I started out as a die hard juggernaut, I was allowed to participate in two Beta periods the 1st was all Jugger and the 2nd period I wanted to see what was all the fuss about BH's being able to tank, so I tried it and I haven't looked back since. The thing that won me over with the BH class is all tanks playstyles are different the BH allows you to choose how you want to tank in every single fight.

 

After doing my research I have no choice but to play two BH's, I'm going to portray them in game as twins but to my point, I want to play a merc and a powertech but all I'm seeing no matter where I look are Shield Tech builds and Advanced Prototype builds and me being the kinda of player I am do not like cookie cutter builds or going with what's popular and thats the trend I'm starting to see.

 

I love everything I see about the Pyrotech spec so thats the route I'm going to spend countless hours and credits on looking for a build that fits my play style one of the reasons I didn't link a build is because anything can look good on paper but is it actually going to apply to how you play? I'm just wondering am I alone wondering about this skill line and are there anymore Pyro's out there?

<--- PT Pyro ......Peace thru superior firepower baby....literally

TL;DR at the very bottom!

 

I played as a Pyrotech in PvP all through Beta, but I decided to switch to Assault Spec Vanguard in EA (they are the exact same thing). It's a very fun AC, but how it plays depends entirely on you.

 

It's strengths:

 

1) Flexibility - good mix of both melee and ranged abilities

 

2) Peels - spam Flameburst/Rapid shots to proc slow + 2 taunts + Grapple

 

3) Burst Potential - The more Flame Bursts/Rocket Punches you cast, the more likely it is that you will proc a free Rail Shot that will also dissipate 8 heat, which leads you to more Flame Bursts, which leads you to more . . . you get the idea. Going balls to the walls during Explosive Fuel (25% extra crit chance) while also using Vent Heat + Thermal Sensor Override can lead to some pretty silly amounts of damage.

 

It's weaknesses:

 

1) Not tanky - you won't really have any super awesome abilities that allows you to keep spamming damage while being focused. Energy shield is great, but it doesn't really keep you alive if you get focused. Sure, you have talents that allow your defensive CDs to be come back up much faster, but defensive CDs aren't measured by the number of times you can use it per match, but rather how many times it actually saves your life.

 

2) Easily Kited - you don't have any gap closers other than Grapple. In fact, you are the only melee with only one gap closer and no other way of increasing your speed. Your slow isn't as great as Sith Warrior's free AoE slow, and it's short duration means that any type of CC/bad luck with procs means that your opponent will not be slowed.

 

3) Bad Heat Dissipation - you will have to use your Rapid Shots a lot more than with Advanced Prototype. Your heat dissipation talents are all random, so you often have to do some on the fly math to make sure you don't go over your most efficient heat threshold.

 

That said, if a Pyrotech is played right, none of these weaknesses really come into play. You don't have to be tanky since you can always engage on your terms. Always position yourself so that the other team can't effectively switch to you, ever.

 

Kiting you is a matter of interpretation, since your range is completely dynamic. If Rocket Punch is about to come off CD, you want to be in melee range. If you have the spare heat to spam Flame Burst, then you want to be within 10 meters. If none of these two things are true, you are free to sit at 30 meters.

 

Bad Heat Dissipation only matters if you actually care about having a super smooth rotation. As long as you are able to kill your target during your burst, then what heat you end up at really doesn't matter.

 

:wea_02:TL;DR - Pyrotech Powertech is an extremely fun class in PvP. However, it is not a "brute force" class that will allow you to spam abilities and win. The differences between being a good Pyro and a bad Pyro are extremely subtle, and entirely based on the player.

Nice to meet another pyro. I got a feeling it will catch on as the game goes on people seem to underestimate the power of DOT's which pyro's proc alot.

I'm also thinking of going Pyro over AP. That was really good input Kesrik, thank you.

@Kesrik thanks for the outstanding input thats the 1st time I had any info on the pro's and con's. Being an avid believer in player skill over gear and weapons what you just described sounds so much like my play style. And you hit the nail on the head for me I don't believe in adhering to strict rotations, situations change and you have to be able to adjust on the fly so thats where knowing your class comes into play. Looking forward to going against the grain and playing pyro.

@Kesrik thanks for the outstanding input thats the 1st time I had any info on the pro's and con's. Being an avid believer in player skill over gear and weapons what you just described sounds so much like my play style. And you hit the nail on the head for me I don't believe in adhering to strict rotations, situations change and you have to be able to adjust on the fly so thats where knowing your class comes into play. Looking forward to going against the grain and playing pyro.

 

It's not that you don't want to adhere to a strict game plan, it's that you CAN'T. Everything, from optimal range to heat dissipation changes constantly. To some, that can get frustrating. To others, it's the reason why we play Pyrotech (or Assault Specialist - For the Republic!).

I did fail to mention that I'm playing Pyro from a PVE prospective I'll always be grouped with my wife (maurader) I'll be doing space battles a lot with my PYRO, for PVP thats my twin BH I'm going with a Bodyguard/Arsenal hybrid I like to heal in PVP. See I'm in a bit of a pickle with a wife that games (some say thats lucky in itself) she plays but is only good for about 5 hours a day, but I cant play my character without her so I'll play my other when she not on. Anyway its a win/win for me cause no matter what I get to play. But I'm playing a Pyro strictly PVE.

 

I think we can agree on your motivations.

 

I think we can agree on your motivations.

 

You can actually make a BH with skull facepaint and the Joker scars. Looks pretty creepy.

I'll be specing pyro also, looks and sounds like fun from what i have read so far.

Pyro is amazingly fun. So far at 20 I've only spent points in that tree and I'm burnin a motha down. Topping the charts in pvp and crushing in PvE. I honestly think it does more damage than merc spec. I mean, it's also sweet to play a char who is like Scorpion from MK haha.

I'm a huge pyro fan. I played a Vanguard up to 40 in the beta with a similar spec and i loved it then. I like my current pyro in the release build of the game even more. PT dps all the way.