Spy (competitive)

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 Some or all info may be outdated.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

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

Information

Health

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

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

Speed

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

Weapons

Main article: Spy weapons (competitive)

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

Primary PDA

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

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


Secondary PDA

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

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

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

Enthusiast's Timepiece
Promotional
Secondary PDA

Enthusiast's Timepiece
Quäckenbirdt
Promotional
Secondary PDA

Quäckenbirdt
Cloak and Dagger
Unlock
Secondary PDA

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

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

Dead Ringer
Unlock
Secondary PDA

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

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


Melee

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

Backstab:
victim's health

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

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

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

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

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

Backstab:
victim's health

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

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

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

Backstab:
victim's health

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

Pictogram minus.png –55 max health on wearer.

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

Backstab:
victim's health

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

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

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

Backstab:
victim's health

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

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

Killicon backstab.png

Usage

The Spy generally depends on an uncoordinated team's mistakes to turn a game around. However, a highly efficient competitive team will make very few mistakes, and effective communication will reduce the chances of the Spy being useful in any way whatsoever. This makes the Spy one of the least played utilities in competitive games. 100% Speed classes are also not played with the normal setup of a competitive team (Pyro, Sniper, Spy, etc.) and if used will give away the identity of the Spy due to the coordination of competitive teams, so choosing a disguise usually is a problem for playing Spy in a competitive match because it will end up either slowing you down or moving slower than your disguise should be (Scout).

Common Tactics

The Spy has two main roles in competitive Team Fortress 2: Pick key members of the opposing team, such as their Demoman or Medic, and distract the enemy team to allow the Spy's own team to successfully push in. Both of these roles are performed more effectively by Spies than by Scouts during stalemates, where a highly alert team attacks at any opposition it sees. Spies playing in competitive games should try to avoid being seen, even when disguised, as a competitive team will keep track of its members and see right through any disguise. In addition, Spies should use the fact that they can see an the health of enemy players when disguised. Calling out enemies who are low on health and gunning down severely injured players with the Revolver can be very useful in breaking stalemates and helping the Spy's team make a successful push.

5-CP Push Strategies

If a team has the advantage but encounters a strong defense that stagnates the game, the team may choose to replace a Scout with a Spy. For the defending team that is turning the game into a stalemate, it may be best to keep both Utilities as classes that can actively contribute to the defense; Spies are far less capable of accomplishing this. A Spy's number one goal is to kill the enemy team's Medic. A successful pick will remove the enemy's source of health and can force a retreat if the Spy's team pushes. If the Medic is too well guarded, Spies are free to go for the team's Demoman, as he is also a very important contributor to the enemy's defense. Either of these picks will help the Spy's team push in and break the stalemate. If none of these options are available, the Soldier is also a valid target, because one less player raining rockets on your teammates greatly reduces the damage intake of your team; do note that however, challenging a Soldier or Scout is usually highly risky because the Soldier can easily take you out, and you cannot outrun the Scout as a spy, which leaves all chances on the ability to land shots with the revolver if your backstab fails.

Using a Spy at the beginning of a 5-CP map is highly impractical due to the Spy's inability to get to the mid point quickly and weakness to spam. If a team does choose to use a Spy at the mid fight, then the Spy will have to focus on eliminating the enemy Medic and Demoman while carefully avoiding the enemy Scouts and Soldiers at all costs. If a team encounters a stalemate in which both teams have a strong defense and neither team is able to push, a team may use a Spy to prevent the possibility of the enemy team using their ÜberCharge and breaking the stalemate first. By eliminating a key defender, a Spy can allow his own team to successfully push in and break the stalemate.

Attack-Defend Strategies

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

Capture-the-Flag Strategies

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

See also