VSH + FF2 Demoknight Guide

A unique, tactical, complex guide on how to play as a demoknight, a very deadly and effective class when mastered, on VSH/FF2 servers in Team Fortress 2. This guide is fairly long so feel free to skip right into the juicy stuff that this guide has to offer.

Prologue

The main purpose of this guide is to turn people from a casual player with little survival skills, into a hard hitting demoknight in the Saxton Hale/ Freak Fortress 2 modification. These tips and tricks are finally revealed by me, so that you can obtain a huge edge over both hale, and other players in the server.

What is VSH/FF2?

VSH/FF2 are two sides of the same coin. I will first start with what VSH is, since it's the basis of FF2.

VSH is a game mode in which players are pitted against Saxton Hale. Every round, 1 lucky player is chosen to be Hale.The objective of the players is to defeat Hale OR capture the point that opens up when there are only 2 people left. However, Hale's objective is quite similar: kill every single player on the other team.
Hale is equipped with the following abilities to combat the number of players on the opposing team:

A. Increased Health: Hale's starting hp is 2046 + 760 for every player that is on the other team.

B. Increased Damage: Every melee punch from Hale causes 175-210 damage, which effectively kills most players in 1 hit, which the exception of heavies, uber charged players, overhealed players, players under the effects of battalion's backup, demomen with shields, and dead ringer spies.

C. Super Jump: This ability is IMO the deadliest tool in Hale's arsenal. It's a jump that can propel you to great distances, which can often turn fatal for a player if his guard is down. It has a 5 second cool down. It is even more deadlier when combined with this next ability.

D. Mantread Stomp: When Hale lands on a player, they are automatically killed, with the exception of heavies, uber charged people, and spies with dead ringer.

E. Super-duper Jump: Basically a higher jump that is only available when you fall into pits or areas that kill other players instantly, but slowly damage you significantly.

F. Weighdown: Another important ability for Hale. When you get shot up into the air by sentries, or by critical shots from miniguns, you get knocked back into the air, effectively keeping you at bay. In other words, you're screwed up there while receiving damage. This counters that by forcing hale to the ground.

G. Escape Plan effect: The more damage Hale takes, the faster he gets in terms of running.

H. Rage: This is Hale's last stand against opponents that prove to be too much for hale to handle. When a certain amount of damage is done to hale, he is given the ability to rage, which for Saxton Hale, is a 5 second stun that affects every single player within a radius of him.. During the stun, players have their movement speed decreased by 50%, and are thus easier to kill.

*some servers might have other custom perks, but these are the base stats of Hale in most VSH servers.

Now, on to the world of FF2. FF2 has the same mechanics as VSH, except instead of a plain old Saxton Hale, there are a variety of bosses with different rages, different skills, and different appearances. Some notable freaks include Vagineer, Christian Brutal Sniper, Painis Cupcake, and Demopan. Most of these bosses are one of the kind, but there are a few that are just reskins of other freaks.

Loadout

The tools of a demoknight are a key factor in determining whether or not you will succeed in doing enough damage to hale. In VSH/FF2, if you have any shield in your loadout, then all of your weapons will always deal critical damage.The following loadout is one that I have pieced together over a period of tests and research into every demoman weapon when it comes to VSH/FF2. It will never cease to fail and will always aid in times of urgency. These are the main weapons to have when it comes to being a top notch demoknight:

1.Grenade Launcher
- 300 damage point-blank
- 90-120 splash damage
This is the weapon of choice for long distance fighting. The grenades fire out in a small arch, which makes it a bit difficult landing those direct hits on hale from afar, but is still very much possible. It also has a secret ability in VSH/FF2 that I will go more in-depth with in another section.




2.Tide Turner
- 3-second charge duration
- ability to turn in any direction
- protects against 1 hit from hale
- 12-second recharge duration
This shield is practically your demoman's only defense against a point-blank hit from hale. In addition to the charge provided, this weapon allows you to turn in any direction, thus making it a great getaway when you are in danger.






