This guide is designed for players who are want to get better at using the spy and to well-known at the class you are playing.

Why do people play Spy?
Insta-kills, That goes with Sniper.

As we can see, that spy has the largest learning curve out of any class in the game. Therefore, you're bound to see more bad spies than any other class. There are good spies too though, and playing against one can really be a pain.

• Spy is a Support class comes with 125 HP, which just as same as Scout, Sniper and Engineer (without the gunslinger)

The Revolver

• The Spy's only ranged weapon.
  
• Single-fire weapon with 6 shots per round.

The Sapper

• The only its function is to destroy an Engineer's Buildings.
  
• That's it.

The Invisibility Watch

• The Well known as signature ability to turn invisible of Spy.
  
• Receives 20% less damage from all sources while invisible.
  *Notes the 20% damage resistance also applies on dead ringer's invisibility
  
• Reduces debuffs timer (Jarate, Mad Milk, afterburn)

The Butterfly Knife

• The Well known as signature ability to instant kill of Spy.
  
• Attack an enemy from behind will be a backstab and one hit kill the target.

The Disguise Kit

• The Well known as signature ability to bend into one of the opponents of Spy.
  
• Disguise yourself into an ally or enemy

Backstabbing does an insta-kill damage, that make Spy is the most dangerous class for turn their back against.

Your melee does instant swing, so it's quicker than any melees and does instant backstab.
A backstab will trigger as long as the Spy is anywhere within a 180° angle behind the enemy.



Most of the players are always looking for something to do. When they aren't in combat, in result of where they have most self-awareness.

While player is focused on killing another or to put it simply "being distracted", that's the time when you have a timing to strike.
*the Spy (not always) relies in the fact that the enemy has to be distracted*

In comps, If you died right after the stab it's still considered as a good play if the pick was the important class like Medic or any other dps classes.

Trickstabs are maneuvers used by Spies to backstab enemies that found out you are a spy.
While trickstabs are sometimes cool and flashy, they should only be used as a last resort.

I won't put the details on trickstabs about how to do it since there are bunch of tutorials about them on the internet.

As a spy, you need to know the priority order of classes who should you kill on sight first and here's why.

1st - The Medic

• Ubercharges can break through most of defense and be used to turn the table of battle, and healing his teammates to avoid a waste of time from dying.

2nd - The Engineer

• The Sentry gun is always a big problem, however teleporters are even more valuable to destroy, since the longer it operating, the faster that enemy will storm your team. Kill the Engineer to prevent him from rebuilding. That will be a waste of time for them.

3rd - The Demoman

• His stickies are very dangerous in controlling capture points. Killing him with make capturing & defending points are much easier.

4th - The Sniper

• Depending on "Is that sniper always hit his shot?" If he isn't. it should be ranked lower, but If he is. It will be the class that wanted dead the most. A Sniper can take off important targets from the safe distance, so make sure your team won't have a problem by approaching.

• Against a razorback sniper, use ranged weapon to kill by shoot him at point-blanked range

5th - The Heavy

• He is a very powerful class that posses a big threat to your team if he got company from his team, so take him out if he is a huge obstacle. With The Heavy's slow speed makes him an easy target.

6th - The Soldier

• The Soldier is sometimes easy to take out but still dangerous for spy due to his splash damage that sometimes can get you killed randomly by being up close. killing him should be an optional.

7th - The Spy

• In pubs, It isn't your job to fight with other spies, but fight when they are attacking you. In comps, The enemy spy should be ranked after the priority of good sniper. because he can become a big threat of your team.

Pyro and Scout should be avoided as possible. If you can't. The ranged weapon of yours is the last resort.

Let you disguise as the enemy team and your team by pressing R.
While disguised, you still able to turn invisible, attack people, sapping on enemy buildings and enemy sentries won't detect you. Beware attacking will remove your disguise instantly.

People often say that spy's disguises won't fool good players, but sometimes it does. That's why acting is ONE of the most important skills you will ever learn as playing spy. When you see obvious signs of disguised spies, you can spot them immediately. There will be list of their behaviors.

• As a class in the wrong position, for example, A Sniper on the enemy the frontlines.
  
• As a class that appears from nowhere due to the wall-hacks spawn.
  
• A Scout that running at slow speed which is the most obvious.
  
• Walk straight behind your teammates.

When you are disguised as a certain class, act like the class would normally do.

• Spy will creates a emit of cloud smoke, make sure you didn't go invisible right after disguising.
  
