XCOM Pyro

In this segment, I aim to introduce each TF2 class as an XCOM soldier, complete with ranked abilities. Today, we're looking at the Pyro. Hey, XCOM players! If you have any opinions about the balance on these abilities, let me know in the comments section.

The Pyro is a light area-of-effect class, capable of wounding groups of enemies without relying on explosive damage. Be careful with these units! Their penchant for fire can make it dangerous for friendlies as well as hostiles. Be sure to invest in Titan Armor as quickly as possible!

Pyros can use Assault Rifle and Shotgun Class armaments.

 Class Specialty Secondary: Flamethrower
Flamethrowers deal damage over an area without dealing explosive damage. There is a chance that any tile in the flamethrower's area-of-effect might catch fire. Fire can spread, damage the environment, and may injure people who stand in it or pass through it while moving.

Flamethrowers cannot be reloaded once their ammo is spent without upgrades. Flamethrowers can not be used to Overwatch.

Squaddie Rank Ability: Ignite
Concentrated fireblast deals 3 damage and sets the foe on fire, reducing their Will score and dealing a point of damage per turn. Requires Flamethrower Ammo.
 
Corporal Rank Ability 1: Firesense
Grants HUD display that shows the range of environmental hazards.
-1 damage from environmental hazards

Corporal Rank Ability 2: Adjustable Nozzle
Allows Pyros to alter the area of effect of the Flamethrower

Sergeant Rank Ability 1: Hazmat Suit
Renders the Pyro immune to fire damage and poison.

Sergeant Rank Ability 2: Extra Tank
Doubles the Flamethrower's ammo capacity.

Lieutenant Ability 1: Hazmat Response
Allows the Pyro to clear environmental hazards, prevent vehicles from exploding, put out fires, and eliminate poison clouds.

Lieutenant Ability 2: Oil Slick
Expends a small amount of Flamethrower Ammo to create a flammable puddle at range. Deals critical fire damage when ignited.

Captain Rank Ability 1: Tempered Steel Nerves
 Pyro gains +5 will for every enemy he has burned

Captain Rank Ability 2: Forged in Flame
 +3 Health, +10 Defense
 
Major Rank Ability: Backburner
Increases fire damage to 2. Critical chance increases by 15% when the enemy is flanked.


Colonel Rank Ability 1:   Fireman's Carry
Allows the Pyro to stabilize one teammate without using a Medkit.

Colonel Rank Ability 2:  Blowtorch
Destroys target walls without alerting enemies

The Burn Ward

The Burn Ward
Level 10 Flamethrower
Victims share healing as long as they're on fire
-66% afterburn damage
Fire does not extinguish over time
Fire extinguishes on death

You might recognize this as another one of my Injury Update weapons. It was one of the better ones and I felt it deserved its own post and some concept art. If you're wondering what the deal is with the concept art, the little radar dish is supposed to be the receiving antenna that heals you whenever enemies heal themselves.

There was some concern when I initially unveiled this that enemies extinguishing themselves with healing would circumvent any use this thing had. After all, most forms of healing cure the fire debuff. So your earned healing would usually be limited to a medium medkit. There were also concerns that this would discourage enemies from healing burning enemies (unlikely given the busy battlefields of TF2).

I wanted the whole thing to encapsulate a very complicated sort of strategy. Enemies know that as long as they're on fire they're vulnerable to crit combos and their heals also heal the enemy, but killing the Pyro will sooth their pain. Entice enemies into attacking you from weak positions. The main problem here is conveying how differently this kind of fire works--making the unique nuances visible without breaking game readability.

Let me know what you think here, or on the related SPUF forum thread.

Pyro Buildings

A continuation of the MVM buildings project, buildings for the Pyro. Further concept art is forthcoming. As always, suggest your own! I am by no means even a halfway competent developr and I have a one track mind. Get creative and submit stuff to my comments! Good comments and ideas will get posted--with credit--on Fridays.

Pyro PDA: A charred notepad and pencil (?)




