Overwatch Wiki
Advertisement
Tracer
"Cheers, love! It's time to save the world!"

Real Name
Lena Oxton
Birth
February 17th
Age
28 (Overwatch 2, biologically 26)[1]
26 (Overwatch, biologically 24)[1]
Nationality
United Kingdom British (English)
Occupation
Adventurer
Pilot
Overwatch agent
Base
London, England (formerly)
Watchpoint: Gibraltar
Affiliation
Royal Air Force (formerly)
Overwatch (formerly)
Royal Air Force (temporarily rejoined)
Overwatch (reformed)
Relations
Emily Spray Emily (girlfriend)
Cara Theobold[2][3] (English)

Dorothée Pousséo (French)
Luisa Wietzorek (German)
Gea Riva (Italian)
Emiri Katō (Japanese)
Park Shin-hui (Korean)
Hong Haitian (Mainland Mandarin)
Tao Min-sian (Taiwanese Mandarin)
Weronika Łukaszewska (Polish)
Luiza Palomanes (Brazilian Portuguese)
Natalia Tereshkova (Russian, Overwatch Beta)
Lena Ivanova (Russian, Release)
Ana de Castro (European Spanish)
Analiz Sanchez (Latin American Spanish)

Cosmetics
Cosmetic page
Quotes
Quotation page
Role
Damage
Health
175
Character Video

Tracer is a Damage hero in Overwatch. She is one of the 21 heroes included in the game's release on 24 May 2016.

Overview

Toting twin pulse pistols, energy-based time bombs, and rapid-fire banter, Tracer is able to "blink" through space and rewind her personal timeline as she battles to right wrongs the world over.

Abilities

Role: Damage
Hero-ability-circle
OffenseIcon
Type
Passive Ability
Damaging an enemy temporarily reduces their healing received.
Duration:
2 seconds

Ability details:
  • Does not stack with itself or the passive from another damage role hero.
  • Stacks multiplicatively with other modifiers that affect healing received.
  • Objects that deal damage, such as turrets, may also apply the effect.
  • Self-damage does not apply the effect.


Pulse Pistols
Key mouse 1
Hero-ability-circle
Ability-tracer1
Type
Weapon
Effect Type
Hitscan Hitscan
Blocked by barriers.
Ignores barriers.
Blocked by Defense Matrix/Kinetic Grasp.
Ignores Defense Matrix/Kinetic Grasp.
Blocked by Deflect/Javelin Spin.
Ignores Deflect/Javelin Spin.
Affected by damage boosts.
Ignores damage boosts.
Affected by Amplification Matrix.
Ignores Amplification Matrix.
Short-range automatic weapons.
Damage:
5.5 - 1.65 (per bullet)
11 - 3.3 (per shot)
Falloff range:
10 - 20 meters
Headshot:
✓ (x2)
Rate of fire:
20 shots/s
Bullets per shot:
2
Ammo per shot:
2
Ammo:
40
Reload time:
1 second
Spread angle:
4.14 degrees (max)
Projectile radius:
0.05 meters
Tracer rapid-fires both of her pistols.

Ability details:
  • Damage per second: 220 while firing (110 overall w/reload)
  • ~0.22 seconds recovery if firing is paused.

Co-op details:
  • Ammo increased from 40 to 60.
  • Damage reduced from 5.5 to 5.

Example Video


Blink
LSHIFT
Hero-ability-circle
Ability-tracer2
3 seconds,
3 charges
Type
Ability
Effect Type
Movement Movement
Teleport in the direction you are moving.
Duration:
0.1 seconds recovery for reuse
Max. range:
7.5 meters
Tracer zips horizontally through space in the direction she’s moving, and reappears several yards away. She stores up to three charges of the blink ability and generates more every few seconds.

Ability details:
  • Blink instantly moves Tracer to target location.
    • Tracer will not be caught by Junkrat's Steel Trap if she attempts to Blink over it, but cannot Blink out of one that she has already triggered.
  • Blink will not remove debuffs.
  • Can also be activated with Secondary Fire.

Example Video


Recall
E
Hero-ability-circle
Ability-tracer3
12 seconds
Type
Ability
Effect Type
Movement Movement
Travel back in time to your previous location and health.
Healing:
Health returned to the highest value in the past 3 seconds
Duration:
0.91 seconds rewinding
Rewinds 3 seconds back
Tracer bounds backward in time, returning her health, ammo and position on the map to precisely where they were a few seconds before.

Ability details:
  • Also fully reloads Tracer's Pulse Pistols.
  • Recall does not restore temporary armor or temporary personal shields.
  • If Recalling to a position on a platform (or the payload) that has moved during the last few seconds, Tracer will not be Recalled to a position in the air, but instead she will be returned to the platform, wherever the platform is now.
  • Recall also records where Tracer was looking three seconds prior.
  • Tracer is phased out while Recalling, removing most negative status effects and making her immune to all damage during the 1.25 seconds.

Example Video


Pulse Bomb
Q
Hero-ability-circle
Ability-tracer4
1375 points
Type
Ultimate Ability
Effect Type
Arcing projectile Arcing projectile
Area of effect Area of effect
Blocked by barriers.
Ignores barriers.
!
Partially blocked by Defense Matrix/Kinetic Grasp.
Ignores Defense Matrix/Kinetic Grasp.
!
Partially blocked by Deflect/Javelin Spin.
Ignores Deflect/Javelin Spin.
Affected by damage boosts.
Ignores damage boosts.
!
Partially affected by Amplification Matrix.
Ignores Amplification Matrix.
Throw out a powerful sticky explosive.
Damage:
5 (stick)
350 - 70 (explosion, enemy)
175 - 35 (explosion, self)
Headshot:
Cast time:
0.144 seconds for throw + 0.192 seconds recovery
Duration:
1 second after stick
Area of effect:
4 meter explosion radius
Projectile speed:
15 meters per second
Projectile radius:
0.25 meters
Tracer lobs a large bomb that adheres to any surface or unfortunate opponent it lands on. After a brief delay, the bomb explodes, dealing high damage to all enemies within its blast radius.

Ability details:
  • Tracer's Pulse Bomb does damage when stuck to someone and when it explodes.
  • The projectile can be destroyed while in air by Ability-dva3 Defense Matrix, Abilities-sigma3 Kinetic Grasp and Ability JavelinSpin Javelin Spin and reflected by Ability-genji2 Deflect, but a stuck bomb and the explosion are unaffected.
  • Baptiste-ability4 Amplification Matrix affects all damage dealt, if the projectile passes through it. Splash damage alone going through is not amplified.
  • Stick and explosion are separate damage instances, causing both to get reduced by armor.

Co-op details:
  • Explosion damage increased from 350 to 550.

Example Video


Hero-specific options

Setting name Options Description
Blink UI On (default) Blink charge UI element is displayed under the crosshair.
Off Blink charge UI element is hidden.

Strategy

Tracer is a close-range skirmishing hero who specializes in speed and single-target damage. Her mobility and high single-target damage makes her excellent at picking key targets with very low risk. Tracer can quickly traverse a map with the use of Blink to outflank her enemies, deal damage to them, and then retreat before they have a chance to respond. Her low base Health and lack of regenerating shields means that she must make good use of Blink and Recall to avoid or reverse damage.

Weapons & Abilities

  • Ability-tracer1 Pulse Pistols: Tracer's primary weapon. Her primary fire rapidly shoots both pistols, dealing heavy damage. These pistols have a large cone of fire and heavy damage falloff, making them ineffective beyond short-range engagements.
    • The shots from Pulse Pistols need to aimed well. The large spreading and very fast fire-rate mean that she has to get close to the enemy as much as possible to track their movement.
    • With the fast fire-rate, it is recommended not to stop in mid-use, even if it will recover the weapons's spreading. Try to land non-stop shots on the enemy.
    • The fast fire-rate means that Tracer has to react quickly if a situation arises that necessitates that she stop firing, such as when Genji activates Deflect or Zarya uses either of her Barriers.
  • Ability-tracer2 Blink: Tracer's most important ability. Blink teleports Tracer a short distance in the direction she's currently moving. She can gather 3 charges as the maximum.
    • This allows Tracer to move unpredictably: she can Blink past an enemy to attack their back, or Blink to the side to dodge an enemy's attacks.
    • Multiple Blinks can be chained back-to-back, allowing Tracer to travel across gaps that normally can't be crossed with just her jump.
    • Blink still has a limit; Tracer needs to wait around 3 seconds to gain 1 charge for it. Use the Blink in combination with Recall and don't waste all its charges without a backup plan.
  • Ability-tracer3 Recall: When activated, Tracer will "rewind" to three seconds in the past, setting her health and position to whatever they were at that time, unless her health value is lower than it was before activating the ability. It will also reload her gun and remove all debuffs from her.
    • Recall is mainly used to restore Health, but it can also be useful for escaping: jump off a ledge, wait for an enemy to follow you, and then Recall back up the ledge.
    • Recall has a short animation that plays when activated, during which time Tracer is invulnerable and invisible.
  • Ability-tracer4 Pulse Bomb (Ultimate): Tracer's Ultimate ability. When activated, Tracer tosses her bomb forwards a short distance. If it impacts an enemy, it will stick to that enemy. Otherwise, the bomb will stick to the first solid surface it lands on. After a short delay, the bomb explodes, dealing a heavy amount of damage to enemies in a small area around the bomb. Note that this explosion will also damage Tracer.
    • Pulse Bomb is devastating on clustered groups or static defenses, like Bastion in Sentry mode.
    • A common ability combination to safely bomb a target is to use Blink to get in close, toss the bomb on them, and then Recall to get back out of danger.
    • Pulse Bomb synergizes very well with abilities such as Zarya's Graviton Surge. The combination of these ultimates will usually wipe out the majority of an enemy team and severely damage their tanks.
    • Avoid being killed by your own ultimate by activating Recall or Blink to escape from the blast.
    • Tracer's Pulse Bomb can eliminate a target just by being struck if they're at extremely low health, though this is not an effective strategy.

