Pyro's primary damage source is a very close-range stream of flames, and the large sphere of influence that a Sentry Gun has can deny Pyros from approaching outright. That being said, the Flare Gun can work well against Heavies if Pyros can aim well and use their mobility to stay out the range of the minigun, they can set the Heavy alight, then pepper them with crit-inducing shots from afar to take off chunks of health. Most Heavies also equip the Sandvich or other lunchbox items, which can help them survive afterburn if their large health pool isn't enough, though this does run the risk of very loudly alerting the Pyro that the Heavy will be vulnerable for several seconds as they are locked in their eating animation then needing to spend at least another second revving up their miniguns again. The Heavy has drastically stronger damage output, nearly twice as much health, a longer effective range and can easily come out victorious any fair one-on-one encounter as long as the Heavy isn't caught off-guard, and even then, a Heavy with good reaction times can simply turn around and turn the Pyro into mincemeat. Heavies can completely obliterate Pyros.The easiest way to deal with a Pyro is to shoot at them while you run away, and to stay away from tight spaces where they can corner and ambush you. While a competent Pyro is a terrifying force when you're forced into their range of action, they're one of the worst classes at long range, only having their easily-dodgeable Flare Gun or a Short-Range Shotgun to poke you with.The Pyro was the second class to receive new achievements and weapons. Ultimately Pyro is a Support/Offense class suited to fulfilling various secondary roles for their team and is among the most versatile classes in the game. A variety of unlockable weapons allow them to specialize in any of these scenarios, becoming a flanker, support, front-line damage, or just a hard Spy counter with relative ease. Their high close-range damage is useful in a flank or ambush, but can be equally effective when charging at the enemy (especially with the help of an Ubercharge). The cloak-revealing capabilities of the flamethrower makes them the bane of Spies, but their air blast ability makes them a soft counter to the projectile-based Soldier and Demoman. In terms of their role on the team, the Pyro is kind of an oddball, as while they are almost exclusively a short-range character they do not necessarily excel at any one role. The Pyro's melee weapon is a simple fire axe. This can be swapped for one of several flare guns that can set enemies alight from afar, enhancing the pyromania.

The Pyro's default secondary is a basic shotgun, suitable mainly as a backup in the event the flamethrower runs out of fuel.

The flamethrower is also capable of emitting a blast of air, which can move enemies, extinguish burning teammates, and reflect projectiles fired by a careless enemy. Enemies that touch the flames are lit on fire, eating away at their health until the fire burns out (or they burn to death). The Pyro's flamethrower allows them to deal continuous damage in a cone in front of them. The Pyro is a close-range class specialized in ambushing enemies, with a respectable 175HP and 100% base speed, giving them the most balanced stats in the game. Unfortunately for everyone else ( and unbeknownst to the poor Pyro), spreading fun and happiness translates to bringing hell to earth, lighting up people and property alike, bashing skulls with a fire axe and setting the temperature to anywhere upwards 100 degrees. Through their high-tech goggles, they see the world as a fantastical, idyllic Sugar Bowl known as Pyroland, where the Pyro is a joyous individual who aims to have fun and bring happiness to everyone. Their (or his, or her or its, or whatever) race, nationality, and gender are a complete mystery. An enigma even amongst their employers and comrades, the Pyro is a mumbling pyromaniac who is never seen without an asbestos-lined fireproof suit complete with a face-obscuring gas mask muffling their voice.

Team fortress 2 pyro update