Difference between revisions of "Community Spy strategy"

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[[File:Spybackstab.png|300px|right|Run.]]
  
The [[Spy]] is a class of trickery and deceit. Specializing in espionage and sabotage, he can [[backstab]], [[Cloak]], [[disguise]], and [[sap]] buildings. Enemies performing [[Spy-check]]ing should be avoided, and to escape suspicion, a little bit of acting on your part can go a long way. But with a bit of skill and lots of luck some Spies can easily dispatch these Spy-checkers.
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{{Quotation|'''The Spy'''|May I make a suggestion? '''Run'''.|sound=Spy_taunts11.wav}}
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The [[Spy]] is a class dedicated to trickery and deceit. Specializing in espionage and sabotage, he can [[backstab]], {{botignore|[[cloak]]}}, and [[disguise]]. He can also [[Sapper|sap]] an [[Engineer]]'s buildings, causing them to malfunction. 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 veteran players, and professional Spies can easily wreak major havoc on the enemy team.
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{{TOC limit|3}}
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== Quick tips ==
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* Avoid being seen or heard as much as possible, even with a disguise.
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** Players can be exceptionally paranoid (especially if they have been backstabbed previously), Spy-checking anyone they see, regardless of your behavior or acting. Wait until your teammates distract them, and strike while they are occupied.
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** Be aware that decloaking and backstabbing can be rather loud, especially if you are using the [[Dead Ringer]]. Competent enemies will likely hear these sounds and react. Use the sounds of gunfire from the battlefield, and decloaking behind corners and walls to mask the sound of your decloak.
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** Try to avoid being spotted while doing your job. Take note of which players see you decloak, stab, or sap. If you do get spotted, your options are to cloak and run away or fight back with your Revolver.
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** Always ask yourself, "Will/did that player see/hear me stab/sap/decloak? Did they react to it?" If so, move to another part of the map until they are done Spy-checking. If not, continue doing your job.
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** Try to check your surroundings before you decloak.
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* Typically, you should {{botignore|cloak}} when heading towards an enemy objective. A teammate running in the opposite direction of the rest of the team is suspicious and a prime candidate for Spy-checking.
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** While disguised, enemies are much less likely to Spy-check you if run backward toward them as if fleeing from your real teammates.
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* Learn to play other classes first. Once you know how each class behaves, you will be able to act more convincingly.
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** Pay attention to which class you are disguised as. Snipers and Engineers generally stay in one spot while Pyros will often patrol an area.
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** The Pyro disguise is good for general situations, but being a very common disguise, you might get Spy-checked more frequently. The upside is, you might not want to stay close to enemy Pyros, so you probably won't appear in the same vicinity as them.
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** The Scout disguise is nearly useless for tricking vigilant enemies; you will not move as fast as a real Scout does. However, you can use the Scout disguise to hide, as his body is much smaller than other classes. Furthermore, the smaller model of the Scout changes where your head appears to enemies, throwing off Snipers' aim. Also, Scouts will often run in and out of the fray of battle — distracted enemies may not suspect you if you are heading towards the objective.
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*** Scouts with the Baby Face Blaster equipped can make your disguise more convincing since they start off with a slower base speed and a boost penalty when jumping.
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** The Heavy disguise will slow you down considerably, but can be used to trick enemy Medics into healing you. The disguise may trick enemies simply because the Heavy disguise is so rarely used. However, this disguise makes it difficult to approach enemies to backstab.
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** The Soldier disguise should not be used when you are heading from the enemy's base toward their objective. Soldiers will generally [[Jumping#Soldier jumps|rocket jump]], and one that does not will attract suspicion, unless you are in a confined room that prevents rocket jumping, such as the corridors on cp_steel.
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** The Engineer disguise can be useful in specific situations. Kill an Engineer, disguise as him, and stand next to his buildings with your disguise's Wrench out; when the coast is clear, sap the enemy's buildings and make your escape. Enemies may even expose their backs to you as they heal next to "your" Dispenser. Keep your eye on when the Engineer respawns, however - he may return to his nest and expose you as a Spy.
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** The Medic disguise will not trick enemies very often; Medics who are not healing teammates will instantly draw suspicion. However, it does give you a reason to be behind them. Pull out your disguise's Medi Gun, and backstab them when they look away from you.
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*** If you happen to chance upon a Medic who does not heal his teammates but instead fights with his primary instead, disguising as him can be a good choice.
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** The Sniper disguise can be good for surveillance, as you won't attract too much attention behind enemy lines. However, you can't scope in, so make sure to not stand in one spot for too long, or an enemy might notice that you aren't doing anything.
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** The Spy disguise can be effective, as you won't seem out of place taking flank routes. It is also useful when among your teammates, as you can act like an enemy Spy trying to stab your own teammates, instead of an obviously disguised Spy that none of your teammates are attacking. However, merely seeing a Spy might remind paranoid enemies to Spy-check.
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** Make sure you're disguised as an actual player. If the enemy team doesn't have the class you're disguised as means your disguise will have no cosmetics or weapons other than stock. New players are fairly uncommon in most games, so seeing a cosmetic-less enemy with Stock weapons approaching may make enemies suspicious.
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*** Alternatively, you can act confused and pretend to make "beginner mistakes" - enemies may dismiss you as clueless or useless and ignore you.
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* Cloak before disguising if you are behind enemy lines. Doing so will prevent your enemies from seeing your Disguise Kit's smoke.
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** Press (by default) {{Key|B}} to automatically change the weapon that your disguise is holding, matching the weapon slot you are using. For example, if you are holding a Revolver and press {{Key|B}} your disguise will switch weapon to its primary (or secondary, if you're disguised as a Spy) slot. For example, if you are disguised as a Sniper, make sure to switch to your disguise's Sniper Rifle. Changing weapons can also trick enemies into believing your disguise. If you are not disguised, pressing {{Key|B}} will disguise you as the last person you disguised as.
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* If you are using the [[Invisibility Watch]], you are able to regain Cloak, both while cloaked and uncloaked, by picking up ammo boxes and remains of destroyed buildings as well as leeching off enemy Dispensers (if you are also disguised).
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** However, be careful while picking up ammo or health if enemies are nearby. Seeing ammo and health disappear with no one near it is a sign of a cloaked Spy.
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*If you are using the [[Cloak and Dagger]], then you can only pick up ammo when uncloaked (although it will refill your cloak meter less than if you were using the [[Invis Watch]]). Use this ability to make sure that you don't run low on cloak at a vital moment.
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* Unless you are using the Dead Ringer, cloaking will take about one second. Cloak before you enter enemy territory, as you will always show as your team color when cloaking and uncloaking, thus revealing yourself to the enemy.
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* Always work with your team. Despite your abilities of backstabbing, cloaking, and disguising, you are still susceptible to taking damage, and working in conjunction with your team will improve your performance as a Spy.
  
 
== General ==
 
== General ==
  
* Your [[Cloak]] and [[Disguise]]s take one second to fully activate. Watch your class image in the bottom left corner of the screen to see when your disguise or Cloak is complete. The enemy may be alerted to your presence if you don't wait. As a side effect, you do not have time to backstab an [[Engineer]] and escape if you are within range of his [[Sentry Gun]].
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* Try to make an indirect approach to enemies by predicting their movements; it will attract less attention and will surprise them. Also, try not to bump into your enemies; it will alert them to your presence.
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** Avoid attacking a large group of enemies that are not in combat, such as when they are pushing the cart when your entire team is dead. They will be more alert and may Spy-check any teammates that approach them.
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* If you are following an enemy and they look back, consider turning around as if you were checking for a Spy behind you — this may trick them into believing your disguise.
  
* When you disguise or change disguise, your body will be covered by smoke puffs visible to anyone (including enemies). If you are cloaked, this smoke can only be seen by teammates. However, if you have the [[Dead Ringer]] equipped, the smoke will linger if you disguise shortly before you are "killed," making it immediately obvious that you are still alive.
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* You are able to see the names of enemies, and their health. Use this knowledge when making a plan or predicting movements. Injured players will often look for a Health kit or a Medic, while enemies at full health tend to head for the objective. You are also able to see the health and upgrade level on an Engineer's buildings.
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** You can also see the Medic's Medi Gun charge status. Relay this information to your team — if the enemy is near full charge, they will probably make a push soon.
  
* Try to disguise as a class which is easier to imitate (for example, don't generally pick Medic or Scout, because you do not gain their speed). Disguising as an Engineer is useful because the Engineer is a common Spy target, and the enemy team may try to protect you.
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* When you are disguised as an enemy, enemy [[Sentry Gun]]s will not attack you directly, and you can use enemy buildings; enemy [[Medic]]s are also able to heal you.
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** If you use a voice command (such as "MEDIC!" or "Spy!") that shows up in the chat, the enemy team will also see it in their chat, which may alert them to your presence if the enemy you are disguised as sees it and calls you out.
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** [[Teleporter]]s do not require a disguise to use.
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** If a Sentry Gun locks onto a teammate and you are between him and the Sentry Gun, you will still be harmed.
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** A Sentry Gun will not stop shooting at you if you have disguised after it sees you unless a teammate comes closer to it than you, you break line of sight, '''or''' you leave the Sentry Gun's range.
  
* After uncloaking, there is a three second cooldown period where you cannot use any equipment. This means you cannot attack or use the [[Electro Sapper|Sappers]]. Always take this into consideration before uncloaking to start a sap or attack.
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* Avoid backstabbing someone in front of an enemy Sentry Gun, unless you have to make a [[pick]] that is worth dying for. If you are using a [[Dead Ringer]] or [[Your Eternal Reward]], however, utilize it to avoid taking damage.
  
* The default [[Invisibility Watch]] takes 1 second to Cloak and 1 second to uncloak, with 10 seconds of Cloak time from start to finish, effectively providing about 8 seconds of full cloaking (unless you recharge your Cloak with ammo). Recharging from empty takes 30 seconds, so keep that in mind when you are in an enemy base looking for a hiding spot.
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* Avoid enemy [[Pyro]]s if you can, for they can easily Spy-check you. If you are ignited while cloaked with a watch that isn't the Dead Ringer, uncloak so you are able to fight back, preferably with a [[Revolver]]. Also, be on the lookout for [[Health#Health kit|Health kits]] to douse the flames and increase your chances of survival, or use the [[Spy-cicle]] to extinguish yourself and cover your tracks. You should also retreat towards your team's side while shooting the Pyro so that your team can help you fend off the enemy.
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** Alternatively, if you are set on fire, consider remaining cloaked; debuffs such as fire and Jarate wear off faster when you are cloaked.
  
* Any source of ammunition, including metal from destroyed buildings, will recharge Cloak time for the default Invisibility Watch and the Dead Ringer, even if they are active. Dispensers will also restore Cloak time, however, only Level 2 Dispensers and higher can restore Cloak time when cloaking is active; Level 1 Dispensers will only maintain the current level of charge. You must be using an enemy disguise to use enemy Dispensers, but friendly Dispensers will heal and refill your ammo and Cloak charge regardless of Disguise. The bomb cart Dispenser on Payload maps will NOT refill your Cloak meter '''while cloaked'''. Using the aforementioned sources of ammo for Cloak refills can greatly aid you in an escaping enemy territory after you've done your job.
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* Be prepared to use the Revolver in several situations. These include: being spotted, attacking a Pyro, and picking off low-health enemies that are out of your melee range.
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** The [[Ambassador]] is especially good for Revolver-sniping, and will do 102 damage on a [[Headshot]] at close range. Its first shot is also perfectly accurate. However, its damage, including headshots, decreases with distance, so try to close the distance before you attack.
  
* Use blind spots (areas where the player's view is cut off, normally a corner or other 90 degree angle) to recharge the Cloak if you are not using the [[Cloak and Dagger]]. An example of this is in [[2Fort]], in the corner just inside the enemy fort entrance. Most people will run past these areas without even looking in the corners, allowing you to recharge your Cloak time or surprise a group heading out towards the bridge.
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* Try to [[pick]] high-value targets, such as Medics and Heavies, to kill first. This is due to their high utility to the enemy. Killing a Medic is usually worth your life — you can stop an enemy push that might change the game's outcome.
  
* Only your Cloak keeps you safe. Disguises are not necessarily reliable, as [[Spy-checking]] is common.
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* Use good judgment to pick targets. If you see a Heavy-Medic pair, it may be better to take down the Medic first if there are multiple enemies to prevent the Medic from simply healing another enemy who would kill you. However, if the pair is alone, it may be better to kill the Heavy first and leave the Medic nearly defenseless. If you are called out by the Medic, however, it would be better to go for the Heavy than to die for nothing.
  
* Avoid broadcasting the obvious signs of an enemy Spy, e.g. running against the crowd, or a [[Demoman]] standing nowhere near [[Sticky bomb]]s, or an [[Engineer]] standing nowhere near [[buildings]], or anyone standing around doing nothing. If someone does start shooting you, you can try to take him down with your [[Revolver]], or Cloak and make a quick turn to escape (but don't forget the one second delay before your Cloak is fully active).
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* Lone Snipers and Heavies are generally easy targets due to their low movement speed when scoped in or spun up, respectively. If the opportunity arises, eliminate them.
  
* When disguised, enemy [[Sentry Gun]]s will not attack you and you can use enemy Dispensers. Enemy [[Medic]]s can heal you if you fool them into thinking you are friendly. Note that even while disguised, you can still be harmed or killed by an enemy Sentry if it accidentally hits you while shooting at your teammates.
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*Enemies are less likely to Spy-check if they are fighting at the frontlines. Use this opportunity to backstab them, cloak, and run back to your team. Alternatively coordinate with your teammates to launch a fake attack or distraction, giving you the chance to pick enemies off one by one.
  
* Your most dangerous counter-class is the [[Pyro]]. Avoid them at all costs. They are as fast as you and their flames make your Cloak useless.  Pyros puff flames everywhere as Spy-checks, and if you bump into one he will immediately light you up. Pyros especially love to chase down and roast Spies.
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**You can also set up a large killing spree by positioning yourself behind enemy lines and following a group of enemies into battle. Once they are distracted by a fight, start backstabbing one after the other, starting with the enemy farthest back. Be aware of the time between backstabs and don't run past a backpedaling enemy; they may notice and kill you.
  
* If you are on fire, immediately drop your now-useless Cloak and run for healing (e.g. [[Health]] packs or enemy Dispensers). Hopefully you can escape or get lost in a crowd, although due to the Spy's low health, finding a health pack and cloaking to regroup should be your primary concern.
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*While you are invisible using any of the Spy's watches, you have 20% resistance to damage (more if you are using the Dead Ringer), and debuffs will wear off faster ([[Jarate]], [[Mad Milk]], [[afterburn]], [[bleed]]). If you are bleeding or burning to death, cloak and search for a Health kit. However, be aware that while cloaked, you cannot attack, and if (for example) you are bleeding, you will still be visible to enemies as a translucent silhouette.
  
* Always go for your opponent's back with your [[Knife]]. Not only are [[Backstab]]s instant kills, your Knife is weak otherwise. If you have to go toe-to-toe, use your Revolver; every other weapon in the game is stronger than the Knife. However, the Revolver is loud and distinctive, so you may want to stick with the Knife if you don't want to attract more attention. Upon moving forth to backstab a person, try to avoid looking at or staring at their backs when you do so. Their surrounding teammates may get suspicious and begin to shoot at you. Act like you are moving in the same general direction as your prey and at the last moment quickly face his back and end his life.
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* Be aware that if you step on to the enemy [[Capture the Flag#Intelligence|Intelligence]], you will lose your disguise and pick up the Intelligence. Sentry Guns will lock on to you if they are in range and the enemy team will be notified. You can use this to lure enemies into checking on the Intelligence and killing them when they arrive. However, enemies will be able to know your location while you are carrying it, so you may want to drop the Intelligence (default key {{Key|L}}) and then wait for them to check on it.
  
* Don't underestimate the power of the Revolver. If you're being chased, run backwards while side-strafing and firing into your opponent.
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* Try not to fall too far while cloaked; your enemies will be able to see the blood and hear the sound of you taking [[fall damage]]. If it is unavoidable (or simply faster), try finding railings or other platforms to break your fall.
  
* Use the Revolver for sniping. A Spy makes a decent Sniper; at long range, damage is low but he has a good rate of fire and excellent accuracy. At long range, the Revolver can out-damage a [[Shotgun]], and even a [[Heavy]]'s [[Minigun]] if there is healing and some cover if the Heavy is dumb enough to stand there and keep shooting from a distance. A Spy with steady aim can also pick off fleeing [[Scout]]s.
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* You can trick enemy Medics into using their [[ÜberCharge]] on you, usually by disguising as a [[Medic buddy]], ideally a Heavy or a Soldier, as both disguises are not as expected. If an enemy Medic starts healing you with an ÜberCharge, run towards the objective the enemy Medic is going for. With luck, he may believe you are on his team and use his ÜberCharge, wasting his charge. Then, when his ÜberCharge wears off, if he is still healing you, your teammates can pick him off.
  
* When targeting an enemy Engineer nest
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* If you want to make a quick escape, try turning a corner and quickly activating your Invisibility Watch. When your Watch is active, turn around (avoiding the enemy) and double back past him. The enemy will believe you've continued running, and run in the wrong direction.
** The Engineer is behind his sentry: Stab the Engineer, sap the Sentry Gun before it turns around.
 
** The Engineer is away: Sap the Sentry Gun, stab the Engineer as he comes back. Another alternative is to immediately start firing your Revolver at a sapped building to destroy it faster. For Sentry Guns, this worked better before the [[December 20, 2007 Patch]]; with the new Electro Sapper change, this doesn't work as well - even after a Sap and six rounds from a Revolver, the Engineer still has time to remove the Electro Sapper and while the Sentry Gun kills you, since your disguise is gone.
 
** The easiest way to take out an Engineer nest is to coordinate with your teammates. Have a friendly Soldier, Pyro, or Demoman attack the nest immediately after you sap the Sentry Gun.
 
** When camping a Sentry Gun nest and the Engineer is nowhere to be seen, mouse over a building to find his name and check the scoreboard to see whether he's dead. If he's stuck in spawn you'll often be able destroy his toys with impunity.
 
  
* One of the best ways to stop an enemy rush is to backstab the Medics, especially if they are close to a full Übercharge. A quick suicide run against enemy Medics can swiftly shut down an attacking team.
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* Using voice commands like 'Help!' or 'Incoming!' may lead the enemy into believing you're on their team, provided you do it in the right situation. For example, you might use them when you are fleeing from the battle.
  
* If you happen to run into a Heavy and Medic pair, use your judgment to pick your target. If many enemies are around, the Medic is a higher priority as he can keep everyone healed. If the pair are on their own, stabbing the Heavy will leave the Medic completely defenseless. If the pair is pinning down a group of allies, it is best to kill the Heavy and allow your team to advance and possibly kill the Medic if you are unable to. If the Medic is following the Heavy though, getting the Medic first and then the Heavy in succession should be the default course of action.
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* If you are disguised as a slow class, such as the Heavy, it can be helpful to drop your disguise just before backstabbing an enemy. You'll begin to run at your normal speed, and if you do it just before you go for a backstab, you can reduce your chances of being spotted by the enemy before you get the kill.
  
* [[Sniper]]s and lone Heavies are usually easy targets for newer Spies, due to their low speed and movement when concentrating/firing. Also, eliminating Snipers makes it easier for your team to move into the enemy base. Repeatedly killing skilled Snipers when they are not protected by their team is a good way to make them change class!
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* Be aware that players that are [[turtling]] are much more likely to Spy check you, as they are likely not focused on anything except defending.
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** Also take note of the Spy-checking habits of the enemy team. If you recognize that a certain enemy always Spy-checks players, try avoiding the area that player is in.
  
* Be ''very'' careful approaching people who aren't distracted by combat; they will be much more likely to notice any suspicious activity.
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* Consider changing your loadout every so often. Some players will try to memorize enemy equipment in order to predict their playstyle; switching up yours, especially your Invis Watch may throw them off. As Spy's theme is based around deception, this is a good way to manifest deceit in-game.
  
* You can perform an offensive strike when the action is intense and packed in a single area. Give yourself a Disguise and then Cloak yourself. Dodge around the pack of enemies, being extremely careful not to run into anyone, then de-Cloak and turn around. Pick your targets and start backstabbing, starting with the one farthest back and moving up. You can chain several kills before the enemies turn their attention to you. There is a delay after every backstab before you can backstab again, so be careful not to overrun the last enemy.
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* Use the terrain to your advantage; there are shortcuts scattered through the maps that can help you conserve your Cloak and catch up to enemies.
  
* Disguising as your own team can be a good way to approach an enemy base. If you approach in an enemy disguise it is obvious you are a Spy, and if you approach cloaked, you are using up valuable Cloak time.  Also, approaching as a fast and dangerous class such as Pyro can be used to scare enemy Spies and Scouts into avoiding you. Most of the time enemies will buy your friendly disguise if they spot you; use this your advantage. Cloak out of sight and get behind them, they'll be more open to being backstabbed/revolvered while focused on killing their imagined foe.
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* There are many different maneuvers you can use to land a successful backstab; for example, you can fall off of a high area and land behind your enemy as you are falling. This can surprise some players, who may let you flee from battle and prepare for another infiltration.
  
* If you step onto the enemy [[Intelligence]], you will immediately pick it up and lose your disguise. This can get you instantly mowed down by enemy Sentry Guns, so watch where you step when operating near the enemy Intelligence. Note that you cannot pick up the enemy Intelligence while cloaked.
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* Even if enemies start Spy-checking you unless it is a Pyro with a Flamethrower or you are low on health, consider ignoring the attack, especially if there are no escape routes available. Sometimes, the enemy will believe your disguise, having Spy-checked you, and even if they don't unless you're using the {{item link|Conniver's Kunai}} or the {{item link|Big Earner}}, you can often survive enough damage to escape.
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** Even if you die, a dead Spy is much less of a detriment to a team than other classes, and the presence of a Spy, dead or alive, is enough to keep the enemy distracted and off of their best game. Just make sure that you're actually contributing while alive, or you'll be better off as another class!
  
* The name displayed to the enemy team while you are disguised is the name of an enemy player of the same class as your disguise. If you disguise as a class not present on the enemy team, you will be assigned the name of a random player from the enemy team (note that this happens every time you change disguise). This can easily give you away, so always attempt to disguise yourself as a class that you know someone on the opposing team is playing.
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*If you see an unattended Sentry Gun, check for Engineers who might be around before you sap it.
  
* If an enemy sees you Cloak, try and head in one direction while you are still partially visible, trick them into thinking you're heading one way, and then veer off and head on a different path, hopefully causing them to chase nothing.
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* If a Medic corners you with the [[Ubersaw]], consider disguising or committing [[suicide]] in order to deny him additional [[ÜberCharge]].
  
* The health level of your disguise will mimic the health of the player you disguised as at the moment you equip the disguise: if, for example, the Demoman you are disguised as is low on health, your disguise will appear to be as such; the same applies if the Demoman is overhealed. You can increase your fake health level by being healed by a [[Medic]], standing near the [[Cart]] (while on defense) or an enemy [[Dispenser]], and picking up a [[medkit]]. You will pick up medkits even if your disguise health is full, so try not to use them around enemies unless wounded as it may look suspicious that you picked up the medkit despite being at full health.
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* The Knife deals 40 damage. This means that you can just finish off enemies with 40 or fewer health by [[Glossary of player terms#Butterknife|butterknifing]] them if you are out of Revolver ammo.
  
* Remember that your equipment, including the Electro Sapper, makes a loud and identifiable noise that most skilled players will be able to recognize and locate. Try and avoid making overt Spy moves until you can cause significant damage to an enemy's offense/defense.
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* Try and utilize [[trickstab]]s to punish overconfident enemies who know that you are a Spy.
** Be wary of long drops while cloaked; your enemies can hear the cracking sound of your fall damage. When it's unavoidable (or simply faster), try to drop onto railings or other elevated platforms to avoid the damage. Clanking metal footsteps can also be a giveaway.
 
  
* If nearby players spycheck you with weapons, they'll usually base their decision on your reaction. Try to pay them no mind, as turning around or panicking is a good way to blow your cover; simply keep walking. They will usually back off if you don't react or die within two or three seconds. If the suspicious player is a Pyro, ignore the above; run and shoot!
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* The more kills you rack up, the more paranoid the enemy team will be. Don’t be surprised that you are getting fewer kills or dying more often every time you respawn and infiltrate. If too many, if not all the players on the enemy team are often carrying out Spy-checking measures, you are probably better off as another class.
  
* Spies can choose which disguised weapon they display to the opposing team. This will allow for more convincing disguises, especially making choices such as the Medic more viable. An example tactic is having the Kukri out as a Sniper when moving through compact and enclosed spaces, where using a Rifle wouldn't make sense.
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=== Disguising ===
**Weapon switching is done by pressing the "Last Disguise Used" button. This will change your "fake" weapon based on what weapon the Spy has out. Holding out the Revolver will change your "fake" weapon to that class's primary weapon. Holding out the Electro Sapper will change your "fake" weapon to that class's secondary weapon. Holding out the Knife will change your "fake" weapon to that class's melee weapon.
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* All disguises have at least one strategic use. For example, if you were to attempt to stop an enemy push on the bridge of [[2Fort]], you would want to disguise as a Medic to stay behind the push inconspicuously, ready to [[Backstab]] your foes. There are many more beyond that.
**Weapon switching is instantaneous and does not emit any smoke or shimmers; it looks just as if the class had switched weapons. Use this to your advantage in further confusing your foes!
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**If you wanted to be less noticeable while sneaking around, disguising as a [[Scout]] may help due to his smaller size. However, keep in mind that more aware opponents may notice the lack of speed compared to an actual Scout, so stay alert.
**You'll only be able to hold out the primary, secondary or melee weapons; the Engineer's PDA, Destruction Remote Control and Toolbox (right before placing a building) as well as the Spy's Disguise Kit and Electro Sapper tool will not be available for you to use as your "fake" weapon.
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* Disguising as the same class as nearby enemy players can be dangerous because your disguise may show their name and loadout, revealing you to be a Spy.
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* When disguising or changing disguises, your body will be covered by smoke that is visible to everyone. When cloaked, this smoke will not be seen by the enemy. If you have the [[Dead Ringer]] equipped, the smoke will linger if you disguise shortly before you are "killed", making it immediately obvious that you are still alive.
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* Try to not always use the same disguise. For example, if an enemy player always sees you disguised as a Pyro, they will soon begin to Spy-check any Pyros they come across.
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* You can switch your disguised weapon by pressing the 'Last Disguise Used' button (default key {{Key|B}}). This will change the weapon that your enemies see based on what you are currently holding. Use this to your advantage by using weapons that are appropriate to your location — a melee weapon may be more appropriate for a class like the Sniper in a compact, enclosed space.
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** Pressing the Last Disguise Used button while holding your Revolver will change your disguise's weapon to its Primary slot. The Sapper will change it to its Secondary, and your Knife to its Melee weapon.
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** Note that weapon switching looks identical to the class switching weapons normally. It may help you blend in around the enemy.
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** Your disguise is unable to hold the [[Disguise Kit]] or [[Sapper]].
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** By disguising as an enemy Medic and switching to their secondary weapon, a Spy can check if the enemy Medic is using the [[Kritzkrieg]], [[Medi Gun]], [[Quick-Fix]], or [[Vaccinator]]. This is especially useful during Setup time.
 +
*** While not as essential as checking an enemy Medic's Medi Gun, one can also do this to other classes in order to predict their play style.
  
*When you are disguised, your disguise will wear the same equipment as your target. For example, if you are disguised as an Engineer wearing the Hot Rod, you will also appear to be wearing the Hot Rod.
+
* Your disguise health will mimic that of the player you are disguised as at the time you applied the disguise. You can increase your disguise health through a variety of methods, including being healed by a Medic, standing near the [[Payload#Carts|Payload cart]] or an enemy [[Dispenser]], or picking up a [[Health|Health kit]]. Be aware that if you are disguised, you will always pick up Health kits, even if you are at full health. Use your disguise to steal Health packs from the enemy!
  
*Spies can see enemy names and health when they are disguised.  This can be used when planning on whom to kill or to predict where an enemy will go (an injured enemy is more likely to go toward a health kit).  Spies can also see enemy Engineer's building's stats, including health and upgrade status.
+
* You can fake-reload the weapon you're holding while disguised if you shoot with the Revolver, disguise with a Primary or Secondary weapon, and then reload (default key {{Key|R}}). This may allow you to avoid suspicion in the middle of a firefight.
** Try using your Revolver instead of going for a backstab against a target with very low health. The ability to keep at a distance will allow you to score an easy kill without (completely) blowing your cover. If this is against a high threat target (Pyros, Demomen, Scouts, anything that can kill you quickly once they know you're there), all the better for your next backstab run!
+
** However, when holding a weapon that cannot reload, such as the [[Minigun]], attempting to fake-reload will still produce an animation. This may alert suspicious enemies.
** You can also spot enemy Spies this way! Enemy Spies using Cloak, regardless of their disguise, will show the Spies name and health. Of course, as you cannot see them, you'll need to scan around to keep a track of him, but this can be a great asset to your team by keeping a running tab on a dastardly Spy and keep your Medics and Engineers safe from their backstabbery! Be wary, though, as Spies using your team's disguise (same color as you) can also spot you too! Keep in mind that you need to assume an enemy disguise to see the Spy (friendly disguises or your normal Spy mode won't activate the enemy name and health display when you mouse over them).
 
** The moment you lose your disguise, you won't be able to see the name and health display until you re-disguise.
 
** You can also see the Medic's ÜberCharge / Kritzkrieg charge status! While it's always been somewhat obvious when a Medic is at 100% charge, it does help prioritize targets when that enemy Medic is at 80+% charge!
 
**Try to single out the better enemy players and target them for assassination. Sometimes you can stop a push in its tracks by killing the good player acting as its mainspring.
 
**More deviously, if the teams are uneven and the next player killed is due to be rebalanced to your side, sometimes you'll be in a position to 'headhunt' a good player to your cause.
 
  
*If you know of an enemy Spy in your base, disguise as a [[Pyro]] of your own team. Most Spies will turn and flee, allowing for an easy Backstab. If he runs away facing you, either chase them out of your base, or into a group of teammates.
+
* When you are disguised, you will wear the same equipment as your disguise - including [[cosmetic items]].
 +
** This gives more reason to avoid enemies that you disguise as — they may recognize their own equipment, if not their name.
 +
** Some cosmetics, such as the [[Hotrod]], will carry effects that it normally has on you. That is, the Hotrod will flip down over an Engineer's face if he is holding blueprints or carrying a building. Your disguise will flip the Hotrod over your face if you pull out the Sapper, which can be used to detect you.
  
*If confronted while carrying the enemy [[Intelligence]], just drop it and [[Cloak]], as you will rarely win a head-on fight. You can then get behind the enemy, [[backstab]] them, and pick up the [[Intelligence]] again.
+
* If you know an enemy Spy is in your base, disguise as a friendly [[Pyro]]. The Spy may reconsider his attack and flee, enabling an easy backstab if you are within range or allowing you the first shot if they are at medium range. You can also chase the enemy Spy into a group of your teammates or out of your base.
  
*Try to trick enemy Medics into using their [[ÜberCharge]] on you, allowing you to waste the charge. The easiest way of achieving this is to wait for the Medic to gain an ÜberCharge. If his healing target dies, disguise as a target a Medic would normally Über (Pyro, Demoman, Heavy). If the Medic is alone, he may panic and look for any potential healing target. When he starts to heal you, simply walk to whatever your team is defending and tell your Medic to hit his ÜberCharge. When the charge is active, stand still or taunt in order to waste the charge.
+
* It is worthwhile to disguise in most circumstances as one of the faster classes, such as a Pyro, Medic, Sniper, or Engineer. While each class can be used as a disguise in certain situations, be wary in general of slower classes which are less mobile.
  
*Be wary on servers with alltalk, as your voice bubble is visible to enemies even if cloaked. Most servers with alltalk on allow players to individually turn it off (usually by saying "/voiceall", but it varies); be sure to do this before changing to Spy. If you can't, use the [[Cloak and Dagger]] and stick to team chat.
+
* In certain situations, you can disguise as a dangerous class on your team such as a Pyro or Heavy in an attempt to scare off attackers. This usually never works but it doesn't hurt to try!
  
*When approaching a group of enemies, a good tactic is to run backward. This is difficult as you are unable to see where you are going, however facing away from the enemy will make you look less likely to be a threat, and has saved many a Spy's life in situations when his watches are depleted.
+
* If there is an enemy that tends to exhibit odd behavior, such as excessive jumping, try to do the same if you're disguised as them to better sell your act.
  
*If you are being pursued by an enemy and want to make a quick escape, a great tactic is let the enemy see you round a corner. Right as you begin to round the corner though (Allowing the enemy see you going in that direction), activate your Invisibility Watch and quickly turn and run towards and around the enemy. This illusion makes the enemy believe you are still running in the direction you chose (example: to the right and down the hall) and will pursue that area trying to find you. However, in reality you've turned and ran right at/past them and are long gone. This maneuver can be tricky to get just right, but once you master it, you'll find yourself dying a lot less then you previously were. This maneuver can also be used to get behind the enemy for a quick backstab, although since they are on alert for a enemy Spy, its best used as a get away tactic.
+
=== Cloaking ===
 +
* If you know an enemy has seen you {{botignore|cloak}}, head in one direction while you are partially visible, and when you are fully invisible, change your path to trick your pursuer into going the wrong way. Use props and elevation to your advantage to make yourself harder to track.
  
== Weapon Specifics ==
+
* Always have a plan before decloaking, as it takes 2 seconds before you can attack or use the [[Sapper]].
  
{| class="wikitable grid collapsible collapsed" width="65%"
+
* When using the [[Invisibility Watch]], you have about 9 seconds (13 seconds if you are using the [[L'Etranger]]) of full cloaking (unless you find an ammo pickup), and recharging from an empty Cloak takes 30 seconds. Keep this in mind when penetrating and hiding in the enemy base.
 +
** Memorizing ammo spawns and shortcuts will make your Cloak much more effective.
 +
** You can also use Dispensers to recharge your Cloak, including enemy Dispensers if you are disguised as an enemy.
 +
*** Level 1 Dispensers will maintain your level of {{botignore|cloak}} with the Invisibility Watch.
 +
*** Level 2 Dispensers will recharge your Cloak with the Invisibility Watch.
 +
*** Level 3 Dispensers will recharge the Invisibility Watch.
 +
*** The [[Payload#Carts|Payload cart]] will not refill your {{botignore|cloak}} meter '''while cloaked'''.
 +
 
 +
* Use blind spots (areas where the player's view is cut off, normally a corner or other 90-degree angle) to recharge your [[Cloak]] if you are not using the [[Cloak and Dagger]]. An example of this is on [[2Fort]] in the corner just inside the enemy fort entrance. Most people will run past this area without even looking in the corner, allowing you to recharge your Cloak or surprise a group heading out towards the bridge or sewers.
 +
 
 +
* If possible, cloak while surveying an area. Disguises are not always reliable, as [[Spy checking]] is a common practice.
 +
 
 +
*With the [[Cloak and Dagger]], find small nooks or other obscured places near doorways. You can either sit and wait for your Cloak to fill before continuing on into the enemy base, or you can wait for a target to exit or enter the building.
 +
 
 +
* If you know you will die to an [[Ubersaw]], try to disguise to deny the Medic extra Über. Note that you can still feed Über to the enemy Medic if you are cloaked or not fully disguised. Common in competitive play, another way is to [[bind]] a key to kill yourself and deny enemy Medics additional Über.
 +
 
 +
*The ability to be completely invisible means you can help to warn your teammates of incoming enemy movement and pushes, such as an ÜberCharge. This lets them prepare for the assault.
 +
 
 +
== Weapon specifics ==
 +
=== Secondary weapons ===
 +
==== [[Revolver]] + [[reskins]] ====
 +
{| class="wikitable grid" width="100%" style="text-align: center;"
 +
! class="header" width="17%" rowspan=2 | Weapon
 +
! class="header" width="16%" rowspan=2 | Kill icon
 +
! class="header" width="17%" colspan=2 | Ammo
 +
! class="header" width="50%" colspan=4 | Damage
 +
|-
 +
! class="header" width="8%"| Loaded
 +
! class="header" width="8%"| Carried
 +
! class="header" width="13%"| Point blank
 +
! class="header" width="13%"| Medium range
 +
! class="header" width="13%"| Long range
 +
! class="header" width="13%"| Critical
 
|-
 
|-
! colspan=4 class="header" | Example Combinations
+
! {{Table icon|Revolver|Stock}}
 +
| {{Icon killicon|weapon=Revolver}}
 +
| rowspan="2" | 6
 +
| rowspan="2" | 24
 +
| rowspan="2" | 55-60
 +
| rowspan="2" | 35-45
 +
| rowspan="2" | 16-25
 +
| rowspan="2" | 120
 
|-
 
|-
! colspan=3 class="header" | Combo
+
! {{Table icon|Big Kill|Promotional}}
! class="header" | Usage
+
| {{Icon killicon|weapon=Big Kill}}
 
|-
 
|-
! align="center" | {{Icon weapon|weapon=Ambassador|icon-size=100x100px}}  
+
|}
'''[[Ambassador]]'''
+
 
! align="center" | {{Icon weapon|weapon=Knife|icon-size=100x100px}}
+
* The Revolver is the Spy's secondary weapon. While not as powerful as the Knife's backstabbing capabilities, it is still an integral part of the Spy's arsenal. It is moderately accurate and has a fast reload time.
'''[[Knife]]'''
+
 
! align="center" | {{Icon weapon|weapon=Cloak and Dagger|icon-size=100x100px}}
+
* Use the Revolver for killing low-health classes and when backstabs are not easy or possible due to the location of the enemy. It's also viable when you are being chased; 6 medium-range shots will take down most classes.
'''[[Cloak and Dagger]]'''
+
 
| This set-up is useful for a Spy who likes to take their time and survive as long as possible. The Cloak and Dagger lets the Spy stay invisible as long as he doesn't move too much. The Spy may headshot a Sniper with Razorback or wait for an Engineer to build and quickly take him out from a distance using the Ambassador allowing him to then disguise and sap the building.  
+
* Due to the Scout's quick movement, it can be better to shoot Scouts rather than try to stab them.
 +
 
 +
* Use the Revolver against Snipers who use the [[Razorback]]. While the Ambassador can deal critical damage on a Headshot, the Revolver is also a good option because of its fast rate of fire. It is also better against [[Huntsman]]-wielding Snipers, as they tend to move around more.
 +
 
 +
* Use the Revolver in conjunction with the Sapper. Sap an Engineer's Sentry Gun, and when he returns to repair it, shoot him. 3 to 4 hits will kill him, after which you can shoot his buildings if necessary.
 +
** If the Engineer has just begun building his Sentry Gun, Dispenser, or Teleporter, 1 to 2 shots will take it down — use the Revolver instead of the Sapper for long-range destruction. This will help prevent you from being discovered as well.
 +
** Alternatively, the Revolver has the best damage output against buildings of all Spy secondaries; let chaos ensue on a paranoid Engineer or Sentry nest with a mass sap strategy. Use your Revolver to take his buildings out before he knows what hit him.
 +
 
 +
* Remember that the Revolver is 100% accurate if you allow 1.25 seconds between shots (approximately how long it takes to reload your Revolver). Use this to pick off wounded enemies or to snipe buildings from a distance. Long-range shots, despite only doing about 20 damage to players, will deal full damage to buildings.
 +
 
 +
* When navigating narrow corridors, keep your Revolver out. If they are fooled by your disguise, run by them and backstab them. If they begin to attack you, begin to backpedal while side-strafing and shooting them.
 +
 
 +
* This is an invaluable weapon against Pyros, as it allows you to keep your distance from their flames as you back away and weaken them with each shot. Be aware that walking backward incurs a 10% speed penalty (and you and the Pyro are normally matched in speed) and flame particles have a slightly deceptively larger range than what the game's visual effects might indicate.
  
 +
==== [[Ambassador]] + reskins ====
 +
{| class="wikitable grid" width="100%" style="text-align: center;"
 +
! class="header" width="17%" rowspan=2 | Weapon
 +
! class="header" width="16%" rowspan=2 | Kill icon
 +
! class="header" width="17%" colspan=2 | Ammo
 +
! class="header" width="50%" colspan=4 | Damage
 
|-
 
|-
! align="center" | {{Icon weapon|weapon=Revolver|icon-size=100x100px}}
+
! class="header" width="8%"| Loaded
'''[[Revolver]]'''
+
! class="header" width="8%"| Carried
! align="center" | {{Icon weapon|weapon=Knife|icon-size=100x100px}}  
+
! class="header" width="13%"| Point blank
'''[[Knife]]'''
+
! class="header" width="13%"| Medium range
! align="center" | {{Icon weapon|weapon=Invisibility Watch|icon-size=100x100px}}
+
! class="header" width="13%"| Long range
'''[[Invisibility Watch]]'''
+
! class="header" width="13%"| Critical
| The default loadout allows for a quick-moving, versatile Spy. The Revolver is useful to pick off lone enemies, damage Engineer buildings from a distance, or as a backup when you are discovered. The Knife allows you to disguise at-will, unlike Your Eternal Reward. The Invisibility Watch is the most versatile of the watches: quieter than the Dead Ringer, allows more mobility than the Cloak and Dagger, and can be replenished with ammo or metal. Move quickly, complete your objective, and move on.
+
|-
 
+
! rowspan="2" | {{Table icon|Ambassador|Unlock}}
 +
| {{Icon killicon|weapon=Ambassador}}
 +
| rowspan="2" | 6
 +
| rowspan="2" | 24
 +
| rowspan="2" | 46-56
 +
| rowspan="2" | 31-37
 +
| rowspan="2" | 18-19
 +
| rowspan="2" | 54-102
 +
|-
 +
| {{Icon killicon|weapon=Sniperriflehs}}
 
|-
 
|-
! align="center" | {{Icon weapon|weapon=L'etranger|icon-size=100x100px}}
 
'''[[L'Etranger]]'''
 
! align="center" | {{Icon weapon|weapon=Your Eternal Reward|icon-size=100x100px}}
 
'''[[Your Eternal Reward]]'''
 
! align="center" | {{Icon weapon|weapon=Dead Ringer|icon-size=100x100px}}
 
'''[[Dead Ringer]]'''
 
| A risky but often rewarding set-up that really allows the Spy to play with his enemies. Once the Spy has got himself a disguise, he can backstab Engineers and then take out their buildings with ease, without worrying about the Sentry Gun killing him. Should the enemy discover the Spy, he could feign death with the Dead Ringer and escape relatively easily. Combining L'Etranger with the Dead Ringer allows for a much quicker Cloak refill in extreme situations. 3-4 bursts of L'Etranger will nearly fill your Cloak, allowing you to feign death again. Also, having the complete Saharan Spy pack of the L'Etranger, Your Eternal Reward, and the [[Familiar Fez]] will greatly reduce the sound of the Dead Ringer, making the illusion of your death all the more believable.
 
 
|}
 
|}
=== [[Revolver]] / [[Big Kill]]===
 
*The Revolver is the Spy's primary weapon. While not as useful as the Knife, it is still an integral part of the Spy's arsenal. A Critical hit with this weapon does 120 damage, enough to kill all damaged classes with low default HP level, like [[Scout]], [[Sniper]], [[Spy]] and [[Engineer]]. It is also moderately accurate, enabling a skilled Spy to use it for medium-range sniping. It also has a very fast reload time.
 
  
*Use the Revolver for killing low-health classes when backstabs are not easy or possible (for instance, if a Sniper has their back against a wall). Additionally, it is a good getaway weapon: if you are being pursued by a Pyro, for instance, the Revolver is powerful enough at short range to take the Pyro down within 4-6 direct shots (fewer, if one of the shots is a Critical hit).  
+
* The Ambassador deals [[Critical Hits]] damage upon a headshot. However, it deals 15% less damage, does not apply random critical hits, the critical hits and mini-crit damage are affected by distance falloff, and fires at a slower rate than the stock Revolver.
 +
** The Ambassador will only headshot if the crosshair is at its smallest size. Allow just under one second in between shots to ensure your ability to headshot.
 +
** The critical hits and mini-crit will deal normal damage after a range of 1200 HU, greatly reducing the effectiveness of long-range sniping. Close the distance between you and the enemy first.
  
*The Revolver makes an excellent defense against Scouts. Scouts will often rush uncloaked Spies, trying to get an easy kill. The Revolver can usually take them down before they get within optimal range.
+
* Aim carefully. A well placed headshot against a pursuing enemy with low health could mean the difference between life and death.
  
*A good scenario for using the Revolver is to sap a lone building, then shoot the Engineer who comes to save his building (If the Spy can land 3-4 solid hits on the Engineer, the Engineer will die). The Spy can also shoot the sapped building to speed up the demolition process, but patches have made this less effective. This strategy is fairly effective against Teleporters, which can be destroyed in 4 shots if sapped, usually faster than the Engineer can remove the Electro Sapper from the other end.
+
* The Ambassador can also be used to destroy Engineer buildings from a distance, similar to the Revolver, as an alternative to sapping. Remember, if an Engineer is repairing the building, killing the Engineer first is preferable.
 +
** Landing a headshot on the Engineer may lead him to run away to find a source of [[Health]]. Use the time that he is away to destroy his buildings.
 +
*** Check if he has a Dispenser nearby, then pick him off while he regenerates health and sap the other buildings.
 +
** If you are good with your aim, you can often pick off all the Engineers in a nest. Usually, if they hide behind their Sentry Guns, you can shoot the Sentry Gun, forcing them to repair it until they run out of metal, which usually prompts them to run to get more, exposing their head. However, they may simply produce more from their [[Dispenser]]. You can run out of ammo and will be vulnerable to enemies.
  
*Another good use for the Revolver is as a getaway weapon, since the Knife is both short ranged and will do very little damage if you cannot backstab.
+
* With good aim, the Ambassador can be deadly against a [[Scout]]. If you manage to headshot him at close quarters, he will only have 23 health left (or 8 with the [[Sandman]] equipped); therefore, you can finish him off with a single attack of the [[Knife]] or another shot, depending on your range.
 +
** This strategy can be used on Snipers, Engineers, and other Spies because they start off with as much health as a Scout, 125; be careful, though, as these values can vary. An Engineer with a Gunslinger or a Spy with a Dead Ringer will be as difficult to kill as most other classes such as the Soldier or Heavy.
  
*The Revolver can also be used to prevent Engineers from setting up buildings without having to get close enough to sap. Buildings can be destroyed with one or two shots if you shoot them right after they are placed, and because buildings are large, unmoving targets and the Revolver is quite accurate, the Spy can destroy them from far away so that the Engineer will be less likely to find him (firing from above the building's position works well).
+
* Razorback Snipers have resistance against backstabs, but not against bullets. Take the time to headshot enemy Razorback Snipers. A single headshot followed by a simple body shot — which can be fired faster than the Sniper is able to react — is enough to kill him.
  
*Remember that the Revolver is always 100% accurate (as accurate as a [[Sniper Rifle]] bullet) when putting a delay of 1.25 seconds between shots(an accurate wait time is to hold down reload while firing the first shot, let the reload play, and when your ammo count goes back up to 6, fire again for a 100% accurate shot, or simply waiting for the autoreload animation to nearly finish if you have it activated.). Use this to snipe buildings from far away, pick off wounded enemies, or to weaken far away enemies from a distance. Every long-ranged shot from the Revolver deals about 20 damage to players, though it (as well as all other weapons) will deal full damage to buildings.
+
* The ability to see enemy health is invaluable when equipped with the Ambassador. When it drops below half of its base value, the health meter is shown in red. Against all classes except the Heavy, this means a guaranteed kill upon a close-range headshot.
  
=== [[Ambassador]] ===
+
* If you miss a backstab on a low-health class (but still get a hit), switch to the Ambassador. A headshot will likely finish off the enemy.
  
