Two questions... One, I understand for sustained damage you want to put Incendiary missile up first, but isn't using TD -> IM -> RS the stronger opener? Personally, I think the most powerful part of the build is the fact that the TD and RS hit at approximately the same time when doing that. Though, I suppose it doesn't make a huge difference whether something hits in one second or the next, but that's just my preference. If there's a compelling reason to use your order, inform me Second... you're using Rocket Punch before Flame Burst on that "opening" rotation. With the change, unless their text is wrong, Combustible Gas Cylinder needs to be on the target in order to proc PPA. The one benefit I've found to Flame Burst first is the fact that the CGC dot is applied before the check for PPA, thus you can proc PPA by simply Flame Bursting a target (even if you haven't hit them with anything before). I've been mostly PvEing (cleared HMs on the PTS, so I had a lot of time to work with the new changes), so I haven't had a bunch of time to mess around in PvP. My "opener" is... Thermal Override -> Thermal Det -> Incendiary -> Rail -> Flame Burst -> Rail (PPA) or Rocket Punch (no PPA) 78% of the time, I get a PPA proc by that point. If I don't, I obviously work around it to stay <40 heat, and Flame Burst when I can (unless the cooldown on RS is coming off). Whenever I get a PPA proc, I always Rail Shot on the next global. Then, during the 2 "filler" globals, I do a mix of Rapid Shots, reapplying IM, TD, or using a 3s channel (Unload is underrated, people need to realize how important things re-applying CGC is now... Unload costs less than Flamethrower, longer ranged, and does around the same damage with at least 1 CGC proc, not to mention it applys the dot). Then, I obviously just go from there, repeating as necessary. Another extremely useful combo with the way CGC and PPA work now... if you switch to a new target, or a teammate needs help finishing someone off and Rail Shot is on cooldown: TD (optional) > Flame Burst > Rocket Punch (no PPA) or Rail Shot (PPA) Huge burst, low-ish heat cost (won't screw you like a new Incendiary Missile). Plus, CGC ticks harder than IM, especially on low hp targets.

It's not a ninja nerf. It was listed in the notes. It hits more times for less damage... Same overall. If the radius wasnt smaller, it'd be a buff. Stop crying while uninformed.

At work so I can't comment on live, didn't get to PVP on the PTR much either... However my guild did have the first HM Denova clear, and I play Pyro DPS. In PvE, we're more than fine. In fact, I was top DPS when we got our parse set up. Beat our marauder by a fairly significant margin. I almost look at it as a buff, since it makes it a more reliable, less luck based class. I have to do a lot less praying to get free rail shots, and any person who isn't an idiot can work around and realize how insignificant the cooldown is. We're fine. I expect to still melt people in PvP for a long time coming, and hope to continue to top damage in PvE.

It's not really a large nerf. Don't listen to these whiners who have zero common sense. Half of the napkin math I've seen on these forums has mistakes a 3rd grader shouldn't be making. There's 3 seconds where you can't get a free Rail Shot proc that wasn't there before. That's two instant casts, one Unload/Flamethrower. (Proc - 1.5s -> Rail Shot - 1.5s -> 3 seconds before you can proc again) If you were spamming Flame Burst during those globals before, you were heat screwing yourself anyways, therefore you're a bad player. With a higher proc chance... it's more reliable burst. This, in my opinion, just makes the class further reward smart play, and harms people who don't know what they're doing. There's less wasted heat praying for a proc. I've was lucky enough to have my Powertech transferred to the PTS. Our damage is fine (in fact, it's higher than most every class in actual boss fights). Our heat management is fine. All this patch does is increases the skill gap for the class. If you're a bad Pyrotech, you'll be hurt. If you're a good one, you'll adjust and hardly notice the difference. Sure, you won't get 4 procs in a row... but those were rare, and it was stupid when that happened. Most battles didn't work that way... and SHOULDN'T work that way. It won't, now. I'm fine with that. It's funny you bring up Marauders. I also have a BM Marauder alt... and it's the perfect comparison. Highly skilled Marauders are one of the strongest classes in PvP. Bad ones are among the most useless. Powertechs are still, in my opinion, still have a bit more forgiveness, but this "nerf" was a step in the right direction to creating a skill gap. Good Powertechs will stand out. Bad ones will do the opposite.