Flamethrower:
Your default primary. Good damage overall up close, and it can be used in numerous situations. Despite this trait of usefulness, it falls short to weapons designed to excel in those situations. Hitting M2 does an airblast, which can push back enemies, reflect projectiles such as rockets and arrows (with precision timing), and extinguish teammates that are on fire. Recent updates have also added a trait to all flamethrowers that restores health when extinguishing teammates, as well as applying a debuff that reduces Medic healing effectiveness for enemies hit directly by the flames. This adds a bit of extra utility to the weapon, and allows the stock especially to stand out a bit more compared to the other primaries, especially since it has the lowest airblast cost.

The Rainblower variant operates in the same manner, only it allows the user to view select maps in Pyrovision. It also has a unique AoE taunt kill that can be surprisingly effective if you can position yourself properly.


The Backburner:
Unlike the default flamethrower, the Backburner is designed more for ambushes and taking advantage of those with their backs turned to you. The crit bonus from attacking enemies from behind can allow you to take down low to mid health classes quickly, provided you can get the flames in the sweet spot. Sadly, the crit area is small, a paltry 90 degree angle from the character’s spine, compared to the Spy’s 180 degree backstab radius. It also has the downside of requiring more ammo to airblast, limiting the ability to emergency situations like reflecting a crit rocket about to make contact with your face. When using this weapon, try playing like a Spy, finding ways to sneak behind enemy lines and waiting for a high value target such as a Medic or Demo to pass by, then send your flames straight up their arse.


The Degreaser:
The popular choice for Pyro shenanigans, and with good reason. While it deals less afterburn damage than the stock flamethrower, the Degreaser excels in quick switches to pull off some nasty combos. The “Puff and Sting” tactic, in which one lights up a target, airblasts them into a corner, then takes a swing at them with their Axtinguisher, is especially good with this weapon on hand, even after recent nerfs. You can also puff them away and pull out your secondary to pop a round in them while they are in midair for extra damage, and to push them away to create some distance if you need to fall back. This makes the Pyro especially deadly at close range in one-on-one combat. Keep in mind that airblasting with this costs slightly more ammo, so try to avoid getting overzealous with it. A very effective piece of weaponry.


The Phlogistinator:
The wildcard weapon for the Pyro. You will either be able to dominate with this, or struggle immensely, as it is definitely not one an inexperienced player should be using. Despite having no access to the airblast, this weapon has a secret ace up its sleeve; when dealing flame damage with any weapon, you will build Mmmph meter. When this meter is filled up, you can use its Mmmph ability to refill your health and gain full crits for a short duration. Obviously this makes it the most powerful flamethrower, as unlike the Backburner, you don’t have to worry about positioning yourself perfectly behind someone to get the full crit potential. This can be used to clear out a point, a cart that’s being pushed by heavy opposition, or to save your hide when in a jam.

When activating the crits, you’ll be taunting for a short duration while invulnerable, similar to having an uber effect on you. Smart players will use this oppurtunity to back off and prepare to peg you once the invulnerability wears off, so in open combat, this is best used as a way to make an escape. Once you're able to get meter again, find a corner to pop it at, then hop out and burn anything in sight.


Dragon's Fury
The first truly unique primary weapon for Pyro, the Dragon's Fury launches balls of fire over a medium distance. These balls briefly set targets aflame, and gives a passive bonus of dealing a ridiculous amount of bonus damage to targets on fire, allowing for potent combo shots that decimate most classes. This allows the Pyro to adapt a strong mid-range game, compared to being primarily a close range combatant.

While this weapon makes an extra effort to focus on offense, it means that the weapon loses a lot on the defensive side. Whereas the other flamethrowers excel at ambushes and dealing with multiple targets, the Dragon’s Fury excels better at frontal assault and 1v1 encounters. It also encourages accuracy as opposed to spewing flames in different directions. While these aspects make it a very rewarding weapon to utilize, it also has a higher learning curve as a result. The airblast is also significantly nerfed with this weapon, having a much longer delay after bursts, reducing it to emergency situations, like deflecting a crit rocket.

If you’re able to utilize the Dragon’s Fury properly, it’s definitely a powerful tool to have on hand. It’s a more offensive oriented weapon, so keep that in mind if you find yourself needing to do more supportive tasks.

