DEMOMAN

Shields

Changes

The following changes are used a base for all shields:

Added: Press SPECIAL ATTACK to perform a LEAP

  Consumes 50% charge meter, requires demoman to be grounded

  Leap has reduced air strafe controls

There was concern over how demoknight generally has limited options mechanically making him feel too simplistic. Rather than simply waiting at the sidelines to charge, a new movement mechanic was added to provide demoman more ways to use his charge meter. This leap should allow the demoknight to reach more flank routes, as well as jump over or away from enemies to throw off their aim.

Loch-n-Load

Explosions trigger your stickybombs in range

+25% projectile speed

20% faster reload speed

-50% clip size

-25% explosion radius

Launched bombs shatter on surfaces

Changes

Explosions trigger your stickybombs in range

Added 20% faster reload speed

Decreased clip size -25% to -50%

Removed damage bonus vs buildings

Intended to give it a more unique identity compared to its current underwhelming one, leaning on its single target elimination as it previously did at the cost of sustainability in a fight. By comboing it with your stickies, you can deal high amounts of single target damage without being forced to detonate them all.

Loose Cannon

Cannonballs have a fuse time of 1 second; fuses can be primed to explode earlier by holding down fire

+20% projectile speed

-25% less damage to self

Cannonballs push players back on impact

Cannonballs do not explode on impact

Double Donk! Bomb explosions after a cannonball impact will deal mini-crits to impact victims

Changes

Added -25% less damage to self

Direct knockback no longer slows/stuns target

A minor buff meant to make overload jumping a bit less costly, expanding on movement options without being too free (thanks Great Blue!). It was however additionally nerfed for how polarizing its knockback is on-hit, hopefully without nullifying the offensive capabilities of the item.

B.A.S.E. Jumper

Press 'JUMP' key in the air to deploy

Deployed Parachutes slow your descent for up to 6 seconds

-25% blast damage from blast jumps

100% increased air control

Parachute closes when taking up to 100 damage

Changes

100% increased air control

Added -25% blast damage from blast jumps

Added 6 second time limit on deploy

Taking damage closes it sooner, up to 100 damage

Giving back the player better control of their jumps should give it increased utility in addition to the reduced blast damage allowing for more frequent usage. However, it required nerfing the ability to stay airborne indefinitely and allowing enemies to counter a soldier/demo with on-demand high ground.

Iron Bomber

Grenades have very little bounce and roll

Rollers detonate on detecting enemies/self nearby (80 HU)

20% slower firing speed

-15% explosion radius

+30% fuse time on grenades

Changes

Rollers detonate on detecting enemies/self nearby (80 HU)

Inverted fuse time bonus on grenades to be +30% longer

Added 20% slower firing speed

An attempt to better differentiate the weapon and lean into its less mobile grenades, making them last longer and be used into makeshift mines. The firing speed should make its damage fall off in a prolonged fight, and make applying rollers a little less spammable.

Eyelander

This weapon has a large melee range and deploys and holsters slower

Gives increased speed and shield bash damage with every head taken

Gain a speed boost on kill

No random critical hits

-15 max health on wearer

Changes

Added 3 second speed boost on kill

Reduced max health penalty to -15

Max heads capped at 6

Heads do not increase max health

Snowballing both health and speed was incredibly obnoxious, incentivizing the demo to avoid engagements to maintain his survivability and take less risk. This makes the sole focus of the weapon its speed, with a slightly softened health penalty as the cost for being able to better escape or chain kills with your speed boosts.

Scotsman’s Skullcutter

This weapon has a large melee range and deploys and holsters slower

+20% damage bonus

20% faster shield recharge rate

15% slower move speed while active

Changes

Added: 20% faster shield recharge rate

Charging is unaffected by speed penalty

With the poor base mobility that you are saddled with, it was made to not be as punishing for your charge. It was additionally given a bonus to your burst mobility in exchange as well, giving you more opportunity to use its increased damage.

Pain Train

+1 capture rate on wearer

Gain a 3 second speed boost on defending a point or collecting objectives

10% damage vulnerability on wearer

Changes

Added 3 second speed boost on defending a point or collecting objectives

Removed bullet vulnerability

Added 10% damage vulnerability on wearer

Expanding its use with a buff for defenders or collectors of objectives in certain modes, so the item is more versatile. To make up for this, the specific type vulnerability was replaced by a full vulnerability that's about as impactful.

Claidheamh Mor

This weapon has a large melee range and deploys slower

0.5 sec increase in charge duration

Melee kills refill 25% of your charge meter and reload your primary

20% slower firing speed

No random critical hits

Changes

Holster speed penalty negated

Kills with this weapon reloads your primary

Removed damage vulnerability

Added 20% slower firing speed

The sword did best at making precision picks and hybrid-knighting, this change aims to make it less punishing when doing either but still worse for dedicated demo-knight. The addition of the reload should also make it more useable on stock demoman and synergize great with hybrid.

Ullapool Caber

The first hit will cause an explosion

Item recharges in 60 seconds or by picking up ammo

-15% damage penalty

20% slower firing speed

This weapon deploys 60% slower

No random critical hits

Changes

Increased explosion damage by 15%

Added recharge to explosion within 60 seconds or with ammo (small 6s, medium 15s, large 30s)

Mini-crits during a shield charge, only when broken

Explosion counts towards on-kill Melee effects

Decreased deploy penalty to 60%

Taunt kills (when intact)

Allow the weapon to be a potent threat to light classes as a last resort option, with a faster equip as well to make it more immediately threatening. It was made more active with a rechange without making it too spammable. It was additionally made more consistent when used a shield.

Persian Persuader

This weapon has a large melee range and deploys and holsters slower

Melee hits refill 20% of your charge meter

Ammo boxes collected also refill your charge meter

+100% ammo gained from ammo packs

-50% max primary ammo on wearer

-50% max secondary ammo on wearer

No random critical hits

Changes

Reduced max primary ammo penalty reduced to -50%

Reduced max secondary ammo penalty reduced to -50%

Added +100% ammo gained from ammo packs

The primary ammo reduction was too restrictive in forcing a full demo-knight set, this should make hybrid-knight possible while still putting focus on sword usage and replenishing charge. Additionally it was given a bonus to ammo gained to make up for its downside.