The Draconian Pyromaniac is an enemy that was introduced in Serious Sam 4, reappearing in Serious Sam: Siberian Mayhem afterwards.
A larger and tougher version of the Pyromaniac, the Draconian Burner, is exclusive to Siberian Mayhem.
Overview[]
The Draconian Pyromaniac is a large humanoid creature equipped with a fireproof suit and napalm tanks. Their main weapon of choice is, unsurprisingly, the flamethrower. They belong to a race of fanatical fire-worshippers that are the last remnants of a sentient species that evolved in the triple star system of Psi1 Draconis.[1] Their race are acolytes of a once-minor cult that may have been inspired by the coming and going of the suns in the sky caused by their planet's eccentric orbit.[1] They believe in nothing, not even Mental; their only goal is to see the universe burn. Their motto is "it must end in fire".
Pyromaniacs are equipped with napalm tanks that serve as a jetpack, allowing the creature to traverse terrain and quickly join the battlefield during combat situations. These napalm tanks are lightly armored and serve as the Pyromaniac's weakspot; shooting his napalm tanks will deal more damage to him and sustained fire will cause him to explode. He will also explode instantly if killed while in mid-air.
Appearances[]
Serious Sam 4[]
Pyromaniacs are rather uncommon enemies at first, but start to become quite common later on. Several are seen throughout the game and often in small groups of three or more, though sometimes they appear alone. The first Pyromaniac encountered by the player appears in "Gates of Hell".
Serious Sam: Siberian Mayhem[]
Pyromaniacs are first encountered shortly after the Draconian Burner mini boss fight in "The Song Of The Stormbringer'". Afterwards, they infrequently appear alone or in small groups, sometimes alongside Burners. They are most commonly found in the final level.
Application[]
Pyromaniacs are deployed into areas to aid Mental's weaker forces and to give them support when faced with opposing forces. Pyromaniacs will usually be sent alone or in small groups. They are primarily used for flushing out groups of enemies and to provide supporting fire for other troops in Mental's army. They also serve as harassment units to distract the player, both from a distance and at close to medium range.
Behavior and skills[]
The Pyromaniac has several attacks he may perform. Upon spotting the target from medium to far range, he will fire a volley of fireballs from his flamethrower. These fireballs can travel a remarkable distance and will set the ground on fire for a short time. They will deal moderate damage should they hit the target. Occasionally, the Pyromaniac will fly up into the air with his napalm tanks, firing more projectiles while trying to close in on his target.
At close range, the Pyromaniac will set the target ablaze with his flamethrower. This attack deals roughly the same damage as the fireballs fired from his flamethrower. At point-blank range, the Pyromaniac will deliver a kick to the player, which deals a lot more damage than his fire-based attacks.
Like many enemies in the game, the Pyromaniac will briefly flinch if he takes a blow from strong weapons (like a close-range blast from the Double Barrel Coach Gun or a few rockets from the XPML21 Rocket Launcher).
If the player has unlocked "The Bigger They Are" S.A.M skill, they can perform a finishing move on a Pyromaniac. Pressing the Use key when prompted (PC: E by default) will make Sam grab the Pyromaniac by the throat and damage his napalm tanks, causing them to malfunction and forcing him to fly into the air and explode. The "Rodeo" S.A.M skill also allows the player to ride a Pyromaniac if they get behind him and quickly press the Use key. When riding a Pyromaniac, his flamethrower is activated with the primary fire key, while his melee attack is initiated with the secondary fire key. After a certain amount of time or the Pyromaniac's health runs out, the player will automatically be dismounted from him.
Tactics[]
- When dealing with a Pyromaniac, the most important thing the player should do is focus on his napalm tanks and open fire. They serve as his weakpoint and he will take triple the damage if the tanks are shot at. Continously firing at his napalm tanks will eventually cause the Pyromaniac to explode.
- Continuous fire on a Pyromaniac will increase the chances of temporarily stunning him. If the player gets the chance, they should keep firing at him at close-range to deplete a large portion of his health before he attacks again.
- A lone Pyromaniac can be destroyed with at least one C-4 Demolition Charge if the charge is attached to his body. Multiple charges are needed to kill a Pyromaniac if the player places the charges on the ground around him.
- For large groups of Pyromaniacs, the XM214-A Minigun can mow them down very fast if the player concentrates their fire on them.
- Pyromaniacs from far away can be dispatched with the RAPTOR Sniper Rifle or TCC-2 "Perun" Crossbow. A single shot to his napalm tanks will kill him instantly.
- Due to the Pyromaniac's high health, strong or rapid-firing weapons like the A-24 Devastator, Autoshotgun, Double Barrel Coach Gun, MK III Grenade Launcher, XL2 Lasergun, or XPMR "Burner" Raygun work well on these enemies, especially for groups.
- Another useful weapon to use when fighting Pyromaniacs is the XPML21 Rocket Launcher. If the player has the multirocket upgrade, its lock-on mode works great against them, but due to their atypical health, Pyromaniacs can survive two rockets with only 10 hitpoints left unless a rocket hits one of their fuel tanks. Therefore it's wiser to hit them a single time with any bullet-firing weapon before OR after using two homing rockets on them instead of wasting three rockets.
- Alone, Pyromaniacs are a low-medium threat. In groups or on higher difficulty settings, however, they can be a medium or even a high-priority threat and should be targeted first before going for any weaker enemies.
Behind the scenes[]
- Early concept desgins of the Pyromaniac depict the creature wearing clothing similar to that of a hazmat suit. Parts of its skin can also be seen on the arms and torso which are covered in fleshy bumps, which are likely to be fire-related injuries.
- One of the Pyromaniac's early designs would eventually be used for the Draconian Burner.
Trivia[]
- The Pyromaniac is heavily inspired by the Pyro from Team Fortress 2. The Pyromaniac wears a suit similar to the one worn by the Pyro and also wields a flamethrower as his primary weapon in combat.
- Contrary to popular belief, the Pyromaniac's fireballs only deal damage if they directly hit the player. The fire left on the ground from the fireballs will not damage the player if they step on them.
- Sam's quote after he kills a Pyromaniac is a play on Eldon Tyrell's famous quote: "The light that burns twice as bright burns half as long".
- The Pyromaniac emits a noticeable scream when the player performs a finishing move on him as he flies up into the sky.
- A "pyromaniac" is a term used to describe someone who suffers from pyromania, an impulse control disorder when the individual has an obssessive or uncontrollable urge to set things on fire.
Gallery[]
Artwork[]
Retail[]
List of appearances[]
- Serious Sam 4 (First appearance)
- Serious Sam: Siberian Mayhem