Feign Death (Classic)

A spy with the "Feign Death" tool enabled

Feign Death is an ability in Team Fortress Classic that is used by the Spy. When used, the Spy lies on the ground as if he were dead while either emitting a death scream or remaining silent, depending on the player's discretion. The Spy can look around while using this ability, but cannot move.

Looking around while feigning death will result in the Spy's head moving. The Spy's body does not disappear when feign death is used and can therefore be collided with, as with an enemy. This allows enemies to detect the Spy. The Spy is unable to stand if someone is on top of his faux corpse, allowing any enemy to restrict his ability to fight back or run away. At the ability menu for the Spy, you can choose to feign death with sound or no sound. If you choose no sound, he will fall to the ground silently. If you choose sound, he will fall to the ground screaming.

Strategy

• The strategy of using this ability is to feign your death in low visibility areas. Because most players are aware of this ability, they usually shoot at any bodies they find on the ground. What you need to do is silently feign behind busy enemy lines and when the coast is clear, dash out and quickly finish enemies off while their backs are turned.

• Another difficult, but surprisingly efficient way of using this ability, is to feign death in mid-combat with an enemy. Get hit, use Feign Death, and stay down until they walk away or out of your sight.

• You should not look around while feigning. Your body will rotate as you look around, making it obvious you aren't actually a corpse.

Bugs

• As a Spy, use Feign Death as close as possible to a Dispenser, then have a friendly Engineer build a Teleporter Exit. Have the Engineer stand on the Dispenser and build the Teleporter Entrance on top of your body. This will cause you to go through the Teleporter and move around as a dead body.

• It is possible to hide part of your body while feigning death by turning your back towards a wall and feigning. Half your body will clip through the wall but you will see everything as though you were just laying next to it.

Trivia

• Feign Death may have inspired the feature of the Dead Ringer in Team Fortress 2 which allows the Spy to feign death, albeit in a different manner.

See also

• Dead Ringer (Team Fortress 2)