Demoman Primaries

Demoman Primary Options

The Ali Baba's Wee Booties, Bootlegger, and B.A.S.E Jumper are banned and unable to be used.

Loose Cannon

Attributes
Clip Size - 4 Shots
Blast Radius: 182.5
Projectile Speed: 1824.9
+25% Explosion Radius
+50% Projectile Speed
+520% Damage Bonus
-40% Damage vs Players
-65% Slower Firing Speed
-25% Slower Reload Time
+100% Damage to Self
Shoots regular pills (Pills have a fuse time of 1 second; fuses can be primed to explode earlier by holding down the fire key.)
Applies -250 z velocity on hit (Hidden)

[Timings]

Attack Interval: 0.99

TEC: 3.96 seconds

Reload Time (First): 1.56 seconds

Reload Time (Consec.): 0.75 seconds

Full Reload Time: 3.81 seconds

Fuse Time: 1.005 Seconds

Damage [Func_Physbox]

Max Damage (From Splash): 372 per shot

Real DPS: 191.505 DPS

Clip DPS (Nonstop): 375.757 DPS

Damage [Func_Breakable]

Max Damage (From Splash): 465 per shot

Real DPS: 239.381 DPS

Clip DPS (Nonstop): 469.696 DPS

The Loose Cannon in base TF2 is an interesting weapon that most Demoman players enjoy for its cannonball projectiles. These can push through players to launch them out of the way and "Donk" them if they get double-hit by them. This effectively works as both a knockback and stun weapon since players tossed in the air are unable to move. This could be fun to use in Zombie Escape; however, it could be too powerful, especially when groups of zombies are stacked together in tight spaces. So, its projectile has been replaced with standard grenade pills to avoid the Double-Donk effect.

Even though the projectile has changed, the charge mechanic has remained. This is an important aspect of this weapon that can allow us to take it in the direction of Demoman’s most reliable option for damaging bosses. He can effectively charge up his shots such that they blow up a certain distance away from NPCs or bosses that move around. This is in contrast to the other grenade launchers, where the extent of your control is firing them and hoping bosses move over them just as they explode; that is too unreliable.

While it does fire the slowest among grenade launchers, at nearly one second per shot; this may feel negligible as players use this downtime to re-aim and focus on charging the next shot. These attributes should produce ~190 sustained DPS under optimal conditions.

The biggest downside to this weapon is going to be the inherent danger that comes with overcharging the Loose Cannon. With an increased damage to self, one can expect to take around 50 damage or more on overcharge, which can be devastating during boss fights without healing. It may also be hard to use defensively if players are unable to land their shots due to the longer reload time and slower fire rate. These are the cost-benefits players must analyze should they want to use it, which already adds more complexity to this weapon.

Oh, and another paragraph, yes, one more important thing - this weapon has -z velocity on it; an attribute that spikes zombies downwards from mid-air or jumping upon hit from a weapon with it. Huge factor in denying zombies a chance to make it over a gap, especially with it applying via splash!

Iron Bomber

Attributes
Clip Size - 4 Shots
Blast Radius: 124.1
Projectile Speed: 1216.6
+25% Faster Reload Time
-30% Fuse Time on Grenades
+210% Damage Bonus
-55% Damage vs Players
-15% Explosion Radius

[Timings]

Attack Interval: 0.6

TEC: 2.4 seconds

Reload Time (First): 0.93 seconds

Reload Time (Consec.): 0.45 seconds

Full Reload Time: 2.28 seconds

Fuse Time: 1.62 Seconds

Damage [Func_Physbox]

Max Damage (From Splash): 186 per shot

Real DPS: 158.974 DPS

Clip DPS (Nonstop): 310 DPS

Damage [Func_Breakable]

Max Damage (From Splash): 232 per shot

Real DPS: 198.28 DPS

Clip DPS (Nonstop): 386.666 DPS

The Iron Bomber in base TF2 has become a widely used alternative pick to the stock Grenade Launcher for Demomen. While its pills do have a smaller explosion radius, it makes up for it with their lessened fuse time and lack of bounce and roll.

While you might slow fewer zombies down with the reduced explosion radius, the reduced bounce and time on your pills allows rollers to consistently trap down hoardes with floor-pills or cause area denial - but honestly your stickies might handle that niche far better. Otherwise, it carries attributes nearly identical to the grenade launcher; leaving it to be a matter of preference much like it is in the base game.

Grenade Launcher

Attributes
Clip Size - 4 Shots
Blast Radius: 146
Projectile Speed: 1216.6
+25% Faster Reload Time
+210% Damage Bonus
-55% Damage vs Players

[Timings]

Attack Interval: 0.6

TEC: 2.4 seconds

Reload Time (First): 0.93 seconds

Reload Time (Consec.): 0.45 seconds

Full Reload Time: 2.28 seconds

Fuse Time: 2.31 Seconds

Damage [Func_Physbox]

Max Damage (From Splash): 186 per shot

Real DPS: 158.974 DPS

Clip DPS (Nonstop): 310 DPS

Damage [Func_Breakable]

Max Damage (From Splash): 232 per shot

Real DPS: 198.29 DPS

Clip DPS (Nonstop): 386.666 DPS

The Grenade Launcher is a respectable default pick as a Demoman primary. For years, it's been reliable as is, only with the somewhat recent addition of the Iron Bomber outshining it in specific scenarios.

There aren't really any gimmicks added to this weapon in Zombie Escape beyond what's expected; being Demoman's only way of knocking away zombies if they're not stun-locking them down with stickies. Its specific attribute changes are a trend shared among other grenade launchers, but here, it grants it ~159 sustained DPS with 140 damage dealt on direct hits to players.

Loch-N-Load

Attributes
Clip Size - 3 Shots
Blast Radius: 36.5
Projectile Speed: 1824.9
+75% Faster Firing Speed
+50% Projectile Speed
+25% Deploy/Holster Speed
+150% Damage Bonus
-75% Explosion Radius
-25% Slower Reload Time
Unreliable against breakable objects; some grenades explode and cause damage, others simply shatter

[Timings]

Attack Interval: 0.15

TEC: 0.45 seconds

Reload Time (First): 1.56 seconds

Reload Time (Consec.): 0.75 seconds

Full Reload Time: 3.06 seconds

Fuse Time: 2.31 Seconds

Damage [Func_Physbox]

Max Damage (From Splash): 0 per shot

Real DPS: 0 DPS

Clip DPS (Nonstop): 0 DPS

(not missing values here, actually 0)

The Loch-N-Load in base TF2 is a weapon that essentially rewards accuracy in a manner similar to the Direct Hit. It has a lessened explosive radius, and pipebombs shatter on surfaces, but it deals more damage to buildings, and its projectiles are 25% faster.

This first point is very, very important, as it means that players cannot use this to damage most objects in Zombie Escape without somehow having the pipebomb explode before impacting said object.

As a result, this weapon instead emphasizes damage to players and any bosses actually affected by it. The Loch-N-Load deals 250 damage on a direct hit; its explosion radius is still fairly small, but with the current damage values you should still be able to land a hit against zombies reliably; providing Demoman a decent solo cover gimmick as it's the only Primary for him that he can quickly swap in and out if a zombie's in a spot that stickies won't work.