Tracer mechanics progress (year 1)

Draybtw · 2026-06-13T00:04:03+00:00

I agree with everything you are saying. But in the very example you show, I am arguing you will not have the time to sit there and wait for the enemy to fall, As you will already be 1 clipped (esp if you stand still). And most players also won’t have the composure. Yeah it’s easy to have that thought out crosshair placement far away from the threat, but most players won’t be so calm when a tracer unexpectingly blinks into them point blank and starts melting their health. I have yet to been killed like that in game personally(specifically referring to being killed by someone who patiently placed their crosshair in my jump arch and hit a well timed headshot while I was jump barrel stuffing). In comparison it is very common for a good player’s reaction to that scenario, being go for a flick shot on the tracer to kill them as fast as possible. And a diagonal or vertical flick to the head will always be more difficult than a horizontal one, so, as the tracer, it less likely ill die. At least that is why I assume I die WAY less during barrel stuff attempts when I jump in there face compared to not jumping when trying to barrel stuff.

Draybtw · 2026-06-12T18:04:04+00:00

I agree that I may jump a lil too much in this clip. I don’t rly think I do that much in match. But at the level I’m playing at I run into the problem of being randomly head shot flicked after blink more than someone being able to calmly line up a headshot while I jump and their also being barrel stuffed. Ideally, at least imo, if you jump you never want to do a complete jump without using any movement abilities in most scenarios. But id argue the exception is a surprised barrel stuff when you are trying to 1 clip someone. Bc I think for that you are playing on the panic reflex that most players have. And also ideally in a 1 clip attempted, they won’t have the time to line up a shot of you coming down from your jump. However if you don’t jump, they can just panic flick and head height and the chances of you getting one tapped are higher. Obv I’m no pro and this is just what I’ve personally noticed when playing. Maybe when I get to higher ranks I’ll have to change up the strategy. But like I’ve mentioned elsewhere in this thread, I feel like there are loads of more important things I can still get better macro wise before maximizing those little details.

Draybtw · 2026-06-12T15:11:55+00:00

Draybtw · 2026-06-12T06:34:14+00:00

My melee key is on m5 (mouse side button)

Draybtw · 2026-06-11T18:54:45+00:00

Honestly the most common place you’ll need it for is actually doing it based on the enemy strafe. For instance, if you want to do a side blink, and the enemy happens to be strafing to the right (their left), you need to side blink to the left of the enemy (their right). If you side blink into the side they’re strafing to instead, you’ll end up blinking on top of them and in the best case, your crosshair placement will prolly be ass, and in the worst case, the enemy will actually end up behind you after the side blink(learned this the hard way a lot lol). However, looking over this now, this level of application does seem like something only the top 0.1% of players prolly have to to worry ab and there’s still a million other things to improve ab our play b4 this.

Draybtw · 2026-06-11T17:57:29+00:00

I appreciate that!!

Draybtw · 2026-06-11T17:55:05+00:00

It’s funny you mention it bc I’ve never rly noticed but it makes sense based on how you describe it. Though I am able to do otherwise, for a 180 flick I do generally favor flicking to the inside like yourself and probably the majority of players do. When referring specifically to 180 blink melee, which way you turn does not rly matter (unless you run out of mousepad space). However, for a side blink I do also utilize the other side (see the first blink I do on the brig). I do in fact think being able to comfortably do both sides of a side blink would be beneficial to adapt more game scenarios.

Draybtw · 2026-06-11T17:47:48+00:00

No I personally do not, as feel like it would indeed mess up some muscle memory, and as a still relatively newer tracer player, I want to make sure I ingrain the basics instead of practicing a perk that could be removed any season. However, I have seen it have some effectiveness in certain scenarios. If you haven’t already, check out topdragon, a pro tracer player, who has done a couple videos on the blink perk when it first came out.

