The Phlogistinator

[Bellsproot]

The Phlogistinator.

 

Oh boy, here we go with this weapon. I'm sure anyone who's anyone in TF2 knows that this thing tears families apart, destroys households, and is ultimately the cause of all the world's wars.

 

But let's cut the bullshit and get right to it.

The Phlogistinator is a Pyro weapon that annoys the hell out of everyone except the person using it. I've said some things I'd like to see changed about this weapon before, but I want to go in depth with it now.

 

Why is this weapon so annoying? Well, there are a few reasons:

1. It promotes W+M1

2. It lacks airblast

3. It takes little knowledge of Pyro to use this thing effectively. (see #1)

4. It's fucking everywhere

 

1. It promotes W+M1

W+M1 is the act of walking at people as Pyro, holding the fire key, and being oblivious to everyone but whoever you're burning. This strat is an easy way for Pyros to die, but one that seems to work so well sometimes. I'm not saying this isn't how to play Pyro, but with just a little circle straifing, you can do just as well as a Pyro than you would walking at someone. While the latter can be applied to using the Phlog, most people don't care when they've got the crits. "AWW YEAH, LIMME JUST WALK AT THESE FAGS AND OOPS I'M DEAD." Don't be that Pyro.

 

2. It lacks airblast

Airblast is not only a key part of Pyro, but one key part of saving lives. A Pyro reflecting projectiles or extinguishing enemies is a true team player. And a Pyro that uses the Phlog is not. While the Manmelter is supposed to compensate for the lack of extinguishing power, it rarely used, and is poorly executed as a weapon. Most Phlog Pyros have little to no regard for their team, which is why they're probably using the Phlog.

 

3. It takes little knowledge of Pyro to use this thing effectively.

See #1. Playing Pyro effectively is no easy task. Airbast timing and prediction are the key elements of Pyro. The Phlog throws these out the window. Again, W+M1 is way too popular with this weapon to make use of Pyro's key skills, and learning the in and outs of a class is essential, which this weapon CERTAINLY doesn't teach.

 

4. It's fucking everywhere

Almost anyone who's played this game for more than a week has this thing. There's no avoiding it. New Pyros are gonna use this thing. You're gonna get burned down by one on just about any Valve server you go to.

 

Now that we've stated why it's overpowered, let's talk about how to balance it. Aside from reworking the whole thing, there are a few changes that could balance it out:

 

1. Less resistance during the taunt.

Currently, the Phlog provides a 75% damage during the activation of Mmmph. lowering it to 60-50% would make a Pyro more weary about just sitting in the middle of battle absorbing damage, and may deter him for using it so viciously.

 

2. Mmmph using mini-crits for a longer time.

Activating Mmmph provides a 10 second crit boost, which certainly destroys stuff. Lowering the buff duration or changing it to more time with mini-crits wouldn't change much, except for making people go crazier with mini-crits or just waste their shortened crit time or some shit.

 

3. Increasing the amount of damage it takes to fill the Mmmph meter.

It currently takes 225 damage via fire to charge the Phlog. This takes very little time to do, and I suggest making it more like the Buff Banner for Soldier. Pusing the damage to 400-500 would be a fair range, as doing that kind of damage as a Pyro is not very difficult.

 

4. Overhaul

Its not often that Valve overhails a weapon's stats, but when they do, it's usually for a good reason. An example is the original split of the Equalizer. While one may be more useful than the other now, it was still something that needed to be done. This needs to be done if the above changes aren't.

For this overhaul, adding an "overheating" factor would act very well against W+M1. The way I see it, If Pyro holds down M1 for too long, then the Phlog would stop working for 1-1.5 seconds before resuming fire. While these numbers may need tweaking, the idea seems relavent and useful.

 

Now that I've spoken my peace, I wanna hear what you guys think. How do you feel about the Phlog? Do you think any of these changes could be viable?

[A Cyan Stone in Mustard]

It's just a click and run weapon basically. For anyone that sucks or doesn't even know how to airblast, this is for them.

 

Fun Fact: Before the Pyro Update, the power to airblast didn't exist. 

