Spy (competitive)

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This article is for competitive play, based on the standard community competitive format. For the generic article on this topic, see: Spy.
The community competitive scene changes frequently. Some or all info may be outdated.
Spy.png

The Spy is a situational utility class sometimes used in the standard competitive lineup, valued for his stalemate-breaking and picking capabilities. However, due to the amount of coordination and usual choice of classes amongst the other team (Scout, Demoman, Soldier, Medic), it is significantly more difficult to play Spy because disguises that don't instantly give away the Spy will usually have a discrepancy in speed which gives the Spy away (Scout, Medic), or a handicap in speed (Demoman, Soldier).

Information

Health

Class Health Overheal Quick-Fix Overheal
Leaderboard class scout.png Scout 125 185 158
With the Sandman equipped 110 165 139
Leaderboard class soldier.png Soldier 200 300 251
With the Battalion's Backup equipped 220 330 276
Leaderboard class pyro.png Pyro 175 260 220
Leaderboard class demoman.png Demoman 175 260 220
With weapon slot boots equipped 200 300 251
With a head-taking melee weapon equipped with 0 heads 150 225 189
With a head-taking melee weapon equipped with 1 head 165 245 208
With a head-taking melee weapon equipped with 2 heads 180 270 226
With a head-taking melee weapon equipped with 3 heads 195 290 245
With a head-taking melee weapon with 4 or more heads 210 315 264
With weapon slot boots and a head-taking melee weapon equipped with 0 heads 175 260 220
With weapon slot boots and a head-taking melee weapon equipped with 1 head 190 285 239
With weapon slot boots and a head-taking melee weapon equipped with 2 heads 205 305 258
With weapon slot boots and a head-taking melee weapon equipped with 3 heads 220 330 276
With weapon slot boots and a head-taking melee weapon equipped with 4 or more heads 235 350 295
Leaderboard class heavy.png Heavy 300 450 376
Under the effects of the Dalokohs Bar or Fishcake 350 500 426
With the Fists of Steel equipped 300 390 346
With the Fists of Steel equipped and while under the effects of the Dalokohs Bar or Fishcake 350 440 396
Leaderboard class engineer.png Engineer 125 185 158
With the Gunslinger equipped 150 225 189
Leaderboard class medic.png Medic 150 225 189
With the Vita-Saw equipped 140 210 176
Leaderboard class sniper.png Sniper 125 185 158
Leaderboard class spy.png Spy 125 185 158
With the Big Earner equipped 100 150 126
With Conniver's Kunai equipped 70 105 89
Maximum overheal from Conniver's Kunai backstabs N/A 210 N/A

Theoretical value. Overheal does not exceed 150% of the classes' maximum health.

Speed

Condition Normal Backward Crouched Swimming
Leaderboard class spy.png Spy
107 %
96 %
36 %
85 %
Disguised as a Scout
107 %
96 %
36 %
85 %
Disguised as a Soldier
80 %
72 %
27 %
64 %
Disguised as a Pyro
100 %
90 %
33 %
80 %
Disguised as a Demoman
93 %
84 %
31 %
75 %
Disguised as a Heavy
77 %
69 %
26 %
61 %
Disguised as a Engineer
100 %
90 %
33 %
80 %
Disguised as a Medic
107 %
96 %
36 %
85 %
Disguised as a Sniper
100 %
90 %
33 %
80 %

Weapons

Main article: Spy weapons (competitive)

The Spy uses his Inivisibility watches to move around the map, disguises with his Disguise Kit, and then approaches and backstabs a key target with one of his knives.

Primary PDA

Weapon Kill icon Ammo
Loaded
Ammo
Carried
Damage Range Notes / Special Abilities
Disguise Kit
Stock
Primary PDA

Disguise Kit
N/A N/A N/A N/A Pictogram info.png Allows the Spy to disguise himself as an enemy or a friendly player.


