Community Pyro strategy

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Mmmphya harrgh mrgha hrghgph! Click to listen — The Pyro on strategizing

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The Pyro is a class whose combat strategies mostly revolve around close-range combat. The Pyro's Flamethrower can dish out huge amounts of damage at close range, while the resultant afterburn can cause panic among enemies while slowly sapping at their health. In conjunction with the Shotgun, the Pyro is effective for eliminating unaware targets at point blank, though comparatively weaker at ranged combat even while equipping weapons such as the Flare Gun. Despite being categorized as an Offensive class, the Pyro is not restricted in support tools: the Flamethrower's compression blast can also alter the flow of gameplay, being able push back enemies (even ÜberCharged enemies, except for those under Quick-Fix ÜberCharge), deflect or move projectiles, and extinguish teammates on fire. A good Pyro will constantly revolve around both offensive and support play, protecting the team from projectiles and fire, while working to find opportunities to enter enemy territory and set them ablaze.

Quick tips

• As a general rule, simply walking forwards with no attention to the surroundings can easily get you killed, especially if your enemy notices you first. Always find alternate routes to catch opponents off-guard, as your Flamethrower has limited range and works best when opponents don't notice you until it's too late.

• Afterburn can be very distracting. Weaker classes will often lose half their health simply by touching your flames, which can forcibly remove them from the battle for a moment since they have to find health.
  • Used your ranged Flare Guns to constantly set Snipers on fire, or prevent Scouts from moving forward.

• Always spycheck for your team. Your flames will instantly expose cloaked Spies, preventing them from being unnoticed. Always puff flames around your teammates, just in case.

• Stay away from water and open areas, which are where you are the weakest. If you can't avoid them, wait to follow another friendly player.
  • The former tip on avoiding water can be disregarded somewhat if you use the Neon Annihilator; however, it is only effective at melee range, making reliance on it somewhat questionable.
  • You can use your Flamethrower to attack people that are above a body of water, but depending on the depth of the water, they may be able to get extinguished instantly, making Flamethrower or Flare Gun tactics inefficient. Consider using your Shotgun in such situations.

• Your compression blast is extremely useful. Save it for the right situations, such as forcibly re-positioning enemies that are ÜberCharged, if you intend to follow up with your Shotgun, Reserve Shooter, or Flare Gun, or if you need to escape.
  • Pushing enemies to their left and right usually works better than forward or back. If an enemy gets pushed forward or back, they can still walk forwards to deal with you. However, there are exceptions (such as distracted enemies).

• You are immune to the afterburn of other Pyros, but not the initial damage of their Flamethrower and Flare Gun. Using your Shotgun will let you fight other Pyros at a distance where their Flamethrower cannot reach.
  • If the other Pyro has a Flamethrower that is disadvantaged in airblasting (such as the Phlogistinator), you can use your compression blast to disorient them; they usually won't be able to react the same way. They can still hurt you with their secondary weapons, so being mindful of what your enemy has equipped which could give a better idea of how to fight them.
  • While fighting enemy Pyros, run backward if you are using the Flamethrower. You will receive less damage while dealing more to your opponent, since the enemy Pyro will be running straight into your flames while you run away from theirs. The aforementioned strategy is also helpful for luring them into your base and having your teammates finish them off.

• All your primary weapons disrupt Medi Gun healing and shield abilities by 25%, allowing you to be an even bigger nuisance to teams that have Medics. If your teammates are pushing into a Medic and his pocket, burning his patient will give your teammates the upper hand.

General

• Playing Pyro requires a different mindset than other classes. You tend to be weak on frontal attacks; you will lose to most other classes if you are seen coming. If you catch the enemy by surprise, however, you can be the most dangerous class in the game.
  • As such, always try for an ambush. Learn the maps and use flanking routes rather than main ones. Several of your weapons can help open up more routes, such as the Detonator and Scorch Shot with their respective Flare Jumps.

• While your playstyle can be risky, the Pyro's attributes are designed to help you. The Pyro class has the overall best health-to-speed ratio in the game, meaning you can get to the fight easily while being durable enough to survive most close-range encounters or run away if needed.

• Be wary of how the game treats your Flamethrower's flames.
  • Flames have a "lifetime"; upon firing a puff, your flames will hang in the air for a moment, which can set enemies on fire even while you aren't actively firing. This is most useful for catching enemy Spies.
  • Due to this lingering property, walking forwards and flaming will actually give you less range than normal, while walking back and flaming will make it more likely to hit an opponent, since you will leave a short-term trail of fire.
  • Since flames take a moment to reach their target, a burst of flame may not hit an actively moving opponent if they are at maximum Flamethrower distance. Lead your target at medium range.

• Any enemy hit by your flames will suffer decently damaging afterburn, apart from other Pyros or if you use the Degreaser. This means you can use hit-and-run tactics by lighting a target on fire and then escaping to either soften them up for your teammates, or simply burn them to death over time.
• Enemies that have been damaged sufficiently by afterburn can usually be easily finished off with the Shotgun. Sounds of an enemy ignited can help you track them more easily if you lost line of sight on them.
  • Weaker classes like Scouts tend to escape when they are on fire. Light them up and quickly retreat, following up with shots from the Shotgun. This is often enough to kill them with afterburn.
  • Because other classes such as the Medic lack efficient close-combat skills, they are the easiest to ignite and finish off with an ambush attack. While you are less effective against bulkier targets since they stand a higher chance surviving the full damage of your afterburn, they may be softened up sufficiently for your teammates to take out.
• Despite the potential of afterburn, many sources can put it out, such as water and health sources like Dispensers. Do not expect afterburn to finish opponents off all the time.
  • If possible, try to pick up any health packs near burning enemies to prevent them from extinguishing themselves.

• You are the optimal Spychecking class. Fire instantly negates a Spy's cloak, making him an easy picking for you or your team. Due to your decent ammo pool, always puff flames around your teammates to prevent or expose a Spy who is trying to find opportunities to backstab any friendlies.
  • Note that the Dead Ringer will grant a Spy immunity to afterburn and up to 65% damage resistance during its initial 3 seconds. If you can predict his movements, you can constantly flame him and kill him before he can uncloak again; if not, you have to catch him off-guard the next time he approaches.
  • Also stay alert if a Spy is using the Spy-cicle because when you ignite him, if he's holding the the Spy-cicle (or switches to it after being lit), the flames will be extinguished immediately and he will gain a couple of seconds of afterburn immunity. However, the Spy usually says a fire-related quote and there will be a loud "melting" noise when it happens, so be ready to chase him so that he is actually taken down.

• Your primary weapons passively reduce the effectiveness of healing and shield effects against your current target; a Soldier being burned by you while also being healed by a Medic would only get 75% of the healing he would usually gain. As such, you can sometimes support your team just by attacking; in a pocket-vs-pocket battle, this may be the matter of winning or losing.

• Arguably your biggest tool is your compression blast. Use it frequently to support teammates by deflecting enemy projectiles or extinguishing burning teammates, or to set up a combo attack.
  • The compression blast can move opponents too. Take every opportunity to light the enemy up first so they take afterburn damage while you are moving them, and also to make it harder for them to aim.

• Your array of weapons suffer at range compared to the rest of the cast, so stay away from open areas. Snipers and Heavies will often be your biggest issues, as the former can pick you off easily and the latter easily outdamages you before you can get into Flamethrower range. In this case, it may be useful to equip the Flare Gun to pepper them at a distance.
  • While you can take down Sentry Guns very quickly, it will be difficult to get in range without dying. Depending on the situation, it may be more viable to let other classes like the Soldier or Demoman take care of it.

Compression blast

Your compression blast is an extremely useful tool for protecting teammates and positioning targets. Use it well.

• The Flamethrower's compression blast (or airblast) is one of your defining features. It allows a Pyro to fulfill a number of roles, from extinguishing teammates, forcibly moving opponents, or reflecting projectiles.

• A single compression blast costs 20 ammo for the Flamethrower and Rainblower, 25 for the Degreaser, and 50 for the Backburner. Be sure to keep track of your ammunition, as spamming your compression blast will easily leave you without ammunition.
  • Note that the Phlogistinator cannot airblast at all, which can be a huge disadvantage in some situations.

• There is a slight cooldown after every compression blast before you can fire another. This can be a matter of life-or-death; a Soldier or Demoman can bait an airblast from you, then fire while you're vulnerable and cannot airblast. Learn to keep yourself from airblasting freely.

Extinguishing

• You are the only class with a consistent method of putting out fire (apart from constant healing by Medi Guns or Dispensers). Other sources (such as the Scout's Mad Milk or the Sniper's Jarate) have a cooldown, making them less reliable. On maps or areas without water or health packs, you will be much needed, especially if your team lacks a Medic or Engineer.

• Remember to airblast burning teammates, as it saves them from extended burn damage or potentially death.
  • You gain 20 health for every teammate extinguished, so you are encouraged to do so. Extinguishing several in tandem can grant you great amounts of health.

• The Manmelter can also extinguish teammates with its secondary fire. Use it if your primary weapon makes it too costly to compression blast or if it lacks the ability to do so entirely.

Reflecting

• Airblasts make you an invaluable minesweeper class. Use it to:
  • Deflect most projectiles, including rockets (be it from a Rocket Launcher or level 3 Sentry Gun), grenades, Stickybombs (shot or stuck), flares, Huntsman arrows, and balls from the Sandman and Wrap Assassin, back at the attacker or other enemies. You can also reflect enemy Jarate and Mad Milk back at the thrower and their teammates to apply it to them instead.
  • Reflected projectiles deal mini-crits (or crits if the projectile is a critical one), making this even more beneficial. Reflected arrows can headshot enemies, while all reflected enemy projectiles (excluding Stickybombs) become harmless to allies (but may still harm yourself).
  • You cannot reflect the projectiles from the Syringe Gun and other Medic primaries (excluding the Crusader's Crossbow), the Pomson 6000 and the Righteous Bison, so dodge them instead.

• Reflected projectiles are considered to be "shot" from your screen, meaning it will fire where your crosshair points. This allows you to control where your reflected projectile goes, although this is more difficult if it has a trajectory (i.e Grenades).

• Push Stickybombs away from important objectives like Control Points or Intelligence. Deflected Stickybombs remain dangerous to teammates and friendly buildings, but can also damage the Demoman who fired them. Note that deflected Stickybombs do not deal mini-crits.

• Level 3 Sentry Guns that are far away or sit around a corner can be damaged with their own rockets by airblasting. This can separate Engineers from their Buildings, destroy the supplying Dispenser, or cause a distraction long enough for another teammate to take care of the nest. Moving quickly in and out of a Sentry Gun's range will minimize damage taken, as it will only fire about three bullets along with the rocket before losing its target, if performed correctly.
  • Reflect enemy Sentry Gun rockets for 135-147 damage, which can easily kill the Engineer or other weaker classes.

• Having a crit-boost will cause all reflected projectiles, excluding Stickybombs, to reflect as a critical hit. This is a situational perk that can make you even stronger during Kritzkrieg ÜberCharges.

• Unusually, you can reflect projectiles at opponents even if they are looking the opposite way, although you have to be touching his back. This can be handy for instant burst damage if your enemy doesn't notice you.

• Airblasting is generally easier the further you are from your target. At close range, you have less time to react to a projectile, so there are several tactics that can help in judging when to airblast.
  • It can be beneficial to think like your enemy. If you realize that your enemy tends to instantly fire at any opponent he notices, airblasting once he sees you can net you a point-blank reflect.
  • Watching the animation of your opponent can be difficult, but often helps to predict when he fires. If you are close enough to see a Soldier's Rocket Launcher or a Demoman's Grenade Launcher recoil due to firing, immediately respond with a compression blast.
  • Some panicky Soldier players will hold down their attack button down when firing, to kill you as quickly as possible and remove any delay. If you are used to the Rocket Launcher's firing pattern, you can often reflect the next rocket by prediction.
  • Soldiers will often choose the Direct Hit to counter you, due to its high projectile speed. Instead of attempting to reflect the projectile, consider setting the Soldier on fire and blasting him away. The above mentioned tactics can also help if you find yourself too close for comfort.

• It's possible to use explosives to perform explosive jumps through the use of deflected explosives (excluding Stickybombs, which remain under the ownership of the Demoman who fired them).
  • Although difficult to master, explosive jumps can bring you into effective range faster. To perform one with an enemy rocket, make the rocket graze right near your head by walking beside it. Once the rocket passes you, turn in the direction the rocket is, and airblast downwards in that direction. This should cause the rocket to explode at your feet behind you, which will propel you forward just like a standard rocket jump.

Enemy Re-positioning

• Your compression blast also gives you a unique ability to control an enemy's movement and position. Use it to:
  • Knock enemies away from objectives like Control points and Payload carts.
  • Push enemies away from valuable items, preventing enemy pickup; particularly Intelligence-based pickups that can be carried.
  • Remove enemies from high positions by knocking them off ledges, making them walk up all the way again.
  • Knock enemies into environmental hazards on the map, such as the pit in Steel.
  • Knock back attacking enemies, such as charging Demomen, enemy Pyros, and other classes using melee.
  • Prevent enemies from fleeing by pinning them in a corner.
  • Separate and distract ÜberCharged enemies and prevent them from pushing forward.
  • When you must fight near water, blast enemies into the water and then jump them with the Neon Annihilator.

• Your compression blast is useful for negating an ÜberCharge, or separating a Medic from his patient.
  • When fighting a Heavy/Medic combo, try to compression blast either the Medic or Heavy away from the other, preferably off a high area. When done correctly, you can fight the enemy still up with you, and may be able to defeat that enemy before their ally comes back up. This plan works best when you sneak up and attack from behind, and if the pair are on higher ground.

• When you see a Medic and an ÜberCharged patient, try to flank around them and airblast one away from the other. That will leave the Medic without a heal target, and the teammate he was healing will be left defenseless.
  • Even if you cannot do so, this will make the ÜberCharged pair lose ground, which may be enough for them to waste their charge entirely. This works more effectively on Heavies due to their slow movement and revved-up speed.
  • A one-on-one battle with an ÜberCharged Soldier can be in your favor: you can simply reflect his rockets once he approaches, though be wary of his Shotgun and his teammates. With luck, you can also negate a Kritzkrieg push by reflecting a critical projectile straight back at the patient or Medic.
  • As the Quick-Fix negates knockback, the compression blast is useless against it. You may want to burn your enemy instead to lower their high healing rate.
• If a fight is not going well, you can simply compression blast your foe and run away. This is more useful around corners or in enclosed spaces.
  • This is less effective on faster targets like Scouts.

• Your airblast can be essential in pushing back Intelligence carriers. On many CTF maps, the enemy will often resort to suicide Scouts and Spies to constantly touch the Intelligence, preventing it from returning to a team's base. You can turn it against them by airblasting the Intelligence carrier in the opposite direction, causing them to lose ground.
  • You can also reset the Intelligence by airblasting an Intelligence carrier into a pit, such as that on Double Cross.

