The classic debate: Degreaser VS Backburner

[Assault Potato]

Ever since the axtinguisher got nerfed, I would like to see what you guys think about the degreaser vs backburner debate. In previous arguements I found online, I see the degreaser gets the most points for being the weapon that encourages skill than the stereotypical W+M1 backburner. That said, according to stats.tf, more pyros equipped the backburner compared to the degreaser.

I present my arguements as follow:

I am a proud supporter of the backburner. I am not a n00b player, nor am I a professional one, but I am a sniper-pyro-engie main. (weird combo I know)

There are two main types of pyros in my opinion. The first, the roaming and ambushing pyro. This pyro likes to venture towards lesser-walked paths alone and ambush enemies when they are not expecting it. The second, the puff-n-sting pyro. The latter likes to stay in the front lines with their team mates and use their flare gun to harass enemies afar and deflect projectiles, relying on other weapons to kill instead of the primary.

It goes without saying that the backburner suits the former more, and the degreaser suits the latter.

But the question is: which one is more effective? Which one kills more people and captures/defends points more effectively? Definately the backburner in my opinion. I find it more fufilling both in enjoyment and efficiency to overpower surprised foes and burn them down before they can react than to linger back and walk in circles with the degreaser and flare gun. Isn't the pyro an offense class rather than the defense class?

I give a scenario: both pyros encounter a heavy from behind. The backburner pyro is able to bring down that heavy in one and a half second, while the degreaser pyro needs at least two swings of the axtinguisher to kill him, not counting the initial burst of flame.

Another: I have encountered many times when a team of four to five people pushing a cart, and not looking back. If I was the backburner pyro, I would have taken the lot down in two seconds. And I did. But the degreaser? Don't even come close.

So what are your opinions? I expect educated responses that have at least a decent explanation.

I have a professional killstreak backburner :3

[CONTROLLER ONLY MAN]

Originally posted by Manulel007:

Stock.♥♥♥♥ YEA!

[Chairforce]

I like them both, the Backburner possibly even more than the Degreaser, but I find its niche a good bit narrower of the two.
At the end of the day, the Degreaser is the more versatile one, but *if* you are in a situation where the Backburner can work out, it's butt-bakingly glorious; quite a nice thing for, say, defending cluttered payload sections.

On my cap, the Backburner is the only Flamethrower (situationally) worth picking over the Degreaser.

[Spude]

I use both (and Phlog) quite equally and I agree with you.
Now thing that most are going to spout here is "you only got 4 airblasts it sucks" but the way I see it is that if you can succesfully kill enemies or severely hurt them and making them back off thus making them not engaging your teammates it sort of makes up for the lack of airblasts.
But if round goes on and on and enemy starts to know your tricks or is competent enough to checn their flanks and back Backburners effectiveness really goes down and then you should switch back to Degreaser.
My usual round goes as a Pyro use Backburner (or Phlog) first and just see how much you can do if it does not work switch to Degreaser.

But overall which is better depends on enemy team composition and what is the situation -are you in choke with ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ of spam coming or are there good flanking routes, is enemy team distracted and scattered around what map etc.
With Degreaser you are better of engaging 1v1 fights and immediate threats but with Backburner you need sort of see the big picture and plan ahead.

Inb4 omg yu juts w+m1 wit bakcburnar no skijl requird.

[Orias]

Prenerf I would've said degreaser all the way backburner is for scrubs, but i've started to warm up to the backburner. It really depends on how you work with your team. A degreaser + a shotty can take down almost any class in a 1v1, stick a powerjack in for speed and your set, this set is also helpful on the frontlines, chip at the enemy while deflecting. On the other hand, the backburner is what I use when i'm looking for crowd control, demos and soldiers become a lot more dangerous and you cannot help your team on the front lines but you can be more reliable at killing a heavy med combo.

So in full i'd say that I would usually use the deg + shot + powerjack as it is my prefered playstyle, but if I need to be the main damage dealer on the team I would take the backburner.

[Lagger]

I'll stick with degreaser, a bit of support for my trustworthy Sotgun.

[Assault Potato]

My loadout is the Backburner, Shotgun and Homewrecker. The melee sometimes varies with the backscratcher or the neon anilihator on maps like Hydro or 2Fort.

[The Ham Wizard]

well, on theyre own, id have to say backburner
my personal choice is stock

[Boros György]

degreaser + reserve shooter (or shotgun) + powerjack for me.

[Joshua Kurayami]

Loadout-wise it would be the degreaser.
Solo would obviously be backburner.

[aaa a a aa AAA]

backburner is a lone wolf weapon

[Reality]

I always feel like the backburner makes you more reliant on ambushing bbecause it'll be two airblatss and then picking up their dropped weapon to break even ammo wise.... I like being able to stop a soldier spamming a gateway with reflected rockets from well outside my M1 range. I'm kinda too used to midrange shotgun/switch/airblast/shotgun, to focus on flames outside of actually cornered spies/snipers/medic

If you feel more mobile than usual (due to all of enenmy team using the same route and leaving side routes unmanned) then the backburner can go huge. although personally I feel like any soldier/primary demo/ meatshotting scout/ demoknight would get even more of an advantage in such an "ambush" situation.

[Sir Zorba]

Backburner's always been a bit too situational for me in PVP but I'd still say the two are about even in my eyes because the backburner is so good in MVM.

[PMR]

Stock because no downsides

[Cacodus]

All the pros use Phlog.

[stupendous man]

degreaser without a doubt

rip axtinguisher

rip pyro

spamming this on every pyro related thread until he gets buffed