Pyro
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Information
The Pyro has the unique ability to set enemies on fire at close range with his Flamethrower, inflicting damage over time through burning. With only a secondary Shotgun to supplement his short range, he must rely on Ambush tactics to catch opponents off-guard.
Pyros are major assets in locating enemy Spies. The Flamethrower will ignite both Cloaked and Disguised Spies; which, when combined with its spread, makes it ideal for finding a Spy attempting to hide or blend in.
Despite his place in the offensive category, the Pyro can also be a useful asset in defense, confusing incoming attackers and defending a Sentry or group of Sentries from meddling Spies. Another useful defensive application is defending Sniper spots from Spies, so the Snipers can do their jobs without fear.
Bio
Voice actor: Dennis Bateman
AKA:
Country of Origin: Unknown
Job: Grill & Run
A complete pyromaniac as long as any of his teammates can remember, the Pyro lives for the smell of napalm, the thrill of hunting down and roasting his foes and their screams as they burn are music to his ears. His teammates have often speculated on his true appearance beneath the voice-muffling gas mask and baggy clothing, or whether the pyro is even a 'he' at all. The purse he always keeps in his locker seems to suggest otherwise, but they're too polite to ask.
Taunts
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Strategy
- Main article: Pyro strategy
- Playing a Pyro requires a different mindset. Pyros are weak on frontal attacks -- they will lose to most other classes if they see him coming. However, if they catch the enemy by surprise, Pyros are the most dangerous class in the game. Always try for an Ambush. Learn the maps and use side corridors rather than main ones. Use your speed to your advantage to flank Soldiers and Snipers.
- Pyros have low health but they are fast, so keep moving and circling behind the enemy. Use your flames to keep enemies confused as to where you are. It is possible (but difficult) to take down a Heavy this way. Or you can simply blaze and escape and then attack from another angle after they have taken damage from burning.
- Weaker classes like Medics and Demomen retreat when they are on fire. Light them up and quickly retreat, then return with your Shotgun drawn. They often give you an exposed back for your Shotgun shells.
- If an Engineer has left a Sentry near a corner, you can try to pop around the corner and take out the Sentry at point blank range before it kills you. This works against Level 1 Sentries but rarely Level 2 or 3, because they push you out of range.
- An ubered Pyro can lay waste to a Sentry nest faster than any other class, but they are more susceptible to knockback from Sentries. They must get to point blank range before the Sentries start firing. Use corners to your advantage, and the Medic should go first to draw the Sentries' fire.
- The flames you see on the screen do not match the flames' "real" presence on the server. The "real" flames seem to lag the graphics. This is why you often miss fast classes like Scouts and Demomen with your initial burst. Lead them a little to compensate.
- The Flame thrower has a deceptively short range. Many new Pyros empty their weapon at a fleeing enemy to no effect. Also, when an enemy is fleeing, the lag between the "real" flames on the server and the graphics on your screen makes the range even shorter. If an enemy is more than a few feet away, switch to your Shotgun.
- The Flamethrower doesn't work when you are too close to an object (floor, wall, tire, etc.). You can roast a Sentry just around a corner by using the edge of your flames, but it is hard to get the angle just right. You can often roast an enemy's toes if he is standing on a wall above you if you jump up and give him a quick shot of flame, but again the timing is tricky.
- Pyros may wear flame retardant suits and be unable to catch fire, but they still take damage from an enemy Pyro's flames. The Shotgun may be more useful in some cases for fighting another Pyro.
- The Flamethrower's short range forces the Pyro to sneak up on opponents and attack while they are distracted. Chasing an enemy into a corner while circle-strafing to avoid enemy fire will make it easier to compensate for the severe damage drop-off of the Flame thrower.
- Charging into a group of enemies and setting them all on fire is a good way to sow chaos and disrupt an offensive push.
- If there is a medic in the group make sure he dies first, otherwise your chaos and disruption will be turned into just so much wasted ammunition.
- Use caution when fighting near water or a source of enemy healing (be it Health pickups or Medics/Dispensers): both can extinguish a burning character immediately.
- Because of the severe damage drop-off of the Flame thrower, switching to the shotgun can often be more effective for finishing off a fleeing opponent.
- Using your Flamethrower on teammates is a good way to Spy-check. Only a momentary burst of flame is needed to ignite an enemy Spy; briefly shooting every teammate is a cost-effective method of minimizing Spy encounters.
- Without the need to reload, the Flamethrower can immediately use any ammo with which it is supplied. Standing next to a Dispenser can allow the Pyro to act as a stationary flame turret for guarding an Engineer fortification or the Intelligence room of CTF maps.
- Use alternate routes to organize a synchronized attack on the enemy, igniting them from behind while teammates attack from the front. This can be very effective on Defense, especially on 2fort, running down alternate corridors to sneak behind Medics partnered with a Heavy.
- While the Pyro is a good offensive character, he can also be an effective defensive choice. Stand near the Capture point or Intelligence and ignite anyone who comes near with your Flamethrower.
- Pyros teamed up with Spies are great in crushing enemy defenses.The Spy goes on a rampage sapping enemy buildings which allows the Pyro to quickly rush in and destroy the buildings using his Flame thrower. Engineers will be too busy removing Sappers to notice you.It is the quickest way to take down lone Sentries (or even big groups if there are more Pyro-Spy teams working with you) within tight spaces (ex: 2fort bases)
- Pyros teamed with a Medic / Heavy combo make an effective combination, the Pyro potects them both from close range attackers while they can take out fleeing enemies on fire.
Weapons
Note: Weapon damage is approximate and measured at point blank range. See individual weapon pages for details.
| Type | Weapon | Ammo Loaded | Ammo Carried | Damage Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary | Flame thrower | 200 | 200 | ~15 per 1 ammo - 200/sec then 5/sec for 10 seconds on fire (400/sec crit) [no reload, but range=6ft/2m] |
| Secondary | Shotgun | 6 | 32 | 78-90 (180 crit) [slow reload] |
| Melee | Fire axe | N/A | N/A | 43-87 (195 crit) [a little more than 1 hit per second] |
See also
| Classes |
|---|
| Scout • Soldier • Pyro • Demoman • Heavy • Engineer • Medic • Sniper • Spy |