Shotgun:
The default shotgun by itself is an effective mid to close range weapon, dealing fairly good damage when you need to conserve flamethrower ammo, or to nick at a target just outside of your flame’s reach. It's useless at long ranges, however, and the damage of the flamethrower in close range outdoes it if you can get them in the stream. Can also be used in airblast combos, as well as against enemy Pyros, since they can’t be ignited by fire.


The Reserve Shooter:
Originally an ideal sidearm for Pyros using the Degreaser, Valve has since nerfed this weapon to the point of near worthlessness for Pyro. The idea behind it is that enemies launched into the air are able to be mini-critted by this. Originally this included airblasts, which allowed for combo setups. Unfortunately that's no longer the case as airblasts no longer work in proccing the effect. This reduces it to a simple trick weapon that Pyro can no longer take advantage of without assistance from a Soldier or Demo. The stock shotgun is better now for airblast combos than the Reserve Shooter.


Flare Gun:
A popular choice as a secondary for its ability to ignite targets from a distance and be a general nuisance. A single flare can light a target up at long range if you have good accuracy, and flares also have an added bonus of full critting a target that is already on fire. Perfect for hassling Medics or Snipers annoying your teammates. Also commonly used in airblast combos to set up for a full crit, though this requires more aim than the shotgun. A reliable secondary for many situations, although it's useless against enemy Pyros since they do not catch fire.


The Detonator:
A bit of a peculiar weapon. The Detonator operates similar to the flare gun in that it can be used to set far away targets on fire, but it comes with the ability to detonate flares in mid-air. Aiming these mid-air bursts is very tricky though, which makes it very unwieldy unless you dedicate a lot of time to practicing it. The mid-air detonation is more of a silly gimmick than an actual useful trait. It also only deals mini-crits on a direct hit to burning targets instead of full crits, which lessens its damage potential.

It’s commonly used for flare jumping by using the detonation against the world to boost yourself up, similar to rocket jumping. However, because you take more damage to yourself when doing this, and your actual boost height is small compared to a Soldier's, it makes it unreliable unless there is a health kit nearby to get you back to full. There are some neat flare jump tricks you can do, but the majority of them are very impractical because of the massive health loss you incur when doing them.


The Scorch Shot:
The blood relative of the Detonator, it functions in largely the same manner, but is more reliable to use. Like its brother, the Scorch Shot explodes when it hits the ground, but with a much larger radius, igniting everyone around it. On a direct hit with an enemy player, though, it will knock them back a fair distance based on how far the flare traveled. The projectile also bounces off of them and explodes on the ground, creating another chance to set multiple opponents on fire. The knockback itself varies in usefulness, as you can either use it to knock enemies off of ledges, or knock them away from an objective like the cart from a safe distance.

It can also be used for flare jumping with less risk than the Detonator, since you don’t take as much self damage to do so (you can still do most jumps that the Detonator can do, though they may require a bit more positioning since you don't get as much lift). While it doesn't get full crits on burning targets, it still mini-crits them and does increased knock-back, which, combined with the AoE blast, makes it a very useful harassing weapon.


The Manmelter:
Another peculiar flare gun variant, this one is more akin in function to a regular flare gun, with the advantage that it doesn’t require ammo, and its projectiles travel a lot faster. While it can't crit on its own, it can store crits by using the alt-fire to extinguish burning teammates, which you can then dispense onto the opposition. Commonly paired with the Phlog or Backburner to counter the lack of support options the two primaries have. If the other team has a lack of enemy Pyros, though, then you’re going to be stuck with a much weaker flare gun.


Panic Attack:
Another shotgun variant, this one having been significantly retooled from its previous version. Instead of needing to prep shots like before, it now has a faster switch speed, while also having a fixed, wide shot spread, which makes it good for larger targets. and ensuring that some damage gets dealt. It does deal less damage than the stock shotgun, however, which means you really need to make sure all your pellets land to maximize damage output. The spread itself also widens significantly with repeated shots, so you'll need to limit yourself to a firing a couple times, lest you find yourself not landing anything. If you're a fan of airblast combos, however, then this one is a strong choice.