[Baloo]

I use it in MvM for Rottenburg's Hamlet Hostility for the final wave. Otherwise its just Degreaser and Axtinguisher combo.

 

It's just a click and run weapon basically.

 

Also known as W+M1

[Grimes]

It's far easier to kill a pyro without airblast.

[Bellsproot]

 

I use it in MvM for Rottenburg's Hamlet Hostility for the final wave. Otherwise its just Degreaser and Axtinguisher combo.

 

Now, I can say that it's useful in some MVM, but airblast is still a big asset to teams. And it becomes useless with crit cateens or a kritz Medic.

[KoDoRiN]

Just let people have fun, it's not really that overpowered as you make it look. :L

 

If you really want competitiveness, go hl.

[Baloo]

Now, I can say that it's useful in some MVM, but airblast is still a big asset to teams. And it becomes useless with crit cateens or a kritz Medic.

 

The last wave of MvM for Hamlet Hostility is 3 tanks, and I use a buy back credit to switch from whatever class I was before playing as beforehand. The ability to burn the tank fills up the 'Mmmph' bar fairly quickly, and allows you to do the most damage to the tanks in the shortest amount of time.

[knavesmith]

I find phlog pyros rather easy to kill actually, especially when I'm a Soldier or a Demoman since they can't airblast my shots. If I'm a Pyro and I see one of these guys, I simply M2, Scroll Down, M1 for Reserve Shooter. That does them in rather quickly while keeping them out of range. However, if I see a phlog pyro with crits or taunting when I'm not a Spy, I run for the hills.

 

The resistance during the taunt is ridiculous though. You can actually survive a telefrag when doing the taunt.

[3.50]

Phlog isn't OP at all, nor is it particularly annoying, except sometimes to the teammates of the (stupid) pyro using it. But then, stupid pyros annoy their teammates no matter what their loadout  

 

Phlog pyros are either, 

A) sitting ducks because no skillz, or

Actually have and are using brains and/or tactics.

 

Think of it this way:
If a phlog pyro just killed you, (even with crits) a degreaser + axtinguisher pyro with instant weapon switch could have killed you just as quickly.

 

Taunt is not OP; still can be bakestaybed, hedshooted when taunt ends, and can be (very easily) sticky-bomped. 

 

And finally, NO, it doesn't promote W + M1. It promotes ambushes, picking one's battles, and the ol' ignite-and-retreat / fire-and-forget. All of this actually takes a bit of thought, if not skill

 

Disclaimer: I almost never use the phlog myself, preferring the stock flamer.

[Julia Gillard the Honest]

If anything about Pyro is too strong, it's the Axetinguisher (and reskins). Just for doing what Pyro does (fire), he then gets free crits on his melee weapon without any consequence (particularly overpowered with the Degreaser, which also airblasts and has no significant downsides). He should at least take minicrits himself when using it. I'm just saying what we all know to be true.

[3.50]

If anything about Pyro is too strong, it's the Axetinguisher (and reskins). Just for doing what Pyro does (fire), he then gets free crits on his melee weapon without any consequence (particularly overpowered with the Degreaser, which also airblasts and has no significant downsides). He should at least take minicrits himself when using it. I'm just saying what we all know to be true.

Axtinguisher....yick. OP indeed.

 

Degreaser is annoying as all hellz because it allows pybros to deal massive burst damage with little strategy, skill, or planning--just reflexes. M2, scroll up/down, M1. Rinse, repeat. Slightly harder to master than the ol' W + M1, but not much harder.

 

Also, if you happen to catch a pyro with the wrong weapon out (flare at close range, for example) he's at a disadvantage...unless he has the degreaser, in which case instant switch. Doesn't have to think; doesn't have to plan. So degreaser = mindless zero-strategy reflex-pyros.

[Zcrab]

Phlog is far from OP

 

I usually get pretty mad at people airblasting my rocket's

 

But I laugh when I see a phlog pyro, he does not know his doom is near...

 

I also like W+M1 pyro's more(When they are against me), because people that know how to airblast and is good with it, are annoying.

"Oh hi Soldier! Let me just light you on fire and airblast you in the cornor, heck no you ain't hittin' me with rocket's, im gonna airblast them away! And you can do nothing against me!"