Jumping

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Click to listen

— The Scout

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Jumping is a core player ability assigned to each class. It essentially moves the player seventy-two Hammer units vertically, and can be used to reach elevated positions, shorten walking distance or avoid enemy fire. Jumping can be performed by pressing default A for the Xbox 360 version, Space on PC and X on the PS3.

Crouch-jumping

At any point during a jump, the player may crouch by pressing the pre-assigned button. This will cause the class to bring their legs up in world view and move an additional Hammer unit up. This can allow them to reach higher surfaces or shrink hitboxes to dodge enemy fire. By default, a player may only crouch and uncrouch a few times while in the air to prevent several exploits.

Crouch-jumping is also used to boost the effect of explosive knock back. By design, any jump involving an explosive will go further with a crouch-jump than a regular jump.

Air Strafing

Air strafing allows players to curve in mid-air to change their trajectory. While airborne, it can be performed by holding down a strafe key and simultaneously moving the mouse smoothly in that direction. Holding the forwards button during the maneuvre can cancel the strafe. See the Air Strafing page for more specifics.

Scout jumps

The Scout is the only class with the innate double jump ability. This can be augmented with the Force-A-Nature, creating a triple jump or force jump.

Double jump

By pressing the jump key a second time after the initial jump, the Scout can perform a second jump in any direction. The extra height and distance this ability grants can be used to access places which other classes cannot.

Double jumping disregards momentum, so the Scout can quickly change directions in mid-air. This can be useful to avoid enemy fire, avoid fall damage by canceling downward momentum, or even jump over enemies to attack from behind. A careless double jump, however, has an easily trackable trajectory, allowing a competent Sniper to make a kill.

Triple jump

With the Force-A-Nature equipped, the Scout can use the recoil from a shot to propel himself even higher into the air for an effective Triple Jump. The third 'jump' produced by the Force-A-Nature shot has more horizontal force and is slightly more difficult to aim and predict than a double-jump. However, the Triple jump allows the Scout to reach all sorts of places Scattergun equipped Scouts cannot reach by double jumping alone.

Force jump

Yet another jump, similar to the triple jump, is the Force Jump. By jumping forwards and firing a Force-A-Nature shot downwards against the jump, the player will propel themselves higher than a double jump, but with the second jump available in reserve. This acts as a trade-off; horizontal momentum is negated in order to provide greater vertical distance.

Basher jump

A Scout can use the Boston Bashers self-damaging properties to get to places previously inaccessible. Such a maneuvre is risky, however, as it will only take around 4 missed Basher swings to bring a non-overhealed Scout with full HP to exactly 1 hitpoint. Extensive use of medkits is therefore required.

Rocket jumps

A rocket jump is any jump assisted by the explosive knock back of the Soldier's own rockets. A player can propel himself great heights and distances, usually at the cost of some health. This technique is often used to reach unusual locations on the map, cover ground quickly, bypass barriers, and surprise foes. To assist with rocket jumps, the Soldier has 40% damage resistance against any rocket he fires that does not damage an enemy. Critical hits do not deal extra self-damage or extra knock back to the Soldier, so they will not propel him further. Any rocket jumping Soldier will display burning, smoky boots until he lands.

Basic rocket jumping

Simultaneously jump and fire a rocket at the ground below. The angle of the shot and distance from the explosion will determine the velocity and height of the jump. Crouch-jumping before firing the rocket will launch the player significantly further. The sooner the explosion is made after jumping, the further and faster the Soldier will fly.

Advanced rocket jumping

There are multiple variations on the basic rocket jump. Most are regularly used on jump maps, but they can be used in a normal game to gain great speed or height.

Faster rocket jumps can be made off a combination of a wall and ground. Aim down at the corner where the wall intersects the ground, crouch-jump and fire. These jumps tend to have a low angle and high velocity, and they often go further than regular jumps.

Wall jumps can be made while in the air and against a wall. Continue to hold crouch and fire down below yourself on the wall. The explosion will produce a second jump. Rocket jumps and wall jumps can be chained together to gain great distance or height.

Pogo jumps are secondary rocket jumps made against the ground to increase your airtime. The explosion should keep you airborne and potentially increase forward momentum. Skipping is the high speed variant. You must predict your location and sometimes aim ahead to ensure that the rocket lands directly beneath you, or you might fail and touch the ground. You must always be crouching during these jumps as failure to do so makes your jumps far less powerful.