• You can stop a Demoman's shield charge by airblasting them; this will stop them completely and make it count like a used charge. This will leave them vulnerable for a counterattack, since they cannot escape.

• Although you can simply burn a Spy to death, you can also push him away with a compression blast if you see him poised for a backstab. This is useful if you catch him at the last second, or if it takes him a long time to return, such as off a high area.

Ambushing/Roaming

• Use alternate routes to organize a synchronized attack on the enemy. Igniting them from behind will soften them up for teammates attacking from the front.
  • If things don't go according to plan, be sure to have an escape route. Compression blast your enemies to give you time for a retreat.

• Use elevation to get the drop on the enemy. Most players do not look above eye level.

• Know which corners on the map are blind corners or offer cover from enemies coming around them. These can often be good points to attack single enemies or small groups of slightly more vulnerable classes such as Scouts.
  • When attempting to hide in a corner, equip your secondary or melee weapon, as your Flamethrower is long and can be seen easily behind a corner. If doing so, remember that it'll take longer to react efficiently due to your weapon switch speed. The Degreaser can make this strategy easier for you.

• Be prepared for one-on-one combat. Enemy players looking to perform their own ambushes may also use side paths, and can sometimes be encountered in such situations.
  • Check for stragglers or other flankers before attempting to perform an ambush against enemy groups. Sometimes Snipers stay behind the enemy push to focus their fire on flanking classes such as Scouts, Spies, and Pyros, while Soldiers often hop in and out of combat using rocket jumps to heal up, which may pose a threat to you.

• Once you in Flamethrower range, circle-strafe your enemy and constantly change directions to ensure you take the least damage.
  • If using the Backburner, try and strafe in a way that keeps the enemy's back at you most of the time.

Frontline combat/Support

• Charging into a group of enemies and setting them on fire is a good way to disrupt an offensive push. Remember that Medics can heal up your damage with little trouble, however.

• If an Engineer has left a Level 1 Sentry Gun near a corner, it's possible to pop around and take out the Sentry Gun at point-blank range.
  • In certain positions, you can attack a Sentry Gun by angling your flames without it targeting you.

• When ÜberCharged, you can lay waste to a Sentry Gun faster than most other classes, but you are also more easily thwarted by knockback than other classes. Try to approach from around corners whenever possible.

• Your Flare Gun can be used to weaken opponents at range, or eliminate burning targets. You will most often use it to disrupt an enemy Sniper's aim, as his scope will jerk while he is on fire.

• Support your allies with your compression blast. You can potentially save a burning teammate at the brink of death, while you can also reflect projectiles that would otherwise kill injured buddies.

Defensive

• Stand near the Capture point or Intelligence, preferably out of sight, and ignite anyone who comes near.
  • You can also hide in a corner or somewhere no one can see you. When enemies come by, run behind them and torch them with your flames.

• You are the Engineer's best friend when on the defense, due to your primary weapon being a great Spy-checking tool. Only a momentary burst of flame is needed to ignite an enemy Spy. If a Spy still manages to slip past you and tries to sap an Engineer's building, use your Homewrecker, Maul, or Neon Annihilator to get rid of the Sapper(s).

• Without the need to reload, your primary weapons can immediately use any ammo with which they're supplied. Standing next to a Dispenser can allow you to act as a stationary flame turret for guarding an Engineer fortification or the Intelligence room of Capture the Flag maps.
  • Similarly, you can utilize the infinite ammo supply of your team's Payload cart to spray a continuous stream of flames or compression blasts. This can be for combating threats to your team's cart, such as rockets and other such projectiles. It's especially useful in deterring and dispatching Spies.

• The Compression Blast can save Sentry Guns, especially when the Engineer isn't around. Reflect away projectiles or push away ÜberCharged enemies that are targeting Sentry Guns, and push away Spies before they start sapping.
  • Also, if a Spy manages to sap a building, use your Homewrecker or Neon Annihilator to dispatch any Sappers, assuming you have any of them equipped.

• Know what paths the enemy may try to take in order to attack the team's base. Map knowledge goes a long way to countering the enemy by attacking from their blind spots. For example, when the enemy rushes the front doors in 2Fort, try to ambush them by dropping through the grate and attacking them from behind.

Weapon specific

Primary weapons

Flamethrower + reskins

Weapon	Kill Icon	Ammo	Damage
		Carried	Point Blank	Medium Range	Afterburn	Critical
Stock Flame Thrower		200	6.82/particle	4.09/particle	60 over 10 seconds	12-21/particle
Uncrate Festive Flame Thrower
Botkiller Flame Thrower
Advanced+ Mann Up Reward Australium Flame Thrower
Craft Rainblower
Promotional/Craft Nostromo Napalmer

• The Flamethrower is a close-quarters weapon with a very short range. It's devastating at point-blank range and sets fire to all classes except other Pyros.

• Ideally, you'd want to use the Flamethrower for ambushes to catch opponents off-guard, giving you enough time to burn them for several seconds. Alternatively, you can get in and do hit-and-run attacks, lighting enemies on fire before running off while the afterburn softens them up.

• Your flames can penetrate multiple targets, buildings and players in the line of fire, giving you additional utility against groups.
  • The Flamethrower also deals more damage the closer you are to your target. Range makes a huge difference to how fast you can kill an opponent, so always keep close.

• Despite the Flamethrower's power, its short range makes you vulnerable to almost every other ranged weapon in the game. Fight back the urge to simply walk forward, and plan your route ahead of time.
  • An exception is when you're moving in with teammates; you can cause considerable chaos by burning opponents while your team causes a distraction, and the more enemies you can set alight, the easier it can be to overwhelm them.

• The Flamethrower inflicts sixty points of afterburn damage if the target stays on fire for the entire duration. This is almost half the health of 125-health classes, which can often cause a hasty retreat. Meanwhile, bulkier classes will be weakened.
  • However, many sources can get rid of afterburn: this includes Medics, Dispensers, the Payload Cart, Jarate, Mad Milk, dropped Sandvich variants, Health kits, compression blasts (or the Manmelter's secondary fire) from allied Pyros, and sufficiently deep water. Try to deny such sources to the enemy prior to attacks in order to maximize the amount of afterburn damage done.
  • Demomen with the Chargin' Targe, Splendid Screen, and Tide Turner can also extinguish themselves by charging, but can reignited if hit by the Flamethrower again.

• Remember to use your compression blast. Optimal use of the Flamethrower mixes both offensive play with your flames, and defensive support with your compression blast to protect teammates and yourself.

• The Flamethrower is very useful for destroying Buildings; Sentry Guns built near a corner can be destroyed without exposing you to the Sentry Gun's range, and Sentry Guns built at a bad angle to an entrance can be rushed, circle-strafed, and destroyed without taking significant damage.

• If facing a Medic pair, aim for the Medic and try to kill him first. His overhealed target will take longer to kill compared to the Medic himself.

• If you have a Rainblower, consider using it over the default; it functions exactly the same but lets you perform the Armageddon taunt, which can instantly kill several unaware targets.
  • However, the Rainblower's model covers most of the screen and its fire particles can be very distracting (along with being opaque), which can make it hard to aim and keep track of your surroundings. Equipping it is dependent on your preference.

• If using the the Isolated Merc set, be wary of Scouts who wear the Isolationist Pack, as they will do more melee damage to you. Although this will rarely occur, simply keep your distance and burn them; your Nostromo Napalmer will do more damage due to their set.

Backburner + reskins

Weapon	Kill Icon	Ammo	Damage
		Carried	Point Blank	Medium Range	Afterburn	Critical
Unlock Backburner		200	6.82/particle	4.09/particle	60 over 10 seconds	12-21/particle
Uncrate Festive Backburner

The Backburner is an unlockable primary weapon for the Pyro. It deals guaranteed critical hits when attacking a target from behind, but cannot deal random critical hits and uses 150% more ammo when performing a compression blast (50 ammo instead of 20).

• The Backburner makes your utility tool, the compression blast, riskier to use, but grants you stronger ambushing power to make up for it. Unaware targets will often go down in under a second of consistent fire, due to your critical hits. However, the 50 ammo per airblast is extremely costly; four blasts will completely use up your ammunition. When you really need a compression blast, this downside can be the matter of life-or-death.

• While it acts just like the standard Flamethrower, the airblast cost means you'll be more defenseless against projectiles and enemies. Once you choose a battle, it will be very difficult to back out of it without dying.
  • As such, this weapon relies more on performing ambushes than in attacking in frontal assaults. Take alternate routes into enemy territory and loop back to the front lines.
  • Drop down from above! Because enemies rarely look up, you can effectively stop a party of enemies.

• Apart from ambushes and unaware targets, the Backburner excels at chasing down escaping enemies. Panicky ones may turn around and run from you by instinct, which will cause your Backburner to deal critical hits.
  • An alternative is to find a group of enemies and strafe behind them while firing the Backburner. The accompanying chaos can often make them look around to find the source of your flames, and this can deal crits if their backs are exposed as they turn.

• The Backburner will only crit if your flames hit at a 90 degree angle behind where your opponent is facing. If accounting for latency and the hectic movement of combat, the narrow hitbox for the Backburner's guaranteed crits may prove difficult to get.
  • You may opt to circle strafe your opponent and fake out in the other direction once he notices you. This will expose his back for several critical hits.
• Remember that an expensive airblast doesn't mean that you can't airblast. You still get a maximum of four blasts per 200 ammo, so try to only use it in emergency situations.
  • Some examples to deflect critical explosives, or for extinguishing multiple teammates at once. You can also push an opponent back and retreat to friendly territory, where you can refill your ammunition.

• When you kill an enemy, they drop a medium ammo pack; this is equal to 100 Flamethrower ammo, which means you can pull off 2 airblasts and get away with minimal ammo loss if you pick up their ammo pack.

• When facing a stronger enemy, such as a Heavy or overhealed Soldier outside of your range, back away. Hide somewhere inconspicuous and then nail them later with the crits when they do not see your incoming attack.

• If a Medic pair is causing serious damage to your team, go around them and target the Medic, then his buddy. The damage from behind is so powerful that most Medics cannot even activate an ÜberCharge in time.

• Enemy Pyros are as vulnerable to critical flames as anyone else. Try to circle-strafe around them to get critical hits in. Be wary that they can easily airblast you away if they're using the standard Flamethrower or Degreaser, however.

• Soldiers are your worst enemies! Do not try to rush against a Soldier unless you are sure you can kill him. The high airblast cost makes reflecting rockets so expensive that it's unwise to attempt it.
  • Demomen are also more dangerous for the same reasons.

• Since this weapon encourages ambushing, it can be useful to equip the Detonator in order to access flank routes using flare jumps. The Scorch Shot provides a shorter and less damaging jump, which can be useful if you don't require as much height.
  • The Back Scratcher is also a good idea if you tend to roam around instead of stick with your team. The 50% extra health from health packs can keep you fighting behind enemy lines longer.
  • The Powerjack's extra speed can get you where you want to be faster, although be wary of the increased damage taken while its out.

• The Manmelter pairs well with the Backburner, as it allows you to extinguish allies while conserving your ammunition.

• Try not to equip the Reserve Shooter or Axtinguisher with the Backburner. Your expensive airblasts means you'll have fewer opportunities to deal mini-crits with the Reserve Shooter, while your crits can kill most classes outright, negating the use of the Axtinguisher.

Degreaser

Weapon	Kill Icon	Ammo	Damage
		Carried	Point Blank	Medium Range	Afterburn	Critical
Craft Degreaser		200	6.80/particle	4.76/particle	20 over 10 seconds	14-20/particle

The Degreaser is a craftable primary weapon for the Pyro. It allows you to switch to another weapon from itself 30% faster, and back to the Degreaser 60% faster than normal. Afterburn damage, however is reduced by 66%, meaning that enemies will take a maximum of 20 afterburn damage from being set on fire by the Degreaser, instead of the normal 60. Finally, the airblast cost for the Degreaser is slightly higher than normal, costing 25 ammo per airblast.

• The Degreaser is a Flamethrower that is more dependent on using your other weapons to finish opponents off. Its extremely low afterburn damage makes it ineffective for hit-and-run tactics, but the extremely fast switch speed lets you combine weapons for potentially deadly "Puff and Sting" combos.

• The reduced switch speed makes you less vulnerable whenever you decide to pull out a weapon. This means opponents who are dependent on Weapon heckling can find it very difficult to combat you, most notably Scouts and Soldiers.

• Airblasting is more effective with the Degreaser, as the switch speed gives you more time to compression blast whenever you find yourself in trouble. Even if you're holding another weapon, you can instantly switch back to the Degreaser to protect yourself.
  • However, airblasting costs 25 ammo instead of 20, meaning you have to be more wary of ammo consumption.

• While you can already counter Soldiers with your compression blast, it becomes generally easier if you know how to use the Degreaser's switch speed efficiently.
  • If fighting against a Soldier constantly switching between his Rocket Launcher and Shotgun to prevent you from reflecting his rockets, you can quickly attack him with your Shotgun or your Flare Gun, and reflect his rockets when he tries to surprise you.
  • If the enemy Soldier prefers to back away and you need to use your Shotgun or Flare Gun, the faster weapon switch can more easily enable you to reflect surprise rockets.

• The Degreaser works well against enemy Pyros using any other Flamethrower. Afterburn does not affect Pyros anyway, and the increased switch time allows you to weapon heckle in an instant, while the enemy will still be fumbling to take another weapon out.
  • This doesn't apply for enemy Pyros equipped with their own Degreaser.

• Your afterburn does a maximum of only 20 damage over time, making it weaker than a close-range Pistol shot. Burn your targets for as long as possible to maximize damage done.
  • The reduced afterburn will likely be unable to kill escaping targets that you would usually have no trouble eliminating, like Scouts and Spies. If a burning Scout retreats, use your secondary weapon to finish him off, and keep track of a Spy using your afterburn, which still exposes him.

• You afterburn may be extremely weak, but makes lit opponents eligible for a critical hit by the Flare Gun and Axtinguisher, and mini-crits from the Detonator and Scorch Shot. As such, use afterburn as a tool to "mark" targets for elimination, before rapidly switching to a secondary or melee weapon to finish him off.
  • The Reserve Shooter's additional weapon switch time stacks with the Degreaser's bonus; the switch time becomes effectively zero with both of these equipped. This makes the Reserve Shooter all the more useful.
  • Enable quick weapon switching in the options and get used to using the Q, 1, 2, and 3 keys to quickly deal with any situation with the appropriate weapon(s).