*The Ambassador is one of the Spy's unlocks for the [[Revolver]]. Its headshots can be very useful, especially against distracted foes. If caught unaware, two headshots will prove lethal for any class aside from the [[Heavy]] or [[Soldier]] (discounting [[Overheal]]ing or increased maximum health bonuses).
+
==== [[L'Etranger]] ====
 +
{| class="wikitable grid" width="100%" style="text-align: center;"
 +
! class="header" width="17%" rowspan=2 | Weapon
 +
! class="header" width="16%" rowspan=2 | Kill icon
 +
! class="header" width="17%" colspan=2 | Ammo
 +
! class="header" width="50%" colspan=4 | Damage
 +
|-
 +
! class="header" width="8%"| Loaded
 +
! class="header" width="8%"| Carried
 +
! class="header" width="13%"| Point blank
 +
! class="header" width="13%"| Medium range
 +
! class="header" width="13%"| Long range
 +
! class="header" width="13%"| Critical
 +
|-
 +
! {{Table icon|L'Etranger|Craft}}
 +
| align="center" | {{Icon killicon|weapon=L'Etranger}}
 +
| 6
 +
| 24
 +
| 44-48
 +
| 28-36
 +
| 15-18
 +
| 96
 +
|-
 +
|}
  
*Remember that the [[Headshot]] ticker icon shows the bullet coming from behind. This suggests that the developers may have intended the Ambassador to be something of a 'ranged [[backstab]]', and the weapon does work well towards that end.
+
* L'Etranger deals 20% less damage compared with the stock Revolver. However, it fills the "Cloak" meter by 15% on each successful hit, and the Cloak duration is increased by 40%.
  
*The Ambassador can also be used to "snipe" Engineer buildings from a distance like the Revolver, as an alternative to sapping. Remember, if an Engineer is working on the building, shooting the Engineer first is preferable.
+
* L'Etranger converts firepower into potential fleeing power. It allows you to turn scenarios where scoring a kill with the Revolver or Ambassador is too difficult into the ability to run away — and save your life.
 +
** Be aware that L'Etranger has a very distinctive "crack" sound when fired, which will alert nearby enemies to your presence.
  
*With good aim, the Ambassador can be deadly against a [[Scout]]. If you manage to headshot him at close quarters he will have only 23 hp left (48 with the Special Delivery Set's health bonus), so you can finish him off with a single slash of the [[Knife]] or another shot (as he may flee in search of [[health]]).
+
* The increased Cloak duration gives more breathing room when you want to get behind enemy lines.
 +
** When equipped in conjunction with the Invis Watch, the duration of time spent fully invisible is increased from 9 seconds to 13.
 +
** In addition, the Cloak duration of both the Dead Ringer and the Cloak and Dagger (while running) is increased to 9 seconds, making them equivalent to using the Invis Watch without L'Etranger.
  
*The Ambassador makes the Razorback almost entirely useless; Assuming that the [[Sniper]] is not overhealed, a single headshot followed by a regular shot is enough to kill him.
+
* The +15% Cloak per hit is applied regardless of the amount of damage you do to the opponent or your distance from him. Remember that L'Etranger is 100% accurate 1.25 seconds after shooting. Use it to recharge your Cloak safely from a distance.
 +
** Keep in mind that the Invis Watch's timer can still be replenished by picking up Ammo boxes and building debris or standing next to a Dispenser.
 +
** As the Cloak and Dagger and the Dead Ringer are either not recharged by sources of ammo whilst invisible or not recharged by ammo sources at all, L'Etranger can be very effective when used with these watches.
 +
** Nonetheless, always be aware of your surroundings when using L'Etranger. It is not recommended for you to try and regain Cloak via L'Etranger if there are many enemies around with no allies. In a case like this, it is better to hide instead.
  
*If you see an enemy Sniper wearing the complete Croc-o-style kit and he would be finished off with a headshot, try to kill him with consecutive bodyshots or the knife. His immunity to headshot-based death will save him (albeit with 1 HP) and as the [[Darwin's Danger Shield]] does not protect against backstabs, he will be an even easier target if unaware.
+
* Remember that L'Etranger does less damage than any other secondary weapons. If you need more firepower, consider switching to other secondary weapons.
 +
** L'Etranger also does less damage to buildings, making a Sap-n-Shoot technique harder.
  
*The ability to see enemy health is invaluable with the Ambassador. When it drops below half of its base value, the health meter is shown in red. Against all classes except Heavy, this means a guaranteed kill upon headshot.
+
* While the bonus cloak duration is negated by the Dead Ringer's -50% cloak meter when Feign Death is activated, L'Etranger can be used effectively with it. Be aware that once players realize that both items are being used, they will likely Spy check around your fake corpse and try to make sure that you are actually dead.
  
''Most, if not all, tactics concerning Engineers will only work if the Engineer is not surrounded by allies. Use these tactics wisely.''
+
* Positioning is key as Spy, and when using L'Etranger is no exception; when shooting from a relatively hidden position, you are less likely to be found while regaining your Cloak.
  
*A tremendously useful ability to have is the power to surprise an enemy Engineer. The worse the Engineer is at Spy checking, the better. An excellent way to check if an Engineer is in the vicinity is to Cloak, run in, and survey the area before retreating. However, this technique is less effective with the Dead Ringer equipped, as you cannot Cloak at will. When a lone Engineer is blocking an objective with a Sentry Gun, you can use the Ambassador to attempt to take out the Engineer at long range first, using nearby objects for cover.
+
==== [[Enforcer]] ====
** An alternative strategy is to use the Engineer's own buildings against him. This can be done by disguising as a player with low health, and crouching near the Dispenser to heal your disguise, while simultaneously using the Dispenser as cover from the Sentry Gun. Using this strategy will allow you to eliminate the Engineer at close quarters, while being safe from his Sentry Gun's fire.
+
{| class="wikitable grid" width="100%" style="text-align: center;"
 +
! class="header" width="17%" rowspan=2 | Weapon
 +
! class="header" width="16%" rowspan=2 | Kill icon
 +
! class="header" width="17%" colspan=2 | Ammo
 +
! class="header" width="50%" colspan=4 | Damage
 +
|-
 +
! class="header" width="8%"| Loaded
 +
! class="header" width="8%"| Carried
 +
! class="header" width="13%"| Point blank
 +
! class="header" width="13%"| Medium range
 +
! class="header" width="13%"| Long range
 +
! class="header" width="13%"| Critical
 +
|-
 +
! {{Table icon|Enforcer|Craft}}
 +
| {{Icon killicon|weapon=Enforcer}}
 +
| 6
 +
| 24
 +
| {{tooltip|55-60|While undisguised}} / {{tooltip|70-72|While disguised}}
 +
| {{tooltip|35-45|While undisguised}} / {{tooltip|41-55|While disguised}}
 +
| {{tooltip|16-25|While undisguised}} / {{tooltip|24-26|While disguised}}
 +
| {{tooltip|120|While undisguised}} / {{tooltip|144|While disguised}}
 +
|-
 +
|}
  
*A lonely Engineer building a Sentry Gun can be easily killed by the Ambassador. Shooting him first in the head and then on any body part will kill him; afterward, you simply sap the building. Very useful if the Engineer is busy wrenching said building.
+
* The Enforcer deals 20% damage bonus while disguised (i.e. the initial shot that breaks your disguise will deal 20% extra damage) and full damage resistance piercing (from the [[Vaccinator]], but obviously not from any sort of full invulnerability, for example). In exchange, the Enforcer fires 20% slower, and cannot deal random critical hits.
  
*If an Engineer leaves his buildings unattended, some players may simply rush in and sap everything in sight. It is advised you do ''not'' do this, unless you are totally sure that the Engineer is dead or too far away to respond in time. What you should do is shoot at a building once, and then hide in cover to defend against the Sentry Gun. The Engineer may come rushing back to hit it with the Wrench, allowing you to then follow him back to wherever he was previously. Wait at the area and backstab him as he attempts to return to his buildings.
+
* The Enforcer allows you to kill low health classes in 2-3 shots at point-blank range. Therefore, you can kill Razorback Snipers or Engineers trying to remove a Sapper easily.
  
*A similar tactic is to find an enemy building outside of the Sentry Gun's field of vision and sap that, then pull out the Ambassador and wait. When the engie comes to remove the Electro Sapper, quickly headshot him then shoot him, as the headshot on its own is unlikely to kill him. Since it takes two whacks with the Wrench to remove an Electro Sapper, you should have ample time.
+
* A critical shot from this weapon can kill a light health class in 1 shot if the user is disguised when the shot was fired and drop many other classes on critically low health, allowing them to be killed in possibly another shot.
  
=== [[L'Etranger]] ===
+
* The reduced firing speed allows for more time to aim shots, potentially making the difference between a hit or a miss.
  
*L'Etranger converts fire-power into potential fleeing power; it allows the crafty Spy to turn scenarios where scoring a kill with the Revolver or Ambassador is difficult into more Cloak and the ability to run away for more backstab opportunities.
+
==== [[Diamondback]] ====
 +
{| class="wikitable grid" width="100%" style="text-align: center;"
 +
! class="header" width="17%" rowspan=2 | Weapon
 +
! class="header" width="16%" rowspan=2 | Kill icon
 +
! class="header" width="17%" colspan=2 | Ammo
 +
! class="header" width="50%" colspan=4 | Damage
 +
|-
 +
! class="header" width="8%"| Loaded
 +
! class="header" width="8%"| Carried
 +
! class="header" width="13%"| Point blank
 +
! class="header" width="13%"| Medium range
 +
! class="header" width="13%"| Long range
 +
! class="header" width="13%"| Critical
 +
|-
 +
! {{Table icon|Diamondback|Promotional/Craft}}
 +
| align="center" | {{Icon killicon|weapon=Diamondback}}
 +
| 6
 +
| 24
 +
| 47-51
 +
| 30-33
 +
| 14-21
 +
| 102
 +
|-
 +
|}
  
:* L'Etranger has a very distinctive 'crack' when fired, which will alert nearby enemies to your presence and the class you're playing.
+
* The Diamondback has the ability to store [[Critical hits]] when your Sappers are involved in the destruction of enemy buildings, as well as when you backstab an enemy. Each destruction or assist involving your Sapper or successfully backstabbing an enemy will give the Diamondback one guaranteed Critical hit. However, the Diamondback deals 15% less damage and cannot roll for random critical hits.
  
*The +15% Cloak per hit is applied regardless of the amount of damage you do to the opponent or your distance from him. A clever Spy can use the fact that hitscan bullet weapons are 100% accurate after 1.25 seconds of holding fire (like the Revolver and Ambassador) to recharge his Cloak safely from a distance.
+
* Consider using the Diamondback if the enemy team has several Engineers. When you have several Crits, you can drop any non-[[overheal]]ed class in 3 shots, thus becoming a major threat.
  
:* A great way to prevent players from being known they are being hit or hearing the L'Etranger's unique crack is to hit players that are already being shot at the front-lines. They'll most likely not notice the second source of shots hitting them. Just remember to be in a good hidden position, have good distance from the fight, and keep the amount of assists scored minimal or players will get suspicious. Don't get too greedy either; three shots is more than enough as it gives almost half your Cloak back.
+
* You can use the Diamondback's rather loud firing to lure enemies into a backstab trap.
  
*Keep in mind that both the regular Invisibility Watch and the Dead Ringer's Cloak timers can be replenished by picking up ammo packs / fallen weapons and standing next to a friendly or enemy Dispenser. Don't use L'Etranger if you know you can recharge your Cloak quickly.
+
* Even if you lack Crits, the Diamondback is still a relatively viable weapon. It does the same amount of damage as the Ambassador, but with no firing speed penalty.
  
*As the Cloak and Dagger is not recharged by sources of ammo, L'Etranger can be very useful in providing another source of Cloak.
+
* The Diamondback is 100% accurate if you allow 1.25 seconds between shots. When combined with the Crit boost, the 100% accurate bullets can effectively snipe enemies at long range. Most enemies will die in 2 to 3 shots.
  
:* However, there are times when waiting to recharge your Cloak is better than using the L'Etranger. Standing in an open field with hardly any enemies around would be better left to the Cloak recharge while being near a frontline firefight gives an opportunity to get a one or two L'Etranger shots in.
+
* Enemy Engineers with the Gunslinger are great for racking up crits to use, as they will rarely attempt to remove a Sapper from a Mini-Sentry.
  
*L'Etranger does considerably less damage than the Revolver and slightly less damage per shot compared to the Ambassador. However, L'Etranger does not suffer from the slower firing time of the Ambassador. If you are consistently hampered by Scouts or looking to take out Razorback-protected Snipers, you may want to consider using the Revolver or the Ambassador over L'Etranger. The damage reduction of L'Etranger also applies to buildings, making any Sap, Stab and/or Shoot techniques a little more tricky to do.
+
* Like the [[Ambassador]], the Diamondback also allows you to pick off Engineers from long range, and then sap their Sentry Guns after getting up close. This can be extremely useful for lone or exposed Engineers who are too vigilant for a stab-and-sap.
  
*L'Etranger can be used along with the Dead Ringer as another source to refill the Cloak quickly. However, be forewarned that when players realize both items are being used, they'll Spy-check around your corpse to make sure you are truly dead. Be careful not to use the gun too much in direct confrontation, or players will double-check no matter how convincing the death was and waste the Cloak that was earned.
+
* The Diamondback is useful for taking out a Medic who is pocketing a player. Run up and backstab the patient, then quickly turn around and use the crit just gained to quickly kill the Medic with a few shots. An unprepared Medic will be surprised and will not take out his Syringe Gun until it's too late.
  
*Remember that some players check their back to watch for backstabs, especially those in large groups or near gameplay objectives. Having an elevated position or being at their side are better positions to not get caught using L'Etranger than being behind them.
+
=== Building slot ===
 +
==== {{anchor|Sapper}} [[Sapper]] + reskins ====
 +
{| class="wikitable grid" width="100%" style="text-align: center;"
 +
! class="header" width="17%" rowspan="2" | Weapon
 +
! class="header" width="16%" rowspan="2" | Kill icon
 +
! class="header" width="17%" colspan="2" | Ammo
 +
! class="header" width="7%" rowspan="2" | Damage
 +
! class="header" width="40%" colspan="5" | Building destroy time
 +
|-
 +
! class="header" width="8%" | Loaded
 +
! class="header" width="8%" | Carried
 +
! class="header" width="8%" | Downgrade
 +
! class="header" width="8%" | Level 1
 +
! class="header" width="8%" | Level 2
 +
! class="header" width="8%" | Level 3
 +
! class="header" width="8%" | Combat Mini-Sentry Gun
 +
|-
 +
! {{Table icon|Sapper|Stock}}
 +
| {{Icon killicon|weapon=Sapper}}
 +
| rowspan="3" | 1
 +
| rowspan="3" | ∞
 +
| rowspan="3" | 25 / seconds
 +
| rowspan="3" | N/A
 +
| rowspan="3" | 6.00 seconds
 +
| rowspan="3" | 7.20 seconds
 +
| rowspan="3" | 8.64 seconds
 +
| rowspan="3" | 4.00 seconds
 +
|-
 +
! {{Table icon|Ap-Sap|Promotional}}
 +
| {{Icon killicon|weapon=Ap-Sap}}
 +
|-
 +
! {{Table icon|Snack Attack|Uncrate}}
 +
| {{Icon killicon|weapon=Snack Attack}}
 +
|}
  
=== [[Knife]] ===
+
* The Sapper is a tool used to take down an Engineer's [[building]]s. You have an unlimited supply of Sappers, and there is no "reload" delay between placing them. A Spy can continuously sap a building until it has been destroyed even if an Engineer is repairing it, since as soon as the Engineer knocks off a Sapper, a new one immediately replaces it. Sappers still do damage during the two Wrench hits it takes to remove them.
*When you are in range for a successful backstab, the Spy will ready his Knife for a stab with a reverse-grip stance. If the Spy doesn't have his Knife in a reverse-grip, you may perform a low-damage slash instead. Look for the change in grip before attempting a backstab if you're unsure if the backstab will actually register.  
 
  
:*Although a backstab grip guarantees a backstab, many other pokes will register a backstab as well. As long as your stab connects with the enemy's rear-facing half, any swipe or poke should kill him. This allows many advanced techniques, including quick passing stabs, stair-stabs, and more.
+
* Holding {{Key|MOUSE1}} when approaching a building will place the Sapper as soon as you are in range. This also allows you to replace a Sapper immediately after an Engineer removes it.
  
*Always remember the Knife does pitiful damage and cannot Crit outside of backstabs. In most scenarios, you should switch to the Revolver to fight enemies once you've been discovered. Even in close range, the Revolver is significantly more powerful than non-backstab Knife swipes.
+
* In many instances, you can sap a building from well below or above it, allowing you to confuse its Engineer. This can also allow you to more safely retreat from the Engineer's nest if your sabotage efforts are interrupted.
  
*Because a backstab is always a Critical hit, enemies killed by a Knife backstab will always emit a blood-curdling scream upon death. It is important when killing an enemy that you have a plan to either run from or kill nearby foes as soon as you perform your first stab.  
+
* The [[Homewrecker]] and [[Neon Annihilator]] allows [[Pyro]]s to remove Sappers from Engineer buildings. This, combined with their [[Flamethrower]]'s [[Spy checking]] ability, will make your job much harder. Therefore, it is strongly advised to either eliminate these Pyros before attempting to sap any buildings or to avoid them completely if possible.
  
*While you can use disguises or binds to remove an enemy disguise, a quick swipe of the Knife into thin air is usually the fastest way to silently drop your disguise. This can be useful when performing covert Capture Point maneuvers.  
+
* When sneaking up on an Engineer who is using the [[Wrangler]], stab first and then sap. Killing the Engineer will cause his Sentry Gun to become disabled for three seconds, which will be enough time to place a Sapper.
  
*Before backstabbing a Sniper, make sure the Sniper doesn't have the Razorback. If he does have the Razorback, shoot him with the Revolver or the Ambassador. When the Sniper is under attack, it will take him a while to react and fight back giving you plenty of time to finish him off. It's also very easy to headshot a still Sniper from behind.
+
* It is possible to stab an Engineer and then quickly sap the Sentry Gun. When attempting this, it is recommended that you circle strafe away from the Sentry Gun's turrets to have more time to sap.
  
*If a Razorback-wielding Sniper is standing beside a corner, it can sometimes be more rewarding to backstab the Razorback, then round the corner and Cloak. When the Sniper finishes Spy checking (which they often don't do because they don't recognize the sound of a Razorback breaking, or they don't have sound on), come back and backstab them. However, if they are near their spawn the Sniper may go back to retrieve another Razorback. Either use this oppurtunity to kill him, or wait for him to reappear and use your primary weapon.
+
* If an Engineer has his Wrench out and you sap his building, he most likely will attempt to repair the Sentry first instead of trying to kill you. Since it takes two hits to knock the Sapper off, this gives you a window of opportunity to stab him. This can be easier than the stab and sap method because you don't have to account for which way the Sentry is facing and circle-strafing the opposite way.
  
*When discovered, an advanced technique to help fend off the pursuer is to run up a slope, jump over the head of the pursuer, do a 180 degree turn, crouch, and backstab him. This is commonly called the stairstab. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5To9pU8xEY&feature=related]
+
* When dealing with Teleporters, it may be ideal to forgo the Sapper and use your Revolver. If the Engineer is not near either end, it will attract less attention if you destroy one end, as the Engineer will not automatically know a Spy was the culprit. Additionally, you can combine both to ensure one end is destroyed, while the Sapper encourages the Engineer to leave his other buildings unprotected.
 +
** Sapping a teleporter entrance can force Engineers to remove the Sapper on the exit. If they are partially standing on the teleporter exit while doing so, they can be [[telefrag]]ged by standing on the entrance and waiting for the Sapper to be destroyed. This only works if nobody sees the Sapper being placed and if the Engineer is not cautious. If the exit leads to a small or crowded room, it is more likely to work. Telefrags do not produce distinctive killfeeds, noises, or visuals.
  
=== [[Your Eternal Reward]] ===
+
* The [[Ap-Sap]]'s "eye" opens more the closer you are to a building, thus allowing you to find nearby enemy buildings.
*The lack of ability to choose your disguise while using this weapon means a greater reliance upon cloaking efficiently and choosing good hiding places.
 
  
:*This restriction also means that in most scenarios, at least one person (your last victim) will know what your disguise is at all times. Because of this, it's important to continue to rely on Cloak as a primary stealth tool. Your Eternal Reward may also be more difficult to use on Alltalk servers for this reason.
+
*Although the Sapper can disable and destroy Engineer buildings, keep in mind that both the Sapper and damage done can be undone with just a couple of Wrench hits. Coordinate your Sap with your team; Sap the buildings, then get your team to move in and help finish your work. If possible, use voice chat for better communication.
  
*This weapon is extremely well-suited for taking out Sentry Gun placements when you already have a disguise. You can backstab the Engineer and the Sentry Gun won't detect your presence between disguises, making Stab n' Sap that much easier.
+
==== [[Red-Tape Recorder]] ====
 +
{| class="wikitable grid" width="100%" style="text-align: center;"
 +
! class="header" width="17%" rowspan="2" | Weapon
 +
! class="header" width="16%" rowspan="2" | Kill icon
 +
! class="header" width="17%" colspan="2" | Ammo
 +
! class="header" width="7%" rowspan="2" | Damage
 +
! class="header" width="40%" colspan="5" | Building destroy time
 +
|-
 +
! class="header" width="8%" | Loaded
 +
! class="header" width="8%" | Carried
 +
! class="header" width="8%" | Downgrade
 +
! class="header" width="8%" | Level 1
 +
! class="header" width="8%" | Level 2
 +
! class="header" width="8%" | Level 3
 +
! class="header" width="8%" | Combat Mini-Sentry Gun
 +
|-
 +
! {{Table icon|Red-Tape Recorder|Unique}}
 +
| {{Icon killicon|weapon=Red-Tape Recorder}}
 +
| 1
 +
| ∞
 +
| N/A
 +
| 3.4 seconds
 +
| 10.7 seconds
 +
| 21.4 seconds
 +
| 21.4 seconds
 +
| 10.5 seconds
 +
|-
 +
|}
  
:*If you do not already have a disguise, you may still be able to take out a Sentry Gun with an extremely fast stab-and-sap. Or, if the gun is unattended, simply uncloak with your Electro Sapper equipped, and strafe the Sentry Gun in the direction opposite the barrel as it turns towards you. If you continually apply the Electro Sapper, you should be able to sap the Sentry Gun before it can fire at you.
+
* Rather than damage buildings, the Red-Tape Recorder causes them to go through the building process in reverse. Upgrade levels are removed and the building eventually unbuilds, leaving a collectible toolbox in its place.
  
:*However, consider switching back to the original knife when fighting off sentry farms, especially if the Engineers can watch each other. Those situations usually have a greater need to disguise at will than the ability to quickly disguise after attacking. Moreover, the other Engineers in the farm will most likely be alerted after the Spy saps the first placement.
+
* The rate of damage is based on the time taken to construct the building. As such, Sentry Guns go down faster than Dispensers and Teleporters.
  
*Wait around an area in which opponents are looking forward to push. Surprisingly, this weapon works incredibly well in the initial clusters of an enemy push. By waiting and assimilating an opponent's guise in a pack of enemies quickly, usually the one who is the slowest, one can assume his identity almost instantly without raising any suspicion in those around him. During firefights is also a wise time, as their attention will be focused on what is in front of them, and not behind them.
+
* The toolbox dropped acts as a large ammo pickup, which is very useful for boosting the regular Cloak.
 +
** Even if your Cloak is full and you have plenty of ammo, take the toolbox anyway. If you leave them where they are, an Engineer can use them to rebuild his buildings. If you have max ammo, simply fire your Revolver, reload, and take the toolbox.
  
*If you do not have the full [[Polycount]] set, it is a good idea to use the original default Cloak, because it produces less noise than the [[Cloak & Dagger]]. However, if you have the full Polycount set, it is a good idea to use [[Cloak & Dagger]] to wait patiently for someone to fall behind a group, or turn their back to you in a closed and secluded environment. Due to the effects of the full Polycount set, your de-Cloak will be whisper quiet and not alert your target.
+
* It takes 3 seconds to degrade one level of a building. This makes the Red-Tape Recorder more useful than the Sapper for entrenched positions where a sapped Sentry Gun can easily be repaired, as upgrading takes longer than repairing.
 +
** Working alone, this is generally less effective than the regular Sapper, as you will most likely only manage to downgrade the buildings rather than destroying them. However, it is possible to convert a highly defended sentry nest into all level one Sentry Guns, allowing your teammates to destroy it far more easily.
  
*Using the [[Dead Ringer]] alongside [[Your Eternal Reward]] will instigate a strong element of luck and skill, and will be much harder to kill opponents. If you can carefully assume the identity of someone you are in a good situation. If you are discovered, the [[Dead Ringer]] can make an excellent escape plan, and if not, you can go right along with stealing the lives/disguises of everyone who turns their back.
+
* Conversely, the Red-Tape Recorder is worse at destroying buildings outright, as unbuilding takes longer than the Sapper's destruction time. The Red-Tape Recorder can very rapidly remove the first few levels of a building, but takes a very long period of time to completely pack up a building. As of such, it's better to kill the Engineer first before applying the Red-Tape Recorder.
**Using the full polycount set, the reduced de-cloaking noise bonus helps counter the Dead Ringer's loud de-Cloak sound. Use this to your advantage.
+
** However, it makes sap-and-stab tactics a little easier. Even if an Engineer manages to remove your Red-Tape Recorder just as he gets backstabbed, the building still will have to complete its upgrade animation before becoming operational again, thus giving a little extra time to re-sap it.
  
*Using [[Your Eternal Reward]] is especially efficient on Payload maps as with [[Your Eternal Reward]] it is easier to backstab most or all the enemies pushing the cart than it is with the normal knife.
+
* Due to the fact that they only have one level, the Red-Tape Recorder can be surprisingly effective against Mini-Sentry Guns. However, it should be noted that it takes just as long to destroy as with a normal level 1 Sentry Gun.
 +
** It should also be noted that any Engineer removing the Red-Tape Recorder will cause the mini-sentry to return to full health, undoing both Sapper and other damage.
  
*When using Your Eternal Reward on Control Point maps, be wary when defending the final point. Because the Eternal Reward disguises instantaneously, stabbing enemies capping your last point will not disrupt the cap. This can allow for survivors to continue to cap while you frantically try to stab them. Pulling out your selected Revolver at this time is usually the best response.
+
* If your team has to push, the Red-Tape Recorder can easily downgrade the Engineer’s buildings to inferior levels, and in addition they have to complete their building animation if the Sapper is destroyed mid construction. This allows your team to make an easier push and destroy the Engineer and his buildings more easily.
  
*Prior to obtaining your first disguise, look for enemies who are separated from the rest of their team. Once you stab them and obtain their identity, approach their front lines from behind. This will allow you to rapidly disguise on each kill, eliminating members of their team while staying safe from any Sentry Guns in the area.
+
* Make sure to sap more than one building, preferably 3; this will cost the Engineer time and metal rebuilding, leaving him vulnerable for assault.
 +
** On the HUD for the Engineer, the Sentry Gun has the biggest icon compared to the others. Sap the sentry first before you sap other buildings. Chances are the Engineer will save the Sentry Gun, due to the fact it costs the most metal to make (unless the Engineer is using the Gunslinger), leaving the other buildings in greater disrepair.
 +
** Engineers with the [[Widowmaker]] or [[Short Circuit]] will likely pay more attention to their Dispenser than their Sentry Gun. As long as multiple buildings are sapped, these Engineers will be more vulnerable than others, due to their weapons consuming metal.
  
*Try to prioritize which disguise you want to use first over the kills you want, as using obvious disguises (such as Scout) or slow ones (Heavy or Soldier) will restrict your movement between areas a lot more and you will be unable to move as you like without losing the disguise.
+
* Because Gunslinger Engineers rarely attempt to remove Sappers from their Mini-Sentry Guns, the Red-Tape Recorder can be effective against Engineers who frequently place down Mini-Sentry Guns, as a Sapper that takes longer to complete will therefore increase the amount of time the Engineer has to wait before he can place another Mini-Sentry unless he removes your Sapper.
  
*If you are stuck with a slower disguise (Soldier, Heavy, Demoman), remember that you can Cloak at any time to move at normal walking speed. Your disguised speed will resume when you uncloak.
+
* Compared to the stock Sapper, the Red-Tape Recorder is generally more suited in causing havoc in entrenched Engineer positions where the stock Sapper’s damage can be quickly repaired and when dealing with Mini-Sentry Guns. Against lone Engineers, the stock Sapper is generally a better choice.
  
*Choose your attacks wisely when faced with a large group. A misplaced backstab will get rid of your disguise until you're able to land a successful backstab, something that may be difficult once you've been discovered/exposed.
+
=== Melee weapons ===
:* Because of this, new players are recommended to practice with the regular knife until they master backstabbing successfully without the indicator.
+
==== [[Knife]] + reskins ====
 +
{| class="wikitable grid" width="100%" style="text-align: center;"
 +
! class="header" width="20%" rowspan=2 | Weapon
 +
! class="header" width="20%" rowspan=2 | Kill icon
 +
! class="header" width="20%" rowspan=2 | Attack interval
 +
! class="header" width="40%" colspan=2 | Damage
 +
|-
 +
! class="header" width="20%" | Point blank
 +
! class="header" width="20%" | Critical
 +
|-
 +
! rowspan="2" | {{Table icon|Knife|Stock}}
 +
| {{Icon killicon|weapon=Knife}}
 +
| rowspan="12" | 0.8 seconds
 +
| rowspan="12" | 40 / {{tooltip|2× victim's current health|Backstab}}
 +
| rowspan="12" | 120 / {{tooltip|6× victim's current health|Backstab}}
 +
|-
 +
| {{Icon killicon|weapon=Backstab}}
 +
|-
 +
! rowspan="2" | {{Table icon|Saxxy|Promotional}}
 +
| {{Icon killicon|weapon=Saxxy}}
 +
|-
 +
| {{Icon killicon|weapon=Backstab}}
 +
|-
 +
! rowspan="2" | {{Table icon|Sharp Dresser|Promotional}}
 +
| {{Icon killicon|weapon=Sharp Dresser}}
 +
|-
 +
| {{Icon killicon|weapon=Sharp Dresser Backstab}}
 +
|-
 +
! rowspan="2" | {{Table icon|Black Rose|Promotional}}
 +
| {{Icon killicon|weapon=Black Rose}}
 +
|-
 +
| {{Icon killicon|weapon=Backstab}}
 +
|-
 +
! rowspan="2" | {{Table icon|Golden Frying Pan|Reward}}
 +
| {{Icon killicon|weapon=Golden Frying Pan}}
 +
|-
 +
| {{Icon killicon|weapon=Backstab}}
 +
|-
 +
! rowspan="2" | {{Table icon|Prinny Machete|Promotional}}
 +
| {{Icon killicon|weapon=Prinny Machete}}
 +
|-
 +
| {{Icon killicon|weapon=Backstab}}
 +
|-
 +
|}
  
*Due to the fact that backstabbing with Your Eternal Reward will fade away the ragdoll of your victim and instantly disguise you, you can usually get away with backstabbing in front of a group of enemies without being noticed, but be aware of that the killicon appears when you kill them. People who pay attention will notice you should be dead. If you're already disguised, backstab a Medic's healing target and proceed forward as if nothing had happened.
+
* When you are in range for a successful backstab, the Spy will ready his Knife for a stab with a reverse-grip stance. If the Spy doesn't have his Knife in a reverse-grip, you may perform a low-damage slash instead. Look for the change in grip before attempting a backstab if you're unsure if the backstab will actually register.
 +
** Although a backstab grip guarantees a backstab, many other pokes will register a backstab as well. As long as your stab connects with the enemy's rear-facing half, any swipe or poke should kill him.
 +
** The Knife does rather low damage when it's not a backstab. Only attack with it if you are certain it will backstab, or else you will deal minimal damage and give away your position.
 +
** The Saxxy does not have a backstab stance.
  
*Kills with Your Eternal Reward are truly silent; your poor foe will make no noise at all when he is backstabbed or just plain stabbed. Consider using this weapon when you are up against paranoid players who Spy-check frequently (you can't disguise at will, so why bother at that point?).
+
* Compared to your other Melees, the stock Knife is the most reliable of them all. You are able to disguise at will, have no health downsides and does not need to be recharged.
  
*The Cloak and Dagger works well with this knife, since you can search for people to backstab and disguise without having fear of being exposed.
+
* In most scenarios, you should switch to the Revolver to fight enemies once you've been discovered. Even in close range, the Revolver is significantly more powerful than non-backstab Knife swipes.
  
*With the use of a Cloak and Dagger with Your Eternal Reward you can potentially crush any enemy opposition by setting up near a largely used path way. Hide in a nice little nook where you know your enemies will pass by. When you spot a straggler, take him down with a backstab. You'll disguise yourself as him and easily slip in behind your enemies. Dish out as many backstabs as you can before getting caught. Once you are caught, bail out and Cloak until the coast is clear.
+
* Because a backstab is always a melee kill, enemies killed by a Knife backstab will always emit a blood-curdling scream upon death. It is important when killing an enemy that you have a plan to either run from or kill nearby foes as soon as you perform your first stab.
  
*Your Eternal Reward gives players less flexibility in fending off close encounters. Even if the target that was chasing you has died, you are left without a disguise if a backstab wasn't performed.
+
* A quick stab with the Knife into the air is generally the fastest way to silently drop your disguise (the most silent way to do it is to disguise as a [[Spy]] of your own team, but it can be somewhat slower). This can be used to perform covert Capture Point captures.
  
*If a Medic's heal target was killed by Your Eternal Reward, the Spy will instantly become the new heal target. This will not only put players in a safer position to blend in amongst the group, but they will also be overhealed. This tactic is risky, however. An observant Medic will notice if a Spy has passed by, one of his "teammates" disappeared, or he sees his heal target's name at the top-right corner. It is best to take over when the Medic isn't looking at his target. (I.E. Hiding behind a wall to take cover while his heal target is around the corner.)
+
* If you encounter a Sniper with the Razorback, it is generally a good idea to shoot him with a Revolver, rather than trying to stab him.
 +
** If a Sniper equipping the Razorback is standing near a corner, it is much quieter to stab his Razorback, turn the corner, and {{botignore|cloak}}. When the Sniper either finishes Spy checking or doesn't react, backstab him. If he returns to a Resupply Cabinet, shoot him; even though it's louder, he will quickly catch on and possibly find you. Be wary that the Razorback replenishes itself after a period of time, so be quick.
  
:*Due to the speed of the disguise, it is possible to backstab enemy players while being ubercharged by an enemy Medic without breaking the ÜberCharge. This is not possible with the normal knife.
+
* Be aware that the Saxxy and the [[Spy-cicle]] leave very noticeable corpses, the former being made of shimmering [[Australium]], the latter being an ice sculpture. They are very likely to reveal your presence.
 +
** In addition try to refrain from using the Sharp Dresser. It has its own unique backstab animation in the kill feed which will practically announce to the enemy team that you are using a stock Knife reskin. This could very well give away your playstyle and allow enemies to more easily predict how you will strike.
  
*While the stab fully cloaks the victim's body, it does not Cloak their weapon. Keep your Revolver at less that full ammunition and you will automatically pick up the weapon and hide all evidence of the stab.
+
* When discovered, an advanced technique to help fend off the pursuer is to run up a slope, jump over the head of the pursuer, do a 180-degree turn, crouch, and backstab him. This is commonly called the stair-stab. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5To9pU8xEY&feature=related]
 +
** Due to the flashiness of the move and the general popularity and publicity of "trick stabs" and those who perform them, even inexperienced players will know better than to blindly pursue a Spy that's standing on the top of a set of stairs with his Knife out. Unless your prey is clearly fooled or desperate, mask your intent as much as possible via blind spots, and have an {{botignore|escape plan}} for if your enemy does not behave as you want them to. To make your attempt less obvious, do not face the enemy as if waiting for them when attempting a stairstab.
 +
** Keep in mind that you do not need to be directly on top of a staircase to attempt this. Anything that is Teleporter-height or taller will do the trick, so if there are no nearby staircases, look for any nearby props. Since many people only look out for staircases, this method may allow for an easier setup.
  
====[[Fencing]]====
+
==== [[Your Eternal Reward]] + reskins ====
*This taunt can be used with either of the Spy's knives to kill distracted enemies with one hit. However, due to the taunt's long duration and the minimal damage dealt by the first two swings, taunt-killing is a very risky strategy. It can be effectively used to destroy Engineer buildings with one hit so the Engineer won't have time to see his building is being sapped or damaged and return to save his buildings. However, do not attempt to destroy an enemy sentry in this way, because one must remove one's disguise in order to be be able to perform the taunt, and attempting to do so will cause the Sentry Gun to target and kill its attacker. Also, keep in mind that even if you are able to catch anyone unaware, the Spy speaks during the taunt, and this may give your presence away. This taunt can still be used during humiliation. Also if being chased by a Heavy try to preform this taunt around a tight corner, with luck, you should be able to hit with the last swing.
+
{| class="wikitable grid" width="100%" style="text-align: center;"
 +
! class="header" width="20%" rowspan=2 | Weapon
 +
! class="header" width="20%" rowspan=2 | Kill icon
 +
! class="header" width="20%" rowspan=2 | Attack interval
 +
! class="header" width="40%" colspan=2 | Damage
 +
|-
 +
! class="header" width="20%" | Point blank
 +
! class="header" width="20%" | Critical
 +
|-
 +
! rowspan="2" | {{Table icon|Your Eternal Reward|Craft}}
 +
| {{Icon killicon|weapon=Your Eternal Reward}}
 +
| rowspan="4" | 0.8 seconds
 +
| rowspan="4" | 40 / {{tooltip|2× victim's current health|Backstab}}
 +
| rowspan="4" | 120 / {{tooltip|6× victim's current health|Backstab}}
 +
|-
 +
| {{Icon killicon|weapon=Backstab}}
 +
|-
 +
! rowspan="2" | {{Table icon|Wanga Prick|Craft}}
 +
| {{Icon killicon|weapon=wanga prick}}
 +
|-
 +
| {{Icon killicon|weapon=Backstab}}
 +
|-
 +
|}
  
=== [[Disguise Kit]] ===
+
* Your Eternal Reward gives the ability to disguise as the target upon a successful backstab, the victim does not scream upon death, nor does a death notice appear in the enemy team's kill feed. Also, the corpse of the victim fades away almost instantly as if cloaking. However, the Cloak drain rate is increased by 33%, and manual disguise with the Disguise Kit consume 100% of your Cloak.
*The [[Disguise]] Kit is the Spy's major infiltration tool. Most of your time spent disguised will be done while pretending to be an enemy. Each plays differently when trying to blend in.
+
** However, the non-backstab kill still appear in the the enemy team's kill feed.
+
** As manual disguises cost an entire Cloak meter, utilize manual disguises only when either no enemies and/or a source of ammo are nearby (be aware that ammo cannot refill the cloak meter of the [[Dead Ringer]]).
====[[Scout]]====
 
 
* Statistics
 
:* '''Speed:''' 100% '''(33% slower than actual Scout.)'''
 
:* '''Stature:''' Short, Skinny
 
* Inconspicuousness
 
:* '''Element of surprise:''' Medium
 
:* '''Believability:''' Low
 
* Fake-Reloads
 
:* '''[[Scattergun]]:''' [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUJATkPjjUE#t=3s Partial, Short]
 
:* '''[[Force-A-Nature]]:''' Partial, Short '''(Wrong animation, visible shells!)'''
 
:* '''[[Pistol]]:''' [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUJATkPjjUE#t=9s Full, Short]
 
 
The Scout disguise should be donned when the disguise is not being used to trick the enemy for a substantial amount of time, such as when hiding or when the enemy is too watchful to not [[Spy-check]]. The Scout's character model is very small and none of its weapon models stick out, so it hides well. It has no [[speed|move speed]] reduction, though it does not gain speed to match that of the Scout. The disguise will generally fail to convince competent enemies up close both because of move speed and because it can't emulate double-jump, but because Scouts are known to wander for extended periods, it's usually viable for quick glances, particularly from long distances. The Scout disguise is common in competitive play because of the nature of competitive team composition and the fact that disguises don't work well for blending in against coordinated teams regardless of disguise choice.
 
 
====[[Soldier]]====
 
* Statistics
 
:* '''Speed:''' 80%
 
:* '''Stature:''' Normal
 
* Inconspicuousness
 
:* '''Element of surprise:''' High
 
:* '''Believability:''' Medium
 
* Fake-Reloads
 
:* '''[[Rocket Launcher]]:''' [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUJATkPjjUE#t=75s Partial, Short]
 
:* '''[[Shotgun]]:''' [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUJATkPjjUE#t=80s Partial, Short]
 
  
Disguising as a Soldier can work well for blending in to stab a slow-moving target. Most generally don't suspect them. That said, having the speed of a Soldier means you'll have trouble dodging enemy fire and avoiding blocking enemy movement, and if your target starts moving at full speed (assuming it's not Soldier or Heavy), you might not be able to catch up to it without losing your disguise. If there are enemy Medics on the enemy team, you might be able to get them to heal and/or Über you. Wielding the [[Equalizer]] does not affect your speed and does not block healing.
+
* This weapon is extremely well-suited for taking out Sentry Guns when you already have a disguise. The Stab-n-Sap technique is made easier and kills in front of Sentry Guns are safer because the Sentry Gun will not detect you between disguises.
+
** If you do not have a disguise and an Engineer is still guarding his Sentry Gun, you can uncloak behind the Engineer and use him as cover as the Sentry Gun turns around to face you. Stab him, and then sap his Sentry Gun.
====[[Pyro]]====
+
** Consider switching back to the original Knife when you need to quickly take out a sentry nest and don't have time to get a disguise. If you are quick, you should be able to sap his sentry after stabbing him, so the ability to disguise at will is helpful and the quick-disguise is unnecessary.
* Statistics
+
** However, when taking out large sentry nests with multiple Engineers, stab-and-sapping will be suicidal, and if you sap first, the Engineers will Spy check and likely kill you before you can take out a significant number of their buildings. Instead, with Your Eternal Reward, once you have a disguise, which can be obtained from a player waiting to go through a teleporter, you can slowly whittle away at the Engineers until there are none left, and then sap all of the buildings. The Teleporters may be a priority so you are not interrupted when they respawn.
:* '''Speed:''' 100%
 
:* '''Stature:''' Normal
 
* Inconspicuousness
 
:* '''Element of surprise:''' Low
 
:* '''Believability:''' Medium
 
* Fake-Reloads
 
:* '''[[Shotgun]]:''' [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUJATkPjjUE#t=58s Full, Long]
 
  
As a class with 100% move speed, no need to reload, and reasons to hide by himself, among teammates, and near [[Sentry Gun]]s, 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, so the Pyro disguise can get in and out of enemy areas nicely. Unfortunately, the Pyro disguise has a couple flaws that make it less than perfect. Aside from the fact that it's a common disguise (and therefore frequently [[Spy-check]]ed), Pyros are expected to Spy-check constantly, so competent nearby enemies will almost always attack you when they notice you aren't Spy-checking them. If you're lit on fire by an enemy Pyro, it might be more immediately noticed because Pyros never catch fire, though the color of a fire's glow gives you away no matter what disguise you're using. If you're trying to hide around a corner or wall, switch your disguise's weapon away from the Flamethrower because its long weapon model and can sometimes be seen through walls and props. The Pyro's Shotgun is arguably tied with the Engineer's for being the best fake reload in the game.
+
* Your Eternal Reward is very good when dealing with a crowd of enemies. After backstabbing the enemy farthest back in the group, you are able to continue to push forward without raising suspicion from those around him. Continue stabbing until you kill all of the enemies or you need to escape.
 
====[[Demoman]]====
 
* Statistics
 
:* '''Speed:''' 93%
 
:* '''Stature:''' Normal
 
* Inconspicuousness
 
:* '''Element of surprise:''' Low
 
:* '''Believability:''' Medium
 
* Fake-Reloads
 
:* '''[[Grenade Launcher]]:''' [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUJATkPjjUE#t=23s Partial, Short]
 
:* '''[[Stickybomb Launcher|Sticky Launcher]]:''' [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUJATkPjjUE#t=29s Partial, Short]
 
  
Demoman is an average disguise in almost all ways, with both advantages and disadvantages in each of its traits: its move speed is reduced, but only slightly; it has reasons to stay in the enemy's base, but not for very long without using stickies; it's used in both offense and defense, but is expected to spam its weapons while doing so; its character and weapon models aren't too big, but aren't particularly small either. Because of this, the Demoman disguise works well as a general first-glance disguise, but is oftentimes foiled after loitering for too long. It has a moderately believable fake-reload on both of its guns.
+
* Be aware that successful backstabs with Your Eternal Reward will not stop enemies capping a Control Point or pushing the Payload Cart. It will, however, slow them down until there are none left. It may be a better choice to shoot enemies with the Revolver so that you can inflict damage while stopping the enemies from capturing.
 
====[[Heavy]]====
 
* Statistics
 
:* '''Speed:''' 77%
 
:* '''Stature:''' Tall, Wide
 
* Inconspicuousness
 
:* '''Element of surprise:''' High
 
:* '''Believability:''' Medium
 
* Fake-Reloads
 
:* '''[[Shotgun]]:''' [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUJATkPjjUE#t=88s Partial, Short]
 
 
Because of its severely reduced [[speed|move speed]], Heavy is a rare disguise. He can't chase well for backstabs, takes a long time in transit, is too large to hide in some places or blend in, and he has little reason to move around by himself. However, the very fact that the Heavy disguise is rare can make it more effective in some situations, as most players won't expect it. Because of this (and the nature of the class itself), the Heavy disguise is a great choice if you want an enemy Medic to heal you (or even possibly [[ÜberCharge]] you) regardless of what your health appears to be. Heavies have a commonly-used [[primary weapon]] that isn't usually fired on a whim, so the enemy Medic usually won't immediately [[Spy-check]] you. When it comes down to it, though, the large model size and extremely slow move speed make the Heavy a poor disguise.
 
 
====[[Engineer]]====
 
* Statistics
 
:* '''Speed:''' 100%
 
:* '''Stature:''' Short
 
* Inconspicuousness
 
:* '''Element of surprise:''' Low
 
:* '''Believability:''' Medium
 
* Fake-Reloads
 
:* '''[[Shotgun]]:''' [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUJATkPjjUE#t=36s Full, Long]
 
:* '''[[Pistol]]:''' [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUJATkPjjUE#t=44s Full, Short]
 
 
The Engineer disguise is good for taking down enemy structures and those in the surrounding area. The Engineer has 100% [[speed|move speed]], small character and weapon models, and a tendency to stay around his own base (and buildings). Enemies are prone to [[Spy-check]] Engineers that avoid wrenching for too long, though, and it's not unlikely that you'll by Spy-checked by an enemy Engineer when/if he spots you with his name. Engineers are also very rarely used anywhere outside of their bases. Because of these things, the Engineer disguise is generally limited to taking down enemy bases, though it does this quite well. The Engineer's Shotgun is arguably tied with the Pyro's in being the best fake reload in the game.
 
 
====[[Medic]]====
 
* Statistics
 
:* '''Speed:''' 100% '''(7% slower than actual Medic.)'''
 
:* '''Stature:''' Tall
 
* Inconspicuousness
 
:* '''Element of surprise:''' High
 
:* '''Believability:''' Low
 
* Fake-Reloads
 
:* '''[[Syringe Gun]]:''' [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUJATkPjjUE#t=68s Full, Short]
 
:* '''[[Blutsauger]]:''' Full, Short
 
 
The Medic disguise isn't very effective in most situations. While it's true that enemies usually won't notice the lack of increased [[speed|move speed]], the Medic disguise is flawed in much more significant ways. Medics are usually quick to be joined by team mates, who expect to be healed quickly, which you can't fake. Because Medics are almost never by themselves and because the Medic disguise is incapable of emulating a Medic's teamwork behavior, it generally doesn't last very long. The only real benefits of using the Medic disguise are that it can be used to bait enemies and that it has a good fake-reload. Though because Medic disguises used to not have a [[ÜberCharge]] meter until the Spy/Sniper update, some enemies will forget and assume a Medic with a [[ÜberCharge]] meter isn't a Spy.
 
