The Homewrecker is my personal favorite pyro melee. I don't think there's a better feeling than smacking someone with a sledgehammer full force. However, I do not use the wrecker because my team always thinks that means I'm going to play "Pybro", the single most problematic subclass in the game. Yes, even worse than demoknight. In this thread I want to inform you all of the problems with pybro, why it should be frowned upon, and how both weapons should be rebalanced.


The main problem, in my opinion, about playing engineer is that he’s just not that fun to play. You plop down this giant auto-aim gun and let it do the work while you kick back and randomly crit any spy who dares to attempt to do his job. Sure, there are items like the gunslinger that let you be more of a Texas nightmare, but the engineer is a hyper-defense class and has been since Team Fortress Classic. Pybro is WORSE. Pybro takes the engineer and replaces his shotgun with a flamethrower. That’s all Pybros do! They sit around and counter spy. Nothing more, nothing less. They are an even more boring and stalemate-y class than Engineer.


“So what?” You may say, “they’re still helping their team!”
Ah, but are they really? What else could that pyro be doing instead of babysitting the class that needs it the least? Helping his team on the front lines, where he should be. Pyro is an offense class, believe it or not. Sadly, over the years Valve has tried their damndest to turn pyro into a fourth support class, and I think that it’s complete bull. Weapons like the phlog and the shotguns have been ditched for the easy mode defense weapons that reward scorch flare spam and airblasting everything that moves. And the homewrecker, oh gee golly gosh. What a weapon it could’ve been.


Appropriately named, this weapon was the main factor behind my divorce: I caught my wife playing pybro with another engineer.
Jokes aside, this weapon could have been so much more. The Homewrecker’s stats make it actually 1 shot sappers. Yes, you heard it right: The pyro is better at doing the engineer’s job than Engineer. Insane, isn’t it? I believe this should be changed. If the homewrecker’s sapper removal is removed as a stat, pybros will lower in numbers dramatically. I believe the homewrecker should be a “bunker buster”, which can 1 shot sentries, while doing minimal damage to actual players AND another downside when deployed (Perhaps less speed, Death mark, or less healing?)
Yes, I know, I know that sounds bad. However, I fully believe that it would not only provide a good alternative to the powerjack (especially on offense) But it would birth a new sentry destruction tool, and who doesn’t love those? Well, besides engineers, but ♥♥♥♥ those guys.

This weapon is rarely used outside of a joke because its stats are so dependent on uncontrollable factors it’s rare to see one used well. It can also remove sappers but it takes 2 swings, however, it also crits wet players.
Both of these stats should be removed. I don’t know exactly what to replace it with, though. My main thought is something electric-based, perhaps it could travel to other players upon a successful hit? Something like that, anything that doesn’t involve water or sappers is instantly better.


So why has such a cancerous subclass been allowed to roam free for years now? You guessed it: The community. As I have stated many times before, any baby-level easy carry strategy will always be praised to the highest caliber by the community. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised they’re happy they got a glorified babysitter. So yes, once again, the community supports something that’s terrible, just like friendlies, just like random crits.


So, we’ve reached the end. Pybro is bad, and I understand that may be a big shock to some of you. However, if everyone were to band together against this semi-idle playstyle, I firmly believe we could make pyro an offense class again! Probably not though, because the TF2 community would never let go of a tactic that rewards doing very little work.