Playing as Pyro
"Mffff mmmmmf mmmmmmm mfmffmmf" - Pyro's favorite phrase.
Pyro is one of the most mysterious characters in Team Fortress 2, not only because nobody knows Pyro's gender but also due to the many legends surrounding this fiery maniac. One of them is that it's very easy to play as Pyro (the well-known W+M1 tactic). When I first entered the world of TF2, everyone insisted that playing as Soldier was the easiest; just shoot rockets in every direction. Over time, his position was taken by our hero. Pyro is often referred to as a 'noob class', a class for beginners, but playing as Pyro has its intricacies.
First, let's consider
Pyro's Weapons
- Flamethrower – the primary weapon of Pyro. Damage – max. about 150/sec (depending on the distance to the enemy), crit – up to 459/sec. A unique feature of Pyro is that he deals damage after direct contact with the enemy (about 50 damage over 10 seconds, if the enemy doesn’t extinguish the flames). The flamethrower does not require reloading. However, unfortunately, the attack range is only about two meters. It can release a blast of compressed air, which requires 25 ammo, with a total of 200 rounds in the flamethrower.
The compressed air blast extinguishes teammates, don't forget about that!
Unlock
Backburner – unlockable weapon for Pyro. It also has 200 ammo, lacks the compressed air blast, but has a 100% crit chance if you sneak up behind and successfully roast an enemy.
Unfortunately, I can't advise on what to choose: if you can successfully sneak up behind enemies – your choice is definitely the Backburner; otherwise, use the standard flamethrower.
- Shotgun – secondary weapon, with a total of 32 shells (6 rounds in the magazine), deals up to 90 damage (crit – 180). Slow reload.
Unlock
Flare gun – upon precise hit, ignites enemies at range, dealing 13-15 damage instantly (crit – 60) + 50 fire damage over 10 seconds. Doesn't work underwater. The projectile travels in an arc. Mini-crit on burning targets, +30 damage.
Here’s a more specific tip – grab the flare gun, achieve the 'ignite 100 enemies at range' achievement and switch to the shotgun; after all, Pyro is a close-combat fighter, let snipers and spies deal with long-range enemies.
- Fire axe – deals 43-87 (195 crit) damage, performs just over one hit per second.
Unlock
Axtinguisher – deals only half the damage of a normal axe, has a 100% crit chance if your target is on fire.
“Killer taunt” - Pyro's weapon, activated by pressing the G key on the keyboard while the secondary weapon (flare gun, shotgun) is equipped. It takes 4 seconds to execute and kills a fully loaded Heavy (450 hp).
UPD: doesn't always kill Heavies, sometimes they survive :)
So, that’s my actual gameplay tactic; this is all very subjective and not the ultimate truth.
Attack
Get into the fray – ignite – run away, then the fire does the job, the enemy runs for the medkit = retreats, we did our job and stayed alive. You need to constantly dash out from behind corners to get as close as possible to your target while not being caught in the open; if Pyro finds himself in an open field – he will be killed. Don't charge into sentries; if you do accidentally get close – run around it to keep it spinning and not shooting. I also don’t recommend fighting Medics with Sentries; Pyro is so light that he gets knocked back easily, especially if you have a clueless Medic standing at the back watching your flight. If you suddenly get Ubered – kill the Engineer behind the sentry and burn down the building, then take out the heavy hitters: Heavy, Demoman, Soldier, or better yet – Medic. You’ve set everyone on fire, and he’s dead, so he can’t heal anyone))). You need to be very careful about your attack locations since Pyro has good mobility and often rushes ahead. It’s sad to see a Pyro charging at the front of his team, easily being destroyed by a turret.
If you see stickies in your path – don’t be afraid; you have a flamethrower! It’s the best weapon for dealing with 'pipes'; just push those creatures of hell away with compressed air (after all, it's a flamethrower, right?)
I prefer hiding behind my more durable teammates in open areas, and when we near a turn/corner – I go out first; this can lure out another Pyro, giving the Heavy time to wind up his minigun.
Also, don’t forget about how Pyro's flame works. This unique flame mechanic in TF2 helps take out sentries from around corners or below (if the sentry is on a ledge).
● Never go for a head-on attack; you will be killed very quickly, useless deaths are unnecessary.
● Various corridors and pipes can be very obstructive, go there only if you’re sure you’ll come out alive.
● If the enemy is running away, and he is faster than you, use your shotgun/flamethrower to finish him off.
● Don’t forget to protect the Medic, as you are the best close-combat class, and Medics are loved by spies (we'll talk more about that).
Defense
Although Pyro is classified as an offensive class, his role in defense is quite significant.
Firstly – you have time to find a good ambush during the preparation phase, which is half the success (don’t forget about the flamethrower’s dimensions; sometimes it seems you’ve hidden it, but it actually protrudes from around the corner, a vigilant Soldier will catch sight of it and kill you with rockets!)
Secondly – you can greatly assist the Engineer during assaults on Sentries by repelling stickies and deflecting rockets (which attackers do not expect). Also, don’t just stay by the sentry unless the whole enemy team consists of spies. To train your rocket-reflecting skill, Dodge Ball servers are perfect Dodge Ball
Finally, thirdly – at the start of a round, you can use your flamethrower to push away a bunch of 'Ubered' Medic-Pyros, Medic-Heavies (especially amusing), rarely Medic-Demoman; while they come to their senses – run away from that place to survive.
The skill of sneaking will be very useful – maneuvering behind enemy lines, where you can successfully destroy teleporters and set a couple of players on fire.
SPY CHECK
The most important duty of a Pyromaniac is to check the team for spies. No, don’t shout codes into the mic; just from time to time you need to click the left mouse button. Let me explain: Pyro can identify a spy with 100% confidence since an enemy spy burns from the flames; moreover, Pyro can spot a spy under cloaking (it’s very relevant after the latest update to check corners where a spy with an 'invisible knife' can hide).
Suppose you are playing defense, a spy planted a bug on your Engineer's sentry; that's it, FAIL, you’ve lost; you shouldn’t even allow a spy close to the sentry; what can you do to rectify your mistake? First, you need to push the spy away from the Engineer's buildings (you did choose the flamethrower, right?), this is necessary for the Engineer to understand your intentions to kill the spy, while the scoundrel can’t spam his bugs, during that time the Engineer will be repairing the sentry, and you can focus on the enemy.
Also, be sure to check your teammates; what if there is a spy among them? Remember, you will expend only a few ammo in the flamethrower, but you will help save the Medic's Uber charge!
So, the best video guide I've ever seen:
(there’s also a second and third part!)
Beginner Pyros will benefit from the standard layouts of sentries, forewarned is forearmed!
Video guide on using compressed air
Other guides/manuals:
**The Medical Workdays on the Battlefield of TF2**
Sniper gameplay tactics part 1 and part 2 (WITHOUT NEW WEAPONS)
A Comprehensive Manual for Beginner Soldiers
Well, that's all I wanted to say, thank you for your attention :)