Thermal Thruster
A utility item, this one is a straight up jetpack that gives Pyro more upward lift than any form of Flare Jumping. As you can imagine, this allows the Pyro using it to reach places they'd normally be unable to get to, increasing maneuverability, allowing for more effective ambush tactics and even giving a getaway option. It can also be used offensively; by landing on top of an opponent after launching yourself, you can deal damage based on your velocity and how far you fell. However, this aspect is incredibly unweidly, as you don't have as much air control, and actually landing on top on an enemy is a very difficult task in the heat of battle that can get you killed in most cases.

Surprisingly enough, you can also extinguish teammates that are on fire by launching yourself past them, but this is similarly difficult to utilize.

As an offensive tool, the Thermal Thruster is pretty bad overall. As a utility item, it gives the Pyro a much needed movement option that can be utilized on a number of maps, as long as there aren't any ceilings around, and you don't mind sacrificing your secondary slot.


Gas Passer
Another utility item, this one is... well, a nondescript gas can. This gas can, when thrown to a location, unleashes a cloud of gas in a large area. Any enemy that finds themselves in the midst of it will get inflicted with a debuff that causes them to be lit aflame when taking damage from any source. This means that your teammates can shoot at the afflicted person and set them on fire, adding to their damage output. This makes the Gas Passer a very beneficial crowd control item that can be used to keep adversaries away from an objective, or decimate those already there.

The problem with it is that the cooldown for it is LOOOOOOOOOOONG. Easily one of the longest cooldowns in the game, it takes a good while for another can to be ready, and it persists between deaths, while also not being mitigated by hitting a supply locker. During this time, you have no secondary weapon AT ALL, so you'll be handicapped until another can is ready.

That being said, the potential for offensive and defensive applications is really high, especially since you can use the gas yourself as well to get a strong afterburn. Just be sure to analyze the situation you're in and see if you can put it to good use, and that your yeammates will be able to communicate with you on when to take advantage of it.

Fire Axe:
Generally the weakest default weapon in the Pyro’s arsenal, the fire axe and its reskins do decent damage on their own. However, it is outclassed by the damage output of the flamethrower in the same scenario you would use it in. It’s mostly used to counter enemy Pyros, as they cannot be ignited, but it can also be used to practice your Puff and Sting moves.

The Lollichop functions in the same manner, but allows the user to enter Pyrovision. It also comes with a unique taunt.


Axtinguisher/Postal Pummeler:
This weapon is what personifies the class as a whole. By itself, it’s weaker than the fire axe, but when the opponent in on fire, it’s a whole different ball game. A full swing crit from this can take out any mid to low health class in one shot, and is perfect for assassinating enemy Medics. It’s commonly used in Degreaser builds, as it is most dangerous when combined with Puff and Sting tactics. Recent nerfs have taxed the weapon with a slower swing speed and slower switch-to speed, which further amplifies the need to airblast an opponent to set them up before going in for the kill. Even so, this is still a must-have for any Pyro player.


The Homewrecker:
This is more of a utility weapon than one for combat. While you won’t be using this too often to destroy enemy buildings, you will be using it for it's ability to remove Spy sappers from friendly buildings. This gives the Pyro another support option in his list of many, and is commonly used with the Backburner and Phlog, since they do more effective damage at melee, and using the Axetinguisher with these tends to be redundant.


The Powerjack:
This was once a useful alternative to the Axetinguisher, trading the ability to crit at will for more frontal damage and a health boost on kill. After the developers forgot to put the +25 percent damage back on it when they were looking to alternative downsides, though, it’s become a lot less than stellar. Recent patches have added the ability for it to grant an extra speed boost when being wielded, which can allow you to get back to the front lines quicker, or close the gap when trying to get a kill. The lack of frontal damage means that its killing power is limited to specific targets, such as weakened Medics and Scouts. Useful in Melee mode, however, you’ll need to be cautious of the extra damage vulnerability.


The Back Scratcher:
A useful option for lone wolf type players. This trades the amount of healing you get from a Medic or dispenser for a healing boost from medkits. It also does more damage than the fire axe, making it a useful last resort option. Helpful if you like playing a sneaky assassin style, hiding behind enemy lines and picking off stragglers. One neat trick you can do if injured is to have the Medic stick to you for a bit and let him build uber, since his meter gain isn’t slowed from healing someone using this.


