First of all, we were supposed to be a mid-range melee class, so the TD nerf is not really a mood breaker.
Gap closer:
Grapple does the job pretty well. But I understand the frustration, because since 1.4 you actually have to weigh thoroughly which pathway could be the shortest to the healer by not pulling interest on yourself. Accordingly, pulling the healer out of range with grapple and bursting him down will always find appreciation among your teammates.
Conclusion: I don't mind using my judgment, trust yours.
Escape talent:
Since the changes of 1.4 Energy Rebounder gained a must-have role, for me personally. Keeping Energy Shield at CD at all time in combination with Kolto Overload, Warzone Medpac and Warzone Adrenal is, in my opinion, almost sufficient for survivability. Before introducing a new Escape Talent I would undo the changes to Sweltering Heat. Why? 50% Slow down was sufficient to put enough distance between yourself and the Charge CD of Mara and Jugg. (Personally, I had never problems to kite melees as mara or juggs pre 1.4.) Now, with 30% Slow down they are able to close the gap with Charge at any time. But, with all your CC-Abilities up, you are still able to get away from them. If not, you are definetly doing something wrong.
Not so relevant to the topic:
Since Incendiary Missile is competing with Flame Burst in sense of range, heat management and appliance of dot, it fell completely out of my rotation. As a result, this makes the Pyro-Spec more monotonous.
But, all these points aren't as disappointing as the following:
What I am missing at most, is the possibility to choose an individual playstyle. Being forced to use either Pyro- or Shield-Spec to stay competitive is kinda colorless. Hybrid-Specs as Carolina Parakeet and Ironfist were good compromises in sense of survivabiity by diminished damage-output. By introducing the use of all-level-gear to promote the individuality of a player you took, after 1.3, the decision of playstyle from him which, in my opinion, is worse than wearing unified equipment.
Closing statement:
I really appreciate the changes to the Advanced Prototype build. In case of sustained damage you have extremely fortified it. But in PVP it lacks of burst damage which is essential for fullfilling our main role as healer-dealer thats why in end-equip warzones the Pyro is being picked over the Prototype. (I'm just judging out of my own experience.) And if the Prototype is not aiming to be a healer-dealer what role is it aiming for then? As a ball-carrier in Hutball we can't compete with jugg or mara. As a crowd-controler we lack of burst damage to justify the crowd-controlling benefits of this tree.
"Wait! But what about 1/22/18 or 0/23/18? Isn't it a hybrid spec and you benefit of all cc-abilities?"
- Yes you do, and yes it is.
But, to quote a pvp-healer friend of mine: "A pyrotech without TD is just like a rash.. annoying."