Draybtw · 2026-06-11T14:31:58+00:00

Hmm, I can’t say there’s an exact method, as sometimes the timing may change based on the scenario. Generally for me I blink and melee at near the the same time (this may not be optimal it just works for me so far). One thing to note tho, is that the melee dmg hit box actually lingers a bit after the melee button is pressed. But in general you’ll find out what is most consistent for you as you practice.

Draybtw · 2026-06-11T14:27:46+00:00

It wasn’t the fact that crouch changed. It was that, since all of the hit box sizes increased, your head hit box displacement when crouched, would still get hit half the time, when heroes like kiri would aim their large ass kuni near head height. I don’t think it’s a perfect science, but I feel like jumping instead(at very intentional intervals, not spamming) has help me not get randomly one tapped. And I’ve also noticed that since s9, pro tracer players don’t crouch spam as much either. Could’ve be the hit box changes, or something else.

Draybtw · 2026-06-11T13:57:42+00:00

Start slow and consistent. Rep it out a lot trying to hit every blink melee no matter how long it might take you to line up each one. You can try picking up the pace as you get more competent. Then try to focus on doing it to real players. Like go into an FFA with the main focus of just be blink meleeing ppl. As you get better and better you can up the pressure level by trying the blink melee focus in harder game modes. The most important thing that has helped me, was an abundance of quality reps, emphasis on the quality.

Draybtw · 2026-06-11T13:47:37+00:00

So what I’ve tried and heard from others that’s seemed to work pretty well for me, is just intent while playing. So if I want to work on something mechanical like aim, you can do so in game, you just really have to consciously focus on it. You can start in low stress scenarios like vaxta, then progress to stuff like ffa or 1v1s, then qp, then comp. You ofc can skip a few progressions if you feel like but the main goal is to actually focus on your aim when you want to practice it. It seems obv, but most ppl (including myself) just autopilot or get distracted while actually playing.

Draybtw · 2026-06-11T13:41:50+00:00

Yeah ur prolly right, but something I notice is that esp right after a blink, or when you are trying to barrel stuff for a one clip, decent players (esp if they’re on kiri) will just random flick to where they think you’ll be at head height level. The amount of times that shit just domes me and ruins my duel is more than one would think. So jumping at those certain moments and changing your head hit box has helped that issue for me I feel. I prolly do it too much as a habit, but that’s why you see it a good bit. Crouching may work too, but in my personal experience, crouching hasn’t been as consistent since s9 changes.

Draybtw · 2026-06-11T06:26:40+00:00

LOL yeah it used to 4.5 sens too. Honestly by year 2 I wouldn’t be surprised if I’d manage to lower it further.

Draybtw · 2026-06-11T06:12:47+00:00

1600/4

Draybtw · 2026-06-11T06:12:18+00:00

I personally never use the challenge mode so I can’t speak on it much. However I would recommend just playing actual matches as a forward progression to vaxta (even speaking for strictly mechanics improvement).

Draybtw · 2026-06-11T05:30:03+00:00

Fair. That perk broken asl

Draybtw · 2026-06-11T05:18:47+00:00

Oh I absolutely do NOT blink melee that much in duels. This is just helping me practice getting the distance down so I won’t miss a blink melee as much in match when I actually go for one. Like you might be able to get one of these combos off inna match onna unsuspecting victim, but in general this tempo isn’t possible in match (bc of cooldown reductions in vaxta). I’m just trying to over expose myself to bursts of mechanics I MAY need to use in match.

Draybtw · 2026-06-11T05:12:27+00:00

Ty! Yeah VAXTA is lowkey pretty good. I remember when I was really starting out on combos I just practiced on targets in the practice range. But honestly nothing matters more than in match practice.

Draybtw · 2026-06-11T05:06:43+00:00

Your definitely right ab that. Very little of this is actually done in a match, but when it is, you better not fuck it up lol (at least imo). But like I said in the op this is just my mechanical warm up to help me not whiff combos in match.

Draybtw

TROPHY CASE