Overwatch: Tips on Playing as Tracer

I have been playing Overwatch by Blizzard Entertainment. The game is an FPS in a futuristic setting with a large variety of characters, allowing for many, many different styles of play.

One character I had been using was Tracer. She is Lena Oxton, a British lass who was thought lost in a teleporting experiment. She came back with new time-related abilities and then needed technology to control her powers.

Tracer's main abilities are short range teleportation and rewinding time to a recent state. Her weapons are not very powerful but they are accurate with fast bullet speed, high rate of fire and a spread. Since Tracer is very squishy with her low HP, her primary defense is mobility.

Below are some tips on playing as Tracer. I shall add to this article if I learn more.
(Last update: 18 July 2016)

Preparation

Before playing in an actual game with Tracer, some preparations should be made. The first of which is to put some time into practice. A 10-minute session in training (the time of 1 match) on the practice range will allow you time to develop and practice tactics in a stress-free environment. Count the number of shots it takes to defeat a Training Bot (it has 200 HP, the amount many characters have). Count the time taken to defeat a training bot. Try headshots, rear shots, body shots, long-range shots. Try shooting laterally-moving targets at different distances. In short, learn the limits of Tracer's Pulse Pistols. After that learn the limits of her other abilities. Do not forget to check the damage on her melee hit.

Try out other characters to have a rough idea of their abilities. At least note down their HP and if they have shield or armor. There is not enough time to learn everything in a 10-minute session and it will be incredibly boring to delay real play until you are ready. Instead, practice a little everyday (or each time you start Overwatch). Each session will allow you to learn a little more.

If you are lazy to do the maths homework, someone had already done it here (beware that the numbers may be outdated, especially the one for melee).

Know the maps, though this shall have to be learned during games. Use the time during preparation on defense to scout out some of the area. Learn more each time you play the map. On maps with no defense, you shall have to explore as you play. You can also use the time waiting for players when the game allows you to play around the map.

Check the side paths of each map, note the location of Health Packs. Look for alternate directions to approach targets and routes to likely sniper perches. Check the likely paths that the reinforcements of the opposing team will take. Look for places where Tracer can make a long jump with her Blink ability.

Strategy

Tracer's main strategy is to be a pain in the rear to the opposition. Literally. Seek out weak targets hiding deep behind enemy lines. Harass their reinforcement. Scout out and foil ambushes.

Harass the objective. Make the opposition turn from the front line to protect the objective instead of playing with your teammates who are trying to reach the objective. Your efforts are less likely to be noticed by your team, especially since your work is unlikely to show on the post-game statistics. However, your opponents will definitely take notice and curse your presence (or absence if they know you're around but can't find you).

Use Tracer to hunt snipers, who are usually hiding somewhere 'safe' at the back. Get behind support heroes and stop them from supporting. Find and take out Symmetra's Sentry Turrets and Teleporter. Attack Bastion's weak spot - with Tracer's speed, it is easy to get to the weak spot behind the robot when it is on Sentry mode.

Tracer can attack and delay their reinforcements. Most inexperienced players would just rush back to the front lines without expecting an ambush at their front door.

Hunt Tracers on the opposing side. Knowing how annoying Tracer can be, protect your teammates from her.

In an Escort map, while the main party groups together, Tracer can scout ahead and on parallel routes for traps and ambushes. If the opposing team is away from the Payload, engaging Tracer's team members, Tracer can speed around the main fight to the Payload to get it moving. That will distract some of the opposing team members, who may turn from the fight to defend the Payload.

An alternative escort strategy with Tracer is to have her escort the Payload. Under normal circumstances, most of the team escorts the Payload while most of the defense team directly tries to interfere. However, there is a defense strategy where the defenders hang back and snipe at the guards of the Payload. This is where Tracer comes in. She is small, fast and therefore hard to hit at a distance. By hiding behind the Payload, she can keep the mission going. Just keep moving to make it harder to be sniped on the foot through the bottom of the Payload (for Payloads that levitate a good height above the ground). Meanwhile, the rest of the team can attack the defenders directly, perhaps from the side.

When attacking an Assault map, when (or while) Objective A is (being) captured, Tracer can rush to Objective B and attempt to capture it. This will distract the defenders, allowing the rest of the team to attack Objective B before the defenders can set up defenses.

