Pyro missing shotgun

[ArcticRevrus]

In the steam release it appears the shotgun has been removed from the pyro class. I am aware that it was removed from some classes because it was redundant with the super shotgun, but now the pyro lacks any reliable mid-long range damage, and almost nothing to be done underwater. The IC can only do so much in these roles.

Was the pyro really overpowered enough to justify causing such a large gap in their utility?

[traxamillion]

no medic small shotty either

[squeek.]

Relevant: https://github.com/fortressforever/f...ever/issues/82

[ArcticRevrus]

Originally Posted by squeek.

Relevant: [url]I totally get where you're coming from. And for Soldier, I think I agree (hence why that pull request hasn't been merged, and may never be). However, I really don't think there's any reasonable amount of depth gained with the medic/hwguy having a single shotgun, and the pyro having it is largely irrelevant (it's only useful in pyro vs pyro, but even then it's insanely weak).

I highly disagree with the statement that its only useful for pyro vs pyro. It is very good filler damage any time you are knocked back from an explosive, and have already double flamed the target you are up against. This is relevant against vs large heavy, pyro, hwguy, demo, or soldier. Nerfing the class by removing a situational weapon is also not the correct way to go about simplifying an already extremely simple (mechanically) class. Constantly am I finding situations now where i get knocked back by a soldier into a mid range where its very difficult to get a good IC hit, but too far for a flamethrower, where im desperately spamming "2" trying to be able to get to a more reliable damage source and can't now.

[squeek.]

That strikes me as a benefit, as it narrows the pyro's role and emphasizes his strengths/weaknesses more.

Pyro is a close-range, damage-over-time, heavy offense/hybrid. The single shotgun only muddies that role rather than clarify it.

[ArcticRevrus]

Originally Posted by squeek.

That strikes me as a benefit, as it narrows the pyro's role and emphasizes his strengths/weaknesses more.

Pyro is a close-range, damage-over-time, heavy offense/hybrid. The single shotgun only muddies that role rather than clarify it.

Sacrificing the usefulness of the class isn't worth emphasizing the class design. If your going for sending the message of it being close range anyway, its a shotgun. While the shotguns in this game are not exactly balanced like this, shotguns are very well recognized as close quarters weapons, and can quickly be picked up by a beginner as "ok, this class is all about up close and personal".

If a change like this is to be made, something else should be added to fill a different gap in utility that the pyro has.