Secondary PDA

Weapon Kill icon Ammo
Loaded
Ammo
Carried
Damage Range Notes / Special Abilities
Invis Watch
Stock
Secondary PDA

Invis Watch
N/A N/A N/A N/A

Cloak type: Timed
Pictogram info.png Cloaks Spy for 10 seconds.
Pictogram info.png Cloak meter can be refilled from ammo sources.

Enthusiast's Timepiece
Promotional
Secondary PDA

Enthusiast's Timepiece
Quäckenbirdt
Promotional
Secondary PDA

Quäckenbirdt
Cloak and Dagger
Unlock
Secondary PDA

Cloak and Dagger
N/A N/A N/A N/A

Cloak type: Motion sensitive
Pictogram plus.png While standing still, cloaks Spy indefinitely and slowly refills cloak meter .
Pictogram plus.png Has +100 % cloak recharge rate.
Pictogram minus.png Cloak meter can not be refilled by ammo boxes while invisible.
Pictogram minus.png -35% cloak meter from ammo boxes.
Pictogram info.png Cloak consumption rate varies depending on the type of movement you use (see Function Times for more information).
Pictogram info.png User can still stay partially cloaked once the cloak meter runs out.

Dead Ringer
Unlock
Secondary PDA

Dead Ringer
N/A N/A N/A N/A Cloak type: Feign death

Pictogram info.png Cloaks Spy for 7 seconds upon receiving damage, dropping a fake corpse.
Pictogram plus.png Reduces initial damage by 75%, then upcoming damage by 65% to 20% after 3 seconds.
Pictogram plus.png 50% faster cloak recharge rate.
Pictogram plus.png +40% cloak duration.
Pictogram plus.png Grants a 3 second speed boost upon receiving damage.
Pictogram plus.png Feign Death stealth has no bump shimmer for 3 seconds.
Pictogram minus.png Ammo kits and dispensers do not refill the Spy's cloak meter.
Pictogram minus.png Has a loud, distinctive decloak sound.
Pictogram minus.png Triggering feign death will lower the cloak meter to 50%.
Pictogram minus.png Cloak meter must be fully charged to use.


Melee

Weapon Kill icon Ammo
Loaded
Ammo
Carried
Damage Range Notes / Special Abilities
Knife
Stock
Knife
Killicon knife.png N/A N/A Base: 40

Backstab:
victim's health

Killicon backstab.png
Prinny Machete
Promotional
Prinny Machete
Killicon prinny machete.png
Killicon backstab.png
Saxxy
Distributed
Saxxy
Killicon saxxy.png Limited item from the Replay Update.

Pictogram info.png Killed enemies freeze into solid Australium statues (purely cosmetic feature).

Killicon backstab.png
Golden Frying Pan
Distributed
Golden Frying Pan
Killicon golden frying pan.png Limited item from the Two Cities Update.

Pictogram info.png Killed enemies freeze into solid Australium statues (purely cosmetic feature).

Killicon backstab.png
Sharp Dresser
Promotional
Sharp Dresser
Killicon sharp dresser.png
Killicon sharp dresser backstab.png
Black Rose
Promotional
Black Rose
Killicon black rose.png
Killicon backstab.png
Your Eternal Reward
Craft
Your Eternal Reward
Killicon your eternal reward.png N/A N/A Base: 40

Backstab:
victim's health

Pictogram plus.png Upon a successful backstab, the Spy instantly disguises as the backstab victim.

Pictogram plus.png Victims do not make any noise when dying.
Pictogram plus.png Victims' bodies disappear after being stabbed.
Pictogram plus.png If backstabbed, victims' death will not be shown in the killfeed for other enemies.
Pictogram minus.png +33% cloak drain rate.
Pictogram minus.png Normal disguises require (and consume) a full cloak meter.

Killicon backstab.png
Wanga Prick
Craft
Wanga Prick
Killicon wanga prick.png
Killicon backstab.png
Conniver's Kunai
Promotional
Conniver's Kunai
Killicon conniver's kunai.png N/A N/A Base: 40

Backstab:
victim's health

Pictogram plus.png On Backstab: Absorbs the health from your victim (minimum gain of 75 health points). Can overheal up to 300% of Spy's (reduced) health, i.e. up to 210 health points.