While Tracer's main role is as a flanker, do not restrict her to this. There are times when she should stand with the team. For example, during a nail-biting last stand scenario when time is running out and everyone from both sides come together for one final fight to achieve victory or delay defeat. Don't bite your nails during this situation.

Do take a break occasionally. Tracer is so fast that you can get dizzy playing her. Take time between matches to rest your eyes and stretch, maybe get a drink during a long break. Do not bring the drink to the computer/console to encourage yourself to get up and walk, and to prevent liquid-spilling accidents.

Tactics

Keep moving! Speed is life! Tracer is low on HP so she relies more on avoiding damage than bearing with it. Keep the opposition guessing where she is. Add in the use of her Blink and Recall abilities for confusion. Note that Blink moves Tracer in the direction she is moving, not the direction she is facing (unless she is stationary).

Recall takes a short moment to complete. During this time, Tracer is invulnerable. Timed properly, Tracer can use Recall to protect herself from momentary danger such as from D.Va's Self-Destruct and her own (or another Tracer's) Pulse Bomb.

Sometimes Tracer's mere presence is a threat such as when she is at an undefended Payload or Objective. During this time, it is better to stay alive as long as possible rather than to score kills. Use the Payload in Escort missions as cover.

Note that each shot of Tracer's Pulse Pistols does puny damage and as such deal puny (as little as 50%) damage against armored targets (represented by the yellow HP bar). On the plus side, the bullets travel fast with a spread so there is no need to lead your shots though the spread means that Tracer will do less damage at long range.

Even if you cannot eliminate anyone, harass as much of the opposition as possible. Every second you distract someone is one second less that they contribute to the team. However, since Tracer has low HP, be cautious and do not take unnecessary risks.

Keep Tracer's HP up. Take a few extra seconds to collect a Health Pack. Collect Torbjörn’s Armor Pack and convince Symmetra to give you a Photon Shield. These will boost Tracer's weak HP.

Since Tracer is fast, she can run back to the action in a shorter amount of time if she is eliminated. Thus, do not be overly cautious that the opposition regards her with a "Meh, it's just Tracer!"

Lúcio and Tracer make a good team on the offense. Lúcio can speed people up and heal. Tracer can scout ahead for trouble and provide firepower with her Pulse Bomb.

While with teammates, say during a last stand, stay behind cover or tanks. Take potshots at weak opponents. Attack Reinhardt's Barrier if there are no other targets.

Master the trick of rushing into the middle of an enemy formation, attaching the Pulse Bomb to someone and then Recall-ing to safety. Remember that the Pulse Bomb damages Tracer too, though her allies are safe.

The Pulse Bomb has a small blast area and is powerful enough to eliminate any target except tank heroes, Bastion on Tank mode and Torbjörn (and his turret) when his Molten Core is active. There are also a few other exceptional circumstances when a target may survive a Pulse Bomb such as when Lúcio activates his Sound Barrier.

Watch Lúcio as he escorts a Payload in an Escort game. Lúcio is hard to hit and can heal himself (the Payload also heals him if he is on the Attack team). Inexperienced players may skate around the Payload in one direction. If Lúcio is doing this, consider planting a Pulse Bomb at an unseen corner of the Payload while Lúcio is on the other side (don't forget to run!). When Lúcio comes around, he may just notice the bomb a moment before it blows. It may be a waste of a Pulse Bomb but you'll not get a new one unless you use the one you have.

Master the trick of engaging weak targets twice. Rush in, do some damage, then Recall, which removes recent damage and reloads the Pulse Pistols. Return again, maybe from a different direction, and finish the job.

Despite Tracer's personality, do not showboat. With Tracer, it is easy to sneak up behind people while they are looking the other direction. It is tempting to melee Widowmaker in the back while she is busy scoping out handsome men. If the opponent is any decent player, she would immediately react to a threat and dodge. If she dodges out of Tracer's view, things get really complicated. Instead, attack from a few paces away. Be close enough to hit the head despite the spread of the Pulse Pistol's shots, and far enough to see wherever the target will dodge. If you fail to defeat the target with after emptying Tracer's Pulse Pistols (your aim sucks) seriously consider running away, or at least dodging. Later, put in some time on the practice range.

