Spy Sappin' my Sentry - Guide to Playing the Spy

[DarkNecrid]

Just for this tip, you are unique among many. I've seen dozens of spy videos and tips and tricks, but you're the only one who mentions using friendly disguises.

Ya

Common applications:
-At the very start, just in case if a Scout or something spies you or a sniper does on a smaller map, they won't know your "real" disguise.
-On arena if you're subtle, it is seriously game winning at 1v1. Obviously doesn't work if it's 1v2 and you backstab the other guy, but I had a game where it was 2v2 and they both died at the same time, so I was fighting a Heavy. I disguised as a friendly Sniper, and of course this made him run away. I popped a cloak and followed him around a bit, and stabbed him as he came around a corner.


Plus I do believe it works with ubers, so you could always disguise as a friendly Heavy and use an uber if you absolutely have to.

The important thing about friendly disguises is to remember they are purely defensive and mental oriented, unlike an enemy disguise which is an offensive and mental oriented type deal. This in general makes them less useful since their defensive purposes are limited (defensive in the sense of hiding that you are a Spy at the opening, and synergy with uber but that situation is so rare I've never seen it happen), but the mental tricks are quite fine. A lot of good players have speed figured out. ie: OK I HAVE 50 HP AND OH MY GOD THERES A HEAVY. They have the heavy speed measured out, so they gauge they can escape you in time. So you can use that friendly disguise to scare them, fool them, undisguise, catch up to him unsuspectingly, and BAM fire and he's dead. Using an enemy disguise is a lot easier and a lot less situational, which is why a lot of these tips and tricks and such will not really mention this tactic. It's very much a situational defensive mindgame, that is only useful some of the time, but when it can be useful, it's really really good. You'll very rarely use it, I use it maybe once or twice a night with 3-5 hours of game time a night, not including a friendly opening disguise on smaller cramped maps. But each time I do, it gives me a rather substantial advantage I couldn't get otherwise, since players judge everything they do based on circumstance and the situation, and if you do it right, you're changing their "situation". A heavy with low health will probably try to take on a wounded medic and a spy, he knows he can take both. But if he sees a wounded medic and another (apparently) full Health heavy, he's probably not even going to bother so much, so he'll retreat. That type of control is powerful and wins games.

 

[DarkNecrid]

Sorry for the super long bump, but I thought I'd make everyone aware that I've updated this guide along with the recent updates, including info on the new unlockables and redid some info on Disguises + a matchup.

At the time of writing this guide I was at 74 hours of Spy, now I am up to just under (half an hour to go!) my 200th hour of Spy .

Anyhow, I like all the disguise changes, and as for the unlockables, now that the Ambassador does full criticals, it's a decent side grade. The Dead Ringer is decent for fun but against good players its uses are relatively minimal with the nerf it received today, and the Cloak and Dagger is just not my style. I don't like camping in one spot, instead I prefer to be where the action is, give my enemy the feeling that I'm "everywhere", and in a nutshell perform psychological warfare. But it's a good watch if you like to camp!

Hope this guide has helped a few people improve their Spy ways or at least help people understand the Spy. Hope eGO is doing good, and enjoy the update.

 

[WaterSnake]

Bloody great. It was awesome. !up you for making this awesome, well thought out thread.

 

[batterytime]

DarkNecrid: You need to fix up the strategy bit about 50-100% health. That was a HUGE giveaway before, but now, it's been rendered completely null by the fact that spies can now disguise as the real health of the person their disguising as.

 

[DarkNecrid]

Ah thank you, figured I'd miss something while cleaning it up. I corrected it . Hopefully everything else is correct!

 

[Carmine]

This guide was worth reading simply for the reloading trick, did not know that.

 

[The Icon]

nice guide! i learned something new today YAY!

 

[? Frisky Dingo ?]

It is an ok guide, and just basic stuff in here...most stuff everyone already knows. What you should put in here as ive stated on past "how to play spy" outlines are the many different stabs the spy has and how to use them properly. Post vids on the layouts of the maps and their short cuts as well as good hiding spots. As Ive said in numerous posts before, I have over 500 hrs as spy and still dont know everything there is to know about the class, trying to sum all the info up on spy on one post is near impossible, but the most important thing in learning to play spy imo is positioning...dont rely on any disguise, use your stealth to get behind your enemy as fast as possible so that you can do as much damage to them as possible. Learn not to force your stabs, if you miss a stab run for it...dont stay there trying to get one stab when there are 6 other guys behind you that can kill you. Learn patients, dont just go and kill that heavy and run out of there. Hang back and wait till you see an opening and get 5 more kills instead of just 1. Practice, practice, practice.

 

[Tee Hee Hee]

DarkNecrid: You need to fix up the strategy bit about 50-100% health. That was a HUGE giveaway before, but now, it's been rendered completely null by the fact that spies can now disguise as the real health of the person their disguising as.

Yes and no...if you're standing by a dispenser but the person your diguised as isnt your apparent health wont increase...still a give away :O