 
====[[Sniper]]====
 
* Statistics
 
:* '''Speed:''' 100%
 
:* '''Stature:''' Tall, Skinny
 
* Inconspicuousness
 
:* '''Element of surprise:''' Low
 
:* '''Believability:''' High
 
* Fake-Reloads
 
:* '''[[SMG]]:''' [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUJATkPjjUE#t=9s Full, Short]
 
  
Disguising as a Sniper is usually effective if you stick to where Snipers are expected to be, which you can use to set up repeated Sniper backstabs. It's not suspicious for Snipers to stay within their base's perimeters for extended periods, and they aren't specifically expected to Spy-check allies. Of course, the inability to actually zoom in can make the disguise less effective against observant foes, and Snipers are conspicuous when they stray too far from Sniper posts or look away from their targets. Enemies will also take note if they spot a Sniper trying to approach a group of allies in almost any area other than said Sniper posts. Furthermore, take care if you are disguised as a Sniper with a [[Huntsman]], as enemy Pyros may attempt to light your arrow. The Sniper disguise has the advantages of being relatively small and having 100% [[speed|move speed]].
+
* When using Your Eternal Reward on Control Point maps, be wary when defending the final control point. Because the Eternal Reward disguises instantaneously, stabbing enemies capping your last point will not disrupt the cap (it will, however, slow the capping with one less person, or two if any of the following occurs; a [[Scout]] on point or if a [[Soldier]] or [[Demoman]] has the [[Pain Train]] equipped). This can allow for survivors to continue to cap while you frantically try to stab them. Pulling out your selected Revolver at this time to stall for friendly backup is usually the best response.
  
====[[Spy]]====
+
* Remember that if you {{botignore|cloak}} with a slow disguise, you will run at your normal walking speed until you uncloak.
* Statistics
+
** Consider ditching a slower disguise in order to catch up to another nearby target if you're sure nobody will notice you. Depending on the distance, you can afford to be without a disguise for the short time it will take to replace it.
:* '''Speed:''' 100%
+
** While manually switching to a faster disguise will drain all your cloak, the ammo box left behind by your victim(s) and/or any ammo on the map may be able to help make up for it.
:* '''Stature:''' Tall, Skinny
 
* Inconspicuousness
 
:* '''Element of surprise''' Medium
 
:* '''Believability:''' High
 
 
* Fake-Reloads
 
:* '''[[Revolver]]:''' [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUJATkPjjUE#t=52s Full, Short]
 
:* '''[[Ambassador]]:''' Full, Short
 
 
The Spy disguise can work fairly well, though its ability to blend in is largely based on the Spy-checking habits of your enemies. The Spy disguise is the only disguise that has an excuse to mingle with your team mates without attacking, so it can come in handy when getting into firefights. Using an enemy Spy disguise has no effect on the color of your disguise smoke or your [[Cloak]], so you can still be spotted by those. Many players will instinctively fire at all Spies (even friendly ones), so the Spy disguise is usually risky, though because Spy disguises used to not have fake masks until the Spy/Sniper update, some enemies will forget and assume a masked Spy must be a friendly Spy. The Spy disguise has a good, complete fake-reload.
 
  
===Friendly Disguises===
+
* If you accidentally run past an enemy Medic but retained your disguise, simply run past him and go for other enemies. It is possible that, because Your Eternal Reward dissipates enemy ragdolls with very little sound, the Medic will not notice you stabbing his allies until it is too late.
While some may initially see friendly disguises as very limited in use, they can prove quite handy in a number of situations. In general, a friendly disguise is recommended during setup time in all maps, because they will avoiding giving away that you're a Spy while making the enemy prepare for a class that isn't actually being used. If you're having trouble getting into an enemy area, a friendly disguise can be used to scare enemies (Sniper is good for open areas; Demoman is good for doorways; Heavy and Pyro are good for cramped spaces). If an important ally needs help, you can use a friendly disguise to draw enemy fire (Heavy or Medic usually works well). Additionally, your hit box is not the same as your disguise class, which can be used to draw Sniper fire with a reduced risk of headshot to spare team mates or waste an enemy's time.
 
 
Friendly disguises (especially Medic and Sniper) are good for baiting because most enemies won't expect a friendly disguise to be used; this can be used either for prepping a stab or faking out an enemy by visibly moving behind a corner, cloaking, and going for the backstab when the enemy chases your phantom. These tricks can be used more safely and repeatedly with the [[Dead Ringer]], which will let you fake friendly deaths. In a [[Spy Rush]], friendly disguises can be used to fool the enemy team before they realize what you're doing.
 
  
=== [[Electro Sapper]] ===
+
* The Cloak and Dagger works well with this Knife because you can wait for people to backstab without having fear of being exposed. This works especially well on commonly used paths — wait for a straggler, then begin your attack.
*The Electro Sapper is a tool used to take down an [[Building|Engineer's buildings]]. There is an unlimited supply of these Sappers, and there is no "reload" delay between placing them. Thus a Spy can continuously sap a building until it has been destroyed even if an Engineer is repairing it, since as soon as the Engineer knocks off an Electro Sapper, a new one immediately replaces it -- and Sappers still do damage during the 2 Wrench-hits it takes to remove them.
 
  
*Holding MOUSE1 when approaching a building will place the Electro Sapper as soon as you are in range. This tactic also allows you to replace an Electro Sapper immediately after an Engineer removes it.
+
* Remember that in close encounters, even if you or a teammate kills your target, unless you finish the enemy with a backstab, you will be left without an easy disguise.
  
*The Electro Sapper has a significant vertical range in addition to its horizontal range. In many instances, you may be able to sap a building from well below or above it, allowing you to confuse its Engineer. This method may also permit you to more safely retreat from the scene of the crime if your sabotage efforts are interrupted.
+
* If you backstab the target of a Medic, you will become the new heal target. This is best applied when the Medic is not watching his target, as the Medic may notice a player disappearing when you backstab an enemy.
 +
** Due to the instant disguise, you can backstab enemy players while being Übercharged without stopping the Übercharge, unlike any other knife.
  
*Spies can destroy their own Sappers with the console command "destroy 4" (0-3 correspond to Engineer buildings). In most situations this is an undesirable and counterproductive tactic; but it can be useful for drawing an Engineer away from his nest, particularly now that Spies can take enemy Teleporters. It can also be used to refill your Cloak bar by picking up broken Electro Sapper parts.
+
* Be aware that weapons will not disappear when you kill an enemy. Now that you cannot pick up weapons (except from your own class), you still leave visible evidence that a player was killed at the spot where you stabbed them. That said, a stray Rocket Launcher or Syringe Gun is probably not going to raise much initial suspicion, but if players keep running into each other and disappearing, then they can gather what's up.
  
*The [[Homewrecker]] allows Pyros to remove Electro Sappers from Engineer buildings. This, combined with their [[Flamethrower]]'s [[Spy-checking]] ability, will make your job '''much''' harder. Therefore, it is '''strongly''' advised to eliminate these [[Pyros]] before attempting to sap buildings.
+
* In situations with many enemies, such as a group of players pushing the Payload or capping the Control Point, the Your Eternal Reward can significantly decrease your chances of being spotted due to the Silent Killer attribute making any kills less noticeable.
  
*When sneaking up on an Engineer using the [[Wrangler]], stab first, then sap. Killing the Engineer will cause his Sentry Gun to become disabled for a few precious seconds, which will be more than enough time to place an Electro Sapper.
+
==== [[Conniver's Kunai]] ====
 +
{| class="wikitable grid" width="100%" style="text-align: center;"
 +
! class="header" width="20%" rowspan=2 | Weapon
 +
! class="header" width="20%" rowspan=2 | Kill icon
 +
! class="header" width="20%" rowspan=2 | Attack interval
 +
! class="header" width="27%" colspan=2 | Damage
 +
! class="header" width="13%" colspan=1 | Healing
 +
|-
 +
! class="header" width="13%" | Point blank
 +
! class="header" width="13%" | Critical
 +
! class="header" width="13%" | From backstab
 +
|-
 +
! rowspan="2" | {{Table icon|Conniver's Kunai|Promotional/Craft}}
 +
| {{Icon killicon|weapon=Conniver's Kunai}}
 +
| rowspan="2" | 0.8 seconds
 +
| rowspan="2" | 40 / {{tooltip|2× victim's current health|Backstab}}
 +
| rowspan="2" | 120 / {{tooltip|6× victim's current health|Backstab}}
 +
| rowspan="2" | Target's current health, minimum 75 health and capping at 210
 +
|-
 +
| {{Icon killicon|weapon=Backstab}}
 +
|-
 +
|}
  
*It is possible to stab an Engineer, then quickly sap the Sentry Gun.  When attempting this, it is recommended that you circle strafe away from the sentry to gain more time to sap.
+
* The Conniver's Kunai decreases your overall Health to 70. However, backstabbing with the Conniver's Kunai will leech all of the victim's health and [[overheal]] you to a maximum of 210 health, which then decreases at 2 health per second.
  
=== [[Invisibility Watch]] ===
+
* This weapon is high-risk, high-reward. If you can backstab someone before you are detected your increased health will greatly improve the odds of survival. Fail, and you are likely a goner thanks to your reduced base health.
 +
** For this reason, amateur Spies are advised to refrain from using this weapon if they are still learning how to properly infiltrate the enemy team.
  
*[[Cloak]]ing is the Spy's special ability. Right clicking (by default) activates the Cloak, which renders the Spy fully invisible for enemy players. Players on the Spy's team can still see an outline around him. When cloaked, you can not use any of your weapons. Taking damage or running into an enemy will make the Spy flicker for a very brief period of time.
+
* The Conniver’s Kunai greatly rewards skilled players, as they can effectively cause massive havoc and damage thanks to the large health pool from backstabs which can also remove afterburn from Pyros, the Spy’s main counter.
  
Compared with the [[Dead Ringer]] and the [[Cloak and Dagger]], the [[Invisibility Watch]] uses the least amount of energy and allows the furthest amount of distance while invisible.
+
* With the Conniver's Kunai equipped, you will have to efficiently use your Cloak. Enemies can kill you much easier due to your reduced health. The [[Dead Ringer]] and [[Invis Watch]] are recommended over the [[Cloak and Dagger]].
  
*The Cloak is best used to get into an enemy base, where you should uncloak and continue being disguised. Cloaking takes 1 full second and uncloaking takes 3 during which you can be recognized by the enemy. Therefore, it is advisable to look for a safe and covered spot to uncloak. See the [[Cloak]] article for a more detailed explanation.
+
* Backstabbing a target will always grant you at least 75 health. Therefore, if you're in a bad situation: don't panic! Just backstab someone, and then use your now large health pool in order to escape.
  
*The margin of error with the Invisibility Watch is small given that you cannot feign your demise as with the Dead Ringer nor hide in plain sight as with the Cloak and Dagger. Plot your courses carefully; approach targets as if being spotted will result in instant death. If you have second thoughts, attempt to retreat and regroup. Throwing your life away at a lost cause not only leaves you waiting to respawn but also alerts the enemy to your potential targets and methods.
+
* Prime targets for the Kunai are Heavies and Soldiers. A backstab on one will fully overheal you, assuming they have taken little (if any) damage.
  
*Maintain movement to decrease the likelihood of being detected and cornered. Unlike the Cloak and Dagger, the standard Invisibility Watch only recharges when you are uncloaked or if you are able to procure ammo boxes, fallen weapons, or scrap metal from destroyed buildings. However, the Invisibility Watch does not drain as quickly as the Cloak and Dagger when moving, allowing you to maneuver from position to position quickly.
+
* Be aware that many weapons can kill you in one hit while you are at 70 health. Choose your initial targets carefully to ensure that you don't die before gaining any overheal via backstabbing. A successful backstab will keep you in the fight much longer than other Spies.
  
*When detected, attempt to feign the direction in which you will retreat. If you run toward an exit while cloaking followed immediately by moving in another direction when fully invisible, the enemy is likely to pursue you along the path you appeared to use.
+
* Be careful when you exit your spawn room or turn corners — one stray rocket, grenade, or other attack can easily kill you.
  
*Grab metal where you can, when you can while cloaked. More observant enemies may detect an ammo box inexplicably disappearing but more often than not they will be too preoccupied to notice. This is especially the case when in the midst of a firefight. Even if the enemy does notice, so long as you remained invisible, their efforts to track you down will either be fruitless or divert critical attention from mission objectives.
+
* You can be a bit quicker to getting behind enemies and stabbing them, because even if you begin to take damage from another source, you can out-heal it with a backstab.
  
*A quick foot and knowledge of a map's layout can be used to get from one end of a map to the other, speedily and invisibly. Take note of shortcuts and ammo box locations as you explore a map, and use shortcuts to cut down your time even further.
+
* Remember that effects such as [[afterburn]] and [[bleed]] can be instantly negated by a successful backstab (or alternatively by picking up a medkit, as it normally would).
  
*Among the Spy's three watches, the Invisibility Watch creates the least amount of noise when decloaking. However, you will be heard if you decloak directly behind an enemy, unless you are wearing the [[The Saharan Spy|The Sarahan Spy set]].
+
* It is generally a bad idea to use your Revolver in a 1 on 1 confrontation with an enemy. Due to your low health, you will likely not survive. If you run out of overheal often, try using the Ambassador, where you can deal better damage safely at a distance.
  
=== [[Cloak and Dagger]] ===
+
* The [[Dead Ringer]] gives you vastly improved survivability, so it helps to make up for the decreased health of the Kunai. For maximum effect, try to keep the Dead Ringer out at all times. After use, try to find a secluded spot to recharge, or you may be caught undefended.
  
*The Cloak and Dagger's Cloak time while moving is shorter than the Invisibility Watch.
+
* Try to avoid this weapon on [[Arena]] maps, as you and your enemies will not respawn, leaving you extremely vulnerable unless you can consistently backstab enemies and avoid being caught without overheal.
  
*Despite being less focused on movement, the Cloak and Dagger can be preferable to take on maps with not enough ammo boxes to get you past a large enemy front, such as if the enemy team has the center of [[Turbine]].
+
==== [[Big Earner]] ====
 +
{| class="wikitable grid" width="100%" style="text-align: center;"
 +
! class="header" width="20%" rowspan=2 | Weapon
 +
! class="header" width="20%" rowspan=2 | Kill icon
 +
! class="header" width="20%" rowspan=2 | Attack interval
 +
! class="header" width="40%" colspan=2 | Damage
 +
|-
 +
! class="header" width="20%" | Point blank
 +
! class="header" width="20%" | Critical
 +
|-
 +
! rowspan="2" | {{Table icon|Big Earner|Craft}}
 +
| {{Icon killicon|weapon=Big Earner}}
 +
| rowspan="2" | 0.8 seconds
 +
| rowspan="2" | 40 / {{tooltip|2× victim's current health|Backstab}}
 +
| rowspan="2" | 120 / {{tooltip|6× victim's current health|Backstab}}
 +
|-
 +
| {{Icon killicon|weapon=Backstab}}
 +
|-
 +
|}
  
*The Cloak drain is based on how fast you are moving, however, it is capped at the Spy's normal walking speed, so moving any faster than that will not increase the drain rate. Though it is still not advisable to fall from great heights.
+
* The Big Earner reduces your overall health to 100, but grants a 30% Cloak refill for any watch and a 3 second speed boost upon a melee kill.
  
*You cannot pick up ammo boxes to replenish your Cloak. Be sure to take this into account when attempting to infiltrate the enemy base.
+
* The Big Earner focuses on speed and staying out of sight. The speed boost and Cloak refill upon a melee kill allows you to quickly stab an enemy to death, then cloak and escape with the speed boost.
  
*While it is possible to remain cloaked and sneak into the enemy Intelligence room, it is VERY slow and requires a lot of patience.
+
* The Big Earner will generally allow for easier escapes due to you getting your Cloak back in exchange for riskier assaults, as you lose 25 base health.
  
*With the Cloak and Dagger Spies can safely report important information to their team, such as the locations of Enemy Sentry Guns or Offensive Pushes, with a much lower risk of getting caught.
+
* Consider using the Dead Ringer or Invis Watch over the Cloak and Dagger in conjunction with the Big Earner. As you have reduced health, your survival may depend on the use of cloaking.
 +
** The Big Earner's ability to regain Cloak faster and the Dead Ringer's survival ability can negate the health loss caused by the Big Earner by significantly reducing damage when activated.
  
*While it is recommended to stay out of high-traffic areas while recharging your Cloak, try to avoid the most obvious places. Don't hide in corners or crevices that have a good vantage point on the immediate area, as smart Pyros will regularly puff into these areas in order to flush out Spies. If possible, hide in an open area that is rarely traveled, as most enemies will never expect a Spy to hide out on the open.
+
* Both the Cloak and Dagger and the Dead Ringer cannot replenish their cloak whilst the Spy is invisible. The Big Earner mitigates this key downside of these watches.
  
*Standing on elevated terrain (such as on top of a crate, barrel, or rock formation) will prevent most enemies from inadvertently bumping into you, and give you a good vantage point, as well as a chance to run if you see an enemy approaching. It's also a fair defense against Pyros, since some don't Spy-check above eye level.
+
* Remember to pick up the ammo case that enemies drop after you kill them. The combination of the Big Earner and a dropped ammo box can nearly refill your Cloak entirely.
** If you can find a good vantage point where you can see incoming enemy troops, you can relay off what's coming in to alert your team to any problems thye may be confronted with. Remember though, you can still jump down and kill these targets should you need to.
 
  
*If you have been discovered by an enemy, it is often best to stop, duck, and wait for your Cloak to recharge, or for the enemy to leave. If you have been discovered by a Pyro, then you should try to evade.
+
* Note that non-backstab and taunt kills will still reward you with a 30% bonus to the charge on your Cloak (and a 3 second speed boost). If you're in a desperate situation or the enemy is low on health, try to stab any way you can if you need Cloak. If you do not need charge on your Cloak, it is generally a better idea to use your Revolver and shoot the enemy.
  
*Your Eternal Reward works well with this watch, as you will have to rely more heavily on Cloak without the power to disguise on command.
+
*The speed boost of the Big Earner greatly helps with trickstabbing and chainstabbing. A faster Spy means enemies will have less time to react and makes tracking his movement harder, allowing the Spy to more easily oustrafe and backstab them. It also allows the Spy to quickly cover distances that would be slower than using the other knives, allowing him to get to where he is going much more quicker.
  
=== [[Dead Ringer]] ===
+
* Although you have more base health than you would with the Conniver's Kunai, it's best to avoid arena maps with this weapon. Equip the Dead Ringer to prolong survival.
*The Dead Ringer makes a distinctive sound that lets all the enemies in the vicinity know that you are using the item. Try to uncloak in a safe location, then move in for the kill.
 
  
*To make feigned deaths appear more realistic, you can take fire for about a second, then pull out the Dead Ringer.
+
==== [[Spy-cicle]] + reskins ====
 +
{| class="wikitable grid" width="100%" style="text-align: center;"
 +
! class="header" width="20%" rowspan=2 | Weapon
 +
! class="header" width="20%" rowspan=2 | Kill icon
 +
! class="header" width="20%" rowspan=2 | Attack interval
 +
! class="header" width="40%" colspan=2 | Damage
 +
|-
 +
! class="header" width="20%" | Point blank
 +
! class="header" width="20%" | Critical
 +
|-
 +
! rowspan="2" | {{Table icon|Spy-cicle|Uncrate/Craft}}
 +
| {{Icon killicon|weapon=Spy-cicle}}
 +
| rowspan="2" | 0.8 seconds
 +
| rowspan="2" | 40 / {{tooltip|2× victim's current health|Backstab}}
 +
| rowspan="2" | 120 / {{tooltip|6× victim's current health|Backstab}}
 +
|-
 +
| {{Icon killicon|weapon=Backstab}}
 +
|-
 +
|}
  
*While cloaked with the Dead Ringer, you take 90% less damage, and you do not flicker from enemy shots. Use this to your advantage when crossing chokepoints with a large amount of enemy fire.
+
* The Spy-cicle causes any backstabbed players to leave a frozen ragdoll. Upon any contact with flames, the knife provides one second of fire immunity and a 10-second immunity to afterburn, but requires a fifteen-second recharge period before it can be used again.
 +
**Recently backstabbed players from the Spy-cicle stand upright for up to 10 seconds. After that time, these frozen corpses will fall down. It takes over 30 seconds for these corpses to automatically disappear.
  
*You can recharge your Cloak with ammo, even while cloaked. However, be warned that after 5 seconds (the normal time you would uncloak if you hadn't picked up any ammo) you no longer have damage reduction.
+
* This knife leaves a unique corpse not unlike the [[Saxxy]]; as a result, it alerts anyone finding the body to your presence, requiring the player to employ hit-and-run tactics to remain undetected.
  
*Remember, with the Dead Ringer, you can't Cloak on demand.  When possible, take the high road in maps such as Pipeline and ease into enemy territory. A fairly safe choice of disguise when doing this is disguising yourself as an enemy Spy because Spies are expected to infiltrate enemy territory.  To the naive team, you will appear as a Spy that is coming back to resupply.
+
* Use the Spy-cicle only when there are Pyros on the enemy team, especially if they are competent and paranoid. Otherwise it is simply a stock knife that turns people into statues upon a backstab, which will very well alert enemies to your presence.
  
*The Dead Ringer is most effective when the enemy is very close by. When the game boils down to the last control point and the enemy is in your base, the Dead Ringer can be a better alternative than the Cloak and Dagger.
+
* Be aware that once Pyros notice you are using the Spy-cicle, they may begin to follow you for an extended period of time to ensure your death.
  
*A decoy tactic would be to use the Dead Ringer in combination with the Disguise Kit to fake the enemy Snipers into thinking you are a Sniper and wasting their headshots on you rather than your team's Snipers.  You don't die from headshots, so simply resupply after being shot (it's easy to do on 2Fort). Likewise, disguising as a friendly Heavy or other offensive class at the start-up gates and being on the front-lines ensures that not only do you take the initial hit that would likely kill a teammate, but you get a believable way to Cloak past the front lines. Make sure to yell battle cries to further authenticate your disguise as well before the gates open.
+
* If you are disguised or cloaked and a Pyro Spy checks you, be aware that you'll be instantly extinguished, a crackling sound will be emitted, and while you will be immune to fire for one second, you will still exclaim that you're on fire, so it's unlikely you will be ignored. Use the 10 seconds of afterburn immunity to put some distance between you and the Pyro, and the rest of his team.
  
*A useful tactic for using the Dead Ringer is to equip it during the beginning of Payload maps. This allows you to run through enemy defenses relatively easily, and the initial chaos might help cover the distinctive ring. It also helps your team by getting rid of sticky bombs at the door, as most Demomen will blow the stickies at the first sight of an enemy.
+
* Since any contact with fire renders your knife temporarily useless, you may have to rely on your Revolver to defend yourself. Consider picking a gun that doesn't suffer from a damage decrease. For instance, the [[L'Etranger]] is a poor self-defense option since it has a damage penalty and its cloak bonus is rendered almost useless if a Pyro actively engages you.
 +
** However, you can pick up ammo in order to make your Spy-cicle recharge quicker; thus, if you can collect enough ammo and/or wait until it charges, you may not need to worry about it.
 +
** The [[Enforcer]] is a good choice with this knife; if you are disguised, the Enforcer will deal increased damage compared to the other revolvers, making it somewhat easier to kill your targets. The slowed firing speed is counteracted by the damage bonus and the resistance piercing capability.
  
*The Dead Ringer comes with its own unique style of terror, as you can tell when your teammates spot a Dead Ringer they tend to warn others that there is a Dead Ringer. This can be useful to both your team as well as yourself, allowing for you to cause several wild goose chases. The more confused your enemy is the easier it is to uncloak, however this does tend to bring more Spy checkers into the game, so switching between Dead Ringer and Cloak and Dagger is a good idea.  
+
* Note that any Heavies equipping the [[Huo-Long Heater]] are still vulnerable to backstabs when using the Spy-cicle. You can simply jump over the ring of fire and stab the Heavy before you land.
  
*The Dead Ringer can be held up when capturing a point, carrying enemy Intelligence, or pushing a cart on Payload map, making it a relatively safe method for doing so, especially in combination with friendly unit disguises. If you are hit by enemy fire that causes the Cloak to activate, however, you will drop the Intelligence/cease to capture the point until you uncloak again.
+
=== PDA Slot ===
 +
==== [[Disguise Kit]] ====
 +
{| class="wikitable grid" width="100%" style="text-align: center;"
 +
! class="header" width="17%" rowspan=2 | Weapon
 +
! class="header" width="17%" colspan=2 | Ammo
 +
! class="header" width="50%" colspan=4 | Damage
 +
|-
 +
! class="header" width="8%" | Loaded
 +
! class="header" width="8%" | Carried
 +
! class="header" width="13%" | Point blank
 +
! class="header" width="13%" | Medium range
 +
! class="header" width="13%" | Long range
 +
! class="header" width="13%" | Critical
 +
|-
 +
! {{Table icon|Disguise Kit|Stock}}
 +
| N/A
 +
| N/A
 +
| N/A
 +
| N/A
 +
| N/A
 +
| N/A
 +
|}
  
*A fairly effective tactic is to use ammo boxes to your advantage and constantly Cloak and uncloak while picking up ammo boxes, so as to replenish your Cloak. Since the Dead Ringer removes 90% of damage taken, this tactic can be used for an incredibly  long time. However, with a recent patch, the Dead Ringer cannot be fully recharged with a Large Ammo Box.
+
* The [[Disguise Kit]] is the Spy's major infiltration tool. Most of your time spent disguised will be done pretending to be an enemy. Each plays differently when trying to blend in.
: Also, once the Dead Ringer's initial Cloak duration (approximately 5 seconds) is up, you will no longer benefit from the 90% damage reduction, nor the 'flicker-less' Cloak effects.
 
  
*When on fire, don't immediately pull out the Dead Ringer. Unless you were at extremely low health, an immediate death due to fire will look suspicious. It is much more effective to escape the Pyro and Cloak while out of its view. Simply turn a corner or jump off a ledge to escape, then use the Dead Ringer to make your "death" look more authentic.
+
===== Enemy disguises =====
 +
{|class="wikitable grid" width="100%"
 +
!class="header"|Class
 +
!class="header"|Speed
 +
!class="header"|Stature
 +
!class="header"|Beliveability
 +
!class="header"|Element of surprise
 +
!class="header"|Overall usefulness/Notes
 +
|-
 +
!style="text-align:center"|{{class link|Scout}}
 +
|style="text-align:center"|{{#expr:{{Metrics/Speed|C=spy|D=scout}}/300*100 round 2}}% '''({{#expr:({{Metrics/Speed|C=scout}}-{{Metrics/Speed|C=spy|D=scout}})/300*100 round 2}}% too slow)'''
 +
|'''Short and skinny.''' The Scout has a very small posture, making it rather useful for hiding. In addition, it can fool Snipers into shooting too low, as a Scout's head is in the same place as the Spy's torso.
 +
|'''Low.''' A Spy disguised as a Scout will be moving noticeably too slow and cannot [[Jumping#Double jump|double jump]] (although repetitively jumping can increase believeability), which are both immediately suspicious. As Scouts tend to wander alone, however, it can remain viable for quick glances at long distances. If disguised as a Scout with the Baby Face’s Blaster, it can be somewhat more viable due to the reduced base speed and jump penalties.
 +
|'''Medium.''' Players may not expect Scout disguises simply because of their low believability.
 +
|'''Situational.''' All things considered, 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 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. The Scout disguise also is one of the disguises that does not inhibit Spy's natural speed, which can give the advantage of getting a important pick quicker.
 +
|-
 +
!style="text-align:center"|{{class link|Soldier}}
 +
|style="text-align:center"|{{#expr:{{Metrics/Speed|C=spy|D=soldier}}/300*100 round 2}}%
 +
|'''Normal.''' Soldiers tend to have large weapons, making them less-than-suitable for hiding.
 +
|'''Medium.''' It is not uncommon to find a Soldier wandering alone, especially if he is walking backwards reloading his weapon. However, a lack of rocket jumping and suppressive fire may become suspicious if you remain amongst the enemy team for too long.
 +
|'''High.''' With a large movement speed penalty that makes it difficult to catch up to backstab targets, most players do not expect Soldier disguises.
 +
|'''Situational.''' As a Soldier, 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 will not be able to catch up to him without losing your disguise. On the other hand, successfully pretending to retreat from battle might result in an enemy Medic healing or ÜberCharging you. Try not to have your disguise weapon as the [[Equalizer]] or the [[Escape Plan]], as their (lack of) effects will give you away very quickly, especially if an enemy Medic starts healing you.
 +
|-
 +
!style="text-align:center"|{{class link|Pyro}}
 +
|style="text-align:center"|{{#expr:{{Metrics/Speed|C=spy|D=pyro}}/300*100 round 2}}%
 +
|'''Normal.''' If you are trying to hide, switch to a secondary or melee weapon, as all {{botignore|flamethrowers}} have long weapon models and can sometimes be seen through walls or props, and make a constant hissing noise when held.
 +
|'''Medium.''' Pyros aren't expected to attack until they get close to others, and they commonly patrol their own bases, making it easier to get in and out of enemy areas. However, Pyros are easy to Spy-check and are expected to constantly engage in Spy-checking, so enemies may attack you once they realize you are not doing so. The Pyro disguise's fake Shotgun reload is arguably tied with the Engineer's for being the best in the game.
 +
|'''Low.''' As a class with 100% move speed, no need to reload primary weapons, and reasons to hide among teammates and near [[Sentry Gun]]s, Pyros are well-known to be a common choice of disguise.
 +
|'''Common.''' Pyro is more often than not a good choice of disguise, despite its flaws.
 +
|-
 +
!style="text-align:center"|{{class link|Demoman}}
 +
|style="text-align:center"|{{#expr:{{Metrics/Speed|C=spy|D=demoman}}/300*100 round 2}}%
 +
|'''Normal.''' The disguise has average body and weapon size, and is therefore good for quick glances. However, be aware that holding a sword significantly increases a Demoman's visual footprint vertically, which can be a problem if you end up disguising as a Demoknight.
 +
|'''Medium.''' Demomen have reasons to hang around their own team's base, waiting for enemies to trip their traps. However, they are generally expected to constantly use their weapons, and if no stickybombs are visible and your disguise does not include a shield, you will easily be discovered as a fraud. Both fake reloads are moderately believable.
 +
|'''Low.''' Similar to the Soldier disguise with a lesser speed penalty and more reason to be idle on his team's side of the field, a Demoman disguise is generally unsurprising.
 +
|'''Common.''' The Demoman disguise is very average; while it is a convenient excuse to hover around the enemy stronghold, enemies are generally not fooled if you stay in one location for too long.
 +
|-
 +
!style="text-align:center"|{{class link|Heavy}}
 +
|style="text-align:center"|{{#expr:{{Metrics/Speed|C=spy|D=heavy}}/300*100 round 2}}%
 +
|'''Tall and wide.''' Heavies have big bodies and big weapons, making it hard to hide as one.
 +
|'''Medium.''' The Heavy's primary weapon is not usually fired on a whim, due to its spin up and spin down times and reducing the Heavy's speed while spun up; therefore, an enemy Medic will not immediately Spy-check you just because you're not shooting. However, he may instead expect you to switch to your secondary weapon, which can be a problem, especially as switching back to your primary will show a different amount of ammo to him.
 +
|'''High.''' Because of its severely reduced movement speed, hindering a Spy's ability to move around the map and chase enemies for stabs, a Heavy disguise is rare. As a result, many players won't expect it, and can be good for getting enemy Medics to heal or possibly even ÜberCharge you regardless of your health.
 +
|'''Situational.''' 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.
 +
|-
 +
!style="text-align:center"|{{class link|Engineer}}
 +
|style="text-align:center"|{{#expr:{{Metrics/Speed|C=spy|D=engineer}}/300*100 round 2}}%
 +
|'''Short.''' A few {{botignore|shotguns}} aside, Engineers have small weapons and can hide quite easily.
 +
|'''Medium.''' Engineers have reason to hang around their team's buildings without attacking much, though they can come under suspicion if they are seen not swinging their {{botignore|wrench}} for a while, if they don't have any buildings constructed, or if they're hanging around a different Engineer's buildings for no apparent reason. The Engineer disguise's fake Shotgun reload is arguably tied with the Pyro's for being the best in the game.
 +
|'''Low.''' It does not take long for even the newest of players to learn that Engineers are a common choice of disguise.
 +
|'''Common.''' Engineers are rarely seen outside of their base unless they have the Gunslinger equipped, so be aware of which melee weapon your disguise has. Also be aware of your disguise's secondary weapon, as while the Pistol and Short Circuit are viable for Engineers to be wandering around with, the Wrangler is not, and holding it without a Sentry Gun following along is highly suspicuous.
 +
|-
 +
!style="text-align:center"|{{class link|Medic}}
 +
|style="text-align:center"|{{#expr:{{Metrics/Speed|C=spy|D=medic}}/300*100 round 2}}%
 +
|'''Tall.''' The Medic disguise is poor at hiding due to his height and lab coat.
 +
|'''Low.''' 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. The Medic disguise does have a rather good fake reload.
 +
|'''High.''' Given all its disadvantages, most players will not expect a Medic disguise.
 +
|'''Situational.''' Though its believability is very poor, if an enemy does get fooled, it should be quite easy to punish them for it. One method is to lure enemies into thinking they can get healed by you, and then you may dispatch them any way you like (preferably by a backstab, though if they are badly wounded, simply shoot them). 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.
 +
|-
 +
!style="text-align:center"|{{class link|Sniper}}
 +
|style="text-align:center"|{{#expr:{{Metrics/Speed|C=spy|D=sniper}}/300*100 round 2}}%
 +
|'''Tall and skinny.''' Most of the Sniper's rifles have long models, necessitating switching to something else if you wish to hide.
 +
|'''High.''' It is not suspicious for Snipers to stay within their base or at a sniping spot 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.
 +
|'''Low.''' With Snipers being the stereotypical Spy bait, most players will not be at all surprised to find that a Sniper is a Spy.
 +
|'''Common.''' If you plan to lurk around sniping spots while visible, beware if the enemy team has a Sniper — odds are they will be headed to the same sniping spots as you are, which increases the chance of running into the one enemy who will instantly know you're a Spy. Also be aware of enemies attempting to light your arrow if your disguise is holding the [[Huntsman]].
 +
|-
 +
!style="text-align:center"|{{class link|Spy}}
 +
|style="text-align:center"|{{#expr:{{Metrics/Speed|C=spy|D=spy}}/300*100 round 2}}%
 +
|'''Tall and skinny.''' The only disguise for which the visible model matches your own hidden model.
 +
|'''High.''' With a good fake reload, and no other actions available without breaking disguise (aside from sapping), there are no reasons to doubt a Spy disguise aside from his behavior. However as Spies are generally meant to be disguised on the enemy team, enemies may get suspicious if they only see you lingering around the base for a long time.
 +
|'''Medium.''' The believability of the Spy disguise primarily relies on the habits of your enemies; many players instinctively fire at all Spies, even friendly ones, while others may not even consider a Spy disguise to be a threat.
 +
|'''Uncommon.''' The Spy disguise 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. Upon choosing the Spy class from the Disguise Kit, a random disguise will be applied to the Spy.
 +
|}
  
*When you're [[bleed]]ing with the Dead Ringer active, you won't flicker from the damage. However, the bleeding effect will still show, revealing your location to enemies.
+
===== 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 that 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 disguise class, so you can draw Sniper fire with some disguises with a reduced risk of taking a headshot; however, a full-charged bodyshot will still take you down if you aren't [[overheal]]ed or using the Dead Ringer to feign death. Friendly disguises, particularly Medic and Sniper, are good for baiting, as many enemies will not expect a friendly disguise. Use this bait to prepare for a stab, shoot the target with your secondary weapon, or lead enemies into teammates or Sentry Guns. These tricks can be used more safely and repeatedly with the Dead Ringer, as you can fake friendly deaths.
  
*The Dead Ringer can be helpful for dealing with Soldiers. Smart Soldiers will constantly [[Spy check]] suspicious team mates by firing two well placed rockets at them. Since it only takes two rockets to kill you, this can make playing as Spy difficult. Because of this the Dead Ringer can be a life saver against teams with a lot of Soldiers.  
+
=== PDA2 slot ===
 +
==== [[Invis Watch]] + reskins ====
 +
{| class="wikitable grid" width="100%" style="text-align: center;"
 +
! class="header" width="17%" rowspan=2 | Weapon
 +
! class="header" width="83%" colspan=5 | Cloak
 +
|-
 +
! class="header" width "17%" | Cloak type
 +
! class="header" width "17%" | Duration
 +
! class="header" width "17%" | Activation time
 +
! class="header" width "17%" | Deactivation time
 +
! class="header" width "17%" | Recharge
 +
|-
 +
! {{Table icon|Invis Watch|Stock}}
 +
| rowspan="3" | Standard Recharge
 +
| rowspan="3" | 9 seconds
 +
| rowspan="3" | 1 second
 +
| rowspan="3" | 1.8 seconds
 +
| rowspan="3" | 30 seconds
 +
|-
 +
! {{Table icon|Enthusiast's Timepiece|Promotional}}
 +
|-
 +
! {{Table icon|Quackenbirdt|Promotional}}
 +
|-
 +
|}
  
*If you are waiting for your foe to come to you, or are otherwise out in the open and undisguised, keep the Dead Ringer active. An enemy Spy may attempt to kill you with his own [[backstab]], and thus you'll have baited him out of hiding for a few moments, and may even catch a glimpse of his next disguise.
+
* [[Cloak]]ing is an ability exclusive to the Spy, which renders him fully invisible to enemy players. Your teammates will still be able to see you, albeit faintly. While cloaked, you cannot use any weapons, but you can still switch weapons and disguise. Taking damage or running into an enemy will make you flicker for a brief period of time.
  
*Using the Dead Ringer will always cost you at least 60% of its charge, regardless of whether you de-activate it before that amount of charge is used. As such, you should maximize the time the Dead Ringer grants you, rather than simply flicking it on and off.
+
* When your Invis Watch runs out, you will automatically uncloak, revealing yourself. While you are cloaked, pick up ammo packs to recharge your watch.
  
*When using the Dead Ringer, if you choose to not take the high or back roads it is better to disguise as another friendly class rather than an enemy, as the other team will become suspicious if they see a disguised Spy running straight towards the front line.
+
* The Invis Watch is most useful on offence when there are ammunition sources available.
  
*When you are at full health, only activate the Dead Ringer if an enemy is after you and firing at you. If he shoots you once without you cloaking, and then shoots you a second time and sees you die, they'll be more convinced that you are actually dead.
+
* When compared to the other watches, the Invis Watch allows for the farthest distance traveled while invisible.
  
*If you have equipped the Saharan Spy pack, the Dead Ringer's loud uncloaking sound is replaced with the uncloaking sound (at a lower volume) used for the other cloaks. This makes it extremely useful in both getting through fortifications and obtaining stealth kills with the Eternal Reward.
+
* Cloaking can be pivotal when attempting to infiltrate an enemy base. Be aware that cloaking will take 1 full second while uncloaking will take a little over 2 seconds, during which you can be recognized by the enemy, even if you are disguised, but cannot attack or use your [[Sapper]]. Therefore, you should attempt to look for a safe, hidden spot to uncloak.
  
*If you stay cloaked too long with the Dead Ringer (such as standing on an enemy Dispenser and charge while staying cloaked) then the enemies will be able to see you if they bump into you.
+
* Plot your course and approach targets carefully — being spotted may result in a quick death, as you cannot feign a death, as with the Dead Ringer, or hide in one spot until an opportunity arises, as with the Cloak and Dagger.
 +
** Always try to move while you are using the Invis Watch. You will only regain Cloak if you are not cloaked or if you pick up ammo boxes or remains of destroyed Engineer buildings. However, the Invis Watch lasts longer than the alternative watches.
  
*Having the Dead Ringer activate while you're in the middle of disguising will cause you to emit smoke while you're invisible. If you backstab and immediately flee, keep the Dead Ringer out as a shield, then disguise ''after'' it is activated by damage.
+
* If you know an enemy has seen you Cloak, head in one direction while you are partially visible, and when you are fully invisible, change your path. The enemy will likely believe you are going the same direction you were while visible, and will continue down that way, allowing for your escape or even counterattack.
  
===Saharan Spy Set===
+
* Do not rely on the Invis Watch's natural recharge, as it takes about twice as long compared to the other watches.
*The uncloak volume reduction this set grants you is invaluable when using the Dead Ringer; its main problem of people detecting you upon uncloaking is nullified, and as such it is entirely possible to backstab targets who just triggered your Cloak by uncloaking directly behind them.
 
  
*However, with the normal Invisibility Watch or the Cloak and Dagger, bumping into people or running out of Cloak will cause your silhouette to flicker for a lot longer, revealing you much more easily. As such, it is inadvisable to use these unless it is a situation where the Dead Ringer cannot be used effectively.
+
* Grab dropped metal whenever you can while cloaked. Some enemies will notice an ammo box disappearing for seemingly no reason, but even if they do (and realize it was a cloaked Spy who took it), you should be able to escape, if you remain invisible for long enough. If they do still try to chase you, their efforts will likely only divert their attention from the game objective.
  
*Remember that even if you can uncloak silently, trying to stab and steal someone's disguise in an area guarded with Sentry Guns is not recommended unless you already have a disguise. This makes using the Dead Ringer to proceed behind enemy lines a lot more risky, as if you uncloak in a hostile area there will be no escape.
+
* Hiding near an enemy Dispenser of any level will maintain or lengthen your Cloak's charge if you are disguised. This will give you as much time as you need to wait to strike an Engineer's sentry nest, whether you need the Engineer to leave or you are waiting for your team to make a push in.
 +
**Take caution if the Dispenser is near the battle, enemies may often stay nearby to restock and refill on health and ammo, which may risk them bumping into you and giving away your disguise. Unless it is an absolute emergency, stay away from such Dispensers if possible.
  
*If an enemy sees you undisguised with the Familiar Fez equipped, they may assume you are using the Dead Ringer or Your Eternal Reward. Try to minimize the amount of time you are undisguised behind enemy lines.
+
* Knowledge of a map's layout, especially locations of ammo boxes, will prove very useful for crossing the map quickly while invisible. Take note of shortcuts and the locations of ammo boxes as you learn a map.
  
*When using the Dead Ringer in conjunction with the Saharan Spy Set an easy way to get behind enemy lines is take fall damage to activate the Dead Ringer, then move from ammo box to ammo box until a suitable backstab target can be found.  This way, the enemy is unaware of your presence until you achieve the first backstab.
+
* All the watches make a distinct noise when decloaking, and will make your presence known if you decloak right behind someone if things are otherwise quiet. If you must decloak that close, try to do so in tandem with other sounds, like someone else's gunfire, to mask your noise and remain undetected when you appear.
  
*When approaching a group of targets from behind, try to stab a faster moving class such as a Pyro, Demoman, Medic, or Sniper first.  This will allow you to run up to the slower moving classes more easily than if you started by stabbing a Soldier or Heavy first.
+
* After Gun Mettle update, all watches received 20% protection against all incoming damage. For example, a sting from afterburn from Flame Thrower would do 3 damage/0.5s, but with cloak activated, you only receive 2 damage/0.5s. Use it to your advantage.
 +
** Also after Gun Mettle update, when you're cloaked, the debuffs last slightly shorter, so fire/Jarate/bleeding/Mad Milk will last slightly shorter, so if you get set on fire or start bleeding, if enemies are not likely to notice/engage you, it may be a better idea to cloak so that you take less damage.
  
*Just because you can not disguise without getting a backstab does not mean you are incapable of taking out a Sentry Gun.  Approach the sentry while cloaked, and uncloak directly behind the sentry while holding down Mouse1 with the Electro Sapper out.  The sentry will not lock on to you until you are completely decloaked, at which time the Electro Sapper will be placed. This tactic is extremely difficult if enemies are around.
+
==== [[Cloak and Dagger]] ====
 +
{| class="wikitable grid" width="100%" style="text-align: center;"
 +
! class="header" width="17%" rowspan=2 | Weapon
 +
! class="header" width="83%" colspan=5 | Cloak
 +
|-
 +
! class="header" width "17%" | Cloak type
 +
! class="header" width "17%" | Duration
 +
! class="header" width "17%" | Activation time
 +
! class="header" width "17%" | Deactivation time
 +
! class="header" width "17%" | Recharge
 +
|-
 +
! {{Table icon|Cloak and Dagger|Unlock}}
 +
| Motion Sensitive
 +
| 6.2 seconds
 +
| 1 second
 +
| 2.2 seconds
 +
| 15 seconds
 +
|-
 +
|}
  
==[[Sentry Gun]]s==
+
* The length of time the Cloak and Dagger lasts, while constantly running, is shorter than the Invis Watch.
*A [[sap]]ped Sentry Gun cannot fire. If the [[Engineer]] is standing next to them, you have several options:
+
** This time can be elongated through crouch walking. If you stand still or uncloak, your watch will regenerate to 6.2 seconds of cloaking time. Even though you can extend the Cloak and Dagger's length through picking up ammo sources (or standing next to a Dispenser) of any kind, they provide 35% less cloak than when picked up with the default [[Invis Watch]].
**Sap the Sentry Gun and then run out of the room with the [[Intelligence]] or try and cap a fast-capping/partially capped point. Remember, if you accidentally touch the Intelligence while disguised, you will lose your disguise, and the Sentry Gun will attack you.
 
**Sap the Sentry Gun and stab the Engineer if he goes to repair it. If he is already in position and repairing the Sentry Gun, the Electro Sapper will be removed before you can switch to the Knife and [[backstab]]. If he is out of position, you will have time to make the attempt. If he is in position and is repairing the Sentry Gun, all you can do is run for it, or keep putting new Sappers on the Sentry Gun. He will keep removing them as you place new Sappers, but it takes a long time to destroy a Sentry Gun this way.  You will almost certainly be spotted by a teammate of the Engineer and be killed without destroying the Sentry Gun.
 
** Your [[Revolver]] can destroy Sentry Guns at long range well due to no damage falloff against buildings. Firing at a Dispenser first is the key to succeeding; once it's down, fire at the Sentry Gun. With your Cloak you can move around and try shooting from different angles; try to find hiding spots where no one notices you firing. When an Engineer first deploys a building, it's vulnerable to damage. One or two Revolver shots will take it down quickly before the Engineer has time to set it up. Note that Sapping the Sentry Gun and then immediately unloading your Revolver into it worked well until the [[December 20, 2007 Patch]], which reduced the Spy's damage done to the Sentry Gun he sapped. Now the Sentry Gun does not go down - the Engineer has time to save it - and then the Sentry Gun will kill you. Your Revolver does more damage against buildings that aren't sapped, so if you find a lone Teleporter or Dispenser, and an Engineer isn't far off, shooting it without sapping it is the best course of action. However, when there are no Engineers near by, sapping a building and fleeing is the best way to avoid being spotted.
 
**In certain situations, a Sentry Gun may be built so close to the cap point that you can reach it while capping. In this instance, you can quickly sap the Sentry Gun, un[[disguise]], and resume sapping the Sentry Gun over and over. However, watch out for the Engineer breaking the capture with his body. Watch the [http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=mUMWs1AKx-E Spy Guide Part#2 Engineers: Section 2] by [ESG] Orca to see how it's done.
 
**Communicate with your teammates asking them to tell you via [[voice commands]] or [[voice chat]] when they need a Sentry Gun disabled, and then repeatedly sap the Sentry Gun.
 
**A Sentry Gun takes about a second to execute a full 180° rotation. If you are directly behind a Sentry Gun and the Engineer is close to and facing his Sentry Gun it is possible to take out the Engineer and then the Sentry Gun. It requires that you backstab and as soon as the Knife hits the Engineer use the quick switch key to change to your Electro Sapper and place one before the Sentry Gun locks on. Strafe ''with'' the Sentry Gun's rotation (remember that the Sentry Gun will attempt to rotate as little as possible to shoot its target) so that you will have more time to place your Electro Sapper. Note that due to lag, it is possible for the Sentry Gun to shoot you between the actual placement of the Electro Sapper and the Sentry Gun being shut down. A level 3 Sentry Gun will not always kill you immediately (although it has a good chance of doing so unless your reaction time is superb); however, it will still be sapped and most likely destroyed. Watch "[[How to play the Spy]]" for a demonstration.
 
**If the Sentry Gun and Dispenser are in such a position that you cannot reach the back of the Engineer for a backstab, try jumping on the Sentry Gun or Dispenser and sitting on the Engineer's head. This is an ideal spot as it is in your victim's blind spot and will allow you to backstab him from above (and apply the stab and sap trick above). However, if the Engineer is crouched and tries to stand or jump, they will be unable to do so and suspect a Spy. At that range, a Shotgun blast or two will kill you instantly. This trick also works well against a Heavy taking the role of a makeshift Sentry Gun.
 
**A difficult trick is to take advantage of the fact that Engineers take damage from the gunfire of their own Sentry Gun. Stand in a position where the Engineer is between his Sentry Gun and you, then uncloak. You will die, but hopefully so will the Engineer. This is useful if the Engineer is in a position where you simply cannot backstab him.
 
