Anti-Spy strategy

“

Hey, look, you shape shifted into a dead guy! Click to listen — The Scout

”

The Spy is a cunningly swift espionage agent bent on stabbing everyone's back. He has a slim shape with a poor amount of health, but has a devastating melee attack, requiring his deceptive nature to make use of.

General

• Always check for Spies. Check around corners and behind props Spies are likely to hide behind or near.
• As a Sniper, use your Jarate to uncloak a Spy for you or your teammates to finish off.
• When spotting a Spy, alert your team and try to chase down the Spy before he causes any (more) damage.
• As a Sniper, checking your back and surrounding area will likely save you from dying.
• As a Sniper, constantly keep moving! Standing still for too long is an invitation to Spies everywhere.
• As a Medic, be aware of your surroundings and alert your team to enemy Spies.
• As a Pyro, blazing the immediate area with your Flamethrower occasionally reveals a cloaked Spy.
• Engineers are the only ones that can stand on top of their buildings. Anyone else is a disguised Spy.

Weapon Specific

A list of useful tidbits about the Spy's kits, and how to best counter them.

Revolver / The Big Kill

• The Revolver has a quick firing speed, so move and jump at the same time so you can avoid getting hit.

Ambassador

• When fighting a Spy with the Ambassador, always move in an erratic way to avoid being Headshot.

L'Étranger

• This is a helper for the Enthusiast's Timepiece or the Invisibility Watch but it does -20% Dmg when shot and adds +15% Cloak when on hit so it is best to avoid getting shot so you can't add Cloak to the watch.

Electro Sapper

• Electro Sappers can be destroyed using any Engineer melee weapon. They can also be removed using the Pyro's Homewrecker.
• Spies can hold down Mouse1 to repeatedly place Electro Sappers. Kill the Spy before removing the Sappers if no team-mates are around to help.

Knife

Your Eternal Reward

• This weapon does not produce a scream from its victim, but it does show in the killfeed. Remember who you are with to avoid dying in a chainstab.
• If your team-mate is getting pursued, and the pursuer suddenly disappears, then the remaining person is likely an enemy Spy using this weapon.

Disguise Kit

• Walk toward your team-mates when possible. Disguised Spies will try to steer clear of you, as they can not clip through you like a team-mate would.
• Fire occasionally on your team-mates. Some disguised Spies will turn to face you or begin to flee, while most team-mates will continue uninterrupted.

Cloaking Devices

• The Invisibility Watch and Dead Ringer can be recharged even if the Spy is cloaked by picking up metal. If metal is mysteriously disappearing near you, check for a Spy!
• Cloaked Spies with a disguise on can leech health and Cloak recharges from enemy Dispensers. Check the top of your Dispenser occasionally.
• If you hear an excessive amount of voice responses near you from an unknown source, check the area around your Dispenser for Spies trying to spook you.

Invisibility Watch / Enthusiast's Timepiece

• The Invisibility Watch relies on metal to keep it charged, if under the suspicion of a near by Spy check any areas with ammo pick ups, or even take them if need be.
• Remember as a general strategy to check Dispensers, as a Spy with the Invisibility Watch and stand on one endlessly invisible.

Cloak and Dagger

Dead Ringer

• The Spy has huge damage reduction while under the effect of the Dead Ringer. Try to out-damage him before he gets away.
• Airblasting a Spy into a corner as a Pyro can isolate him long enough for the Dead Ringer effect to wear off.
• When dueling someone, if you are not given a point after they die, then they used the Dead Ringer.

The Saharan Spy

See also

• Spy strategy
• Community Spy strategy
• Spy match-ups
• Team strategy