Community Spy strategy

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The Spy

The Spy is a class dedicated to trickery and deceit. Specializing in espionage and sabotage, he can backstab, cloak, and disguise. He can also sap an Engineer's buildings. Enemies that are Spy checking should be avoided, and to escape suspicion, a little bit of acting on your part can go a long way. With some skill and luck, Spies can even fool these Spy checkers.

Quick tips

General

Weapon specifics

Primary weapons

Revolver / Big Kill

Weapon Kill icon Ammo Damage
Loaded Carried Point blank Medium range Long range Critical
Revolver
Stock
Revolver
Killicon revolver.png 6 24 55-60 35-45 16-25 120
Big Kill
Promotional
Big Kill
Killicon big kill.png

Ambassador

Weapon Kill icon Ammo Damage
Loaded Carried Point blank Medium range Long range Critical
Ambassador
Unlock
Ambassador
Killicon ambassador.png 6 24 46-56 31-37 15-19 102
Killicon sniperriflehs.png 6 24 102 102 102 102

L'Etranger

Weapon Kill icon Ammo Damage
Loaded Carried Point blank Medium range Long range Critical
L'Etranger
Craft
L'Etranger
Killicon l'etranger.png 6 24 44-48 28-36 15-18 96

Enforcer

Weapon Kill icon Ammo Damage
Loaded Carried Point blank Medium range Long range Critical
Enforcer
Craft
Enforcer
Killicon enforcer.png 6 24 70-72 41-55 24-26 144

Diamondback

Weapon Kill icon Ammo Damage
Loaded Carried Point blank Medium range Long range Critical
Diamondback
Promotional/Craft
Diamondback
Killicon diamondback.png 6 24 47-51 30-33 14-21 102

Secondary weapons

Sapper

Weapon Kill icon Ammo Damage
Loaded Carried Point blank Medium range Long range Critical
Sapper
Stock
Sapper
Killicon sapper.png 1 N/A N/A N/A N/A

Melee weapons

Knife / Saxxy / Sharp Dresser / Festive Knife / Black Rose

Weapon Kill icon Attack interval Damage
Point blank Critical
Knife
Stock
Knife
Killicon knife.png 0.8 seconds 40 120
Killicon backstab.png 0.8 seconds N/A 6× victim's health.
Saxxy
Promotional
Saxxy
Killicon saxxy.png 0.8 seconds 40 120
Killicon backstab.png 0.8 seconds N/A 6× victim's health.
Sharp Dresser
Promotional
Sharp Dresser
Killicon sharp dresser.png 0.8 seconds 40 120
Killicon sharp dresser backstab.png 0.8 seconds N/A 6× victim's health.
Festive Knife
Uncrate
Festive Knife
Killicon knife.png 0.8 seconds 40 120
Killicon backstab.png 0.8 seconds N/A 6× victim's health.
Black Rose
Promotional
Black Rose
Killicon black rose.png 0.8 seconds 40 120
Killicon backstab.png 0.8 seconds N/A 6× victim's health.

Your Eternal Reward / Wanga Prick

Weapon Kill icon Attack interval Damage
Point blank Critical
Your Eternal Reward
Craft
Your Eternal Reward
Killicon your eternal reward.png 0.8 seconds 40 120
Killicon backstab.png 0.8 seconds N/A 6× victim's health.
Wanga Prick
Craft
Wanga Prick
Killicon wanga prick.png 0.8 seconds 40 120
Killicon backstab.png 0.8 seconds N/A 6× victim's health.

Conniver's Kunai

Weapon Kill icon Attack interval Damage Healing
Point blank Critical From backstab
Conniver's Kunai
Promotional/Craft
Conniver's Kunai
Killicon conniver's kunai.png 0.8 seconds 40 120 N/A
Killicon backstab.png 0.8 seconds N/A 6× victim's health. Target's current health, capping at 180 health.

Big Earner

Weapon Kill icon Attack interval Damage
Point blank Critical
Big Earner
Craft
Big Earner
Killicon big earner.png 0.8 seconds 40 120
Killicon backstab.png 0.8 seconds N/A 6× victim's health.

