I think the flamethrower should instead be a flamethrower, which, while doing very low damage at first, the burn damage increases with time, in total, 100 hitpoints of health are deducted. It sacrifices a speedy kill for a weapon which, gives the victim more time to seek aid, but if none is found, they will have lost a lot of health. This weapon does not disturb the balance of the pyro being short range. I call it: THE NEPALM SUPER SOAKER. No that was a joke. But you get the idea.
The shotgun is a tuffy - it certainly must not be able to be effective at long range, but it must be a fair trade off for the current one. It can't actually be 'better', but more effective at long range. My ideas are: a pistol which is more powerfull than current ones. IT MUST BE BETTER AT LONG RANGE, BUT USELESS AT CLOSE. A fair trade off - an unlockable piece of equiptment. The shotgun is the unlock I am least sure about, though.
Now the fire axe: when you have the fire axe out, you would be better with the flamethrower. It is a humiliation weapon. It must become a utility. A use similar to the ubersaw, but for pyro... hmm... I wonder. The pyro may have a meter which builds up to a special attack. It is a fire bomb. Three hits with the axe gives a right click special to either flamethrower equipped - the result: a demolike grenade which does splash damage to a max of 25hp but 50-75hp to a medic anytime, anywhere in the area. Of course, the burn damage is as usual 50hp - a weapon which causes retreat, leaving medics on 25-50hp. The axe fires slower than usual and does less damage. The final unlock.
I have thought hard of these ideas and if anyone has anything to add why not post it!! Seriously, though this is an improvement for the motolov idea and the long-range flamethrower. I want to see someone invent n alternative to the shotgun. IT CAN'T BE A WHOLE UPGRADE - just look at the balance of the medic weapons, people could easily live without the kiritz or blutsauger and I know people who have them but don't use them - the same goes with future weapons. However, the melée weapons can be complete upgrades, because no one goes hunting with them (except for the mongoloids who jump around with the bat?) So, thanks again - Haggus Mcgee