Compression blast

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The Pyro

The Compression Blast (also known as the Airblast) is the alternate fire for the Flamethrower and the Degreaser weapons for the Pyro. It appears to be a blast of sphere-shaped gas that emits from the end of the weapon. When the alternate fire button is used when either the Flamethrower or the Degreaser is equipped, the Pyro will use 20 ammunition to force enemies away several feet. This will also reflect most projectiles, and instantly extinguish burning teammates.

Deflection

Projectiles within the area of effect are redirected so that they will be launched towards the Pyro's cursor. When these projectiles are deflected, they are not simply "bounced" as if from a mirror; rather, the Pyro can aim them. Deflected projectiles are essentially stopped and fired again from the Pyro's current position, aimed directly at the Pyro's crosshairs. With the right timing and position, a skilled or well positioned Pyro can deflect projectiles at right angles to their original path. Stickybombs that are already on a surface will roll in the direction pointed by the cursor.

The following projectiles can be compression blasted:

Grenades and baseballs are not naturally given any additional vertical velocity when they are reflected. Aiming these deflected projectiles is more difficult, but their trajectory can be controlled by the Pyro's angle and position. They must be reflected upward in order to arc as they do when fired normally.

Deflected projectiles are considered to have been fired by the Pyro deflecting them for the purposes of friendly fire and kill awards. For example, a RED grenade will turn BLU when deflected and hurt any RED team players in the approximated area when it explodes. It can also hurt the Pyro who deflected it, similar to a Soldier damaging himself with his own Rockets. The only exception to these rules is the Stickybomb. Although they can be pushed away, they do not switch ownership. The only change to a deflected Stickybomb is that if the Demoman who fired the Stickybomb detonates it while within the blast radius the Pyro will be credited for the kill. Also deflected Mad Milk and Jarate will soak enemy players, and will have all the attributes of normal Jarate or Mad Milk, also the Player will be given kill assists if a teammate kills an enemy under the effects of reflected Jarate. It is also possible to gain the +15 health from a Black Box rocket if the deflected rocket successfully hits a target.

Deflected projectiles will always turn into Mini-Crits, although it is possible to get a full Crit depending on Critical status. Additionally, a deflected baseball will only stun, as it would for the Scout who launched it. If the Pyro is under the effects of the Kritzkrieg's ÜberCharge, reflected projectiles will turn into Critical projectiles.

Demonstration

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Associated Kill Icons

Killicon deflect arrow.png Deflected arrow
Killicon deflect arrowhs.png Deflected arrow headshot
Killicon flaming huntsman.png Deflected flaming arrow
Killicon sniperriflehs.png Deflected flaming arrow headshot
Killicon deflect flare.png Deflected flare
Killicon deflect grenade.png Deflected grenade
Killicon deflect sticky.png Deflected sticky
Killicon deflect rocket.png Deflected rocket
Killicon sandman ball.png Deflected Sandman ball

Strategy

  • The reflective abilities of the airblast can be used defensively and offensively.
    • Reflecting projectiles prevents them from harming your allies even if the projectile is not relocated. This is particularly effective against grenades or rockets.
    • Returning projectiles deals significant damage to your enemies; it is probably the most damaging medium-long range attack you have.
  • The airblast can be used to control enemy movement very effectively. Knock enemies away from allies, health kits, and control points; knock them into environmental hazards and off ledges if you can.
    • This is particularly effective on the map Sawmill if you can airblast an enemy into one of the two sawblades moving back and forth in the room in the center of the map.
    • The knockback from the airblast is not canceled by ÜberCharges. This can be used to separate a Medic from his patient, neutralizing the ÜberCharge.
    • Being airblasted is disorienting. Take advantage of this to make a quick escape.
    • The knockback from the airblast can be used to cancel a Scout's double jump.
    • Charges can be turned aside with the airblast. Beware the extended melee reach that is shared by many Demoman melee weapons.
    • Huntsman Snipers cannot fire while airborne; the airblast allows you to render them helpless by keeping them in the air.
    • Using the airblast, one can juggle an enemy in the air, rendering them helpless in the air for teammates to attack, or to simply advance past them.