Spy-cicle

Weapon Kill icon Attack interval Damage
Point blank Critical
Spy-cicle
Uncrate/Craft
Spy-cicle
Killicon spy-cicle.png 0.8 seconds 40 120
Killicon backstab.png 0.8 seconds N/A 6× victim's health.
Fencing
Kill icon Weapon Damage Duration Details
Fencing
Fencing
Killicon fencing.png Knife, Saxxy, Your Eternal Reward, Conniver's Kunai, Big Earner, Wanga Prick, Black Rose 500 4 seconds The Spy transfers his weapon to his left hand and begins to practice a deadly Fencing maneuver, resulting in damage or death for anyone in the way.

PDA Slot

Disguise Kit

Weapon Ammo Damage
Loaded Carried Point blank Medium range Long range Critical
Disguise Kit
Stock
Disguise Kit
N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Scout

The Scout disguise is best applied when you are trying to hide or when you will only be visible to the enemy for a short period of time. The Scout's character model is very small and is rather useful for hiding. However, it is not very believable, as you will not gain speed to match that of the Scout and because you cannot double jump. As Scouts tend to wander for extended periods of time, the Scout disguise is usually viable for quick glances, especially from long distances. The Scout disguise is common in competitive play due to the nature of team composition and the fact that disguises do not work well for blending in against coordinated teams, regardless of disguise.

Soldier

The Soldier disguise is useful for blending in when stabbing a slow-moving target, as most people do not suspect Soldier Spies due to their slow movement speed. However, you will likely have trouble dodging enemy fire and avoiding blocking enemy movement. If your target starts moving at full speed, unless it is a Heavy, you might not be able to catch up to him without losing your disguise. You may be able to infiltrate enemy lines by simply walking in backwards, as it is common practice for Soldiers to retreat this way - you might even get an enemy Medic healing or ÜberCharging you. Try not to have your disguise weapon as the Equalizer; you will not go faster and enemy Medics will still be able to heal you, easily giving you away.

Pyro

As a class with 100% move speed, no need to reload primary weapons, and reasons to hide by himself among teammates and near Sentry Guns, the Pyro disguise is fairly well-rounded. Pyros aren't expected to attack until they get close to others, and they commonly patrol their own bases. Therefore, a Pyro disguise can get in and out of enemy areas nicely. However, the Pyro disguise has a couple of flaws that make it less than perfect. The Pyro disguise is common and very easy to Spy check (Pyros don't catch on fire, but you will). Also, Pyros are expected to Spy check constantly, so enemies may attack you once they realize you are not doing so. If you are trying to hide, switch to a secondary or melee weapon, as all Flamethrowers have long weapon models and can sometimes be seen through walls or props. The Pyro disguise's fake Shotgun reload is arguably tied with the Engineer's for being the best in the game.

Demoman

The Demoman disguise is very average, with slightly reduced move speed counteracted by a Demoman's reasons to stay in his team's base. However, if Stickybombs are not placed and your disguise does not include a shield, you will easily be discovered as a fraud. While the Demoman is used in both offense and defense, he is generally expected to constantly use his weapons. The disguise has average body and weapon size, and is therefore good for quick glances. However, enemies are generally not fooled if you stay in one location for too long. Both fake reloads are moderately believable.

Heavy

Because of its severely reduced move speed, a Heavy disguise is rare. This disguise hinders your ability to chase for a backstab, to move around the map quickly, and to hide. However, due to its rarity, many players won't expect it. The Heavy disguise is a great choice if you want a Medic to heal or possibly ÜberCharge you regardless of your health level. The Heavy's primary weapon is not usually fired on whim, due to its spin up and spin down times; therefore an enemy Medic will not immediately Spy check you if you don't shoot. While this disguise is good for backstabbing enemy Heavies that are revved up, there are other, better alternatives, and the large model size and extremely slow move speed make the Heavy disguise generally a bad choice.

Engineer

The Engineer disguise can be useful for taking down enemy structures. The Engineer has 100% move speed, small character and weapon models, and a reason to stay around his own base and buildings. Enemies are prone to Spy checking Engineers that do not use their Wrench for too long, though. Engineers are rarely seen outside of their base unless they have the Gunslinger equipped, so be aware of which melee weapon your disguise has. The Engineer disguise's fake Shotgun reload is arguably tied with the Pyro's for being the best in the game.