General strategies

  • When playing Tracer, do your best to avoid fighting your opponents head-on. Tracer can only deal good damage when close to her enemies, as opposed to other Assault heroes like Soldier: 76, and she lacks durability.
  • Take advantage of Tracer's speed to travel rapidly through side routes so that you can get behind your opponents before attacking.
  • Your top priorities should be support heroes; Tracer's high mobility and powerful gunfire make her a very strong counter to most supports and defense heroes that have low mobility. If you manage to fight the dps-heroes, you have to Blink to their blind spot to fight or flank them from behind when they are unaware that you are coming.
  • Tracer's mobility isn't unlimited; if she doesn't spare her Blink uses, she can put herself in severe danger.
  • Try to find single targets that are separated from their team and take them out. Be wary of diving into large groups to try and kill a target, unless you have Pulse Bomb ready, as a full enemy team can quickly turn and kill you before you can Recall or Blink to safety.
  • If you're starting to lose a fight and are low on Health, don't be afraid to retreat, as Tracer's speed can let her get to Health Packs well before her opponents can. This gives her an advantage in dueling single targets, as she can simply outlast them through good use of Recall and retreating to grab Health Packs before returning to battle.
  • Tracer is considered most effective in King of the Hill maps. Her horizontal mobility is unparalleled, making her ideal to flank enemy lines and to patrol flanks. Her lack of vertical mobility can be problematic on Payload or Control Point maps, where other heroes can give Tracer a difficult time to traverse the map safely.
  • Her Pulse Bomb can also be very effective on heroes that have medium health pools that are in Zenyatta's Transcendence. You cannot kill the Zenyatta during Transcendence, but you can take out heroes with less than 400 health, as Transcendence provides invulnerability only to Zenyatta, not the heroes around him.
  • Due to the slow travel time of her Pulse Bomb, throwing from some further range will likely not stick to any of the enemy and kill no one. Practice your aim and get close to the enemy with Blink as much as possible.
  • Keep in mind that Tracer has lowest base health of all heroes; a single headshot from some heroes can quickly kill her.

Match-Ups and Team Synergy

Tank

Hero Match-Up Team Synergy
Icon-dva
D.Va
D.Va's slow movement while firing makes her a large, easy target to retaliate against, and your mobility can make it difficult for her to land shots on you. while active makes her uncomfortable to use it against most mobile heroes. However, D.Va's Defense Matrix will negate not only your Pulse Pistol attacks but your Pulse Bomb as well, so try to only attack when Defense Matrix is on cooldown. Also, D.Va's lack of needing to reload means that if you're not careful about dodging her attacks, she can snap around and continue firing on you, eventually killing you. If you attempt to flee with Blink while at low health, D.Va can often chase you down with her Boosters. Conversely, if D.Va is weakened she can fly to a higher altitude where you'll struggle to reach her. When she's in her Mech, you can expect a fight to D.Va to either be a lengthy stalemate or quickly one-sided, based on your dodging abilities and her aiming abilities. A Pulse Bomb stuck to her Mech will chew through a good amount of its health, potentially destroying it; additionally, should you destroy her Mech with your Pulse Pistols, you can strap your Pulse Bomb to D.Va right when she ejects, instantly killing her. Even without your Pulse Bomb, D.Va is an incredibly easy target to kill once she's out of her Mech, so long as you stay mobile. Just don't get too cocky, though; a series of quick successive headshots from her Light Gun can finish you off in an instant. (To be added)
Icon-orisa
Orisa
(To be added) (To be added)
Icon-reinhardt
Reinhardt
Your mobility can help you easily get Reinhardt's Barrier Field to attack teammates he's protecting. Even if he turns around to try to protect his teammates from you, that will leave him open for your own team to make a move on him. Don't get too cocky around Reinhardt, though, as attacking him means you'll be in his hammer's effective range, and it only takes two strikes to kill you. Pulse Bomb will bring a healthy Reinhardt down to 105 health, which will make him easier for you to finish off. As long as you keep Blinking around Reinhardt and consistently shooting him, he will have difficulty handling you. (To be added)
Icon-roadhog
Roadhog
Roadhog's large model and lack of barriers makes him an easy target to build up Ultimate charge on. Blinking around him from side to side can help you avoid his attacks while landing your own. However, Take a Breather can help him stay alive. More significant, though, is his Chain Hook; one accurate grab with it, and you're dead. Even without his Hook, his Scrap Gun can chew through your health if you try to heckle him at point blank. If you're wounded and are attempting to flee, Roadhog might land a Chain Hook on you while you aren't prepared. Be cautious around Roadhog; unless he's at low health, you're unlikely to kill him alone, meaning you'll need to deem whether it's worth it to deal some damage and build up your Ultimate or to stay back and ensure your survival. (To be added)
Icon-sigma
Sigma
(To be added) (To be added)
Icon-wrecking ball
Wrecking Ball
(To be added) (To be added)
Icon-winston
Winston
Winston's mobility will let him easily chase you down if you try to flee from him. Although you can use Blink or Recall to temporarily avoid him, if Winston is out to get you, he can just keep using Jump Pack to get to your position. Your effective range is almost the same range as Winston's Tesla Cannon, and he can dance around his Barrier Projector to keep himself safe. However, if you stand your ground and attack back, you can tear through his large health while Blinking into his blind spots and using Recall to heal if you need to. If you think you can't handle Winston on your own, though, try to regroup with your team; while he can handle you on your own if you run, he'll have a harder time handling you with your teammates backing you up. (To be added)
Icon-zarya
Zarya
Zarya will need to keep constant aim on you to deal damage, which you can counter by Blinking into her blind spots while attacking her. Be ready to stop firing at a moment's notice when Zarya activates her Particle Barrier, otherwise your quick burst of damage will provide her a supple amount of Energy. This also applies for when you're fighting any other enemies if a Zarya is around to apply a Projected Barrier. Instead of waiting for the Barrier to run out, it's better to gain some distance so your enemy doesn't kill you while you can't retaliate. Pulse Bomb will instantly kill Zarya, so be ready to use it when her Particle Barrier is on cooldown. (To be added)

