Dealing with Pyros (TF2)

[Onyx Oblivion]

Scout. Pyro has a hella fast run speed, but can't outrun the Scout.

 

[Estoki]

A half-good Demoman equipped with the Chargin' Targe can deal with a Pyro easily, I've found, assuming it isn't a really good Pyro.

 

[Mr. 47]

All classes are hard in their own way. Pyros are deadly in close quarters, hit them from afar. Snipe, rocket, or heavying them seem to work best for me. I fail epicly with demo, so can't voutch for his effectiveness. Scouts aren't bad if you side jump a LOT.

 

[Kopikatsu]

A half-good Demoman equipped with the Chargin' Targe can deal with a Pyro easily, I've found, assuming it isn't a really good Pyro.

I imagine that I would be a pretty decent Demoman if I had the Eyelander and Chargin' Targe.

Sadly, I don't, and I suck horrifically enough with the 'nade launcher that I can't get the achievements to unlock those.

It's kind of amusing, though. I'll fire all four 'nades into one area, and nothing happens. Then another Demoman comes up, fires a few in the same exact place, and gets three kills. Not three assist kills, just three plain kills.

I think it's just my luck.

 

[Pedro The Hutt]

A half-good Demoman equipped with the Chargin' Targe can deal with a Pyro easily, I've found, assuming it isn't a really good Pyro.

I dunno... isn't the charge stopped dead in its tracks with a simple airblast? I personally laugh at Demomen trying to charge me when I'm playing Pyro. After airblasting them I regularly kill with exclusively the flamethrower just to rub it in. =p

 

[DustyDrB]

Despite all the whining, Pyro is arguably the weakest offensive class. He has so many counters and lacks mobility. You'll almost always have a harder time against a veteran soldier/demo than you will a veteran pyro.

For sure, a good soldier with the Black Box is one of the most effective things in the game.

Are the Pyros you guys are facing not using the compression blast or something? No way a Soldier should be able to have the edge on a Pyro. That's not my experience, at least.

Black Box and vanilla launchers are easy enough to airblast, it's the Direct Hit and Liberty Launcher that are damn hard to airblast.

That's true. It's hard especially early in the game. I never have a really good ping (usually in the 70-120 range) so there's a period of adjustment. The vanilla launcher and Black Box are still easy to reflect, but the Direct Hit can give me some problems (I don't know about the Liberty Launcher. I just started playing again after a three month hiatus, so I don't know much about that gun). I sucked in general tonight just trying to figure out all the new weapons people have. Does the Heavy have a shotgun/minigun hybird now?

 

[arsenicCatnip]

As a Medic, you should have backup and they should be defending you.

This isn't always the case, especially if you're playing with an inexperienced Medic buddy.

Best way to defend yourself as a Medic is kiting (running backwards firing your syringe gun). Accuracy isn't your first worry, keeping them away from you is. A Pyro is less likely to continue to chase you when there's easier prey around (Spies, Soldiers, Demomen).

Whatever you do, don't pull out your saw unless you have no other choice. Pyro is a close-combat class, Medic is not. He will fry you, then Axtinguish you right in the face.

As for Engineer, try leading them toward your sentry gun. You're more likely to have them killed by your gun than by shooting them/Wrenching them.

 

[AlternatePFG]

That's true. It's hard especially early in the game. I never have a really good ping (usually in the 70-120 range) so there's a period of adjustment. The vanilla launcher and Black Box are still easy to reflect, but the Direct Hit can give me some problems (I don't know about the Liberty Launcher. I just started playing again after a three month hiatus, so I don't know much about that gun). I sucked in general tonight just trying to figure out all the new weapons people have. Does the Heavy have a shotgun/minigun hybird now?

Yeah, the heavy got ridiculously OP minigun and a new shotgun. Makes playing Pyro almost pointless sometimes because suddenly the Heavy is now better at ambushing. Liberty Launcher is more dangerous (in my opinion) than the Direct Hit simply because it doesn't have a reduced blast radius that makes avoiding the Direct Hit easier.

