So, how do you counter one of these melee-based morons? simple. STAY OUT OF MELEE RANGE! create as much distance as possible. but it might be hard for close range classes like pyro and scout, so you do what any reasonable person would do and get weapons that can do knockback, and have good range! you want to focus on pushing around demoknights and slowing them as much as possible, so high-knockback stats are a MUST.

WHAT 2 USE AS..

Scout:

• Force-A-Nature - deals absurd knockback and can stop a charging demoknight in their tracks
  
• Soda Popper - dont like the knockback? jump around and out of his stinky sword's range.
  
• Shortstop - snipe the ♥♥♥♥♥♥ or push him off a cliff lol
  
• Wrap Assassin - deal damage from a range with bleed so tide turner demoknights get their charge cut short
  
• Stock Pistol - longer range sniping against demoknights makes them angy

Pyro

• Stock Flamethrower/Degreaser - both have the most airblasts compared to other flamethrowers in pyro's arsenal. degreaser having 8, and stock having 10. This is a CRITICAL attribute to dealing with demoknights!
  
• Scorch Shot - direct hits knock back demoknights and minicrit them with a bouncing flare. doesn't work too well on Saxton Hale though, but it still knocks him around.
  
• Detonator - great for mobility and hitting demoknights at a range, especially if you can aim. good for GTFO quickly by jumping away if they demoknight's charge is on cooldown. make sure you have enough HP tho.
  
• Flare Gun - best used in tandem with degreaser to combo demoknights. no knockback but it deals flat 90 damage crit flares when hitting burning enemies, going up in damage occasionally at super close range. just gotta aim.
  
• Axetinguisher - only as a last resort, make sure they're burning and vulnerable so you can minicrit your enemy.

(keep in mind this info aint perfect. and demoknights have extended melee range with bigger swords, and they get a broken mechanic that normally would extend their range when they swing as they're charging. if you ♥♥♥♥ up and they hit you with a crit charged melee swing because you got too close, that's on you.)

Scout:
use the force-a-nature to knock the demoknight around, and keep a fair distance from them, as to stay out of the cutting edge of the demoknight's blade.they have a wide hitbox, so keep aim at center mass or feet to shmoove them around like a puck on an air hockey table.

use your pistol or the shortstop to hit them when they're outside of close range. keep a fir distance, and if you're using the shortstop instead of some other primary, use the shove to push them away when they're too close for comfort.

use the wrap assassin to cut their charges short with bleed damage. NEVER USE THIS AS AN ACTUAL MELEE. wrap assassin does the same damage as a papercut, so just use the bauble to inflict bleed.

Soda Popper is best used to hop around the demoknight like a fly. build up hype and activate it, and hop around the demoknight like a bunny rabbit, only touching ground or getting in up close for finishing blows or when necessary.. but be careful as they have extended range with swords.


Pyro:
Use your flamethrower as a tool to push around the demoknight, since they usually have no projectiles unless they're a hybrid knight, you dont really need to worry about reflects. if they do, send their pipes back at them. keep in mind you should always be setting them on fire and keeping them on the outer edges of your flames, so they don't get too close so they can damage you.

most grenade launchers fire faster than you can airblast, so do this pattern: reflect, dodge, reflect, dodge. repeat until the demoknight is dead.

Use your secondary in tandem with your flamethrower to deal burst damage, try to predict where they go with their charge so you can fire accordingly. if you miss with the detonator, use the secondary fire to detonate it and deal damage.

when the demoknight is low, use your axetinguisher to minicrit them to instantly kill them, to zip the hell away. especially if they're in a crowd of their team.

use the scorch shot to interrupt the demoknight's charge, aim to get a direct hit since that is what knocks them back. keep doing this when they're out of your flamethrower range but trying to kill you with their charge.

dont just hold mouse1 with your flamethrower, that's what gets you killed. stay out of the cutting edge of their blade as much as possible.

ok, so, you've tried everything, but you're still being annihilated, right? oh no! thats not good, that's ♥♥♥♥! bad ♥♥♥♥! so? you practice, dumbass! go play Vs Saxton Hale. do it! do it now! practice there where the stakes are higher and one hit means death. it's not perfect but it's good. it's how I practiced and researched for this guide. I also suggest trying to play demoknight yourself, get a feel for it, and note the mistakes ppl made that let you kill them, and then proceed to NOT do that when you're playing against a demoknight as another class.

that's about it.

if you still are getting ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ stomped by these Dark-Age Dinguses, watch videos or read guides explainin' how demoknight works. familiarize yourself with the ins and outs, memorize their tricks. catch them off-guard by denying their attempts at outplaying or flanking you.

Scout

-the "Homerunner"
Primary: Force-a-Nature
Secondary: Winger, Stock, or Prettyboy's Pocket Pistol.
Melee: Wrap Assassin
use: for the more upclose and personal scout players. rush the demoknight and fire to send them flying into the air, and hit them again, or use the pistol if you launched them too far. use the bleed and pistol to pick them off from a range, using the force-a-nature's knockback to throw them out of their melee range.

-the "Sharpshooter"
Primary: Shortstop
secondary: stock pistol
melee: wrap assassin
use: stay long and far away. push the demoknight back with shortstop alt fire to shove them back.

-the "Soda Addict"
Primary: soda popper
secondary: crit-a-cola, or any pistol.
melee: Wrap assassin.
use: drink the crit-a-cola and use the built up hype to jump around. stay off the ground as much as possible, as to not get charged and sliced up by the demoknight on the ground. if youy arent using the crit a cola for damage boost, use your pistol in tandem, and soda popper for meat shots. stay erratic and unpredictable.


Pyro

-the "Knockout!"
Primary: stock flamethrower
Secondary: scorch shot
Melee: Axetinguisher or powerjack
use: knock that mofo around! use airblast and direct scorch shot hits to impede the demoknight's charge.

-the "Butterflyer"
Primary: Degreaser or stock
Secondary: Detonator
Melee: Axetinguisher
use: knock the demoknight up into the air, minicrit them with the detonator, and axetinguish them, really just combo the hell out of them, and jump the ♥♥♥♥ away. best for more aggressive play and degreaser is reccomended over stock

-the "Dopamine machine"
Primary: Degreaser
Secondary: flare gun
Melee: powerjack
(OPTIONAL) hat: Attendant
use: versatile combo pyro loadout. if you can time your airblasts right, just doing a puff n sting on a charging demoknight dispatches them quickly, even if they're hyper focused on you. high damage loadout.

demoknights or other melee restricted playstyle subclasses are easy to kill unless they're good. saxton hale in VSH mode is an exception. find what works, melee hitreg can be tricky in TF2 so still try not to be too close to the melee using enemies

have a good day, I'll see you on the battlefield! have fucn ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ up those demoknights, or saxton hale with your newfound knowledge!