Damage

Hero Match-Up Team Synergy
Icon-ashe
Ashe
(To be added) (To be added)
Icon-bastion
Bastion
While Bastion's high firepower will shred through your shallow health in an instant, your mobility can help you approach Bastion and attack him in his rear weak spot before he can notice you. If you can evade his shots well with Blink, you can shred through Bastion up close before he has the chance to heal or kill you. Try to approach Bastion with as many uses of Blink stored up as possible so you don't run out in a dire situation. Pulse Bomb will instantly kill Bastion even with his Ironclad, unless he's being provided with additional health such as through Brigitte's Armor Pack. Always be mindful of the route you use to target Bastion; in an open area where Bastion can see you coming, he will likely kill you before you can perform Recall. (To be added)
Icon-Cassidy
Cassidy
Cassidy is easily one of your worst nightmares. One good shot from Cassidy is enough to bring you down to extremely low health, and that's before he uses Flashbang and Fan the Hammer to instantly kill you. Try to keep some distance between you and Cassidy; his smaller magazine means that each wasted shot is a point in your favor. Keep Blinking to his blind spots, attacking, then and Blink again when he turns around. If you can bait him into wasting Flashbang and can avoid his shots then you should handle yourself okay. If you're hit by so much as a single headshot, though, swallow your pride and retreat; if you don't, you'll be dead before you know it. (To be added)
Icon-doomfist
Doomfist
(To be added) (To be added)
Icon-echo
Echo
(To be added) (To be added)
Icon-genji
Genji
While you and Genji are both mobile, Genji has the advantage in vertical mobility while you have the advantage in horizontal mobility. Genji's Shuriken will quickly whittle through your health if you're not careful, but well-timed Blinks can keep you safe. Your firepower is strong, but Deflect will send your fast attacks back to yourself if timed poorly. Should you navigate around Deflect, though, you can quickly run through Genji's health if you attack him at point blank range. Genji's Swift Strike has longer cooldown than your Blink, so if you need to disengage, you can easily use Blink to escape. If Genji is perched on the high ground, either find an alternate route to get up to him or focus on other targets. (To be added)
Icon-hanzo
Hanzo
While you lack Hanzo's ability to ascend walls, you can usually reach his position by traveling through flanking side routes. If you get Hanzo into your range, you'll have the upper hand so long as you dodge his arrows with Blink. If Hanzo activates Storm Arrows, consider hiding under cover until his duration wears out; while Blink can help you easily avoid individual arrows, dodging a burst of arrows will prove to be difficult, and it will only take one or two to kill you. Other than that, don't let Hanzo get distance on you, but rather put pressure on him and stay as close as you can. (To be added)
Icon-junkrat
Junkrat
Junkrat will often be positioned on the high ground, which may prove difficult for you to reach. You're also likely to be the first victim who is caught by Junkrat's Steel Trap without warning when running through corridors. If you're careful where you step, though, you should be able to handle Junkrat in a close-quarters fight, so long as you use Blink to avoid his oncoming grenades. If you're low on Blink uses or Recall, though, wait before engaging, as it will only take one or two grenade hits to quickly kill you. (To be added)
Icon-mei
Mei
Mei has to deal consistent attacks to freeze her targets, which you will have an easy time avoiding with Blink. Since Blink has 3 charges, you can perform Blink time and time again in order to attack Mei from different angles. Mei doesn't have much mobility to chase you or to escape; her only options in a sour situation are to heal up with Cryo-Freeze or try to fight back with her Icicle projectile. However, you don't completely counter Mei; even though you can escape her freezing effect by using Blink effectively, her Icicle is very dangerous should she land her shots, as one headshot will instantly kill you. Using Recall when you're almost frozen or as soon as you take a body shot is key to survival. If your Blink charges are low, it's better to retreat so you don't accidentally end up frozen. Throwing Pulse Bomb at Mei right before Cyro-Freeze expires will instantly kill her. (To be added)
Icon-pharah
Pharah
Your lack of vertical mobility means hunting Pharah down will be impossible. Although your weapon is hitscan, the damage falloff from shooting from afar means your damage output will be insufficient against Pharah. On the flipside, one or two rockets will be enough to snuff you out. Try to stay away from Pharah if possible and let your teammates gun her down. (To be added)
Icon-reaper
Reaper
You and Reaper both have extreme firepower at point blank range. However, Reaper's higher health, higher damage and self-healing with The Reaping will typically give him the upper hand, potentially eliminating you before you can react with Recall. Use your mobility to your advantage when fighting Reaper, using Blink to enter his blind spots and land successive attacks without letting him retaliate. While he can move around the map with ease using Shadow Step an Wraith Form, if you truly wish to disengage, you should be able to escape from him within a few Blink uses. (To be added)
Icon-Soldier 76
Soldier: 76
Soldier: 76's movement while using Sprint is slower than your Blink. Since Blink can be stacked up to 3 times, it's sometimes smart to save them up so you can chase down Soldier: 76 should he attempt to flee from a fight. Your Pulse Pistols have high enough to out-damage the healing rate of Soldier: 76's Biotic Field, byt his Heavy Pulse Rifle deals higher damage per shot, so several headshots can bring your health down quickly. The large spread of your guns will make it hard to land full shots on Soldier: 76, especially if he's being evasive and fighting defensively. Try to catch him by surprise and fight up close where you can quickly run him down, but don't hesitate to flee if you need to. His Tactical Visor can easily track your movement, so try not to expose yourself when Tactical Visor is active./small> (To be added)
Icon-sombra
Sombra
If you are hacked by Sombra, you will lose Blink and Recall, your two most important abilities. If you do end up Hacked, it will be child's play for Sombra or her team to finish you off. If you hear or see a Hack being placed on you, your options are to shoot the Sombra, quickly Blink away, or use Recall. If Sombra is in your view then it's best to shoot her, but if she isn't, the time it takes to turn around and spot her could give her enough time to finish her Hack; in those instances, try to use multiple Blinks to gain distance from her, or use Recall if you must, If you catch Sombra in the act, she'll be incapable of landing a Hack on you, and you'll generally handle better in a fight than her. If she attempts to use Stealth to escape, a quick spray of your Pulse Pistols will dispel her invisibility. If she uses Translocator to escape, watch the light trail to see where she fled to, and if she's close enough, consider chasing her down and finishing her off. (To be added)
Icon-symmetra
Symmetra
Blink can help you bypass a Sentry Turret nest, so long as you know in advance where they're placed. However, your poor damage falloff means that you'll have few means to destroy Sentry Turrets other than attacking them up close, which will put you at risk of them quickly killing you. Should you approach Symmetra herself, you'll need to be very careful to avoid her attacks with Blink and fire from her blind spots. The longer the fight goes on, especially in a group fight, the stronger Symmetra will become, and the easier it will be for her to mow you down before you can Blink or Recall. If you attempt to flee, Symmetra may try to chase after you with her Teleporter, but it can only get her so far while you can continue using Blink to keep your distance. Be wary when chasing a wounded Symmetra; she'll often try to lure you into a Sentry Turret nest, so if you feel you must chase her down to finish her off, be ready to Blink back or Recall at the nearest sign of Sentry Turrets. (To be added)
Icon-torbjörn
Torbjörn
Torbjörn's auto-firing Turret serves as excellent area denial to you; it will be a struggle to approach Torbjörn and his Turret, especially with your low health. You will need to find a route with which to flank Torbjörn rather than trying to fight him head-on. Even if you get close to Torbjörn without his Turret, his Rivet Gun is strong enough to fight you off at both close and long ranges, and his Overload will give him a brief bout of survivability. Never try fighting Torbjörn and his Turret together. If the Turret is alone and you're certain Torbjörn and his team aren't nearby, you can quickly approach the Turret to gun it down, but it's often better to let a more durable teammate destroy it. Should you catch Torbjörn without his Turret, you'll stand a better chance, but you'll need to be smart with your Blinks and temporarily retreat while Overload is active. While Pulse Bomb is a great tool for destroying the stationary Turret, Torbjörn will be able to build another Turret again shortly after, so unless the Turret is a major hurdle for your team, it's often not worth using your Ultimate on. (To be added)
Icon-tracer
Tracer
If you spot an enemy Tracer in the wild, try to avoid her and let your team handle her. Both of you will play evasively with Blink and Recall, often resulting in neither of you dying and simply wasting time. If you catch a Tracer alone while your team is there to help you, however, you can quickly mow through her minimal health. (To be added)
Icon-widowmaker
Widowmaker
If Widowmaker has you in her sights at a distance, smart timing on Blink can keep her from picking you off. Her grappling Hook allows her to find high perching spots that will be difficult for you to reach. If you manage to flank around her and catch her by surprise, though, you can quickly kill her before she has the chance to escape. Widowmaker's assault rifle isn't very effective at close range, so don't be intimidated if Widowmaker tries to fight back. While Venom Mine can drop your health to half and will make your position visible to Widowmaker, Recall will instantly nullify the effect. A common Widowmaker tactic is to drop to a lower altitude, wait for you to drop and chase her, then use Grappling Hook to ascend again, leaving you stranded below her. If she should fall to a lower area, either wait where she was until she inevitably returns to her perch, or if you have Recall, chase her down and Recall back to the higher altitude if she flees back to it. (To be added)

Support

Hero Match-Up Team Synergy

Icon-ana
Ana
Ana's lack of mobility makes her an easy target, especially if you flank behind her team and attack her from the rear. With precise aiming, you can shred through Ana's health in one or two clips. Try to be evasive and avoid Ana's rifle shots or Sleep Dart; a few accurate shots from her rifle can quickly deplete your health, while Sleep Dart will instantly spell your doom. If hit by Biotic Grenade, you can use Recall to nullify its effect on you; be quick, though, as a successive rifle shot after being hit with the Grenade can instantly kill you. (To be added)
Icon-baptiste
Baptiste
(To be added) (To be added)
Icon-brigitte
Brigitte
(To be added) (To be added)
Icon-lúcio
Lúcio
Your damage will easily surpass Lúcio's healing. If Lúcio tries to flee from you, you can use Blink to chase him around and keep a beat on him. Even if he knocks you into a pit with Soundwave, a quick Recall will save you. Your only concern against Lúcio is his wall riding, which can help him escape your effective range. Try to get up close and personal with him so you can quickly shoot him down; firing from farther away will cause you to suffer damage falloff and will help him dodge your attacks more easily. Pulse Bomb will kill Lúcio before he can activate Sound Barrier, so don't hesitate to stick it to him to pave the way for your team to make a big push. (To be added)
Icon-mercy
Mercy
Mercy's poor offensive capability will make it incredibly difficult for her to fend you off, and when she attempts to flee with Guardian Angel, you can just use Blink to chase her. If you choose to target her patient, your Pulse Pistols will outdamage her healing so long as you consistently keep attacking; that being said, it's often better to kill Mercy first if you can. (To be added)
Icon-moira
Moira
(To be added) (To be added)
Icon-zenyatta
Zenyatta
Zenyatta's lack of mobility will make him an easy target if you choose to hunt him down. Your fast firing rate and slightly larger hitbox can help you kill him quickly in a clip or two. Be careful about fighting him at low health or when he's in a group, though; a cornered Zenyatta can be exceptionally dangerous. After he applies Orb if Discord to you, it will only take a single headshot to take out 120 health, and accurate Zenyattas will be able to keep aim on you under pressure. Once you close the gap on him, confuse him with Blink and keep moving into his blind spots so he can't land his shots. Should he land a strong hit on you, be ready to use Recall and either finish him off or flee based on his health and whether his team is nearby. The burst damage of your Pulse Bomb can kill an ally being healed by Transcendence, meaning you can still take out a crucial target even when Zenyatta is trying to keep his team safe. (To be added)

Story

Icon-tracer
"Cheers, love! The cavalry's here!"