Double rocket jumps require two rockets to detonate as you jump. This is only possible on jump maps because of the extremely long distances required. If you fire a rocket downwards and fall after it, you will eventually fall faster than your own shot. After landing, you then rocket jump as your first shot strikes you. The combined explosion sends you much further and higher than is otherwise possible.

Flicking is rapidly turning around and firing the rocket mostly behind you. This can be combined with any other technique to fine tune the direction and power of a jump. An easier equivalent is to face backwards while you make your rocket jump. Always turn in the direction of your weapon. Doing this results in a faster and more precise jump, as projectiles in the Source engine are spawned at the end of the player's viewmodel, not in the center of their screen.

No damage will be dealt to the Soldier when rocket jumping if he has the Rocket Jumper equipped, although he will still receive fall damage.

Sticky jumps

A sticky jump is any jump assisted by the explosive knock back of the Demoman's own stickies. Compared to the Soldier's rocket jump, the Demoman pays more health but jumps much higher and further. This technique is often used to reach unusual locations on the map, cover ground quickly, bypass barriers, and surprise foes. To assist with sticky jumps, the Demoman has 25% damage resistance against any sticky he fires that does not damage an enemy. Critical hits do not deal extra self-damage or extra knockback to the Demoman, so they will not propel him further. Any sticky jumping player will display burning, smoky boots until he lands.

Basic sticky jumping

Place a sticky on the ground and wait for it to arm. Jump over the sticky and detonate it. Your distance from the sticky's wide explosive radius will determine height, velocity, and damage taken to a significant degree. Crouch-jumping will cause the explosion to launch you significantly further.

Advanced sticky jumping

Advanced sticky jumping techniques are similar to a Soldier's rocket jumping techniques, but the mechanics are somewhat different because of the sticky's arming period.

Double sticky jumps begin by setting two stickies on the ground instead of one. You'll lose vastly more health, but you'll jump much further and higher. It's best to only attempt this jump while a Medic overheals you or ÜberCharges you. In regular games, this is often used to leap across an entire section of the map.

Triple sticky jumps use three stickies. They shouldn't be done without an overheal, ÜberCharge, or the extra health from an Eyelander. Because the player will often land with less than twenty health, their destination should either be very high up or have a Health Pack.

Like rocket jumps, more powerful sticky jumps can be made by launching the sticky at the intersection between a wall and the ground. These jumps generally give you more speed and distance at the cost of some height.

Wall jumps can also be made with stickies. Because of the arming delay, the Demoman must launch a sticky at the wall and rapidly detonate the sticky under his feet before the wall sticky arms. Then he must detonate the wall sticky as he passes. The height and distance gained from this technique is extreme. It is possible but extremely difficult to chain further wall stickies together, but this can only be done on jump maps which heal you during your jumps.

Pogoing is also possible with the Demoman. To pogo, you must fire a new sticky at your destination and detonate the old one beneath you just before the second one arms. You repeat this combination over and over to remain in the air.

Mid-air pogoing is also possible on a jump map. You place one sticky below yourself, fire another sticky upwards or outwards, and then jump after the airborne sticky. If done correctly, you will catch up to the sticky while it arms in mid-air, and you can detonate it for a further boost.

No damage will be dealt to the Demoman when sticky jumping when the Sticky Jumper is equipped, although he will still receive fall damage unless you shoot a sticky at where you will land and time it correctly.

Grenade jumps

Much like rockets, stickies, and other explosives, a Demoman's Grenade Launcher can be used to jump. The explosion has power and damage comparable to a rocket jump, but it's far more difficult to time and execute a good grenade jump. These are rarely used in actual play, but they have a niche for Demomen wielding the Chargin' Targe. This form of jumping may also be preferable if you have stickies already placed and do not wish to detonate them to jump somewhere.

There are three rules of thumb for executing a good grenade jump.

Fire straight down or against a wall or corner to control grenade positioning. Firing it forward will make it very difficult to track, and it may explode before you've reached it.

Crouch-jump over the grenade roughly two seconds after you fire it, absorbing as much of the explosion as possible. Jump too early, too late, or without good timing and the jump will have little power or control.

Vertical jumps require you to crouch-jump without any lateral motion. Proper grenade placement will give you the forward momentum to bypass a high barrier.

