When should I buy a flamethrower?

RadmanRadman Join Date: 2013-04-05 Member: 184656Members
edited August 2013 in NS2 General Discussion
People describe both the grenade launcher and flamethrower as seiging weapons, but the grenade launcher simply does it way better. Clearing umbra and spores is nice, but it is highly situational I feel.

What situations is the flamethrower made for? What should I be looking to do when I invest in one?
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Comments

  • Side1Bu2Rnz9Side1Bu2Rnz9 Join Date: 2012-10-16 Member: 162510Members, NS2 Map Tester, Reinforced - Shadow
    Have you ever tried to 1v1 a skulk with a launcher... You'd be surprised just how useful a flamethrower can be when assaulting hives. Doesn't do as much structure damage, but better for marine's health if he has it.
  • RadmanRadman Join Date: 2013-04-05 Member: 184656Members
    So it's just supposed to be in between a grenade launcher and a rifle/shotgun?
  • Side1Bu2Rnz9Side1Bu2Rnz9 Join Date: 2012-10-16 Member: 162510Members, NS2 Map Tester, Reinforced - Shadow
    edited August 2013
    Pretty much... Plus it drains aliens energy and burns flamable structures pretty fast... Hydras especially. It's just situational like most if not all weapons.
  • UncleCrunchUncleCrunch Mayonnaise land Join Date: 2005-02-16 Member: 41365Members, Reinforced - Onos
    ha! The FT debate:
    Let's cut it to the end.
    *some ppl think, It's a no skill weapons and OP.
    *Does damage on everything.
    *No need for a gorge to build some hydras in hive as it get burnt in 3 secs.
    *kills bile
    *kills umbra/spores
    *Blind enemy (normal vision) as teammates (+bug on rifle).
    *You look like a lawnmower man or the janitor doing the dirty work.
    *Don't really need a cover from teammates while "working".
    If only Friendly Fire was set "on"...

    That should do it.
  • BicsumBicsum Join Date: 2012-02-27 Member: 147596Members, Reinforced - Gold
    It's pretty good to protect arcs/exos from Bile and Umbra.

    Also, Fades like to underestimate the damage output of a flamer. The other day a guy with a flamer managed to solo Fades multiple times when I nano shielded and medded him.
  • JektJekt Join Date: 2012-02-05 Member: 143714Members, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow
    edited August 2013
    Should never buy either at the moment. Just get a shotgun.
  • CuelCuel Join Date: 2013-01-22 Member: 181295Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    Pretty useless, I've never bought one, only used the ones that I've picked up and while they might be good for clearing up some gorge+hydra emplacement, other than that I find it awful
  • amoralamoral Join Date: 2013-01-03 Member: 177250Members
    still good for Rt harass with jetpack. also, does not benefit from weapon upgrades. pretty damn good for base defense as it messes up bile a lot.
  • KattcattisKattcattis Join Date: 2013-01-31 Member: 182683Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    I prefer flamethrower more than GL's. Flamethrower is a little like a lerk, can be dangerous in the right hand and use, and are used to cover your teammates(thinking about the lerks umbra and spore). If I have a flamer in a group of marine I usually flame around my friends, because aliens are bound to come close to them.
    And like @amoral said, really good harassment if you got yourself a jp :)
  • VetinariVetinari Join Date: 2013-07-23 Member: 186325Members, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Silver
    jp + ft = skulk and lerk death

    At least on a server with mediocre players. Pros will pwn you anyway.
    And bad fades can die to a flamer pretty fast.
  • bERt0rbERt0r Join Date: 2005-03-23 Member: 46181Members
    If you want to be badass, buy a FT.
  • NeokenNeoken Bruges, Belgium Join Date: 2004-03-20 Member: 27447Members, NS2 Playtester, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Silver, Subnautica Playtester
    FT is good, but you need a jetpack to go with it.
  • RicezRicez Join Date: 2013-04-13 Member: 184784Members
    Just save for exo, it's the only thing that will take down those fades.

    They are good if you are getting gassed, but if aliens have gas you've probably already lost.
  • FrozenFrozen New York, NY Join Date: 2010-07-02 Member: 72228Members, Constellation
    The only times I really think it is worth the res, and it IS worth the res because of this is:
    -Assaulting a hive such that you block a fades hive heals.
    -Protecting a siege point from bile bombs

    It's useful in other ways, but not really 25 res useful.
  • VetinariVetinari Join Date: 2013-07-23 Member: 186325Members, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Silver
    Ricez wrote: »
    They are good if you are getting gassed, but if aliens have gas you've probably already lost.