• The Degreaser is weaker for direct assaults that the Backburner and Phlogistinator excel at. Carefully consider what secondary weapon to use, as you will probably be using it a lot, accounting for the nigh-negligible afterburn damage.
  • The Shotgun, with its large clip, is a reliable weapon and can deal the most damage just outside of your flamethrower's range. However, apart from random crits, it has no way to get mini-crits or critical hits, and it lacks damage at long range compared to your Flare Guns.
  • The Reserve Shooter does well with the Degreaser, as you can airblast enemies into the air and quickly shoot them for mini-crits. The decreased weapon switch time makes for a near-instant weapon switch, especially helpful if you use the Axtinguisher.
  • Any Flare Gun will help make up for the reduced afterburn. Shoot a fleeing enemy to reset their afterburn to the normal, stronger afterburn. However, without a Shotgun, you will be weaker against enemy Pyros.
    • Using the Flare Gun will grant you a critical hit as well as resetting the afterburn, allowing for a very quick kill.
    • Since you will often be at medium to long range with this weapon, where airblasting rockets is easiest, a Shotgun won't deal much damage and a flare can be easily dodged. The Detonator and Scorch Shot both explode and can make hitting your enemies easier. Use one of them if you expect to be fighting from a distance or airblasting projectiles.
    • Although the Manmelter's flares travel faster and are more useful at long range, the ability to extinguish teammates is redundant and best used with a flamethrower with reduced airblast capacities. It can be useful, however, if there are a number of Pyros on the enemy team.

• Your choice of melee weapon will be as important as your secondary weapon, since they will be your go-to "burst damage" options at close range.
  • Preferably, you'd want to pair the Degreaser with the Axtinguisher, as it helps curb the weapon's large deploy penalty. This lets you net a critical hit in around the same time as a standard weapon switch.
  • Since you can quickly airblast an opponent into the air for an immediate melee swing, weapons such as the Powerjack and Back Scratcher benefit immensely, due to the 25 health on kill and 20% extra damage, respectively.

Phlogistinator

Weapon	Kill Icon	Ammo	Damage
		Carried	Point Blank	Medium Range	Afterburn	Critical
Craft Phlogistinator		200	6.80/particle	4.76/particle	60 over 10 seconds	14-20/particle

• The Phlogistinator is a craftable primary weapon for the Pyro. It is incapable of performing compression blasts and dealing random crits. However, it has a 'Mmmph' meter that charges through any fire damage dealt by any of the Pyro's weapons; it takes 300 damage to fill the meter completely. When the meter is full, secondary fire (or the taunt key) will cause the player to taunt (granting full immunity to damage and knockback while doing so), and the Phlogistinator will gain 10 seconds of guaranteed critical hits.
  • 'Mmmph' is not affected by damage resistance; this means you can burn a Dead Ringer Spy or a Battalion's Backup Soldier even during their resistance buffs and still gain the same amount of 'Mmmph'.

• The Phlogistinator gives you potentially powerful offensive capabilities at the cost of your personal safety; with the inability to compression blast at all, you will have to choose your battles very wisely. Running forward blindly will often kill you before you can get your 'Mmmph' meter full, so you will have to plan your approaches carefully.

• Activating 'Mmmph' grants you immunity to damage and knockback while taunting. If you're in a tough situation, do not hesitate to activate your taunt; survival is more important than wasting the critical hits.
  • However, you don't gain health by doing so, so don't expect to survive taunting in front of a Sentry Gun or out in the open.

• Gaining 'Mmmph' charge will usually come down to two playstyles: hanging back and peppering opponents with your Flare Gun variants, or waiting for an opportunity to ambush an entire crowd of enemies to gain your crits immediately.
  • The former is safer, but more time consuming. Damage from your Flare Guns (including afterburn) still count as fire damage, so you can keep your distance and gain 'Mmmph'. However, this takes a while, as you require 300 fire damage to be fully charged.
  • The latter lets you build 'Mmmph' extremely fast, but may cost you your life. If enough enemies are around, you may be able to get a full charge and activate it, although this makes you vulnerable after the taunt unless your teammates back you up.

• Finding alternate routes becomes even more important; even with a full 'Mmmph' bar, running straight towards enemies is risky due to your flame's low range and your lack of an airblast. The best way to utilize 'Mmmph' is to find your way behind enemy lines, activate your crits, then burn down unaware targets from behind.
  • If on defense, the crits are a wonder at stopping enemy pushes. Ambushing an enemy push from behind with your crits can kill them before they can react.
  • With team support, you become a frightening distraction. Enemies will run once they see your glowing weapon, and your teammates will be able to pick them off. Your crits will cut through any enemies who dare to stand against you.

• Remember that your flames go through enemies, so your 'Mmmph' will charge very quickly if you find several unaware targets.
  • Weaker targets that have trouble fighting you, such as Snipers and Spies, can also be exploited to easily gain 'Mmmph'.
  • While extremely situational, you can hit an opponent with a Hadouken to fully charge the 'Mmmph' meter.

• The lack of airblasts forces you to avoid projectiles entirely. The most you can do is clear Stickybomb carpets using a Shotgun, the Detonator, or the Scorch Shot, but you lose a lot of your overall utility. This makes the Phlogistinator weak at defending Engineers or capturing objectives.
  • This especially harms your match-up against Soldiers. Never fight them one-on-one, unless you are confident he is at low health.

• Any sort of friendly buff will make you more efficient. For example, mini-crits from Jarate or the Buff Banner will make it easier to gain 'Mmmph', the Battalion's Backup will make you more durable while rampaging, and the Concheror or Mad Milk will heal you immensely during your critical rampage.
  • The Phlogistinator also works well with a Medic. The healing will let you roam more confidently, and you will be able to deal crits and stay alive with impunity during an Übercharge.

• Pair the Phlogistinator with weapons that help you gain 'Mmmph', or ones which help negate its weaknesses in a way.
  • The Flare Gun's critical hits on burning targets will help immensely with gaining 'Mmmph', although you need to be accurate enough.
  • The Detonator's manual detonation deals less damage than the Flare Gun, but can light opponents even if you miss slightly.
  • The Scorch Shot gives the biggest leeway for aiming, as it has both an area-of-effect and can detonate again after hitting a target.
  • The Manmelter pairs well since you can extinguish teammates, which a lack of an airblast would otherwise leave you unable to do.
  • The Powerjack lets you get into position even quicker, which is important due to your overall defenselessness.
  • The Axtinguisher can give you a massive boost of 'Mmmph' if you happen to net a critical hit on a burning opponent.
  • The Sharpened Volcano Fragment gives you another option for afterburn, but you will usually be better off simply burning the opponent.

Secondary weapons

Shotgun +reskins

Weapon	Kill Icon	Ammo		Damage
		Loaded	Carried	Point Blank	Medium Range	Long Range	Critical
Stock Shotgun		6	32	86-90	24-67	3-26	180
Uncrate Festive Shotgun

• The Shotgun is an excellent backup weapon. It allows you to deal damage from a safer distance, follow up an attack with your Flamethrower, or pick off escaping targets from outside the Flamethrower's range.

• Despite being a secondary weapon, the Shotgun is a decent weapon by itself. Its large clip size and good point-blank damage gives you reliable firepower even if you decide to use it on its own. However, it lacks ranged firepower that most weapons have, so find opportunities to get close to opponents.
  • If you excel with the Shotgun, consider keeping it in hand most of the time and engaging enemies at distance before closing to finish battles with the Flamethrower. The high burst damage from the Shotgun can also save your life if you're ambushed at close range and need to quickly dispatch an opponent.

• The Shotgun is good for several situations.
  • Sneaking is effective with this weapon, as its shape is less visible than any of your primary weapons' long nozzles. It still lets you deal a fair amount of damage quickly if caught, meaning you will be far from helpless.
  • The Shotgun is great for when your Flamethrower's limited range won't cut it for defending yourself. Its hitscan nature lets you pepper opponents at medium range while retreating or capturing an objective.
  • Use the Shotgun to weaken enemies who are retreating whilst on fire. The damage may be enough to lower their health to the point where your afterburn will finish them off.

• While weak at range, the Shotgun can still be a viable way to cause distractions.
  • If forced to cross Sniper-heavy areas, consider firing the Shotgun at them after leaving cover. While not as useful as the Flare Guns in keeping them suppressed, Shotgun rounds can shake the scopes of rifle-carrying Snipers long enough get back to a safe spot.
  • Constantly harassing opponents at long range using your Shotgun may distract them long enough for your team to take them out from another direction.

• Since your Flamethrower doesn't work underwater, the Shotgun will be your main weapon if you need to access underwater routes.

• Pyro battles will let the Shotgun shine. You can simply outrange another Pyro with your bullets if they decide to walk towards you with their Flamethrower. Once they are weakened, you can go in for a Flamethrower kill. As Pyros can't be lit on fire, you will also have a major advantage against Pyros equipped with any Flare Gun variant.

• The Shotgun synergizes well with your compression blast. At close range, knock an opponent into the air and immediately fire to deal immense damage.
  • Similarly, if you are forced to airblast your opponent so you can escape, pedal backwards while firing your Shotgun to deal some damage.

• Due to the point above, the Shotgun benefits from the Degreaser. The faster weapon switch will give an opponent less time to react while you juggle them into the air, following up with Shotgun blasts.
  • If you plan on using this strategy primarily when attacking, you may get more success out of the Reserve Shooter instead. Take note that this will give you fewer shots to protect yourself.

Flare Gun +reskins

Weapon	Kill Icon	Ammo		Damage
		Loaded	Carried	Base Damage	Afterburn	Critical	Projectile Speed
Unlock Flare Gun		1	16	30	60 over 10 seconds	90	1450 Hammer units/sec
Uncrate Festive Flare Gun

• The Flare Gun is an unlockable secondary weapon for the Pyro. A completely different weapon from the Shotgun, it fires one flare at a time and reloads slowly. Flares deal 30 damage but set opponents on fire, doing a maximum of 90 damage over time. Flares will also deal critical hits on burning targets.
  • The Flare Gun has a passive reload, so it will automatically reload if you are using your primary or melee weapon. This means that the reload time is not an issue if you switch weapons often. However, the reload takes some time, so remember this when trying to hit enemies from a long distance.

• The Flare Gun, compared to the Shotgun, is far more adept at long range, as the Shotgun suffers from huge damage falloff over distance. Although flares are much harder to aim than bullets due to their travel time and arc, the Flare Gun is good for picking off enemies out of range of your Flamethrower. However, your constant reload leaves you more vulnerable to opponents than if you had your Shotgun.
  • Particularly, the Flare Gun leaves you almost helpless against enemy Pyros, as they cannot be lit on fire and they can outdamage you at range with a Shotgun. However, skilled Pyros can still perform a critical hit on enemy Pyros if they have the Degreaser equipped by leading with flames and firing the flare such that both hit the enemy Pyro at the same time.

• Flares from this weapon have several attributes:
  • Flares will start to arc after traveling a fair distance, approximately the length of 2Fort's bridge. Be sure to compensate at long distances.
  • Flares do not have falloff damage, meaning that they do the same base amount of damage at all ranges (30 damage). The projectile is hard to dodge at medium ranges, and enemies may run into it by mistake.

• This weapon can kill any fragile class in two hits, one from an initial igniting flare and afterburn damage, and one from a critical hit. Don't underestimate the power of this weapon; aiming correctly can eliminate opponents rather easily.
  • A Soldier takes two critical flares to go down. Keep your distance and reflect his rockets using your compression blast in order to get more opportunities to set him on fire. If a Soldier is constantly rocket jumping, you can wait until he lands, or predict his travel arc and ignite him as he flies.
  • A Heavy can survive two critical hits from your Flare Gun, but take advantage of his slow movement speed to constantly pepper him with flares. If you are unable to ambush one because they've seen you, try hitting them with repeated Flare Gun shots while popping out from behind cover to take them down.
  • Constantly healed enemies will be difficult to hit with critical flares, as healing lowers your afterburn's duration. In some cases it may require you to set them on fire with your Flamethrower before airblasting them and netting a critical hit. This reduces the chance of your afterburn simply being healed off.

• One general use for the Flare Gun is for dispatching fleeing enemies at long range. Often, if a low or medium health class, such as a Scout, Medic, or Demoman, is ignited, they will turn around and retreat for health, leaving their backs wide open for a critical flare.
  • Even if they continue fighting, you can still have the upper hand since they will be eligible for critical flares.

• The Flare Gun can also be your best tool for dispatching Engineers hiding behind their buildings from outside of the range of the Engineer's Sentry Gun. A critical flare will instantly eliminate him, and you or your teammates can take out his Sentry Gun straight after.
  • Note that you will have a very short window to do so if he's being healed by a Dispenser. If so, it may be better to wait for teammates.

• Flares can be a huge issue for Snipers. If an enemy Sniper is giving you trouble, fire in his direction when he stands still to scope. Once ignited, his scope will constantly shake, and a following flare will kill any Sniper inattentive enough not to run.
  • Enemy Snipers can get rid of afterburn using Jarate and will be difficult to take down if being constantly healed, so take note of these situations.
  • Also, if an enemy Sniper has the Cozy Camper equipped and ignores your shot, simply shoot him again to outright kill him.

• The Flare Gun can used as an ambush and counterattack weapon. When fighting lone enemies, hit them with a flare and then feign a retreat around a corner. If the enemy takes the bait, follow up with any of your weapons for a nasty surprise.

• If an enemy is too close, light them on fire with your Flamethrower, compression blast them into the air and then finish them off with a flare while they're disoriented.
  • If you plan to do this often, equip the Degreaser to speed up the process. You should be able to take out enemies without them being able to react. Additionally, if you manage to hit an opponent after igniting them with the Degreaser. the Flare Gun will replace the Degreaser's weaker afterburn with normal afterburn (along with granting a critical hit).
  • Even though you cannot do this combo with the Phlogistinator (since it lacks an airblast), the critical hits on burning targets will help immensely for building "Mmmph".

Detonator

Weapon	Kill Icon	Ammo		Damage
		Loaded	Carried	Base Damage	Afterburn	Flare Detonation	Flare Explosion	Self-Damage	Critical	Projectile Speed
Craft Detonator		1	16	23	60 over 10 seconds	11-25	33-38	33-38	69	1450 Hammer units/sec

The Detonator is a craftable secondary weapon for the Pyro. While it functions like the Flare Gun, alternate fire will detonate any flares in mid-flight, causing a small explosion that ignites any enemies within its radius. Flares that impact on a surface can harm the Pyro, but allows players to Detonator jump a slight distance into the air. However, the Detonator deals 25% less damage to enemies, and only mini-crits burning players (both from the flare and explosion). The player additionally takes 50% more self-damage from this weapon, making Detonator jumps damaging in the long run.

• Out of all the Pyro's Flare Guns, the Detonator offers the most versatility, sacrificing the pure damage of the Flare Gun in exchange for more leeway while aiming. While the Scorch Shot offers an even larger margin for error, the Detonator can also be relied on for its Detonator jumps, granting the player an extra edge in mobility.

