- Is it fun to play? Yes. - Is it fun to play against? This is highly subjective, some people may enjoy the added diversity while others may find it annoying. - Does it add anything worthwhile to the Pyro class? Yes, and not just to the Pyro. Projectile classes, mainly the Soldier and Demo, will have additional things to keep in mind when playing against pyros, and it adds a small metagame of messing with firing patterns to prevent Pyros from predicting projectiles. Without the Degreaser, Pyros are forced to keep their flamethrower out most of the time, giving them no ability to deal with mid-range enemies. This makes Pyros an easy target, and reduces their viability. With the Degreaser, regardless of Shotgun/Flare Gun, the Pyro gains some utility at mid range. They are still easily outclassed by scouts, and stickies can be fired faster than airblast.
One thing to note is that the Degreaser is one of the few unlocks that dramatically changes a class' playstyle. In 6s, HL and just about any competitive format where the Degreaser is allowed, it is almost exclusively used by Pyros. Similarly to the Gunboats for roamers, it fits the role of the player, and comes with its own pros and cons. Contrary to the item description, under nodamagespread conditions the Degreaser actually has ~12-15% less damage than stock, and a -33% afterburn penalty instead of the -25% stated. The Degreaser forces Pyros to rely more on their other weapons to deal damage, while using the Degreaser mostly for airblasts. The stock flamethrower rewards wm1ing more, a technique with such a ridiculously low skill ceiling it shouldn't even be considered a skill. I believe that the stock flamethrower was added into the game as an easy weapon for players to pick up, while the Degreaser is designed as a flamethrower for more advanced users/techniques.
- Should we allow these unlocks in the next AFC? I believe it should, it will add to the game's diversity, add new strategies, and also gives the Pyro some offensive capabilities instead of being a purely defensive class. As mentioned earlier, it has been whitelisted in ESEA/CEVO/ETF2L for multiple seasons, and has been tried and tested there at the highest levels. It does not break the metagame, nor is it overpowered. It would be good to have more similar whitelists to other leagues, allowing us to have a smoother transition for international events such as i55/58 if we do go participate in those. Seeing as we are a seperate community from them I agree we should try it out and get accustomed to it before major leagues such as AFC9, but I do not see any reason why it should be blacklisted.
