### Utilizing the Detonator effectively --- The Detonator is an extremely powerful tool that allows you to fill supportive gaps in many situations. It can apply ranged pressure around cover, clear sticky traps for your team, provide mobility, and spy check wide areas at range. It is the go to secondary for most pyros especially at a high level, due to oppressiveness of high invite snipers and the effectiveness of clearing traps that no other class can safely see. Despite all these upsides, the Detonator severely gimps the Pyro's ability to take one-on-one engagements, even making it possible for spies to revolver down you or your teammates before your flamethrower damage can get the kill. The Detonator can also be a trap, distracting you by idly spamming, and creating opportunities for the enemy team to take advantage of. Without proper use, the Detonator is worse than not having a secondary weapon equipped at all. > [!warning] Note for new Pyros > I **highly** recommend that new players don't use the Detonator at all. Focus on mastering [[Spy Tracking|spy tracking]] and protecting your combo from [[Basic Playstyle#Bomb Denial|bombs]], as well as [[Understanding Ubers|understanding ubers]] and playing with your team first. You will pickup bad habits with it that will have to be broken later and almost certainly distract yourself from the most important aspects of Pyro in the process. The Detonator is a tool that can only be mastered with solid fundamentals. ### Pressure without peeking --- One of the most powerful aspects of the Detonator is its ability to apply pressure to enemy players without ever having to see them. Thanks to the slight arc of all flare guns, and the ability to detonate the flare with a small explosion whenever you want, you can detonate your flares around angles. This makes pyro one of the most effective classes at pressuring snipers off angles at range. The key to this is finding ways to hit angles that snipers commonly play on each map without ever peeking the sniper sightline. Some common examples of these are shooting over the roof to bats on [[Ashville]] or shooting over the rock sign on [[Product]] to hit China. Generally speaking, you should **never** peek the sniper with the intention of pressuring him with the detonator. Listen for the sniper calls and find ways to spam him off the angle without ever seeing him. The only exception to this is circumstances where your combo is pushing into a sightline and accepting the risk of getting shot anyways. ### Pressure with purpose --- When you pull out the Detonator, there should be a good reason. Spamming randomly at anything and everything will leave your team open for the enemies flank to get in. As a general rule, you should never spam the Detonator at the cost of your ability to handle your other responsibilities. 20 damage and some afterburn is not worth the life of your medic or even your own. Below are some common circumstances where the Detonator can be used effectively, ordered vaguely by priority. In all situations, you will need to [[Vulnerability assessment|assess]] the game state and determine whether or not you have the space to use your Detonator, as well as recognize the opportunities as they are presented. For example, using the detonator to output ranged damage during a team fight becomes the highest priority when the spy and bombers have already been dealt with and your team is trying to pressure a heavy. Under normal circumstances shooting 4 dets in a row at a heavy would be terrible play, but when the opportunity presents itself, it could be the highest impact play. Something else to consider when prioritizing using the Detonator, is buff removal and prevention of crit heals. If you see your flank taking a fight you can easily remove buffs from the enemy team's flank without committing and give your flank the edge. The same can be true for the enemy teams sniper, one det can drop the enemy sniper above 150 hp and either force his medic to tank him or lose the fight with your sniper. 1. Pressuring the sniper off angles while avoiding sight-lines 2. Ranged spy checking and space denial 3. Pressuring the sniper during a mid fight 4. Buff and crit heal removal (flank and sniper) 5. Ranged damage output during a team fight on any focus fire 6. Spamming choke points and common areas preemptively ### Spy Checking --- The Detonator can be an extremely powerful tool when combined with solid [[Spy Tracking|spy tracking]] fundamentals. Use it to check the cross without having to commit to changing your position as well as clearing out corners from afar. The Detonator is also extremely effective at clearing out spots that the spy could be standing in to make calls, thanks to the explosion radius. Use it to compliment your spy checking abilities and hold strong positions for your team while still maintaining strong spy awareness. One thing you can do with the Detonator is spy check for players outside your bubble, especially if you know the enemy spy is using the Spycicle. If you see that your sniper is alone on the other side of the point during spy time, shooting a det at the corner behind him can frequently catch spies decloaking for the stab and leave the spy vulnerable. The Detonator is extremely effective against the Spycicle in general, as it can constantly keep the spy off his knife without having to commit to chasing or killing him. ### Clearing Traps --- The Detonator is the most effective tool for clearing sticky traps in the game. It allows you to remove the stickies entirely without ever having to see them. While other classes can clear traps, they generally have to risk their lives passing by the traps in order to see and shoot them. This makes clearing traps with the Detonator extremely effective. At no risk to yourself, simply shoot common trap locations as your team begins to push through areas. Demos will frequently place traps around doors and choke points that the enemy team has to push through, and a few dets around these common areas will allows your team to push safely. Make sure to be listening to calls for trap locations and clear them out for your team as needed. ### Detonator Jumping --- Utilizing the Detonator's ability to allow the Pyro to do moderate jumps can be a powerful movement tool in many situations. It can allow you to commit in sacs more effectively, escape/cross sniper sight lines more safely, as well as play in positions that Pyro would not normally be able to reach. It is worth practicing your movement in order to understand the range and consistently hit your jumps. If you are going to be equipping the Detonator, you shouldn't waste the opportunity to take advantage of the movement capabilities that it offers.