To perfectly time a grenade jump, immediately reload after deploying the grenade and jump after the second audible click plays. A visual clue is to watch the rings around the grenade, which pulse increasingly faster as it nears detonation.

Sentry Jumps

A Sentry Gun jump is any jump assisted by the knock back of Sentry rockets or bullets. In general, an Engineer must use the Wrangler to control his Sentry and fire at himself. In rare cases a Pyro can Sentry jump with reflected Sentry rockets. Also, enemies can jump and allow the Sentry to push them out of range to safety.

Sentry jumping is often used to reach unusual locations for Sentry nests and Teleporters.

Sentry Rocket Jumping

File:Sentryjump.png

Sentry rocket jump demonstration on Gravel Pit.

There are two ways to Sentry rocket jump.

The easy method is to wrangle your level 3 Sentry and fire rockets at your feet while you crouch-jump. Since the Engineer receives no self-damage resistance, he loses a great deal of health but flies very far. Landing spots must be chosen carefully.

The hard method allows the Engineer to jump and carry his Sentry with him. You must fire the rockets, switch away from the Wrangler and pack-up the Sentry before the jump carries you out of range.

Scripting can automate the hard method, but the technique can be learned manually. While looking at your Sentry Gun, tap the following keys in rapid succession: Crouch-jump and fire rockets simultaneously, switch to your last weapon, and then pack-up the Sentry Gun. The default keys are Spacebar + Ctrl + right-click, then Q, then right click again. If you want to avoid crouch-jumping, you can cut out that step by standing on your Sentry instead.

Using the hard method, you can rapidly relocate and redeploy your level 3 Sentry in unusual or aggressive locations.

Sentry Bullet Jumping

Bullet jumps are more difficult than Sentry rocket jumps, but they can be performed with any Sentry and often do less damage to the Engineer. The Gunslinger's Mini-Sentry is especially useful for bullet jumping. It deals even less damage and fires faster, giving more knock back for the jump.

The technique is deceptively simple. Stand on top of your Sentry Gun, aim in the direction you want to go, crouch-jump and fire. Your bullets should propel you high into the air. Most bullet jumps fail because you aim too low and fire the gun beneath you, or because the angle of the Sentry Gun's fire isn't pushing you up fast enough to overcome gravity.

If you have difficulty bullet jumping at angles, a simpler technique is deploy your Sentry beside the location you want to reach, stand on it, and fire almost straight up. Once you are nearly at the height you desire, aim a touch in the direction you wish to go, and the last few bullets will nudge you horizontally at your target.

Pyro Rocket Jumps

The Pyro can take advantage of the knock back effect of reflected projectiles. By aiming the Compression Blast at his feet, a Pyro can redirect a Soldier's or Sentry Gun's rocket into a powerful rocket jump. Because the Pyro has no self-damage resistance, this jump generally sends the Pyro further and higher than a Soldier could manage.

Pumpkin Jump

A pumpkin jump uses Pumpkin Bombs to launch the player into the air.

Lighter classes should stand far away and crouch-jump while shooting the pumpkin.
Heavier classes can stand beside the pumpkin and fire for a larger boost. A Heavy can jump further than a Demoman's sticky jump for roughly half his health.
The Sticky Jumper and Rocket Jumper prevent damage by pumpkin explosions. Explosions set off by enemies, however, still deal damage.
The Chargin' Targe reduces damage done by pumpkin explosions.

Cannot Jump

There are certain states a player can be in that prevents them from jumping. Players cannot jump while:

Playing Sniper when drawing an arrow.
Playing Heavy with your primary weapon revved.
Taunting.
Crouched.
Stunned.
There is something above the player.
They are underwater.
They are in the air (with the only exceptions being the Double jump and Force-A-Nature knockback).

Exploit Jumps

These jumps have been patched out of the game, but they once allowed players to perform unusual and unintended behavior.

Needle Boosting

Prior to the December 31, 2007 Patch, Syringe Gun needles pushed friendly players a small amount. With enough Medics, a player could be launched very high on a wave of needles.

Bunnyhopping

Prior to the October 31, 2007 Patch, you could jump repeatedly to preserve forward momentum. Rocket jumping, airstrafing, and other techniques could be used to increase that momentum, allowing players to move far faster than intended.