flare gun vs shotgun

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Hey, I've recently gotten good with the axtinguisher and love the tactic for taking down soldiers, demos, etc. My old setup was flamethrower, flare gun, fire axe--the melee being for taking out other pyros. Now that I use the axtinguisher, pyro vs pyro is just a roll of the dice.

I really like the flare gun and am good at it, but I was wondering if the shotgun would be a better option so not all of my attacks are fire based. I would gain against pyros, but probably lose some against scouts. What do you think?
 
I personally use the backburner shotgun and axtinguisher, the backburner suits my ambush play style and gives me an edge in pyro vs pyro if I can get behind them, the shotgun is just too great to passup because the flaregun isnt really a killing weapon, it just sets you up or sends enemies fleeing, the shotgun on the other hand helps a lot against enemies outside of flamethrower range or pyros that try to retreat so you run into their flames while they dodge yours. Of course the axtinguisher is just great against heavies and thats why I use it.
 
Shotgun, great for shooting enemies while they're running away on fire. Flare gun is pretty much useless except for annoying snipers, although sometimes I wish I had it for a few jumping axtinguisher kills.
 
It depends on why you play pyro.

If you play Pyro for pure pwnage, Backburner-Shotty-Axesinguisher makes the most sense. You can light somebody on fire, axestinguish them to death, and if they run away, shotty them to bits.

If you play Pyro like me, for shock and awe factor, Flamethrower-Flare Gun-Fire Axe is the best. I play Pyro to do ground control, break up rushes, turn back enemies, etc. The flare gun is excellent for aborting a run. Scout runs for the intel, FIRE FROM A DISTANCE, now his priority is to put the fire out, not snag the intel unless it's really close. Five people pushing through a tunnel? Flamethrower! Flush them out of the tunnel. They retreat from the flames towards their medkits, medics, dispensers and defenses. And if you really need to get down and dirty with the melee, the higher damage rate of the Fire Axe on non-burning people (remember, you're forcing people to run away in this mode, so you've lit them on fire and they're out of range) does you good.

Equipment choice depends on how you play.
 
I use the backburner-axetingusher-shotgun combo, definitely my favorite. If you prefer using the regular flamethrower go ahead with the flaregun. It just works a lot better. Also I regular 2fort a lot so I need something to fight with underwater. The flare gun also takes some aiming and the damage is over time and they can get it removed, where as the shotgun you can just unload on them and it is instant damage.

All up to you
 
I use Flamethrower, Shotty, Axetinguisher

backburner i used for a while, but once you get good with air blast you can live without it, and shotty is a must for pyro v pyro battles...

but ultimately it all depends on what maps you play and how you play, this set up just works for my play style
 
I use flame thrower, shotty, and axtinguisher.

\I use the flamethrower to blow back ubers, and protect sentrys from stickies and rockets. I use the shotty because the flare gun is a joke...at least it was before they increased the damage. I use the axtinguisher because its free crits.
 
backburner + shotty + normal axe

I don't usually use my melee, and I deal other pyros with fleeing + shotgun. When the shells run out, I just do kamikaze straight to the other pyro with my backburner :P

But as for the subject: you just play the way you feel is the best and then grow your skills :)
 
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I use the flairgun because a lot of the time I like to just set people on fire and run away, not trying to kill them, just to try and make them angry. The using flairs I can do this from a greater distance~
Other than that I use the flamethrower (used to use the backburner but not any more!) and the axetingusher but I don't melee
 
flamethrower, flairgun (because it is just awesome to see a flairgunkil) axetingusher
 
Personally, like everyone else practically I use the shotty...I tried the flare gun and it was usefull, but not while they were under water or just running away from me and in 1 v 1 against a scout where they stay at a distace its pretty much a roll of the dice if you hit him the the flare gun or not...much easier with the shotty IMO.
 
Well, my playing style is the flamethrower for sure. I would be in trouble without the airblast because I use it all the time--push back someone and run, or catch on fire, air blast, axtinguish. I've nearly perfected that tactic, so those two are staying in.

I usually frequent black mesa, but I often go to the pl rotation as well. On mesa the flare gun is great for getting scouts to run away instead of harassing me. Perhaps I should try the shotgun, but only after I get a few more flare gun kills and take the top spot for flare gun kills in hlstatsx.

Thanks for all the replies
 
i have it right now as flamethrower, flaregun, and axetinguisher. i love the flaregun it's one of my fav. weapons to use.
 
Dont get me wrong, against certain classes the flare gun is awsome, like those pesky snipers...plus I think it does extra damage to them, not sure tho...but in critical situations, i think that the shotty is much more effective.
 
=[Ga]= AutoDMC said:
It depends on why you play pyro.

If you play Pyro for pure pwnage, Backburner-Shotty-Axesinguisher makes the most sense. You can light somebody on fire, axestinguish them to death, and if they run away, shotty them to bits.

If you play Pyro like me, for shock and awe factor, Flamethrower-Flare Gun-Fire Axe is the best. I play Pyro to do ground control, break up rushes, turn back enemies, etc. The flare gun is excellent for aborting a run. Scout runs for the intel, FIRE FROM A DISTANCE, now his priority is to put the fire out, not snag the intel unless it's really close. Five people pushing through a tunnel? Flamethrower! Flush them out of the tunnel. They retreat from the flames towards their medkits, medics, dispensers and defenses. And if you really need to get down and dirty with the melee, the higher damage rate of the Fire Axe on non-burning people (remember, you're forcing people to run away in this mode, so you've lit them on fire and they're out of range) does you good.

Equipment choice depends on how you play.
Click to expand...
WEll said. This man knows the truth.
 
I used to play with no unlocked weapons, just because that's what I was used to. I never really liked the flare gun; it's just tough to aim against people that don't run in straight lines. :P

As far as the other two goes, I now play with both alternates. I rarely use melee when I Pyro, and nowdays only find myself whipping it out to Axe' someone. It's very satisfying. As for the main, I've been using the Backburner to great effect. When I Pyro, I do it ambush-style, and the 'burner lends itself well to it. Plus, I've never found myself using the airblast too much, and I always failed whenever trying to apply it to crit rockets and whatnot. :P
 
I had posted a vid on an awsome and I mean awsome pyro. It was before the pyro update and the guy was airblasting rockets downward and using them to propel himself forward as a soldier would and using the axe like a mad man as well as the air blast...one of the best pyros ive ever seen imo. If you guys want the link to it let me know and ill find it.
 
Flamethrower, shotty, axestinguisher for me. The shotty is the most underated weapon in TF2. It can take down any class fairly easily by itself if used properly.
 
? Frisky Dingo ? said:
I had posted a vid on an awsome and I mean awsome pyro. It was before the pyro update and the guy was airblasting rockets downward and using them to propel himself forward as a soldier would and using the axe like a mad man as well as the air blast...one of the best pyros ive ever seen imo. If you guys want the link to it let me know and ill find it.
Click to expand...
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LHw9M1wdVE"]A Don Newman Production[/ame]
It's Don Newman the red knight, who you are speaking of. He uses the flamethrower, flaregun and the fireaxe. Just as I do. :)
I play pyro to mess around. You know, meleeing people, annoying them with the airblast and trying to taunt kill them (which never works out for me :(). In my oppinion, this is way more fun than the usual "puff'n'sting" many pyros prefer.

P.S: The shotgun the most underrated weapon? The shotty is not underrated at all, if anything, it's the pistol.


-Calle
 
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