 

[DustyDrB]

As a Medic, you should have backup and they should be defending you.

This isn't always the case, especially if you're playing with an inexperienced Medic buddy.

Best way to defend yourself as a Medic is kiting (running backwards firing your syringe gun). Accuracy isn't your first worry, keeping them away from you is. A Pyro is less likely to continue to chase you when there's easier prey around (Spies, Soldiers, Demomen).

Whatever you do, don't pull out your saw unless you have no other choice. Pyro is a close-combat class, Medic is not. He will fry you, then Axtinguish you right in the face.

As for Engineer, try leading them toward your sentry gun. You're more likely to have them killed by your gun than by shooting them/Wrenching them.

Well I said they should be defending you. People don't always do what they should do. But there's no way around the fact that a Medic 1 on 1 against any other class (except for the Engineer) is going to be at a disadvantage. Even at mid range, a Pyro's flare gun is deadly (people underestimate that weapon). Sure, a good Medic player can come out fine, but that's a caveat you can use with most classes.

 

[HiC95]

You could try ambushing the ambusher, I play mostly as spy, and pyros normally don't watch their backs when moving, especially after respawning, unless you are dominating them, in which I would recommend switching to a better suited class. Watch where they like to hide, and attack from an unexpected angle.

 

[XT inc]

What is the escapist's tf2 server called or tagged, because it isn't popping up in search?

 

[arsenicCatnip]

As a Medic, you should have backup and they should be defending you.

This isn't always the case, especially if you're playing with an inexperienced Medic buddy.

Best way to defend yourself as a Medic is kiting (running backwards firing your syringe gun). Accuracy isn't your first worry, keeping them away from you is. A Pyro is less likely to continue to chase you when there's easier prey around (Spies, Soldiers, Demomen).

Whatever you do, don't pull out your saw unless you have no other choice. Pyro is a close-combat class, Medic is not. He will fry you, then Axtinguish you right in the face.

As for Engineer, try leading them toward your sentry gun. You're more likely to have them killed by your gun than by shooting them/Wrenching them.

Well I said they should be defending you. People don't always do what they should do. But there's no way around the fact that a Medic 1 on 1 against any other class (except for the Engineer) is going to be at a disadvantage. Even at mid range, a Pyro's flare gun is deadly (people underestimate that weapon). Sure, a good Medic player can come out fine, but that's a caveat you can use with most classes.

I know, believe me. The point here is to teach people to be as self-sufficient as possible while playing Medic, and I main-class Medic (mostly cause no one else will). Kiting is the most efficient technique for discouragement, and after they stop chasing you, you find a buddy to help keep you safe.

(Medic vs. Engineer is still gonna go to the Engineer nine times out of ten unless you sneak up on him... the Shotgun's revenge crits are more powerful than anything that Medic can muster. We are often overpowered, lol)

 

[sir.rutthed]

Soldier, Heavy, Demo, Sniper, Scout. Anything that can take him out when he's still out of flame reach.

What is the escapist's tf2 server called or tagged, because it isn't popping up in search?

Nobody's ever on it anyways, which I find to be very sad indeed.

 

[Azrael the Cat]

As someone who plays those same 3 classes AND pyro, almost exclusively, the only class that really ought to have a hard time with pyros is the spy. And that's working as intended - all classes have a 'hard counter' of similar difficulty (see how annoying spies are when playing a heavy, or how badly a good demoman will wreck your engie fun). Pyros are basically the 'spy-catcher' class, and it's one of the few things that really justifies their spot on the team, as opposed to simply having one more soldier or demo.

And even a spy can take down pyros situationally. There's very little the pyro can do vs a spy who comes out of hiding a reasonable distance away with his pistol already aiming at the pyro's head for a quick 2-shot.