• The ability to detonate projectiles makes it more likely to hit an opponent compared to relying on direct hits, especially for hitting airborne targets. This makes it easier to hit and heckle fast foes such as Scouts and can discourage them from attempting to chase you or engage you in combat.
  • Like the Demoman and Soldier's explosive weapons, the blast radius from the Detonator's alt-fire can be used to hit targets around corners. This can be useful when retreating to ignite any enemies pursuing you, holding off advances at choke points, and flushing out foes using cover to hide from you.

• Though the mini-crits of the Detonator aren't as powerful as the Flare Gun's full crits, they are still potent enough to kill a weakened class, particularly as a follow up to an attack by one of your primaries. Keep a close eye on any retreating opponents; a well-placed detonation could finish them off with afterburn before they can reach a source of health.
  • Remember than the Detonator lacks the damage that the Flare Gun and Shotgun excel at. If you need to take down enemies as soon as you can instead of over time, you'll be better off using either.

• Detonated flares can be used to destroy enemy Stickybombs, useful if you need to clear them off an objective or around a corner. Take note that the flare itself cannot do so, so time your detonations before your flare hits a wall.

• The Detonator is very useful in open areas, as it is more reliable at dealing consistent damage at mid distance than the Shotgun or the other Flare Guns.
  • This also makes it more effective for long-range Spy-checking than the Flare Gun, since you can detonate flares to cover a wider area.

• The Detonator excels in large drawn-out mid-range battles where you can't rely on ambushes. It is also a good team-oriented weapon, since enemies softened by afterburn will be easier for your teammates to take out.
  • Aim for clusters of enemies for maximum effect, and keep landing a constant stream of exploding flares to reset the burn timer, increasing your chance of an afterburn kill.
  • This works particularly well should the opposing team be lacking a Medic or another way of extinguishing your flames. Done successfully, you can effectively stall an attack by forcing numerous opponents to seek out health.

• The self-damaging explosion of the Detonator permits the Pyro to perform a Detonator jump, a maneuver similar to a small rocket jump. The distance granted is lacking compared to explosive jumping (roughly the height of a shipping container), but it allows you to jump over obstacles, hide on certain ledges, and take routes and shortcuts that are otherwise unavailable.
  • Detonator jumps can promote a very ambush-heavy style of gameplay, letting you attack from angles that enemies don't usually expect a Pyro to be, such as jumping straight onto Sniper balconies. This is very beneficial on maps with platforms that are normally too high to reach with standard jumping (i.e 2Fort, Thunder Mountain's RED spawn).

• Take note that Detonator jumping costs quite a bit of health. Make sure to pick up health packs so you can survive any encounters after you flare jump. Detonated flares will also damage you, although this is weaker and does not allow you to Detonator jump.
  • The self-damage can be exploited to help a Medic build his ÜberCharge more quickly.

• Since Detonator jumps can take up a huge part of your fighting style, pair it up with certain weapons for maximum efficiency.
  • The Backburner already encourages ambushing with its 100% crits from behind. Pairing it up with Detonator jumps lets you get behind opponents more efficiently, potentially granting you several easy kills.
  • Similarly, you can easily gain "Mmmph" for the Phlogistinator by Detonator jumping into enemy territory. If that is not possible, you can use detonated flares to ignite multiple opponents for charge while staying back.
• Pairing the Detonator with the Back Scratcher lets you maximize the healing gained from any health kits you will certainly rely on, especially if you are planning to be fighting behind enemy lines. Even a small health kit will heal most of the damage from two consecutive Detonator jumps.

Reserve Shooter

Weapon	Kill Icon	Ammo		Damage
		Loaded	Carried	Point Blank	Medium Range	Long Range	Critical
Craft Reserve Shooter		4	32	86-90	24-67	3-26	180

The Reserve Shooter is a craftable secondary weapon for the Pyro. It deals mini-crits to any opponent sent airborne by knockback, such as from the thermal thruster, explosions, and the Grappling Hook. It also speeds up weapon draw and holster speed by 20% and 15%, respectively. However, the Reserve Shooter has a 34% smaller clip size, allowing only four shots.

• Note that the mini-crits apply to any enemy sent flying due to knockback, not enemies launched in the air by your compression blast. It is possible to juggle enemy Soldiers and Demomen by reflecting their explosives at their feet, before finishing them off with the Reserve Shooter.
  • However, this weapon does not do mini-crits to enemies doing a standard jump. Scouts, in particular, will not be eligible for mini-crits during their double jump.

• Because mini-crits ignore damage falloff, this weapon is slightly more adept at long range than the Shotgun. Although more situational and less effective than the Flare Gun, you can shoot explosive-jumping Soldiers or Demomen, and enemies juggled by your teammates for some damage.

• The Reserve Shooter only has four shells, making it less effective for self-protection and prolonged combat. However, a point-blank mini-crit shot is very powerful, allowing you to eliminate opponents very quickly.
  • Try to aim for the center of the target as much as possible to reduce risk of missing and wasting ammo. You don't want to be caught reloading, since it leaves you wide open.

• Since the Reserve Shooter grants decreased switch speed, you can pair it with the Degreaser to switch weapons extremely quickly. Pair the duo with the Axtinguisher to mitigate the weapon's sluggish switch-to speed.

Manmelter

Weapon	Kill Icon	Ammo		Damage
		Loaded	Carried	Base Damage	Afterburn	Critical	Projectile Speed
Craft Manmelter		4	∞	30	60 over 10 seconds	90	3000 Hammer units/sec

• The Manmelter is a craftable secondary weapon for the Pyro. It is a Flare Gun which carries unlimited reserve ammunition, and fires flares that are 50% faster than those from other Flare Guns. Additionally, it has the ability to extinguish burning teammates using alternate fire, which grants a stored critical hit similar to the Frontier Justice and Diamondback. Up to 35 crits can be stored in this way, which are lost upon death. As a drawback, the Manmelter cannot deal critical hits in any other way.
  • Extinguishing a teammates also grants 20 health in a similar manner to compression blasting. However, the Manmelter's alternate fire can only extinguish, and cannot reflect projectiles.

• The Manmelter is more often a tool than a weapon; it's alternate fire does not have a cooldown and uses no ammunition, making it a cheaper option to extinguish teammates, and the crits you gain from doing so can be very powerful burst-damage options. However, without any burning teammates around, the Manmelter's inability to deal extra damage on burning targets makes it lack in power when compared to the other Flare Guns.

• Note that the alternate fire's vortex can only extinguish one teammate at a time, compared to the compression blast which can extinguish any teammates in front of your weapon. If extinguishing multiple teammates, it will take some time.

• The Manmelter's extremely fast projectile makes a negligible difference at close/mid range, but it will hit first at long range when compared to your other Flare Guns. This makes it hit distant opponents more consistently.

• Since the Manmelter's crits are guaranteed, it is a reliable finishing weapon even against Pyros; they may be immune to afterburn, but not to the damage from your flares.
  • Players often flee when hit by a regular Flare Gun, which can make landing a critical hit with a second shot difficult. With a stored crit, you will do a total of 130 damage (afterburn included), which can kill any fragile class that can't reach sources of health in time. This can help you combat Snipers or Scouts, who will often retreat after being ignited.

• Remember to avoid wasting stored crits enemies immune to critical hits, such as a group being buffed by the Battalion's Backup, or on a Vaccinator Medic or his patient if the weapon is set to fire-resistance.

• Whilst it makes sense to take a Shotgun when against other Pyros, remember the Manmelter's power increases with the number of enemy Pyros. It's somewhat situational, but should it be used in against the right enemy composition, the Manmelter can practically harvest guaranteed crits off of burning allies.
  • Even just one enemy Pyro can still set multiple allies on fire. It's very possible to provide support by constantly extinguishing them as they are being burned, harvesting a good handful of crits in the process, while they focus on killing the attacking Pyro.

• Since the Manmelter provides a free extinguishing ability, it pairs excellently with the Backburner or Phlogistinator. With help from this weapon, the Backburner's expensive airblast can be saved for more important times, while the Phlogistinator will be granted an alternate extinguishing capability that the weapon itself lacks.
  • The Manmelter's increased projectile speed also pairs well with the Phlogistinator, as it is much easier to keep your distance while charging your "Mmmph" gauge.

Scorch Shot

Weapon	Kill Icon	Ammo		Damage
		Loaded	Carried	Base Damage	Afterburn	Critical	Projectile Speed
Craft Scorch Shot		1	16	15	60	45	1450 Hammer units/sec

The Scorch Shot is a craftable secondary weapon for the Pyro. It fires special flares that explode upon contact of a surface, regardless of whether it hits a player, the ground, or other objects. Initial direct hits on an enemy or teammate will cause the flare to bounce before it drifts to the ground and explodes; the flare itself and its explosion will set opponents on fire. The world explosion can be used to flare jump, which grants comparatively lower height but lower self-damage compared to the Detonator. Additionally, any enemy hit directly by a flare will be sent backwards by knockback, while the flare will mini-crit (direct hits and explosion alike) and deal increased knockback against burning targets. As a downside, the Scorch Shot deals 35% less damage, and grants 35% less self-knockback, making flare jumps less effective.

• The Scorch Shot was designed to grant the player an easy method of igniting enemies.. While its flares cannot be manually detonated like the Detonator, its lasting, exploding flares can easily set groups of enemies alight without needing careful aim.

• While it comes with a damage penalty, this weapon excels at keeping opponents on fire rather than dealing direct damage. This makes it useful for constantly pestering and softening opponents, especially if they lack a Medic or source of healing.
  • That being said, this weapon cannot deal immense damage with a "Puff and Sting" tactic (igniting an enemy before airblasting them and firing your secondary weapon). This makes you disadvantaged if you need to eliminate an enemy immediately.

• An enemy Pyro wielding something other than the Scorch Shot will have an advantage over you due to the Scorch Shot's minimal damage. However, you can use the flare's knockback to push the Pyro away as you retreat.

• The knockback of this weapon makes it useful for support, as you can knock opponents that are out of reach of your compression blast. Note that the angle in which the flare hits does not affect the direction an enemy is sent flying: they will always be sent backwards, even if you pelt them from above or below.
  • With your flares, push enemies away from an important area or knock them into a hazard. Such an example can be seen on Doomsday, where your flare is capable of knocking the Australium carrier off, potentially lighting any nearby enemies as well.

• The Scorch Shot's explosive radius makes it great for attacking bunched-up opponents. Additionally, the projectile fired by the Scorch Shot falls on the ground after hitting an enemy and can ignite targets a second time once it hits the ground, so it is ideal to use in corridors leading from the enemy spawn or in narrow areas where enemies are constantly advancing.
  • These advantages also make the Scorch Shot a potent Sniper deterrent. Fire at Sniper-heavy areas to keep enemy Snipers distracted and constantly searching for health, thus removing them from the battle entirely.

• The explosion from the flares can also destroy Stickybombs, making this an ideal weapon for clearing traps and defending Engineer buildings. It is arguably more effective at doing so than the Detonator, as it can be very difficult to manually detonate flares near a wall.

• Keep in mind that burning targets will be eligible for mini-crits and will be knocked further. As the Scorch Shot tends to set enemies on fire easily, opportunities to finish opponents with mini-crits or push them back a distance will show themselves often.

• Since direct hits send enemies flying, the Scorch Shot is ineffective for close-range combos utilizing your airblast. You can work around this by using the knockback to pin someone in a corner while you pull out your Axtinguisher.

• The Scorch Shot's explosion can be used to perform a shorter, less damaging flare jump. This can be useful to access low ledges with a smaller self-damage penalty, and can potentially save you from a near-fatal blow if timed right. To help visualize the jump height, a Pyro can scorch jump slightly higher than a Double Jump from the Scout.
  • Outside of flare jumps, shooting at one's feet with the Scorch Shot can cause all enemies surrounding you to be lit on fire. This is good for tight situations where you're low on ammo on your primary and want to get as much damage done as possible.

• If using the Phlogistinator or Backburner, the Scorch Shot can be used just like an airblast to knock opponents away as you retreat. However, you will still be disadvantaged at extinguishing teammates; if that is priority, consider equipping the Manmelter.

Panic Attack

Weapon	Kill Icon	Ammo		Damage
		Loaded	Carried	Point Blank	Medium Range	Long Range	Critical
Craft Panic Attack		0	32	86-90 (Health-depending)	24-67 (Health-depending)	3-26 (Health-depending)	180 [6 damage × 10 pellets] (Health-depending)

The Panic Attack is a craftable secondary weapon for the Pyro. It is a Shotgun that has a 50% faster switch and reload speed, 30% faster firing speed, along with a fire rate and bullet spread as that increases as health decreases. Upon pressing and holding down primary fire, the player will begin loading shells into the magazine port, and will continue to do so as long as primary fire is held down. Upon releasing, the player will fire all shots one-by-one. Up to four shells can be loaded and fired in this fashion.

• The Panic Attack is a high risk and reward weapon, which encourages you to use it when your health is low. As a Pyro, your Flamethrower already excels at close-range encounters, so you may opt to use it as a powerful last resort against opponents that are too far away for you to engage with your Flamethrower.
  • Compared to the Shotgun, the Panic Attack has a wide window of vulnerability when you are loading up shots. As such, it is a less reliable weapon for self-protection, since you cannot use it immediately. Optimally, you should switch to the Panic Attack and begin loading before you see any threats.

• You can bait an enemy around a corner once you are injured. Load up the Panic Attack and blast your enemy in the face should he turn the corner to finish you off.

• The pre-load requisite makes the Panic Attack ineffective for "Puff and Sting" tactics, as enemies would already have landed before you can load up four shots. At most, you will be able to catch unaware targets with it.

• Use the Panic Attack alongside other teammates. This will reduce the chances of you being singled out and killed before you can take advantage of the faster firing speed.

Melee weapons

Fire Axe + reskins

Weapon	Kill Icon	Attack Interval	Damage
			Point Blank	Critical
Stock Fire Axe		0.8 seconds	65	195
Promotional Saxxy
Craft Conscientious Objector
Promotional Frying Pan
Craft Lollichop
Craft Freedom Staff
Drop Bat Outta Hell
Drop Ham Shank
Achievement Necro Smasher
Uncrate Crossing Guard

• When used, the Fire Axe's effect is much more likely to be passed off as a stray bullet from outside the target's field of view than being attacked by the Flamethrower is. To this end, it can be used to knock down a target's health before attacking with the Flamethrower.

• While not as effective as the Axtinguisher with the "Puff and Sting", the Fire Axe can still deal significant damage to enemies if they are pinned to a wall or corner, and random critical hits have the same effect. This can be effective on enemy Pyros, since the Axtinguisher deals little damage to enemies not on fire.

