Taunts

“

Yeah, why don't you come over and say that to my face, tough guy?

Click to listen

— The Scout

”

Each class has its own series of taunts. These can be performed using Default key: G for PC, "X" for Xbox 360 and "Square" for PS3, with most weapons possessing their own unique animation and dialog line(s), though some taunts may be shared between similar weapons. Several lines of dialog are chosen at semi-random during a taunt, with one line being chosen at random and every line after it following a specific order. Taunts are generally used for gloating purposes after killing an opponent, to celebrate a victory, provoke living opponents or simply for comedic effect and for the most part have no direct effect on gameplay. However, certain taunts (known as Taunt Attacks) have effects such as healing the player and stunning, damaging or even killing opponents. Several achievements also require the use of taunts. Caution should be exercised when performing a taunt; while a player performs a taunt, they are left vulnerable and the view shifts from first to third-person, leaving the player unable to act until the taunt is concluded (though Demomen are able to activate their sticky bombs while taunting).

Taunting cannot be performed underwater or while airborne. Should a player be sent airborne while in the middle of a taunt (by a Pyro's airblast, for instance), the taunt will be canceled. Being shot by Natascha will also cancel any taunt.

A minority of weapons such as the Scotsman's Skullcutter, the Engineer's PDAs, Jarate, and the Electro Sapper all lack taunts. The Heavy's Sandvich functions as a consumable and a taunt when activated, moving the player into third person view. All weapons that have been released in "community" updates do not have unique taunts, using a pre existing taunt or nothing at all.

Note that it is possible to switch weapons with quick-switch (Default "Q") after pressing the key to taunt but before the taunt animation actually plays. This will result in your character performing the taunt for the weapon you had before pressing the taunt key but holding the weapon that you switched to. This glitch was unintentionally "fixed" in the Mann-Conomy Update, but Robin Walker has said in emails that it possibly might be reinstated in the future due to its popularity.

Taunts by Class

Thriller Taunt

During the Haunted Halloween Special event, an extra taunt was added for all classes referencing a dance move from the hit song Thriller by Michael Jackson. The taunt will play at random upon hitting the taunt button and will always activate if a player taunts with an item that possesses no taunt animation (e.g. Jarate). It is only available during the annual Halloween event. However, there are hidden NPCs on Thunder Mountain that can do the Thriller taunt year-round.

Notes

The Sniper has a slightly different animation than the others, lifting his feet higher off the ground.
When the Demoman does the taunt, his head will always look straight forward, and will not move his head in any other direction.
When the Engineer taunts with the Frontier Justice and the Thriller taunt occurs, guitar pieces are immediately dropped.

Special Taunts

Also known as kill taunts (with the exception of the Medic's Oktoberfest), these taunts have the ability to kill any opponent in a single hit, as they do 500+ damage.

	Taunt	Class	Weapon	Damage	Duration	Details
File:Backpack Home Run.png	Home Run	Scout	Sandman	500 (Instant kill)	5 seconds
File:Backpack Kamikaze.png	Kamikaze	Soldier	Equalizer	500 (Instant kill)	4 seconds	6 ft blast radius Kills player upon completion
File:Backpack Hadouken.png	Hadouken	Pyro	Shotgun/ Flare Gun (Must have ammo)	500 (Instant kill)	3 seconds	Kills with fire effect
File:Backpack Decapitation.png	Decapitation	Demoman	Eyelander	500 (Instant kill)	5 seconds	Adds a head to the killer's Head count
File:Backpack Showdown.png	Showdown	Heavy	Fists	400-500	3 seconds	Has medium range
File:Backpack Dischord.png	Dischord	Engineer	Frontier Justice (Must have ammo)	500 (Instant kill)	4 seconds
File:Backpack Organ Grinder.png	Organ Grinder	Engineer	Gunslinger	14 (Swing, stun effect) 500 (Instant kill)	4 seconds	Kills with Gib Effect
File:Backpack Oktoberfest.png	Oktoberfest	Medic	Kritzkrieg	None	4 seconds	Heals player for 11 health
File:Backpack Spinal Tap.png	Spinal Tap	Medic	Übersaw	1 (Swing, stun effect) 500 (Instant kill)	4 seconds approx.	Initial stab with stun effect followed by the killing Übersaw removal Adds 50% to ÜberCharge meter
File:Backpack Skewer.png	Skewer	Sniper	Huntsman (Must have ammo)	Initial Stab: None (stun effect). Removal: 500 (Instant kill)	4 seconds	Arrow stab with stun effect followed by the killing arrow removal
File:Backpack Fencing.png	Fencing	Spy	Knife / Your Eternal Reward	50 (Swings) 500 (Instant kill)	5 seconds	Two swings followed by the killing thrust

All taunts and taunt kills can be successfully performed while stunned.

Demonstration

Unused Taunts

There are a number of taunt animations in Team Fortress 2's files, the purpose of which has not been explained yet by Valve. Each class has a set of four 'High-Five' taunts, each one either slightly positive, slightly negative, very positive or very negative. The first of these animations (Soldier and Demoman) was added during the WAR! Update, Engineer's ones on the Engineer Update, and the remaining animations were added afterwards during the Mann-Conomy Update. It should be noted that the negative animations appear to be failed or missed high-fives, as the classes' hands does not stop suddenly as they do in the positive animations.

Based on a similar mechanic in the upcoming Portal 2, it's possible these animations are intended as a sort of co-op taunt.