 

[Krinku]

General tip for every class: SHOOT IT DEAD! Honestly though just keep your distance.

 

[Baneat]

Soldier, Heavy, Demo, Sniper, Scout. Anything that can take him out when he's still out of flame reach.

What is the escapist's tf2 server called or tagged, because it isn't popping up in search?

Nobody's ever on it anyways, which I find to be very sad indeed.

It's been stuffed since the Uber update

 

[Singularly Datarific]

Pyros are strictly short range. I takes spotting at range to find them and suppress them with heavies or soldiers. They are not particularly tough, and can go own in a second or two of fire. Don't forget they tend to be simpleminded, it is a class that new people use a lot to get used to the game.
What keeps happening is you (or your teammates) have not seen the pyro coming. A good pyro relies on surprise to ambush people. They pop in, unannounced, and burn everything. Gotta be aware, etc.
What it comes down to is taking them out quickly, I suppose.

 

[Baron von Blitztank]

Pyros have a short range but are pretty fast so just keep your distance and fill them full of bullets. Minigun, Turrets, Scattergun, Sniper Rifle, etc. It's all good. However if your pyros are using the "W + M1" tactic then they might not notice to use their airblast when a few rockets/grenades go into their face, you never know.

 

[Hurray Forums]

Pyros are one of the easiest kills in the game. No special strategy needed besides "don't let them get close to you". If the Pyro doesn't get the drop on you you can easily kill him as any class. Yes, ANY class. Even Engy, Medic or Spy. Revolver, Pistol, and Needlegun all outdamage shotgun at mid/long range. I suppose he could kill you with 2-3 flares, however if you let him hit you with that many flares you fail at dodging and aren't killing him fast enough. If he does get close to you, just don't panic. Even at close range you stand a good chance(main thing to watch out for is Axtinguisher). A crit melee hit or a few good shotgun/revolver blasts will make quick work of him. Heck, even the needlegun out damages flamethrower at close range(though if a Pyro gets close to you as a medic you're failing miserably). Worst case scenario you deal a good amount of damage to him and make him easier to kill for your teammates.

If a single pyro is taking out multiple teammates then you're playing on a server with a bunch of new players as Pyro is garbage at higher levels of play. If they're really a problem just go Heavy, a single Heavy can kill any amount of Pyros. You have 300 health, a sandvich, 500 close range DPS and much better mid/long range DPS. He has 175 health, no sandvich, and 140 close range DPS. Fairly obvious what the outcome of that particular fight is.

Edit: Oh yeah, Pyro isn't really a good counter to other Pyros. They can't light each other on fire which means no axtinguisher/flare crits/afterburn. Plus the reliance on close range damage usually means that a lot of fights end in a draw because the Pyro who's losing will airblast the other Pyro away and make a break for it. Alternatively they might just airblast you away at the start of the fight and go for your teammates(I do this a lot when I play Pyro as Pyros are a very low priority target and not much of a threat) If you insist on countering Pyros as a Pyro though just use Degreaser and shotgun. 90% of Pyros either use Detonator or Flare Gun at the moment which means you can just back away while pelting him with the shotgun and taking next to no damage. If he catches you in close range with the flamethrower just airblast him back. If he doesn't have a shotgun as well he's pretty much screwed as flare gun and detonator are useless against another Pyro.

 

[EHKOS]

Rockets are really not the best idea, I'm a pretty good Solly and most pyros I go up against can airblast at least enough to deflect them away, if not right back up my launcher. I'd say shotguns work best. Heavy is pretty good, unless you're playing KOTH or using the Tomislav. I use both so for that my Heavy is out. Sniper works but then you either don't have a problem or can't turn around fast enough to survive it. An expert spy is the best to deal with them except when they rush the point and start spraying flames everywhere. Demoman goes the same with the Soldier, and Engi really only sits there W+M1ing his way to victory.

On a lighter note, I really need to check out these Escapist servers.