Basic Demoman strategy

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Ohh, I'm gonna beat ya so hard, you'll have a twitch! Click to listen — The Demoman

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The Demoman is a hardy class that specializes in indirect combat and area denial. His explosive weapons possess some of the highest damage output in the game and can be used to attack opponents from behind obstacles. His Stickybomb Launcher can be used to set traps and easily destroy Engineer buildings. Sticky jumping allows him to cover large distances quickly and reach unpredictable places. However, the Demoman is most vulnerable at close range, where his weapons are more difficult to aim and can inflict self-damage; he'll be in trouble if he engages a Scout or Pyro alone.

Primary

Grenade Launcher

Grenades launch to the right of the cross-hair, so lead to the left to compensate. Although direct hits deal the most damage, grenades that bounce on the ground will still explode after a certain amount of time; firing at a general area can stop an escape or kill a foe at extreme range. If you want to conserve health for a smaller explosive jump, fire a grenade into a corner, then jump on top of it to propel yourself upwards.

Loch-n-Load

The Loch-n-Load rewards players who can score direct hits with greater damage output. However, because the clip size is so low and the grenades shatter on surfaces, you cannot use it to suppress an area as easily as with the Grenade Launcher and cannot grenade jump. Continue to keep a distance from your foes, as you'll find that the increased self-damage is very significant.

Ali Baba's Wee Booties / Bootlegger

Trading your Grenade Launcher for Ali Baba's Wee Booties will remove one of your sources of ranged damage, forcing you to rely on the Stickybomb Launcher for your main damage output. If you are also using the Chargin' Targe or Splendid Screen, you must dedicate yourself to melee combat. The doubled charge turning rate still doesn't add much additional control, so continue to carefully line up your charges. The health bonus offered by the Booties can offset the negative aspects of weapons such as the Eyelander or Claidheamh Mòr and give you a bit of survivability against close range classes like the Soldier.

Secondary

Stickybomb Launcher

Stickybombs have a very large splash radius and deal excellent damage, making it the perfect weapon for area denial. Stickybombs can be either fired and detonated in rapid succession to deal consistent damage or placed as traps to instantly take out an unlucky enemy. If using the Stickybomb Launcher to lay traps, place the explosives in unexpected locations, such as around corners, above doorways, or even on ceilings. The Stickybomb Launcher is one of the best weapons for dealing with Sentry Guns, as detonating multiple Stickybombs at one time will prevent the Engineer from performing any repairs. Additionally, you can use Stickybombs to Sticky Jump around the battlefield swiftly. As planting more than eight Stickybombs destroys those that were planted earlier, firing more can allow you to strategically detonate individual ones.

Scottish Resistance

The Scottish Resistance can place up to fourteen Stickybombs that can each be manually detonated. However, the weapon's slower bomb arm time makes it less effective in direct combat. Thus, it is best suited to defensive gameplay, where there are multiple possible entrances to defend. Its ability to eliminate enemy Stickybombs and place several traps at once make it useful for controlling key areas. While you cannot detonate all of your Stickybombs at once, you can detonate them in rapid succession by holding down the detonate key and swinging your view across all of your Stickybombs.

Chargin' Targe

Equipping the Chargin' Targe eliminates the Demoman's trademark Stickybomb Launcher, turning him into a more melee-oriented class. The shield's charge ability can be used to rush in and out of battle, while the guaranteed melee critical hit at the charge's end can deal heavy damage to a dangerous enemy. Because you cannot change direction during a charge, predict where your target will be at the end and line yourself up accordingly. The Chargin' Targe's defensive bonuses do not make you invincible, however, especially against tough classes like the Soldier or Heavy; you are still vulnerable to bullets and any source of knock back will immediately cancel your charge.

