Anti-Spy strategy
“ | That's what my daddy taught me to do to backstabbers.
Click to listen
— The Engineer
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The Spy is a cunningly swift espionage agent bent on stabbing everyone's back. The Spy's primary attack is his backstab ability which allows him to instantly kill any class in one hit from behind. The best defense against a Spy is good observational skills; Spies only have so many ways to infiltrate your team and experienced players can usually detect them if there is little to no combat occurring at the time. When caught, most Spies will try and escape rather than engage in a fight because of their limited attack capability. Keep in mind that Spies have different ways of cloaking and backstabbing, including the ability to fake their own death. Pyros are generally considered the first defense against enemy Spies due to their great Spy checking ability.
Contents
General
Attributes | Anti-Spy strategy |
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Spies will usually try to get behind your team with his ability to Cloak and Disguise. Run and fire around corners and props in order to expose any cloaked Spies; should you find one, alert your team and try to kill him before he does any damage. Disguised Spies will not act like your teammates do; Spy-check often to avoid becoming the victim of an unnoticed enemy Spy. |
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The Spy is quite weak, with only 125 health points. Once he is spotted, he should not be difficult to kill. However, he may fake his death using the Dead Ringer, so remain on guard. |
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Spies move at the speed of the class that they are disguised as, unless that class is faster than they are. |
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The Spy is quite weak by himself, but if he passes by undetected, he can kill players instantly with a backstab. He also has the ability to see the health of enemy players, allowing him to pick off weakened enemies with his Revolver. |
Weapon Specific
A list of useful tidbits about the Spy's tools, and how to counter them.
Primary Weapons
Weapon | Anti-Spy strategy |
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![]() ![]() Revolver / Big Kill |
The Revolver fires quickly and accurately; make yourself a more difficult target by strafing from side to side. Increase the distance between you and the Spy so that his Revolver deals less damage. |
![]() Ambassador |
A Spy using this weapon will use similar tactics to a Sniper using his Sniper Rifle. Use cover and make erratic movements to prevent getting headshot. |
![]() L'Etranger |
Spies using the L'Etranger often use hit-and-run tactics, making them particularly elusive. Stay on high alert. Once you find a Spy, light him on fire or douse him in Jarate/Mad Milk to render cloaking useless. |
![]() Enforcer |
A Spy equipped with the Enforcer must wait an extra 0.5 seconds to cloak; this can make the difference between killing the Spy and losing track of him. Prevent the Spy from resorting to this weapon, as its 20% damage bonus will give him the upper hand. |
![]() Diamondback |
The Diamondback will only store crits if the Spy successfully saps a building; Engineers and Pyros equipped with the Homewrecker must be extra diligent in protecting them from Sappers. |
Secondary Weapons
Weapon | Anti-Spy strategy |
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![]() Sapper |
A Spy can quickly replace any Sappers removed from the target building(s); locate the Spy (who is most likely in disguise) and kill him before removing his Sapper(s). An Engineer who needs to leave his buildings should have another Engineer or a Pyro guard them while he is away. Keep special notice of the Teleporters of you and your teammates. Left unguarded, a Spy can place an Electro Sapper on one end and continue to replace those that are removed by the other end, eventually sapping more health that an Engineer can repair and destroying both ends. This can deal a huge blow to your team. |
Melee Weapons
Weapon | Anti-Spy strategy |
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![]() Knife |
If you hear the screams of teammates behind you and notice their deaths as backstabs on the kill feed, turn around immediately to avoid being the next victim of a Spy ambush. The Knife does less damage than most other classes' melee weapons, so attack a Spy head on to discourage him from switching to his Revolver. Always keep an eye on the Spy while in close quarters combat; one false turn will give him a chance to backstab you. |
![]() Your Eternal Reward |
Be careful traveling alone, as a Spy using this weapon can replace you without your team realizing it. Traveling in a line is also very dangerous, especially if no one watches the back. Communication is a vital countermeasure against Your Eternal Reward. Also handy is setting up Sentry Guns in populated areas, as a Spy using Your Eternal Reward cannot use his Disguise Kit. |
![]() Conniver's Kunai |
The Conniver's Kunai reduces a Spy's max health to 60 HP, but it allows the Spy to receive the health of whomever the Spy backstabs - up to an overheal of 180 Hit Points. If he has just left his team's base, he should be relatively easy to kill; if left unchecked, he could become a more formidable foe. You can locate one of these Spies by the presence of Overheal on an injured "teammate." |
![]() Big Earner |
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PDA Weapon
Weapon | Anti-Spy strategy |
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![]() Disguise Kit |
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Cloaking Devices
- Cloaked Spies can be revealed if soaked, burned, or they bleed. Try using Jarate, Mad Milk, Flamethrowers, and melee weapons that cause bleed damage in areas where you suspect a Spy is hiding.
- Emerging from water also compromises a Spy's invisibility. Try chasing a Spy in and out of water.
- The Invisibility Watch and Dead Ringer can be recharged by picking up ammo; Spies can pick up ammo even while they're cloaked. If health kits and ammo boxes are mysteriously disappearing nearby, there may be a cloaked Spy trying to elude you.
- The Invisi Watch and the Cloak and Dagger will show a silhouette of a cloaked Spy if he bumps into an enemy or is hurt (even by a fall); if a Spy's silhouette is revealed, press against him and/or attack to keep him visible until he is killed.
- Disguised Spies can recieve health and ammo from enemy Dispensers, even while they are cloaked. Check near and on top of Dispensers occasionally.
- If you hear an excessive amount of voice responses near you from an unknown source, check the area around you for Spies trying to spook you while cloaked.
- Spies make a fairly loud, distinct noise when they uncloak. Be sure to scan the area around you if you hear it, and spycheck teammates that appear shortly after the sound was made.
- If you see a Spy disappear, alert your team and tell them (in team-only chat, so the Spy won't notice and flee) exactly where you are. If there are teammates nearby, call for help and spycheck them just in case.
Weapon | Anti-Spy strategy |
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![]() ![]() Invisibility Watch / Enthusiast's Timepiece |
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![]() Cloak and Dagger |
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![]() Dead Ringer |
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Class Set
Set | Anti-Spy strategy |
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See also
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