while the weapon is active, it could see use as a superior close range defense weapon compared to the stock bottle. It is especially important to consider when being ubered, you can chase the opposing team's medic remarkably more effective without the speed penalty of the active melee weapon.
			Claidheamh Mòr				Allowed	Allowed	align="center" height="5px"	Allowed	align="center" height="5px"	Allowed
							The Claidheamh Mòr grants 37% longer melee range and 0.5 second longer charge duration at the cost of 15 less maximum hp. A single charge lasts for two seconds, moving at 250% (750 hammer units/s). You travel 1500 hammer units in one charge. The Claidheamh Mòr makes a single charge travel 1875 hammer units, and last 2.5 seconds. The sword itself doesn't compare to the potential of the eyelander, and the instant full heal of the half-zatoichi, but just like the rest of the sword items, it is not viable in competitive. The health loss for merely longer range melee isn't worth it, and to use a shield in order to take advantage of the longer charge time means no stickybomb launcher. The stickybomb launcher is too powerful of a weapon to give up for a shield.
			Persian Persuader				Allowed	Allowed	align="center" height="5px"	Allowed	align="center" height="5px"	Allowed
							The Persian Persuader grants 37% longer melee range, 100% increase in charge recharge rate (only useful when the "charge n targe" or "splendid screen" are equipped) and all ammo collected is converted to health. You gain 10hp from small ammo kits, 20hp from medium ammo kits, and 40hp from large ammo kits. The persian persuader is a poor melee choice for demoman. While longer melee range is nice, not being able to spam certain locations for area denial is a very big downside, as you would run out of ammo quickly, possibly running out of ammo when a big push comes your way, or when your team pushes. The amount of health you are given from ammo kits is too meager to warrant replacing the ability to gain more stickies and pipes. The ability to charge more often isn't as useful as having sticky bombs, since the stickybomb launcher is a very good weapon.

See Also

• Demoman (6v6)
• Demoman (Highlander)