    This is a pity. You can barely use spores anymore.
  • joshhhjoshhh Milwaukee, WI Join Date: 2011-06-21 Member: 105717Members, NS2 Playtester, NS2 Map Tester, Reinforced - Supporter, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Shadow, Subnautica Playtester
    Buy one when you want to piss off every gorge in the server.

    Aside from that, just stick to a shotgun.
  • ellnicellnic Join Date: 2010-07-19 Member: 72559Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    If I get it, Its usually when spores are about. If we haven't got them when they get spores I will ask for an AA
  • ritualsacrificeritualsacrifice Join Date: 2012-11-14 Member: 171148Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    Having one flamethrower in a hive push can be good. It's a support weapon so don't expect to get a lot of frags with it though. It's all about keeping the aliens away from your shotgunners, and preventing the use of umbra and hive heals. It's also good for defending an ARC push because it burns away the gorge bile.. unless they changed that.
  • JektJekt Join Date: 2012-02-05 Member: 143714Members, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow
    edited August 2013
    It burns away the bile / bombard bombs in the air. Don't think it burns the corrosion if it actually hits a structure.

    Might be wrong. Not sure.
  • kalakujakalakuja Join Date: 2012-09-11 Member: 159045Members, NS2 Map Tester, Reinforced - Supporter
    doesnt kill fade ball --> useless
  • Ghosthree3Ghosthree3 Join Date: 2010-02-13 Member: 70557Members, Reinforced - Supporter
  • littleevilwolflittleevilwolf Join Date: 2013-01-17 Member: 180231Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    a few games back there was a 5 gorge push into the main. was beckoned back to a mass of hydras. i was right next to the armory got a flamer 5 sec no more hydra and dead gorges everywhere.
  • ScardyBobScardyBob ScardyBob Join Date: 2009-11-25 Member: 69528Forum Admins, Forum Moderators, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Shadow
    Jekt wrote: »
    Should never buy either at the moment. Just get a shotgun.
    This.

    Its more effective to kill the lerk with a shotgun then to burn away his spores/umbra with a flamethrower.
  • RadmanRadman Join Date: 2013-04-05 Member: 184656Members
    The grenade launcher is super good at seiging bases though. It lets you just sit back and deal tons of damage. What other weapon does that? Well I mean, exos, but that's like comparing bile bomb to an Onos.

    So what I'm hearing is that flamethrowers are useless?
  • amoralamoral Join Date: 2013-01-03 Member: 177250Members
    no, just specific cases where their use is best appreciated. flame umbra, the 30 dr is pretty damn powerful. base defense against gorges, flame an onos as it tried to get in, not only will it mess with it's energy, it'll mess with umbra. limits the attack.and escape power of the onos. also, messing with harvesterrs and cyst chains. it's easier to cyst now as comm, but that doesn't mean it's fun.
  • sotanahtsotanaht Join Date: 2013-01-12 Member: 179215Members
    ScardyBob wrote: »
    Jekt wrote: »
    Should never buy either at the moment. Just get a shotgun.
    This.

    Its more effective to kill the lerk with a shotgun then to burn away his spores/umbra with a flamethrower.

    In comp maybe. One of either is necessary to efficiently deal with gorge forts in pubs.
  • RumseyRumsey Join Date: 2013-01-21 Member: 181012Members
    Flamethrower drains energy and incapacitates structures, e.g. crag. Very helpful.
  • maD_maX_maD_maX_ Join Date: 2013-04-07 Member: 184678Members
    Maybe never? Really the only time I would suggest it is when pushing a heavily fortified position... By this I mean places like nano where there may be 6-12 hydras with gorge support...

    When you push your role is support not killing let your team kill gorges and skulks don't go running chasing a gorge, if its convienent sure shoot the gorge so he can't heal much but get the hydras down (flames can take a hydra or group of hydras out fast).

    Typically if your after cysts a welder will cost u much less and you can still cause havok...

    Of coarse if your turtling needed for spores but then only 1 not 3-4 flamers..

    IMO running around with a flame is saying that you cant aim and that your unsure of what's going on... Personally it also means your dead because that big flare just screams kill me first!

    Iv bought a flame a hand full of times usually in games where I'm 30-4 with 100 res and my team can't close the deal... So I burn down the world for a few minutes until I'm 31-5...



    In conclusion buy a SG where even a lucky shot can make a pro fade cry...
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