The Overwatch agent known as Tracer is a time-jumping adventurer and an irrepressible force for good.[4] She hails from London,[5] and has traveled all over the world.[6] With her irrepressible energy and boundless idealism, Tracer inspires her team—and all who know her—to fight for a better future.[7]

She was a great admirer of Tekhartha Mondatta,[8] and was inspired by Mei, an Overwatch scientist. She believes that sometimes, one simply has to do what is right, even if it's outside the law.[9] She has always thought of herself as a soldier (at least since joining Overwatch), and is committed to protecting humans, omnics, and movements that could make the world better.[10]

Tracer has abnormally fast reflexes, hand-eye coordination, and passion for flying.[1] She has trouble concentrating, only able to concentrate for hours at a time when she is upset.[11] She is a fan of British pop/punk music, such as The Clash and The Beatles, and collects vinyl records.[12] She is a crack shot in real-life, but terrible at videogames (yet apparently a good cook).[13]

Early Life

When I was younger, I was two minutes late to everything. (Possibly because I was out all night.)
~ Lena Oxton

Lena grew up in London[14] as the only child of working-class parents. They raised her to know her enemies and her worth in equal measure, never forcing her to conform to anyone else's idea of who she was supposed to be.[1] Her father told her that "a soldier must know her enemy."[15] On her tenth birthday, Lena bought a vinyl record for 60 quid.[12]

Tracer-teen

Lena at one of her many rock concerts

In her teens, Lena was something of a party animal; staying out all night, and attending rock concerts.[16] Her father helped her enroll in pilot training at a young age, and her love of flying and speed only grew.[1] When she turned seventeen, she got her first motorcycle. Still wanting to go faster, she enlisted in the Royal Air Force.[16] Her mother accompanied her when she went to enlist.[1]

Lena was accepted as a test pilot,[16] and received certification on multiple aircraft, along with marksmanship training.[1] She received the callsign "Tracer," and became known for her fearless piloting skills[4] and upbeat attitude.[14]

Overwatch

The Slipstream

So, you want to hear my story. It all started a few years ago. Overwatch was looking for a hotshot pilot to test their next-generation teleporting fighter: The Slipstream. Enter: Lena Oxton (call sign: “Tracer”). [giggles] That’s me! It was the opportunity I had trained for my whole life. But on my first flight, the teleportion matrix malfunctioned; and I disappeared.
~ Tracer
TracerSlipstream

Tracer by the Slipstream

While still a member of the RAF,[16] Lena became the youngest person ever inducted into Overwatch's experimental flight program.[4] Despite her youth, her abnormally fast reflexes, hand-eye coordination, and passion for flying made her well suited for the program.[1] She was handpicked to test the prototype of a teleporting fighter, the Slipstream. But during its first flight, the aircraft's teleportation matrix malfunctioned, and it disappeared.[4] Hours passed, then weeks, and with neither trace of life nor contact from Oxton, the Slipstream was presumed destroyed, and its pilot presumed deceased.[14]

Tracer-chronal

Tracer, suffering from chronal disassociation

Lena reappeared months later, but her ordeal had greatly changed her: her molecules had been desynchronized from the flow of time. Suffering from "chronal disassociation," she was a living ghost, disappearing for hours and days at a time. Even for the brief moments she was present, she was unable to maintain physical form.[4] Sometimes she had strange dreams about the past, including being a kitchen maid at a large house in the country.[6]

Tracer remained in this state for two years, but did not biologically age during this time.[1] Overwatch's doctors and scientists were stumped, and Tracer's case seemed hopeless[4] until the gorilla scientist Winston was assigned to her. He designed a device called the chronal anchor, which was able to keep Tracer anchored in space, albeit not in time. Winston realized that her destabilized chronological matrix was building up an unknown form of energy. The energy would hit a critical amount when Tracer was forced to remain in a single fixed timeline. Scrapping the anchor prototype, Winston designed the chronal accelerator,[1] which kept Tracer anchored in the present. In addition, it gave Tracer the ability to control her own time, allowing her to speed it up and slow it down at will.[4] The effects of the accident also gave Tracer unique aging properties.[17]

Thanks to the device, Tracer was able to live a relatively normal life. Because of her newfound abilities, she was recruited into the Overwatch strike team and joined Winston in training. The two became close friends.[1]

Funeral

Five years before Overwatch was shut down, Mina Liao was killed in an attack on Overwatch's Oslo facilities. Tracer was among the Overwatch members who attended her funeral.[1]

Uprising

Sir, do you want to know why I stuck with this? Why I decided to leave the flight test program and begin training as an Overwatch agent? It's because I believed that if I could figure this out, I could be an asset. I could make this world a better place. I fought to survive, and I'm willing to fight for the world, too.
~ Tracer, to Jack Morrison
Cadet Tracer

Cadet Lena Oxton

Three years before Overwatch was shut down, Tracer continued training to become an Overwatch agent, and trained under the supervision of Winston and Dr. Ziegler at the Overwatch Headquarters' Training and Evaluation facility, where she sparred against Blackwatch agent Genji.[18] Genji would later comment that Tracer was "the only one I have trouble keeping up with."[6] Under supervision, Dr. Ziegler commented on how if no setbacks occurred, she was fit for active duty; a sentiment Winston agreed with. On the 27th day of the King's Row Uprising, Strike Commander Jack Morrison was impressed by Lena's skills with her chronal accelerator. Summoning her to his office, Morrison stated how he was impressed by her determination to stay with Overwatch despite her recent accident. Noticing images of London burning on a viewscreen in Jack's office, Lena commented on her belief in Overwatch's mission. After confiding in Lena his motivations in joining Overwatch, Jack dismissed Lena with the implied knowledge that he approved her request to be promoted to active duty.[18]

TracerMercyReinhardtTorbjorn

Tracer and her team just prior to deployment

Lena Oxton then appeared at an Overwatch aircraft where Dr. Ziegler, Torbjörn, and Reinhardt Wilhelm were preparing to embark on an unsanctioned Overwatch mission authorized by Jack Morrision, who was moved by Lena's words to end the Kings Row Uprising in her home city. Ziegler told Lena that the team was invested in her career, and that Jack was fond of her. Reinhardt welcomed her to the team, and Torbjörn grudgingly referred to her arrival by saying, "looks like the cavalry's here" (a phrase that Lena took a liking to).[18] The team fought their way through the streets, even as hordes of Null Sector omnics tried to bar their way.[19] For Tracer, the assignment was her chance to prove to Overwatch that she was worth the effort. The mission concluded with the team rescuing the hostages, Mondatta included.[16]

Null Sector was defeated, but the events that transpired were classified within Overwatch's archives.[20] In truth, Tracer's presence in the Uprising mission was not serendipitous—given the public relations scandal Overwatch had endured because of the Venice Incident two years ago, Morrison made sure to send Overwatch's 'cleanest' agents into London, Tracer among them. Furthermore, because London was Tracer's home city, it made her all the more obvious as a choice.[1]

The mission was a success in terms of perception as much as outcome, and to build on the good will they had been able to regain, Overwatch followed up their victory with a propaganda blitz, papering London in posters advertising the joys of a career in Overwatch. Their chief subject? Tracer herself.[1]

Graduation

Congratulations

Tracer graduates alongside Winston and Genji

After the Uprising, Tracer became a full-fledged member of the Overwatch strike team. She graduated alongside Genji and Winston.[21] With her newfound skills, Tracer became one of Overwatch's most effective agents.[4] Her cheery attitude and unflagging optimism made her a public relations darling, and as the fame didn't go to her head, she was encouraged to appear in public as much as possible.[1]

At some point she was stationed at Watchpoint: Gibraltar.[9] At some point after the Uprising, she was among those who celebrated Commander Morrison's birthday.[22]

Storm Rising

Tracer. Status report.
Target in sight captain.
We've waited a long time for Maximilien to show his face. It's now or never.
No pressure then.
~ Tracer and Sojourn during the operation
Tracer-storm

Tracer in pursuit of the convoy

Under the command of Sojourn, Tracer led an Overwatch team consisting of herself, Mercy, Winston, and Genji in an operation in Havana. Their mission was to extract Maximilien, an omnic in league with Talon. The Talon forces were moving through the city in a convoy, one which Tracer ghosted on a hovercycle. She moved in and engaged the Talon soldiers. Alongside her team mates, the convoy was destroyed, but Maximilien fled on foot. Tracer wasn't worried, reasoning that he couldn't get far without a vehicle, but Sojourn urged caution...also with a request not to blow anything else up. Tracer replied that she couldn't make any promises.