Pictogram minus.png –55 max health on wearer.

Killicon backstab.png
Big Earner
Craft
Big Earner
Killicon big earner.png N/A N/A Base: 40

Backstab:
victim's health

Pictogram plus.png Upon a kill, the Spy gains 30% of his cloak meter.

Pictogram plus.png Gain a 3 second speed boost on kill.
Pictogram minus.png –25 max health on wearer.

Killicon backstab.png
Spy-cicle
Craft
Spy-cicle
Killicon spy-cicle.png N/A N/A Base: 40

Backstab:
victim's health

Pictogram plus.png On Hit by Fire: Fireproof for 1 second and afterburn immunity for 10 seconds.

Pictogram minus.png Backstab turns victim to ice.
Pictogram minus.png Melts in fire, regenerates in 15 seconds and by picking up ammo.

Killicon backstab.png

Usage in 6 vs 6

General

In 6v6, the spy has two main roles, to either distract, or to go for key kills. The spy is not one of the core 6v6 classes, and is only played during specific situations. A spy is most commonly played during a stalemate, where neither team is getting a kill advantage over the other. In this scenario, the spy then goes to try and kill the other team's demoman or medic, as only those classes are considered important enough by most teams to warrant switching a scout or soldier to try and go for a kill. The demo is considered a vital kill because he puts out the most damage of any of the classes, and has great mobility. A team without a demoman can not constantly put out damage in a short period, meaning that the use of an ubercharge would not be very effective by the team. They also lose the ability to try and kill non-ubered players quickly, meaning the medic with an ubercharge is able to have to switch heal targets, allowing their uber to last longer, and get more kills. The medic is consitered a vital kill because of his abilty to both keep his team alive longer, and to use ubercharges to effectively attack the other team while minimising lossees. A team without a medic can take much less damage, and will die quickly.

5cp

A spy is normally used on 5 cp during stalemates normally occurring on a teams last point, or second to last point. During this time, the spy tries to sneak around behind the opposing team, to try and get into a position to kill the medic or demo. This will allow for the spy's team to aggressively move forward to attempt to kill the remaining players, and capture the next one or two points.

The spy is not used during most of the game, because of his inability to get to locations quickly, which is needed during the start of the game. The spy is also not used because of his inabiliity to put out damage equal to the scout or soldier who would play spy.

Attack-Defend Strategies

A defending team on an Attack/Defend map such as Gravel Pit will almost never switch out one of their Utility players for a Spy. This is due to the fact that a Spy cannot contribute to spam and help defend an area like other utilities can, and their role is reduced to backstabbing key targets, something that is already very difficult in a setting where players constantly turn around and check their backs. Spies on defending teams are thus generally not the best use of player slots. The attacking team may use a Spy instead of a Scout if a strong defense that may be assisted by a well-placed Sentry Gun needs to be disrupted, without the use of an Über. The Spy will attempt to eliminate the Sentry Gun or a key player, and distract the enemy team to allow his own team to break the enemy's defense without spending the time to build up an ÜberCharge.

Capture-the-Flag Strategies

Many teams will run an Engineer at the beginning of a round of Capture-the-flag. The Engineer and his Sentry Gun help stall the enemy team and prevent Scouts from taking and escaping with the Intelligence. For this reason, a team may want to use a Spy to sap and lock down the Sentry Gun while teammates rush in and destroy it, saving their Medic's ÜberCharge for a later conflict and allowing a team member to run off with the enemy intelligence and capture it. Aside from helping a team attack an enemy team's Engineer, Spies can also try to score picks on other key players and weaken the enemy defense that way, but their ineffectiveness in direct combat makes Spies poor defenders of the friendly intelligence. One way to play defense indirectly as a Spy though is to slow down and distract the enemy team, and once your team has captured the intelligence, they can return with criticals to finish off the enemy team before they cap your intelligence.

See also