3. Eyelander
- 195 damage
- Each hit on hale counts as 1 head, up to 4 heads
- HP increased by +15 up to 60+ at 4 heads
- Speed increased by +8% up to +32% at 4 heads
- Large melee range
This is the last stand of a demoknight. When all else fails, you will have to resort to using this close fighting weapon against hale. This is a deadly weapon, combined with its numerous effects and range, against hale himself.

Mental Strategy

Before going on to actual physical demoknight tactics, you should take into consideration these mental strategies, which will greatly boost your efficiency as a demoknight in VSH + FF2.

Anticipation
Arguably the most important thing to keep in mind is knowing when and where Hale will strike next. If you do not keep in mind his movements and behavior, then you will be facing death more frequently and randomly. This is not in your best interest, and so you must learn to sense where Hale will be making his next move. A common rule of thumb is that where theres a large crowd of people, there is a hale. A large group of players means that they are either in pursuit of Hale, or are trying to get away from him and his rage ability (I.E A FF2 boss with a gun). Where there is prey, there are predators. Thus, you should use the knowledge of Hale's location to your advantage when coordinating attacks, or planning your escape.

Risk
You must always take into consideration the amount of risk that you are going to face in your next move against Hale. However, even though a higher risk means a higher chance of death, it also means a higher chance of doing immense damage to Hale. With that said, you should know how much you're willing to risk when fighting Hale before you're too late and regret it.

Adaption
There will come a time when you are pitted against Hale in an area that is not in your favor. This is bound to happen and thus, you should be prepared for it. With that being said, you must quickly observe your surroundings and process the information you gather as quickly as possible in order to have your methods of attack and escape available at a moments notice. If you do not master this, then you will be at risk fighting in unknown territory. Worse case scenario: Hale knows the map and you don't.

Assistance
A key factor that you must take into consideration is the fact that you aren't alone against Hale. Whether you use them as meat shields/bait or cooperate with them to attack, players on your team can have a significant impact on your demoknight strategy. I personally strive to protect as many comrades as possible, since the chances of us surviving are much higher if we stand together against Hale.

Demoknight Tactics

The methods that a Demoknight employs on Hale are the most important variables that will determine either how long you will live or how long Hale will live. I will begin to list the strategies I use against hale, in an order based on the skill required to replicate them successfully and with ease.

Grenade Jump
This is the most basic technique for Demoknights, yet is still very difficult to even execute for most players. It is very, very similar to rocket jump, albeit the fact that this jump requires more patience and precise timing. Nevertheless, this has been my favorite technique to use, mostly due to the fact that it can get you straight into the battlefield, and get you out just as quickly.

1. Place a grenade in a spot where it will be at rest; I prefer to launch it at a wall so that it will bounce back and land by me.


2. Here comes the tricky part; you have to time the moment you are going to jump on the grenade. The average time for me is 3~ seconds, at which point I am already on the grenade. Nevertheless, you should practice this part numerous times so that you have it imbedded in your head.


3. You're in the air which means you successfully did a Grenade Jump. Now you can air strafe to your hearts desire as a Demoknight.



Sword Flurry
A combination of melee slashes at point blank against Hale. This is strongly recommended to be used as a last resort since there is a chance that you will lose your shield in the process, which is the keystone to executing certain Demoknight tactics.

1. All you do is hack away at Hale while performing random and sudden dodges to the left and to the right. However the trick here is to not lose your shield/die from Hale.




Corner Shot
This is also a very simple technique that requires focus and prediction. It is basically a direct hit from your grenade launcher while the unsuspecting Hale goes around a corner or edge. The trick here is to predict when Hale will be making a turn. This is usually done while you are being chased by Hale, and while you are running away from him. It is best to practice this first while you're standing still and then move on to doing it while in motion when you get the hang of it.

1. Turn around and think about where Hale is currently at based on estimation. When you think you figured it out, launch a grenade at that spot where you believe Hale will make a turn.


2. If your calculations were correct, then Hale should run into a direct hit from your grenade launcher.



Pipe Shot
A devastating, yet pin point shot from your Grenade Launcher to Hale while he is in the air will produce this. It is a very tedious skill to execute without the proper experience to do it. If done right, this will allow you to blast Hale away from his intended landing spot, which often turns out to be near you.