**A variation of this trick can be used against a common Engineer Sentry Gun/Dispenser setup. Some Engineers like to sandwich themselves between their Sentry Gun to the front and a Dispenser to the back. Disguise as a Pyro (as if you are helping the Engineer Spy-check) and walk up behind him, so the Dispenser is between you and the Engie. As quick as you can, fire a few rounds into the Engineer with the Revolver. Duck as soon as the Engineer dies from the combined damage of your Revolver and the Sentry Gun's fire. If done correctly, the Sentry Gun will lose you as you hide behind the Dispenser. Re-disguise, sap everything and leave. Watch the [http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=mUMWs1AKx-E Spy Guide Part#2 Engineers: Section 1] by [ESG] Orca for a demonstration of how this is done.
 
**A usually difficult technique is to stab a Sentry Gun to death.  It takes a bit of practice and won't work if there are enemies nearby to kill you.  Essentially you crouch on top of a Sentry Gun and strafe around it so it does not lock onto you - it keeps tracking, and you repeatedly stab it until it dies.  The reason this is difficult is because you have to time your strafing carefully to stop the Sentry Gun locking on; going too fast results in the Sentry Gun turning in the other direction and you not having time to react, and going too slow means it simply catches up to you.  You can also do this just circling the Sentry Gun, but you'll need a rather large mouse pad to pull that off.
 
**The Engineer's [[Wrangler]] weapon permits the Engineer to control his Sentry Gun entirely. Take '''extreme''' caution, as many Engineers will [[Spy-checking|Spy-check]] with this, and it will make sapping the Sentry Gun much harder. Killing the Engineer while he is using the Wrangler will give you a few crucial seconds to sap his Sentry Gun bullet-free.
 
*With [[Your Eternal Reward]], you can backstab someone in the range of the Sentry Gun including the Engineer behind it without being detected. Just remember that you need a disguise equipped before you can do this, otherwise the Sentry Gun will kill you as soon as you step in range uncloaked.
 
* A clever way for Spies to get rid of Engineers that build their Sentry Guns in front of them and their Dispensers behind, then camp between the two is to disguise/Cloak, stand behind the Dispenser and then undisguise/uncloak. the sentry will turn around on the Engineer, and shoot him to death. The Spy will be protected from rockets and bullets by the Dispenser, yet the Engineer will not.
 
  
==[[Dispensers]]==
+
* Although the Cloak and Dagger promotes laying in wait, it can be useful to travel through maps that lack enough ammo boxes to get you past a group of enemies, such as if the enemy controls the center of [[Turbine]].
  
*Keep an eye out for Dispensers once you infiltrate the enemy base. They will still heal you and you can use them while your Cloak is still active (when using the default [[Invisibility Watch]] or while cloaked with the [[Dead Ringer]]). In fact, all Dispensers above Level 1 can recharge your Cloak even while you're cloaked. Level 1 Dispensers don't recharge your Cloak but your Cloak won't drain, either. Instead, it'll stay at the same level, giving you time to plan your next actions. Level 2 Dispensers recharge it slowly and Level 3 recharge it much faster, so Dispensers can be crucial to your plan. Note that the healing beam CANNOT be seen when cloaked and when next to a Dispenser - but be sure to watch out for Engineers, as they will constantly run back to their Dispenser, possibly running into you and revealing you. To avoid the Engineer, jump on top of the Dispenser instead of standing beside it. Be careful though, as his teammates can still run through it and, if they do, reveal your location.
+
* Use of the Cloak and Dagger can fool a team to Spy-Check various hiding places while you escape.
*Note that on maps with narrow corridors, like 2Fort, Engineers may place superfluous Dispensers in locations that block your path. They also use these Dispensers to lure you into sapping them, thus alerting him and his team of your presence. If possible, take another route.
 
*When uncloaked, avoid standing on Dispensers. Because most players (except the Engineer who built the Dispenser) will clip through buildings, being spotted in this position will instantly ruin your disguise.
 
*If you have no other option, using a Scout disguise and crouching behind a Dispenser while uncloaking may minimize the odds the Engineer will spot you instantly. This can be useful in small, commonly camped areas.
 
  
==[[Teleporters]]==
+
* Learn the best hiding spots of the map you are playing, and the fastest routes to them.
* If you're disguised as an enemy and take one of your team's Teleporters, the glowing ring and trail effect will not show up. Using friendly Teleporters with friendly disguises will give you a ring and trail but these are removed when you next use an enemy disguise.
 
  
* Walking over an enemy Teleporter exit when someone uses it kills you, a term called telefragging.
+
* Use this watch when you need to time your attack, defend a chokepoint, or on maps with few ammunition boxes.
  
* When you find an exit Teleporter, watch it to see which way players come out. Then stand behind the Teleporter and wait. When the next player comes out, backstab him instantly. He should report this to his team, but he'll be dead for a bit, so you can risk waiting a little for a second Teleport and kill, or you can just sap the Teleporter and leave the area. This is called tele-camping, which is usually frowned upon by most TF2 players.
+
* The speed at which the Cloak and Dagger drains depends on how fast you are moving, but is capped at the Spy's normal walking speed (being launched by Stickybombs will not increase your drain rate, for example). Taking fall damage will still cause you to make sounds associated with falling.
  
* Due to the [[August 13, 2009 Patch]] whenever a teleport entrance or exit is sapped, the other automatically has an Electro Sapper placed on it as well, regardless of their distance from one another. However, the Engineer can now remove Sappers from both the entrance and the exit by using his Wrench on either. Although this makes it much harder for Spies to get cheap points by sapping Teleporter entrances outside the enemy spawn, a successful Electro Sapper on an active Teleporter will now give two points.
+
* While you can go further without having to wait to recharge if you crouch-walk, it is generally more efficient to run to a low-traffic area and recharge rather than slowly progressing with a crouch-walk.
  
* If you see enemy Teleporter entrances and exits in unusual places (often near their objectives), it could mean you are walking into an Engineer's trap - many Engineers place their Teleporters inside their base as an early warning system, hoping that you will be unable to resist sapping them and will thus alert the Engineer to your presence. (One way you can trick the Engineer in this scenario is by firing 2-3 Revolver shots at it, or if the Engineer is close by, hit it with your Knife as it is much quieter, but not enough to destroy it. Engineers will almost always expect a Spy to sap it if anything, so this may throw off the Engineer who built it)
+
* When using the Cloak and Dagger, you can report information to your team, such as Sentry Gun placement or when an enemy is pushing, with a much lower risk of being caught.
  
*As of the Sniper vs. Spy update, the Spy is now able to use enemy Teleporters. This can be useful for getting into well-defended Sentry Gun nests and/or nests that would otherwise be unreachable.
+
* Usually, a Spy wants to remain out of sight for when their Cloak runs out. However, this watch's indefinite Cloak allows you to hide anywhere, and most enemies will not expect you to hide out in the open.
 +
** Even though you can hide almost anywhere, for obvious reasons, avoid standing still in narrow hallways and chokepoints.
 +
** Standing on top of objects or rocks will prevent many enemies from bumping into you while you wait for them to go past or to recharge.
  
*If you can time it just right, it's possible to sap an enemy Teleporter entrance just as it teleports you. However, due to the [[August 13, 2009 Patch]] this is rather pointless as you can achieve the same effect by taking the teleport and then sapping the exit. However, it does allow you to harass the Engineer as he attempts to knock your Electro Sapper off.
+
* Because you can Cloak indefinitely while not moving, it can be useful to lead an enemy around a corner, {{botignore|cloak}} while out of sight, and then hide to the side. If the enemy is a Pyro, it may be better to simply run.
  
*If you are lucky, you may manage to [[telefrag]] an enemy upon taking an opposing Teleporter. While this normally applies to your own team's Teleporters as well if an enemy somehow stands on it without destroying it, the likelihood is higher as a Spy, as enemies may be clustered around the exit on the other side. In some cases, you may even be able to telefrag the enemy Engineer on the other side. However, be aware that telefragging will immediately alert the Engineer who built the Teleporter.
+
* Consider using the [[Your Eternal Reward]] with this watch, as the increased cloak drain rate does not affect your ability to stand still while cloaked.
  
*A clever Spy can sneak his way to the enemy's Teleporter entrance, sap it, and then stand on it, waiting for an Engineer on the exit side to knock off the Electro Sapper. Once the Electro Sapper has been knocked off the Spy will teleport to the other side, telefragging the Engineer if he is close enough, and is free to sap any buildings the Engineer has built. This is a risky but effective way of taking down forward bases built by one Engineer.
+
* Using this watch, you can assist teammates in destroying Sentry Guns hidden behind proximity-activated doors. If you {{botignore|cloak}} and stand near one of these doors, it will remain open while a teammate, such as a Soldier, can safely destroy the Sentry Gun from a distance; however, if an enemy sees the door open with no one being there, they'll probably check the area around the door, so be careful.
  
**However, the above strategy becomes obsolete if there are two Engineers babysitting their buildings in the same location. The second Engineer will no doubt see/hear his buddy trying to repair his Teleporter and dying. There is usually no way to fight the second Engineer without the Sentry Guns swiveling and shooting you dead once you uncloak/remove your disguise. Your best hope in this situation is to either run, or sap BOTH the Sentry Guns as fast as you can, while avoiding the Wrench. If you're VERY lucky, you'll be able to get both of them, and then deal with your hard-hatted assailant. Assuming he doesn't just repair the Sentry Guns or Shotgun you to death, you could also try the continuous sap strategy.
+
* The Cloak and Dagger can be used for 'Spy capping'. To Spy cap, sneak past enemy lines and wait, while cloaked, on a [[Control Point (objective)|Control Point]]. Once the Control Point is open, uncloak (making sure you are not disguised as an enemy), and capture the point, but be careful about enemies spotting you and ''especially'' watch out for Sentry Guns in range of the point, as they can and '''will''' gun you down with ease.
  
*Another way to deal with Teleporters is to simply sap the entrance, and then put another back on immediately after it gets knocked off, and repeating. As the Engineer cannot repair the Teleporter while it is being sapped, you can slowly wear down the entrance and take out both sides with little to no risk; this is one of the safer courses of action if the Engineer is smart enough to stand off of his exit and Wrench whoever comes through right after he knocks the Electro Sapper off. However, beware that this takes a long time, and in the case of spawns with only one exit, greatly increases the risk of an enemy seeing you and killing you. In this case, you can simply take out your Revolver and empty it into the entrance after sapping it, this will usually kill the entrance in most cases. If the Engineer is quick enough to knock off your Electro Sapper before you can destroy the entrance, simply place a second one on immediately and repeat, though repeatedly sapping will probably work better as your Revolver may be out of ammunition. This method is faster and reduces the risk of being discovered by the enemy in their spawn, but leaves you more vulnerable as you will not be disguised.
+
* Even though you can stay cloaked indefinitely, it doesn't mean you are being helpful to your team. Try to avoid staying cloaked in one location for too long, as you will end up being useless to your team in the long run.
  
*You can quickly kill Teleporters by sapping them and then shooting them a few times with your Revolver, though this will attract more attention.
+
* The [[L'Etranger]]'s 40% extra Cloak time and ability to add Cloak on hit will all but nullify the Cloak and Dagger's faster drain speed, so consider using both together.
  
*Hitting a teleporter with a Wrench will only remove Sappers from the other end if the end being hit has finished building. If you sap a teleport early in its build, the Engineer may not have enough time to save the other end even if they're able to remove the Electro Sapper.
+
*You can stay cloaked for an infinite amount of time provided you stay still. This means that you can simply observe enemy players, movement and most importantly, ÜberCharge meters. Communicate with your team and warn them of the incoming dangers, and notify them of the Medic’s ÜberCharge meter.
 +
**If the meter is full, you may have to simply rush in and backstab the Medic before he can deploy it. You will likely die trying to do so, but at least your team will have an easier time denying an enemy push.
  
==Infiltration==
+
==== [[Dead Ringer]] ====
*You can [[disguise]] as your own team by hitting the minus (-) sign (or the e key if you have the simple disguise menu enabled) at the top of the keyboard after bringing up the [[disguise]] interface. As a friendly non-Spy class, players on the other team are much less likely to alert each other to Spies entering the base if they see you. However, the best way to get in and out is to Cloak properly.
+
{| class="wikitable grid" width="100%" style="text-align: center;"
 +
! class="header" width="17%" rowspan=2 | Weapon
 +
! class="header" width="83%" colspan=5 | Cloak
 +
|-
 +
! class="header" width "17%"| Cloak type
 +
! class="header" width "17%"| Duration
 +
! class="header" width "17%"| Activation time
 +
! class="header" width "17%"| Deactivation time
 +
! class="header" width "17%"| Recharge
 +
|-
 +
! {{Table icon|Dead Ringer|Unlock}}
 +
| Feign Death
 +
| 6.5 sec
 +
| {{tooltip|0 sec|Instantanious}}
 +
| 1.8 sec
 +
| 16 sec
 +
|-
 +
|}
  
*While it may not seem immediately obvious to the Spy, as you slowly [[Cloak|decloak]] you take on the color of your team until you are 100% visible. It is vital to let the Cloak come on fully before entering into areas where you would be seen. Try to [[Cloak|decloak]] around a corner where an opponent can't see you. It's very obvious that you are a Spy as no other class is able to Cloak.
+
* When deactivating, the Dead Ringer makes a loud, distinctive sound which can reveal your location. Try to uncloak
 +
in a safe area, then move in for the kill.
  
*While cloaked, remember to avoid all enemy fire - if you're hit, you flicker visible. The same is true if you bump into an enemy. If you plan to rush out, tell your team-mates to let you go first (cloaked), so that stray fire from the enemy team at your visible team-mates doesn't reveal or kill you.
+
* The Dead Ringer is best used when you cannot get by the enemy safely. This makes it useful for getting by chokepoints and crippling enemy defenses from behind. Just be sure that there is a safe area to decloak in.
 +
** It also gives you a second chance should you get caught.
  
* If you are discovered and must Cloak to run away (assuming that you are not using a [[Dead Ringer]]), use misdirection to break away from your foes. If you are running in a certain direction while you Cloak, your enemies will usually head in that direction, so you can immediately make a radical turn after becoming completely invisible, or even turn in the immediate opposite direction to get behind them for a backstab opportunity.
+
* The Dead Ringer allows you to perform 'Suicide' captures, using the watch as an {{botignore|escape plan}}.
  
*While cloaked, avoid giving away your position, especially to Snipers or if you have been busted, your pursuers. So do not:
+
* If the enemy is aware you are using the Dead Ringer, consider switching to a different watch to be less predictable.
** ...pick up medkits (unless you're burning) or ammo crates.
 
** ...enter the enemies' line of sight before your Cloak is fully active. (See above)
 
** Also, if you go through an automatic door while cloaked and no one else is around, it is obvious that there is a Spy. If the door is very narrow, you still will become a very easy target, as you only have one direction to run in. Also, if you come out of swimmable [[water]], water will be visible dripping from you.
 
  
* You appear to have the same health as the target of your disguise did at the moment you took on that disguise.
+
* You can use this uncloak sound to your advantage. Uncloak behind an enemy, and circle strafe around them so their back is exposed for the kill once they turn around. Make sure they did actually turn around, though, as simply walking in front of a Heavy as a Spy is not the smartest of tactics.
  
* Get a friendly Medic to heal you while you are disguised, because your disguised health level also rises to 100%, thus making you less suspicious when disguised while around the enemy spawn however appearing to be injured may be a good idea so you can get an enemy Medic to heal you. Note that overhealing will also be visible on your disguise, and if the enemy team has no Medics, walking around with an [[overheal]] may be a dead giveaway.
+
* Try taking damage for about a second before pulling out the Dead Ringer. It will make your feigned death appear more realistic.
 +
** Upon activation, the Dead Ringer removes afterburn. Cloaking right after you run out of the flamethrowers' range protects you from Spy checking, and makes for a very convincing fake death if you already took significant fire damage. Pyros might continue to spray fire around, so avoid obvious hiding spots. If the Pyro believes you burned to death, the entire team will forget about you.
 +
** If you kill an enemy but were left with an afterburn or bleeding effect, use the Dead Ringer to remove the effect if you can't find a medkit. Make sure to decloak immediately to save some meter and find a medkit or get a Medic to heal you.
  
* Avoid walking over medkits unless your real health is injured, your fake health level will appear to be injured and if you don't pick up a medkit when walking over it, it is a dead giveaway that you're a disguised Spy. You can only increase your disguised health level from [[Dispensers]] and [[cart]]s if your real health is injured. So if you're receiving a healing beam, and your health is not appearing to increase then those that know this telltale sign will know you're a Spy, so it's best to use a Dispenser and cart only if you're truly injured. But against less experienced players, being healed by a Dispenser or cart can makes you seem less suspicious.  As of the [[May 21, 2009 Patch]], in the PC version, walking over a medkit will add to your disguise health.  You will also pick up medkits if your disguise health is down, even if your real health is full.
+
* For the first 3 seconds of being cloaked with the Dead Ringer, you take up to 75% less damage (this damage reduction fades over time; after 3 seconds, you will only take 20% less damage) and you do not flicker if you take damage or bump into an enemy. Use this to your advantage when crossing choke-points.
 +
** However, the enemy team can know if you feign death with the scoreboard, as it will only account for 3 seconds and a 3-second respawn timer is unlikely.
  
* Alternatively, if you have the [[Cloak and Dagger]] equipped, you can deliberately grab medkits in order to deny them to the enemy. While they will probably know that an enemy Spy is in the area, you can assist your team in this way by making your opponents easier to kill if your teammates are also relatively close by; however, this is also a double-edged sword since you can accidentally deny the medkit to a teammate who needs it.
+
* Disguising as a friendly offensive class, such as the Demoman, at the beginning of the round will make for a more convincing death and easier passage into enemy territory.
 +
** This can also be used to cause a Demoman to trigger his Stickybombs unnecessarily, clearing the way for your teammates to come in, especially at the beginning of rounds.
 +
*** This used to be a much more viable strategy back when the Dead Ringer had an initial 90% damage resistance on feign death, allowing you to absorb absurd amounts of burst damage. Now that the initial resistance is only 75%, a Spy will not be able to survive more than 3 or 4 stickies at once, and most set traps will contain several. Therefore, try to skirt larger stickytraps while still staying in range of a couple bombs to trigger your watch.
  
[[Image:Spy for Medic.jpg|thumb|right|''Friendly'' disguised Blue Spy calling for a Red Medic]]
+
* You can hold the Dead Ringer out while capturing a Control Point, carrying enemy Intelligence, or pushing the cart on a Payload map. Use this in combination with a friendly disguise to cause for a convincing death while helping out your team. You will need to uncloak to continue capturing an objective, however. After the Tough Break update, Spy is no longer able to pull out his Dead Ringer, requiring you to first drop the case, and then activate your Dead Ringer, making this strategy more difficult than it was, since you may not have time to drop the Intelligence yourself.
  
* Remember that you can call for and be healed by enemy Medics while disguised. This is a great way to hold your cover, and also a good opportunity to backstab the opponent's support. Beware that this also risks drawing undue attention to yourself, especially if your alter-ego notices his own name calling for a Medic. For these reasons it is probably best to do this as a retreating maneuver.
+
* The reduced duration on debuffs present on the other watches behaves rather oddly with the Dead Ringer — afterburn actually wears off instantaneously. Pyros can still damage you with the flame particles if they have good prediction, but couple this with the speed boost on feign death and you stand a good chance of escaping a Pyro's wrath if discovered. Running back towards teammates to heal and reset your cloak will oftentimes seal your escape.
  
* Once in the enemy's base, ''communicate'' with your team. Talking might not move you up on the scoreboard but reporting Sentry Gun placements, if a group of enemies are taking an alternate route, or building a minibase can make a big difference and bring your team closer to victory. Note that on alltalk servers, your speech bubble is your own team color even when cloaked.  
+
* The Dead Ringer completely lacks the ability to regain cloak from ammo boxes and Dispensers. Consider equipping the L’Etranger and Big Earner in order to quickly refill it.
 +
** If you have neither one of the said weapons, try to hide from the enemy team until the Dead Ringer is recharged.
  
* You can walk backward while heading for the enemy base, or look backwards occasionally while walking forwards. Retreating into an enemy base while disguised looks much less suspicious than running into it at full tilt (unless your disguise health is relatively low), but as this trick has been done so many times, it can appear obvious to the astute observer.
+
* [[Jarate]] and [[Mad Milk]] will not wash off if you use the Dead Ringer while covered in it; you must enter water or wait for it to wear off.
  
* When you disguise yourself, you take the name of an enemy player that is playing the same class as the disguise. It is crucial that you try to use a class that is well represented by the enemy side to decrease the risk of coming face to face with the person you stole the name from.  As of the [[May 21, 2009 Patch]], you can see whose name you have taken on on your disguise nameplate.
+
* If you are waiting or you are in an open area, keep the Dead Ringer held out if you aren't fighting. An enemy Spy or stray enemy fire could kill you while you aren't ready.
  
* If you disguise as a class not represented by the enemy team, you take on a name randomly. This can be a dead giveaway as a glance at the score table will make your trickery obvious, so try to disguise as a class that you know the enemy has.
+
* When using the Dead Ringer, try choosing friendly disguises while heading into enemy lines and then switching to an enemy disguise once you have infiltrated the enemy base.
  
* Try to act natural. Many times, an enemy will shoot you and not notice your health go down; however, if you react to their shots, you can be certain that they and the rest of their team will hunt you down. If you continue heading in the same direction and if you seem to ignore the attack (assuming that it doesn't kill you), many times you will be left alone.
+
* Try to disguise after you use the Dead Ringer. If the watch activated in the middle of you disguising, you will still emit smoke visible to the enemy team.
  
*Expanding  on the above, standing still while in the enemy base is highly suspicious, and most players will try to [[Spy-checking|Spy-check]] you. Making it seem like you were NOT harmed by this attack is the key to getting sneaky backstabs when they turn away. Be incredibly careful of Pyros however. If you see one heading for you, and he is actively Spy-checking, RUN!
+
* If possible, don't pick up the nearest Health pick-up. Many enemies will look to see if the pick-up disappears. If you are on fire, however, you must go for the pick-up anyway and then escape.
  
* Before the Sniper/Spy update, when disguised as a Medic, no [[ÜberCharge]] percentage showed up when an enemy targeted you, which was a big giveaway. This was fixed in the [[May 21, 2009 Patch]], and now disguising as Medic you appear to have a [[ÜberCharge]] percentage that the Medic you're disguised had when you took on that disguise. If there aren't any enemy Medics you will simply have a random [[ÜberCharge]] meter.
+
* If you need to take a long fall but don't have the Health to survive it, hold out your Dead Ringer to negate a large portion of the damage. You can also use fall damage to trigger your Cloak to get behind enemy lines.
  
* You may, while entering the enemy base, notice that an attack force is heading for your base. Running in the opposite direction to them will likely result in a Spy check. A great method to single-handedly stop this attack is trying to run with them, towards your base. This works well, as it appears to the opposite team that you are not a Spy, and you can slow yourself down a little bit to get to the back of the pack and backstab most, or even all of them. Just be sure the person you are disguised as is not among them, or you will be very dead very quickly.
+
* You can prevent enemy movement for a short period of time by Dead Ringing and standing in front of a doorway or hall. This may allow your team enough time to regroup.
  
* A dead giveaway that you're a Spy in disguise is the fact that your enemies are unable to walk through you. Once they bump into you they will try to kill you immediately. When in small enclosed spaces (e.g. the sewers in [[2Fort]]), walk close to the walls and be sure to leave enough room for enemy players to run past you.
+
* Disguising as a friendly Medic, staying on the outskirts of your team's territory, and then Dead Ringing may trick the enemy team into pushing forward.
  
*However, deliberately trying to avoid people in corridors is like saying 'Hey! Here I am! Shoot me!', and is likely to get you Spy-checked and killed. If you see someone barreling down a corridor at you, it's usually a better idea to open fire on them then to risk bumping into them and being melee'd by them. Remember, your Knife isn't exactly fantastic in a face-off, it's only good for backstabs and taking out already weakened enemies; you cannot count on facestabs to save you.
+
* Be aware that if the an enemy has the "Display damage done as text over your target" advanced option enabled or the console command {{code|hud_combattext}} set to {{code|1}}, then they may see the small amount of damage needed to "kill" you, and guess you were using a Dead Ringer, thus try to deploy the Dead Ringer with a little bit of delay when someone starts to damage you, so your "death" will be more convincing.
  
* Keep an eye on the enemy players that are about to respawn. When did they die? What class did they play? What is their skill? Remember: these are the players that are going to be in your back in a few seconds. Use this knowledge to time your actions. If you know that the opponents #1 Scout will respawn in a few seconds, let him pass by before you take any backstabbing/sapping action. Also remember, if you've just killed the same player say twice in the exact same spot, he's going to be checking for you being there next time he comes through.
+
* If a particular player has a habit of taunting after killing you, using the Dead Ringer to feign a death and backstabbing them while they're taunting can be very effective and satisfying.
  
* Most importantly: There are many people ([[Pyro]]s) who will Spy check everyone they see, ever, just as a precaution. Because of this, you must always remember to keep moving, change disguises frequently, and whenever possible, avoid being seen by the enemy entirely.
+
* Be aware that being "killed" by a Demoman's [[Eyelander]] or any of its [[reskins]] will still add a head to its meter.
  
*As long as there's a damage indication on your HUD, you are semi-visible. To ensure that you're completely invisible, wait until the damage indicator clears before moving.
+
== [[Taunts|Taunt Attacks]] ==
 +
===== [[Fencing]] =====
 +
{| class="wikitable grid" width="100%" style="text-align: center;"
 +
! class="header" width="17%" |
 +
! class="header" width="16%" | Kill icon
 +
! class="header" width="10%" | Weapon
 +
! class="header" width="10%" | Damage
 +
! class="header" width="10%" | Duration
 +
! class="header" width="37%" | Details
 +
|- style="height: 110px;"
 +
| {{Table icon|Fencing}}
 +
| {{Icon killicon|weapon=Fencing}}
 +
| [[Knife]]<br />[[Saxxy]]<br />[[Your Eternal Reward]]<br />[[Conniver's Kunai]]<br />[[Big Earner]]<br />[[Wanga Prick]]<br />[[Black Rose]]
 +
| 2×25 and then 500
 +
| 4 seconds
 +
| The Spy transfers his weapon to his left hand and begins to practice a deadly Fencing maneuver, resulting in damage and/or death for anyone in the way.
 +
|}
  
*Avoid disguising yourself as a Scout. While your speed will be slower when disguised as a Heavy or Soldier you will not get a speed boost or be able to double jump when disguised as a Scout. Due to this, the enemy will see a slow Scout running slower than normal. This is one of the quickest ways to be detected. However, the speed difference is not as noticeable if running towards or away from enemies, and disguising as Scout can be effective if the enemy team has a lot of Scouts or just several newbie ones.
+
* This taunt can be used with any of the Spy's knives (except the Sharp Dresser and the Spy-cicle) to kill ''very'' distracted enemies with one hit; however, due to the taunt's long duration and the minimal damage dealt by the first two swings, using this kill taunt is a very risky strategy.
 +
** The Fencing taunt is a viable last resort during the [[Humiliation]] round.
  
*A good idea to make your disguise more believable is to get behind or near the enemy spawn, then put on your disguise, wait until no-one is around/not watching you and then run forwards so it looks like you just respawned. Not only can it put you behind players leaving said spawn, but also makes enemy players less likely to Spy check you, think that you're someone who just came from their own spawn.
+
* It can be effectively used to destroy Engineer buildings with one hit, so the Engineer won't have time to see his building being sapped or damaged and return to save his buildings, but be careful, as if you get caught in mid-taunt, the Engineer (or anyone else) will have virtually no issues in dispatching you. However, do not attempt to destroy an enemy [[Sentry Gun]] in this way, because you must remove your disguise in order to be be able to perform the taunt, and attempting to do so will cause the Sentry to target and kill you.
 +
** However, if a Sentry is close enough to a [[Dispenser]], then you can hide behind it without being detected and perform the taunt. The extra reach of this taunt means that it can often destroy both buildings.
  
* Picking up the enemy [[Intelligence]] does not yet make you a suicide flag runner. You can drop the Intelligence anytime ("L" key by default), put on a disguise or Cloak to Scout ahead for danger and/or clear out an ambush, then return to the Intelligence and resume carrying it when the path is clear. This is especially useful against Sentry Guns which you can sap and then return to the intelligence and Demomen, who like to block your path with stickies, essentially trapping you between themselves and anyone pursuing you from the enemy base. It's also a good way to lure other classes out of ambush, as they will move from their spot to check why has the Intelligence been dropped.
+
* Also, keep in mind that, even if you are able to catch anyone unaware, the Spy speaks during the taunt, and this may give your presence away. This can be negated by quickly performing a voice command, preferably a short command, such as "No."
  
* Disguises only fool enemies "at-a-glance". So it's best to avoid being seen altogether and use the Cloak more often.
+
* Fencing with [[Your Eternal Reward]] is not recommended, as you have to remove your disguise in order to taunt, and you won't get a disguise even if the taunt kill succeeds.
  
* While disguised, try to use voice commands, such as the battle cry. It will make your disguised model talk and do some mimics, and so it can fool some enemies who don't think about Spies being able to do so.
+
* Successfully Fencing with the [[Big Earner]] will still grant the 30% Cloak bonus, but it is still not advised, as it also requires no disguise and your lowered health may put your life at risk if you fail.
  
*Reloading the Revolver/Ambassador will reload the weapon equipped by your disguise. Use this for added realism.
+
* Make sure the last swing hits your target, as the first 2 swings do low damage and can get you noticed fast and put yourself in danger.
  
* If you are using the [[Cloak and Dagger]], try to jump up on obstacles and ledges as you move through the map. Players use the obvious running pathways and will run right past you if you are cloaked. Standing on a crate allows you to recharge your Cloak without being bumped into and giving away your position. Standing on top of obstacles is also a good place to avoid Spy checking and escape pursuing players as they often forget to check the top of boxes and ledges.
+
== Weapon combinations ==
 +
{| class="wikitable grid collapsible collapsed" width="65%"
 +
|-
 +
! colspan=4 class="header" | Example combinations
 +
|-
 +
! colspan=3 class="header" | Combo
 +
! class="header" | Usage
 +
|-
 +
! {{Icon weapon|weapon=Revolver|icon-size=100x100px}}
 +
'''[[Revolver]]'''
 +
! {{Icon weapon|weapon=Knife|icon-size=100x100px}}
 +
'''[[Knife]]'''
 +
! {{Icon weapon|weapon=Invisibility Watch|icon-size=100x100px}}
 +
'''[[Invisibility Watch]]'''
 +
|
  
==Map Specific==
+
The default loadout allows for a quick-moving, versatile Spy, and for general situations. The Revolver is useful to pick off lone enemies, damage Engineer buildings from a distance, or as a backup when you are discovered. The Knife allows you to disguise at-will, unlike Your Eternal Reward. The Invisibility Watch is the most versatile of the watches: quieter than the Dead Ringer, allows more mobility than the Cloak and Dagger, and can be replenished with ammo or metal. Move quickly, complete your current objective, and move onward.
  
===[[Well]]===
+
|-
* An effective start rush is to disguise, then swim so you're under the grate just as the round starts; the grate opens, you go up and immediately Cloak. Then go into the central Control point 3 and over to the ramp on the far side. As you run up, the opposing force should already be in front of you and you're at the back of the CP area, so you can uncloak as you go up; then you'll be standing right behind a bunch of players who are typically busy firing at your team-mates on the other side of the CP itself.
+
! {{Icon weapon|weapon=L'Etranger|icon-size=100x100px}}
 +
'''[[L'Etranger]]'''
 +
! {{Icon weapon|weapon=Conniver's Kunai|icon-size=100x100px}}
 +
'''[[Conniver's Kunai]]'''
 +
! {{Icon weapon|weapon=Cloak and Dagger|icon-size=50x50px}}
 +
{{Icon weapon|weapon=Invisibility Watch|icon-size=50x50px}}<br/>
 +
'''[[Cloak and Dagger]]''' or '''[[Invisibility Watch]]'''
 +
|
  
* Lots of swimming: Swim out of your base and into the center of the map (where the trains pass), cloaking just as you pop out of the water. Remain invisible until you've reached the water entrance on the other side of the tracks. The water makes a great place to Cloak/decloak and change disguises unsupervised, as most other classes don't use the water tunnels at all.  However, do note that coming out of water while cloaked makes a water-dripping outline appear for several seconds.
+
This is a medium-risk high-payoff loadout for Spies who like to have a lowered risk of being caught, or for playing on maps with a low amount of health packs and ammo boxes. The Spy should hide at the back of groups, waiting for an opportunity to get the first backstab. Then he can kill other nearby enemies. If you are caught early, then the L'Etranger can be used to fill the Cloak for a quick escape. Because the Kunai can remove negative effects that mark him as a Spy ([[Bleeding]], [[Fire]], etc), this loadout can be used to safely hide quite quickly if there is a handy distracted enemy nearby.
  
* Fighting generally happens in clusters on Well, and when the middle point is being fought over, the first and sometimes second enemy points may be entirely undefended. This is a great opportunity for the patient Spy to capture points solo, especially the final point, which can be captured by a single combatant in a matter of moments. A Spy seeing his team pushing hard on point 2 can slip to the rear of the base and stay hidden, waiting for the moment point 2 is taken. Then he can step out of hiding and quickly nab the final point, winning the round.
+
|-
 +
! {{Icon weapon|weapon=L'Etranger|icon-size=100x100px}}
 +
'''[[L'Etranger]]'''
 +
! {{Icon weapon|weapon=Conniver's Kunai|icon-size=100x100px}}
 +
'''[[Conniver's Kunai]]'''
 +
! {{Icon weapon|weapon=Dead Ringer|icon-size=100x100px}}
 +
'''[[Dead Ringer]]'''
 +
|
  
* Since Well is such a long map, enemy Engineers will often drop Teleporter entrances outside their first spawn point, and then build their Sentry Guns near capture point 2 or 3. As a result, a Spy who manages to infiltrate all the way to the rear of the enemy base can easily score points by sapping these unattended Teleporters. Better yet, stand behind an exit Teleporter and stab people just as they come out.
+
This is a loadout designed specifically for Spy to be hard to kill, and continuously place pressure on the enemy team. The Conniver's Kunai gives you the ability to take the enemy's health, and combined with the Dead Ringer, which allows the Spy to feign his own death, it makes the Spy a chore to eliminate. Since the L'Etranger gives you a 15% cloak on hit, as well as a passive 40% cloak duration boost, it allows you to utilize your Dead Ringer to its maximum potential, as the cloak on hit means that you can quickly regain your Dead Ringer without needing to fallback or go to a resupply closet, and the increased cloak duration means that you have more control over when you uncloak, allowing you to become an even greater threat.
  
* When a point is being hotly contested, freshly spawned combatants on the offense ([[Soldier]]s, [[Heavy|Heavies]], [[Demomen]], and [[Medic]]s) will rush out of their spawn and hustle into combat, one after the other. A Spy waiting just outside the base can tag along behind them, backstabbing as he goes, often taking out an entire string of enemies who are too busy to look behind them.
+
|-
 +
! {{Icon weapon|weapon=Revolver|icon-size=100x100px}}
 +
'''[[Revolver]]'''
 +
! {{Icon weapon|weapon=Conniver's Kunai|icon-size=100x100px}}
 +
'''[[Conniver's Kunai]]'''
 +
! {{Icon weapon|weapon=Dead Ringer|icon-size=100x100px}}
 +
'''[[Dead Ringer]]'''
 +
|
  
===[[2Fort]]===
+
This is a high-risk high-payoff loadout for Spies who like to do as much damage to the enemy as possible. The Spy should hide at the back of groups, waiting for an opportunity to get the first backstab. Then he can kill other nearby enemies. The Dead Ringer will increase your chances of surviving while using the Kunai. If you are caught early, then the Revolver can be used to kill enemies quickly and effectively. Because the Kunai can remove negative effects that mark him as a Spy ([[Bleeding]], [[Fire]], etc.), this loadout can be used to safely hide quite quickly if there is a handy distracted enemy nearby.
[[image:CTF 2Fort BluBase.png|thumb|right|Take the sewers]]
 
  
====Offense====
+
|-
There are four main tasks for a Spy on 2fort:
+
! {{Icon weapon|weapon=Ambassador|icon-size=40x40px}}
 +
{{Icon weapon|weapon=Diamondback|icon-size=40x40px}}<br />
 +
{{Icon weapon|weapon=Revolver|icon-size=40x40px}}<br />
 +
'''[[Ambassador]]''' or '''[[Diamondback]]''' or '''[[Revolver]]'''
 +
! {{Icon weapon|weapon=Spy-cicle|icon-size=100x100px}}
 +
'''[[Spy-cicle]]'''
 +
! {{Icon weapon|weapon=Dead Ringer|icon-size=100x100px}}
 +
'''[[Dead Ringer]]'''
 +
|
  
* Killing [[Sniper]]s on the Sniper deck
+
This set is for the Spy who faces a team with a small number of paranoid, defensive Pyros. The Spy-cicle gives the Spy an opportunity to escape if caught by the Pyro. In the event that the Spy is discovered and knows that the Pyro will not give up, each of the three {{botignore|revolver}} variants provides a different way to take out the Pyro quickly. The Ambassador is recommended for those with superior aim, the Diamondback for those who have buildings to sap, and the Revolver for everyone else. The Dead Ringer provides yet another means of escape, should the above fail.
* Destroying Sentry Guns
 
* Killing enemy players as they cross the bridge
 
* Getting hold of the enemy Intelligence
 
  
The best way to get into the enemy base is to run from the spawn over the Sniper deck and into the water. [[Cloak]] before you come out onto the Sniper deck, so that you are fully invisible as you step out and fall down into the water. Once you're under the bridge and so well shielded from above, uncloak. Don't forget to get your [[Revolver]] out - you're running towards the enemy in a narrow passage, so the [[Knife]] isn't useful. Run through the sewers and up the stairs into the enemy base. Once you get to the top of the stairs you then have a choice; you can take the left passage, if you want to go for the [[Intelligence]], or you can go straight on, if you wish to attack enemy [[Sniper]]s on the Sniper deck.
+
|-
 +
! {{Icon weapon|weapon=Ambassador|icon-size=100x100px}}
 +
'''[[Ambassador]]'''
 +
! {{Icon weapon|weapon=Knife|icon-size=100x100px}}
 +
'''[[Knife]]'''
 +
! {{Icon weapon|weapon=Dead Ringer|icon-size=100x100px}}
 +
'''[[Dead Ringer]]'''
 +
|
  
If you go left, the ten seconds of Cloak is just the right amount to let you be fully cloaked as you turn into the longer passageway leading to the open air area, and remain cloaked right up until you're far enough down the back stairs to the basement that you won't be seen. You then continue down into the basement, dealing with whatever is down there and then taking the Intelligence.
+
This set is commonly used by in competitive matches, as it is an extremely powerful loadout. Acting should usually be enough to get behind enemy lines (for experienced players), though disguising as a friendly to trigger the [[Dead Ringer]] can also be used. Trickstabs can easily be pulled off and escapes are often much easier with the [[Dead Ringer]]. The [[Ambassador]] allows for picks on most classes, if you can hit your headshots. This set turns the [[Spy]] into an extremely efficient killing machine, allowing for headshots, backstabs, and amazing escapes.
  
If you go straight on, Cloak as late as possible before coming into the open air area and running up the main stairs. Then cross over into the Sniper deck and kill the Snipers there. Once you've done this, don't stay on the deck; when they respawn, they'll be looking for you. Either drop back down to your own base for a quick break, or better, run into the Grate room and [[disguise]] as a [[Demoman]]. You're out of sight, and if someone does come in, there's a chance they may think you're holding a [[Sticky bomb]] trap from that position.
+
|-
 +
! {{Icon weapon|weapon=Enforcer|icon-size=100x100px}}
 +
'''[[Enforcer]]'''
 +
! {{Icon weapon|weapon=Big Earner|icon-size=100x100px}}
 +
'''[[Big Earner]]'''
 +
! {{Icon weapon|weapon=Dead Ringer|icon-size=100x100px}}
 +
'''[[Dead Ringer]]'''
 +
|
  
If there is more than one Sniper on the deck (And there usually is) They might notice you backstabbing their buddies. As the Sniper decks are fairly cramped, they'll usually pull out their Kukri and charge you. To circumvent this, the best strategy is to run around the structure in the middle of the Sniper deck, Cloak, and then crouch walk onto the tiny ledge that surrounds said structure. You can then laugh as the Sniper runs around, swinging his Kukri and everyone and everything. This also give your OWN Snipers a good giggle, and an easy target. Snipers will catch onto this strategy eventually, and try to get onto the ledge as well...all the more fun for your own Snipers. Just remember: ''This ledge can save your life''.
+
'''The Man of Honor - with Dead Ringer'''
 +
This set is especially recommended for those who use the Dead Ringer frequently or otherwise rely on it. The 20% damage bonus and resistance piercing of the Enforcer may improve survivability if the Spy’s [[Revolver]] is his last resort (provided that you are disguised first). The already-increased Cloak recharge rate of the Dead Ringer pairs very well with the bonus of the Big Earner. A single backstab is usually already enough to use the Dead Ringer again, once it has been used. Due to the Dead Ringer's great damage reduction, the downside of the Big Earner is somewhat negligible.
  
If however you simply want to get kills, a good place to wait is up against the front of the opposing fort. Enemy players generally spawn and then run to the Sniper deck and fall off to the area in front of the bridge; very few players actually exit via the ground floor. As such, a Spy waiting up against the front of the fort isn't seen and is behind the enemy players as they run down the narrow, straight bridge.
+
|-
 +
! {{Icon weapon|weapon=L'Etranger|icon-size=100x100px}}
 +
'''[[L'Etranger]]'''
 +
! {{Icon weapon|weapon=Your Eternal Reward|icon-size=100x100px}}
 +
'''[[Your Eternal Reward]]'''
 +
! {{Icon weapon|weapon=Cloak and Dagger|icon-size=100x100px}}
 +
'''[[Cloak and Dagger]]'''
 +
|
  
Disguising as a Demoman in the basement where the Intelligence is found is also good. Wait in front of the resupply and if any Engineers or Demomen come down, wait until they go into the Intelligence room or into the resupply. Right when they come out again, stab them. But this will only work once, usually, because the victim will report to his/her team (Unless he/she doesn't have a mic!).
+
'''The Saharan Spy - with Cloak and Dagger'''
 +
This strategy is for Spies preferring to camp in one place, or for taking out giant sentry nests. The Spy can wait in a corner cloaked until a good victim runs past him. Then he can silently backstab and instantly disguise as the victim making it unlikely for the rest of the enemies to notice anything. The L'Etranger can be used to quickly fill your Cloak when fast fill is needed since you can't pick up ammo packs to fill it, and the increased Cloak duration is always helpful. It should be noted that in most public games the importance of killing any one single enemy player is less, so camping for too long in one space not doing anything makes you dead weight to your team.
  
A good spot to recharge your Cloak in the enemy base is behind the boxes/barrels near the entrance to the enemy's sewers while crouched. This area is hardly checked, and if your team is attacking from the enemy sewers, this serves as a good chance to backstab any enemies running past you.
+
Your Eternal Reward allows you to stay undetected by Sentry Guns in between backstabs, so you can wait while cloaked until your team pushes in and provides distraction. Then uncloak, stab all the Engineers in the sentry nest, and sap their toys to oblivion. A tip is to wait on an elevated object such as a crate to decrease the chance of bumping into an Engineer or being flamed by a Pyro.
  
=== [[Granary]] ===
+
|-
* There is an overhead passageway with a circular exit (leading from Control point 2 to Control point 3) which you may take to avoid wasting precious Cloak time.
+
! {{Icon weapon|weapon=Enforcer|icon-size=40x40px}}
* Stand on containers at Control point 3: Enemies are less likely to expect attacks from above them than in front of them (Who is?). Be wary of enemy Snipers on the opposite side of the map however.
+
{{Icon weapon|weapon=Diamondback|icon-size=40x40px}}<br/>
 +
'''[[Enforcer]]''' or '''[[Diamondback]]'''
 +
! {{Icon weapon|weapon=Knife|icon-size=40x40px}}
 +
{{Icon weapon|weapon=Spy-cicle|icon-size=40x40px}}<br/>
 +
'''[[Knife]]''' or '''[[Spy-cicle]]'''
 +
! {{Icon weapon|weapon=Invisibility Watch|icon-size=100x100px}}
 +
'''[[Invisibility Watch]]'''
 +
|
  
=== [[Dustbowl]] ===
+
This setup works well for veteran Spy players who are used to using the Spy's stock weaponry. The [[Enforcer]] is a stronger (if disguised) and slower version of the [[Revolver]], and can take out most enemies with two or three hits at mid range. This makes the Enforcer a much more viable secondary weapon when you're just out of [[Knife]] range or when you're being chased. Long range shots will still deal 20 damage per shot and regain accuracy rather fast, so it can seriously persuade oncoming enemies to retreat.
* When attacking Stage 1 Cap 1, use the canyon pathway to sneak up on the attackers by using the back door. Be sure once you sap the Sentry Guns, you have a Demoman or Soldier standing by to destroy it. Be sure when going through the canyon you are fully cloaked or Snipers will take you down as you come out. Do not wait by the grating; wait next to it or they will be aware of your way of attack.
+
The [[Diamondback]] is also useful right after a backstab if an enemy decides to pursue you, although you must not miss the first critical shot. The [[Spy-cicle]] offers a layer of protection against Pyros, but with the downside of losing your knife occasionally.
  
*The balcony of the point building in Stage 1 Cap 1 can be accessed from the outside by jumping onto the wagon wheel leaning against the corner; use this to surprise Engineers on the stairs without having to come face-to-face with their Sentry Guns or taking the longer and harder route through the mine shaft.
+
|-
 +
! {{Icon weapon|weapon=L'Etranger|icon-size=100x100px}}
 +
'''[[L'Etranger]]'''
 +
! {{Icon weapon|weapon=Big Earner|icon-size=100x100px}}
 +
'''[[Big Earner]]'''
 +
! {{Icon weapon|weapon=Dead Ringer|icon-size=100x100px}}
 +
'''[[Dead Ringer]]'''
 +
|
  
* Before Stage 1 Cap 1 is taken, you can quickly run to the second control point. Although this is locked, if your team is close to taking 1, it would be a good idea to stay here and base camp; the enemies will most likely not make it in time to stop you. This also works on Stage 2 and 3.
+
This setup can be described as a "live forever" set. Both the L'Etranger and the Big Earner restore Cloak fast, and the Dead Ringer can counteract the Earner's -25 health penalty. Should you be caught, simply flip open your Dead Ringer, "die", and use your boosted Cloak time to position yourself in an optimal spot for a backstab so you can regain your Cloak. If your Dead Ringer's Cloak isn't filled, you pull out the L'Etranger and shoot to regain your Cloak, then escape. However, you have to use your weapons to survive. This set is very offensive, and if used incorrectly will result in failure. Since the Dead Ringer cannot be refilled by anything except these weapons, this loadout increases the usability of the watch.
  
* When defending Stage 2 Cap 1, have a Spy stay near the Control point building. This Spy will be able to backstab any enemies that come through.
+
|-
 +
! {{Icon weapon|weapon=L'Etranger|icon-size=100x100px}}
 +
'''[[L'Etranger]]'''
 +
! {{Icon weapon|weapon=Big Earner|icon-size=100x100px}}
 +
'''[[Big Earner]]'''
 +
! {{Icon weapon|weapon=Cloak and Dagger|icon-size=100x100px}}
 +
'''[[Cloak and Dagger]]'''
 +
|
  
*When attacking Stage 2 Cap 2, consider using the passage in the center of the map, below the two health pickups. This area is home to little or no Red traffic, and nobody should bother you as long as you stay cloaked.
+
This set focuses on staying out of sight. Due to the Cloak and Dagger's fast Cloak consumption, and to its inability to use ammo packs to recharge your Cloak, L'Etranger and the Big Earner allow you to be cloaked often and escape most situations invisibly. Keep in mind that this set greatly relies on dealing damage to regain Cloak, which means that you will often be without your disguise and therefore vulnerable. This is mostly a set for people who know ideal cloaking spots and pathways in the map they are playing on.
  