Bastion is a target. In Sentry form, Bastion has a weak glowing spot at the back. If Tracer can sneak up behind Bastion, she can easily take out the robot with only her Pulse Pistols. Beware if there is a healer nearby. It would take too long to defeat Bastion if it is being healed. Alternatively, a Pulse Bomb may be used for instant destruction.

Although Mercy is a target, do not underestimate her. Mercy has more hit points and, if she does not need to reload, has more damage potential. One clip of Mercy's Caduceus Blaster has enough ammo to take out Tracer twice (so one use of Recall is not enough); five times if Mercy's player is good with headshots. The drawback of the Blaster is that its shots take time to travel. At medium range, it is hard to aim at Tracer if she moves laterally. If Mercy has her Blaster out and aimed in Tracer's direction, Tracer is in a bad position. Consider running away and returning from another direction. It is a whole different story if Mercy has her Caduceus Staff out and is looking the other way.

Beware of Torbjörn’s auto-targeting turret. That thing instantly spots and shoots at Tracer with better reflexes and accuracy than a pro-gamer. Try to face the turret at close range (to maximize the damage of the Pulse Pistols). Use Recall after taking a few hits to heal up and go at the turret again. Do it fast enough and Torbjörn won't have time to fix the turret. Alternatively, just use the Pulse Bomb. Remember to Recall to safety or Blink away fast.

Hanzo's Sonic Arrow reveals Tracer's position. This allows him to prepare for Tracer's arrival, giving them the advantage. It is best to run away or switch to playing defensively until the arrow wears off.

Be careful when moving into Hanzo's field of view, like when chasing him around a corner. Hanza may use his Sonic Arrow and then have an arrow ready to eliminate Tracer with a headshot when she shows up. Master players do not even need to use the Sonic Arrow. Use Blink when bursting from cover or approach from another direction.

Beware of McCree's Flashbang and Roadhog's Chain Hook. These abilities can stun Tracer for a brief moment. Dodge before your opponent thinks to use either of these abilities. Even if caught, there is a chance the opponent misses his chance to eliminate Tracer, allowing a split second for Tracer to save herself. Use this time to Blink past the opponent to confuse the him of your position. Then either counter or run away and look for Health Packs.

Watch out for Junkrat's Steel Trap. The trap will neutralize Tracer's main advantage and defense: her mobility. If Junkrat is in the game, keep an eye out for the trap. Consider avoiding, rather than destroying, the trap since doing the latter warns the opposing player of your position. Always remember that Junkrat drops explosives on death. Blink away immediately after defeating Junkrat at close range.

Similarly, watch out for Widowmaker's Venom Mine. The mine of your opponent will clearly be red in color. And as with Junkrat, destroying the mine warns Widowmaker's player of your location. She may be ready for your arrival.

Learn to skirmish. Get up in-your-face close and Blink past the opponent. Most inexperienced players will get confused and spin around, trying to hit Tracer. The objective is not always to defeat the opponent. Sometimes, it is to occupy his/her time. Skirmishing is good against reinforcements, especially key players like a tank. Blink up and through an opponent. Dodge one random side and hope he/she'll turn the wrong direction. Be prepared to run past your opponent again if he/she does choose the right direction. In a major battle, skirmish to draw attention away from teammates who have better weapons.

Certain Payloads in an Escort game are low enough for Tracer to jump onto. That presents an additional direction of movement other than the two around the Payload. Inexperienced opponents may not consider this. From the top of the Payload, Tracer can see the direction her opponent is moving and act accordingly.

Most characters have a counter to skirmishing. Thus, if you cannot defeat your opponent in a short time, consider running away. Reaper has high short range damage and is dangerous if he can aim at Tracer. If McCree even thinks to drop a Flashbang at his feet, there'll be trouble.

Symmetra is a very dangerous opponent in skirmishes. Her weapon automatically locks on its target and her damage increases with time. Consider backing off to medium-range when up against her.

D.Va's Meka is very bad at skirmishes. If you can get behind her, you can dance around to confuse the pilot. Beware that Tracer will still be an easy target for D.Va's teammates.

Use what you have learned when engaging other Tracers. Inexperienced players will usually run rather than face a 'fair' fight. They likely do not have experience fighting Tracer and will stick to the standard tactics. However, by practicing with Tracer, you will know how annoying she can be and what she will likely do. Use that knowledge and your experience in skirmishing to hunt other Tracers and protect your teammates.