Offense:
The Volcano Rig
This teeny-tiny sentry remains dormant until an enemy gets close, then lets loose with a fiery blast that knocks the enemy into the air while setting them on fire. Its dormant state is silent as the grave.






Support:
The Camping Fire
Expendable canteens last a few extra seconds longer

Transportation:
The Air Elevator
Tosses an ally into the air (and extinguishes them!)

Looking for a clever way to bounce allies around. This isn't really that clever.

The French Tickler

The French Tickler

Not to scale

Level 25 Appliance
Attack chains between victims
+Alt Fire: Short Circuit Blast
-50% Afterburn damage
-75% Spread

The French Tickler fires a highly concentrated stream of particles which chain between opponents. Basically, when an opponent is struck with the beam, he takes X amount of damage, and the beam attaches to the next nearest opponent (within ~100HU), dealing X/n damage, and the next nearest opponent (ditto), dealing X/(n/2) damage. The weapon also ignites the principle target, but not any chained targets. Medics, cloaked spies, and disguised spies are protected from the chaining effect.

The alt-fire short circuit blast is just one idea, but I feel as though there should be more going on there. Possible projectiles destroyed by the SCB fill a bar that causes minicrits on chain attacks? Or on flaming targets? Something interesting without being too complicated, but also useful without hinging entirely on luck.

The French Tickler also appears differently in Pyrovision: rather than a hand-crafted stun rod, it looks like a long feather duster.

The Injury Update!

Now for a fake update about being wounded!

The Scout

The Big Hurt

Level ouch scattergun

Painslayers

Level 1 Painkillers (secondary)

While in use, heals the scout for 30HP and kills ramp-up on incoming damage for ten seconds.

While worn, the scout cannot be overhealed.

Tiny Tim

Level 1 Crutch (melee)

Improves returns from health kits by 15%.

-50% Damage

Hat: The Baseball Bill's Sports Shiner (a black eye)

The Soldier

The Tenderfoot

Level 5 Leg Casts

Deals damage to anyone within ~40HVU upon landing a rocket jump (groundpound)

+10% self-damage

Hat: The Spirit of 76 /The Hedwound

A stylish head-bandage recalling a famous painting by the same name

The Pyro

Another Burn Ward

Level 10 Flamethrower

Wearer shares any healing his victim gets until the fire is extinguished.

The Mental Exercise

Level 10 Imaginary Axe

party blowers and confetti on kill

Hat: The Invisible Person

A well-bandaged head in two styles!

The Demoman

The Hurt Launcher

Level 2 Grenade Launcher

The Company Health Plan

Tier 3 Scotch

Self-damage heals over time

+10% bullet vulnerability

Hat: The Double Eyepatch

Vision is for menn who don't rely on skill

The Heavy

The Medkit

Sandvich reskin

The Reverse Heimlich Maneuver

On kill: allows you to throw enemy ragdoll at opponents

-25% attack speed

Hat: The Sour Tooth

A toothache wrap

The Engineer

Sorry, Engineer fans!

The Medic

The Blood Drive

Level 10 Syringe Gun

Allows the medic to earn ubercharge for nearby non-medigun healing

-25% damage

The Suppository

Level Cough Bonesaw

Crits from behind

-50% base damage

this is a joke

Hat: Surgeon's cap

The Sniper

The Lobotomy

Level 5 Sniper Rifle

Pierces targets

+.5s charge time

Sample Seven

Level 2 Urine Joke

Splashed allies earn temporary health regen

Hat: The Reminder

Bandage over cheek-scar, numerous additional bandages on face

The Spy

Insurance Fraud

Level 5 Sapper Replacement

"Sapped" enemies share 10% of their healing with you

Surgical-Grade

Level 2 Scalpel

Hat: The Sympathy Solicitor

A neck brace

The Engineer:

Unlike Valve, I was kidding before.

The Workplace Accident

Level 3 Nailgun

Minicrits on headshots

-25% Damage

-50% Clip

The Quarpal Tunneler

Level 2 Right-hand cast

Allows engineers to walk through their buildings

-25% swing speed

Hat: The Clumsy Carpenter

A cracked version of the standard hardhat with nails in it