Team Fortress 2/Demoman

Health: 175 Type: Defense Special Ability: Pipe Bomb Jump  Description: The Demoman is a medium to long range class that works very well on defense, but can also be used offensively as well. Demomen typically struggle in close combat without committing suicide.


 * Primary Weapon: Grenade Launcher - Max Ammo: 32 - Max Clip: 4 - Reloaded one at a time

The grenade launcher is a powerful weapon that also deals splash damage. On a direct hit the grenade will explode immediately, killing any low health class, such as a Scout, instantly. Otherwise, the grenade will ricochet and explode about one second later after hitting the terrain. Unless you have good aim, the grenade launcher isn't very good in close combat and may end up killing you in the process. The best use of this weapon is to fire it into a fray of enemies or around corners where you can indirectly hit enemies. This weapon is great against Heavies, as they are slow and easy to hit, but against fast classes such as Scout and Medic you will have better luck using the Demo's secondary weapon.


 * Secondary Weapon: Pipe Bomb Launcher - Max Ammo: 40 - Max Clip: 8 - Reloaded one at a time

The pipe bomb launcher fires Sticky Bombs which can stick to any surface and can be detonated at any time. Three sticky bombs can take out most enemies, including sentry guns. The Demoman is great for taking out multiple sentry guns with the help of an Ubercharge. Sticky bombs have various uses, such as trapping an commonly traveled area, protecting the intelligence briefcase or control point, pipe bomb jumping, or even used offensively. Placing sticky bombs where they are hard to see, such as on a wall or ceiling, will increase the chance of an enemy running into your trap. Sticky Bombs can't be detonated immediately, but after about one second they can be, even in mid-air. Pipe Bomb Jumping works like the Rocket Jump. Place a sticky bomb beneath you, then jump as you explode the bomb. Doing this, however, takes nearly 50% of the Demoman's health so the move should be used sparingly. Pipe Bomb Jumping will allow you to get to massive heights and get you across long distances in no time.


 * Melee Weapon: Whiskey Bottle

Unless you have extremely good aim with the Grenade Launcher, your trusty whiskey bottle will be your only hope in close combat. It does the same amount of damage as any other normal melee weapon does. On a critical hit the bottle will shatter and the bottle will look broken; it will still be usable but will do no extra damage.

Using Demomen
A skilled Demoman can be monumentally annoying to enemies. Although the grenade launcher isn't that well-suited for close-quarter combat unless you fire a grenade straight at someone, they can be bounced around or launched clean over obstacles to fall on an unsuspecting enemy and deal a lot of damage. The mines of a Demoman, if you can place them and time their detonation right, can take out two or three enemies in one go, especially useful for protecting an important hallway or a control point.

The Demoman has a lack of direct weapons, so is more suited for a defensive role than an offensive one unless you are competent with the grenade launcher. In which case, you should try and find some cover that you can fire grenades from towards Engineers and their sentries/dispensers, or anywhere that newly-spawned enemy players emerge from. The grenades can explode in quick succession if you don't reload in-between, and take out an Engineer and all his stuff whilst he hopelessly tries to repair them between grenade blasts.

The Demoman can also copy the Soldier and perform a grenade jump or a mine jump similar to the Soldier's rocket jump. Time it right, and at the cost of about 50 points of health you can reach places you wouldn't normally be able to get to. You might want to avoid this, because even though the Demoman is quite slow, he has 175 health and so can't take as many repeated assisted jumps whilst remaining healthy enough to fight. Also, it's harder to time and you won't be propelled as far.

Defeating Demomen
If you run into a grenade by accident or one happens to drop next to you after being fired from a distance, you are going to be hard-pushed to escape damage. Turning a corner to get a grenade to the face as a Scout or Spy can be extremely annoying, and you can die from mines placed in hidden corners inside doors and other sneaky places. Sticking to open areas where the Demoman's weapons are easier to spot and avoid is a wise move. It also helps a lot if they aren't that good at using the grenade launcher. If you've got a mined place like a control point that will explode if you try and move into it, get a Soldier or another Demoman in there - shooting, or better yet, exploding sticky mines will dislodge them and allow them to freely move around. They can still be detonated, but this way you can de-mine a place and make it safe to move into, avoiding the brunt of the damage when the owner decides to detonate them.

If you are an Engineer, try to build in places that give the Demoman no significant advantage. Unfortunately, a place that is easy for a sentry gun to defend is often somewhere that can be easily-attacked by Demomen and several other classes. Saving your own skin is often the best way out from being bombarded with grenades, since you can start building straight away using the metal you can scavenge from your constructions, rather than waiting to respawn. Ultimately, hitting the Demomen from a distance with rockets, sniping them, or getting right up-close as a Scout or Pyro are effective ways of dealing with them - since these two classes are agile enough to dodge Demoman grenades which are even more lethal when used at point-blank.