• Considering that you're already at melee range with your Flamethrower, the Fire Axe is somewhat redundant, as the Flamethrower can deal far greater damage in a shorter amount of time. Thus, it's a good idea to use the Fire Axe to conserve Flamethrower ammo, or opt to use a different melee weapon. The additional benefits supplied by other melee weapons can be more useful to you than the neutrality of the Fire Axe.

Axtinguisher + reskins

Weapon	Kill Icon	Attack Interval	Damage
			On Burning Enemies	On Non-Burning Enemies and Buildings	Critical
Unlock Axtinguisher		1 second	44	11	131
Uncrate Festive Axtinguisher
Advanced+ Mann Up Reward Australium Axtinguisher
Craft Postal Pummeler

The Axtinguisher is an unlockable melee weapon for the Pyro. It deals guaranteed critical hits on any enemies that are on fire. However, this comes with several downsides: the Axtinguisher has a 75% increased draw speed, 20% slower swing speed, deals 33% less damage, and cannot roll for random critical hits.

• The Axtinguisher is an immensely powerful weapon, but its downsides make it considerably difficult to land a hit on an opponent. Your target will almost be guaranteed to be on fire since your primary weapons set enemies alight, but the Axtinguisher's massively sluggish draw speed and slow swing speed will give your opponents ample time to react, and makes it likely for you to miss swings.

• It is ineffective to run straight towards burning enemies expecting to get a hit. Ambushing or using "Puff and Sting" tactics will help you get opponents in the perfect position while you draw your Axtinguisher.
  • "Puff and Sting" tactics work very well with this weapon. Blasting targets into a corner or into a wall will restrict their movements, disorient them, make it harder for them to counterattack, and line them up for a perfect chance to land the killing blow as the enemy is coming down.
  • Drop down from above or take alternate routes whenever possible. This maximizes the amount of time you have before your opponent can react.

• If your target is burning, it takes one hit to kill a non-overhealed Scout, Engineer, Sniper, and Spy, while a Medic and Demoman will die in two hits (or a few seconds later if afterburn is accounted for).
  • Soldiers (and Demomen equipped with Ali Baba's Wee Booties or the Bootlegger) require two hits to take down effectively, while a Heavy needs three. Be careful when going up against these classes, as you may not be able to swing that many times before you get noticed.
  • If used to ambush bigger classes, the Flare Gun may give you a better chance of successfully landing an Axtinguisher hit, as it sets them on fire from a longer distance and thus gives you more time to switch to the Axtinguisher while closing the distance, as well as increasing the burn duration.

• The Degreaser is a natural pair with the Axtinguisher, as it allows the player to draw the Axtinguisher in around the same time as a regular weapon switch. This makes it all the more potent for close range combat, as enemies will have very little time to react.
  • This combo is very useful for ambushing classes with high health, such as Heavies, Soldiers, and Demomen. While these classes can react easily should you be using another Flamethrower, they will only have a second to react to a Degreaser-Axtinguisher combo, and can be taken down relatively quickly.
  • Additionally, the Reserve Shooter's decreased switch speed stacks with the Degreaser, allowing you to draw the Axtinguisher even faster. Use this for an excellent 'Puff And Sting' method.

• Working with a Medic can help you net critical hits more easily. The constant healing will make you more durable even if you attempt an Axtinguish head-on.

• If using the Axtinguisher and Degreaser combo, you can exploit the physics of flames to your advantage by firing flames while dropping from above, then using the improved weapon switch speed to ready the Axtinguisher just before reaching your target. Because flames travel at a fixed speed, it is possible to fall faster than your fire travels, letting you reach an enemy at the same time as your flames do, and thus net a critical hit. Notably, this is one of the few ways to kill an enemy Pyro with a critical hit from the Axtinguisher without the help of another allied Pyro.

Homewrecker + reskins

Weapon	Kill Icon	Attack Interval	Damage
			On Enemies	On Buildings	Critical
Craft Homewrecker		0.8 seconds	42-55	130	147
Promotional/Craft Maul

The Homewrecker is a craftable melee weapon for the Pyro. It does double damage against Engineer Buildings and has the ability to destroy Sappers placed by enemy Spies in one hit, but inflicts 25% less damage against non-building targets.

• The Homewrecker does less damage against players than the stock Fire Axe. As such, the Homewrecker is not a good choice for those who often engage in melee combat. However, the Homewrecker's positive attributes more than make up for its lower damage rate against enemies, giving you a more effective support role than an offensive one.
  • Random critical hits still deal 147 damage, enough to take out any fragile class.

• The Homewrecker can readily two-shot any building at full health in 1.6 seconds, or 0.8 seconds after the first swing, which is marginally less time than the Flamethrower in certain circumstances. Notably, you can destroy Combat Mini-Sentry Guns in a single hit.
  • However, considering that you're already at melee range as a Pyro in any case with your Flamethrower, it may be more efficient to simply burn the building and any enemies near it. Depending on the situation, the extra damage against buildings may be harder to take advantage of.

• Do not approach a Sentry Gun while it is active. If possible, hit a Sentry while the Engineer is building it to weaken the enemy's defenses, or work alongside a friendly Übercharge to get close to one.
• One of the best times to use the Homewrecker is on Wrangled Sentry Guns once the Engineer controlling it is dead, as you stand a good chance of destroying the Sentry Gun before it can re-activate.

• With the Homewrecker equipped, you are a best friend to any Engineer. Your Flamethrower's flames will keep out Spies, while your Compression Blast will toss away rockets, grenades, Stickybombs, and ÜberCharged players. The Homewrecker also allows you to remove Sappers, which can save the work of an Engineer while he's away.
  • Even if you are not actively playing as the Pyro, you can prepare the Homewrecker in your loadout and switch to it once you see a Sapper being placed. This will happen most often with Teleporters, as it takes very long to get a Teleporter system up; spare a few seconds to switch classes in order to save one from going down.

• Like most Strange weapons, the Homewrecker counts player kills. If you want to keep track of any buildings you've destroyed, or Sappers removed, you'll need to add the relevant Strange Part.

Powerjack

Weapon	Kill Icon	Attack Interval	Damage		Healing
			Point Blank	Critical	From Kill
Craft Powerjack		0.8 seconds	65	195	25

The Powerjack is a craftable melee weapon for the Pyro. It grants the user 15% faster movement speed while active, and killing an enemy with this weapon restores 25 HP, which grants Overheal should the player be at maximum health. However, the user will take 20% more damage from all sources while the Powerjack is held.

• Compared to your other melee weapons, the Powerjack grants the most utility. Its speed boost lets you get in and out of battles faster than normal, and the health on kill, though minor, can be enough reason to use it for melee combat. Since you take more damage while it is out, it is inadvised to walk around with this weapon; instead, use it whenever you are safe to maximize its efficiency.

• Due to the damage vulnerability, it's recommended to only use this weapon in ambushes where the enemy will not have enough time to counter. In direct combat, most kills will be gained with the "Puff and Sting" tactic, where you ignite then airblast an unaware opponent into a corner or otherwise restrictive space before finishing off with melee hits.
  • Considering you already excel at melee combat, the extra damage you take can be negligible so long as you time your weapon switches well.

• Unless fully overhealed, it can be useful to attempt getting a Powerjack kill as often as you can, due to its health on kill. However, don't start fights you can't finish.
  • If facing an enemy you are sure you can defeat, such as an idle Sniper or a lone Spy, be opportunistic and whack away at them. It is better to gain 25 health from a Powerjack kill than to burn him down with a Flamethrower and gain no benefits.

• Whittling down the foe's health using a Flamethrower or a secondary, then ending off with a Powerjack hit is a good way to kill enemies without having them retaliate with an attack of their own. This is a better strategy compared to rushing in with the Powerjack, as attentive opponents can simply strafe out of the way and hit you while your have increased damage vulnerability.

• The faster move speed allows you to get to the fight faster and ambush enemies quicker; you'll often get to the front lines right after the Scout. The speed is also useful as a means of escape, especially since you'll be fighting at melee range often and will often be at low health.
  • If using the Powerjack to retreat, only do so if you know you can reach a health source with friendlies providing cover fire, as the 20% extra damage vulnerability will make you easy to kill, especially at low health.

• The Powerjack's versatility can be useful with several weapons.
  • The Backburner works well with the Powerjack, as you can run to flank locations faster, thus making ambushes easier to pull off.
  • The Phlogistinator works in the same way, letting you get to battles quickly to gain "Mmmph" before retreating faster than usual.
  • The Detonator amplifies your mobility with its flare jumps, and you can use the Powerjack whenever you aren't jumping to maximize your movement speed.
  • The Degreaser's decreased switch speed lets you deal "Puff and Stings" much faster, and significantly lowers the odds of you getting hit while you have the Powerjack out. This makes weapon heckling and gaining a Powerjack kill much easier.

Back Scratcher

Weapon	Kill Icon	Attack Interval	Damage		Healing
			Point Blank	Critical	From Small Health Packs	From Medium Health Packs	From Mediguns	From Dispensers	From Payload Carts
Craft Back Scratcher		0.8 seconds	81	244	54	132	6-18/sec	2.5-5/sec	2.5/sec

The Back Scratcher is a craftable melee weapon for the Pyro. It does 25% more base damage than the Fire Axe, and passively raises healing gained from health packs by 50%. However, it reduces the player's healing rate from Medics, Dispensers, and the Payload cart by 75%.

• The Back Scratcher is ideal for Pyro players who prefer a "Roamer" playstyle; the added healing from health packs makes surviving while behind enemy lines considerably easier. Conversely, the Back Scratcher is generally less effective if you tend to depend on friendly healing sources, as it will take a considerably long time to regain your health.
  • For this reason, do not use this weapon if you're on offense on a Payload map, and constantly pushing the cart. Healing from the cart will be diminished, which prevents you from actively gaining health while pushing.

• Try not to ask for healing from Medics if you have this weapon equipped, as it will force Medics to heal you for a much longer time. This can be a huge issue if there are many injured teammates around, as you will distract the Medic from patients who need the most help.
  • For the same reason, avoid being a pocket for a Medic, as the decreased healing rate makes it ineffective for tanking damage.
    • However, if you're in a safe spot, you can help a Medic build up his ÜberCharge quickly. As Medi Guns build more ÜberCharge while healing injured targets, your decreased healing will keep the Medi Gun building at the maximum charge rate for a very long time.

• Compared to your other weapons, the Back Scratcher doesn't deal incredibly high damage like the Axtinguisher, and does not grant increased movement speed and health on kill like the Powerjack. However, it has no draw time penalty like the former, and its increased damage and no damage vulnerability makes it more effective for melee combat than the latter, making it as viable for melee combat as either weapon.
  • As always, "Puff and Sting" tactics will help you get a Back Scratcher kill. Compression blast an opponent into the air before swinging; the higher damage means less swings for a kill.

• Critical hits from this weapon deal 244 damage, making the Back Scratcher one of the few melee weapons that can one-shot a Soldier at full health. As such, do not underestimate the power of the Back Scratcher, especially with random crits enabled.

• The Back Scratcher is an ideal weapon against enemy Pyros. If you consistently land hits, you will be able to out-damage any of his weapons, with the exception of the Backburner from behind.
  • Pyros equipped with any Flare Gun variant or the Axtinguisher will be especially disadvantaged, as these weapons require an opponent to be on fire for high damage, and you can't be lit on fire.

• The Back Scratcher is a great weapon for Medieval Mode. Since all enemies drop health packs and only melee weapons are allowed, the damage bonus and increased healing from packs can make you a force to be reckoned with.
  • A coordinated Back Scratcher Pyro and Candy Cane Scout can make for strong allies, both in and out of Medieval Mode. The Pyro can engage enemies, distracting them while the Scout comes in to finish them off, awarding a boosted health kit for the Pyro to use.

• The Back Scratcher pairs well with the Detonator and the Scorch Shot, as both cause self-damage through flare jumping. The added healing from the Back Scratcher allows you more attempts to reach ledges with health kits only easily accessible to Scouts, Demomen, and Soldiers with the reward of a large healing boost.

• Since the Back Scratcher promotes roaming, both the Backburner and Phlogistinator have synergy with this weapon. Both weapons work very well when working behind enemy lines, and the boosted health kits will help you with your playstyle.

Sharpened Volcano Fragment

Weapon	Kill Icon	Attack Interval	Damage
			Point Blank	Afterburn	Critical
Promotional/Craft Sharpened Volcano Fragment		0.8 seconds	52	60 over 10 seconds	156

The Sharpened Volcano Fragment is a promotional and craftable melee weapon for the Pyro. It ignites enemies on hit, but deals 20% less base damage than the Fire Axe.

• The Sharpened Volcano Fragment can be used to ignite enemies in situations where using the Flamethrower would alert the enemy to a nearby Pyro. However, its reduced damage reduces its utility in other situations where killing the enemy has higher priority than stealth.

• Because the Sharpened Volcano Fragment deals heavy damage and has standard afterburn duration and damage, it's much better suited for hit-and-run tactics, rather than attacking enemies head-on.
  • However, considering that your primary weapon already sets opponents on fire, has a longer range, and can kill most classes quickly with focused fire, the Sharpened Volcano Fragment's advantages may be negligible in most situations. Furthermore, your other melee weapons generally have more utility over the Sharpened Volcano Fragment (such as the Axtinguisher's extreme damage, Powerjack's overall versatility, and Homewrecker's ability to remove Sappers), which may be more tempting to have than afterburn-on-hit.

• Despite its lower base damage, a critical hit with the Sharpened Volcano Fragment can be extremely lethal on classes that are not overhealed. Counting afterburn, a critical hit can deal enough damage to kill every non-overhealed class except for the Heavy, and overhealed Scouts, Snipers, Spies, and Engineers.

• As the Sharpened Volcano Fragment sets opponents on fire with no ammo cost, it can be useful for Spychecking teammates when conserving ammunition is a priority. This is especially true with the Backburner or Phlogistinator, weapons that burn through ammunition quickly due to their reliance on primary fire or an expensive airblast cost.

• Be careful against enemy Pyros; since they cannot be set on fire, the Sharpened Volcano Fragment's lower base damage will make you disadvantaged against them should both of you fight in melee combat, unless the enemy Pyro is equipped with the Axtinguisher.

• In Medieval Mode, the Sharpened Volcano Fragment is one of only two weapons capable of igniting enemies. This can provide a useful tactical advantage for teammates, both doing damage over time and "marking" targets for a Scout with the Sun-on-a-Stick or fellow Pyro wielding the Axtinguisher.

• The Sharpened Volcano Fragment can work well with several weapons.
  • Use the Fragment to negate the afterburn penalty of the Degreaser. As the most recent afterburn takes priority, simply hit an opponent with the Fragment after you set them on fire with the Degreaser to keep the Fragment's more damaging afterburn on them.
  • At close range, a hit from the Sharpened Volcano Fragment deals more damage than a puff of flame, allowing you to do more burst damage with a Flare Gun combo than if you switched from the Flamethrower.