*Stage 3 Cap 1 is nigh-suicidal due to the massive amounts of fire being exchanged through the one chokepoint, so the Dead Ringer is the only guaranteed way to get through unnoticed. Behind the enemy, either uncloak immediately and thin out the front lines, or head to the second control point. Here you can either wait until your team takes the first point and score a quick win, or take any Teleporters you see, which have a good chance of leading into the tunnel above the first point. Engineers will not expect a Spy attack from behind them here, so wiping them out should be no problem.
+
|-
 +
! {{Icon weapon|weapon=Diamondback|icon-size=100x100px}}
 +
'''[[Diamondback]]'''
 +
! {{Icon weapon|weapon=Conniver's Kunai|icon-size=100x100px}}
 +
'''[[Conniver's Kunai]]'''
 +
! {{Icon weapon|weapon=Dead Ringer|icon-size=100x100px}}
 +
'''[[Dead Ringer]]'''
 +
|
  
=== [[Hydro]] ===
+
A setup suited for eliminating a lone Engineer and his buildings. After getting at least 2 free crits by stabbing enemies ''out of the range'' of a Sentry Gun, the player can use the 2 crits to take out the Engineer from a long range, and proceed to gun down his buildings, or proceed and sap the buildings to get more stored crits. A player can backstab the Engineer (while using a disguise, of course). With the additional health gained from the Conniver's Kunai, the player can then quickly pull out the Dead Ringer, allowing him to survive the fire from the Sentry Gun, or if skilled enough, they can just try to [[Sapper|sap]] it. The Spy, now cloaked, can re-disguise and sap all of the Engineer's buildings to oblivion. This loadout can also be used, albeit less effectively, to take out an entire Engineer nest, with great skill and a little luck.
* There's always one path that nobody uses. Take it, and you're less likely to bump into an enemy or die from random explosions, or bursts of gunfire.
 
* More often than not, enemy Sentry Guns will be put in spots which can be shot at from afar with the [[Ambassador]]. In this case, try to snipe the Engineer so that you will have a clear sapping of his Sentry Gun (this should take only 2 shots if you headshot him first then follow up with a bodyshot while he tries to see where the shot came from, or less if he was already damaged enough).
 
* When defending either of the last points, you can hide behind the ramps that just out of the ground as entrances to the undergound cap area, both to recharge Cloak with the [[Invisibility Watch]] or the [[Dead Ringer]] or to pick targets for ambushing and call out attacking Spies with the [[Cloak and Dagger]].
 
  
=== [[Gravel Pit]] ===
+
|-
* Since Gravel Pit has 2 initial Control points it can be useful to soften up a lesser defended point (sap Sentry Guns, backstab Snipers etc.) coordinated by an immediate rush by some of your team (a Scout rush works best in this situation) to easily capture the point. Usually this point is A because it's considered harder to defend.
+
! {{Icon weapon|weapon=Diamondback|icon-size=100x100px}}
 +
'''[[Diamondback]]'''
 +
! {{Icon weapon|weapon=Big Earner|icon-size=100x100px}}
 +
'''[[Big Earner]]'''
 +
! {{Icon weapon|weapon=Dead Ringer|icon-size=100x100px}}
 +
'''[[Dead Ringer]]'''
 +
|
  
* A Spy can be quite necessary on the most heavily defended Control point as there are usually at least one or two Sentry Guns that are supported by other players, making them almost indestructible. The best way to deal with these Sentry Guns is to co-ordinate with your team to sap the Sentry Gun and follow it with a push. Keep in mind that as you do this it's likely you'll be seen and killed.
+
'''The Chainstabber'''
 +
This is great for killing unsuspecting groups of enemies, such as defenses your team is having trouble passing through or a group of enemies clustered around a Payload. The Diamondback is the most effective when stabbing several enemies, as you will have several stored crits when chainstabbing. The Big Earner, with its speed boost on backstab, allows you to run to the next victim as well as make your escape. If someone realizes what is going on and takes some shots at you, either pull out the Diamondback and kill them or pull out the Dead Ringer and run. The 30% cloak on kill allows you to quickly be able to pull out the Dead Ringer faster after using it.
  
*Defending Engineers will often create Teleporters from their respawn to their front line. If you sap these Teleporters it will slow down the defensive players, and also coax the Engineer(s) away from their Sentry Gun(s), allowing your team to destroy it easier. Keep in mind that doing this will often result in the C area to be Spy-checked, so the best idea would be to sap them, Cloak and then run back into your own territory.
+
|-
 +
! {{Icon weapon|weapon=Ambassador|icon-size=40x40px}}
 +
{{Icon weapon|weapon=Revolver|icon-size=40x40px}}<br />
 +
'''Ambassador''' or '''Revolver'''
 +
! {{Icon weapon|weapon=Big Earner|icon-size=100x100px}}
 +
'''[[Big Earner]]'''
 +
! {{Icon weapon|weapon=Invisibility Watch|icon-size=100x100px}}
 +
'''[[Invisibility Watch]]'''
 +
|
  
*After the first point has been captured but before the second, you can Cloak up to the C point and camp there until the second point has been captured, when you can undisguise and quickly capture the point. It is likely that defenders will come up and kill you when they notice their point is being captured, but you may finish capping the point before they get there. This is position is easy to hold, because defenders rarely ever go up there until the second point is being captured, but you must make sure that they can't see you from the ground. If they do they'll usually start checking the point. Keep in mind though that the same task could be done with a Scout with usually a better outcome once you get on the point.
+
This is a "Hitman" setup, best for Hit-and-Run tactics. Use it to Infiltrate, take out one or two key targets that are halting your team's progress, and then retreat back to safety quickly. The Invisibility watch is the prime watch for getting behind enemy lines, as it can both cloak at will and has the longest cloak duration. The Big Earner, with its cloak and speed boost on kill, allows you to escape quicker, and the cloak boost allows you to cloak immediately after a kill, even if you just decloaked. Use the Ambassador or Revolver either to cover your escape or to pick off targets that it is too hard to reach or too dangerous to go near. Use the Ambassador if you can hit headshots most of the time. Use the Revolver if you like the random crits and like the faster firerate.
  
=== [[Badwater Basin]] ===
+
|-
==== Offense ====
+
! {{Icon weapon|weapon=Ambassador|icon-size=100x100px}}
*The first stage of this map is good for Spies on BLU as they can use their Cloak to quickly move over the hill, but this is often dangerous as the exit of the tunnel and top of the hill are bound to have Pyros or Demomen locking down the area with their flames or grenades.
+
'''[[Ambassador]]'''
 +
! {{Icon weapon|weapon=Knife|icon-size=100x100px}}
 +
{{Icon weapon|weapon=Spy-cicle|icon-size=100x100px}}
 +
'''[[Knife]]''' or '''[[Spy-cicle]]'''
 +
! {{Icon weapon|weapon=Cloak and Dagger|icon-size=100x100px}}
 +
'''[[Cloak and Dagger]]'''
 +
|
  
*A large part of your helping the team here will be Sentry Gun destruction, as the prime spots for Sentry Guns are all directly below a piece of easily accessible terrain (such as a Sentry Gun at the tunnel exit being below the cliffs, or a Sentry Gun on the right behind the rocks being reachable from over the rocks). With this in mind, it may be best to try to coordinate a charge with your team so when you drop down to sap a Sentry Gun they can back you up and push the point.
+
This set-up is useful for a Spy who likes to take their time and survive as long as possible and is best used against classes that don't move much like Engineers and Snipers. The Cloak and Dagger lets the Spy stay invisible as long as he doesn't move too much. The Spy may headshot a Sniper with the Razorback or wait for an Engineer to build and quickly take him out from a distance using the Ambassador. The Knife allows him to then disguise at will and sap the buildings. The Spy-cicle can prevent stray flames from giving away your position.
  
*Before your team reaches the first point with the cart, try to sneak ahead and take the back entrance up onto the roof to prevent enemy Engineers from building up too much so your team has a much easier time getting passed the potential Sentry Gun trap.
+
|-
 +
! {{Icon weapon|weapon=Ambassador|icon-size=100x100px}}
 +
'''[[Ambassador]]'''
 +
! {{Icon weapon|weapon=Your Eternal Reward|icon-size=100x100px}}
 +
'''[[Your Eternal Reward]]'''
 +
! {{Icon weapon|weapon=Invisibility Watch|icon-size=100x100px}}
 +
'''[[Invisibility Watch]]'''
 +
|
  
*The second point is an area that Spies can easily access on attack, as the back courtyard allows Spies of both teams to move between the first and second point areas with relative ease.  
+
This set is for the Spy who likes to kill an enemy, move on and repeat. The Ambassador allows him to kill the victim if the backstab misses and gives him a significant way of killing people without backstabbing. Your Eternal Reward allows the Spy to be rewarded with a disguise, so he can be ready for a follow-up. The normal Invisibility Watch forces him to keep moving quickly and to uncloak, Cloak and collect ammo boxes constantly. It also gives him enough time to catch up with his next target. Note that for this set, you want to make as many kills as possible in one life, as you are most effective at killing efficiently. This also means that if you are discovered, you do not always get killed and you have some defense. You should make every kill count if you use this set, for it is your only way to get disguises that don't cost your entire Cloak meter.
  
*The roof will likely have a Sentry Gun or two on it, which can be easily sapped when the Engineer is on the ground floor, dead, or is otherwise distracted, and the courtyard on either side of the building can be jumped down into to escape.
+
|}
  
*Defending Snipers will often sit just behind the concrete wall next to the point and scan the main corridor, but do not try to kill them unless you are sure there are no Sentry Guns or Pyros covering the area.
+
== Against Engineers ==
 +
''Most, if not all, tactics concerning Engineers will only work if the Engineer is not surrounded by allies. Use these tactics wisely.''
  
*The third point is difficult for BLU Spies to attack beyond sapping any Sentry Guns in the ditch and coordinating with your team because there are no alternate routes to the are beyond the point. As a result, it may be worth running around one of the corners and sapping a Sentry Gun so that whether or not you die, your team can destroy the Sentry Gun and hopefully capture the point.  
+
* A tremendously useful ability to have is the power to surprise an enemy Engineer. The worse the Engineer is at Spy checking, the better. An excellent way to check if an Engineer is in the vicinity is to Cloak, run in, and survey the area before retreating. However, this technique is less effective with the Dead Ringer equipped, as you cannot Cloak at will. When a lone Engineer is blocking an objective with a Sentry Gun, you can use the Ambassador to attempt to take out the Engineer at long range first, using nearby objects for cover.
 +
** An alternative strategy is to use the Engineer's own buildings against him. This can be done by disguising as a player with low health, and crouching near the Dispenser to heal your disguise, while simultaneously using the Dispenser as cover from the Sentry Gun. Using this strategy will allow you to eliminate the Engineer at close quarters, while being safe from his Sentry Gun's fire.
  
*You may want to hang back in blind spots such as the dark alcove next to the cart tracks to take out any Übers or kritzkriegs set to push your team back.  
+
* A lonely Engineer building a Sentry Gun can be easily killed by the Ambassador. Shooting him first in the head and then on any body part will kill him; afterward, you simply sap the building. Very useful if the Engineer is busy wrenching said building.
  
*If you can get by the main chokepoint of the point, you can try to take an Engineer's Teleporter at their spawn and telefrag him, allowing you to single handedly destroy their setup for your team to take advantage and push.
+
* If an Engineer leaves his buildings unattended, some players may simply rush in and sap everything in sight. It is advised you do ''not'' do this, unless you are totally sure that the Engineer is dead or too far away to respond in time. What you should do is shoot at a building once, and then hide in cover to defend against the Sentry Gun. The Engineer may come rushing back to hit it with the Wrench, allowing you to then follow him back to wherever he was previously. Wait at the area and backstab him as he attempts to return to his buildings.
  
*The last point is also an area where Spies are useful due to there often being hidden Sentry Guns that only Übers can usually take care of otherwise. However, it is difficult to move around and stay in the main area as it is so open and there will be many RED players running between the spawn doors and the main ramp. To remedy this, try to spend as little time as possible in the open, and get out of there as fast as you can once you have sapped a Sentry Gun and/or killed the Engineer.  
+
* A similar tactic is to find an enemy building outside of the Sentry Gun's field of vision and sap that, then pull out the Ambassador and wait. When the Engineer comes to remove the Sapper, quickly headshot him then shoot him, as the headshot on its own is unlikely to kill him. Since it takes two whacks with the Wrench to remove a Sapper, you should have ample time.
  
*There are also a few good corners to hide in (including one with a Maximum Health pickup and the stairs near their lower spawn) but be cautious of Pyros around these parts. When jumping down from the balcony or windows, do be careful of fall damage revealing you as before.
+
=== [[Sentry Gun]]s ===
 +
* A [[Sapper|sapped]] Sentry Gun cannot fire. If the [[Engineer]] is standing next to them, you have several options:
 +
** Sap the Sentry Gun and then run out of the room with the [[Capture the Flag#Intelligence|Intelligence]] or try and cap a fast-capping/partially capped point. Remember, if you accidentally touch the Intelligence while disguised, you will lose your disguise, and the Sentry Gun will attack you.
 +
** Sap the Sentry Gun and stab the Engineer if he goes to repair it. If he is already in position and repairing the Sentry Gun, the Sapper will be removed before you can switch to the Knife and [[backstab]]. If he is out of position, you will have time to make the attempt. If he is in position and is repairing the Sentry Gun, all you can do is run for it, or keep putting new Sappers on the Sentry Gun. He will keep removing them as you place new Sappers, but it takes a long time to destroy a Sentry Gun this way. You will almost certainly be spotted by a teammate of the Engineer and be killed without destroying the Sentry Gun. Keep in mind there is a delay after the Sapper is removed.
 +
** Your [[Revolver]] can destroy Sentry Guns at long range well due to no damage falloff against buildings. Firing at a Dispenser first is the key to succeeding; once it's down, fire at the Sentry Gun. When an Engineer first deploys a building, it's vulnerable to damage. One or two Revolver shots will take it down quickly before the Engineer has time to set it up. Your Revolver does more damage against buildings that aren't sapped, so if you find a lone Teleporter or Dispenser, and an Engineer isn't far off, shooting it without sapping it is the best course of action. However, when there are no Engineers near by, sapping a building and fleeing is the best way to avoid being spotted.
 +
** In certain situations, a Sentry Gun may be built so close to the cap point that you can reach it while capping. In this instance, you can quickly sap the Sentry Gun, undisguise, and resume sapping the Sentry Gun over and over. However, watch out for the Engineer breaking the capture with his body. [http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=mUMWs1AKx-E This video] goes into more detail on how it's done.
 +
** Communicate with your teammates asking them to tell you via [[voice commands]] or [[voice chat]] when they need a Sentry Gun disabled, and then repeatedly sap the Sentry Gun.
 +
** A Sentry Gun takes about a second to execute a full 180° rotation. If you are directly behind a Sentry Gun and the Engineer is close to and facing his Sentry Gun, it is possible to take out the Engineer and then the Sentry Gun. As soon as the Knife hits the Engineer, use the quick switch key to change to your Sapper and place one before the Sentry Gun locks on. Strafe ''with'' the Sentry Gun's rotation (remember that the Sentry Gun will attempt to rotate as little as possible to shoot its target) so that you will have more time to place your Sapper. Note that due to lag, it is possible for the Sentry Gun to shoot you between the actual placement of the Sapper and the Sentry Gun being shut down. A Level 3 Sentry Gun will not always kill you immediately (although it has a good chance of doing so unless your reaction time is superb); however, it will still be sapped and most likely destroyed.
 +
** If the Sentry Gun and Dispenser are in such a position that you cannot reach the back of the Engineer for a backstab, try jumping on the Sentry Gun or Dispenser and sitting on the Engineer's head. This is an ideal spot, as it is in your victim's blind spot and will allow you to backstab him from above (and apply the stab and sap trick above). However, if the Engineer is crouched and tries to stand or jump, they will be unable to do so and suspect a Spy. At that range, a Shotgun blast or two will kill you instantly. This trick also works well against a Heavy taking the role of a makeshift Sentry Gun.
 +
** A difficult trick is to take advantage of the fact that Engineers take damage from the gunfire of their own Sentry Gun. Stand in a position where the Engineer is between his Sentry Gun and you, then uncloak. You will die, but hopefully so will the Engineer. This is useful if the Engineer is in a position where you simply cannot backstab him. Use this technique carefully, as it can easily backfire on you.
 +
** A variation of this trick can be used against a common Engineer Sentry Gun/Dispenser setup. Some Engineers like to sandwich themselves between their Sentry Gun to the front and a Dispenser to the back. Disguise as a Pyro (as if you are helping the Engineer Spy-check) and walk up behind him, so the Dispenser is between you and the Engineer. As quick as you can, fire a few rounds into the Engineer with the Revolver. Duck as soon as the Engineer dies from the combined damage of your Revolver and the Sentry Gun's fire. If done correctly, the Sentry Gun will lose you as you hide behind the Dispenser. Re-disguise, sap everything, and leave. Watch [http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=mUMWs1AKx-E this video] for more tips on how this is done.
 +
** The Engineer's [[Wrangler]] weapon permits the Engineer to control his Sentry Gun entirely. Take '''extreme''' caution, as many Engineers will [[Spy checking|Spy-check]] with this, and it will make sapping the Sentry Gun much harder. Killing the Engineer while he is using the Wrangler will give you a few crucial seconds to sap his Sentry Gun bullet-free.
  
*It is not advisable to use the Dead Ringer to get behind their enemy lines unless you are very sure of your route, as there are a limited number of places to get metal on the route to the enemy spawn/the third point. Ideally though, now would be the best time to destroy BLU Teleporters and Sentry Guns though, as it is a long walk to the front lines for them otherwise and their Sentry Gun will likely be the only thing stopping your team from pushing them back and using Kritzkriegs to halt their charges.
+
* The Sap and stab is mainly for baiting. In this tactic, one must approach a sentry with an Engineer nearby while cloaked and disguised. Uncloak where the Engineer cannot see and sap the Sentry Gun. Quickly {{botignore|cloak}} and back up behind the Sentry Gun. Any Engineer with half a brain will come to knock off the Sapper. Uncloak as his back is turned and stab. Occasionally this may be done without having to Cloak in between.
  
==== Defense ====
+
* Stab and sap -- while disguised, approach the Engineer, preferably when he is upgrading the Sentry Gun, and backstab. Now use your quick reflexes to take out your Sapper and sap the Sentry Gun. Note that circling the sentry often allows more time to take out the Sapper, as the sentry will have to rotate to get you. This tactic is really about how quick you can stab then sap. This method requires much practice, an unaware Engineer, and a great deal of luck to pull off.
*On defense the rocks serve good hiding spots both behind and on top of them, but if you are using the Cloak and Dagger be careful you don't pick a place that other players will jump over and attract fire to/bump into you if they're on the enemy team.  
 
  
*The large vertical drops are also a problem while cloaked as they can reveal you when you take fall damage or even trigger your Dead Ringer. To combat this, try to move down through lower routes and crawl down ledges to minimize contact with BLU players, taking your time if necessary and choosing your moment to strike before retreating over the hill or through the tunnel.
+
* Long range takeout -- If you can find a corner to hide from the Sentry Gun's fire, you can headshot the Engineer. For other situations, the stock Revolver works well for this method, as it does not have any damage or firing speed penalties. First, uncloak in a safe hidden spot outside the reach of the Sentry Gun, but make sure that you can see the Engineer and Sentry Gun. Kill the Engineer first. Now you can either disguise and approach the sentry to sap it, or simply shoot it from long range with your Revolver of choice until it goes down.
  
*You can effectively defend the second point by hiding in the BLU team's blind spots near the cart (like the alcove to the left of the cart or under the garage overhang next to the first point) and stabbing crucial targets like a Heavy to be Übered or Medic with an ÜberCharge as they pass.  
+
* Remember that there won't always just be one Engineer. In that case, it is recommended that you use the sap and stab and be patient. Wait until both Engineers have their back turned (note that if both Engineers are striking the same Sentry Gun, it will take half as long to remove the Sapper).
  
*You can also loop around the back of people coming up the stairs via the rear courtyard to foil charges at the roof, but be careful on repeat runs as the BLU team may expect you and go round another way/kill you when they see you regardless of your disguise.
+
* With [[Your Eternal Reward]], you can backstab someone in the range of the Sentry Gun, including the Engineer behind it, without being detected. Just remember that you need a disguise equipped before you can do this, otherwise the Sentry Gun will kill you as soon as you step in range uncloaked. This is effective for taking down sentry nests with multiple Engineers as you can silently rid of them before sapping all of their buildings.
  
*Defending the third point is significantly easier as a Spy due to the fact you will often have the height advantage, allowing you to literally get the drop on enemies charging in. It is at this point it may be worth destroying the BLU Teleporters if they have any, as it is quite a trip from their spawn.
+
* If you are using [[Your Eternal Reward]] and lack a disguise, you can get a free disguise in spawn, or get an easy disguise on an unsuspecting Engineer; wait for the [[Sentry Gun]] to be in a good position (similar to Stab and Sap tactics), uncloak (preferably with a quiet watch), and immediately stab the Engineer repairing it. If done correctly, you will get your disguise before the Sentry locks on you, and you will get both a free disguise, and a destroyed [[Engineer]] position. Just make sure to use the attack button only one time, or you will drop your disguise and be at the (nonexistent) mercy of the Sentry Gun.
 +
** This strategy can be very effective against [[turtling]] Engineers with a giant Sentry nest.
  
*BLU Snipers may also position themselves on the roof of the second point, a spot you can easily access and hide in due to its secluded nature (just be wary of Snipers if they have [[Jarate]] or the [[Razorback]].  
+
* Against an Engineer with the [[Frontier Justice]] and [[Gunslinger]], equip the [[Red-Tape Recorder]] instead of the stock Sapper. This will sap his Sentry much slower, denying him crits from Sentry kills, and making him unable to place a new Combat Mini-Sentry Gun until the old one is destroyed.
  
*Drop down on enemy charges from the various balconies and stab them to thin out their offense, also sapping any buildings an Engineer might be building around the corner if you can.
+
=== [[Dispenser]]s ===
 +
* Keep an eye out for Dispensers once you infiltrate the enemy base. They will still heal you and you can use them while your Cloak is still active (when using the default [[Invisibility Watch]]). In fact, all Dispensers above Level 1 can recharge your Cloak even while you're cloaked. Level 1 Dispensers don't recharge your Cloak, but your Cloak won't drain either. Instead, it'll stay at the same level, giving you time to plan your next actions. Level 2 Dispensers recharge it slowly and Level 3 recharge it much faster, so Dispensers can be crucial to your plan. Note that the healing beam CANNOT be seen when cloaked and when next to a Dispenser - but be sure to watch out for Engineers, as they will constantly run back to their Dispenser, possibly running into you and revealing you. To avoid the Engineer, jump on top of the Dispenser instead of standing beside it. Be careful though, as his teammates can still run through it and, if they do, reveal your location.
  
*On defense your main area of action will be around the chokepoint at the top of the ramp leading to the third point, and the top right courtyard where the top window can be reached. Up there, you can take care of any intrusive Snipers and also loop around to the chokepoint ready to stifle any charges or Snipers standing at the top of the ramp.  
+
* Note that on maps with narrow corridors, like 2Fort, Engineers may place superfluous Dispensers in locations that block your path. They also use these Dispensers to lure you into sapping them, thus alerting him and his team of your presence. If this is the case, you have 3 options: Crouch behind the Dispenser and use your Revolver to take it out or at least damage it (Provided there aren't any enemies around, they will hear the sound of your Revolver), crouch jump over the Dispenser (unless the Dispenser is placed in a position where you would've normally jumped on to the platform to reach it) or simply take another route.
  
*If you hide in the darkness of the rooms next to the top of the ramp you can easily stab BLU players coming from either side and quickly run back into the safe zone your team is in.
+
* When uncloaked, avoid standing on Dispensers. Because most players (except the Engineer who built the Dispenser) will clip through buildings, being spotted in this position will instantly ruin your disguise, unless you are disguised as the Engineer, but he will almost certainly see a clone of himself and kill you. Unless the Engineer is dead and you are disguised as him, it is highly recommended to not stand on top of a Dispenser while uncloaked.
  
=== [[Junction]] ===
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* If you have no other option, using a Scout disguise and crouching behind a Dispenser while uncloaking may minimize the odds the Engineer will spot you instantly. This can be useful in small, commonly camped areas.
  
*Junction is a map best suited for the Dead Ringer, due to its tight spaces and few possible hiding spots. You can use the normal watch or the Cloak and Dagger on offense quite well (with the numerous areas around the RED spawn letting you watch over the enemy Teleporters), but if you want to survive long enough to do some damage then use the Dead Ringer before running to the nearest BLU spawn door. On defense, any of the watches can be used depending on your personal preference, but be careful when using the Cloak and Dagger as the narrow halls and lack of potential hiding places make you easily bumped into no matter where you hide.
+
* If you have just stabbed an Engineer and you are low on health, try looking for his Dispenser to patch yourself up. Remember to be cautious however, run if an enemy approaches the Dispenser, and take note when the Engineer respawns, then flee.
  
==== Attack ====
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=== [[Teleporter]]s ===
 +
* If you're disguised as an enemy and take one of your team's Teleporters, the glowing ring and trail effect will not show up. Using friendly Teleporters with friendly disguises will give you a ring and trail but these are removed when you next use an enemy disguise.
  
*Try not to rush into a point area on your own, especially if there are many RED players lying in wait. The tight space and aforementioned lack of suitably dark places to uncloak mean that should you be discovered (likely, due to the enhanced effect of splash damage and flames the cramped space grants) you will almost certainly not make it out alive (unless using the Dead Ringer, in which case be sure to retreat to spawn and not behind the enemies as they will be able to feel you pushing through them).
+
* Walking over an enemy Teleporter exit when someone uses it kills you, a term called [[telefrag]]ging.
  
*Only sap Sentry Guns when your team is absolutely ready to charge in and take it out while you are sapping. Otherwise, it is likely the Engineer will be able to keep his Sentry Gun alive and for one of his teammates to kill you as you are sapping.
+
* When you find an exit Teleporter, watch it to see which way players come out. Then stand behind the Teleporter and wait. When the next player comes out, backstab him instantly. He should report this to his team, but he'll be dead for a bit, so you can risk waiting a little for a second Teleport and kill, or you can just sap the Teleporter and leave the area. This is called telecamping, which is usually frowned upon by most players.
  
*When attacking A, try to use the corridor that links A and B together to access the raised area from C that is normally inaccessible except to Soldiers and Demomen. This place is a good, out of the way area to watch over the point, Scout out any potential threats to your team and also remain until your team makes their push.
+
* Due to the {{Patch name|8|13|2009}}, whenever a Teleport Entrance or Exit is sapped, the other automatically has a Sapper placed on it as well, regardless of their distance from one another. However, the Engineer can now remove Sappers from both the entrance and the exit by using his Wrench on either. Although this makes it much harder for Spies to get cheap points by sapping Teleporter entrances outside the enemy spawn, a successful Sapper on an active Teleporter will now give two points.
  
*Do not hide in the stairwells that go directly to the point, as they are too tight and well lit to allow adequate hiding or waiting.
+
* If you're trying to telefrag enemies with their own Teleporters, either step over them while cloaked or use a slow disguise (Heavy and Soldier are the best) in order not to draw too much attention towards you.
  
*At B, you can use the crates dotted around the hall as cover, and move directly onto the point. Here you can uncloak safely unless there is a RED player directly on the point, and you can then walk down the stairs and stab anybody locking down your spawn.
+
* If you see enemy Teleporter entrances and exits in unusual places (often near their objectives), it could mean you are walking into an Engineer's trap - many Engineers place their Teleporters inside their base as an early warning system, hoping that you will be unable to resist sapping them and will thus alert the Engineer to your presence (one way you can trick the Engineer in this scenario is by firing 2-3 Revolver shots at it, or if the Engineer is close by, hit it with your Knife as it is much quieter, but not enough to destroy it. Engineers will almost always expect a Spy to sap it if anything, so this may throw off the Engineer who built it).
  
*If possible, try to get into the hallway behind B that joins onto C, as this area is a good, dark spot for uncloaking and following key targets.
+
* As of the Sniper vs. Spy Update, the Spy is now able to use enemy Teleporters. This can be useful for getting into well-defended Sentry Gun nests and/or nests that would otherwise be unreachable.
  
*At the last point, focus more on sapping Sentry Guns and killing Engineers than actually trying to capture the point. The point itself is far too cramped and easily accessible to the RED team for you to attempt a Backcap, and does not capture fast enough for you to do it as soon as both previous points have been captured (by which time the RED team will have already begun setting up at C).
+
* If you can time it just right, it's possible to sap an enemy Teleporter entrance just as it teleports you. However, due to the {{Patch name|8|13|2009}} this is rather pointless as you can achieve the same effect by taking the teleport and then sapping the exit. However, it does allow you to harass the Engineer as he attempts to knock your Sapper off.
  
*If you are unsure of where exactly all the Sentry Guns are located, try to access the upper left ledge (though the stairwell in the windows). This lets you survey the entirety of C, and also is a good spot for uncloaking and/or hiding while the enemy team is looking for you.
+
* If you are lucky, you may manage to telefrag an enemy upon taking an opposing Teleporter. While this normally applies to your own team's Teleporters as well if an enemy somehow stands on it without destroying it, the likelihood is higher as a Spy, as enemies may be clustered around the exit on the other side. In some cases, you may even be able to telefrag the enemy Engineer on the other side. However, be aware that telefragging will immediately alert the Engineer as to who took their Teleporter.
  
==== Defense ====
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* A clever Spy can sneak his way to the enemy's Teleporter Entrance, sap it, and then stand on it, waiting for an Engineer on the exit side to knock off the Sapper. Once the Sapper has been knocked off the Spy will teleport to the other side, telefragging the Engineer if he is close enough, and is free to sap any buildings the Engineer has built. This is a risky but effective way of taking down forward bases built by one Engineer.
 +
** However, the above strategy becomes obsolete if there are two Engineers babysitting their buildings in the same location. The second Engineer will no doubt see/hear his buddy trying to repair his Teleporter and dying. There is usually no way to fight the second Engineer without the Sentry Guns swiveling and shooting you dead once you uncloak/remove your disguise. Your best hope in this situation is to either run, or sap BOTH the Sentry Guns as fast as you can, while avoiding the Wrench. If you're VERY lucky, you'll be able to get both of them, and then deal with your hard-hatted assailant. Assuming he doesn't just repair the Sentry Guns or Shotgun you to death, you could also try the continuous sap strategy.
  
*Use the pieces of cover at A and B to hide behind, chasing enemy players as they rush into your point. This works better with the Cloak and Dagger, as you will not be seen until the last moment, if at all.
+
* Another way to deal with Teleporters is to simply sap the entrance, and then put another back on immediately after it gets knocked off, and repeating. As the Engineer cannot repair the Teleporter while it is being sapped, you can slowly wear down the entrance and take out both sides with little to no risk; this is one of the safer courses of action if the Engineer is smart enough to stand off of his exit and Wrench whoever comes through right after he knocks the Sapper off. However, beware that this takes a long time, and in the case of spawns with only one exit, greatly increases the risk of an enemy seeing you and killing you. In this case, you can simply take out your Revolver and empty it into the entrance after sapping it, usually destroying the entrance in most cases. If the Engineer is quick enough to knock off your Sapper before you can destroy the entrance, simply place a second one on immediately and repeat, though repeatedly sapping will probably work better as your Revolver may be out of ammunition. This method is faster and reduces the risk of being discovered by the enemy in their spawn, but leaves you more vulnerable as you will not be disguised.
  
*The multiple sets of stairs up to each point allow you to come from the least watched side of the point when the BLU team are in the process of capturing. Do not try this if there are more than 4 people on the point (or more than 2 Scouts/[[Pain Train]] Soldiers or Demos due to their increased rate of capture), as it will mean that even killing one person will not affect the maximum capture rate.
+
* You can quickly destroy Teleporters by sapping them and then shooting them a few times with your Revolver. Although this will attract more attention than just sapping, it may destroy at least one side of the Teleporter before the Engineer can remove your Sapper thus reverting the other side of the teleport to level 1.
  
*If you are trying to thin out the BLU team as they capture A, try using the Ambassador from a range. With enough people on the point it is likely you will often get a headshot, and may damage them enough to either kill them or weaken them for your teammates to kill them when blocking the capture.
+
* Hitting a Teleporter with a Wrench will only remove Sappers from the other end if the end being hit has finished building. If you sap a teleport early in its build, the Engineer may not have enough time to save the other end even if they're able to remove the Sapper.
  
*When defending C, use the many different corridors going to A, B and the area between to get behind the enemy lines. Then, run back toward C via the main entrances and stab anybody moving towards the point. This will not only foil enemy pushes from that side, but also increase the likelihood of you surviving thanks to the instant transition to a safe area (C, assuming there is a least one Sentry Gun guarding the doors).
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== Infiltration ==
 +
* You can [[disguise]] as your own team by hitting {{Key|R}} or {{Key|-}} (or {{Key|E}} if you have the simple disguise menu enabled) at the top of the keyboard after bringing up the disguise interface. As a friendly non-Spy class, players on the other team are much less likely to alert each other to Spies entering the base if they see you. However, the best way to get in and out is to Cloak properly.
  
*If the BLU team congregate on the point itself, rush in with your Knife. It may be possible to get a stab or two and block the capture slightly, thus creating a window of opportunity for your team to aid you.
+
* While it may not seem immediately obvious to the Spy, as you slowly [[Cloak|decloak]] you take on the color of your team until you are 100% visible. It is vital to let the Cloak come on fully before entering into areas where you would be seen. Try to decloak around a corner where an opponent can't see you. It's very obvious that you are a Spy as no other class is able to Cloak.
  
=== [[Steel]] ===
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* While cloaked, remember to avoid all enemy fire - if you're hit, you flicker visibly. The same is true if you bump into an enemy. If you plan to rush out, tell your team-mates to let you go first (cloaked), so that stray fire from the enemy team at your visible team-mates doesn't reveal or kill you.
  
==== General ====
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* If you are discovered and must Cloak to run away (assuming that you are not using a [[Dead Ringer]]), use misdirection to break away from your foes. If you are running in a certain direction while you Cloak, your enemies will usually head in that direction, so you can immediately make a radical turn after becoming completely invisible, or even turn in the immediate opposite direction to get behind them for a backstab opportunity.
  
*The multitude of side routes and the multiple points favors a Spy who is willing to take the time to learn the layout of the map and get behind the enemy.  
+
* While cloaked, avoid giving away your position, especially to Snipers or, if you have been busted, your pursuers. So do not:
 +
** ...pick up medkits (unless you're burning) or ammo crates.
 +
** ...enter the enemies' line of sight before your Cloak is fully active (see above).
 +
** Also, if you go through an automatic door while cloaked and no one else is around, it is obvious that there is a Spy. If the door is very narrow, you still will become a very easy target, as you only have one direction to run in. Also, if you come out of swimmable [[water]], water will be visible dripping from you.
  
*There is almost always a different pathway to take to any objective that is less traveled. Use these to infiltrate the enemy base.  
+
* You appear to have the same health as the target of your disguise did at the moment you took on that disguise.
  
==== Offense ====
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* Get a friendly Medic to heal you while you are disguised, because your disguised health level also rises to 100%, thus making you less suspicious when disguised while around the enemy spawn; however, appearing to be injured may be a good idea so you can get an enemy Medic to heal you. Note that overhealing will also be visible on your disguise, and if the enemy team has no Medics, walking around with an [[overheal]] may be a dead giveaway.
===== Point A =====
 
  
* Take the route to the right by the windows and over to cliff to quickly move behind any enemy Snipers or Heavies that may be unaware of your presence. Be aware that the RED spawn is very close to the point, so keep an eye out for reinforcements.  
+
* If your disguise has an overhealing weapon equipped ([[Powerjack]], [[Conniver's Kunai]], etc.), then you may be able to fool some players with the weapon equipped and a full overheal.
  
* Be very careful when decloaking, there is very little cover near the point. A good place to decloak is the Sniper bunker overlooking Point E, though it may be difficult to get past the enemy spawn to get there.  
+
* Avoid walking over medkits unless your real health is injured; your fake health level will appear to be injured and, if you don't pick up a medkit when walking over it, it is a dead giveaway that you're a disguised Spy. You can only increase your disguised health level from [[Dispensers]] and [[Payload#Carts|Payload carts]] if your real health is injured. So if you're receiving a healing beam, and your health is not appearing to increase then those that know this telltale sign will know you're a Spy, so it's best to use a Dispenser and cart only if you're truly injured. But against less experienced players, being healed by a Dispenser or cart can makes you seem less suspicious. As of the {{Patch name|5|21|2009}}, in the PC version, walking over a medkit will add to your disguise health. You will also pick up medkits if your disguise health is down, even if your real health is full.
 +
** Note that picking medkits makes the cross icon appear above your head even if you're cloaked or disguised, and it will be of your team's color, so it can be a serious giveaway for players who will notice that.
  
* If there is a Sentry Gun, co-ordinate with your team so that they wait just over the cliff edge while you sap it before rushing in to destroy it.  
+
* Alternatively, if you have the [[Cloak and Dagger]] equipped, you can deliberately grab medkits in order to deny them to the enemy. While they will probably know that an enemy Spy is in the area, you can assist your team in this way by making your opponents easier to kill if your teammates are also relatively close by; however, this is also a double-edged sword since you can accidentally deny the medkit to a teammate who needs it.
  
===== Point B =====
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[[Image:Spy for Medic.png|thumb|right|''Friendly'' disguised BLU Spy calling for a RED Medic]]
  
* Taking the path from A, through E to B is the best route to take for flanking, if a bit long. This will put you behind the entire enemy team.  
+
* Remember that you can call for and be healed by enemy Medics while disguised. This is a great way to hold your cover, and also a good opportunity to backstab the opponent's support. Beware that this also risks drawing undue attention to yourself, especially if your alter-ego notices his own name calling for a Medic. For these reasons it is probably best to do this as a retreating maneuver.
 +
** In a similar manner to calling for Medic, using any voice command that appears in the text chat (such as "Help!" or "Incoming!") while disguised as an enemy will be shown to the enemy team as from the person you are disguised as.
 +
** Do note that if you are in a situation that you may think it is safe to call a Medic, such as separation from the other members, there is one giveaway that a person paying attention would notice. As a Spy, your Medic call copies '''your''' health, not the health of that who you are disguised as. Therefore, if the person you are disguised as has above half health, but you have below half health, then your Medic call will be red. The opposite is also true; if you're healthy while your disguise is deadly wounded, the Medic call will be in pure white. Therefore if the Medic pays attention to the signs, calling Medic at the wrong health may be a dead giveaway that you are a Spy. If you notice that you might give yourself away, such as medicalling while almost dead while your disguise is healthy, then call Medic and look at them for signs. If they pull out a weapon like the Ubersaw or [[Syringe Gun]] and look at you, this may be a sign that you have just revealed your disguise to them.
  
* Once again, the enemy spawn is just beside the point. There is a good place to hide just below the spawn door where you can wait for a Medic or Heavy to backstab. Also keep an eye on any Snipers that may be looking out from the windows across from the spawn door. They will be easy targets to a [[Backstab]] as long as they don't hear you.  
+
* Once in the enemy's base, ''communicate'' with your team. Talking might not move you up on the [[Scoreboard]], but reporting Sentry Gun placements if a group of enemies are taking an alternate route or building a minibase can make a big difference and bring your team closer to victory. Note that on alltalk servers, your speech bubble is your own team color even when cloaked.
  
* The pathway to point C is another good place to decloak. There is also [[Health]] and [[Ammo]] there if you need to ever retreat.  
+
* You can walk backward while heading for the enemy base, or look backwards occasionally while walking forwards. Retreating into an enemy base while disguised looks much less suspicious than running into it at full tilt (unless your disguise health is relatively low), but as this trick has been done so many times, it can appear obvious to the astute observer.
  
===== Point C=====
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* When you disguise yourself, you take the name of an enemy player that is playing the same class as the disguise. It is crucial that you try to use a class that is well represented by the enemy side to decrease the risk of coming face to face with the person you stole the name from. As of the {{Patch name|5|21|2009}}, you can see whose name you have taken on on your disguise nameplate.
  
*There are only two narrow pathways up to the elevated point. Don't linger on them if you must take them. It is almost assured that an enemy will bump into you eventually. The lack of any decent cover on or near the point also makes it easy for enemies to Spy-check and find you easily. It is recommended that you generally avoid trying to hide on the point.  
+
* If you disguise as a class not represented by the enemy team, you take on a name randomly, and your disguise has a completely stock loadout with no cosmetics. This can be a dead giveaway as a glance at the score table will make your trickery obvious, so try to disguise as a class that you know the enemy has.
  
*It is possible to get behind the enemy, but the pathway is long. Go to Point D and move up  the stairs towards the spawn door. Run along the plank sitting on the box and jump across to the extended platform. This pathway is very rarely used, so you may have a very good element of surprise.  
+
* Try to act natural. Many times, an enemy will shoot you and not notice your health go down. If you do react to their shots, you can be certain that they and the rest of their team will hunt you down. If you continue heading in the same direction and if you seem to ignore the attack (assuming that it doesn't kill you), many times you will be left alone.
 +
** Expanding on the above, standing still while in the enemy base is highly suspicious, and most players will try to [[Spy checking|Spy check]] you. Making it seem like you were NOT harmed by this attack is the key to getting sneaky backstabs when they turn away. Be incredibly careful of Pyros however. If you see one heading for you, and he is actively Spy checking, RUN!
 +
** Another thing to note on the above is that certain weapons WILL give you away, even if you pretend it didn't hurt you. Weapons like the [[Widowmaker]], the [[Black Box]], and certain weapons with on hit effects will give you away, because they will vary in their triggers; with the former replenishing metal on hit, and the latter replenishing health on hit. Take note of what weapons the enemy is using to Spy check.
  
===== Point D =====
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* When disguised as a Medic, your fake Ubercharge meter will always display 0%. This can be a dead giveaway.
  
* This point has four routes to access it from; Two from point A, one from point C and one from point E. The third route is best for a Spy that wishes to get behind the enemy, though it is a long path.  
+
* You may, while entering the enemy base, notice that an attack force is heading for your base. Running in the opposite direction of them will likely result in a Spy check. A great method to single-handedly stop this attack is trying to run with the group towards your base. This works well as it appears to the opposite team that you are not a Spy, and you can slow yourself down a little bit to get to the rear of the pack and backstab most, if not all, of them. Just be sure the person you are disguised as is not among them, or you will be very dead very quickly.
 +
** This is one of the main techniques for a [[Your Eternal Reward]] / [[Wanga Prick]] users, since even a quick behind-glance from one of the enemies will less likely reveal you, not to mention the screams and bodies won't be a problem either.
  
* Be careful along the windowed path from A to D, the enemy can see your legs through the windows and may notice when you Cloak or disguise.  
+
* A dead giveaway that you're a Spy in disguise is the fact that your enemies are unable to walk through you. Once they bump into you, they will try to kill you immediately. When in small enclosed spaces, e.g. the sewers in [[2Fort]], walk close to the walls and be sure to leave enough room for enemy players to run past you.
  
* If your teammates are attacking point E, start capturing point D until the enemy diverts some players to stop you, then Cloak and hide until they leave, before repeating. This will take the pressure off your teammates and you may even be able to capture it by yourself. The [[Dead Ringer]] works very well in this role. This strategy also applies on point E if your teammates are capturing point D.
+
* Deliberately trying to avoid people in corridors is like saying, "Hey! Here I am! Shoot me!" and will likely get you Spy checked and possibly killed. If you see someone barreling down a corridor at you, it is usually a better idea to open fire on them then to risk bumping into them and being melee'd by them. Remember, your knife isn't exactly fantastic in a face-off. It is only good for backstabs and taking out already weakened enemies; you cannot count on facestabs to save you.
  
===== Point E =====
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* Keep an eye on the enemy players that are about to respawn. When did they die? What class did they play? What is their skill? Remember, these are the players that are going to be on your back in a few seconds. Use this knowledge to time your actions. If you know that the opponent's #1 Scout will respawn in a few seconds, let him pass by before you take any backstabbing/sapping action. Also remember, if you've just killed the same player twice in the exact same spot, they are going to be checking the area the next time they come through in order to find you.
  
* You can only access this point if C has been captured. You can, however, help your Scouts, Demomen and Soldiers by waiting by the enemy spawn exit to E and backstabbing them as they attempt to remove your teammates. Be sure to communicate with your team so that they know what you are doing.  
+
* Most importantly: There are many people ([[Pyro]]s) who will Spy check anyone they see, regardless of team affiliation, just as a precaution. Because of this, you must remember to keep moving, change disguises frequently, and, whenever possible, avoid being seen by the enemy entirely.
  
* The windowed room above the RED spawn exit to E is a good place to hide, as it is out of the way and has [[Health]] and [[Ammo]] if you need it. Consider waiting here until you spot a powerful target of opportunity like a Medic or a Sentry Gun.  
+
* As long as there's a damage indication on your HUD, you are semi-visible. Wait until the damage indicator clears before moving to ensure that you're completely invisible.
  
* Once point D is captured, the enemy only has two pathways to E: through D or through C. Consider waiting near these spawn exits and follow the enemies, they will likely be focused on saving their point rather than Spy-checking.
+
* A good idea to make your disguise more believable is to get behind or near the enemy spawn, put on your disguise, wait until no one is around/not watching you, and then run forwards so it looks like you just respawned. Not only can it put you behind players leaving said spawn, but it also makes enemy players less likely to Spy check you thinking that you're someone who just came from their own spawn.
 +
** Be cautious to not get into players' casual fire though, as it is rather common for some people to spend some of the ammo shooting in the air (or teammates) while running to an objective that is too far away. Also try to avoid spawns with automatic doors (see above).
  
==== Defense ====
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* Picking up the enemy [[Capture the Flag#Intelligence|Intelligence]] does not yet make you a suicide flag runner. You can drop the Intelligence anytime ({{Key|L}} by default), put on a disguise, or Cloak to Recon ahead for danger and/or clear out an ambush. Afterwards, return to the Intelligence and resume carrying it when the path is clear. This is especially useful against Sentry Guns, which you can sap and then return to the Intelligence and Demomen, who like to block your path with stickies, essentially trapping you between themselves and anyone pursuing you from the enemy base. It's also a good way to lure other classes out of ambush, as they will move from their spot to check why has the Intelligence been dropped.
  
=====Point A=====
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* Disguises only fool enemies "at-a-glance". It's best to avoid being seen altogether and use cloaking more often.
* Use the [[Cloak and Dagger]] to hide to the right of the BLU spawn exit and wait for the opportune time to kill any Medics with ÜberCharges ready. Also keep an eye on any Snipers or Heavies that may be harassing your team and consider taking them out. Communicate the enemy movements and plans to your own team to warn them of incoming attacks.  
 
  
*The shed beside the RED spawn exit contains a full health pack but be careful, there's only one exit. If you are being chased by an enemy, Cloak and make it appear you are going to grab the Health before moving away at the last second, leaving your chaser confused as to your new location. You can pick up the Health once he leaves.  
+
* While disguised, try to use voice commands such as Battle Cry. It will make your disguised player speak and do some mimics, and therefore it can fool some enemies who don't think about Spies being able to do those mimics.
  
* While you cannot get up to the raised pathway that BLU may take, you can still harass the enemy with the [[Revolver]] or [[Ambassador]]. Use this to distract enemy Snipers, Demomen or Heavies that may be about to attack.
+
* Reloading the Revolver and its variants will reload the weapon equipped by your disguise. Use this for added realism.
 +
** Be wary of the weapon your disguise is holding, as even weapons that do not require reloading (such as [[Minigun]]s and [[Flamethrower]]s) will still play an animation.
  
===== Point B =====
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* If you are using the [[Cloak and Dagger]], try to jump up on obstacles and ledges as you move through the map. Players use the obvious running pathways and will run right past you if you are cloaked. Standing on a crate allows you to recharge your Cloak without being bumped into and giving away your position. Standing on top of obstacles is also a good place to avoid Spy checking and escape pursuing players as they often forget to check the top of boxes and ledges.
  
* The pathway from A to B will likely be used for all the enemies that just captured A. Wait at the bottom of the drop in the small alcove with the Health for any targets of opportunity. Be aware that injured enemies may try to take the Health, try not to bump into them.
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== Backstabbing techniques ==
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:''For more information, see [[Backstab#Backstabbing Techniques|Backstab]]''
  
* The main pathway from the BLU spawn to B has a small alcove you can hide in to surprise the enemy. Be aware that it is suspicious for the enemy to see someone exit from there if they didn't see them go in. Keep an eye on the enemy spawn and only decloak once it's clear.  
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=== 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 route that takes the enemy up onto the elevated platform is narrow and twisted. Keep an eye out for enemies as you navigate it and use the shack at the end of the platform to decloak. Note that you are still close enough to any enemies on that platform that they may hear you decloak.  
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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.
  
