In my opinion the rocket self damage was needed, the soldier is not a close combat class and he shouldn't beat a pyro by simply shooting a few times at his own feet. You just need to adapt to use the shotgun more or to actually juggle the pyro BEFORE he can get to you, which will be harder now because ther are many airblasts but you can fire rockets faster than they can reflect.Welcome to the soldier's world, who's been nerfed more than any other class since the nerfs started. I bet that air blast gets a nerf as well.
Air blast all the way. Nothing saves you (by pushing away a lit enemy) or busts ubers like air blast. I think most pyros will go this way. And then pyro will get another nerf for their unmatched and frustrating ability to destroy ubers.
In my opinion the rocket self damage was needed, the soldier is not a close combat class and he shouldn't beat a pyro by simply shooting a few times at his own feet. You just need to adapt to use the shotgun more or to actually juggle the pyro BEFORE he can get to you, which will be harder now because ther are many airblasts but you can fire rockets faster than they can reflect.
-Calle
i agree to this. now i hate the removing of the 50hp too. but now its like a true question of "What is more important, a frontal assault with defense (comp blast), or sneaky attack with (pretty much) 100% back crits?" i of coarse switched off of backburner immediatly, cuz without the extra hp it doesn't really help me, cuz i'm pretty much always a frontal attack kinda person. and the airblast (even though i suck at using it) can be very helpful.I don't think the unlocks are suppose to be upgrades in the sense that one is better then the default. I think they're just suppose to give you different options and a more well rounded game.

Hands down, the air blast makes the backburner a token item without the health bonus.

I was using the older gun anyway...![]()
I think Valve need to make the compression blast use a little more ammo. It currently uses 25 ammo. Maybe change it to 40 ammo so a full pyro has up to 5 blasts instead of 8. They should also make it so the pyro can compression blast jump.![]()


thats a great idea a compression blast jump but it would be annoying if ur not the pyro![]()
The Heavy is too fat.. so no jump for him... 
thats a great idea a compression blast jump but it would be annoying if ur not the pyro![]()

I've played the pyro the most out of any class and I'd have to go wit the crit. I find it much more useful especially in ambushes. Plus, who can't dodge rockets coming straight at your body lol?
In my opinion the rocket self damage was needed, the soldier is not a close combat class and he shouldn't beat a pyro by simply shooting a few times at his own feet. You just need to adapt to use the shotgun more or to actually juggle the pyro BEFORE he can get to you, which will be harder now because ther are many airblasts but you can fire rockets faster than they can reflect.
-Calle
. Anyway, soldiers are forced into CQC because they are so slow. A pyro can keep distance and fire the flare gun, plus the air blast, plus he doesn't reload the flamethrower. If a pyro (or anybody) gets too close to a soldier or heavy, it's voluntary or bad luck, and he can always use the air blast if things don't look good. Of course, this takes skill.You can't dodge rockets that hit walls right next to you bounce you to the left and all of a sudden one hits you in the face...
Or the ones that only are aimed at the ground (orange x3) almost the whole game.