Third Degree

Weapon	Kill Icon	Attack Interval	Damage
			Point Blank	Critical
Craft Third Degree		0.8 seconds	65	195

The Third Degree is a craftable melee weapon for the Pyro. It deals standard Fire Axe damage, but will transfer all damage done to all targets being healed by a Medic beam or the Medicating Melody.

• Compared to the Fire Axe, the Third Degree has no downsides. As such, it is recommended to use the Third Degree if the player has it.
  • However, the Third Degree is situational compared to your other melee weapons. Do you know if the opposing team has Medics? If they don't, stick with a different weapon, as the Third Degree is simply a Fire Axe if so.

• If more than one Medic is healing a single target or Medics are forming a "chain", hitting just one player will damage them all.
  • The same applies for an enemy Medic's Medicating Melody; hitting the Medic will damage all enemies in the healing radius, which can prove immensely useful.

• Although situational, critical hits transfer to all targets too, letting you deal immense burst damage to multiple healed targets at once. While this may be able to kill a Medic and his injured pocket, any Medics being overhealed (such as being healed by other accompanying Medics) will only be left at severely low health since they can be overhealed to 225 health. If possible, swing twice.

• The Third Degree is a useful tool for ambushing strong 'pocket' duos. Timed suicide attacks on an unaware pocketed class may succeed in taking down their Medic.
  • However, since your Flamethrower already does high damage at close range, it may be worthwhile to simply burn a pocket duo to the ground due to how distracting flames can be. The Third Degree shines when you can take down an injured Medic and his patient together, so look out for opportunities.

• Depending on the situation, the Axtinguisher can do a quicker and more reliable job at Medic pair killing compared to the Third Degree, but has its own downsides. While you can take down a Medic or his pocket quickly by puffing him on fire before netting a guaranteed critical hit, the Axtinguisher's slower draw speed leaves you more open. Weigh your options and choose the most reliable weapon.

Neon Annihilator

Weapon	Kill Icon	Attack Interval	Damage
			Point Blank	Critical
Promotional/Craft Neon Annihilator		0.8 seconds	52	156

The Neon Annihilator is a promotional melee weapon for the Pyro. It deals guaranteed critical hits on wet opponents (one covered in water, Jarate, or Mad Milk), and any player for 5 seconds after they have been in contact with water. It can also remove Sappers from friendly buildings in two hits. As a drawback, this weapon deals 20% less damage against players and does not roll for random critical hits.

• The weapon may seem to contrast with the Pyro's fire-based abilities, but it does give some powerful utility in maps with a lot of water. Because your primary weapons and flare guns do not work underwater, the Neon Annihilator allows the Pyro to be effective where he would otherwise be at a large disadvantage.
  • The effectiveness of this weapon depends almost entirely on the terrain; on maps with little or no water, you will be much better off using a different melee weapon. You may also find opportunities to net a critical hit if your team has a Scout using Mad Milk or a Sniper using Jarate, but this shows itself less often than setting opponents on fire for a critical hit from the Axtinguisher, for example.

• Burning enemies will likely rush to the nearest source of water to extinguish themselves. This allows you to chase them down and finish them off with a critical hit. You can also use the compression blast to force them into water, and the Annihilator should do the rest; two critical hits will kill any class except a fully overhealed Heavy.

• Pairing with a Scout using Mad Milk can be a very effective combination; you can deal critical hits on drenched opponents, gaining a lot of health in the process. If the Scout also wields the Sun-on-a-Stick, he can deal full critical hits to opponents once you ignite them.

• Most waterways are low, secluded, and often tight spaces. This weapon is great for ambushing people trying to get behind friendly lines and can prove great for securing locations for Engineer nests in enemy bases.

• The Neon Annihilator can remove Sappers from friendly buildings, albeit with two hits compared to one from the Homewrecker or Maul, making it less reliable for the job. However, it can be a better option that the Homewrecker on maps with water, as it can function both as a powerful weapon and an utility to save an Engineer's buildings.

Taunt attacks

Armageddon

	Kill Icon	Weapon	Damage	Duration	Details
Armageddon		Rainblower	400/15	5 seconds	The Pyro blows a stream of bubbles as a rainbow forms over him, complete with a sparkling Balloonicorn in the center of the rainbow. The Pyro then leans over as foreboding music plays, causing the rainbow to become engulfed in flames while the Pyro laughs demonically. Players not in Pyroland see a stream of fire instead of a rainbow.

• The Pyro's Armageddon taunt possesses the largest damaging radius of any taunt kill, capable of immolating several unaware enemies in flame.

• Unlike other taunt kills, for each player caught in the taunt's radius, damage is halved. The closest will receive 400 damage, the next closest will receive 200 damage, and so on. Foes in the taunt's radius that are not immediately killed will suffer afterburn damage as normal.
  • Its damage means it will be unable to kill an overhealed Heavy, although the opportunity should not present itself often.

• Lurk around corners in populated areas in the hopes of catching large groups of players by surprise; even if you die in the attack, you will still have dealt a significant amount of damage.

• Being one of the most noticeable and longest taunts, achieving one kill requires an extreme amount of luck and skill.

Hadouken

	Kill Icon	Weapon	Damage	Duration	Details
Hadouken		Shotgun Reserve Shooter Flare Gun Detonator Manmelter Panic Attack	500	3 seconds	The Pyro winds his hands back, concentrates, then releases his inner fire energy as a Hadouken. Capable of hitting multiple enemies and can destroy buildings. If the enemy survives the attack, he will be set on fire.

• At the beginning of a round, on a level with setup time (like Gold Rush or Dustbowl), taunting with 0:01 left on the timer will cause the taunt to launch just as the gates open and may catch more inattentive players in the blast.

• The Hadouken can be effective during Stalemate and Humiliation.

• An inattentive Sniper or an idle player can be the perfect target for a surprise attack or humiliation.

• This taunt can take out multiple enemies, so it's very useful against groups of enemies, if timed well.

• A successful Hadouken hit can instantly fill the Phlogistinator's "Mmmph" meter.

• Note that the Hadouken can destroy unattended buildings. This can be useful during Humiliation, or if you want to cut down on time and ammunition. Use it to destroy Dispensers and the like - but be warned. If an enemy Engineer catches you whilst attempting to Hadouken, you will be unable to prevent him from dispatching you with his Shotgun, for instance.

Execution

	Kill Icon	Weapon	Damage	Duration	Details
Execution		Scorch Shot	400/15	3 seconds	The Pyro holds his Scorch Shot upwards, before bringing it down to aim ahead and fire. The shot uses ammo, and point blank shots do potent damage; shots beyond that range do standard damage.

• Since the taunt takes about three seconds and takes considerable accuracy and luck to catch an opponent up close, it's recommended that this taunt is saved for the end of rounds.

• When an enemy is hit from point-blank range, the shot will do 400 damage against them; however, shots beyond said range will do standard damage.
  • Like the Armageddon taunt, this will not be able to kill an overhealed Heavy, although attempting it is reckless in any case.

• Like the Showdown taunt, your shot will be aimed towards wherever your crosshair is looking at. This means despite the animation's looks, you can aim up or down and still hit an opponent, though remember that only point blank shots do full damage.

• This taunt is roughly three seconds long and completely silent before it fires, giving the option to surprise enemies rounding corners.

• Remember that the shot will damage you if the projectile hits an obstacle or enemy too close to you.

• A successful point blank shot will fill up the Phlogistinator's "Mmmph" meter completely.

• Since this taunt uses up ammo per shot, you won't be able to attempt it as often as the Hadouken taunt unless you're alright with wasting ammunition.

Weapon combinations

Example Combinations
Combo			Usage
Flame Thrower	Shotgun or Reserve Shooter	Axtinguisher or Powerjack	A good general loadout that allows the player to take on a wide range of foes and deal reliable damage. The stock Flamethrower is the most well-rounded of all your primary weapons, having both reliable compression blasts and afterburn damage. Use this versatility to outflank the enemy team and attack them by surprise on offense, while protecting teammates on defense. Your Shotgun will play several roles, from softening burning enemies who are retreating or finishing off those who come too close. Use the "Puff and Sting" tactic for such instances by airblasting and shooting airborne enemies for a damaging combo, which can be enhanced with the Reserve Shooter, although you sacrifice clip size for the ability to mini-crit targets affected by knockback. The hitscan nature of your Shotguns also gives you the upper hand against other Pyros, especially if they are equipped with a Flare Gun. Finally, choose a melee weapon that suits your playstyle; the Axtinguisher lets you eliminate unaware or high-profile enemies like overhealed Heavies quickly, while the Powerjack makes flanking easier and heals you on kill, and doesn't suffer from the sluggish draw speed of the Axtinguisher. While useful overall, you'll be ineffective at range due to the lack of a Flare Gun; Snipers in particular will be a nuisance. Additionally, take note of your loadout's disadvantages; the Reserve Shooter's smaller clip makes it less efficient for self-defense if you can't airblast enemies, while both your melee weapons make you vulnerable when using them (sluggish swing and draw speed for the Axtinguisher, and damage vulnerability while active when holding the Powerjack).
Backburner	Shotgun	Powerjack or Back Scratcher	For the patient "Roaming Pyro" that favors working alone, this loadout allows the player to slay unaware opponents while sneaking around the map and avoiding direct confrontations. The Backburner's crits from behind makes it the perfect ambushing weapon. Attack any unaware or distracted enemies; ambushing groups of enemies from behind can also produce devastating results since flames go through targets, which can single-handedly stop pushes. Use the Shotgun against enemies that are fighting from outside of the Backburner's range, or simply to cover a retreat if you are discovered behind enemy lines. Your choice of melee weapon is based on your priorities and tactics: the Powerjack makes you more vulnerable to damage, but grants 25 health on kill and increased movement speed while active, which can help you get into position quicker. Meanwhile, the Back Scratcher is a potent killing tool due to its increased damage, and helps you survive behind enemy lines since it boosts health gained from health packs, but greatly decreases survival when fighting alongside teammates, further emphasizing your role as a "roaming" ambush class. As the Backburner has a restricted compression blast, be wary of your increased vulnerability to explosives and enemies who notice you; it will be harder to retreat as you can only airblast opponents and projectiles four times before you run out of ammo. Good positioning and circle-strafing is required to use this set effectively.
Flame Thrower or Degreaser	Scorch Shot or Detonator	Homewrecker	This setup is ideal for dedicated support Pyros, rather than for players that like to take the fight to the enemy. The Flamethrower can be used to deflect projectiles, shepherd Sentry Guns, and push back ÜberCharges. Meanwhile, the Degreaser can be used in more hectic matches that have aggressive Spies as well as constant assaults from Soldiers. The Scorch Shot and Detonator allow players to easily ignite enemies at a distance, making things easier for teammates, and can be used to harass enemy Snipers, reducing the enemy's ability to support their own team. Which you use is mostly down to preference: the Scorch Shot is more reliable for ignition and harassment, but the Detonator grants you some extra mobility and deals more damage. The Homewrecker can save friendly Buildings from Sappers and quickly destroy any Mini-Sentry Guns that any enemy Engineers may try to place. Since this loadout sacrifices damage for team support, you won't be able to deal high burst damage, which is especially disadvantageous against bulky classes. Keep to supporting your team while staying close to them at all times, and switch away from this loadout if it is necessary to have more offensive power.
Degreaser	Flare Gun	Axtinguisher	This setup is for the assassin Pyro who likes to kill his enemies quickly. The Degreaser's faster switch time allows players to pull off weapon combos with ease. Notably, it essentially resets the devastating. The critical hits gained against burning targets by the Flare Gun and Axtinguisher gives you a tremendous advantage in 1-on-1 situations, and allows players to whittle down large-HP targets with relative ease. The increased switch speed is also beneficial for defense; it widens the window in which you can switch to the Degreaser to airblast projectiles, making you less vulnerable to weapon heckling. Keep in mind that you should sneak behind enemy lines and ambush enemies as they are approaching an objective; this lets you set groups on fire and take them out with crits before they notice. However, you can also lead your team into combat; most enemies can be damaged or killed swiftly with a critical blow. While powerful, this loadout is especially disadvantaged against enemy Pyros since you cannot set them on fire for critical damage with your other weapons. An enemy Pyro that keeps a moderate distance while shooting you with a Shotgun or Reserve Shooter can outdamage you in the long run, so either airblast them and retreat, or simply burn them with the Degreaser. The Degreaser also comes with its own downsides: you cannot be as reckless with airblasting due to the Degreaser's slightly increased airblast cost, while its extremely weak afterburn damage will seldom kill enemies over time. All in all, this loadout requires good aim and usage of your compression blast to defeat enemies as fast as possible, without depending on afterburn to finish the job.
Phlogistinator	Flare Gun or Detonator or Manmelter or Scorch Shot	Sharpened Volcano Fragment	This set emphasizes on using all available options to build the Phlogistinator's "Mmmph" meter. As the Phlogistinator charges with fire damage from any of the Pyro's weapons, both your Flare Guns and the Fragment will help keep your enemies on fire as much as possible: Flare Guns for long range, and the Fragment should you run out of ammo. Each Flare Gun has its own up and downs, so pick one of your preference. The Detonator is good for those unsure of their aim or who want to ignite multiple enemies at once, but only mini-crits burning targets. The Flare Gun guarantees full crits on burning targets but requires careful aim on the player's part. The Manmelter lets you to retain your ability to extinguish teammates and ensures you don't have to worry about running out of flares, but has a slow firing speed and cannot crit without extinguishing a teammate. Finally, the Scorch Shot can knock foes back and destroy Stickybombs, acting as pseudo-airblast at long ranges, while being able to ignite multiple foes with one flare. Using this set, killing 2-3 people in any way should net you a full "Mmmph" bar so you can heal, unleash the Phlogistinator's crits, and prolong your assault. As usual, the Phlogistinator's lack of an airblast makes you lose an essential supportive tool, so you won't be able to protect your team apart from spychecking with your flames. Choose your battles wisely since you can't airblast enemies or projectiles away to escape, and stay behind your team firing flares to gain "Mmmph". Once you are charged, flank the enemy or move in with your teammates before activating your crits to mow them down.
Phlogistinator	Reserve Shooter or Panic Attack or Scorch Shot	Powerjack	A "glass cannon" loadout that focuses on popping in and out of combat speedily in order to quickly gain "Mmmph" charge with kills. The Powerjack is key in this loadout, providing the speed needed to pop in and out of battle to burn opponents down with the Phlogistinator. While the Reserve Shooter's mini-crits cannot be capitalized on due to your lack of an airblast, its decreased switch speed will enhance your ability to choose which weapon to have out. If needed, the Panic Attack can be used as an effective backup weapon, since you will often find yourself at low health due to your risky playstyle. The Scorch Shot is also a good choice on objective-based maps, as allows its user to set multiple enemies on fire at once to gain "Mmmph". While much riskier than a Phlogistinator loadout focused on Flare Guns (see above example), the key point of this setup is to cover as much ground as possible and charge straight into enemies you know you can take down -- in short, similar to a Scout. Direct combat will help you gain "Mmmph" much faster than with Flare Guns alone, allowing you to constantly keep up the pressure against the enemy. However, keep in mind the Phlogistionator's lack of airblast, which is a severe disadvantage against any enemy who knows you're coming.
Flame Thrower	Shotgun or Panic Attack	Neon Annihilator or Homewrecker	An effective "Pyroshark" set-up, suited for water-heavy maps or those with submerged flanking routes, such as 2Fort and Well. The Flamethrower's overall stats allow you to control enemy movement more than the Backburner or the Phlogistinator would, which lets you decide if you want to engage any enemies who venture into your waters. Meanwhile, you will be heavily reliant on your secondary and melee weapons while underwater, so the Degreaser's upsides of switching to-and-fro from itself would not be beneficial to you. The Shotgun is your most reliable secondary that works underwater, and will be your main tool for ranged combat if you prefer to stay submerged. Alternatively, you can bring the Panic Attack instead and deliberately keep yourself injured in order to blast any unfortunate enemies with four shots once they take a swim. The Neon Annihilator is built for water and is the forefront of this loadout, as enemies will almost be guaranteed to be touching water if they want to fight you, and you can put off potential enemies from entering any watery areas just by holding the weapon out. The Homewrecker can also work if the enemy team has a pesky Engineer who is devoted to building Sentry Guns or Teleporters underwater, allowing you to take him out with ease; make sure that you enter above water level if you decide to do this, as your lowered mobility while underwater can get you killed quite easily.
Degreaser	Reserve Shooter	Axtinguisher or Neon Annihilator	This setup revolves around minimizing your weapon switching time, giving you very effective weapon heckling and offensive capabilities. The combined weapon switching speed of the Degreaser and Reserve Shooter makes switching between weapons virtually instantaneous. As the Reserve Shooter inflicts mini-crits on airborne enemies, it is possible to follow-up a successful airblast with a well-placed airshot to deal sizable amounts of damage while disorienting an enemy when an ambush is impossible. The increased weapon switching works well with the Axtinguisher/Postal Pummeler as well, as it is possible to light an enemy on fire and quickly score a devastating critical hit at close range. The Neon Annihilator pairs well the Degreaser and Reserve Shooter in maps with large bodies of water, such as 2Fort, Well, and Freight, giving you a major advantage in situations where the Pyro is generally weakened, or when an enemy is affected by Jarate or Mad Milk, allowing you to conserve ammo.
Degreaser	Detonator	Powerjack	The Gas Jockey's Gear The Gas Jockey set supports the Pyro's speed and mobility and lets you control the fights you participate in. The Pyro has the best health-to-speed ratio, and this loadout takes advantage of that speed and enhances it further to allow the Pyro to run at 115% of base speed--faster than all stock classes save the Scout. This version of the Pyro operates as a flanker or back-capper, avoiding direct confrontation with enemies, and is best suited to showing up unexpectedly via ambush from surprising angles. Use the Powerjack to speed around the map and the Detonator to flare jump to unexpected perches or routes. While you take more damage with the Powerjack active, it also grants some health upon a kill, extending survivability slightly. The Degreaser's switch speed buff reduces the odds of being caught off-guard with the damage vulnerability of the Powerjack. The Detonator does full afterburn and excels at damaging groups of enemies at long range, while the Degreaser is fast and effective at close range. Its switch speed buff allows you to risk equipping the Powerjack to finish off an enemy and gain health. Finally, when all else fails, the Powerjack aids in making a hasty escape.
Degreaser	Panic Attack	Axtinguisher or Third Degree	This highly situational loadout is a "suicide pick" setup. It is focused on taking out a priority target (usually a Medic) with no regard to survival afterwards, and seeks to unload the maximum amount of burst damage as quickly as possible while unsupported by the rest of your team. The main playstyle requirement is stealth--players have to make their way towards their target unseen to take maximum advantage of the first few shots. Ideally, the initial attack is made with the Panic Attack, then switching to the Degreaser, then finally your melee weapon as the range closes. A fully loaded Panic Attack can bring down a lone Medic without a ready Übercharge at medium-close range. The Axtinguisher still works for the Puff and Sting, though its power is diminished by its lengthy draw time in non-ambush situations. If targeting a Medic or groups of Medics, the Third Degree can damage them by attacking their healing targets as well. Escaping after launching your attack is unlikely with this high-risk setup, but the trade of a Pyro for a Medic is usually more than acceptable.
Rainblower†	Thermal Thruster	Hot Hand	This loadout may appear goofy at first glance, and there is no denying that it is; however, its oddity masks a very useful combination of abilities. As a stock reskin, the Rainblower deals continuous fire damage over a wide area for no real drawback. The Thermal Thruster is by far the Pyro's best mobility option, while the Hot Hand also provides additional speed boosts for a minor loss in hitting power. This setup encourages a Pyro to make good use of their newfound mobility to leap onto high vantage points or take odd avenues of attack, then get close to punish an enemy with either widespread flames or quick blows at close range, then retreat before enemy attention can be turned on them. However, this loadout also shares the distinct weakness of lacking any ranged option at all. All engagements will have to be at melee range or from ambush/surprise, as the lack of a secondary weapon makes this loadout very vulnerable when an opponent is aware of the Pyro's presence. Most notably, this is the only loadout in the game where every equipped weapon possesses a taunt kill. While this isn't anything to rely on, it does mean that Pyros thus equppied are never unarmed, especially in Humiliation.
Unless marked with a †, all weapons can be substituted with reskins.