Sharpened Volcanoe Fragment:
This weapon is used primarily in Melee mode, as while it serves as another means to ignite enemies, it deals less damage than the stock axe, and your flamethrower is more effective in the same range. One can team up with a Scout using the Sun on a Stick to help deal massive damage to enemies, though this requires some communication on your part.


The Third Degree:
Another quirky weapon, this one has a unique trait where all enemies attached to medigun beams share in the damage taken by the recipient. Although the actual application of this is limited, it can be used as a counter to the infamous, but rarely seen “Octo-Heavy” setup, where multiple Medics heal the same target to make him near indestructible. It’s very useful in MvM mode, where you can use this on the Medic bots that tend to surround giants and take them out in one assault. It also has a pretty wicked guitar riff when taunting with it.


The Neon Annihilator:
This weapon is the polar opposite of the Axetinguisher, where instead of critting on burning targets, it crits on wet targets instead. This includes people coming out of water sources, standing in or swimming in water, or under the effects of Jarate or Mad Milk. Although the actual circumstances to use this ability are limited, you can also use it to disable enemy sappers, much like the Homewrecker, although it takes two swings instead of one. Whether you use the Homewrecker or the Annihilator for this purpose is largely up to personal taste. The Annihilator also has a deep bass sound when taunting with it.


The Hot Hand
It's a glove. That slaps people. Not much else to say, other than the speed boost can be used to help you keep up with your hapless target, or assist in making a getaway. It's basically a joke weapon, so you can use it when you're taking part in silly fun times.

Here, we go over a couple common Pyro builds, and what they entail. While the Pyro doesn’t have as many options for weaponry, the actual roles you can undertake vary significantly enough to warrant multiple options.

The Degreaser:
The most often used, and most effective, Pyro loadout. The Degreaser allows for quick-switching for Axetinguisher and airblast combos, while providing ample support options for the team. Secondary can go to either Panic Attack (not shown) or Flare Gun, but both serve the same purpose for mid-air puff combos, though the Flare Gun can also annoy targets at a longer distance. Finally, the Axetinguisher completes the loadout, providing a great finishing tool for one-on-one encounters.

The Ambusher Pyro:
This loudout is more for maps that have an attack and defense component, such as Dustbowl or Badwater, primarily when you're on the defending side, as ambush tactics are more effective. The Phlog is generally the stronger of the ambush weaponry for its more reliable crits and ability to self heal. In this image, the Scorch Shot is in the secondary, as not only can it light up multiple targets easy meter building from a distance, but also allows for flare jumping in some situations (ex. getting into the Blue Team hallways on Gravelpit, or leaping on top of the boxes before the final point on Gorge). Other flare gun types can be used as well as per your personal preference. Melee can go to either Homewrecker or NA for a support option when you’re still holding in the back trying to build meter. You can also try the Back Scratcher for an additional boost to your healing prowess when behind enemy lines. This loadout can also be used on some KOTH maps like Viaduct to quickly clear the point of opposition.

The loadouts you use for MvM mode vary depending on what you want to do. Do you want to provide support for your comrades, or do you want to bathe everything in fire? It’s largely up to you, however, here are some tips on what you can pull off.

Support Pyro:
This is largely for those who want to use airblast to help their teammates as much as possible. This is especially effective in pushing back bomb carriers into pits, sentry busters away from the Engineers, and even pushing back giants with the right upgrades. You can also upgrade your Axetinguisher to swing ridiculously fast, which can allow you to dismantle giants with the help of an uber canteen.

Tank Pyro:
This is for those who want to be on the front lines, burning anything that moves and staying alive in the process. The Phlog will be your primary of choice for the self healing, and you’ll want to get some resistance and ammo upgrades to keep you in the fray for longer periods of time before having to pull out. You’ll want one of the flare guns as your secondary, upgraded for fast firing speed to build Mmmph quickly. Your actual choice is up to you, as each serves a purpose (avoid the Manmelter, though, as you likely won’t be getting crits that often for it). For melee, you can either use the Homewrecker for disrupting Spy bots trying to sap sentries, or the Back Scratcher to help keep you on the front lines. Fill up on uber canteens and activate them when you have meter to be able to take down anything in your path, including giants.