1. Find Hale and wait for him to fall down from his super jump. When he is about midway down from his jump, take aim right below his feet.


2. Now you wait for the moment that you feel is best to strike. When you decide, shoot and you should hit him in midair, thus keeping him at bay while he is still in the air.

*Always remember that Grenades travel in an arc.


Goomba Charge
This is a formidable ability that is extremely difficult to master. It takes a huge amount of patience, concentration and prediction to perform this move. The place of choice to do this is in a location with high ground, where you know that Hale will be running in a straight direction constantly, or in a small open area where Hale wont be able to move much. If there is no such location on the map, then you should do this in any open sized area, to avoid being trapped by Hale. Regardless, it is up to you whether or not you choose to charge at Hale with the intent of getting a Goomba.

1. Find a place where Hale usually walks in a straight path or a small area where Hale will not have much movement space. When you see Hale, try to calculate his pace and charge at his direction while in midair. (Note that the Grenade Jump is VERY handy in this technique, but isn't necessary)


2. Now you only have very limited time to think and calculate your landing on Hale. You should stop charging when you are either directly on top of Hale while he is standing still or when you are 3-4 steps in front of Hale while he is running. When you think you have that desired position, cancel the charge and strafe onto the head of Hale, which should get you this.




Demonstration

FAQ's

Why aren't you using the Chargin' Targe or Splendid Screen?
Well I did use the Splendid Screen before they released the Tide Turner. But it has become obsolete now, since the Tide Turner allows for virtually 360 degree movement when you charge while the other shields only allow you to go straight in a single direction.

Why aren't you using the Loch n Load or the Loose Cannon?
The Loch n Load can do some pretty nifty damage provided that you land every single shot, but that is canceled by the fact that the grenades disappear if they do not hit Hale, thus meaning no Grenade Jump, nor splash damage. The Loose Cannon can provide good air, but the damage taken from both the jump and the landing doesn't make it seem worth it. The nerf on its damage has also further degraded its effectiveness in this game mode, dropping it to a mere 180 crit wise.

I can't do a certain technique; this is impossible
Just like every skill, it takes practice to master these techniques. I suggest playing on tr_airshot_v0[tf2.gamebanana.com] for help on direct hits/pipe shots. I would also advise to play on a small VSH/FF2 server, since faster rounds means more chances to practice.

Did you invent some of these tactics?
For all I know, I am probably not the first person in the history of TF2 to use these moves. However, I can tell you that I am the first player who first started using the Grenade Jump and Goomba Charge on Saxton Hell's FF2 server. If you'd like proof/more in-depth tips, you can shoot me a friend request.

How long have you been playing this game mode?
I have been playing it for 2 years now; I was introduced to VSH by a friend in #Inc and played on their servers for a while before I discovered FF2 on Saxton Hell. I have been very inactive on the servers, but I do plan on making a return soon.

Can your experience on VSH/FF2 carry over to regular TF2 game modes?
Absolutely!; direct hits are a force to be reckoned with in any kind of game mode.

Conclusion

I hope you all enjoyed reading my in-depth guide about playing as a Demoknight and VSH/FF2. I would like to first note that if you do not keep playing TF2 regularly, then your skills will deteriorate drastically. I also would like to thank the staff in Saxton Hell for managing a great system of servers and all the past and current players in Saxton Hell's FF2, friend or foe. They have helped me get to where I am now, and it could have shifted drastically if it were not for them. Another thank you to Criticalchances and Krispypotato for revising my guide. Once again, thank you for choosing my guide to read and good luck with your training. Keep in mind that it doesn't matter how strong the opponent is; what is more important is standing up to them.

*1/3/15 Added Battalions and Over healed players thanks to Ridiculed and Dalek

[Rhaimes]

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[Tengu]

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[LEON35]

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[Pops]

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[Pops]

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[LEON35]

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[Bo]

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[LEON35]

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[Pops]

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[LEON35]

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