Cooperative Class Strategies

 Scout

The Pyro and Scout are both excellent ambushing classes. A coordinated ambush can result in killing practically any enemy without too much effort.

• Due to the Scout's low health, your compression blast will often be a life-saver for him, whether it be saving him from afterburn or reflecting a potentially deadly rocket. This also allows higher-priority teammates to grab health packs (eg. Medics), which benefits the entire team.
  • If a Scout is constantly being ignited, you can also take advantage and use the Manmelter to gain free crits.
  • Protecting Scouts is especially true if he has the Pretty Boy's Pocket Pistol, as he takes 20% extra damage from all sources with it out.
• Your ability to airblast syncs well with the Scout's single-target playstyle. Airblasting an enemy into the air can let him get close to deal heavy damage to the confused enemy.
  • This can help a Scout aim his usually slow projectiles with relative ease as well. Pinning an enemy against a wall while the Scout launches a Sandman ball, Mad Milk, or Flying Guillotine can result in an easy elimination.
• Enemies set on fire tend to focus on the Pyro if he's close, or retreat towards nearby health packs if ignited from afar. A Scout can take advantage of these distractions to shoot enemies in the back.
  • Alternatively, that foe can be finished off quickly by a Scout with the Sun-on-a-Stick.
• If the Scout is equipped with the Force-A-Nature, the two of you can become huge distractions and push opponents around as you please at close range, especially when combined with your compression blast and long range Scorch Shot shots.
  • Likewise, a Scout and Pyro team working close together can get behind enemy lines and eliminate foes with their ambush-suitable weapons such as the Back Scatter and Backburner.
• The pair of you are capable of taking out a sentry nest all by yourselves. Have the Scout go in with a Bonk! Atomic Punch to attract the Sentry Gun's attention. As a Pyro, you can now go in and rapidly damage the Sentry Gun, potentially killing the Engineer as you do so.
  • If the Engineer decides to wrangle, you can sneak up and kill him quickly before he notices you. If you have the Homewrecker equipped, you can use that to break the sentry before it reactivates.
  • Note that this strategy will likely not work if a sentry nest has more than one Sentry Gun, or if the Engineer has backup from his team.
• As bleeding and burning damage stack with each other, you can combine the damage of your flames with the bleeding from a Scout's Boston Basher, Three-Rune Blade, Wrap Assassin, or Flying Guillotine, resulting in very powerful gradual damage.
• The Scout's Mad Milk benefits you greatly due to the Flamethrower's strong close-range damage. You will often be able to survive fighting against a small group of enemies while tanking damage with the milk's healing. This is especially useful with the Phlogistinator, letting you gain "Mmmph" quickly with less risk.
  • The Neon Annihilator will also deal guaranteed crits against milked targets, and will grant massive amounts of health on hit.
  • Every tick of afterburn will heal you should you ignite a milked target. You can use any Flare Gun variant if you are fighting alongside a Scout with Mad Milk, letting you pelt retreating opponents and getting you healed up in the process. This becomes more effective with the Detonator or Scorch Shot, as they can ignite multiple milked foes at once.
• A Scout equipped with a Candy Cane that kills an enemy will drop a health pack for you, especially beneficial if you're carrying the Back Scratcher. Likewise, their new-found weakness to explosives can be countered by airblasting explosives.
• If the Scout manages to hit your opponent with the Fan-O-War, you can easily go in with your primary to finish them off. Mini-crits from the Flamethrower will often melt an opponent quicker than they can react.

 Soldier

Paired together, Pyros and Soldiers are the most mobile-yet-bulky pairs in the entire game. While both classes have their own effective ranges, the Pyro's supportive tools and the Soldier's overall firepower makes the duo excellent for carrying out a small push.

• Whereas mid-to-long-range combat are your weaknesses, a Soldier can cover your shortcomings by firing rockets at enemies that wander outside the range of your primary.
  • Likewise, the Soldier is prone to close range self-damage and enemy Pyros who can reflect his rockets. You are able to prevent these issues by going in for any close-range fighting and by airblasting deflected rockets right back at enemies.
  • If you both hide in high, hard-to-reach places, you can ambush anyone that wanders through below.
• In your stock loadouts alone, the Pyro and Soldier are capable of producing all four main types of damage: Hitscan, Explosive, Fire, and Melee. Using this to your advantage, the two of you can exploit any existent vulnerability in the enemy.
  • This is especially useful for countering the Vaccinator, as the pair of you can use two different types of damage to confuse a Medic.
• Both of you are able to use the Reserve Shooter, which works extremely well between your ability to airblast and the Soldier's ability to juggle. Coordinating attacks that keep your enemy in the air can result in quick airborne kills.
  • Soldiers with the Direct Hit will have a much easier time taking advantage of their ability to mini-crit airborne targets if you juggle them with your airblast.
• Staying in range of your Soldier while he uses any of the Buff Banner, Battalion's Backup, or Concheror can result in great benefits for the two of you. The Buff Banner and Concheror buff your damage and staying power respectively, while the Battalion's Backup can let you use melees like the Axtinguisher or Powerjack with less risk.
  • Offensive weapons such as the Backburner and Phlogistinator become even more potent with a Soldier's buffs, making you an even bigger threat.
• Soldiers are a common target for backstabs due to their high power, low speed, and team-boosting abilities. As always, spycheck. Any Spy you ignite can be eliminated by you or your buddy with little issue. If the Spy has the Spy-cicle, he may enjoy temporary safety from your flames, but communicating his presence to the Soldier makes him a similarly easy target for your buddy's rockets.
• Soldiers are comparatively more mobile than Pyros due to their rocket jumps, which can be an issue if you are required to travel a distance. Using the Detonator can better allow you to keep up with your partner, further increasing the dynamic of you and your Soldier's ability to push together.

 Pyro

While Pyros are often confined to close range, there is usually nothing scarier than seeing a pair of Pyros causing plenty of havoc. Whether you and your partner have similar loadouts or not, there is a larger dynamic in your firepower being doubled; enemies will usually have a hard time dealing with you.

• Spies are absolutely hopeless in a fight against two Pyros so long as it takes place up close. If the two of your regularly spycheck, your team will have virtually no issues with Sappers or backstabbing.
  • Remember your range weakness; a sneaky Spy can still snipe you from afar with the Ambassador.
• When two Pyros pair up with friendly Engineers, you become a complete fortress that almost nothing can get past. By doubling the efficiency of pushing back ÜberCharges, airblasting projectiles, killing Spies, and removing Sappers with the Homewrecker, the pair of you are a blanket of safety for your team's Engineers.
• If both Pyros have the same play-styles, your efficiency increases overall. Ambushes are successful more often, airblast fights are in your favor, enemy Pyros will be overwhelmed by your combined firepower, etc.
  • Some weapon pairs can potentially shut down unprepared teams if you coordinate; a Degreaser/Flare Gun/Axtinguisher set or a pair of Phlogistinators can cut down any unaware enemies almost instantly.
• If the two of you have different play-styles, the complexity of fighting you two increases for any enemy.
  • One Pyro may have a flamethrower that focuses on utility, while the other might have an offensively inclined one, such as the Backburner or Phlogistinator. The utility Pyro can set up the offense Pyro for an attack by either pinning an enemy against a wall or other obstacle or reflecting incoming projectiles.
  • Your secondaries, if one is a Shotgun while the other is a Flare Gun, can result in two advantages in mid-range combat at once. The Pyro with a Shotgun or Reserve Shooter can more aggressively attack the enemy while the Flare Gun Pyro can hang back to carefully aim Flare Gun shots to crit or Scorch Shot attacks to deter the enemy's movement.
  • Your melee weapons, while not often used in direct combat, can alter your strengths and weaknesses. The Axtinguisher, Powerjack, or Back Scratcher allow for more front-line attacks. The Homewrecker, Third Degree, or Neon Annihilator are more situational, but can provide coverage where your partner might be at a disadvantage.
• Accurate Pyro partners will find that coordinated Flare Gun fire can bring down tough opponents quicker than by oneself. An Engineer or Sniper caught out of place can be put down instantly with paired flares. Flares will have a hard time hitting Scouts, however, so be prepared to switch to your Flamethrowers to deal with the agile but fragile threat.
• Solo Scouts tend to be less inclined to try to weapon heckle a Pyro duo, thanks to your ability to cover each other's weak areas. Two Shotgun Pyros can safely protect each other from potential heckling Scouts due to the Scout's inability to maintain range overlaps on both Pyros.
• A Pyro duo will dominate close range combat, but will still be all but helpless at range. Unless the both of you use tactics beneficial to the class (such as taking flank routes and staying out of direct sight), you can be easily picked off by anything from Snipers to Sentry Guns. Plan ahead in order to let your strengths shine.

 Demoman

The Pyro and Demoman are opposites in the way their classes produce damage; the Pyro focuses on gradual and close-range damage, while the Demoman focuses on sudden, mid-range damage. However, working together allows you to fill in several team roles or perform more efficiently.