The team was able to apprehend Maximilien, who agreed to give them an "introduction" to Doomfist, Talon's leader.[23] He told Overwatch that Doomfist would be in Singapore in three weeks and in exchange requested that Overwatch not tell Doomfist of his betrayal.[24]

Doomfist

TracerNumbani

Tracer in Singapore

Alongside Winston and Genji, Tracer battled Doomfist in Singapore. Her agility and speed couldn't be matched by Doomfist, but her pulse pistols had little effect on the man, either being deflected by his gauntlet, or bouncing off some kind of shield. She was caught off-guard when Doomfist suddenly grabbed her chronal accelerator in mid-air and crushed it in his hand, causing Tracer to blink rapidly, and vanish. Following her disappearance, Winston became enraged and defeated Doomfist in a close quarters clash.[25] With her chronal accelerator destroyed, Tracer was once again dissasociated from the usual flow of time. Fortunately, Winston was able to intervene before she was lost forever.[1] The accelerator was repaired or replaced sometime after.[12]

The End of Overwatch

My name is Lena Oxton—a.k.a. Tracer. If you asked me about me, I'd say I've been a hero. Top job if you can get it. After the Petras Act passed, and Overwatch ended...for a while, I wasn't sure what I was. Tried to stick it out with the RAF. But that was a bust. They wanted me to retire. Sit a desk. So I left. I needed to do something, anything, I needed to...move. So yeah, I keep myself busy. Helping out where I can. Just little things. Emily calls them compensatory heroics.
~ Tracer after Overwatch's disbandment

With the passing of the Petras Act, Overwatch was disbanded. All Overwatch strike team agents, Tracer included, were stripped of their credentials, and forced to turn over weapons and technology. Due to health reasons, Tracer was allowed to keep her chronal accelerator.[1]

After Overwatch's dissolution, Tracer felt aimless. She rejoined the RAF, but learning that they wanted her for desk duty, she left the organization;[12] the desk job was apparently an intentional demotion.[11] She began a new life back in her home city of London with her girlfriend, Emily,[14] residing in an appartment on Willington Road.[26] Finding herself needing to 'move,' she became a vigilante within the city,[12] continuing to right wrongs and fight the good fight wherever the opportunity presented itself.[4] Emily who tolerated Tracer's activities, calling them "compensatory heroics."[12]

London Calling

Tracer-LC1

Tracer the vigilante

Stopping a bike mugger, Tracer returned home to Emily. She reassured her partner that she was happy. Upon reflection, Tracer was reminded that she was only mostly happy. What would make her truly happy was Overwatch's return, but that was an impossibility.

Tracer bought an album from Empire Records. Coming out, she saw the police pursuing a gang of omnics. She cornered one of the omnics, who revealed that she'd stolen a modulator, which was needed for the Underworld's grid, as no-one would sell modulators to London's omnics legitimately. The two bonded over their shared love of British pop/punk bands. Introducing herself as Iggy, the omnic took Tracer to see her record collection in the Underworld. She showed her the grid, which the omnics relied on for their power, but it was falling apart. Tracer was disconcerted with the revelation, but found some joy when Iggy introduced her to her fellow omnic pop aficionados, Lady and Lizzy. She was struck in awe at the omnics' collection of pop music memorabilia, and the quartet listened to music together.

Iggy escorted Tracer out of the Underworld. She asked if there was anything she could do to help with the grid issue, and assured her that she'd see her again. Tracer zipped out, but on the street, was confronted by a gang of omnics. They opened fire, but she was able to use her speed and skill to disarm them. Even then, the gang leader told her to stay out of the Underworld, and that even if she genuinely wanted to help them, they wanted no help from a human.[12]

Tracer ignored the omnics, and returned with a piece of technology for the grid. Arriving in the Underworld, she found Iggy being lectured by Kace—the leader of the gang that had confronted her earlier. Iggy was glad for the tech, along with an Iggy Pop record Tracer had brought. Tracer spent the next six hours looking for more parts for the grid, but had no luck, as the required technology was under government restriction. In her apartment, Tracer shared her frustrations with Emily, who showed her a package from a "S. Paceape"—a delivery from Winston. Tracer hoped that he might have some ideas on how to fix the grid.

IggyTracer

Iggy tells Tracer that Mondatta is looking for her

The package contained a regulator, which she delivered to Iggy. While glad, she revealed that last night, the grid's transformer had given out, and that there was no transformer they could acquire legally. However, in truth, Iggy had been searching for Tracer, that she bore a message from Tekhartha Mondatta of the Shambali. That his followers were looking for her, and that he wished to address her before he gave his speech at King's Row this evening.[16]

Alive

Trying to crash another party, love?
~ Tracer
TracerMondatta

Tracer and Mondatta discuss matters

A few hours after her talk with Winston,[27] and following Iggy's advice, Tracer headed for King's Row to see Mondatta. While Mondatta's assigned security were wary of her, Mondatta ordered them to let her in. The two recognised each other from when they'd met at the King's Row Uprising seven years ago. Tracer wasn't sure why Mondatta had rescued her, and even expressed unease at her attempts to help the omnics of the Underworld, wondering if she was the right person to do so...yet also didn't want to look away. Mondatta reassured her of her efforts, and stressed the need for her, for all humans and omnics, to look forward. Tracer wanted such a world, but reminded Mondatta that for some, the Omnic Crisis had never ended. Mondatta acknowledged the point, but stressed that they had to act now.

Mondatta was led out of the room by the security team, in order to give his speech. Tracer headed out and joined the human-omnic crowd outside the Meridian. Walking through, she came across Iggy, who was similarly delighted to see the Shambali leader speak to such a crowd. Mondatta began to talk, but Tracer got a bad feeling, and in her experience, her instincts were usually on the money. She left Iggy and made her way through the crowd.[16]

Tracer-Alive

Tracer confronts Widowmaker

As it was, Tracer's instincts were indeed correct, as she confronted Widowmaker among the rooftops. The two carried out a run and gun battle, but despite her efforts, Widowmaker successfully assassinated Mondatta. Enraged, Tracer tackled Widowmaker, demanding to know why she had done this. Chuckling, Widowmaker easily incapacitated her and departed in a Talon aircraft.[28] Tracer survived, but her chronal accelerator had been damaged.[16]

Still Alive

My dad used to tell me that a soldier must know her enemy. After fighting with Overwatch, I understand justice, duty, honor. But I don't and will probably never understand why people like Widowmaker create chaos instead of fighting it. It's the part of war that will never make sense to me. But maybe it's at the center of the thing. Maybe I should understand it.
~ Tracer's reflections
EmilyTracer

Emily comforts Tracer

Lying on the ground, incapacitated, Tracer was left to wonder why Widowmaker had assassinated Mondatta; had she been hired, and if so, by whom? She reflected that what had just occurred was potentially the start of a war. She made her way back to her appartment and watched the news, among which was the report that she may have been involved in the event. Emily reassured her that what happened wasn't her fault, but Tracer wasn't convinced.

In the days that followed, Tracer got another package from Winston; a part for her chronal accelerator. Watching the news, Emily informed her that in response to an omnic protest, the police had called in Special Ops. Tracer ran over to the event; Emily yelled at her that the accelerator wasn't fixed, but Tracer responded that she'd fix it when she got back. As she ran, she reflected that whoever had ordered the hit on Mondatta must have known how the omnics would respond, that the omnics would fight back in response to a symbol of hope being taken away from them.

TracerKace

Tracer and Kace after the funeral

Despite the accelerator glitching, Tracer made it to the riot, with Special Ops on one side, and omnics and human supporters on the other. The police deployed a sonic pulse, and in the confusion, Lady was hit by the wave at point blank range. She and Iggy helped get Lady back to the Underworld, but Lady ended up expiring. After the memorial service, Tracer sympathized with Iggy, but Iggy rebuffed her coldly. Two omnics were dead now, and what had humans done for them? Kace stepped in, claiming that since the omnics' enlightenment, humans had waged war against them. Tracer said that it didn't need to come to war, that they could stop it from happening, but Kace wasn't listening. He pointed out that Tracer was an Overwatch agent, pointing out that Tracer had fought against omnics in the Uprising. Tracer claimed that she had fought against Null Sector to free Mondatta, while Kace claimed that she'd fought for "them." That she had made her choice. Kace told her to leave the Underworld, that she was no longer welcome.

Tracer-streets

Tracer observes the clampdown

Back on the surface, Tracer noticed the police clamping down, fearing that what was happening in Russia was now happening in London. As she walked, her chronal accelerator malfunctioned, incapacitating her. As she lay on the ground, a cloaked figure approached her,[15] revealing herself as Lizzy. She got Tracer back to her appartment, where she and Emily were able to fix her chronal accelerator, using spare parts that Winston had sent. With Tracer recovered, Lizzy explained that while Iggy might have come to resent her, she didn't share her antagonism. Mondatta was dead because someone had shot a bullet, not because Tracer had failed to stop it.