=====Point C=====
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There are a few things to keep in mind before going in for the killing blow:
* After capturing B, the enemy will likely be grouped behind the opening gate to C. Don't try to attack them when they are milling around, there are too many people watching behind them. Wait until the door opens and they funnel through before getting a few quick backstabs and retreating.
 
  
* Take one of the two pathways to get from C to B in order to get behind the enemy. The higher path is shorter but more dangerous while the lower path is longer and safer. Warn your team of any enemies that are moving down these pathways as you travel down them.  
+
* Determine who your target is, and if they are a good target, before you approach.
 +
* Don't panic when you are discovered.
 +
* Make sure to double check the routes behind you ''before'' decloaking, especially in routes which are commonly used. A recently spawned enemy player might catch you decloaking.
 +
* Check your surrounding first before cloaking. An enemy player might be looking at your general direction. If you are lucky, they might not be suspicious of you, but if they start shooting at you, run and hide.
 +
* Check the Scoreboard for dead enemy players so you can be aware if someone will come out from spawn.
 +
* If you know that someone has just spawned, you can wait for them to pass by you. You can also try to delay their movement to the front line by timing your kill so they would be forced to look for you.
 +
* Your disguise protects you from passing glances, but only until they get suspicious. Kill your target as soon as possible.
 +
* Be aware of the speed of your Heavy and Soldier disguise. While enemies may be less suspicious of these uncommon disguises, you will have a much harder time trying to hunt down your victim.
 +
* A common mistake is to Cloak when the target is attacking you. Even if the target is aware of you, you can still kill them with techniques like stairstabbing, sidestabbing, or shooting.
 +
* Be careful on approaching the same target too often. Even the most inexperienced player will start checking their back after being stabbed too frequently.
 +
* When attempting to backstab during an enemy push, be sure to wait until they have engaged your teammates. Be wary of enemy players who are watching their team's back.
 +
* When you see a friendly Spy approaching a target, choose another target. If your teammate targets an [[Engineer]], sap their buildings while they are distracted. You can also watch your teammates' back by targeting approaching reinforcements.
 +
* Use elevated areas to your advantage. With good timing and positioning, you can get your target within a couple of seconds.
 +
* Avoid chasing and staring when closing in. Looking directly at your target while running after them gives you away to anyone watching, but watching in your periphery (by aiming the crosshair a few steps to their side) and running parallel with your target looks like you're running ''with'' them, arousing less suspicion.
 +
* Since players rarely look upwards, consider using elevated areas and stairways to jump around your target and confuse them.
  
===== Point D =====
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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:
*Engineers often build between point A and point D. Check here occasionally to prevent them from setting up all their [[buildings]]. Coordinate with your team to remove and Sentry Gun nests that may be constructed.
 
  
* Snipers may start using the windowed area above point A to attack your team. Help them out by removing the threat.  
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* If you have the Dead Ringer, wait for the watch to refill as much as possible before going for your target. It makes for great insurance in case you fail to catch your victim and you start becoming the enemy's target. Make sure your death is convincing though or the area will be double-checked.
 +
* The L'Étranger can help quickly refill the Cloak meter in areas without ammo boxes, therefore you can Cloak in order to hide in case a backstab attempt fails. Be careful if you decide to shoot unaware players as they will turn their attention toward you.
 +
* Be aware of the level of noise each of your cloaking devices make. A common mistake is decloaking too close to your target, thus enabling them to hear you.
 +
* Also, when using [[Your Eternal Reward]] try to predict and calculate your enemies movement and patterns to look for an opening in getting the first kill.
  
===== Point E =====
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==Class Cooperation Strategies==
*Taking the pathway from C to E is often your best bet if D has been captured as most of your teammates will probably go from D to E.  
+
The Spy generally works on his own instead of working with his team, picking off high priority targets in the backlines. However, a bit of knowledge on your available options when it may be beneficial to team up with allies could make the difference between a skillful win, or humiliating loss.
  
* Taking the pathway from D works as well if you go around towards A to come up behind any enemies that are sitting on E.
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==={{class link|Scout}}===
 +
Generally speaking, the Scout and Spy hardly often work together due to their completely opposite playstyles. Despite this, there is still some chemistry to be found in a Spy-Scout pair up.
 +
* The Scout ambushing a whole team is generally seen as an annoyance which many opponents will be focused on killing, or chasing off. If their attention is directed towards your Scout buddy, you can very easily backstab a few of them before being noticed.
 +
* A Spy and Scout can both ambush the same target, such as a Medic or Heavy and quickly kill them before moving onto their next target.
 +
* You can trick enemies into following you up close to a Scout and allow him to kill them.
 +
* Spies have a better weapon for long range engagement than the Scout, the Revolver. You can finish off any target that the Scout cannot reach in time with a few accurate shots.
 +
* A Scout with [[Mad Milk]] can extinguish a burning allied Spy.
 +
* You and a Scout can take out a whole Sentry Nest together. If the Scout is using the [[Bonk! Atomic Punch]], he can distract the Sentry Gun, which allows you to kill the Engineer and sap the buildings before he can repair them.
 +
* A Scout with the [[Sandman]] may be able to slow targets to make them easier picks for the Spy.
 +
* Spies specialize in taking out Engineers and Heavies, both of which make life difficult for Scouts.
  
=== [[Pipeline]] ===
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==={{class link|Soldier}}===
 +
Soldiers are a very attention-grabbing class and will make it easier for friendly Spies to go unnoticed, simply by existing near the enemy team.
 +
* Soldiers can cause a large enough distraction for you to slip by the enemy unnoticed, and deal damage in the backlines.
 +
* Kill any Heavies that are focusing down an allied Soldier, because a Soldier under Minigun fire is a sitting duck.
 +
* Eliminate Sentry nests where possible. Because of a Sentry Gun's long range and high damage, it makes it difficult for a Soldier to actively [[Rocket Jump]] without being pushed away or outright killed.
 +
* Soldiers using the [[Battalion's Backup]] make it easier for you to eliminate enemies with the increased damage resistance and nullification of crits, in the event you are found out.
 +
* If you are under the effects of a friendly Soldier's [[Concheror]], a single backstab will bring you to full health.
 +
** This is less effective with the [[Conniver's Kunai]], however, as that knife already gives you healing.
  
*The twisting hallways and tight corridors allow for excellent flanking opportunities as long as you don't run into anyone.  
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==={{class link|Pyro}}===
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Few classes are better at distracting large numbers of enemies than Pyros are. The amount of chaos a Pyro can descend upon an enemy team means it will make you less likely to be found out, even after a stab.
 +
* A friendly Pyro can extinguish you if you get set on fire.
 +
* Enemy Heavies can very easily take out a Pyro, even in the event of an ambush. Killing a Heavy therefore will make it easier for Pyros to ambush your foes.
 +
* Pyros using the Gas Passer will allow you to set multiple enemies on fire with your Secondary and help them cause even more of a disruption.
 +
* A particularly bold tactic is to use your allied Pyros as bait. If you are disguised as a slow-moving class, try to look panicked and pretend to run away from them. This will make you look like an enemy trying to flee and seem less conspicuous. Even if your allied Pyro dies, you will now likely be behind your enemies and can stab them without arousing much suspicion.
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* Pyros are situationally high on Snipers' list of classes to kill, so backstabbing them can deny them the chance to snipe your Pyro buddy.
  
*Remember that most players who are on a cart usually have their attention directed forward. This present a prime opportunity to thin out the opposition with a few quick stabs. Don't expect to live long if there are [[Soldier]]s, [[Heavy|Heavies]] or [[Pyro]]s on the cart.
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==={{class link|Demoman}}===
 +
Despite their differing playstyles, Demomen and Spies have a surprising amount of chemistry, and are often found working together on both offense and defense.
 +
* Demoman's weaknesses are hitscan weapons and up close combat-- strategies that some of your highest priority targets employ, such as Heavies or Snipers. In these cases, eliminating them first can make it easier for a Demo to do his job.
 +
* Make sure to kill Snipers '''before''' they kill your Demomen. When Demoman dies, all his stickybombs disappear, which weakens your team's defenses.
 +
* Both you and Demoman are very useful in destroying Sentry Guns. Your combined efforts will make it difficult for any Engineers to maintain a Sentry nest for long.
 +
** Kill any Engineers setting up Sentry Guns or Dispensers. With them dead, it makes it almost guaranteed that your Sapper and a Demoman's stickybombs will destroy any buildings.
 +
* Most classes will immediately attempt to chase down and kill a Spy once discovered. You can use this knowledge to your advantage for baiting enemies into a Demoman's stickybomb trap. Simply get your enemies to chase you, then run to where your Demoman buddy has set up a sticky trap.
 +
* Act as a tripwire for your Demo buddy. Using the Cloak and Dagger, you can stay invisible for as long as you need to, and let your buddy know when to detonate his stickybombs for maximum damage potential.
 +
* Engineers and Heavies can be nightmares for [[Community Demoman Strategy|Demoknight]]s to deal with but are favored targets for Spies. Simply sapping an enemy sentry can make life exponentially easier for an allied Demoknight.
 +
* When disguising as an allied Demoknight wielding the [[Eyelander]] with 4 heads or more, your speed will not increase to his. This is a dead giveaway that you are a Spy.
 +
* Both you and Demoman have a weakness to Pyros; you can get found out with a single puff of fire and all of Demo's weapons can be reflected. Therefore, if your intention of teaming with a Demoman is to be safe from Pyros, another class would probably prove to be more effective.
  
*Don't be afraid to move the cart a little further, even at the risk of your own death. The cart never moves backwards on even terrain, so every inch helps. This is especially helpful when the cart is very close to the final point and the Defenders are occupied. Slip in and capture the cart before they can respond.  
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==={{class link|Heavy}}===
 +
Heavies act as the full-frontal assault class and as a spearhead for teammates to rally around. Since they are almost always targeted first and can be easily killed by enemy Spies or Snipers, it can be of similar importance to protect the Heavy as you would your Medic.
 +
* The Heavy is one of the more distracting classes in the game - and Spies work best against distracted enemies.
 +
* A Spy can backstab enemy Snipers and Demomen, thus making a Heavy’s life easier.
 +
* A Heavy can mow down enemy Pyros or similar threats looking for the Spy.
 +
* Enemies slowed by the [[Natascha]] will be easier for the Spy to backstab.
 +
* A dropped [[Sandvich]] or similar can end afterburn or bleeding effects that can give Spies away.
 +
** However, a dropped Sandvich just suddenly disappearing may blow your cover and alert enemies to your presence.
  
*At the start of the map, take the pathway through the door on the far left. This will take you above and behind the enemy. Use the elevated ground to spot [[Sniper]]s, [[Medic]]s and [[Engineer]]s with Sentry Guns. Plan your attack, and move in.
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==={{class link|Engineer}}===
 +
While a Spy may not be directly working with an Engineer, his actions on the battlefield indirectly help an Engie immensely. Additionally an Engineer who is properly maintaining his buildings will also help out a Spy on the prowl.
 +
* Dispensers allow you to heal, restock your ammo and restore the cloak of your Invis Watch. Higher level Dispensers allow you to restore Cloak even when currently invisible, which can extend your usage.
 +
* Teleporters allow you to get to the battlefield far quicker, and let you save precious Cloak for when you're infiltrating enemy lines.
 +
* If you are sticking close to your team and know a Spy is in the area, killing them for your Engineer allows buildings such as Teleporters and Dispensers to stay up and active, which in turn helps out your entire team.
 +
* You can call out enemies with low health to your Engineer, and help him pick them off with the [[Wrangler]].
 +
* Killing enemy Engineers allows your own Engies to set up nests more liberally, and take control of areas deep within enemy territory.
 +
* Taking out enemy Medics denies their ÜberCharge advantage, which goes a long way towards defending a Sentry nest.
 +
* Taking out enemy Snipers will make allied Engineers' lives easier, as they will no longer need to hide from their Sniper dots.
 +
* Demomen are a high priority target when protecting an Engineer's buildings, as only four midrange Stickybombs are enough to destroy a Level 3 Sentry Gun.
 +
* Heavies deal considerable amounts of continuous damage to Sentry nests, so backstabbing them will make it much easier to keep a Sentry around.
  
*The long sight lines favor Snipers, so be sure to remove them if you are in the area. Be careful, as the [[Respawn]] is usually right behind them.
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==={{class link|Medic}}===
 +
Protecting your allied Medics should be prioritized at all times. To this end, strategically eliminating high priority targets will make your Medics' job easier and keep him from dying.
 +
* A Spy can backstab targets that are trying to focus on the Medic.
 +
** Of all classes, Snipers or other Spies would be the top of this target list, due to their ability to kill a Medic in one hit.
 +
* Due to the high accuracy of your Revolver, a Medic using the [[Kritzkrieg]] on you can be highly effective.
 +
** When used with the Enforcer, a single shot while disguised will instantly kill any class at 130 or below.
 +
* A Spy equipped with the [[Dead Ringer]] can disguise himself as an allied Medic and get himself "killed" by the enemy team. This may lead them to think they've killed your Medic, which will be important if they were acting on the assumption that the Medic had an ÜberCharge ready.
 +
* An ÜberCharge is quite possibly the single most distracting thing in the game, and distracted enemies will make a Spy's job much easier.
 +
** Special mention goes to Kritzkrieg and [[Quick-Fix]] ÜberCharges, which ''can'' be dealt with via focused fire, thus further encouraging the enemy team to direct their attention towards the combo.
 +
* The Spy can call out the health and ÜberCharge percent of an enemy Medic to an allied Medic and help them decide whether to push in with their pocket.
 +
* A friendly Medic can potentially blow your cover by healing you. Therefore, it is in your best interest to memorize where health packs are located on the map. If you absolutely must be healed by a Medic, come to them under a friendly disguise to not arouse suspicion.
  
*Use the elevated wooden platform beside the cart track to hide and wait for approaching enemies before leaping over the railing to backstab them.  
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==={{class link|Sniper}}===
 +
Spy and Sniper perform the same roles of priority elimination and paranoia. As such, working with your allied Sniper is crucial in not only controlling enemy movements, but getting the drop on the enemy team before they realize what hit them.
 +
* An allied Sniper's presence may force enemies to use an alternate route to their objective. This can allow you to follow behind them and backstab them one-by-one.
 +
* A Spy can stab enemy Snipers, thus making a friendly Sniper’s life easier. Additionally, distracting Snipers with your presence can often be enough time to let an allied Sniper finish the job.
 +
* If an allied Sniper misses a shot, you can likely pick up the kill, as the enemy will now be actively dodging your Sniper's aim instead of looking for Spies.
 +
* If you have an inexperienced Sniper on your team, you can aid in finishing off missed shots.
 +
* A Sniper and Spy can ambush and kill practically any Medic combo with the proper strategy. If the Sniper can headshot the Medic's pocket, you can backstab the Medic as he is retreating.
 +
* The Spy's position on the battlefield can give an allied Sniper vital information on the whereabouts of enemies, and can advise them where to snipe from for maximum damage potential.
 +
* A Sniper can use [[Jarate]] or the [[Sydney Sleeper]] to extinguish a burning allied Spy.
  
*For the second section of the map, take the route in the back of your base that will take you straight to the enemy team's base, placing you behind the enemy and close to their Snipers.  
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==={{class link|Spy}}===
 +
A pair, or group of Spies can make a team extremely paranoid and distract them from their objective while hunting you down.
 +
* Two Spies can strategically eliminate specific classes, such as Soldiers, Medics or Heavies, to thin out a team's power and force them to hold off a push until reinforcements arrive.
 +
* A common Spy-pair practice is for one to use the Invis Watch/Cloak and Dagger, and the other to use the Dead Ringer. This can allow a pair to create a false sense of security for the enemy team and trick them into leaving their guard down for a stab.
 +
* Coordinating your disguises can make you less suspicious when moving among your enemies. If your buddy is disguised as a Medic, disguise as a Heavy, since a Heavy-Medic pair is not uncommon to see amidst the haze of battle.
 +
* A pair of Spies can bait opponents into chasing one disguised as a enemy, while the other is disguised as a friendly player. The Spy disguised as an enemy can then manipulate their position behind the attackers and backstab them.
 +
* Sapper armor only applies to Sentry Guns ''you'' sapped. Another Spy's weapons still do full damage to Sentry Guns you've sapped, and vice versa.
 +
* Stacking Spies is generally not recommended, as one Spy getting noticed may prompt the enemy team to use tactics that will get the others found out.
  
*The tunnel with the carts can be a death trap for a Spy due to all the weapons being fired in it. Attempt to flank and take other routes whenever possible.
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=Backstabbing Priorities=
  
*Use the high platforms and balconies to Scout out the enemy team, relaying information to your teammates before attacking.
+
A crucial part of playing Spy effectively is understanding which classes are the most important to backstab and which ones are better to ignore in any given situation. Generally, if a lone enemy player has their back turned, or are oblivious to their surroundings, it is a good idea to backstab them. However, in cases where the enemy is paired up, or grouped together in areas such as around the cart or a Sentry Nest where your death is almost assured after your first stab, there are some guidelines that should be kept in mind before attempting to approach.
  
*The third section of the map makes it difficult for Spies to effectively attack the enemy cart, as there are only two thin paths for you to follow. Communicate with teammates to distract the enemy before moving in.
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In order of priority, the classes you should be backstabbing first are:
  
*Use the wooden pathways to get up to the enemy Sniper nest, removing the threat to your team while they move the cart
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1. Medics
  
=== [[Hightower]] ===
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2. Snipers
  
*At the start of the match, the opposing team will always head for their Payload.  This is a great opportunity to get a few backstabs, especially on slower classes.
+
3. Engineers
  
*Crouch-jump on the barrels to get to the Sniper perch and get some backstabs.  If you are using [[Your Eternal Reward]], grab a disguise and head into the [[Engineer]] nest one room over.
+
4. Heavies
  
*When in the Sniper perch, there will always be a [[Pyro]] or two who will check everybody.  When you see a Pyro coming, Cloak before he sees you and hop down onto the lower levels.  You can return to the perch or Engineer nest later.
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These classes are situational, and can be prioritized in any order at the player's discretion:
  
*When RED's Payload is at the final stage, there will always be a [[Heavy]] who will use his Minigun to "snipe" the Payload from the perch.  Cloak, head up to the perch, and kill him.  Use [[Your Eternal Reward]] to blend in.
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1. Demomen
  
*When in the perch, some Engineers will set up a small hub for the Snipers, a hub that you must destroy.  You have a few ways of doing this.  If you have Your Eternal Reward equipped, backstab a Sniper to gain his disguise.  You can use that for cover and take out the Engineer and his hub.  If you are using the regular knife, stab and sap is the best method of killing off the Engineer.  You can then take out the Snipers.
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2. Soldiers
  
==Backstabbing Techniques==
+
3. Other Spies
:''For more information, see [[Backstab#Backstabbing Techniques|Backstab]]''
 
  
=== Approaching The Target ===
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These are the classes you should NOT attempt to backstab, unless in very specific situations:
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.  
+
1. Scouts
  
There are a few things to keep in mind before going in for the killing blow:
+
2. Pyros
  
*Determine who your target is and if they are a good target before you approach.
+
* Medics are at the top of the list because of their inherent role of giving healing to your enemies and activating ÜberCharges. A Medic who has an ÜberCharge ready to be deployed should rank even higher than a Medic without one in most cases. Medics are also often the most difficult class to get to, because they will be surrounded by their other teammates, not to mention they may be slightly faster than you, which makes chasing them down for a backstab more difficult. If you can trick a Medic into healing you, manipulating your position behind them and quickly backstabbing them before they realize you are a Spy is a sound strategy. Do not disguise as a Medic, as if you accidentally disguise as the Medic you plan to stab, your cover will be blown immediately.
*Don't panic when you are discovered.
+
* Snipers are next due to the threat that they are to your own Medics, Heavies and allied Snipers. Sniper pairs also can come with equipment dedicated to dissuading you from attacking them and have means to track you down if caught, so they also can cause problems for you and other Spies. Their ability to one-shot kill any class in the game makes them a dangerous, and juicy target. Most rifle-wielding Snipers are often too inattentive to notice if you are close, and can be easier to kill. However, Huntsman Snipers are hypothetically more dangerous to you, as they have full range of sight, and can easily protect themselves with a near-instant headshot that will kill you even at point-blank range. Snipers often will attempt to duel you with their melee weapon if they notice you, which can allow you to trickstab them, or cloak to retreat without fear of being headshot. If they are using the [[Razorback]], shoot them with your Revolver instead.
*Make sure to double check the routes behind you ''before'' decloaking, especially in routes which are commonly used. A recently spawn enemy player might catch you decloaking.
+
* Engineers have the unique ability to construct and maintain buildings that allow them to hold down any chokepoint or control point anywhere on the map with ease. Overall, it is more important that the Engineer dies than that his buildings are destroyed, but there are exceptions. The Engineer tends to not pay attention to much other than their buildings, especially when using the Wrangler, so it can be easy to stab them and then quickly sap their Sentry Gun. After an Engineer is dead, try to sap their Teleporters first so he cannot quickly return to his nest and remove your Sappers.
*Check your surrounding first before cloaking. An enemy player might be looking at your general direction. If you are lucky, they might not be suspicious of you. But if they start shooting at you, run and hide.
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* Heavies are the full-frontal assault class of Team Fortress 2. Dealing the most significant damage possible and having the most health of all classes, it makes them an important target to backstab. They are slow-- even slower while revved up, which can make them easy to approach from behind when all alone, but are also fairly attentive because of their weakness to you. A Heavy's Minigun deals enough damage to kill you in less than a second, which necessitates the element of surprise when approaching them. Medics will also be on the look-out for Spies for their Heavy buddies, and may Spy-check if your presence seem suspicious. Catch them while they have their attention diverted toward your team, and you can very easily get the drop on them. They also have a hard time tracking enemies up close, which allows you to easily trickstab them, or simply throw off their aim enough to let teammates finish them off.
*Check the scoreboard for dead enemy players so you can be aware if someone will come out from spawn.  
+
* Demomen can set stickybomb traps out that will obliterate any class that steps too close to them. When killed, their stickybombs will shatter, and therefore it is important to backstab them before your teammates arrive in their territory. Demoknights or Hybrid Knights tend to be for more difficult to kill, since they are more effective at close range with their melee weapons, and can charge after you when you attempt to escape. You have the tools necessary to slip past his defenses, and can approach him while under disguise or cloak to stab him. Demoman's grenades deal heavy splash damage, and can kill you with little effort if you are caught. However, if you can stay close to him, he may accidentally blow himself up in the process of killing you or choose not to engage with ranged weapons at all, giving you an easier time killing him. The Dead Ringer can allow you to fool the Demoman into thinking he killed you, given that a direct hit with a grenade deals a 100 damage. He may then go back to fighting, giving you a prime opportunity to backstab him. However he may also be more paranoid from now on, and watch his back more frequently.
*If you know that someone has just spawn, you can wait for them to pass you. You can also try to delay their movement to the frontline by timing your kill so they would be forced to look for you.
+
* Soldiers deal heavy splash damage, and can unleash utter chaos on your team if not stopped. Soldiers are somewhat slow on the ground, but highly mobile in the air with rocket jumping, making it more difficult to close the gap and stab them. They are a popular choice for being pocketed, making it risky to approach without being Spy-checked by their pocket Medic. Soldiers also can easily Spy-check you with their splash damage, and kill you with just two rockets at close range, making it dangerous to approach them unless you are sure you can stab them before they blow your cover. Like the Demoman, Rocket Launchers deal lethal damage up close, which allows you to make your feign death with the Dead Ringer more convincing. However don’t always believe that the Soldier thinks he is in the clear-- he may turn around again, and will be more paranoid from now on.
*Your disguise protects you from passing glances but only until they get suspicious. Kill your target as soon as possible.
+
* Enemy Spies are not often found in their own base, and will most likely be on the prowl among your teammates. This makes it difficult to find any Spies to backstab unless they have just respawned or returned from a resupply cabinet. If you discover an enemy Spy, notify your team, and leave them be unless they attack you. If you are with your own team, and notice a teammate you believe is a disguised Spy, approach them from behind. If your knife raises to backstab them, that 'teammate' is an enemy Spy.
*Be aware of the speed of your Heavy and Soldier disguise. While enemies may be less suspicious of these uncommon disguises, you will have a much harder time trying to hunt down your victim.
+
* Scouts are one of your two class counters, and therefore are extremely difficult to backstab. Their natural speed advantage makes it hard to approach them or run away, and their Scattergun can quickly kill you if you are discovered. The Scout also has the means to track you down with the use of [[Mad Milk]] or the [[Wrap Assassin]]/[[Boston Basher]]. If you are in a situation where you are fighting against a Scout, you can attempt to trickstab them, but outside of this, they are not of high priority to backstab, and should instead be fled from or shot with your Revolver. Since Scouts constantly move around a lot when fighting, you can wait for them to backpedal into you, then backstab them.
*A common mistake is to Cloak when their target is attacking you. Even if the target is aware of you, you can still kill them with techniques like stairstabbing, sidestabbing, or shooting at them.
+
* Pyros are your other class counter, and are the biggest threat to you as a Spy. While they can be backstabbed, it is often too difficult to do so due to the combination of the Pyro's tools. You are faster than a Pyro, so it can be easy to catch up to them, but a single puff of fire is enough to blow your cover, even when invisible. [[Compression blast]] allows a Pyro to protect itself and other teammates from your approach, and has [[Homewrecker|melee]] [[Neon Annihilator|weapons]] built for destroying your Sappers when attached to enemy buildings. However, the Pyro can be an important class to backstab if they are ambushing your team or do not notice you. In all other situations, it is better to not engage with a Pyro, and run away. If there are a lot of Pyros on the enemy team, equip the Spy-cicle and Dead Ringer to increase your chances of survival.
*Be careful on approaching the same target too often. Even the most inexperienced player will start checking their back after being stabbed too frequently.
 
*When attempting to backstab during an emeny push, be sure to wait until they have engaged your teammates. Be wary of enemy players who are watching the team's back.
 
*When you see a friendly Spy approaching a target, choose another target. If your teammate targeted an [Engineer], sap their buildings while they are distracted. You can also watch your teammates' back by targeting approaching reinforcements.
 
*Use elevated areas to your advantage. With good timing and positioning, you can get your target within a couple of seconds.
 
 
 
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:
 
 
 
*If you have the Dead Ringer, refill the watch as much as possible before going for your target. It makes for great insurance in case you fail to catch your victim, and you start becoming the enemy's target. Make sure your death is convincing though or the area will be double-checked.
 
*The L'Etranger can help quickly refill Cloak in areas with no ammo boxes, so you can Cloak away to hide in case a backstab has failed. Be careful if you decide to shoot undistracted players as they will turn their attention toward you.
 
*With [[Your Eternal Reward]], you cannot disguise until you backstab someone. You need to be careful during your approach.
 
*Be aware of the level of noise each of your cloaking devices make. A common mistake is to decloak too close to your target for them to hear you. However, the [[Item Sets|Saharan Spy Set]] nullifies your cloaking sound to a whisper.
 
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
*[[Spy match-ups]]
+
* [[Team strategy]]
*[[How to play the Spy]]
 
*[[Spy Ninja Tutorial (OMFGNinja)]]
 
*[http://www.gamefaqs.com/computer/doswin/file/437678/51095 In-Depth Spy Guide: by sR+Orca]
 
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUkko8I01-E Great Spy Guide Video: by sR+Orca]
 
 
 
  
 
{{Class strategy}}
 
{{Class strategy}}
 
{{Spy Nav}}
 
{{Spy Nav}}
  
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[[Category:Community strategy]]
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[[Category:Spy]]
 
[[Category:Strategy]]
 
[[Category:Strategy]]
[[Category:Spy]]
 

Latest revision as of 23:50, 1 February 2024

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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, causing them to malfunction. 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 veteran players, and professional Spies can easily wreak major havoc on the enemy team.

Quick tips

  • Avoid being seen or heard as much as possible, even with a disguise.
    • Players can be exceptionally paranoid (especially if they have been backstabbed previously), Spy-checking anyone they see, regardless of your behavior or acting. Wait until your teammates distract them, and strike while they are occupied.
    • Be aware that decloaking and backstabbing can be rather loud, especially if you are using the Dead Ringer. Competent enemies will likely hear these sounds and react. Use the sounds of gunfire from the battlefield, and decloaking behind corners and walls to mask the sound of your decloak.
    • Try to avoid being spotted while doing your job. Take note of which players see you decloak, stab, or sap. If you do get spotted, your options are to cloak and run away or fight back with your Revolver.
    • Always ask yourself, "Will/did that player see/hear me stab/sap/decloak? Did they react to it?" If so, move to another part of the map until they are done Spy-checking. If not, continue doing your job.
    • Try to check your surroundings before you decloak.
  • Typically, you should cloak when heading towards an enemy objective. A teammate running in the opposite direction of the rest of the team is suspicious and a prime candidate for Spy-checking.
    • While disguised, enemies are much less likely to Spy-check you if run backward toward them as if fleeing from your real teammates.
  • Learn to play other classes first. Once you know how each class behaves, you will be able to act more convincingly.
    • Pay attention to which class you are disguised as. Snipers and Engineers generally stay in one spot while Pyros will often patrol an area.
    • The Pyro disguise is good for general situations, but being a very common disguise, you might get Spy-checked more frequently. The upside is, you might not want to stay close to enemy Pyros, so you probably won't appear in the same vicinity as them.
    • The Scout disguise is nearly useless for tricking vigilant enemies; you will not move as fast as a real Scout does. However, you can use the Scout disguise to hide, as his body is much smaller than other classes. Furthermore, the smaller model of the Scout changes where your head appears to enemies, throwing off Snipers' aim. Also, Scouts will often run in and out of the fray of battle — distracted enemies may not suspect you if you are heading towards the objective.
      • Scouts with the Baby Face Blaster equipped can make your disguise more convincing since they start off with a slower base speed and a boost penalty when jumping.
    • The Heavy disguise will slow you down considerably, but can be used to trick enemy Medics into healing you. The disguise may trick enemies simply because the Heavy disguise is so rarely used. However, this disguise makes it difficult to approach enemies to backstab.
    • The Soldier disguise should not be used when you are heading from the enemy's base toward their objective. Soldiers will generally rocket jump, and one that does not will attract suspicion, unless you are in a confined room that prevents rocket jumping, such as the corridors on cp_steel.
    • The Engineer disguise can be useful in specific situations. Kill an Engineer, disguise as him, and stand next to his buildings with your disguise's Wrench out; when the coast is clear, sap the enemy's buildings and make your escape. Enemies may even expose their backs to you as they heal next to "your" Dispenser. Keep your eye on when the Engineer respawns, however - he may return to his nest and expose you as a Spy.
    • The Medic disguise will not trick enemies very often; Medics who are not healing teammates will instantly draw suspicion. However, it does give you a reason to be behind them. Pull out your disguise's Medi Gun, and backstab them when they look away from you.
      • If you happen to chance upon a Medic who does not heal his teammates but instead fights with his primary instead, disguising as him can be a good choice.
    • The Sniper disguise can be good for surveillance, as you won't attract too much attention behind enemy lines. However, you can't scope in, so make sure to not stand in one spot for too long, or an enemy might notice that you aren't doing anything.
    • The Spy disguise can be effective, as you won't seem out of place taking flank routes. It is also useful when among your teammates, as you can act like an enemy Spy trying to stab your own teammates, instead of an obviously disguised Spy that none of your teammates are attacking. However, merely seeing a Spy might remind paranoid enemies to Spy-check.
    • Make sure you're disguised as an actual player. If the enemy team doesn't have the class you're disguised as means your disguise will have no cosmetics or weapons other than stock. New players are fairly uncommon in most games, so seeing a cosmetic-less enemy with Stock weapons approaching may make enemies suspicious.
      • Alternatively, you can act confused and pretend to make "beginner mistakes" - enemies may dismiss you as clueless or useless and ignore you.
  • Cloak before disguising if you are behind enemy lines. Doing so will prevent your enemies from seeing your Disguise Kit's smoke.
    • Press (by default) B to automatically change the weapon that your disguise is holding, matching the weapon slot you are using. For example, if you are holding a Revolver and press B your disguise will switch weapon to its primary (or secondary, if you're disguised as a Spy) slot. For example, if you are disguised as a Sniper, make sure to switch to your disguise's Sniper Rifle. Changing weapons can also trick enemies into believing your disguise. If you are not disguised, pressing B will disguise you as the last person you disguised as.
  • If you are using the Invisibility Watch, you are able to regain Cloak, both while cloaked and uncloaked, by picking up ammo boxes and remains of destroyed buildings as well as leeching off enemy Dispensers (if you are also disguised).
    • However, be careful while picking up ammo or health if enemies are nearby. Seeing ammo and health disappear with no one near it is a sign of a cloaked Spy.
  • If you are using the Cloak and Dagger, then you can only pick up ammo when uncloaked (although it will refill your cloak meter less than if you were using the Invis Watch). Use this ability to make sure that you don't run low on cloak at a vital moment.
  • Unless you are using the Dead Ringer, cloaking will take about one second. Cloak before you enter enemy territory, as you will always show as your team color when cloaking and uncloaking, thus revealing yourself to the enemy.
  • Always work with your team. Despite your abilities of backstabbing, cloaking, and disguising, you are still susceptible to taking damage, and working in conjunction with your team will improve your performance as a Spy.

General

  • Try to make an indirect approach to enemies by predicting their movements; it will attract less attention and will surprise them. Also, try not to bump into your enemies; it will alert them to your presence.
    • Avoid attacking a large group of enemies that are not in combat, such as when they are pushing the cart when your entire team is dead. They will be more alert and may Spy-check any teammates that approach them.
  • If you are following an enemy and they look back, consider turning around as if you were checking for a Spy behind you — this may trick them into believing your disguise.
  • You are able to see the names of enemies, and their health. Use this knowledge when making a plan or predicting movements. Injured players will often look for a Health kit or a Medic, while enemies at full health tend to head for the objective. You are also able to see the health and upgrade level on an Engineer's buildings.
    • You can also see the Medic's Medi Gun charge status. Relay this information to your team — if the enemy is near full charge, they will probably make a push soon.
  • When you are disguised as an enemy, enemy Sentry Guns will not attack you directly, and you can use enemy buildings; enemy Medics are also able to heal you.
    • If you use a voice command (such as "MEDIC!" or "Spy!") that shows up in the chat, the enemy team will also see it in their chat, which may alert them to your presence if the enemy you are disguised as sees it and calls you out.
    • Teleporters do not require a disguise to use.
    • If a Sentry Gun locks onto a teammate and you are between him and the Sentry Gun, you will still be harmed.
    • A Sentry Gun will not stop shooting at you if you have disguised after it sees you unless a teammate comes closer to it than you, you break line of sight, or you leave the Sentry Gun's range.
  • Avoid backstabbing someone in front of an enemy Sentry Gun, unless you have to make a pick that is worth dying for. If you are using a Dead Ringer or Your Eternal Reward, however, utilize it to avoid taking damage.
  • Avoid enemy Pyros if you can, for they can easily Spy-check you. If you are ignited while cloaked with a watch that isn't the Dead Ringer, uncloak so you are able to fight back, preferably with a Revolver. Also, be on the lookout for Health kits to douse the flames and increase your chances of survival, or use the Spy-cicle to extinguish yourself and cover your tracks. You should also retreat towards your team's side while shooting the Pyro so that your team can help you fend off the enemy.
    • Alternatively, if you are set on fire, consider remaining cloaked; debuffs such as fire and Jarate wear off faster when you are cloaked.
  • Be prepared to use the Revolver in several situations. These include: being spotted, attacking a Pyro, and picking off low-health enemies that are out of your melee range.
    • The Ambassador is especially good for Revolver-sniping, and will do 102 damage on a Headshot at close range. Its first shot is also perfectly accurate. However, its damage, including headshots, decreases with distance, so try to close the distance before you attack.
  • Try to pick high-value targets, such as Medics and Heavies, to kill first. This is due to their high utility to the enemy. Killing a Medic is usually worth your life — you can stop an enemy push that might change the game's outcome.
  • Use good judgment to pick targets. If you see a Heavy-Medic pair, it may be better to take down the Medic first if there are multiple enemies to prevent the Medic from simply healing another enemy who would kill you. However, if the pair is alone, it may be better to kill the Heavy first and leave the Medic nearly defenseless. If you are called out by the Medic, however, it would be better to go for the Heavy than to die for nothing.
  • Lone Snipers and Heavies are generally easy targets due to their low movement speed when scoped in or spun up, respectively. If the opportunity arises, eliminate them.
  • Enemies are less likely to Spy-check if they are fighting at the frontlines. Use this opportunity to backstab them, cloak, and run back to your team. Alternatively coordinate with your teammates to launch a fake attack or distraction, giving you the chance to pick enemies off one by one.
    • You can also set up a large killing spree by positioning yourself behind enemy lines and following a group of enemies into battle. Once they are distracted by a fight, start backstabbing one after the other, starting with the enemy farthest back. Be aware of the time between backstabs and don't run past a backpedaling enemy; they may notice and kill you.
  • While you are invisible using any of the Spy's watches, you have 20% resistance to damage (more if you are using the Dead Ringer), and debuffs will wear off faster (Jarate, Mad Milk, afterburn, bleed). If you are bleeding or burning to death, cloak and search for a Health kit. However, be aware that while cloaked, you cannot attack, and if (for example) you are bleeding, you will still be visible to enemies as a translucent silhouette.
  • Be aware that if you step on to the enemy Intelligence, you will lose your disguise and pick up the Intelligence. Sentry Guns will lock on to you if they are in range and the enemy team will be notified. You can use this to lure enemies into checking on the Intelligence and killing them when they arrive. However, enemies will be able to know your location while you are carrying it, so you may want to drop the Intelligence (default key L) and then wait for them to check on it.
  • Try not to fall too far while cloaked; your enemies will be able to see the blood and hear the sound of you taking fall damage. If it is unavoidable (or simply faster), try finding railings or other platforms to break your fall.
  • You can trick enemy Medics into using their ÜberCharge on you, usually by disguising as a Medic buddy, ideally a Heavy or a Soldier, as both disguises are not as expected. If an enemy Medic starts healing you with an ÜberCharge, run towards the objective the enemy Medic is going for. With luck, he may believe you are on his team and use his ÜberCharge, wasting his charge. Then, when his ÜberCharge wears off, if he is still healing you, your teammates can pick him off.
  • If you want to make a quick escape, try turning a corner and quickly activating your Invisibility Watch. When your Watch is active, turn around (avoiding the enemy) and double back past him. The enemy will believe you've continued running, and run in the wrong direction.
  • Using voice commands like 'Help!' or 'Incoming!' may lead the enemy into believing you're on their team, provided you do it in the right situation. For example, you might use them when you are fleeing from the battle.
  • If you are disguised as a slow class, such as the Heavy, it can be helpful to drop your disguise just before backstabbing an enemy. You'll begin to run at your normal speed, and if you do it just before you go for a backstab, you can reduce your chances of being spotted by the enemy before you get the kill.
  • Be aware that players that are turtling are much more likely to Spy check you, as they are likely not focused on anything except defending.
    • Also take note of the Spy-checking habits of the enemy team. If you recognize that a certain enemy always Spy-checks players, try avoiding the area that player is in.
  • Consider changing your loadout every so often. Some players will try to memorize enemy equipment in order to predict their playstyle; switching up yours, especially your Invis Watch may throw them off. As Spy's theme is based around deception, this is a good way to manifest deceit in-game.
  • Use the terrain to your advantage; there are shortcuts scattered through the maps that can help you conserve your Cloak and catch up to enemies.
  • There are many different maneuvers you can use to land a successful backstab; for example, you can fall off of a high area and land behind your enemy as you are falling. This can surprise some players, who may let you flee from battle and prepare for another infiltration.
  • Even if enemies start Spy-checking you unless it is a Pyro with a Flamethrower or you are low on health, consider ignoring the attack, especially if there are no escape routes available. Sometimes, the enemy will believe your disguise, having Spy-checked you, and even if they don't unless you're using the Conniver's Kunai or the Big Earner, you can often survive enough damage to escape.
    • Even if you die, a dead Spy is much less of a detriment to a team than other classes, and the presence of a Spy, dead or alive, is enough to keep the enemy distracted and off of their best game. Just make sure that you're actually contributing while alive, or you'll be better off as another class!
  • If you see an unattended Sentry Gun, check for Engineers who might be around before you sap it.
  • If a Medic corners you with the Ubersaw, consider disguising or committing suicide in order to deny him additional ÜberCharge.
  • The Knife deals 40 damage. This means that you can just finish off enemies with 40 or fewer health by butterknifing them if you are out of Revolver ammo.
  • Try and utilize trickstabs to punish overconfident enemies who know that you are a Spy.
  • The more kills you rack up, the more paranoid the enemy team will be. Don’t be surprised that you are getting fewer kills or dying more often every time you respawn and infiltrate. If too many, if not all the players on the enemy team are often carrying out Spy-checking measures, you are probably better off as another class.

Disguising

  • All disguises have at least one strategic use. For example, if you were to attempt to stop an enemy push on the bridge of 2Fort, you would want to disguise as a Medic to stay behind the push inconspicuously, ready to Backstab your foes. There are many more beyond that.
    • If you wanted to be less noticeable while sneaking around, disguising as a Scout may help due to his smaller size. However, keep in mind that more aware opponents may notice the lack of speed compared to an actual Scout, so stay alert.
  • Disguising as the same class as nearby enemy players can be dangerous because your disguise may show their name and loadout, revealing you to be a Spy.
  • When disguising or changing disguises, your body will be covered by smoke that is visible to everyone. When cloaked, this smoke will not be seen by the enemy. If you have the Dead Ringer equipped, the smoke will linger if you disguise shortly before you are "killed", making it immediately obvious that you are still alive.
  • Try to not always use the same disguise. For example, if an enemy player always sees you disguised as a Pyro, they will soon begin to Spy-check any Pyros they come across.
  • You can switch your disguised weapon by pressing the 'Last Disguise Used' button (default key B). This will change the weapon that your enemies see based on what you are currently holding. Use this to your advantage by using weapons that are appropriate to your location — a melee weapon may be more appropriate for a class like the Sniper in a compact, enclosed space.
    • Pressing the Last Disguise Used button while holding your Revolver will change your disguise's weapon to its Primary slot. The Sapper will change it to its Secondary, and your Knife to its Melee weapon.
    • Note that weapon switching looks identical to the class switching weapons normally. It may help you blend in around the enemy.
    • Your disguise is unable to hold the Disguise Kit or Sapper.
    • By disguising as an enemy Medic and switching to their secondary weapon, a Spy can check if the enemy Medic is using the Kritzkrieg, Medi Gun, Quick-Fix, or Vaccinator. This is especially useful during Setup time.
      • While not as essential as checking an enemy Medic's Medi Gun, one can also do this to other classes in order to predict their play style.
  • Your disguise health will mimic that of the player you are disguised as at the time you applied the disguise. You can increase your disguise health through a variety of methods, including being healed by a Medic, standing near the Payload cart or an enemy Dispenser, or picking up a Health kit. Be aware that if you are disguised, you will always pick up Health kits, even if you are at full health. Use your disguise to steal Health packs from the enemy!
  • You can fake-reload the weapon you're holding while disguised if you shoot with the Revolver, disguise with a Primary or Secondary weapon, and then reload (default key R). This may allow you to avoid suspicion in the middle of a firefight.
    • However, when holding a weapon that cannot reload, such as the Minigun, attempting to fake-reload will still produce an animation. This may alert suspicious enemies.
  • When you are disguised, you will wear the same equipment as your disguise - including cosmetic items.
    • This gives more reason to avoid enemies that you disguise as — they may recognize their own equipment, if not their name.
    • Some cosmetics, such as the Hotrod, will carry effects that it normally has on you. That is, the Hotrod will flip down over an Engineer's face if he is holding blueprints or carrying a building. Your disguise will flip the Hotrod over your face if you pull out the Sapper, which can be used to detect you.
  • If you know an enemy Spy is in your base, disguise as a friendly Pyro. The Spy may reconsider his attack and flee, enabling an easy backstab if you are within range or allowing you the first shot if they are at medium range. You can also chase the enemy Spy into a group of your teammates or out of your base.
  • It is worthwhile to disguise in most circumstances as one of the faster classes, such as a Pyro, Medic, Sniper, or Engineer. While each class can be used as a disguise in certain situations, be wary in general of slower classes which are less mobile.
  • In certain situations, you can disguise as a dangerous class on your team such as a Pyro or Heavy in an attempt to scare off attackers. This usually never works but it doesn't hurt to try!
  • If there is an enemy that tends to exhibit odd behavior, such as excessive jumping, try to do the same if you're disguised as them to better sell your act.

Cloaking

  • If you know an enemy has seen you cloak, head in one direction while you are partially visible, and when you are fully invisible, change your path to trick your pursuer into going the wrong way. Use props and elevation to your advantage to make yourself harder to track.
  • Always have a plan before decloaking, as it takes 2 seconds before you can attack or use the Sapper.
  • When using the Invisibility Watch, you have about 9 seconds (13 seconds if you are using the L'Etranger) of full cloaking (unless you find an ammo pickup), and recharging from an empty Cloak takes 30 seconds. Keep this in mind when penetrating and hiding in the enemy base.
    • Memorizing ammo spawns and shortcuts will make your Cloak much more effective.
    • You can also use Dispensers to recharge your Cloak, including enemy Dispensers if you are disguised as an enemy.
      • Level 1 Dispensers will maintain your level of cloak with the Invisibility Watch.
      • Level 2 Dispensers will recharge your Cloak with the Invisibility Watch.
      • Level 3 Dispensers will recharge the Invisibility Watch.
      • The Payload cart will not refill your cloak meter while cloaked.
  • Use blind spots (areas where the player's view is cut off, normally a corner or other 90-degree angle) to recharge your Cloak if you are not using the Cloak and Dagger. An example of this is on 2Fort in the corner just inside the enemy fort entrance. Most people will run past this area without even looking in the corner, allowing you to recharge your Cloak or surprise a group heading out towards the bridge or sewers.
  • If possible, cloak while surveying an area. Disguises are not always reliable, as Spy checking is a common practice.
  • With the Cloak and Dagger, find small nooks or other obscured places near doorways. You can either sit and wait for your Cloak to fill before continuing on into the enemy base, or you can wait for a target to exit or enter the building.
  • If you know you will die to an Ubersaw, try to disguise to deny the Medic extra Über. Note that you can still feed Über to the enemy Medic if you are cloaked or not fully disguised. Common in competitive play, another way is to bind a key to kill yourself and deny enemy Medics additional Über.
  • The ability to be completely invisible means you can help to warn your teammates of incoming enemy movement and pushes, such as an ÜberCharge. This lets them prepare for the assault.

Weapon specifics

Secondary weapons

Revolver + reskins

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
  • The Revolver is the Spy's secondary weapon. While not as powerful as the Knife's backstabbing capabilities, it is still an integral part of the Spy's arsenal. It is moderately accurate and has a fast reload time.
  • Use the Revolver for killing low-health classes and when backstabs are not easy or possible due to the location of the enemy. It's also viable when you are being chased; 6 medium-range shots will take down most classes.
  • Due to the Scout's quick movement, it can be better to shoot Scouts rather than try to stab them.
  • Use the Revolver against Snipers who use the Razorback. While the Ambassador can deal critical damage on a Headshot, the Revolver is also a good option because of its fast rate of fire. It is also better against Huntsman-wielding Snipers, as they tend to move around more.
  • Use the Revolver in conjunction with the Sapper. Sap an Engineer's Sentry Gun, and when he returns to repair it, shoot him. 3 to 4 hits will kill him, after which you can shoot his buildings if necessary.
    • If the Engineer has just begun building his Sentry Gun, Dispenser, or Teleporter, 1 to 2 shots will take it down — use the Revolver instead of the Sapper for long-range destruction. This will help prevent you from being discovered as well.
    • Alternatively, the Revolver has the best damage output against buildings of all Spy secondaries; let chaos ensue on a paranoid Engineer or Sentry nest with a mass sap strategy. Use your Revolver to take his buildings out before he knows what hit him.
  • Remember that the Revolver is 100% accurate if you allow 1.25 seconds between shots (approximately how long it takes to reload your Revolver). Use this to pick off wounded enemies or to snipe buildings from a distance. Long-range shots, despite only doing about 20 damage to players, will deal full damage to buildings.
  • When navigating narrow corridors, keep your Revolver out. If they are fooled by your disguise, run by them and backstab them. If they begin to attack you, begin to backpedal while side-strafing and shooting them.
  • This is an invaluable weapon against Pyros, as it allows you to keep your distance from their flames as you back away and weaken them with each shot. Be aware that walking backward incurs a 10% speed penalty (and you and the Pyro are normally matched in speed) and flame particles have a slightly deceptively larger range than what the game's visual effects might indicate.