* While other classes can spycheck as well, as a Pyro, you excel at revealing their locations. A quick puff of fire can reveal a Spy hiding in the shadows, so be vigilant and keep an eye out for suspicious activity.
* When using ambush tactics, avoid going straight through the front lines. Many maps have alternate routes you can take advantage of. Use these to get in a position to wait for a hapless enemy to pass by.
* Dead Ringer Spies are a Pyro’s favorite play thing. After lighting them up, they’ll feign death to try to escape. Keep your flames on them to light them again, then puff them into a corner repeatedly and wait for their cloak to wear off. You can then slash at them with your Axetinguisher to put the finishing touches on their humiliation. If you’re using the Phlog, you can also use them as free meter while their cloak is active (meter gain is not impeded), which you can then use to punish the Spy’s teammates for his hubris.
* Some Spies may try using the Spy-cicle to get away from you. If you catch one using it, predict any escape routes he may be trying to use and try to keep your stream on them. The sound of fire hitting will let you know you’re on track.
* Ledges are your friend. If playing on a map with chasms or large drops, take the opportunity to airblast an opponent off of them for an easy kill.
* You can reflect any projectile type shot in the game, with a few exceptions. This includes rockets, grenades, arrows, Jarate, sentry rockets, and more.
* If a Huntsman user is on your team, you can light his arrows with a puff of fire. Fire arrows can ignite enemies they hit, though the Pyro doesn’t get credit for an assist in these situations.
* Heavies are very dangerous to tackle up close. Try to surprise them from behind rather than charging from the front, so as to avoid the wrath of the minigun.
* Scouts are a natural counter to you because they can stay out of range of your fire with their speed and weaponry. Try to lure them around a corner where you can get them within range of your flamethrower.
* Once you're able to light a Scout up, they'll more often than not run away in search for health. Take the opportunity to plant a crit flare shot in their back before they make a getaway.
* The Darwin's Danger Shield gives Snipers resistance to fire attacks, as well as preventing them from being lit on fire. Be careful when dealing with those using this from a distance, since you won't be able to interrupt their aim as easily with flares, and use a shotgun or melee if you're able to get in close.

* Spy bots are just as flammable as their fleshy counterparts. When the Administrator announces their presence, start spy checking.
* MvM maps tend to have pits and alternate paths that you can force bots into. Puff the bomb carrier into one of these to set them back and allow your group some time to recover.
* Having resistance and health on kill upgrades, as well as uber canteens, are handy to have if you plan on being on the front lines a lot.
* Flare Guns can be upgraded for rapid fire, dealing a constant stream of full crits onto giants, or knocking them back from the bomb from a safe distance in the case of the Scorch Shot.
* Heavy bots are especially dangerous to you because of your need to get in close. Try to loop around them, or hang back and let your teammates take care of them.
* You can reflect projectiles from bots in the same manner as in regular play. This is especially useful when you're facing against a crit Soldier giant bot.
* Your flamethrower can deal a constant stream of damage onto tanks. Combine this with a crit canteen, a Kritz from a Medic, or the Phlog's crit ability, to deal massive damage.
* The Homewrecker does NOT get a damage bonus against bots, as they are not considered to be buildings. Tanks also cannot be ignited.

So, there you have it. Hopefully this little primer serves as a useful tool in learning how to play everyone's favorite pyromaniac. The Pyro is one of my favorite classes, so when I saw that Valve had put up the option for game guides, I couldn't help but be compelled to write all of this. Hopefully those of you reading will come to share my same love for the little guy, and the joy that comes from lighting Scouts on fire and watching them run in pain.

Be sure to leave comments and questions below if you have any, and see you in game.

* Updated information regarding the Axtinguisher to reflect the current balance status.

* Added information regarding the Panic Attack
* Updates to weapons based on current game build.
* General sprucing up.

* Updated the Primaries section to reflect current game build.
* General sprucing up.

* Added new weapons introduced in the Jungle update.
* Updated weapons that were adjusted in thelatest wave of balance changes.
* Removed + and - lines to allow for more text space for each section.