Going through the parts, Lizzy came across a device that she believed could fix the grid. However, she doubted that she would be able to get near it, as Kace had rallied the Underworld's omnics to his side. His followers had stalked Tracer, and no doubt they'd be after Lizzy as well. It was at this point that Emily told Tracer that there was a message for her from Winston.[26]

Reforming Overwatch

Winston's Recall

Winston? Is that you, love? It's been too long.
~ Tracer
Tracer-recall

Tracer in contact with Winston

Tracer was contacted by Winston as he issued a recall order for Overwatch agents. She commented that they'd been out of touch for too long; an assessment that Winston agreed with.[29] He told her how Watchpoint: Gibraltar (where he was present) had been attacked by Reaper. Their conversation was interrupted by Lizzy, who told her that she'd been talking to Iggy, but that the line had cut off. Tracer told Winston what had happened, and zipped off to the Underworld. Winston warned her that the parts he'd sent her were only temporary, but Tracer either ignored or didn't hear him.[26]

Underworld

There are all kinds of leaders in this world. Each has a line they're willing to cross, a level of destruction they're willing to inflict to see their version of justice come to light. It's possible that Kace's followers once believed that the line he was willing to cross stopped at the lives of omnics. It doesn't.
~ Tracer
TracerLizzy

Tracer and Lizzy search for Iggy

Tracer and Lizzy ran towards the Underworld, the former slowing down to allow the latter to keep up. Lizzy pointed out that the omnics wouldn't just let her in, to which Tracer responded "I know." Arriving at the Underworld's entrance, they found six omnics standing guard. Tracer used her speed to disorientate the guards and have them chase after her, allowing Lizzy to enter the Underworld. She reunited with Lizzy, who led her to the fourth level, where Iggy said she would be. Arriving, they found Iggy, albeit in Kace's custody. Kace told her that the omnic revolution was nigh, and that there was nothing Tracer could do to stop it.[26]

TracerIggy-rescue

Tracer saves Iggy

Tracer yelled at Kace to let Iggy go, but to no avail. She and Lizzy were forced to take cover as more of Kace's omnics arrived, opening fire on them. To make matters worse, her chronal accelerator began to malfunction. However, she was able to use her super-speed to nevertheless save Iggy. The two of them escaped the area and reunited with Lizzy, along with a group of omnics that were seeking to leave the Underworld. Lizzy explained that Kace was rounding up all the Underworld's omnics to fight for them, and that there were more omnics scattered throughout the tunnels.

TracerWinston-fire

Tracer and Winston open fire

Tracer told Lizzy and Iggy to take the east side, while she'd take the west. They'd rendezvous back at this point, and leave together. A few hours later, they began to head out, but were confronted by Kace's thugs. Tracer pleaded with them to drop their weapons, stating that the omnics just wanted to get to the surface, but one of thugs stated that omnics that refused to join the revolution were just as traitorous as the humans they fought against. Gunfire errupted, and Tracer managed to distract the thugs for a period before her accelerator malfunctioned again. However, she was saved by Winston, who used his barrier projector to save her. Safe behind the barrier, the two opened fire, defeating the enemy omnics.

The two met up with Lizzy and Iggy. Tracer explained that she and Winston would draw Kace's forces deep into the Underworld, allowing the omnics to make it to the surface. Iggy asked Tracer to stop Kace, stating that if he took out the grid, the Underworld would be devastated. She said that she would, and they made their way down into the Underworld's depths, coming across Kace and his followers. While they had a clear shot, Winston pointed out that if they did so, they risked hitting the grid. Tracer suggested that she could get closer, but Winston pointed out that would be impossible, due to her accelerator malfunctioning.

TracerIggy-bullet

Tracer takes the bullet meant for Iggy

A showdown was averted as Iggy's voice was heard over the comms., persuading Kace's forces to stand down. Kace, however, wasn't as willing to embrace peace, and fired at Iggy. Tracer darted forward, taking the bullet, with the intent to recall backwards. However, her accelerator was damaged, so the bullet ended up richoching within her body. Winston carried her outside, while Kace was able to escape.[10]

Recovery

I've never called myself anything other than a soldier. My mission was always to protect the ideas, the people, the omnics, the movements that make the world better. That's me, that's what I do. At any cost.
~ Tracer
TracerEmily-surgery

Tracer recovers from surgery

Tracer was taken to a hospital and underwent surgery. The omnics she'd rescued from the Underworld held a vigil, and Emily could only pace back and forth, waiting and hoping. The omnics played Lust for Life on repeat for the entire eight hours she was under the scalpel. She came through, and was greeted by Emily, later telling Iggy that the playing of the song had "tipped it."[10]

One week later, Tracer had fully recovered, and her accelerator had been fixed. Winston informed her that he hadn't been able to find Kace, but suspected that he might have been tied with Null Sector. In better news, he and Lizzy had been able to fix the grid. Asking her if she was ready for the next battle, Tracer stated that she wouldn't have it any other way. That she was back in the fight, and ready to go.[10]

Contacts

Note: The timing of these events is unclear; Tracer's meeting with Mei must occur before the events of Reflections.

At some point after receiving Winston's recall, Tracer forwarded it onto Fareeha Amari. However, she refused to join Overwatch, as her place remained with Helix Security International.[30]

Tracer was with Winston at Watchpoint: Gibraltar when Mei arrived. However, the climatologist didn't stay long, and instead set out to restore Overwatch's ecological network.[31]

Day at the Museum

You know, the world could always use more heroes.
~ Tracer
Tracer-museum

Tracer in the museum

Widowmaker and Reaper attacked the Overwatch Museum in New York, trying to steal Doomfist's gauntlet. Tracer fought them alongside Winston and the villains were forced to retreat. Tracer complimented two young boys (Brian and Timmy) that had helped her in the aftermath, commenting that the world could always use more heroes.[32]

Reflections

It's been hard these last few years, spending so much time alone, the holidays can really get you down. But I know this year is going to be different. I can finally spend the holidays with my family again. And I have a good feeling about next year...
~ Tracer's reflections
TracerEmilyWinston

Tracer, Emily, and Winston spend Christmas together

During the winter holiday season, Tracer sought to pick up a gift for her girlfriend, Emily, in King's Row. After blinking to numerous stores, Tracer was unable to find a gift owing to stores either being closed (or—in one instance—allowing another patron to keep a scarf that they were about to purchase). Ultimately, a small girl gave Tracer a gift in gratitude for Tracer having retrieved the girl's family's gifts from a thief earlier that night. Arriving home, Tracer gave the gift to Emily, which to her surprise was the scarf that she sought to purchase earlier. Emily loved the gift, and the two kissed. Later, Tracer and Emily went to visit Winston for dinner at Watchpoint: Gibraltar, who was about to spend the holidays alone with Athena. Tracer then reminisced about the events of the past year, and had a good feeling about the next one.[33]

Blizzard World

I can't wait to get on some rides.
~ Tracer after seeing the ad
WinstonTracerBastionTorb

Tracer and company see a Blizzard World ad

Alongside Winston, Bastion, and Torbjörn, Tracer saw an ad for Blizzard World. Declaring that she couldn't wait to get on some of the rides, she zipped off.[34]

A New War

Zero Hour

Attention. This is your captain speaking. We're on final approach to Paris. You may now power on your electronic devices. Weather is mostly cloudy, with a hundred percent chance of Null Sector invasion.
~ Tracer
Tracer-ZH

Tracer flies the Orca to Paris

When Null Sector invaded Paris, Tracer, Winston, and Mei took the Orca to aid the city. Winston deployed force, distracting Null Sector long enough for Tracer to land the craft. She and Mei joined the fight, but their initial success was disrupted by the arrival of a Titan. It opened fire, destroying the Orca, injuring Mei, and ensuring the group were outgunned, as well as outnumbered. Tracer told Winston that they couldn't stay here, to which he responded that she get Mei and the civilians to safety while he held Null Sector off. He assured Tracer that he'd be right behind them, to which she responded "you better be."[22]

Tracer-ZH2

Tracer plants the 'ice bomb'

Fortunately, Winston's last stand wasn't required, as new Overwatch members arrived to join the fight. However, they still had to deal with the Titan. They quickly devised a plan, combining Tracer's pulse bomb with Mei's backpack, effectively creating an 'ice bomb.' Tracer used her blink ability to get into the Titan, plant the bomb, and get out, freezing the construct before it shattered.[22]

In the aftermath, the members of Overwatch reunited. When asked if Overwatch had returned, Winston triumphantly declared that they had.[22]

Preparations

TracerBrigitte

Tracer and Brigitte at Watchpoint: Gibraltar

After Paris, the team traveled to Watchpoint: Gibraltar, which they used as their base of operations.[35] As it turned out, Null Sector's attack on Paris was simply the prelude to a global invasion. Winston pointed out that Null Sector wasn't the only threat Overwatch had to deal with. He declared that they'd had to fight their way through one city at a time.[36]

At night, Tracer and Winston texted each other. Despite her need for sleep, Tracer engaged in conversation. Winston admitted that he was afraid, because as he was the one who'd sent out the recall, he was responsible for whatever came next. Tracer responded by repeating Emily's saying—"do the right thing as hard as you can, apologize later." Winston thanked her for her words.[37]

Rio

So how's Overwatch enjoying our city?
It's beautiful. Except for all the killer robots.
~ Lúcio and Tracer at Rio
LucioTracer

Lúcio and Tracer battle Null Sector

Null Sector attacked Rio de Janeiro. Tracer and her fellow Overwatch members deployed into the city, where they linked up with Lúcio. While they were able to take out a number of Null Sector omnics, Lúcio explained that as long as Null Sector's command ship remained airborne, Null Sector could keep deploying omnics ad infinitum. The ship was successfully destroyed.[38]

After the battle, Tracer texted with Emily, who told her that she was sheltering in a bunker near Turing Green.[11]

Toronto

The local authorities should be able to take care of the civilians from here on out.
They'll be in good hands.
Just wish there was something we could do for them [subjugated omnics], too.
~ Sojourn, Winston, and Tracer

Tracer and the rest of Overwatch arrived in Toronto in response to Null Sector's invasion of the city. With the aid of Sojourn, they were able to evacuate a number of civilians, both human and omnic, but ultimately, the city fell to Null Sector. During the fighting, Tracer and the rest of the team observed Null Sector's Subjugators, which attached metal clamps to omnics' heads, incapacitating them.[39]