Ambassador + reskins

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 18-19 54-102
Killicon sniperriflehs.png
  • The Ambassador deals Critical Hits damage upon a headshot. However, it deals 15% less damage, does not apply random critical hits, the critical hits and mini-crit damage are affected by distance falloff, and fires at a slower rate than the stock Revolver.
    • The Ambassador will only headshot if the crosshair is at its smallest size. Allow just under one second in between shots to ensure your ability to headshot.
    • The critical hits and mini-crit will deal normal damage after a range of 1200 HU, greatly reducing the effectiveness of long-range sniping. Close the distance between you and the enemy first.
  • Aim carefully. A well placed headshot against a pursuing enemy with low health could mean the difference between life and death.
  • The Ambassador can also be used to destroy Engineer buildings from a distance, similar to the Revolver, as an alternative to sapping. Remember, if an Engineer is repairing the building, killing the Engineer first is preferable.
    • Landing a headshot on the Engineer may lead him to run away to find a source of Health. Use the time that he is away to destroy his buildings.
      • Check if he has a Dispenser nearby, then pick him off while he regenerates health and sap the other buildings.
    • If you are good with your aim, you can often pick off all the Engineers in a nest. Usually, if they hide behind their Sentry Guns, you can shoot the Sentry Gun, forcing them to repair it until they run out of metal, which usually prompts them to run to get more, exposing their head. However, they may simply produce more from their Dispenser. You can run out of ammo and will be vulnerable to enemies.
  • With good aim, the Ambassador can be deadly against a Scout. If you manage to headshot him at close quarters, he will only have 23 health left (or 8 with the Sandman equipped); therefore, you can finish him off with a single attack of the Knife or another shot, depending on your range.
    • This strategy can be used on Snipers, Engineers, and other Spies because they start off with as much health as a Scout, 125; be careful, though, as these values can vary. An Engineer with a Gunslinger or a Spy with a Dead Ringer will be as difficult to kill as most other classes such as the Soldier or Heavy.
  • Razorback Snipers have resistance against backstabs, but not against bullets. Take the time to headshot enemy Razorback Snipers. A single headshot followed by a simple body shot — which can be fired faster than the Sniper is able to react — is enough to kill him.
  • The ability to see enemy health is invaluable when equipped with the Ambassador. When it drops below half of its base value, the health meter is shown in red. Against all classes except the Heavy, this means a guaranteed kill upon a close-range headshot.
  • If you miss a backstab on a low-health class (but still get a hit), switch to the Ambassador. A headshot will likely finish off the enemy.

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
  • L'Etranger deals 20% less damage compared with the stock Revolver. However, it fills the "Cloak" meter by 15% on each successful hit, and the Cloak duration is increased by 40%.
  • L'Etranger converts firepower into potential fleeing power. It allows you to turn scenarios where scoring a kill with the Revolver or Ambassador is too difficult into the ability to run away — and save your life.
    • Be aware that L'Etranger has a very distinctive "crack" sound when fired, which will alert nearby enemies to your presence.
  • The increased Cloak duration gives more breathing room when you want to get behind enemy lines.
    • When equipped in conjunction with the Invis Watch, the duration of time spent fully invisible is increased from 9 seconds to 13.
    • In addition, the Cloak duration of both the Dead Ringer and the Cloak and Dagger (while running) is increased to 9 seconds, making them equivalent to using the Invis Watch without L'Etranger.
  • The +15% Cloak per hit is applied regardless of the amount of damage you do to the opponent or your distance from him. Remember that L'Etranger is 100% accurate 1.25 seconds after shooting. Use it to recharge your Cloak safely from a distance.
    • Keep in mind that the Invis Watch's timer can still be replenished by picking up Ammo boxes and building debris or standing next to a Dispenser.
    • As the Cloak and Dagger and the Dead Ringer are either not recharged by sources of ammo whilst invisible or not recharged by ammo sources at all, L'Etranger can be very effective when used with these watches.
    • Nonetheless, always be aware of your surroundings when using L'Etranger. It is not recommended for you to try and regain Cloak via L'Etranger if there are many enemies around with no allies. In a case like this, it is better to hide instead.
  • Remember that L'Etranger does less damage than any other secondary weapons. If you need more firepower, consider switching to other secondary weapons.
    • L'Etranger also does less damage to buildings, making a Sap-n-Shoot technique harder.
  • While the bonus cloak duration is negated by the Dead Ringer's -50% cloak meter when Feign Death is activated, L'Etranger can be used effectively with it. Be aware that once players realize that both items are being used, they will likely Spy check around your fake corpse and try to make sure that you are actually dead.
  • Positioning is key as Spy, and when using L'Etranger is no exception; when shooting from a relatively hidden position, you are less likely to be found while regaining your Cloak.

Enforcer

Weapon Kill icon Ammo Damage
Loaded Carried Point blank Medium range Long range Critical
Enforcer
Craft
Enforcer
Killicon enforcer.png 6 24 55-60 / 70-72 35-45 / 41-55 16-25 / 24-26 120 / 144
  • The Enforcer deals 20% damage bonus while disguised (i.e. the initial shot that breaks your disguise will deal 20% extra damage) and full damage resistance piercing (from the Vaccinator, but obviously not from any sort of full invulnerability, for example). In exchange, the Enforcer fires 20% slower, and cannot deal random critical hits.
  • The Enforcer allows you to kill low health classes in 2-3 shots at point-blank range. Therefore, you can kill Razorback Snipers or Engineers trying to remove a Sapper easily.
  • A critical shot from this weapon can kill a light health class in 1 shot if the user is disguised when the shot was fired and drop many other classes on critically low health, allowing them to be killed in possibly another shot.
  • The reduced firing speed allows for more time to aim shots, potentially making the difference between a hit or a miss.

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
  • The Diamondback has the ability to store Critical hits when your Sappers are involved in the destruction of enemy buildings, as well as when you backstab an enemy. Each destruction or assist involving your Sapper or successfully backstabbing an enemy will give the Diamondback one guaranteed Critical hit. However, the Diamondback deals 15% less damage and cannot roll for random critical hits.
  • Consider using the Diamondback if the enemy team has several Engineers. When you have several Crits, you can drop any non-overhealed class in 3 shots, thus becoming a major threat.
  • You can use the Diamondback's rather loud firing to lure enemies into a backstab trap.
  • Even if you lack Crits, the Diamondback is still a relatively viable weapon. It does the same amount of damage as the Ambassador, but with no firing speed penalty.
  • The Diamondback is 100% accurate if you allow 1.25 seconds between shots. When combined with the Crit boost, the 100% accurate bullets can effectively snipe enemies at long range. Most enemies will die in 2 to 3 shots.
  • Enemy Engineers with the Gunslinger are great for racking up crits to use, as they will rarely attempt to remove a Sapper from a Mini-Sentry.
  • Like the Ambassador, the Diamondback also allows you to pick off Engineers from long range, and then sap their Sentry Guns after getting up close. This can be extremely useful for lone or exposed Engineers who are too vigilant for a stab-and-sap.
  • The Diamondback is useful for taking out a Medic who is pocketing a player. Run up and backstab the patient, then quickly turn around and use the crit just gained to quickly kill the Medic with a few shots. An unprepared Medic will be surprised and will not take out his Syringe Gun until it's too late.

Building slot

Sapper + reskins

Weapon Kill icon Ammo Damage Building destroy time
Loaded Carried Downgrade Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Combat Mini-Sentry Gun
Sapper
Stock
Sapper
Killicon electro sapper.png 1 25 / seconds N/A 6.00 seconds 7.20 seconds 8.64 seconds 4.00 seconds
Ap-Sap
Promotional
Ap-Sap
Killicon ap-sap.png
Snack Attack
Uncrate
Snack Attack
Killicon snack attack.png
  • The Sapper is a tool used to take down an Engineer's buildings. You have an unlimited supply of Sappers, and there is no "reload" delay between placing them. A Spy can continuously sap a building until it has been destroyed even if an Engineer is repairing it, since as soon as the Engineer knocks off a Sapper, a new one immediately replaces it. Sappers still do damage during the two Wrench hits it takes to remove them.
  • Holding MOUSE1 when approaching a building will place the Sapper as soon as you are in range. This also allows you to replace a Sapper immediately after an Engineer removes it.
  • In many instances, you can sap a building from well below or above it, allowing you to confuse its Engineer. This can also allow you to more safely retreat from the Engineer's nest if your sabotage efforts are interrupted.
  • The Homewrecker and Neon Annihilator allows Pyros to remove Sappers from Engineer buildings. This, combined with their Flamethrower's Spy checking ability, will make your job much harder. Therefore, it is strongly advised to either eliminate these Pyros before attempting to sap any buildings or to avoid them completely if possible.
  • When sneaking up on an Engineer who is using the Wrangler, stab first and then sap. Killing the Engineer will cause his Sentry Gun to become disabled for three seconds, which will be enough time to place a Sapper.
  • It is possible to stab an Engineer and then quickly sap the Sentry Gun. When attempting this, it is recommended that you circle strafe away from the Sentry Gun's turrets to have more time to sap.
  • If an Engineer has his Wrench out and you sap his building, he most likely will attempt to repair the Sentry first instead of trying to kill you. Since it takes two hits to knock the Sapper off, this gives you a window of opportunity to stab him. This can be easier than the stab and sap method because you don't have to account for which way the Sentry is facing and circle-strafing the opposite way.
  • When dealing with Teleporters, it may be ideal to forgo the Sapper and use your Revolver. If the Engineer is not near either end, it will attract less attention if you destroy one end, as the Engineer will not automatically know a Spy was the culprit. Additionally, you can combine both to ensure one end is destroyed, while the Sapper encourages the Engineer to leave his other buildings unprotected.
    • Sapping a teleporter entrance can force Engineers to remove the Sapper on the exit. If they are partially standing on the teleporter exit while doing so, they can be telefragged by standing on the entrance and waiting for the Sapper to be destroyed. This only works if nobody sees the Sapper being placed and if the Engineer is not cautious. If the exit leads to a small or crowded room, it is more likely to work. Telefrags do not produce distinctive killfeeds, noises, or visuals.
  • The Ap-Sap's "eye" opens more the closer you are to a building, thus allowing you to find nearby enemy buildings.
  • Although the Sapper can disable and destroy Engineer buildings, keep in mind that both the Sapper and damage done can be undone with just a couple of Wrench hits. Coordinate your Sap with your team; Sap the buildings, then get your team to move in and help finish your work. If possible, use voice chat for better communication.

Red-Tape Recorder

Weapon Kill icon Ammo Damage Building destroy time
Loaded Carried Downgrade Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Combat Mini-Sentry Gun
Red-Tape Recorder
Unique
Red-Tape Recorder
Killicon red-tape recorder.png 1 N/A 3.4 seconds 10.7 seconds 21.4 seconds 21.4 seconds 10.5 seconds
  • Rather than damage buildings, the Red-Tape Recorder causes them to go through the building process in reverse. Upgrade levels are removed and the building eventually unbuilds, leaving a collectible toolbox in its place.
  • The rate of damage is based on the time taken to construct the building. As such, Sentry Guns go down faster than Dispensers and Teleporters.
  • The toolbox dropped acts as a large ammo pickup, which is very useful for boosting the regular Cloak.
    • Even if your Cloak is full and you have plenty of ammo, take the toolbox anyway. If you leave them where they are, an Engineer can use them to rebuild his buildings. If you have max ammo, simply fire your Revolver, reload, and take the toolbox.
  • It takes 3 seconds to degrade one level of a building. This makes the Red-Tape Recorder more useful than the Sapper for entrenched positions where a sapped Sentry Gun can easily be repaired, as upgrading takes longer than repairing.
    • Working alone, this is generally less effective than the regular Sapper, as you will most likely only manage to downgrade the buildings rather than destroying them. However, it is possible to convert a highly defended sentry nest into all level one Sentry Guns, allowing your teammates to destroy it far more easily.
  • Conversely, the Red-Tape Recorder is worse at destroying buildings outright, as unbuilding takes longer than the Sapper's destruction time. The Red-Tape Recorder can very rapidly remove the first few levels of a building, but takes a very long period of time to completely pack up a building. As of such, it's better to kill the Engineer first before applying the Red-Tape Recorder.
    • However, it makes sap-and-stab tactics a little easier. Even if an Engineer manages to remove your Red-Tape Recorder just as he gets backstabbed, the building still will have to complete its upgrade animation before becoming operational again, thus giving a little extra time to re-sap it.
  • Due to the fact that they only have one level, the Red-Tape Recorder can be surprisingly effective against Mini-Sentry Guns. However, it should be noted that it takes just as long to destroy as with a normal level 1 Sentry Gun.
    • It should also be noted that any Engineer removing the Red-Tape Recorder will cause the mini-sentry to return to full health, undoing both Sapper and other damage.
  • If your team has to push, the Red-Tape Recorder can easily downgrade the Engineer’s buildings to inferior levels, and in addition they have to complete their building animation if the Sapper is destroyed mid construction. This allows your team to make an easier push and destroy the Engineer and his buildings more easily.
  • Make sure to sap more than one building, preferably 3; this will cost the Engineer time and metal rebuilding, leaving him vulnerable for assault.
    • On the HUD for the Engineer, the Sentry Gun has the biggest icon compared to the others. Sap the sentry first before you sap other buildings. Chances are the Engineer will save the Sentry Gun, due to the fact it costs the most metal to make (unless the Engineer is using the Gunslinger), leaving the other buildings in greater disrepair.
    • Engineers with the Widowmaker or Short Circuit will likely pay more attention to their Dispenser than their Sentry Gun. As long as multiple buildings are sapped, these Engineers will be more vulnerable than others, due to their weapons consuming metal.
  • Because Gunslinger Engineers rarely attempt to remove Sappers from their Mini-Sentry Guns, the Red-Tape Recorder can be effective against Engineers who frequently place down Mini-Sentry Guns, as a Sapper that takes longer to complete will therefore increase the amount of time the Engineer has to wait before he can place another Mini-Sentry unless he removes your Sapper.
  • Compared to the stock Sapper, the Red-Tape Recorder is generally more suited in causing havoc in entrenched Engineer positions where the stock Sapper’s damage can be quickly repaired and when dealing with Mini-Sentry Guns. Against lone Engineers, the stock Sapper is generally a better choice.

Melee weapons

Knife + reskins

Weapon Kill icon Attack interval Damage
Point blank Critical
Knife
Stock
Knife
Killicon knife.png 0.8 seconds 40 / 2× victim's current health 120 / 6× victim's current health
Killicon backstab.png
Saxxy
Promotional
Saxxy
Killicon saxxy.png
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
Golden Frying Pan
Reward
Golden Frying Pan
Killicon golden frying pan.png
Killicon backstab.png
Prinny Machete
Promotional
Prinny Machete
Killicon prinny machete.png
Killicon backstab.png
  • When you are in range for a successful backstab, the Spy will ready his Knife for a stab with a reverse-grip stance. If the Spy doesn't have his Knife in a reverse-grip, you may perform a low-damage slash instead. Look for the change in grip before attempting a backstab if you're unsure if the backstab will actually register.
    • Although a backstab grip guarantees a backstab, many other pokes will register a backstab as well. As long as your stab connects with the enemy's rear-facing half, any swipe or poke should kill him.
    • The Knife does rather low damage when it's not a backstab. Only attack with it if you are certain it will backstab, or else you will deal minimal damage and give away your position.
    • The Saxxy does not have a backstab stance.
  • Compared to your other Melees, the stock Knife is the most reliable of them all. You are able to disguise at will, have no health downsides and does not need to be recharged.
  • In most scenarios, you should switch to the Revolver to fight enemies once you've been discovered. Even in close range, the Revolver is significantly more powerful than non-backstab Knife swipes.
  • Because a backstab is always a melee kill, enemies killed by a Knife backstab will always emit a blood-curdling scream upon death. It is important when killing an enemy that you have a plan to either run from or kill nearby foes as soon as you perform your first stab.
  • A quick stab with the Knife into the air is generally the fastest way to silently drop your disguise (the most silent way to do it is to disguise as a Spy of your own team, but it can be somewhat slower). This can be used to perform covert Capture Point captures.
  • If you encounter a Sniper with the Razorback, it is generally a good idea to shoot him with a Revolver, rather than trying to stab him.
    • If a Sniper equipping the Razorback is standing near a corner, it is much quieter to stab his Razorback, turn the corner, and cloak. When the Sniper either finishes Spy checking or doesn't react, backstab him. If he returns to a Resupply Cabinet, shoot him; even though it's louder, he will quickly catch on and possibly find you. Be wary that the Razorback replenishes itself after a period of time, so be quick.
  • Be aware that the Saxxy and the Spy-cicle leave very noticeable corpses, the former being made of shimmering Australium, the latter being an ice sculpture. They are very likely to reveal your presence.
    • In addition try to refrain from using the Sharp Dresser. It has its own unique backstab animation in the kill feed which will practically announce to the enemy team that you are using a stock Knife reskin. This could very well give away your playstyle and allow enemies to more easily predict how you will strike.
  • When discovered, an advanced technique to help fend off the pursuer is to run up a slope, jump over the head of the pursuer, do a 180-degree turn, crouch, and backstab him. This is commonly called the stair-stab. [1]
    • Due to the flashiness of the move and the general popularity and publicity of "trick stabs" and those who perform them, even inexperienced players will know better than to blindly pursue a Spy that's standing on the top of a set of stairs with his Knife out. Unless your prey is clearly fooled or desperate, mask your intent as much as possible via blind spots, and have an escape plan for if your enemy does not behave as you want them to. To make your attempt less obvious, do not face the enemy as if waiting for them when attempting a stairstab.
    • Keep in mind that you do not need to be directly on top of a staircase to attempt this. Anything that is Teleporter-height or taller will do the trick, so if there are no nearby staircases, look for any nearby props. Since many people only look out for staircases, this method may allow for an easier setup.

Your Eternal Reward + reskins

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 / 2× victim's current health 120 / 6× victim's current health
Killicon backstab.png
Wanga Prick
Craft
Wanga Prick
Killicon wanga prick.png
Killicon backstab.png
  • Your Eternal Reward gives the ability to disguise as the target upon a successful backstab, the victim does not scream upon death, nor does a death notice appear in the enemy team's kill feed. Also, the corpse of the victim fades away almost instantly as if cloaking. However, the Cloak drain rate is increased by 33%, and manual disguise with the Disguise Kit consume 100% of your Cloak.
    • However, the non-backstab kill still appear in the the enemy team's kill feed.
    • As manual disguises cost an entire Cloak meter, utilize manual disguises only when either no enemies and/or a source of ammo are nearby (be aware that ammo cannot refill the cloak meter of the Dead Ringer).
  • This weapon is extremely well-suited for taking out Sentry Guns when you already have a disguise. The Stab-n-Sap technique is made easier and kills in front of Sentry Guns are safer because the Sentry Gun will not detect you between disguises.
    • If you do not have a disguise and an Engineer is still guarding his Sentry Gun, you can uncloak behind the Engineer and use him as cover as the Sentry Gun turns around to face you. Stab him, and then sap his Sentry Gun.
    • Consider switching back to the original Knife when you need to quickly take out a sentry nest and don't have time to get a disguise. If you are quick, you should be able to sap his sentry after stabbing him, so the ability to disguise at will is helpful and the quick-disguise is unnecessary.
    • However, when taking out large sentry nests with multiple Engineers, stab-and-sapping will be suicidal, and if you sap first, the Engineers will Spy check and likely kill you before you can take out a significant number of their buildings. Instead, with Your Eternal Reward, once you have a disguise, which can be obtained from a player waiting to go through a teleporter, you can slowly whittle away at the Engineers until there are none left, and then sap all of the buildings. The Teleporters may be a priority so you are not interrupted when they respawn.
  • Your Eternal Reward is very good when dealing with a crowd of enemies. After backstabbing the enemy farthest back in the group, you are able to continue to push forward without raising suspicion from those around him. Continue stabbing until you kill all of the enemies or you need to escape.
  • Be aware that successful backstabs with Your Eternal Reward will not stop enemies capping a Control Point or pushing the Payload Cart. It will, however, slow them down until there are none left. It may be a better choice to shoot enemies with the Revolver so that you can inflict damage while stopping the enemies from capturing.
  • When using Your Eternal Reward on Control Point maps, be wary when defending the final control point. Because the Eternal Reward disguises instantaneously, stabbing enemies capping your last point will not disrupt the cap (it will, however, slow the capping with one less person, or two if any of the following occurs; a Scout on point or if a Soldier or Demoman has the Pain Train equipped). This can allow for survivors to continue to cap while you frantically try to stab them. Pulling out your selected Revolver at this time to stall for friendly backup is usually the best response.
  • Remember that if you cloak with a slow disguise, you will run at your normal walking speed until you uncloak.
    • Consider ditching a slower disguise in order to catch up to another nearby target if you're sure nobody will notice you. Depending on the distance, you can afford to be without a disguise for the short time it will take to replace it.
    • While manually switching to a faster disguise will drain all your cloak, the ammo box left behind by your victim(s) and/or any ammo on the map may be able to help make up for it.
  • If you accidentally run past an enemy Medic but retained your disguise, simply run past him and go for other enemies. It is possible that, because Your Eternal Reward dissipates enemy ragdolls with very little sound, the Medic will not notice you stabbing his allies until it is too late.
  • The Cloak and Dagger works well with this Knife because you can wait for people to backstab without having fear of being exposed. This works especially well on commonly used paths — wait for a straggler, then begin your attack.
  • Remember that in close encounters, even if you or a teammate kills your target, unless you finish the enemy with a backstab, you will be left without an easy disguise.
  • If you backstab the target of a Medic, you will become the new heal target. This is best applied when the Medic is not watching his target, as the Medic may notice a player disappearing when you backstab an enemy.
    • Due to the instant disguise, you can backstab enemy players while being Übercharged without stopping the Übercharge, unlike any other knife.
  • Be aware that weapons will not disappear when you kill an enemy. Now that you cannot pick up weapons (except from your own class), you still leave visible evidence that a player was killed at the spot where you stabbed them. That said, a stray Rocket Launcher or Syringe Gun is probably not going to raise much initial suspicion, but if players keep running into each other and disappearing, then they can gather what's up.
  • In situations with many enemies, such as a group of players pushing the Payload or capping the Control Point, the Your Eternal Reward can significantly decrease your chances of being spotted due to the Silent Killer attribute making any kills less noticeable.

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 / 2× victim's current health 120 / 6× victim's current health Target's current health, minimum 75 health and capping at 210
Killicon backstab.png
  • The Conniver's Kunai decreases your overall Health to 70. However, backstabbing with the Conniver's Kunai will leech all of the victim's health and overheal you to a maximum of 210 health, which then decreases at 2 health per second.
  • This weapon is high-risk, high-reward. If you can backstab someone before you are detected your increased health will greatly improve the odds of survival. Fail, and you are likely a goner thanks to your reduced base health.
    • For this reason, amateur Spies are advised to refrain from using this weapon if they are still learning how to properly infiltrate the enemy team.
  • The Conniver’s Kunai greatly rewards skilled players, as they can effectively cause massive havoc and damage thanks to the large health pool from backstabs which can also remove afterburn from Pyros, the Spy’s main counter.
  • With the Conniver's Kunai equipped, you will have to efficiently use your Cloak. Enemies can kill you much easier due to your reduced health. The Dead Ringer and Invis Watch are recommended over the Cloak and Dagger.
  • Backstabbing a target will always grant you at least 75 health. Therefore, if you're in a bad situation: don't panic! Just backstab someone, and then use your now large health pool in order to escape.
  • Prime targets for the Kunai are Heavies and Soldiers. A backstab on one will fully overheal you, assuming they have taken little (if any) damage.
  • Be aware that many weapons can kill you in one hit while you are at 70 health. Choose your initial targets carefully to ensure that you don't die before gaining any overheal via backstabbing. A successful backstab will keep you in the fight much longer than other Spies.
  • Be careful when you exit your spawn room or turn corners — one stray rocket, grenade, or other attack can easily kill you.
  • You can be a bit quicker to getting behind enemies and stabbing them, because even if you begin to take damage from another source, you can out-heal it with a backstab.
  • Remember that effects such as afterburn and bleed can be instantly negated by a successful backstab (or alternatively by picking up a medkit, as it normally would).
  • It is generally a bad idea to use your Revolver in a 1 on 1 confrontation with an enemy. Due to your low health, you will likely not survive. If you run out of overheal often, try using the Ambassador, where you can deal better damage safely at a distance.
  • The Dead Ringer gives you vastly improved survivability, so it helps to make up for the decreased health of the Kunai. For maximum effect, try to keep the Dead Ringer out at all times. After use, try to find a secluded spot to recharge, or you may be caught undefended.
  • Try to avoid this weapon on Arena maps, as you and your enemies will not respawn, leaving you extremely vulnerable unless you can consistently backstab enemies and avoid being caught without overheal.

Big Earner

Weapon Kill icon Attack interval Damage
Point blank Critical
Big Earner
Craft
Big Earner
Killicon big earner.png 0.8 seconds 40 / 2× victim's current health 120 / 6× victim's current health
Killicon backstab.png
  • The Big Earner reduces your overall health to 100, but grants a 30% Cloak refill for any watch and a 3 second speed boost upon a melee kill.
  • The Big Earner focuses on speed and staying out of sight. The speed boost and Cloak refill upon a melee kill allows you to quickly stab an enemy to death, then cloak and escape with the speed boost.
  • The Big Earner will generally allow for easier escapes due to you getting your Cloak back in exchange for riskier assaults, as you lose 25 base health.
  • Consider using the Dead Ringer or Invis Watch over the Cloak and Dagger in conjunction with the Big Earner. As you have reduced health, your survival may depend on the use of cloaking.
    • The Big Earner's ability to regain Cloak faster and the Dead Ringer's survival ability can negate the health loss caused by the Big Earner by significantly reducing damage when activated.
  • Both the Cloak and Dagger and the Dead Ringer cannot replenish their cloak whilst the Spy is invisible. The Big Earner mitigates this key downside of these watches.
  • Remember to pick up the ammo case that enemies drop after you kill them. The combination of the Big Earner and a dropped ammo box can nearly refill your Cloak entirely.
  • Note that non-backstab and taunt kills will still reward you with a 30% bonus to the charge on your Cloak (and a 3 second speed boost). If you're in a desperate situation or the enemy is low on health, try to stab any way you can if you need Cloak. If you do not need charge on your Cloak, it is generally a better idea to use your Revolver and shoot the enemy.
  • The speed boost of the Big Earner greatly helps with trickstabbing and chainstabbing. A faster Spy means enemies will have less time to react and makes tracking his movement harder, allowing the Spy to more easily oustrafe and backstab them. It also allows the Spy to quickly cover distances that would be slower than using the other knives, allowing him to get to where he is going much more quicker.
  • Although you have more base health than you would with the Conniver's Kunai, it's best to avoid arena maps with this weapon. Equip the Dead Ringer to prolong survival.

Spy-cicle + reskins

Weapon Kill icon Attack interval Damage
Point blank Critical
Spy-cicle
Uncrate/Craft
Spy-cicle
Killicon spy-cicle.png 0.8 seconds 40 / 2× victim's current health 120 / 6× victim's current health
Killicon backstab.png
  • The Spy-cicle causes any backstabbed players to leave a frozen ragdoll. Upon any contact with flames, the knife provides one second of fire immunity and a 10-second immunity to afterburn, but requires a fifteen-second recharge period before it can be used again.
    • Recently backstabbed players from the Spy-cicle stand upright for up to 10 seconds. After that time, these frozen corpses will fall down. It takes over 30 seconds for these corpses to automatically disappear.
  • This knife leaves a unique corpse not unlike the Saxxy; as a result, it alerts anyone finding the body to your presence, requiring the player to employ hit-and-run tactics to remain undetected.
  • Use the Spy-cicle only when there are Pyros on the enemy team, especially if they are competent and paranoid. Otherwise it is simply a stock knife that turns people into statues upon a backstab, which will very well alert enemies to your presence.
  • Be aware that once Pyros notice you are using the Spy-cicle, they may begin to follow you for an extended period of time to ensure your death.
  • If you are disguised or cloaked and a Pyro Spy checks you, be aware that you'll be instantly extinguished, a crackling sound will be emitted, and while you will be immune to fire for one second, you will still exclaim that you're on fire, so it's unlikely you will be ignored. Use the 10 seconds of afterburn immunity to put some distance between you and the Pyro, and the rest of his team.
  • Since any contact with fire renders your knife temporarily useless, you may have to rely on your Revolver to defend yourself. Consider picking a gun that doesn't suffer from a damage decrease. For instance, the L'Etranger is a poor self-defense option since it has a damage penalty and its cloak bonus is rendered almost useless if a Pyro actively engages you.
    • However, you can pick up ammo in order to make your Spy-cicle recharge quicker; thus, if you can collect enough ammo and/or wait until it charges, you may not need to worry about it.
    • The Enforcer is a good choice with this knife; if you are disguised, the Enforcer will deal increased damage compared to the other revolvers, making it somewhat easier to kill your targets. The slowed firing speed is counteracted by the damage bonus and the resistance piercing capability.
  • Note that any Heavies equipping the Huo-Long Heater are still vulnerable to backstabs when using the Spy-cicle. You can simply jump over the ring of fire and stab the Heavy before you land.

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
  • The Disguise Kit is the Spy's major infiltration tool. Most of your time spent disguised will be done pretending to be an enemy. Each plays differently when trying to blend in.
Enemy disguises
Class Speed Stature Beliveability Element of surprise Overall usefulness/Notes
Leaderboard class scout.png Scout 106.67% (26.67% too slow) Short and skinny. The Scout has a very small posture, making it rather useful for hiding. In addition, it can fool Snipers into shooting too low, as a Scout's head is in the same place as the Spy's torso. Low. A Spy disguised as a Scout will be moving noticeably too slow and cannot double jump (although repetitively jumping can increase believeability), which are both immediately suspicious. As Scouts tend to wander alone, however, it can remain viable for quick glances at long distances. If disguised as a Scout with the Baby Face’s Blaster, it can be somewhat more viable due to the reduced base speed and jump penalties. Medium. Players may not expect Scout disguises simply because of their low believability. Situational. All things considered, 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 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. The Scout disguise also is one of the disguises that does not inhibit Spy's natural speed, which can give the advantage of getting a important pick quicker.
Leaderboard class soldier.png Soldier 80% Normal. Soldiers tend to have large weapons, making them less-than-suitable for hiding. Medium. It is not uncommon to find a Soldier wandering alone, especially if he is walking backwards reloading his weapon. However, a lack of rocket jumping and suppressive fire may become suspicious if you remain amongst the enemy team for too long. High. With a large movement speed penalty that makes it difficult to catch up to backstab targets, most players do not expect Soldier disguises. Situational. As a Soldier, 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 will not be able to catch up to him without losing your disguise. On the other hand, successfully pretending to retreat from battle might result in an enemy Medic healing or ÜberCharging you. Try not to have your disguise weapon as the Equalizer or the Escape Plan, as their (lack of) effects will give you away very quickly, especially if an enemy Medic starts healing you.
Leaderboard class pyro.png Pyro 100% Normal. 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, and make a constant hissing noise when held. Medium. Pyros aren't expected to attack until they get close to others, and they commonly patrol their own bases, making it easier to get in and out of enemy areas. However, Pyros are easy to Spy-check and are expected to constantly engage in Spy-checking, so enemies may attack you once they realize you are not doing so. The Pyro disguise's fake Shotgun reload is arguably tied with the Engineer's for being the best in the game. Low. As a class with 100% move speed, no need to reload primary weapons, and reasons to hide among teammates and near Sentry Guns, Pyros are well-known to be a common choice of disguise. Common. Pyro is more often than not a good choice of disguise, despite its flaws.
Leaderboard class demoman.png Demoman 93.33% Normal. The disguise has average body and weapon size, and is therefore good for quick glances. However, be aware that holding a sword significantly increases a Demoman's visual footprint vertically, which can be a problem if you end up disguising as a Demoknight. Medium. Demomen have reasons to hang around their own team's base, waiting for enemies to trip their traps. However, they are generally expected to constantly use their weapons, and if no stickybombs are visible and your disguise does not include a shield, you will easily be discovered as a fraud. Both fake reloads are moderately believable. Low. Similar to the Soldier disguise with a lesser speed penalty and more reason to be idle on his team's side of the field, a Demoman disguise is generally unsurprising. Common. The Demoman disguise is very average; while it is a convenient excuse to hover around the enemy stronghold, enemies are generally not fooled if you stay in one location for too long.
Leaderboard class heavy.png Heavy 76.67% Tall and wide. Heavies have big bodies and big weapons, making it hard to hide as one. Medium. The Heavy's primary weapon is not usually fired on a whim, due to its spin up and spin down times and reducing the Heavy's speed while spun up; therefore, an enemy Medic will not immediately Spy-check you just because you're not shooting. However, he may instead expect you to switch to your secondary weapon, which can be a problem, especially as switching back to your primary will show a different amount of ammo to him. High. Because of its severely reduced movement speed, hindering a Spy's ability to move around the map and chase enemies for stabs, a Heavy disguise is rare. As a result, many players won't expect it, and can be good for getting enemy Medics to heal or possibly even ÜberCharge you regardless of your health. Situational. 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.
Leaderboard class engineer.png Engineer 100% Short. A few shotguns aside, Engineers have small weapons and can hide quite easily. Medium. Engineers have reason to hang around their team's buildings without attacking much, though they can come under suspicion if they are seen not swinging their wrench for a while, if they don't have any buildings constructed, or if they're hanging around a different Engineer's buildings for no apparent reason. The Engineer disguise's fake Shotgun reload is arguably tied with the Pyro's for being the best in the game. Low. It does not take long for even the newest of players to learn that Engineers are a common choice of disguise. Common. Engineers are rarely seen outside of their base unless they have the Gunslinger equipped, so be aware of which melee weapon your disguise has. Also be aware of your disguise's secondary weapon, as while the Pistol and Short Circuit are viable for Engineers to be wandering around with, the Wrangler is not, and holding it without a Sentry Gun following along is highly suspicuous.
Leaderboard class medic.png Medic 106.67% Tall. The Medic disguise is poor at hiding due to his height and lab coat. Low. 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. The Medic disguise does have a rather good fake reload. High. Given all its disadvantages, most players will not expect a Medic disguise. Situational. Though its believability is very poor, if an enemy does get fooled, it should be quite easy to punish them for it. One method is to lure enemies into thinking they can get healed by you, and then you may dispatch them any way you like (preferably by a backstab, though if they are badly wounded, simply shoot them). 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.
Leaderboard class sniper.png Sniper 100% Tall and skinny. Most of the Sniper's rifles have long models, necessitating switching to something else if you wish to hide. High. It is not suspicious for Snipers to stay within their base or at a sniping spot 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. Low. With Snipers being the stereotypical Spy bait, most players will not be at all surprised to find that a Sniper is a Spy. Common. If you plan to lurk around sniping spots while visible, beware if the enemy team has a Sniper — odds are they will be headed to the same sniping spots as you are, which increases the chance of running into the one enemy who will instantly know you're a Spy. Also be aware of enemies attempting to light your arrow if your disguise is holding the Huntsman.
Leaderboard class spy.png Spy 106.67% Tall and skinny. The only disguise for which the visible model matches your own hidden model. High. With a good fake reload, and no other actions available without breaking disguise (aside from sapping), there are no reasons to doubt a Spy disguise aside from his behavior. However as Spies are generally meant to be disguised on the enemy team, enemies may get suspicious if they only see you lingering around the base for a long time. Medium. The believability of the Spy disguise primarily relies on the habits of your enemies; many players instinctively fire at all Spies, even friendly ones, while others may not even consider a Spy disguise to be a threat. Uncommon. The Spy disguise 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. Upon choosing the Spy class from the Disguise Kit, a random disguise will be applied to the Spy.
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 that 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 disguise class, so you can draw Sniper fire with some disguises with a reduced risk of taking a headshot; however, a full-charged bodyshot will still take you down if you aren't overhealed or using the Dead Ringer to feign death. Friendly disguises, particularly Medic and Sniper, are good for baiting, as many enemies will not expect a friendly disguise. Use this bait to prepare for a stab, shoot the target with your secondary weapon, or lead enemies into teammates or Sentry Guns. These tricks can be used more safely and repeatedly with the Dead Ringer, as you can fake friendly deaths.

PDA2 slot

Invis Watch + reskins

Weapon Cloak
Cloak type Duration Activation time Deactivation time Recharge
Invis Watch
Stock
Invis Watch
Standard Recharge 9 seconds 1 second 1.8 seconds 30 seconds
Enthusiast's Timepiece
Promotional
Enthusiast's Timepiece
Quackenbirdt
Promotional
Quäckenbirdt
  • Cloaking is an ability exclusive to the Spy, which renders him fully invisible to enemy players. Your teammates will still be able to see you, albeit faintly. While cloaked, you cannot use any weapons, but you can still switch weapons and disguise. Taking damage or running into an enemy will make you flicker for a brief period of time.
  • When your Invis Watch runs out, you will automatically uncloak, revealing yourself. While you are cloaked, pick up ammo packs to recharge your watch.
  • The Invis Watch is most useful on offence when there are ammunition sources available.
  • When compared to the other watches, the Invis Watch allows for the farthest distance traveled while invisible.
  • Cloaking can be pivotal when attempting to infiltrate an enemy base. Be aware that cloaking will take 1 full second while uncloaking will take a little over 2 seconds, during which you can be recognized by the enemy, even if you are disguised, but cannot attack or use your Sapper. Therefore, you should attempt to look for a safe, hidden spot to uncloak.
  • Plot your course and approach targets carefully — being spotted may result in a quick death, as you cannot feign a death, as with the Dead Ringer, or hide in one spot until an opportunity arises, as with the Cloak and Dagger.
    • Always try to move while you are using the Invis Watch. You will only regain Cloak if you are not cloaked or if you pick up ammo boxes or remains of destroyed Engineer buildings. However, the Invis Watch lasts longer than the alternative watches.
  • If you know an enemy has seen you Cloak, head in one direction while you are partially visible, and when you are fully invisible, change your path. The enemy will likely believe you are going the same direction you were while visible, and will continue down that way, allowing for your escape or even counterattack.
  • Do not rely on the Invis Watch's natural recharge, as it takes about twice as long compared to the other watches.
  • Grab dropped metal whenever you can while cloaked. Some enemies will notice an ammo box disappearing for seemingly no reason, but even if they do (and realize it was a cloaked Spy who took it), you should be able to escape, if you remain invisible for long enough. If they do still try to chase you, their efforts will likely only divert their attention from the game objective.
  • Hiding near an enemy Dispenser of any level will maintain or lengthen your Cloak's charge if you are disguised. This will give you as much time as you need to wait to strike an Engineer's sentry nest, whether you need the Engineer to leave or you are waiting for your team to make a push in.
    • Take caution if the Dispenser is near the battle, enemies may often stay nearby to restock and refill on health and ammo, which may risk them bumping into you and giving away your disguise. Unless it is an absolute emergency, stay away from such Dispensers if possible.
  • Knowledge of a map's layout, especially locations of ammo boxes, will prove very useful for crossing the map quickly while invisible. Take note of shortcuts and the locations of ammo boxes as you learn a map.
  • All the watches make a distinct noise when decloaking, and will make your presence known if you decloak right behind someone if things are otherwise quiet. If you must decloak that close, try to do so in tandem with other sounds, like someone else's gunfire, to mask your noise and remain undetected when you appear.
  • After Gun Mettle update, all watches received 20% protection against all incoming damage. For example, a sting from afterburn from Flame Thrower would do 3 damage/0.5s, but with cloak activated, you only receive 2 damage/0.5s. Use it to your advantage.
    • Also after Gun Mettle update, when you're cloaked, the debuffs last slightly shorter, so fire/Jarate/bleeding/Mad Milk will last slightly shorter, so if you get set on fire or start bleeding, if enemies are not likely to notice/engage you, it may be a better idea to cloak so that you take less damage.

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
  • The length of time the Cloak and Dagger lasts, while constantly running, is shorter than the Invis Watch.
    • This time can be elongated through crouch walking. If you stand still or uncloak, your watch will regenerate to 6.2 seconds of cloaking time. Even though you can extend the Cloak and Dagger's length through picking up ammo sources (or standing next to a Dispenser) of any kind, they provide 35% less cloak than when picked up with the default Invis Watch.
  • Although the Cloak and Dagger promotes laying in wait, it can be useful to travel through maps that lack enough ammo boxes to get you past a group of enemies, such as if the enemy controls the center of Turbine.
  • Use of the Cloak and Dagger can fool a team to Spy-Check various hiding places while you escape.
  • Learn the best hiding spots of the map you are playing, and the fastest routes to them.
  • Use this watch when you need to time your attack, defend a chokepoint, or on maps with few ammunition boxes.
  • The speed at which the Cloak and Dagger drains depends on how fast you are moving, but is capped at the Spy's normal walking speed (being launched by Stickybombs will not increase your drain rate, for example). Taking fall damage will still cause you to make sounds associated with falling.
  • While you can go further without having to wait to recharge if you crouch-walk, it is generally more efficient to run to a low-traffic area and recharge rather than slowly progressing with a crouch-walk.
  • When using the Cloak and Dagger, you can report information to your team, such as Sentry Gun placement or when an enemy is pushing, with a much lower risk of being caught.
  • Usually, a Spy wants to remain out of sight for when their Cloak runs out. However, this watch's indefinite Cloak allows you to hide anywhere, and most enemies will not expect you to hide out in the open.
    • Even though you can hide almost anywhere, for obvious reasons, avoid standing still in narrow hallways and chokepoints.
    • Standing on top of objects or rocks will prevent many enemies from bumping into you while you wait for them to go past or to recharge.
  • Because you can Cloak indefinitely while not moving, it can be useful to lead an enemy around a corner, cloak while out of sight, and then hide to the side. If the enemy is a Pyro, it may be better to simply run.
  • Consider using the Your Eternal Reward with this watch, as the increased cloak drain rate does not affect your ability to stand still while cloaked.
  • Using this watch, you can assist teammates in destroying Sentry Guns hidden behind proximity-activated doors. If you cloak and stand near one of these doors, it will remain open while a teammate, such as a Soldier, can safely destroy the Sentry Gun from a distance; however, if an enemy sees the door open with no one being there, they'll probably check the area around the door, so be careful.
  • The Cloak and Dagger can be used for 'Spy capping'. To Spy cap, sneak past enemy lines and wait, while cloaked, on a Control Point. Once the Control Point is open, uncloak (making sure you are not disguised as an enemy), and capture the point, but be careful about enemies spotting you and especially watch out for Sentry Guns in range of the point, as they can and will gun you down with ease.
  • Even though you can stay cloaked indefinitely, it doesn't mean you are being helpful to your team. Try to avoid staying cloaked in one location for too long, as you will end up being useless to your team in the long run.
  • The L'Etranger's 40% extra Cloak time and ability to add Cloak on hit will all but nullify the Cloak and Dagger's faster drain speed, so consider using both together.
  • You can stay cloaked for an infinite amount of time provided you stay still. This means that you can simply observe enemy players, movement and most importantly, ÜberCharge meters. Communicate with your team and warn them of the incoming dangers, and notify them of the Medic’s ÜberCharge meter.
    • If the meter is full, you may have to simply rush in and backstab the Medic before he can deploy it. You will likely die trying to do so, but at least your team will have an easier time denying an enemy push.

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
  • When deactivating, the Dead Ringer makes a loud, distinctive sound which can reveal your location. Try to uncloak

in a safe area, then move in for the kill.

  • The Dead Ringer is best used when you cannot get by the enemy safely. This makes it useful for getting by chokepoints and crippling enemy defenses from behind. Just be sure that there is a safe area to decloak in.
    • It also gives you a second chance should you get caught.
  • The Dead Ringer allows you to perform 'Suicide' captures, using the watch as an escape plan.
  • If the enemy is aware you are using the Dead Ringer, consider switching to a different watch to be less predictable.
  • You can use this uncloak sound to your advantage. Uncloak behind an enemy, and circle strafe around them so their back is exposed for the kill once they turn around. Make sure they did actually turn around, though, as simply walking in front of a Heavy as a Spy is not the smartest of tactics.
  • Try taking damage for about a second before pulling out the Dead Ringer. It will make your feigned death appear more realistic.
    • Upon activation, the Dead Ringer removes afterburn. Cloaking right after you run out of the flamethrowers' range protects you from Spy checking, and makes for a very convincing fake death if you already took significant fire damage. Pyros might continue to spray fire around, so avoid obvious hiding spots. If the Pyro believes you burned to death, the entire team will forget about you.
    • If you kill an enemy but were left with an afterburn or bleeding effect, use the Dead Ringer to remove the effect if you can't find a medkit. Make sure to decloak immediately to save some meter and find a medkit or get a Medic to heal you.
  • For the first 3 seconds of being cloaked with the Dead Ringer, you take up to 75% less damage (this damage reduction fades over time; after 3 seconds, you will only take 20% less damage) and you do not flicker if you take damage or bump into an enemy. Use this to your advantage when crossing choke-points.
    • However, the enemy team can know if you feign death with the scoreboard, as it will only account for 3 seconds and a 3-second respawn timer is unlikely.
  • Disguising as a friendly offensive class, such as the Demoman, at the beginning of the round will make for a more convincing death and easier passage into enemy territory.
    • This can also be used to cause a Demoman to trigger his Stickybombs unnecessarily, clearing the way for your teammates to come in, especially at the beginning of rounds.
      • This used to be a much more viable strategy back when the Dead Ringer had an initial 90% damage resistance on feign death, allowing you to absorb absurd amounts of burst damage. Now that the initial resistance is only 75%, a Spy will not be able to survive more than 3 or 4 stickies at once, and most set traps will contain several. Therefore, try to skirt larger stickytraps while still staying in range of a couple bombs to trigger your watch.
  • You can hold the Dead Ringer out while capturing a Control Point, carrying enemy Intelligence, or pushing the cart on a Payload map. Use this in combination with a friendly disguise to cause for a convincing death while helping out your team. You will need to uncloak to continue capturing an objective, however. After the Tough Break update, Spy is no longer able to pull out his Dead Ringer, requiring you to first drop the case, and then activate your Dead Ringer, making this strategy more difficult than it was, since you may not have time to drop the Intelligence yourself.
  • The reduced duration on debuffs present on the other watches behaves rather oddly with the Dead Ringer — afterburn actually wears off instantaneously. Pyros can still damage you with the flame particles if they have good prediction, but couple this with the speed boost on feign death and you stand a good chance of escaping a Pyro's wrath if discovered. Running back towards teammates to heal and reset your cloak will oftentimes seal your escape.
  • The Dead Ringer completely lacks the ability to regain cloak from ammo boxes and Dispensers. Consider equipping the L’Etranger and Big Earner in order to quickly refill it.
    • If you have neither one of the said weapons, try to hide from the enemy team until the Dead Ringer is recharged.
  • Jarate and Mad Milk will not wash off if you use the Dead Ringer while covered in it; you must enter water or wait for it to wear off.
  • If you are waiting or you are in an open area, keep the Dead Ringer held out if you aren't fighting. An enemy Spy or stray enemy fire could kill you while you aren't ready.
  • When using the Dead Ringer, try choosing friendly disguises while heading into enemy lines and then switching to an enemy disguise once you have infiltrated the enemy base.
  • Try to disguise after you use the Dead Ringer. If the watch activated in the middle of you disguising, you will still emit smoke visible to the enemy team.
  • If possible, don't pick up the nearest Health pick-up. Many enemies will look to see if the pick-up disappears. If you are on fire, however, you must go for the pick-up anyway and then escape.
  • If you need to take a long fall but don't have the Health to survive it, hold out your Dead Ringer to negate a large portion of the damage. You can also use fall damage to trigger your Cloak to get behind enemy lines.
  • You can prevent enemy movement for a short period of time by Dead Ringing and standing in front of a doorway or hall. This may allow your team enough time to regroup.
  • Disguising as a friendly Medic, staying on the outskirts of your team's territory, and then Dead Ringing may trick the enemy team into pushing forward.
  • Be aware that if the an enemy has the "Display damage done as text over your target" advanced option enabled or the console command hud_combattext set to 1, then they may see the small amount of damage needed to "kill" you, and guess you were using a Dead Ringer, thus try to deploy the Dead Ringer with a little bit of delay when someone starts to damage you, so your "death" will be more convincing.
  • If a particular player has a habit of taunting after killing you, using the Dead Ringer to feign a death and backstabbing them while they're taunting can be very effective and satisfying.
  • Be aware that being "killed" by a Demoman's Eyelander or any of its reskins will still add a head to its meter.