• Like the Soldier, the two of you can produce all four damage types, letting you attack Vaccinator Medics in whatever resistance they are not using.
• Together, you can both work as an attacking or defending duo.
  • On Offense, a Pyro can be the first to approach enemies in order to distract them with flames and soften targets for the Demoman. Alternatively, the Pyro can hang back and fire flares while the Demoman begins an approach with his immense firepower.
  • On Defense, the Demoman can arm Stickybombs around the objective and fire grenades into choke-points while you're able to Spy-check and pick off any missed targets. When paired with another bulky teammate, you become the basis for your team's defensive ability.
• When the Demoman takes up a Demoknight style of play, your dynamic shifts entirely. You are now both at a disadvantage at ranged combat, but you also are now the two most deadly close-combat classes in the game, capable of taking down multiple foes in a single push should you get within range.
  • This gives you an advantage against identical classes in a two-on-two setting. Opposing Demoknights are still vulnerable to any bullet damage the Pyro creates, and can still be killed in one hit with a Puff and Sting. Likewise, a Pyro can be killed in one fell swoop if the Demoknight makes the most of his charge.
  • Having the Pyro airblast a target to pin them against a wall works wonders for your Demoknight, as he can go in for an easy kill with any of his melee weapons.
• Both classes are weak at long range, so sticking together is key. A Pyro will benefit from a Demoman's excellent Sentry Gun killing power in order to get into effective distance, while a Demoman can survive longer if a Pyro constantly fires flares to distract enemy Snipers.

 Heavy

While not the most dynamic pairing out there, a Heavy benefits immensely from having a friendly Pyro defending them.

• A Heavy's prior fear of being backstabbed, headshot, or eliminated by a Puff-and-Stinging Pyro are all relieved when a competent Pyro spychecks, uses a Flare Gun, and airblasts, respectively. This allows the Heavy to focus on attacking while the Pyro defends the two of them from pursuit.
• The Pyro's greater speed but lower power neatly offsets the Heavy's weaknesses of great power but low speed, especially in regards to spinning up a primary weapon. If you are ambushed, the Flamethrower's speed and ease of use allows you to protect the Heavy and give him the valuable time he needs to ready his Minigun.
• A Heavy and Pyro pair is especially fearsome when they flank their opponents. Heavies are extremely attention grabbing, letting the Pyro slip in to ambush opponents who are focused on or hiding from the Heavy.
  • If attempting this, the Heavy may find more success with the Tomislav due to its faster spin-up, higher accuracy and silence.
• Heavies and Pyros are excellent defensive "turrets". When left with a Dispenser, the two become a never-ending stream of firepower.
  • Heavies with the Huo-Long Heater provide even more fire coverage in addition to the Pyro's weapons, meaning the two become a literal firewall when working together near a sentry nest.
• Regardless of the Heavy's large health pool, always extinguish them from afterburn. They may thank you back by giving you a well-needed Sandvich.
• Both of you have several weapons that can work well in tandem together.
  • Natascha can slow down enemies and allow the Pyro to go in for the kill. Likewise, the Pyro can airblast targets to make them easier for the Heavy to hit.
  • Pyros can airblast to set a Heavy up with a kill using the Killing Gloves of Boxing, allowing Heavies using the Shotgun, Family Business, or Tomislav to take advantage of their crits.
  • Heavies using the Fists of Steel and Gloves of Running Urgently can both take good advantage of the protection the Pyro provides, as the Heavy's apparent close-range weaknesses are nullified by the Pyro's close-range strength.
• While not to be taken seriously, the Pyro and Heavy have two of the three most potent taunt kills. Pyros can destroy multiple foes and buildings relatively quickly with Hadoken while the Heavy can kill from a ranged distance using Showdown. A notable last-ditch effort to survive in humiliation.
• Much like you, a Heavy suffers from range issues, which may be a problem if there are multiple enemy Snipers. It is usually wise to always bring a Flare Gun in order to offset this; your Shotgun is far outclassed by the power of your buddy's Minigun. Additionally, he is very slow, so always keep around him as you may often find yourself in the fight before he does.

 Engineer

As an Engineer is constantly dealing with enemy projectiles and Spies, you are unsurprisingly the most useful pairing. While you may spend most of your time defensively, the plentiful benefits of working hand-in-hand more than make up for it.

• Most Engineers are capable of fending for themselves as long as at least one Pyro is nearby, meaning you alone can provide protection for two or more Engineers in a sentry nest and maximize your team's defense.
• The Pyro can airblast projectiles, hold off ÜberCharges, and spycheck with most flamethrowers. As long as you stay alive and do your job right, the Engineer has very little to fear in the chance of losing his buildings during an enemy push.
  • Most often, you will be dealing with Spies; they will usually be denied by your presence if you constantly fire flames around the nest. This does not prevent them from sniping you from afar with the Ambassador, so it is best to be on the move.
  • Another issue would be Stickybombs; the instant you see a Demoman firing a stream of bombs, push them away with your compression blast or destroy them with your Shotgun.
  • When an Übercharged enemy approaches, approach them while they are distracted by the Sentry Gun and airblast them. If they manage to get close, the knockback from the sentry will usually be enough to send them flying backwards.
• The Engineer provides health and protection for the Pyro with his Dispenser and Sentry Gun, respectively. They shelter you from any chance of ambush, as any attacks made onto you will likely target the Sentry Gun first.
• A Pyro with the Homewrecker, Maul, or Neon Annihilator can remove Sappers placed onto the Engineer's buildings, leaving a sentry nest alive even in the event that a Spy kills your Engineer.
  • This is beneficial even if you aren't being an Engineer buddy, as whacking a Sapper off a Teleporter can save precious resources and traveling time.
• The Engineer can use his Wrangler to attack enemies from any range, providing you survival against enemy Snipers and Soldiers shooting from far away. This is respectively complimented by your flare guns and compression blast.
  • If your Engineer ally is using the Wrangler, be proactive in protecting him from flanking attacks so he can maximize the effectiveness of his Sentry Gun's increased fire rate and protective shield without worrying that he may be suddenly killed by a surprise Spy or Scout.
• Remember to pick off attackers who are avoiding the Sentry Gun's field of vision. Enemy Pyros that squeeze just around sentry positions can kill your Engineer if you don't protect him.
  • Your airblast can also support a Sentry Gun by forcing threats it cannot see into its FOV (such as enemies hiding behind corners) before attempting to destroy the Sentry Gun.
• The Backburner's from-behind crits will kill any inattentive Medic before they can deploy their Über, even if they are fully charged when you attack. As such, if you see a Medic combo moving towards your teams' Sentry Guns, getting behind them to kill the Medic will prevent them from using the Über.
  • Similarly, a well-timed critical Phlogistinator will melt them before they can react.
• While you are the perfect Engineer buddy, you and the Engineer are vulnerable to Snipers due to being in a fixed position. The most you can do is use your Flare Guns to interrupt his sniping, or if your Engineer buddy decides to shoot him with the Wrangler.

 Medic

You are a Medic's fastest patient and the only pocket capable of directly defending your healer from damage with compression blasts. While not truly the strongest offensive combo, the duo are formidable at close-quarters fighting and picking.

• As you can reflect projectiles and extinguish a burning Medic, this combo gives you the niche of mutual protection only rivaled by the Heavy himself. You are also quick enough to walk at the same pace as your healer, letting the pair get to places together while watching each other's backs.
• The health buff given to you by the Medic is just enough to allow for more dangerous offensive approaches.
  • Tactics such as eliminating targets with the Axtinguisher or causing panic among a group of enemies become more effective, but be sure to look out for your healer due to your dependence of close range combat.
• When Übered by your Medic's Medi Gun, you are the truest counter to any enemy Übercharge. This is due to your ability to airblast, sending your targets to die from either being juggled by a sentry or dying from environmental damage. Even without an Über, you can still distract an Übercharged enemy by constantly keeping them in the air, wasting their charge in the process.
  • If the opponent uses a Megaheal and can't be knocked back, you can still use the Axtinguisher or its variants to finish off the enemy Medic with no risk.
• When charged by a Kritzkrieg, you are a complete force to be reckoned with in that you provide extremely high damage output very quickly. The sight of a crit-charged Pyro alone is enough to make the entire enemy team retreat from a push.
  • This is best done in enclosed spaces or as an ambush, since your enemies will have little space to maneuver and won't see you coming.
• Vaccinators are excellent for Pyros, as you benefit from each of the resistances. Enemy Pyros using a Shotgun, Snipers, and other hitscan enemies will be less of a nuisance when given bullet resistance. Explosive resistance is complimented by your ability to reduce the damage of projectiles by reflecting them, and fire damage is nonexistent between your afterburn immunity, added resistance, and ability to extinguish your Medic.
• Compared to a Soldier or Demoman, you are mostly ineffective for destroying Sentry Guns head-on due to their bullets having high knockback. If you attempt an ambush from above, you will likely get sent flying a ways off.
  • Always take on Sentry Guns from the side, where they will take some time to turn.
• Some weapon combinations work well in tandem with a healer.
  • The Phlogistinator's "Mmmph" charge can be gained much easier, allowing you to be extremely aggressive.
  • In a duel between Medic-pairs, the odds will be tipped in your favor if you use a Third Degree.
  • Airblasting your opponent to let the Medic finish them off with an Ubersaw can allow for some quickly-built ÜberCharges, potentially winning you the game.
  • Bring along the Homewrecker if you are committed to taking on a Sentry Gun while Übercharged.
• As your effectiveness is limited by your short range, you will be forced to play more defensively on open maps. It might be more effective to let a Medic pocket a class with a higher effective range in that case, while acting as a supportive defender yourself.

 Sniper

Given the Pyro and Sniper's range differences, you will not often interact with one. However, there is still a bit of chemistry to be had with a friendly Sniper.

• The duo offer extreme opposites in combat. While you fight at close-range, the Sniper supports at long-range. Coordinating with one an can compliment well, as the opponent will have to avoid both flames and accurate bullets.
  • Your flames can be an excellent distraction tool too, as burning enemies will usually be too focused on getting away and towards a health source, which a Sniper can capitalize on.
• Hanging around a Sniper can benefit them greatly.
  • If the Sniper is using a Sniper Rifle, being around them offers protection from Spies, allowing the Sniper to use a different secondary from the Razorback, and your Flare Gun can harass enemy Snipers in addition to your own Sniper's attacks. Additionally, enemy Pyros that harass your Snipers can be relieved of the afterburn that would mess up their aim by using your airblast.
  • For front-line Snipers who use the Huntsman, you can light their arrows on fire to provide afterburn on any enemies they hit, and airblast their targets to provide them with an easy shot.
• Jarate is the most beneficial secondary the Sniper can provide for you. Enemies that are both on fire and doused in Jarate will take mini-crit afterburn damage, causing rapid damage that can fill up a Phlogistinator's 'Mmmph', should you be carrying one. A group of Jarate-doused enemies is also a great target for the Detonator or Scorch Shot, since you will deal mini-crit fire damage to all of them, and the Neon Annihilator, which deals full crits against wet targets.
  • Similarly, a Sniper carrying the Sydney Sleeper can be a great help, even from the rear lines. Inflicting Jarate on enemies from across the battlefield can quickly turn an otherwise fair or losing fight back in your favor thanks to the mini-crit damage of your weapons and afterburn. Fighting nearer to the enemy also means that they are less likely to target the Sniper. As the Sydney Sleeper does not require accurate headshots to be effective, this allows the Sniper a little more leeway and therefore more speed in placing a shot that can help you. Don't be afraid to request an assisting shot on a target for if you know one of your team's Snipers carries the Sleeper. Finally, the Sleeper can extinguish teammates from afar, allowing the both of you to keep teammates safe from flames.
  • If a Sniper lands a hit with the Tribalman's Shiv on an enemy covered in Jarate and on fire, it's essentially guaranteed that any 125 HP class will die from the gradual damage alone should they not reach a Medkit.
• If you are receiving supporting fire from a Sniper, be mindful of the limitations of the game's rendering, and do not aim your flames into the line of sight between them and their targets. Flames are translucent, but they can obscure some of the opponent's model while active, which may make headshots more difficult to place.
• Due to the Sniper being fit for long range, expect either of you to be vulnerable at any given point; protecting one teammate means sacrificing the safety of another. If you need to fight together, try not to position yourself with your teammate, as enemies might end up eliminating the both of you.

 Spy

A Spy and Pyro duo seem counterproductive, as they are only usually seen combating each other when on opposite teams. It's rare for the two on the same team to be found doing something together, but possible nonetheless.

• Predictably, friendly Spies will usually be on fire. Put them out as soon as possible to keep their disguise up. As a perk, you'll know if it is an enemy Spy right away if the compression blast pushes him back.
  • This can also allow you to gain multiple crits with the Manmelter.
• The Spy's Revolvers and ability to see enemy health helps a lot with picking off weakened enemies. As your afterburn usually leaves injured enemies retreating, he can land the last hit against them before they reach a health source.
• Both classes are excellent ambushers, with the Pyro being better at direct confrontations and the Spy having the advantage of surprise. A simultaneous ambush between the two can potentially take out an entire group before they know what hits them.
  • In situations where you are cooperating with a Spy for an ambush, consider allowing the Spy to go and take out the heavier classes first, such as Heavies and Soldiers. As he can approach without being easily detected, this lets him remove the most dangerous threats immediately, and allows you to come in and clean up distressed Medics or other, less powerful classes. Remember to switch to a weapon other than your Flamethrower to avoid having its long barrel give away your hiding places while you two wait for the other team.
• If the Spy goes in to sap a Sentry Gun, you can jump in and finish up the sentry and Engineer before he has time to remove it. This is very beneficial since you can actually approach the sentry without getting knocked back, and flames go straight through buildings.
  • Alternatively, going in with a Homewrecker can break the Engineer's building before he has time to save it.
• Do not be afraid to split up from a Spy and attack from two directions, especially if the Spy is able to get behind the Medic combo or a group of enemies. As the instinctive response of many players is to backpedal away from a rampaging Pyro, this presents plenty of juicy targets for an opportunistic Spy who can backstab enemies as they unwittingly back up into him.
  • This is especially useful if you equip strong offensive weapons such as the Backburner or Phlogistinator, allowing you to be extremely attention-grabbing. Enemies focused on fighting you will only be avoiding your flames at all costs, giving your Spy the perfect opportunity to backstab while waiting safely with the Cloak and Dagger.
  • Roles can be reversed if the Spy functions as a decoy with the Dead Ringer, as you can capitalize on enemies distracted by his fake death by ambushing them. The Backburner works well in this way, as it functions much like the Spy's backstab.
• Play bait for one another. If a Spy is being chased by a faster but weaker class like a Scout or Medic, lure the pursuer into a room where the Pyro can toast them. Conversely, if the Pyro finds themselves opposed by a powerful but slower combat class like the Soldier or Demoman, they can lure these larger enemies into giving chase, leaving themselves vulnerable to a sudden backstab.
• As the Spy can completely disappear and walk through enemy territory without being detected, it is likely that you might not be able to follow him. Similarly, a Spy that follows too close to a Pyro will often get fired upon by complete accident. Strike a balance if you plan to work together as a team.

See also

• Team strategy
• Ambushing