TracerWinstonSojournCassidy

Tracer observes the subjugated omnics

The team's shuttle landed on a ship that had escaped the city. While the civilians were left in the hands of Canadian authorities, Tracer grimly noted the hopeless state of the subjugated omnics.[39]

The shuttle returned to Watchpoint: Gibraltar. Scarred by what she'd seen, Tracer spent hours fixing it. Emily texted her during the repairs, but eventually, Tracer got back to her. Even through the texting, Emily could tell that Tracer was upset. Tracer mentioned what she'd seen in Toronto, and they both agreed that Null Sector's effective slavery of omnics didn't make sense given the organization's stated goals. To make matters worse, Emily explained that she was still in the bunker in London, and that not every human was happy for their presence. Tracer told Emily to tell the omnics about what Null Sector was doing, and promised she'd have good news soon.[11]

Achievements

Name Icon Description Reward
Total Recall
Ability-tracer3 Recover 400 health using Tracer's Recall without dying in Quick or Competitive play.
Spray Tracer Pixel
Pixel
Special Delivery
Ability-tracer4 Stick 4 of Tracer's Pulse Bombs onto enemies in a single Quick or Competitive play game.
Spray Tracer Cute
Cute

Trivia

Tracer Skin Constable

The Constable Tracer skin

  • In November, 2022, the Constable Tracer skin was released. This led to an article being written by Alyssa Mercante of Kotaku, who criticized the skin, and stated that Kotaku had reached for a comment from Blizzard behind "the ideology behind this latest cop skin."[40] In response, Eric Kain of Forbes wrote a counter-article, citing the outrage as "silly," pointing out "over there in Call Of Duty we have soldiers blasting each other to smithereens. Soldiers who, in the game's campaign, illegally travel to third-world countries to stop terrorists. But a Constable Tracer skin somehow ranks higher on the outrage totem pole?"[41]

Appearances in Other Media

Tracer-RP1

Tracer as she appears in Ready Player One

  • Tracer is a playable character in Heroes of the Storm. Her visage can also be found on a color variant of Tychus's armor in the game. She was playable before the release of Overwatch itself.
    • In one of Tracer's poke lines, she says she had strange dreams about the past, including being a kitchen maid at a large house in the country. This is a possible reference to her voice actress' role on Downton Abbey.[6]
  • A Tracer portrait is available in StarCraft II for those who purchase the Origins Edition.[42]
  • A life-sized statue of Tracer is present on Blizzard's campus.[43]
  • A giant action figure of Tracer was displayed on the Hollywood Boulevard as part of the leadup to Overwatch's release.[44]
  • Tracer appears in the 2018 film Ready Player One, based on the novel of the same name by Ernest Cline.[45]

Merchandise

Tracer-statue

Tracer statue

  • A Tracer statue was on sale at some point.[46]
  • A Funko Pop Tracer figurine was released in June, 2016.[47]
  • A Tracer figure will be available in LEGO Overwatch.[48]
  • The Tracer vs. Widowmaker LEGO Overwatch set featuring the Satellite Drone XR-9 was revealed by Target in 2018.[49]
  • A Nerf replica of Tracer's pulse pistol went on sale in late 2018.[50]
  • A Figma Tracer statue is available.[51]
  • A Tracer pin is available from the Blizzard store.[52]
  • A Tracer Hot Wheels car was available at some point.[53]

Misc. Character Information

  • Tracer is the first character in the setting to be confirmed as LGBT. Specifically, she is a lesbian.[54]
  • Tracer's favorite football team is Chelsea.[55]
  • Tracer's favorite animal is the falcon, though other candidates include the cheetah, lion, and gorilla.[13]
  • Tracer used to send Winston bananas.[13]

Development

People may know Tracer as the poster girl, but she’s not just a character we use on covers and posters; she also encompasses the values of the game, the universe, and the Overwatch development team. The hopeful optimism that she brings, her style, everything about that character was very instrumental to us finding the identity of the game.
~ Arnold Tsang

Early Development

Jumper

The Jumper class

Tracer originated from the playable Jumper class from Project Titan. During the initial pitch for the project that would become Overwatch, the Jumper was invisioned as wielding machine pistols and time bombs, and had the Blink and Recall abilities.[56] From a lore standpoint, multiple Jumpers existed, and were tasked with using their tech to travel back in time to save the world. The Jumper aesthetic was influenced by old aviator jackets and goggles.[57]

Most of the concept work on the Jumper was male. This signaled a shift in game design, as while the classes of Titan were player characters, the characters of Overwatch were intended to be distinct individuals. The Jumper was thus made female and given a backstory.[58]

Tracer conceptually began with the idea of a hero that blinked across the map.[59] She was the first hero developed for the game;[60] the first to be made, concepted, modeled, and put in the game.[57]

Tracer's visual design allowed the development team to home in on the visual style for Overwatch. The classes from Titan had a toy-like feel to them, whereas it was decided that for Overwatch, things would be more grounded. This became manifest in Tracer's jacket, as one could see stitching and weathering on the leather. Her legs were shortened during development, as the developers worried it would look too awkward in the game animation.[57]

At some point during early development, Tracer shot lasers from her eyes.[61] Her design used to include a jacket.[62]

Character Development

The question came up of who's the main character in Overwatch? And at first I said, "There is no main character," but I started to think about it differently. Tracer happened to be the first hero we made, concepted, modeled, and put into the game. But the reason why we chose her to be the first is because she is so cool. She embodies so much about the game—not only in design and aesthetic and color but also in her positive outlook and heroism. It all fit into place.
~ Arnold Tsang

Tracer is the 'mascot character' of Overwatch,[63] and its centerpiece hero. She has been called the "Rosetta Stone" of the game.[62] However, her status as the game's "marquee character" was not necessarily planned. During development, the question of who the main character of Overwatch was came up. At the time, Arnold Tsang stated that there was no main character, but later reconsidered his stance, as Tracer was the first hero made for the game.[57] According to Chris Metzen, Tracer "was one of the first characters we really got to know." While not created for a starring role, the development team warmed up to her. Metzen has likened her to Spider-Man.[64] Tsang has stated that Tracer was ultimately chosen to be the main character was because she embodied it with her design, aesthetic, color, and her positive outlook and heroism.[57]

After Tracer was given a name and backstory, the game had a clear creative direction; making the shift from classes to heroes.[60]

Jeff Kaplan stated that the decision to announce Tracer as a lesbian in the holiday comic was considered carefully by the Blizzard team. Kaplan stated that the team wanted to portray Tracer's sexuality in a realistic and non-pandering way that was respectful of the character and tied into her story; not just "checking a checkbox on a list." Kaplan also stated that the team was aware of the negative backlash that the announcement was bound to receive owing to Overwatch's global popularity, that the subject was difficult to talk about, and that it could bring up legal troubles in some countries. Russia banned the comic from appearing on Overwatch's Russian website in accordance with federal law.[65]

Overwatch 2

Ow2-tracer-concept

Overwatch 2 Skin Concept Art by Arnold Tsang

Tracer was redesigned for Overwatch 2 by Arnold Tsang. The team sought to preserve Tracer's core design elements—her color palette, silhouette, and sense of motion—while simultaneously evolving and updating her model and style. This led to a departure from her "retro" goggles, bomber jacket, and leggings and a move toward a sleeker, more tech-y design that befits a freshly recalled Overwatch agent.[66]

Media

Concept Art

Videos

Balance Change Log

For more information, see Patch Notes.

Overwatch 2 PvP
Patch
Description
Developer Comments: This is a revert to a previous nerf now that Tracer is less threatening due to Pulse Pistol damage coming down recently.

Ability-tracer3 Recall

  • Cooldown reduced from 13 to 12 seconds.

Ability-tracer1 Pulse Pistols

  • Damage reduced from 6 to 5.5.
Developer Comments: There is now more downtime before Tracer can safely reengage after driving her away and Pulse Bomb will require more precision.

Ability-tracer3 Recall

  • Cooldown increased from 12 to 13 seconds.

Ability-tracer4 Pulse Bomb

  • Base projectile size decreased from 0.2 to 0.1 meters. The total projectile size is now 0.25 meters.

Ability-tracer1 Pulse Pistols

  • Minimum falloff range reduced from 12 to 10.
General updates

Most damage-dealing projectile sizes have been increased by a new global modifier added to their base size.

  • +0.05 meters for hitscan projectiles with a high rate of fire or spread (e.g., Tracer's Pulse Pistols or Reaper's Hellfire Shotguns).
  • +0.08 meters for hitscan projectiles that are more precise (e.g., Cassidy's Peacekeeper or Soldier:76's Heavy Pulse Rifle).
  • +0.05 meters for travel time projectiles that are shotguns or have a very high rate of fire (e.g., Roadhog's Scrap Gun or Ramattra's Void Accelerator).
  • +0.10 meters for travel time projectile with a speed greater than 50 meters per second (e.g., Zenyatta's Destruction Orb).
  • +0.15 meters for travel time projectile with a speed less than or equal to 50 meters per second (e.g., Pharah's Rocket Launcher).
  • Very large projectiles with a base size greater than 0.5 meters have been excluded from these increases (e.g., Orisa's Energy Javelin or Reinhardt's Fire Strike).

Hero combined HP (base health/armor/shields) increased by 15-25%.

  • 150-175 HP heroes increased by 25 HP.
  • 200-300 HP heroes increased by 50 HP.
  • 300+ HP (Tanks) increased by 75-100 HP.
  • Each hero's precise health increases are listed in their patch notes below.