Sticky Jumper

Unlike the Soldier's Rocket Jumper, the Sticky Jumper is more viable in normal gameplay. When using the standard Stickybomb Launcher, one of the main factors that restricts your Sticky jumping is the high self-damage. While the Sticky Jumper is equipped, all self-damage that would be taken from your own Stickybombs is nullified, allowing you to use up to eight Stickybombs to rapidly cover massive distances for a particularly reckless playstyle. While your Stickybombs won't harm enemies, you still have your Grenade Launcher to deal reliable damage. Given the immense damage of standard Stickybombs, the Sticky Jumper is generally not as useful in serious combat.

Splendid Screen

When compared to the Chargin' Targe, the Splendid Screen allows you to utilize the charge's shield bash as a consistent, significant source of damage. However, it offers less than half of the Chargin' Targe's resistances, leaving you slightly more vulnerable once your charge is expended.

Melee

Bottle / Frying Pan / Saxxy / Scottish Handshake / Conscientious Objector

At close range, you'll probably damage yourself if you use explosive weaponry. Use the Bottle when enemies are too close to reliably kill with the Grenade Launcher. Unlike your other melee weapons, the Bottle has no drawbacks, so use it if you don't plan on engaging in melee combat often.

Eyelander / Horseless Headless Horsemann's Headtaker / Nessie's Nine Iron

You should not use the Eyelander without also using the Chargin' Targe or Splendid Screen. Its longer melee range lets you excel in melee combat. However, until you have a clear opportunity to decapitate an enemy, attack from range using your Grenade Launcher to reduce the chance of dying and losing your accumulated heads.

Pain Train

Only use the Pain Train when actively capturing control points or pushing Payload carts; the increased capture rate is useless when playing Capture the Flag or in any defensive scenario. If you have a reliable source of health, you can equip it when actively Sticky jumping around the map to give yourself the mobility and capture rate of the Scout.

Scotsman's Skullcutter

The Scotsman's Skullcutter reduces your movement speed and makes chasing enemies difficult, so pair it with one of your shields. It possesses the same melee range as the Eyelander, so use it in confined areas where enemies can't flee as easily.

Claidheamh Mòr

Pair the Claidheamh Mòr with one of your shields to make use of the extra charging time, as it will provide a significant amount of additional distance when chasing a foe. If you do not expect to be in a situation where you can acquire or make use of multiple heads, choose this sword over the Eyelander.

Ullapool Caber

Even against clustered foes, you have other explosives which are better and are less likely to inflict self-damage. Thus, the Ullapool Caber is best used as a last resort. Although it deals severe damage, the explosion is likely to kill you along with your enemy. Using it alongside the Chargin' Targe or Splendid Screen can turn you into a speeding explosive.

Half-Zatoichi

The healing the Half-Zatoichi provides on a kill just might be worth fighting at melee range. It pairs well with the Chargin' Targe and Splendid Screen, as the increased mobility lets you quickly approach and execute foes to regain health.

Persian Persuader

You'll want to use the Persian Persuader alongside the Chargin' Targe or Splendid Screen to make use of the increased charge recharge rate. Because it converts ammunition pickups into health, you'll only be able to restock at a Supply Cabinet. The Grenade Launcher burns through quickly, so you'll probably also use Ali Baba's Wee Booties and commit to pure melee combat, where you will excel. Alternatively, use it alongside the Stickybomb Launcher, which does not run out of ammunition as quickly as the Grenade Launcher.

Item sets

The Expert's Ordnance

The weapons required for the set effect require you to be very precise when firing but deal heavy damage. Despite the increased fire resistance, you are still weak against enemy Pyros.

One Thousand and One Demoknights

The weapons in this set remove all of your ranged weapons but allow you to dominate melee combat. When using this set, you must play aggressively yet precisely, making sure each charge decapitates an enemy so that you can heal by picking up his dropped weapon. Despite the set benefits, you will still typically lose to a class that specializes in close range combat, such as the Heavy or Pyro.

Swashbuckler's Swag

The item set is composed of weapons statistically identical to Ali Baba's Wee Booties and the standard Bottle. If using these weapons, rely on the Stickybomb Launcher for ranged combat, or equip one of your shields and commit to melee combat. The weapons don't quite synergize with each other and offer no set bonus, leaving little incentive to be equipped according to the standards of the set.