Medic

The Medic disguise is not very good for maintaining believability. While most enemies will not notice the lack of increased move speed, the Medic disguise is incapable of healing. Because Medics are expected to heal whenever they're with a teammate and are rarely alone, your disguise quickly loses credibility. Another thing that has the potential to quickly give you away is the fact that, while disguised as a Medic, your fake Übercharge meter will always show 0%; more experienced players will know that Medics will never have 0% Übercharge unless walking out of spawn due to the Medic's frequent healing. One benefit of the disguise is the ability to lure enemies into thinking they can get healed by you, and then you may dispatch them anyway you like. You can also use the disguise to come from behind an enemy for a backstab, as it is completely natural for a Medic to be behind his patient. The Medic disguise also has a rather good fake reload.

Sniper

The Sniper disguise is generally effective if you are standing on a balcony or other common sniping location. It is not suspicious for Snipers to stay within their base for extended periods of time, and are not expected to Spy check allies. However, you are unable to zoom in, which can reveal your identity after a while and if you stray too far from Sniper posts, you are likely to be Spy checked. Also be aware of enemies attempting to light your arrow if you are disguised with the Huntsman. The Sniper disguise is relatively small with 100% move speed.

Spy

The Spy disguise can work, but it primarily relies on the Spy checking habits of your enemies. It is the only disguise where you have a reason to be with your teammates without attacking. Be aware that the enemy Spy disguise will not affect the color of your disguise smoke or your Cloak, so enemies can still recognize those effects. The Spy disguise can be risky because many players instinctively fire at all Spies, even friendly ones. The Spy disguise has a good fake reload.

Friendly disguises

Friendly disguises can prove handy in a variety of situations. Friendly disguises are useful at the beginning of rounds, especially during setup time, because they will avoid giving away there you are a Spy, while making the enemy team prepared for a class that isn't necessarily in use. If you're having trouble getting behind enemy lines, a friendly disguise can be used to scare enemies (for example, a friendly Pyro disguise in close quarters) or to feign a death more convincingly. If an ally needs help, you can use a friendly disguise, such as a Heavy, to draw enemy fire. Your hit box is not the same as your disgusie class, so you can draw Sniper fire with some disguises with a reduced risk of being Headshot. Friendly disguises, particularly Medic and Sniper, are good for baiting, as many enemy will not expect a friendly disguise. Use this bait to prepare for a stab or by shooting the target with your Revolver. These tricks can be used more safely and repeatedly with the Dead Ringer, as you can fake friendly deaths.

PDA2 slot

Invisibility Watch / Enthusiast's Timepiece

Weapon Cloak
Cloak type Duration Activation time Deactivation time Recharge
Invisibility Watch
Stock
Invis Watch
Standard Recharge 9 seconds 1 second 1.8 seconds 30 seconds
Enthusiast's Timepiece
Promotional
Enthusiast's Timepiece

Cloak and Dagger

Weapon Cloak
Cloak type Duration Activation time Deactivation time Recharge
Cloak and Dagger
Unlock
Cloak and Dagger
Motion Sensitive 6.2 seconds 1 second 2.2 seconds 15 seconds

Dead Ringer

Weapon Cloak
Cloak type Duration Activation time Deactivation time Recharge
Dead Ringer
Unlock
Dead Ringer
Feign Death 6.5 sec 0 sec 1.8 sec 16 sec

Item set effects

The Saharan Spy Set

The Saharan Spy
Backpack The Saharan Spy Bundle.png
Effect

Reduced decloak sound volume
0.5 sec longer Cloak blink time

Weapon Combinations

Against Engineers

Most, if not all, tactics concerning Engineers will only work if the Engineer is not surrounded by allies. Use these tactics wisely.

Sentry Guns

Dispensers

Teleporters

Infiltration

Friendly disguised Blu Spy calling for a Red Medic

Backstabbing techniques

For more information, see Backstab

Approaching the target

Approaching your victim for a backstab is difficult without getting caught. It is common for an enemy player to randomly Spy check hiding places and teammates. You can expect the enemy team to Spy check more often if they are alerted to the presence of a Spy.

The easiest targets to approach are distracted players who are busy with another task. Common targets are Engineers that are building/upgrading and Snipers who are looking through their Sniper Rifle.

There are a few things to keep in mind before going in for the killing blow:

A Spy's weapons and gadgets can drastically change how a Spy has to approach his target. Keep these tips in mind when choosing your loadout:

See also

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