Ultimate Charge

  • All Ultimate ability costs increased by 10%.

Regenerative Passive for All Heroes

  • All heroes now regenerate 20 health per second after 5 seconds of not taking damage.

Damage Role Passive

  • Reload speed bonus on elimination has been removed.
  • New role passive: Dealing damage reduces enemy healing received by 20% for 2 seconds.

Quick Melee

  • Damage increased from 30 to 40.
Hero updates
  • Health increased from 150 to 175.
Developer Comments: This damage value has been changed a few times over the course of Overwatch 2 and is now back to Tracer's original damage. It was previously adjusted due to a couple of bugs with the Pulse Pistol falloff range and spread being much better than they should have.

Ability-tracer1 Pulse Pistols

  • Damage increased from 5.5 to 6.
Developer Comment: We uncovered a bug that was setting Tracer's maximum weapon spread smaller than intended. We'll be monitoring the results of this one closely, as fixing it may have a significant impact on her overall effectiveness.

Ability-tracer1 Pulse Pistols

  • Spread increased by 15%.

Ability-tracer1 Pulse Pistols

  • Damage reduced from 6 to 5.5
We balanced Tracer’s damage in a previous patch due to an undiscovered bug regarding her Pulse Pistol’s falloff damage. The bug is resolved, so we are reverting the damage.

Ability-tracer1 Pulse Pistols

  • Damage increased from 5 to 6

Ability-tracer1 Pulse Pistols

  • Damage reduced from 6 to 5

Overwatch 2 Co-op
Patch
Description

Ability-tracer1 Pulse Pistols

  • Ammo increased from 40 to 60.
  • Damage reduced from 5.5 to 5.

Ability-tracer4 Pulse Bomb

  • Explosion damage increased from 350 to 550.

Overwatch 1
Patch
Description

Ability-tracer2 Blink

  • Improved the accuracy of Tracer's blink movement such that Tracer will more likely end up where the crosshair is pointing

Ability-tracer1 Pulse Pistols

  • Damage falloff now starts at 13 meters, up from 10 meters

Ability-tracer4 Pulse Bomb

  • Damage increased from 300 to 350

Ability-tracer4 Pulse Bomb

  • Max damage decreased from 400 to 300

References

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 Overwatch: Declassified
  2. 2014-11-10, "Get ready! "Tracer" mania has started!". Twitter. Accessed on 2016-05-18
  3. 2016-04-20, Credits, listing Cara Theobold in the voice-over cast at 14:25. YouTube. Accessed on 2016-05-18
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 Tracer (Overwatch), Blizzard Entertainment. Accessed on 2014-12-17
  5. 2016-04-26, TRACER HERO WEEK. Blizzard Entertainment, accessed on 2016-04-30
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Heroes of the Storm
  7. Tracer, PlayOverwatch. Accessed on 2023-01-01
  8. Overwatch, Zenyatta Quotes
  9. 9.0 9.1 Overwatch, Tracer Quotes
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 Tracer—London Calling Issue 5
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 Overwatch 2, Intel Database: Heroes
  12. 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 12.6 Tracer—London Calling Issue 1
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 Overwatch 2, Tracer Quotes
  14. 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 2020-10-15, TRACES OF TRACER: A HISTORY OF THE FIRST OVERWATCH HERO. Blizzard Entertainment, accessed on 2021-01-23
  15. 15.0 15.1 Tracer—London Calling Issue 3
  16. 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 16.5 16.6 16.7 Tracer—London Calling Issue 2
  17. 2017-05-17, Blizzard's Jeff Kaplan Answers Overwatch Questions From Twitter | Tech Support | WIRED. YouTube, accessed on 2017-05-18
  18. 18.0 18.1 18.2 2017-04-05, Overwatch Digital Comic: "Uprising" PlayOverwatch. Accessed on 2017-04-05
  19. 2017-04-12, Welcome to Overwatch Uprising!. YouTube, accessed on 2017-04-12
  20. 2017-04-03, OVERHYPE: KING'S ROW DECLASSIFIED APRIL 11. Blizzpro, accessed on 2017-04-04
  21. Genji (OW2), PlayOverwatch. Accessed on 2022-12-12
  22. 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 Zero Hour
  23. Overwatch Storm Rising
  24. 2019-04-25. Overwatch on Twitter: "> Accessing archived file... Decryption status: COMPLETE 📂 STORM RISING INTEL EXAMINATION – MAXIMILIEN… ", Twitter. Accessed on 2019-04-25.
  25. 2017-07-06, NEW HERO – COMING SOON Doomfist Origin Story | Overwatch. YouTube, accessed on 2017-07-08
  26. 26.0 26.1 26.2 26.3 Tracer—London Calling Issue 4
  27. 2016-04-24, Know Your Lore: Overwatch’s ongoing story. Blizzard Watch, accessed on 2016-04-25
  28. Alive
  29. Recall
  30. New Blood Issue 2
  31. Mei, PlayOverwatch. Accessed on 2022-12-12
  32. 2014-11-07, Overwatch Cinematic Trailer. YouTube, accessed on 2014-11-30
  33. Tracer: Reflections
  34. 2017-11-03, Blizzard World | New Hybrid Map | Overwatch. YouTube, accessed on 2017-11-04
  35. Blizzcon 2019 Overwatch: Evolving the Art Panel
  36. 2019-11-01, Overwatch 2 Gameplay Trailer. YouTube, accessed on 2019-11-08
  37. Overwatch 2, Communications: Chat Log
  38. Overwatch 2, Resistance
  39. 39.0 39.1 Overwatch 2, Liberation
  40. 2022-11-23, Overwatch 2 Continues Franchise Tradition Of Putting Characters In Cop Skins. Kotaku, accessed on 2022-11-29
  41. 2022-11-27, ‘Overwatch 2’ Constable Tracer Skin Spawns Silly Outrage Over Police In Video Games. Forbes, accessed on 2022-11-29
  42. 2015-11-06, Overwatch: Origins Edition (PC) Pre-Orders have Begun. Blizzplanet, accessed on 2015-11-07
  43. The Story of Overwatch: The Fall of Titan, GameSpot. Accessed on 2016-04-24
  44. 2016-05-20, Giant Overwatch action figures appear in Hollywood, Paris, Busan. Blizzard Watch, accessed on 2016-05-21
  45. Hussain, Tamoor (December 10, 2017). New Ready Player One Trailer Features Overwatch And Street Fighter Cameos. GameSpot. Retrieved on December 10, 2017.
  46. 2015-07-10, SDCC 2015 – Blizzard Booth Photos. Blizzplanet, accessed on 2015-07-26
  47. 2016-02-26, Pre-Order FUNKO Overwatch POP Vinyl Figures. Blizzplanet, accessed on 2016-03-11
  48. 2018-10-03, There's Official Overwatch LEGO. Kotaku, accessed on 2018-10-04
  49. 2018-10-22, Full lineup of LEGO Blizzard Overwatch sets revealed. The Brothers Brick, accessed on 2018-10-22.
  50. 2018-11-02, BLIZZARD GEAR: PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE PANEL UNVEILS LOTS OF NEW GEAR. Blizzpro, accessed on 2018-11-16
  51. 2020-02-24, Toy Fair NY 2020: Figma Overwatch Action Figures. Blizzplanet, accessed on 2020-04-10
  52. Blizzard Series 8 Blind Packs- 5 Pack Set, Blizzard Gear. Accessed on 2022-05-13
  53. 2024-02-10, Found this Tracer Hotwheels, which I had no idea even existed. Reddit, accessed on 2024-02-11
  54. 2016-12-22, Michael Chu on Twitter. Twitter, accessed on 2016-12-25
  55. 2019-04-23, Michael Chu's Twitter. Twitter, accessed on 2019-04-23
  56. Blizzcon 2017, Overwatch: Archives
  57. 57.0 57.1 57.2 57.3 57.4 Forging Worlds: Stories Behind the Art of Blizzard Entertainment
  58. Game Informer #81: Designing Overwatch: From Titan to Torbjörn
  59. 2015-08-08, GAMESCOM LIVESTREAM PANEL W/ THE DEVS. Blizzpro, accessed on 2015-08-22
  60. 60.0 60.1 2020-09-18, COMIC BOOK TRACER: CHEERS, LOVE! THE ARTIST’S HERE. Blizzard Entertainment, accessed on 2021-01-23
  61. 2021-04-20, New Leadership for Overwatch. Blizzard Official Website, accessed on 2021-04-20
  62. 62.0 62.1 2015-05-27, BlizzCon 2014 – Overwatch Origins Panel Transcript. Blizzplanet, accessed on 2015-05-31
  63. 2015-03-13, PAX East 2015 Overwatch Hands-On Preview. Blizzplanet, accessed on 2015-03-2015
  64. 2015-12-10, How Blizzard is making up Overwatch's story as it goes. PC Gamer, accessed on 2015-12-24
  65. 2017-4-5, Making Tracer more than her sexuality was important for the Overwatch team Polygon.com, accessed on 2017-4-5
  66. 2019-11-05, REVVING UP THE ENGINE—OVERWATCH 2 “EVOLVING THE ART” PANEL RECAP. Blizzard Entertainment, accessed on 2020-05-16

External links

Advertisement