  
• You can use your last disguise by pressing B.
  
  
• Try to not always use the same disguise. for example, if an enemy player always sees you disguised as a Demo, they will soon begin to Spy check any Demos they come across.
  
  
• You can fake-reload the weapon you're holding while disguised if you shoot with the Revolver
  
  
• If there is no friendly medic around you, As a Red Spy use disguise to get heal from the enemy's Payload cart.
  
  
• Pressing B while disguised changes your disguised weapon's type to the type what you are holding.

Your speed will be depends on who you are disguised to, but for Spy, Scout and Medic. Your speed will be the same.

Scout disguise is my favorite because it makes my head's hitbox much more harder to shoot. (still, it makes me obvious that's i'm a spy in the same time)

Using it will turn you invisible and it takes 1 second to fully become invisible. While being on this state the Spy won't be able to attack, but will still use the disguise kit. Decloaking appears to take 2 seconds before able to attack.

• You will still being seen while on cloaked by A friendly ally

After the meter drains to zero, you will automatically decloaking from the invisibility state.

Bumping into enemies will make you slightly visible to enemies, and also will be visible by being damaged, Jarate'd , Milk'd, wet after diving and burning.

Ways to fill up your cloak meter

• Waiting for the cloak regenerate itself by being decloaked.
  
• Picking any ammo sources. (Ammo Packs, Dispenser, Destroyed Engineer's Building Parts)
  
  • This method is not working with Dead ringer.

• Memorizing ammo spawns and shortcuts will make your Cloak much more effective
  
  • if you got "cloak and dagger" just quickly decloak and cloak again on the ammo sources
  
  
• Get extra seconds from 9 to 13 seconds by using L'Etranger on Loadout
  
  
• If you are somehow around the enemy's spawn, cloak or disguise as a teammate to hide your position from dead enemies before they are spawning.
  
  
• Always have a plan before decloaking, as it takes 2 seconds before you can attack or use the Sapper
  
  
• DO NOT decloak too close around an enemy, because you make noise everytime you cloak and decloak, so enemies can hear you.
  
  
• If enemy has seen you cloak, head in one direction and then change path after fully cloaked to trick pursuer into going the wrong way, similar as juking.

Due to my experience of playing spy, I will show you the weapons that would be useful and why they are.

Ranged Weapons

Stock Revolver

• -fits in most situations
  
• -no buff or debuff

Ambassador

• +crits on headshot
  
• -crits damage is affected by range
  
• -has a short cooldown during which it never crits

L'Etranger

• +gives you extra seconds on cloak from 9 to 13 seconds
  
• +gives slightly of cloak meter on hit
  
• -less 15% damage

Diamondback

• +Spy's Frontier justice
  
• +gives crit shot for each backstab kill and each building destroyed by your Sapper
  
• -gives clown's sign if you missed all of your crit

Melee Weapons

Stock Knife

• -fits in most situations

Your Eternal Reward

• +the victim won't screams after killed, good at being stealth as the attacking team
  
• -requires all of your meter to disguise if you are not nearby the spawn

Conniver's Kunai

• +Absorbs HP from victim, high risk high reward
  
• -easily get you killed with 70 HP by a direct hit from explosive weapons

Big Earner

• +gives cloak meter after a kill
  
• +gives speed boost on kill to trickstab either escaping
  
• -easily get you killed with 100 HP by a direct hit from explosive weapons

Spy-cicle

• +on hit by flame gives fireproof for 1 second and being invincible to afterburn for 10 seconds
  
• -melts in fire that make you are not able to backstab anyone for a while

Watches

Stock Invis Watch

• +very good on every situations
  
• +if you know where ammo packs spawn, you are more likely invisible forever

Cloak and Dagger

• +good at camp so you can focus on killing the most priority target
  
• +regenerate the meter by standing still while cloaked
  
• -can't refill the meter with ammo sources while on cloaked

Dead Ringer

• +cloak you for 7 seconds upon receiving damage and fake death
  
• +gives speed for 3 seconds (huge advantage to escape)
  
• -can't refill with ammo sources except supply at spawn

Sappers

Stock Sapper

• +much better and faster than the recorder at destroy buildings (reverses? much more longer time? hell no!)

I spent 6 hours carefully write down all this stuff to make sure you guys make a good use of my guide! Like and favorite would be much appreciated!

All image assets are came from the official tf2 wiki