Related Achievements

Leaderboard class soldier.png Soldier

Backdraft Dodger
Backdraft Dodger
Kill a Pyro who has airblasted one of your rockets in the last 10 seconds.

Leaderboard class pyro.png Pyro

Hotshot
Hotshot
Kill a Soldier with a reflected critical rocket.
Hot Potato
Hot Potato
Reflect 100 projectiles with your compressed air blast.

Update history

June 19, 2008 Patch

  • Added alt-fire compression blast to the basic Flamethrower.

June 20, 2008 Patch

  • Fixed Compression Blast and Flare Gun trail particles on DX8.

May 21, 2009 Patch

  • Compression blast now extinguishes fire on friendly targets.
  • Grenades and rockets deflected by a Pyro under the effects of Kritzkrieg will now be criticals.

June 8, 2009 Patch

  • Fixed not being able to reflect arrows with the Flamethrower.

June 23, 2009 Patch

  • Force-A-Nature & Flamethrower air blast knockback effects no longer work on disguised Spies.
  • A Pyro's air blast will now extinguish burning disguised enemy Spies, since knockback no longer affects disguised enemy Spies.

June 25, 2009 Patch

  • Reverted Force-A-Nature and airblast knockback on disguised Spies, so that they can once again be knocked back.

August 31, 2009 Patch

  • Fixed the Pyro's airblast pushing Spectators in free-look mode.

December 17, 2009 Patch

  • Fixed being able to affect friendly pipes with airblast (they would unstick).

December 22, 2009 Patch

  • Fixed Pyros not getting the proper kill icon for kills with deflected Direct Hit rockets.

February 23, 2010 Patch

  • Fixed the Pyro not being able to deflect enemy flares.

April 28, 2010 Patch

  • Airblast re-fire delay reduced by 25%.
  • Airblast ammo usage reduced by 20%.
  • All reflected rockets/grenades/arrows now Mini-Crit.
  • Airblasting enemies into environmental deaths now awards the death credit to the Pyro.

May 5, 2010 Patch

  • Fixed deflected Stickybombs becoming Mini-Crits when detonated.
  • Fixed deflected Stickybombs becoming Crits if the Pyro was Crit-boosted.

December 17, 2010 Patch

  • Fixed a Flamethrower bug that allowed players to rapidly fake the Pyro's airblast effect.

Trivia

  • The size of the air blast is 280 Hammer units.
  • If a baseball is airblasted back and stuns the Scout that hit it, it will show the enemy Scout assisting himself if he is killed by the Pyro.
  • Despite the fact that syringes are projectiles, they cannot be reflected.
  • If a teammate kills an enemy who has been recently airblasted, the Pyro receives a kill assist.
  • Reflecting a rocket fired from The Black Box will grant the Pyro 15 health per target hit with the rocket.
  • While under the effects of Kritzkrieg, airblasted stickies will become critical. They will not switch team however.
  • As of the September 30, 2010 Mann-Conomy Update, the Pyro (through editing the items_game.txt file) has the ability to charge airblast. Charging increases the knockback dealt to enemies. It has no effect on projectiles.
  • Killing someone with a deflection produces a unique kill icon depending on the projectile. Interestingly, there are a few inconsistencies for kill icons from reflected projectiles.
    • Sentry Gun rockets can be reflected, but the kill icon used is the reflected rocket kill icon instead of their own.
    • Reflected Direct Hit and Black Box rockets do not have a unique icon of their own, but instead use the kill icon from the generic reflected rocket icon.
    • In a similar fashion, reflected Scottish Resistance stickies do not possess their own unique kill icon. The kill icon used is the generic reflected sticky mine icon.
    • Reflected flaming arrows, headshots, flaming headshots and Sandman balls possess unique kill icons in game files, but are all currently unused.

See also