Taunt Attacks

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
2×25 and then 500 4 seconds The Spy transfers his weapon to his left hand and begins to practice a deadly Fencing maneuver, resulting in damage and/or death for anyone in the way.
  • This taunt can be used with any of the Spy's knives (except the Sharp Dresser and the Spy-cicle) to kill very distracted enemies with one hit; however, due to the taunt's long duration and the minimal damage dealt by the first two swings, using this kill taunt is a very risky strategy.
    • The Fencing taunt is a viable last resort during the Humiliation round.
  • It can be effectively used to destroy Engineer buildings with one hit, so the Engineer won't have time to see his building being sapped or damaged and return to save his buildings, but be careful, as if you get caught in mid-taunt, the Engineer (or anyone else) will have virtually no issues in dispatching you. However, do not attempt to destroy an enemy Sentry Gun in this way, because you must remove your disguise in order to be be able to perform the taunt, and attempting to do so will cause the Sentry to target and kill you.
    • However, if a Sentry is close enough to a Dispenser, then you can hide behind it without being detected and perform the taunt. The extra reach of this taunt means that it can often destroy both buildings.
  • Also, keep in mind that, even if you are able to catch anyone unaware, the Spy speaks during the taunt, and this may give your presence away. This can be negated by quickly performing a voice command, preferably a short command, such as "No."
  • Fencing with Your Eternal Reward is not recommended, as you have to remove your disguise in order to taunt, and you won't get a disguise even if the taunt kill succeeds.
  • Successfully Fencing with the Big Earner will still grant the 30% Cloak bonus, but it is still not advised, as it also requires no disguise and your lowered health may put your life at risk if you fail.
  • Make sure the last swing hits your target, as the first 2 swings do low damage and can get you noticed fast and put yourself in danger.

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.

  • A tremendously useful ability to have is the power to surprise an enemy Engineer. The worse the Engineer is at Spy checking, the better. An excellent way to check if an Engineer is in the vicinity is to Cloak, run in, and survey the area before retreating. However, this technique is less effective with the Dead Ringer equipped, as you cannot Cloak at will. When a lone Engineer is blocking an objective with a Sentry Gun, you can use the Ambassador to attempt to take out the Engineer at long range first, using nearby objects for cover.
    • An alternative strategy is to use the Engineer's own buildings against him. This can be done by disguising as a player with low health, and crouching near the Dispenser to heal your disguise, while simultaneously using the Dispenser as cover from the Sentry Gun. Using this strategy will allow you to eliminate the Engineer at close quarters, while being safe from his Sentry Gun's fire.
  • A lonely Engineer building a Sentry Gun can be easily killed by the Ambassador. Shooting him first in the head and then on any body part will kill him; afterward, you simply sap the building. Very useful if the Engineer is busy wrenching said building.
  • If an Engineer leaves his buildings unattended, some players may simply rush in and sap everything in sight. It is advised you do not do this, unless you are totally sure that the Engineer is dead or too far away to respond in time. What you should do is shoot at a building once, and then hide in cover to defend against the Sentry Gun. The Engineer may come rushing back to hit it with the Wrench, allowing you to then follow him back to wherever he was previously. Wait at the area and backstab him as he attempts to return to his buildings.
  • A similar tactic is to find an enemy building outside of the Sentry Gun's field of vision and sap that, then pull out the Ambassador and wait. When the Engineer comes to remove the Sapper, quickly headshot him then shoot him, as the headshot on its own is unlikely to kill him. Since it takes two whacks with the Wrench to remove a Sapper, you should have ample time.

Sentry Guns

  • A sapped Sentry Gun cannot fire. If the Engineer is standing next to them, you have several options:
    • Sap the Sentry Gun and then run out of the room with the Intelligence or try and cap a fast-capping/partially capped point. Remember, if you accidentally touch the Intelligence while disguised, you will lose your disguise, and the Sentry Gun will attack you.
    • Sap the Sentry Gun and stab the Engineer if he goes to repair it. If he is already in position and repairing the Sentry Gun, the Sapper will be removed before you can switch to the Knife and backstab. If he is out of position, you will have time to make the attempt. If he is in position and is repairing the Sentry Gun, all you can do is run for it, or keep putting new Sappers on the Sentry Gun. He will keep removing them as you place new Sappers, but it takes a long time to destroy a Sentry Gun this way. You will almost certainly be spotted by a teammate of the Engineer and be killed without destroying the Sentry Gun. Keep in mind there is a delay after the Sapper is removed.
    • Your Revolver can destroy Sentry Guns at long range well due to no damage falloff against buildings. Firing at a Dispenser first is the key to succeeding; once it's down, fire at the Sentry Gun. When an Engineer first deploys a building, it's vulnerable to damage. One or two Revolver shots will take it down quickly before the Engineer has time to set it up. Your Revolver does more damage against buildings that aren't sapped, so if you find a lone Teleporter or Dispenser, and an Engineer isn't far off, shooting it without sapping it is the best course of action. However, when there are no Engineers near by, sapping a building and fleeing is the best way to avoid being spotted.
    • In certain situations, a Sentry Gun may be built so close to the cap point that you can reach it while capping. In this instance, you can quickly sap the Sentry Gun, undisguise, and resume sapping the Sentry Gun over and over. However, watch out for the Engineer breaking the capture with his body. This video goes into more detail on how it's done.
    • Communicate with your teammates asking them to tell you via voice commands or voice chat when they need a Sentry Gun disabled, and then repeatedly sap the Sentry Gun.
    • A Sentry Gun takes about a second to execute a full 180° rotation. If you are directly behind a Sentry Gun and the Engineer is close to and facing his Sentry Gun, it is possible to take out the Engineer and then the Sentry Gun. As soon as the Knife hits the Engineer, use the quick switch key to change to your Sapper and place one before the Sentry Gun locks on. Strafe with the Sentry Gun's rotation (remember that the Sentry Gun will attempt to rotate as little as possible to shoot its target) so that you will have more time to place your Sapper. Note that due to lag, it is possible for the Sentry Gun to shoot you between the actual placement of the Sapper and the Sentry Gun being shut down. A Level 3 Sentry Gun will not always kill you immediately (although it has a good chance of doing so unless your reaction time is superb); however, it will still be sapped and most likely destroyed.
    • If the Sentry Gun and Dispenser are in such a position that you cannot reach the back of the Engineer for a backstab, try jumping on the Sentry Gun or Dispenser and sitting on the Engineer's head. This is an ideal spot, as it is in your victim's blind spot and will allow you to backstab him from above (and apply the stab and sap trick above). However, if the Engineer is crouched and tries to stand or jump, they will be unable to do so and suspect a Spy. At that range, a Shotgun blast or two will kill you instantly. This trick also works well against a Heavy taking the role of a makeshift Sentry Gun.
    • A difficult trick is to take advantage of the fact that Engineers take damage from the gunfire of their own Sentry Gun. Stand in a position where the Engineer is between his Sentry Gun and you, then uncloak. You will die, but hopefully so will the Engineer. This is useful if the Engineer is in a position where you simply cannot backstab him. Use this technique carefully, as it can easily backfire on you.
    • A variation of this trick can be used against a common Engineer Sentry Gun/Dispenser setup. Some Engineers like to sandwich themselves between their Sentry Gun to the front and a Dispenser to the back. Disguise as a Pyro (as if you are helping the Engineer Spy-check) and walk up behind him, so the Dispenser is between you and the Engineer. As quick as you can, fire a few rounds into the Engineer with the Revolver. Duck as soon as the Engineer dies from the combined damage of your Revolver and the Sentry Gun's fire. If done correctly, the Sentry Gun will lose you as you hide behind the Dispenser. Re-disguise, sap everything, and leave. Watch this video for more tips on how this is done.
    • The Engineer's Wrangler weapon permits the Engineer to control his Sentry Gun entirely. Take extreme caution, as many Engineers will Spy-check with this, and it will make sapping the Sentry Gun much harder. Killing the Engineer while he is using the Wrangler will give you a few crucial seconds to sap his Sentry Gun bullet-free.
  • The Sap and stab is mainly for baiting. In this tactic, one must approach a sentry with an Engineer nearby while cloaked and disguised. Uncloak where the Engineer cannot see and sap the Sentry Gun. Quickly cloak and back up behind the Sentry Gun. Any Engineer with half a brain will come to knock off the Sapper. Uncloak as his back is turned and stab. Occasionally this may be done without having to Cloak in between.
  • Stab and sap -- while disguised, approach the Engineer, preferably when he is upgrading the Sentry Gun, and backstab. Now use your quick reflexes to take out your Sapper and sap the Sentry Gun. Note that circling the sentry often allows more time to take out the Sapper, as the sentry will have to rotate to get you. This tactic is really about how quick you can stab then sap. This method requires much practice, an unaware Engineer, and a great deal of luck to pull off.
  • Long range takeout -- If you can find a corner to hide from the Sentry Gun's fire, you can headshot the Engineer. For other situations, the stock Revolver works well for this method, as it does not have any damage or firing speed penalties. First, uncloak in a safe hidden spot outside the reach of the Sentry Gun, but make sure that you can see the Engineer and Sentry Gun. Kill the Engineer first. Now you can either disguise and approach the sentry to sap it, or simply shoot it from long range with your Revolver of choice until it goes down.
  • Remember that there won't always just be one Engineer. In that case, it is recommended that you use the sap and stab and be patient. Wait until both Engineers have their back turned (note that if both Engineers are striking the same Sentry Gun, it will take half as long to remove the Sapper).
  • With Your Eternal Reward, you can backstab someone in the range of the Sentry Gun, including the Engineer behind it, without being detected. Just remember that you need a disguise equipped before you can do this, otherwise the Sentry Gun will kill you as soon as you step in range uncloaked. This is effective for taking down sentry nests with multiple Engineers as you can silently rid of them before sapping all of their buildings.
  • If you are using Your Eternal Reward and lack a disguise, you can get a free disguise in spawn, or get an easy disguise on an unsuspecting Engineer; wait for the Sentry Gun to be in a good position (similar to Stab and Sap tactics), uncloak (preferably with a quiet watch), and immediately stab the Engineer repairing it. If done correctly, you will get your disguise before the Sentry locks on you, and you will get both a free disguise, and a destroyed Engineer position. Just make sure to use the attack button only one time, or you will drop your disguise and be at the (nonexistent) mercy of the Sentry Gun.
    • This strategy can be very effective against turtling Engineers with a giant Sentry nest.
  • Against an Engineer with the Frontier Justice and Gunslinger, equip the Red-Tape Recorder instead of the stock Sapper. This will sap his Sentry much slower, denying him crits from Sentry kills, and making him unable to place a new Combat Mini-Sentry Gun until the old one is destroyed.

Dispensers

  • Keep an eye out for Dispensers once you infiltrate the enemy base. They will still heal you and you can use them while your Cloak is still active (when using the default Invisibility Watch). In fact, all Dispensers above Level 1 can recharge your Cloak even while you're cloaked. Level 1 Dispensers don't recharge your Cloak, but your Cloak won't drain either. Instead, it'll stay at the same level, giving you time to plan your next actions. Level 2 Dispensers recharge it slowly and Level 3 recharge it much faster, so Dispensers can be crucial to your plan. Note that the healing beam CANNOT be seen when cloaked and when next to a Dispenser - but be sure to watch out for Engineers, as they will constantly run back to their Dispenser, possibly running into you and revealing you. To avoid the Engineer, jump on top of the Dispenser instead of standing beside it. Be careful though, as his teammates can still run through it and, if they do, reveal your location.
  • Note that on maps with narrow corridors, like 2Fort, Engineers may place superfluous Dispensers in locations that block your path. They also use these Dispensers to lure you into sapping them, thus alerting him and his team of your presence. If this is the case, you have 3 options: Crouch behind the Dispenser and use your Revolver to take it out or at least damage it (Provided there aren't any enemies around, they will hear the sound of your Revolver), crouch jump over the Dispenser (unless the Dispenser is placed in a position where you would've normally jumped on to the platform to reach it) or simply take another route.
  • When uncloaked, avoid standing on Dispensers. Because most players (except the Engineer who built the Dispenser) will clip through buildings, being spotted in this position will instantly ruin your disguise, unless you are disguised as the Engineer, but he will almost certainly see a clone of himself and kill you. Unless the Engineer is dead and you are disguised as him, it is highly recommended to not stand on top of a Dispenser while uncloaked.
  • If you have no other option, using a Scout disguise and crouching behind a Dispenser while uncloaking may minimize the odds the Engineer will spot you instantly. This can be useful in small, commonly camped areas.
  • If you have just stabbed an Engineer and you are low on health, try looking for his Dispenser to patch yourself up. Remember to be cautious however, run if an enemy approaches the Dispenser, and take note when the Engineer respawns, then flee.

Teleporters

  • If you're disguised as an enemy and take one of your team's Teleporters, the glowing ring and trail effect will not show up. Using friendly Teleporters with friendly disguises will give you a ring and trail but these are removed when you next use an enemy disguise.
  • Walking over an enemy Teleporter exit when someone uses it kills you, a term called telefragging.
  • When you find an exit Teleporter, watch it to see which way players come out. Then stand behind the Teleporter and wait. When the next player comes out, backstab him instantly. He should report this to his team, but he'll be dead for a bit, so you can risk waiting a little for a second Teleport and kill, or you can just sap the Teleporter and leave the area. This is called telecamping, which is usually frowned upon by most players.
  • Due to the August 13, 2009 Patch, whenever a Teleport Entrance or Exit is sapped, the other automatically has a Sapper placed on it as well, regardless of their distance from one another. However, the Engineer can now remove Sappers from both the entrance and the exit by using his Wrench on either. Although this makes it much harder for Spies to get cheap points by sapping Teleporter entrances outside the enemy spawn, a successful Sapper on an active Teleporter will now give two points.
  • If you're trying to telefrag enemies with their own Teleporters, either step over them while cloaked or use a slow disguise (Heavy and Soldier are the best) in order not to draw too much attention towards you.
  • If you see enemy Teleporter entrances and exits in unusual places (often near their objectives), it could mean you are walking into an Engineer's trap - many Engineers place their Teleporters inside their base as an early warning system, hoping that you will be unable to resist sapping them and will thus alert the Engineer to your presence (one way you can trick the Engineer in this scenario is by firing 2-3 Revolver shots at it, or if the Engineer is close by, hit it with your Knife as it is much quieter, but not enough to destroy it. Engineers will almost always expect a Spy to sap it if anything, so this may throw off the Engineer who built it).
  • As of the Sniper vs. Spy Update, the Spy is now able to use enemy Teleporters. This can be useful for getting into well-defended Sentry Gun nests and/or nests that would otherwise be unreachable.
  • If you can time it just right, it's possible to sap an enemy Teleporter entrance just as it teleports you. However, due to the August 13, 2009 Patch this is rather pointless as you can achieve the same effect by taking the teleport and then sapping the exit. However, it does allow you to harass the Engineer as he attempts to knock your Sapper off.
  • If you are lucky, you may manage to telefrag an enemy upon taking an opposing Teleporter. While this normally applies to your own team's Teleporters as well if an enemy somehow stands on it without destroying it, the likelihood is higher as a Spy, as enemies may be clustered around the exit on the other side. In some cases, you may even be able to telefrag the enemy Engineer on the other side. However, be aware that telefragging will immediately alert the Engineer as to who took their Teleporter.
  • A clever Spy can sneak his way to the enemy's Teleporter Entrance, sap it, and then stand on it, waiting for an Engineer on the exit side to knock off the Sapper. Once the Sapper has been knocked off the Spy will teleport to the other side, telefragging the Engineer if he is close enough, and is free to sap any buildings the Engineer has built. This is a risky but effective way of taking down forward bases built by one Engineer.
    • However, the above strategy becomes obsolete if there are two Engineers babysitting their buildings in the same location. The second Engineer will no doubt see/hear his buddy trying to repair his Teleporter and dying. There is usually no way to fight the second Engineer without the Sentry Guns swiveling and shooting you dead once you uncloak/remove your disguise. Your best hope in this situation is to either run, or sap BOTH the Sentry Guns as fast as you can, while avoiding the Wrench. If you're VERY lucky, you'll be able to get both of them, and then deal with your hard-hatted assailant. Assuming he doesn't just repair the Sentry Guns or Shotgun you to death, you could also try the continuous sap strategy.
  • Another way to deal with Teleporters is to simply sap the entrance, and then put another back on immediately after it gets knocked off, and repeating. As the Engineer cannot repair the Teleporter while it is being sapped, you can slowly wear down the entrance and take out both sides with little to no risk; this is one of the safer courses of action if the Engineer is smart enough to stand off of his exit and Wrench whoever comes through right after he knocks the Sapper off. However, beware that this takes a long time, and in the case of spawns with only one exit, greatly increases the risk of an enemy seeing you and killing you. In this case, you can simply take out your Revolver and empty it into the entrance after sapping it, usually destroying the entrance in most cases. If the Engineer is quick enough to knock off your Sapper before you can destroy the entrance, simply place a second one on immediately and repeat, though repeatedly sapping will probably work better as your Revolver may be out of ammunition. This method is faster and reduces the risk of being discovered by the enemy in their spawn, but leaves you more vulnerable as you will not be disguised.
  • You can quickly destroy Teleporters by sapping them and then shooting them a few times with your Revolver. Although this will attract more attention than just sapping, it may destroy at least one side of the Teleporter before the Engineer can remove your Sapper thus reverting the other side of the teleport to level 1.
  • Hitting a Teleporter with a Wrench will only remove Sappers from the other end if the end being hit has finished building. If you sap a teleport early in its build, the Engineer may not have enough time to save the other end even if they're able to remove the Sapper.

Infiltration

  • You can disguise as your own team by hitting R or - (or E if you have the simple disguise menu enabled) at the top of the keyboard after bringing up the disguise interface. As a friendly non-Spy class, players on the other team are much less likely to alert each other to Spies entering the base if they see you. However, the best way to get in and out is to Cloak properly.
  • While it may not seem immediately obvious to the Spy, as you slowly decloak you take on the color of your team until you are 100% visible. It is vital to let the Cloak come on fully before entering into areas where you would be seen. Try to decloak around a corner where an opponent can't see you. It's very obvious that you are a Spy as no other class is able to Cloak.
  • While cloaked, remember to avoid all enemy fire - if you're hit, you flicker visibly. The same is true if you bump into an enemy. If you plan to rush out, tell your team-mates to let you go first (cloaked), so that stray fire from the enemy team at your visible team-mates doesn't reveal or kill you.
  • If you are discovered and must Cloak to run away (assuming that you are not using a Dead Ringer), use misdirection to break away from your foes. If you are running in a certain direction while you Cloak, your enemies will usually head in that direction, so you can immediately make a radical turn after becoming completely invisible, or even turn in the immediate opposite direction to get behind them for a backstab opportunity.
  • While cloaked, avoid giving away your position, especially to Snipers or, if you have been busted, your pursuers. So do not:
    • ...pick up medkits (unless you're burning) or ammo crates.
    • ...enter the enemies' line of sight before your Cloak is fully active (see above).
    • Also, if you go through an automatic door while cloaked and no one else is around, it is obvious that there is a Spy. If the door is very narrow, you still will become a very easy target, as you only have one direction to run in. Also, if you come out of swimmable water, water will be visible dripping from you.
  • You appear to have the same health as the target of your disguise did at the moment you took on that disguise.
  • Get a friendly Medic to heal you while you are disguised, because your disguised health level also rises to 100%, thus making you less suspicious when disguised while around the enemy spawn; however, appearing to be injured may be a good idea so you can get an enemy Medic to heal you. Note that overhealing will also be visible on your disguise, and if the enemy team has no Medics, walking around with an overheal may be a dead giveaway.
  • If your disguise has an overhealing weapon equipped (Powerjack, Conniver's Kunai, etc.), then you may be able to fool some players with the weapon equipped and a full overheal.
  • Avoid walking over medkits unless your real health is injured; your fake health level will appear to be injured and, if you don't pick up a medkit when walking over it, it is a dead giveaway that you're a disguised Spy. You can only increase your disguised health level from Dispensers and Payload carts if your real health is injured. So if you're receiving a healing beam, and your health is not appearing to increase then those that know this telltale sign will know you're a Spy, so it's best to use a Dispenser and cart only if you're truly injured. But against less experienced players, being healed by a Dispenser or cart can makes you seem less suspicious. As of the May 21, 2009 Patch, in the PC version, walking over a medkit will add to your disguise health. You will also pick up medkits if your disguise health is down, even if your real health is full.
    • Note that picking medkits makes the cross icon appear above your head even if you're cloaked or disguised, and it will be of your team's color, so it can be a serious giveaway for players who will notice that.
  • Alternatively, if you have the Cloak and Dagger equipped, you can deliberately grab medkits in order to deny them to the enemy. While they will probably know that an enemy Spy is in the area, you can assist your team in this way by making your opponents easier to kill if your teammates are also relatively close by; however, this is also a double-edged sword since you can accidentally deny the medkit to a teammate who needs it.
Friendly disguised BLU Spy calling for a RED Medic
  • Remember that you can call for and be healed by enemy Medics while disguised. This is a great way to hold your cover, and also a good opportunity to backstab the opponent's support. Beware that this also risks drawing undue attention to yourself, especially if your alter-ego notices his own name calling for a Medic. For these reasons it is probably best to do this as a retreating maneuver.
    • In a similar manner to calling for Medic, using any voice command that appears in the text chat (such as "Help!" or "Incoming!") while disguised as an enemy will be shown to the enemy team as from the person you are disguised as.
    • Do note that if you are in a situation that you may think it is safe to call a Medic, such as separation from the other members, there is one giveaway that a person paying attention would notice. As a Spy, your Medic call copies your health, not the health of that who you are disguised as. Therefore, if the person you are disguised as has above half health, but you have below half health, then your Medic call will be red. The opposite is also true; if you're healthy while your disguise is deadly wounded, the Medic call will be in pure white. Therefore if the Medic pays attention to the signs, calling Medic at the wrong health may be a dead giveaway that you are a Spy. If you notice that you might give yourself away, such as medicalling while almost dead while your disguise is healthy, then call Medic and look at them for signs. If they pull out a weapon like the Ubersaw or Syringe Gun and look at you, this may be a sign that you have just revealed your disguise to them.
  • Once in the enemy's base, communicate with your team. Talking might not move you up on the Scoreboard, but reporting Sentry Gun placements if a group of enemies are taking an alternate route or building a minibase can make a big difference and bring your team closer to victory. Note that on alltalk servers, your speech bubble is your own team color even when cloaked.
  • You can walk backward while heading for the enemy base, or look backwards occasionally while walking forwards. Retreating into an enemy base while disguised looks much less suspicious than running into it at full tilt (unless your disguise health is relatively low), but as this trick has been done so many times, it can appear obvious to the astute observer.
  • When you disguise yourself, you take the name of an enemy player that is playing the same class as the disguise. It is crucial that you try to use a class that is well represented by the enemy side to decrease the risk of coming face to face with the person you stole the name from. As of the May 21, 2009 Patch, you can see whose name you have taken on on your disguise nameplate.
  • If you disguise as a class not represented by the enemy team, you take on a name randomly, and your disguise has a completely stock loadout with no cosmetics. This can be a dead giveaway as a glance at the score table will make your trickery obvious, so try to disguise as a class that you know the enemy has.
  • Try to act natural. Many times, an enemy will shoot you and not notice your health go down. If you do react to their shots, you can be certain that they and the rest of their team will hunt you down. If you continue heading in the same direction and if you seem to ignore the attack (assuming that it doesn't kill you), many times you will be left alone.
    • Expanding on the above, standing still while in the enemy base is highly suspicious, and most players will try to Spy check you. Making it seem like you were NOT harmed by this attack is the key to getting sneaky backstabs when they turn away. Be incredibly careful of Pyros however. If you see one heading for you, and he is actively Spy checking, RUN!
    • Another thing to note on the above is that certain weapons WILL give you away, even if you pretend it didn't hurt you. Weapons like the Widowmaker, the Black Box, and certain weapons with on hit effects will give you away, because they will vary in their triggers; with the former replenishing metal on hit, and the latter replenishing health on hit. Take note of what weapons the enemy is using to Spy check.
  • When disguised as a Medic, your fake Ubercharge meter will always display 0%. This can be a dead giveaway.
  • You may, while entering the enemy base, notice that an attack force is heading for your base. Running in the opposite direction of them will likely result in a Spy check. A great method to single-handedly stop this attack is trying to run with the group towards your base. This works well as it appears to the opposite team that you are not a Spy, and you can slow yourself down a little bit to get to the rear of the pack and backstab most, if not all, of them. Just be sure the person you are disguised as is not among them, or you will be very dead very quickly.
    • This is one of the main techniques for a Your Eternal Reward / Wanga Prick users, since even a quick behind-glance from one of the enemies will less likely reveal you, not to mention the screams and bodies won't be a problem either.
  • A dead giveaway that you're a Spy in disguise is the fact that your enemies are unable to walk through you. Once they bump into you, they will try to kill you immediately. When in small enclosed spaces, e.g. the sewers in 2Fort, walk close to the walls and be sure to leave enough room for enemy players to run past you.
  • Deliberately trying to avoid people in corridors is like saying, "Hey! Here I am! Shoot me!" and will likely get you Spy checked and possibly killed. If you see someone barreling down a corridor at you, it is usually a better idea to open fire on them then to risk bumping into them and being melee'd by them. Remember, your knife isn't exactly fantastic in a face-off. It is only good for backstabs and taking out already weakened enemies; you cannot count on facestabs to save you.
  • Keep an eye on the enemy players that are about to respawn. When did they die? What class did they play? What is their skill? Remember, these are the players that are going to be on your back in a few seconds. Use this knowledge to time your actions. If you know that the opponent's #1 Scout will respawn in a few seconds, let him pass by before you take any backstabbing/sapping action. Also remember, if you've just killed the same player twice in the exact same spot, they are going to be checking the area the next time they come through in order to find you.
  • Most importantly: There are many people (Pyros) who will Spy check anyone they see, regardless of team affiliation, just as a precaution. Because of this, you must remember to keep moving, change disguises frequently, and, whenever possible, avoid being seen by the enemy entirely.
  • As long as there's a damage indication on your HUD, you are semi-visible. Wait until the damage indicator clears before moving to ensure that you're completely invisible.
  • A good idea to make your disguise more believable is to get behind or near the enemy spawn, put on your disguise, wait until no one is around/not watching you, and then run forwards so it looks like you just respawned. Not only can it put you behind players leaving said spawn, but it also makes enemy players less likely to Spy check you thinking that you're someone who just came from their own spawn.
    • Be cautious to not get into players' casual fire though, as it is rather common for some people to spend some of the ammo shooting in the air (or teammates) while running to an objective that is too far away. Also try to avoid spawns with automatic doors (see above).
  • Picking up the enemy Intelligence does not yet make you a suicide flag runner. You can drop the Intelligence anytime (L by default), put on a disguise, or Cloak to Recon ahead for danger and/or clear out an ambush. Afterwards, return to the Intelligence and resume carrying it when the path is clear. This is especially useful against Sentry Guns, which you can sap and then return to the Intelligence and Demomen, who like to block your path with stickies, essentially trapping you between themselves and anyone pursuing you from the enemy base. It's also a good way to lure other classes out of ambush, as they will move from their spot to check why has the Intelligence been dropped.
  • Disguises only fool enemies "at-a-glance". It's best to avoid being seen altogether and use cloaking more often.
  • While disguised, try to use voice commands such as Battle Cry. It will make your disguised player speak and do some mimics, and therefore it can fool some enemies who don't think about Spies being able to do those mimics.
  • Reloading the Revolver and its variants will reload the weapon equipped by your disguise. Use this for added realism.
    • Be wary of the weapon your disguise is holding, as even weapons that do not require reloading (such as Miniguns and Flamethrowers) will still play an animation.
  • If you are using the Cloak and Dagger, try to jump up on obstacles and ledges as you move through the map. Players use the obvious running pathways and will run right past you if you are cloaked. Standing on a crate allows you to recharge your Cloak without being bumped into and giving away your position. Standing on top of obstacles is also a good place to avoid Spy checking and escape pursuing players as they often forget to check the top of boxes and ledges.

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:

  • Determine who your target is, and if they are a good target, before you approach.
  • Don't panic when you are discovered.
  • Make sure to double check the routes behind you before decloaking, especially in routes which are commonly used. A recently spawned enemy player might catch you decloaking.
  • Check your surrounding first before cloaking. An enemy player might be looking at your general direction. If you are lucky, they might not be suspicious of you, but if they start shooting at you, run and hide.
  • Check the Scoreboard for dead enemy players so you can be aware if someone will come out from spawn.
  • If you know that someone has just spawned, you can wait for them to pass by you. You can also try to delay their movement to the front line by timing your kill so they would be forced to look for you.
  • Your disguise protects you from passing glances, but only until they get suspicious. Kill your target as soon as possible.
  • Be aware of the speed of your Heavy and Soldier disguise. While enemies may be less suspicious of these uncommon disguises, you will have a much harder time trying to hunt down your victim.
  • A common mistake is to Cloak when the target is attacking you. Even if the target is aware of you, you can still kill them with techniques like stairstabbing, sidestabbing, or shooting.
  • Be careful on approaching the same target too often. Even the most inexperienced player will start checking their back after being stabbed too frequently.
  • When attempting to backstab during an enemy push, be sure to wait until they have engaged your teammates. Be wary of enemy players who are watching their team's back.
  • When you see a friendly Spy approaching a target, choose another target. If your teammate targets an Engineer, sap their buildings while they are distracted. You can also watch your teammates' back by targeting approaching reinforcements.
  • Use elevated areas to your advantage. With good timing and positioning, you can get your target within a couple of seconds.
  • Avoid chasing and staring when closing in. Looking directly at your target while running after them gives you away to anyone watching, but watching in your periphery (by aiming the crosshair a few steps to their side) and running parallel with your target looks like you're running with them, arousing less suspicion.
  • Since players rarely look upwards, consider using elevated areas and stairways to jump around your target and confuse them.

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:

  • If you have the Dead Ringer, wait for the watch to refill as much as possible before going for your target. It makes for great insurance in case you fail to catch your victim and you start becoming the enemy's target. Make sure your death is convincing though or the area will be double-checked.
  • The L'Étranger can help quickly refill the Cloak meter in areas without ammo boxes, therefore you can Cloak in order to hide in case a backstab attempt fails. Be careful if you decide to shoot unaware players as they will turn their attention toward you.
  • Be aware of the level of noise each of your cloaking devices make. A common mistake is decloaking too close to your target, thus enabling them to hear you.
  • Also, when using Your Eternal Reward try to predict and calculate your enemies movement and patterns to look for an opening in getting the first kill.

Class Cooperation Strategies

The Spy generally works on his own instead of working with his team, picking off high priority targets in the backlines. However, a bit of knowledge on your available options when it may be beneficial to team up with allies could make the difference between a skillful win, or humiliating loss.

Leaderboard class scout.png Scout

Generally speaking, the Scout and Spy hardly often work together due to their completely opposite playstyles. Despite this, there is still some chemistry to be found in a Spy-Scout pair up.

  • The Scout ambushing a whole team is generally seen as an annoyance which many opponents will be focused on killing, or chasing off. If their attention is directed towards your Scout buddy, you can very easily backstab a few of them before being noticed.
  • A Spy and Scout can both ambush the same target, such as a Medic or Heavy and quickly kill them before moving onto their next target.
  • You can trick enemies into following you up close to a Scout and allow him to kill them.
  • Spies have a better weapon for long range engagement than the Scout, the Revolver. You can finish off any target that the Scout cannot reach in time with a few accurate shots.
  • A Scout with Mad Milk can extinguish a burning allied Spy.
  • You and a Scout can take out a whole Sentry Nest together. If the Scout is using the Bonk! Atomic Punch, he can distract the Sentry Gun, which allows you to kill the Engineer and sap the buildings before he can repair them.
  • A Scout with the Sandman may be able to slow targets to make them easier picks for the Spy.
  • Spies specialize in taking out Engineers and Heavies, both of which make life difficult for Scouts.

Leaderboard class soldier.png Soldier

Soldiers are a very attention-grabbing class and will make it easier for friendly Spies to go unnoticed, simply by existing near the enemy team.

  • Soldiers can cause a large enough distraction for you to slip by the enemy unnoticed, and deal damage in the backlines.
  • Kill any Heavies that are focusing down an allied Soldier, because a Soldier under Minigun fire is a sitting duck.
  • Eliminate Sentry nests where possible. Because of a Sentry Gun's long range and high damage, it makes it difficult for a Soldier to actively Rocket Jump without being pushed away or outright killed.
  • Soldiers using the Battalion's Backup make it easier for you to eliminate enemies with the increased damage resistance and nullification of crits, in the event you are found out.
  • If you are under the effects of a friendly Soldier's Concheror, a single backstab will bring you to full health.
    • This is less effective with the Conniver's Kunai, however, as that knife already gives you healing.

Leaderboard class pyro.png Pyro

Few classes are better at distracting large numbers of enemies than Pyros are. The amount of chaos a Pyro can descend upon an enemy team means it will make you less likely to be found out, even after a stab.

  • A friendly Pyro can extinguish you if you get set on fire.
  • Enemy Heavies can very easily take out a Pyro, even in the event of an ambush. Killing a Heavy therefore will make it easier for Pyros to ambush your foes.
  • Pyros using the Gas Passer will allow you to set multiple enemies on fire with your Secondary and help them cause even more of a disruption.
  • A particularly bold tactic is to use your allied Pyros as bait. If you are disguised as a slow-moving class, try to look panicked and pretend to run away from them. This will make you look like an enemy trying to flee and seem less conspicuous. Even if your allied Pyro dies, you will now likely be behind your enemies and can stab them without arousing much suspicion.
  • Pyros are situationally high on Snipers' list of classes to kill, so backstabbing them can deny them the chance to snipe your Pyro buddy.

Leaderboard class demoman.png Demoman

Despite their differing playstyles, Demomen and Spies have a surprising amount of chemistry, and are often found working together on both offense and defense.

  • Demoman's weaknesses are hitscan weapons and up close combat-- strategies that some of your highest priority targets employ, such as Heavies or Snipers. In these cases, eliminating them first can make it easier for a Demo to do his job.
  • Make sure to kill Snipers before they kill your Demomen. When Demoman dies, all his stickybombs disappear, which weakens your team's defenses.
  • Both you and Demoman are very useful in destroying Sentry Guns. Your combined efforts will make it difficult for any Engineers to maintain a Sentry nest for long.
    • Kill any Engineers setting up Sentry Guns or Dispensers. With them dead, it makes it almost guaranteed that your Sapper and a Demoman's stickybombs will destroy any buildings.
  • Most classes will immediately attempt to chase down and kill a Spy once discovered. You can use this knowledge to your advantage for baiting enemies into a Demoman's stickybomb trap. Simply get your enemies to chase you, then run to where your Demoman buddy has set up a sticky trap.
  • Act as a tripwire for your Demo buddy. Using the Cloak and Dagger, you can stay invisible for as long as you need to, and let your buddy know when to detonate his stickybombs for maximum damage potential.
  • Engineers and Heavies can be nightmares for Demoknights to deal with but are favored targets for Spies. Simply sapping an enemy sentry can make life exponentially easier for an allied Demoknight.
  • When disguising as an allied Demoknight wielding the Eyelander with 4 heads or more, your speed will not increase to his. This is a dead giveaway that you are a Spy.
  • Both you and Demoman have a weakness to Pyros; you can get found out with a single puff of fire and all of Demo's weapons can be reflected. Therefore, if your intention of teaming with a Demoman is to be safe from Pyros, another class would probably prove to be more effective.

Leaderboard class heavy.png Heavy

Heavies act as the full-frontal assault class and as a spearhead for teammates to rally around. Since they are almost always targeted first and can be easily killed by enemy Spies or Snipers, it can be of similar importance to protect the Heavy as you would your Medic.

  • The Heavy is one of the more distracting classes in the game - and Spies work best against distracted enemies.
  • A Spy can backstab enemy Snipers and Demomen, thus making a Heavy’s life easier.
  • A Heavy can mow down enemy Pyros or similar threats looking for the Spy.
  • Enemies slowed by the Natascha will be easier for the Spy to backstab.
  • A dropped Sandvich or similar can end afterburn or bleeding effects that can give Spies away.
    • However, a dropped Sandvich just suddenly disappearing may blow your cover and alert enemies to your presence.

Leaderboard class engineer.png Engineer

While a Spy may not be directly working with an Engineer, his actions on the battlefield indirectly help an Engie immensely. Additionally an Engineer who is properly maintaining his buildings will also help out a Spy on the prowl.

  • Dispensers allow you to heal, restock your ammo and restore the cloak of your Invis Watch. Higher level Dispensers allow you to restore Cloak even when currently invisible, which can extend your usage.
  • Teleporters allow you to get to the battlefield far quicker, and let you save precious Cloak for when you're infiltrating enemy lines.
  • If you are sticking close to your team and know a Spy is in the area, killing them for your Engineer allows buildings such as Teleporters and Dispensers to stay up and active, which in turn helps out your entire team.
  • You can call out enemies with low health to your Engineer, and help him pick them off with the Wrangler.
  • Killing enemy Engineers allows your own Engies to set up nests more liberally, and take control of areas deep within enemy territory.
  • Taking out enemy Medics denies their ÜberCharge advantage, which goes a long way towards defending a Sentry nest.
  • Taking out enemy Snipers will make allied Engineers' lives easier, as they will no longer need to hide from their Sniper dots.
  • Demomen are a high priority target when protecting an Engineer's buildings, as only four midrange Stickybombs are enough to destroy a Level 3 Sentry Gun.
  • Heavies deal considerable amounts of continuous damage to Sentry nests, so backstabbing them will make it much easier to keep a Sentry around.

Leaderboard class medic.png Medic

Protecting your allied Medics should be prioritized at all times. To this end, strategically eliminating high priority targets will make your Medics' job easier and keep him from dying.

  • A Spy can backstab targets that are trying to focus on the Medic.
    • Of all classes, Snipers or other Spies would be the top of this target list, due to their ability to kill a Medic in one hit.
  • Due to the high accuracy of your Revolver, a Medic using the Kritzkrieg on you can be highly effective.
    • When used with the Enforcer, a single shot while disguised will instantly kill any class at 130 or below.
  • A Spy equipped with the Dead Ringer can disguise himself as an allied Medic and get himself "killed" by the enemy team. This may lead them to think they've killed your Medic, which will be important if they were acting on the assumption that the Medic had an ÜberCharge ready.
  • An ÜberCharge is quite possibly the single most distracting thing in the game, and distracted enemies will make a Spy's job much easier.
    • Special mention goes to Kritzkrieg and Quick-Fix ÜberCharges, which can be dealt with via focused fire, thus further encouraging the enemy team to direct their attention towards the combo.
  • The Spy can call out the health and ÜberCharge percent of an enemy Medic to an allied Medic and help them decide whether to push in with their pocket.
  • A friendly Medic can potentially blow your cover by healing you. Therefore, it is in your best interest to memorize where health packs are located on the map. If you absolutely must be healed by a Medic, come to them under a friendly disguise to not arouse suspicion.

Leaderboard class sniper.png Sniper

Spy and Sniper perform the same roles of priority elimination and paranoia. As such, working with your allied Sniper is crucial in not only controlling enemy movements, but getting the drop on the enemy team before they realize what hit them.

  • An allied Sniper's presence may force enemies to use an alternate route to their objective. This can allow you to follow behind them and backstab them one-by-one.
  • A Spy can stab enemy Snipers, thus making a friendly Sniper’s life easier. Additionally, distracting Snipers with your presence can often be enough time to let an allied Sniper finish the job.
  • If an allied Sniper misses a shot, you can likely pick up the kill, as the enemy will now be actively dodging your Sniper's aim instead of looking for Spies.
  • If you have an inexperienced Sniper on your team, you can aid in finishing off missed shots.
  • A Sniper and Spy can ambush and kill practically any Medic combo with the proper strategy. If the Sniper can headshot the Medic's pocket, you can backstab the Medic as he is retreating.
  • The Spy's position on the battlefield can give an allied Sniper vital information on the whereabouts of enemies, and can advise them where to snipe from for maximum damage potential.
  • A Sniper can use Jarate or the Sydney Sleeper to extinguish a burning allied Spy.

Leaderboard class spy.png Spy

A pair, or group of Spies can make a team extremely paranoid and distract them from their objective while hunting you down.

  • Two Spies can strategically eliminate specific classes, such as Soldiers, Medics or Heavies, to thin out a team's power and force them to hold off a push until reinforcements arrive.
  • A common Spy-pair practice is for one to use the Invis Watch/Cloak and Dagger, and the other to use the Dead Ringer. This can allow a pair to create a false sense of security for the enemy team and trick them into leaving their guard down for a stab.
  • Coordinating your disguises can make you less suspicious when moving among your enemies. If your buddy is disguised as a Medic, disguise as a Heavy, since a Heavy-Medic pair is not uncommon to see amidst the haze of battle.
  • A pair of Spies can bait opponents into chasing one disguised as a enemy, while the other is disguised as a friendly player. The Spy disguised as an enemy can then manipulate their position behind the attackers and backstab them.
  • Sapper armor only applies to Sentry Guns you sapped. Another Spy's weapons still do full damage to Sentry Guns you've sapped, and vice versa.
  • Stacking Spies is generally not recommended, as one Spy getting noticed may prompt the enemy team to use tactics that will get the others found out.

Backstabbing Priorities

A crucial part of playing Spy effectively is understanding which classes are the most important to backstab and which ones are better to ignore in any given situation. Generally, if a lone enemy player has their back turned, or are oblivious to their surroundings, it is a good idea to backstab them. However, in cases where the enemy is paired up, or grouped together in areas such as around the cart or a Sentry Nest where your death is almost assured after your first stab, there are some guidelines that should be kept in mind before attempting to approach.

In order of priority, the classes you should be backstabbing first are:

1. Medics

2. Snipers

3. Engineers

4. Heavies

These classes are situational, and can be prioritized in any order at the player's discretion:

1. Demomen

2. Soldiers

3. Other Spies

These are the classes you should NOT attempt to backstab, unless in very specific situations:

1. Scouts

2. Pyros

  • Medics are at the top of the list because of their inherent role of giving healing to your enemies and activating ÜberCharges. A Medic who has an ÜberCharge ready to be deployed should rank even higher than a Medic without one in most cases. Medics are also often the most difficult class to get to, because they will be surrounded by their other teammates, not to mention they may be slightly faster than you, which makes chasing them down for a backstab more difficult. If you can trick a Medic into healing you, manipulating your position behind them and quickly backstabbing them before they realize you are a Spy is a sound strategy. Do not disguise as a Medic, as if you accidentally disguise as the Medic you plan to stab, your cover will be blown immediately.
  • Snipers are next due to the threat that they are to your own Medics, Heavies and allied Snipers. Sniper pairs also can come with equipment dedicated to dissuading you from attacking them and have means to track you down if caught, so they also can cause problems for you and other Spies. Their ability to one-shot kill any class in the game makes them a dangerous, and juicy target. Most rifle-wielding Snipers are often too inattentive to notice if you are close, and can be easier to kill. However, Huntsman Snipers are hypothetically more dangerous to you, as they have full range of sight, and can easily protect themselves with a near-instant headshot that will kill you even at point-blank range. Snipers often will attempt to duel you with their melee weapon if they notice you, which can allow you to trickstab them, or cloak to retreat without fear of being headshot. If they are using the Razorback, shoot them with your Revolver instead.
  • Engineers have the unique ability to construct and maintain buildings that allow them to hold down any chokepoint or control point anywhere on the map with ease. Overall, it is more important that the Engineer dies than that his buildings are destroyed, but there are exceptions. The Engineer tends to not pay attention to much other than their buildings, especially when using the Wrangler, so it can be easy to stab them and then quickly sap their Sentry Gun. After an Engineer is dead, try to sap their Teleporters first so he cannot quickly return to his nest and remove your Sappers.
  • Heavies are the full-frontal assault class of Team Fortress 2. Dealing the most significant damage possible and having the most health of all classes, it makes them an important target to backstab. They are slow-- even slower while revved up, which can make them easy to approach from behind when all alone, but are also fairly attentive because of their weakness to you. A Heavy's Minigun deals enough damage to kill you in less than a second, which necessitates the element of surprise when approaching them. Medics will also be on the look-out for Spies for their Heavy buddies, and may Spy-check if your presence seem suspicious. Catch them while they have their attention diverted toward your team, and you can very easily get the drop on them. They also have a hard time tracking enemies up close, which allows you to easily trickstab them, or simply throw off their aim enough to let teammates finish them off.
  • Demomen can set stickybomb traps out that will obliterate any class that steps too close to them. When killed, their stickybombs will shatter, and therefore it is important to backstab them before your teammates arrive in their territory. Demoknights or Hybrid Knights tend to be for more difficult to kill, since they are more effective at close range with their melee weapons, and can charge after you when you attempt to escape. You have the tools necessary to slip past his defenses, and can approach him while under disguise or cloak to stab him. Demoman's grenades deal heavy splash damage, and can kill you with little effort if you are caught. However, if you can stay close to him, he may accidentally blow himself up in the process of killing you or choose not to engage with ranged weapons at all, giving you an easier time killing him. The Dead Ringer can allow you to fool the Demoman into thinking he killed you, given that a direct hit with a grenade deals a 100 damage. He may then go back to fighting, giving you a prime opportunity to backstab him. However he may also be more paranoid from now on, and watch his back more frequently.
  • Soldiers deal heavy splash damage, and can unleash utter chaos on your team if not stopped. Soldiers are somewhat slow on the ground, but highly mobile in the air with rocket jumping, making it more difficult to close the gap and stab them. They are a popular choice for being pocketed, making it risky to approach without being Spy-checked by their pocket Medic. Soldiers also can easily Spy-check you with their splash damage, and kill you with just two rockets at close range, making it dangerous to approach them unless you are sure you can stab them before they blow your cover. Like the Demoman, Rocket Launchers deal lethal damage up close, which allows you to make your feign death with the Dead Ringer more convincing. However don’t always believe that the Soldier thinks he is in the clear-- he may turn around again, and will be more paranoid from now on.
  • Enemy Spies are not often found in their own base, and will most likely be on the prowl among your teammates. This makes it difficult to find any Spies to backstab unless they have just respawned or returned from a resupply cabinet. If you discover an enemy Spy, notify your team, and leave them be unless they attack you. If you are with your own team, and notice a teammate you believe is a disguised Spy, approach them from behind. If your knife raises to backstab them, that 'teammate' is an enemy Spy.
  • Scouts are one of your two class counters, and therefore are extremely difficult to backstab. Their natural speed advantage makes it hard to approach them or run away, and their Scattergun can quickly kill you if you are discovered. The Scout also has the means to track you down with the use of Mad Milk or the Wrap Assassin/Boston Basher. If you are in a situation where you are fighting against a Scout, you can attempt to trickstab them, but outside of this, they are not of high priority to backstab, and should instead be fled from or shot with your Revolver. Since Scouts constantly move around a lot when fighting, you can wait for them to backpedal into you, then backstab them.
  • Pyros are your other class counter, and are the biggest threat to you as a Spy. While they can be backstabbed, it is often too difficult to do so due to the combination of the Pyro's tools. You are faster than a Pyro, so it can be easy to catch up to them, but a single puff of fire is enough to blow your cover, even when invisible. Compression blast allows a Pyro to protect itself and other teammates from your approach, and has melee weapons built for destroying your Sappers when attached to enemy buildings. However, the Pyro can be an important class to backstab if they are ambushing your team or do not notice you. In all other situations, it is better to not engage with a Pyro, and run away. If there are a lot of Pyros on the enemy team, equip the Spy-cicle and Dead Ringer to increase your chances of survival.

See also