I suck as a spy, my highest score in one life being only 9 points - it’s also my least played class. But when a plan comes together and you manage to massacre a group of enemies, neutralize an engineer nest or finally backstab that sniper that’s been dominating you, it’s the most fulfilling role to play.
Lots of great tips on the TF2 Wiki: Spy strategy, Backstab, Cloak
Spy has a very steep learning curve, and there’s really no substitute for practice. You can read guides and watch videos, but really you need to get a feel for the timing, because timing is everything.
The server I play regularly on is of the opinion that Heavy is dramatically overpowered right now. What’s everyone else’s opinion? I think they might just all be bitter soldiers who are angry they can’t solo heavy + medic any more.
One reason I’ve avoided playing TF2, even though I’ve owned it for a very long time, is I don’t want to suck so badly that I anger the team I’m on. Add the fact that the Spy is the most appealing class to me, and my fear grows tenfold. How tolerant are players to newbies learning the ropes?
At least half the TF2 players are morons who are seemingly playing the game for the first time. There is no barrier to entry.
With the move speed and spin speed boost, they are much much more powerful than they were. Unless the other team has great spies or snipers, heavies are very tough. I see them lead the scoreboard far more often now. But they are actually seeing some competitive play now, so maybe they are where they should be.
I tend to agree with this, I’ve played matches where half the other team are heavies and the other half medics. Though there has been a respite lately (now we have teams with 7 engineers or so, not a problem unless it’s your team).
OTOH, I play soldier about 80% of the time so I could be bitter.
I’m kind of in the same boat as you. Steam says I have played TF2 186 hrs and maybe 10 minutes of that has been as a spy. When I think of how bad I’ll be and how my teammates might think of my ability, I consider that in those 186 hrs I have never thought “man our team’s spies suck” nor have I ever heard any one on my team complain about our spy. That is due, I believe, to the fact that most of your teammates won’t really be watching what you are doing nor are they directly dependent on any actions you might take (e.g. like a medic, engineer or pyro).
So, in short, don’t worry about it and just have fun.
JZigish
3969
Definitely part of the problem is that people haven’t adjusted to the new heavy power level, but I think part of the problem might be that he is a bit overpowered.
But soldiers used to be the #1 best class in all situations. You guys just got used to it :)
Strato
3970
Heavies are much better, but I am sick of Natasha being such a pain in the arse. It really is a case of once trapped, it becomes too hard to get away. I guess it is one of those “cheap” weapons like the FAN or Dead Ringer.
I did play Spy a bit more tonight and did a bit better, mostly by observing and picking opportunities… still yeah very different than the other classes.
— Alan
Alan_Au
3972
As a player who relies heavily on mobility, Natascha-wielding heavies are the bane of my existence. As for countering heavies, snipers work great; soldiers and demos are also reasonably effective if you can keep your distance.
I don’t recommend spy for new players, although you can learn spy-like skills by playing other classes. Playing medic will teach you how to dodge and flee from danger. Playing pyro will teach you how to flank enemies.
Strato
3973
The other thing with spies I guess (despite being my least used class) is knowing when to strike, which is pretty much when the other team is completely pre-occupied. I’ve learnt this simply from being backstabbed when I have the opposing team keeping me busy someway or other, and thus fail to either be aware of what is happening around me, or fail to hear a spy decloak, and therefore, stabbed in the back.
The thing I love with spies is when, as a rocket jumping soldier I end up getting an accidentle kill due to a cloaked or decloaking spy that passed too close, or was aiming for the backstab.
had two awesome moment recently:
my team (blue) was not rushing the kart due to two level 3 sentries and dispensers with two engies working on it. i took up a position on the attic’s bridge and sent about 30 rockets total at them. reds didn’t try to stop me other than a sniper but i moved myself so he had no angle. aiming at the sentries didn’t do anything so i took out the dispensers and one of the engies, an after that the sentries went down. by then i had full rage so i whipped out the bugle and my entire team followed me onto the kart. after we won i got the ride of the valkyries achievement.
my other accomplishment was playing scout. usually as blue i become scout on the first round and drink the soda at the one second mark so when i pop out the demos blow their stickies early. i did this and sprinted across the entire map to the tunnel entrance. i ran to the red spawn with two non-scout reds in pursuit. at the spawn exit i shotgunned the red tele entrance.
If learning spy, it might be helpful to wait until you have some of the alternate cloak watches to find one that fits you style better. I was the world’s worst spy until I got the Cloak and Dagger, which fit with my playstyle better. But once I had the C&D, it gave me chance to actually practice and develop some experience that I could then map back to the standard cloak.
Now,I’m simply a very bad spy rather than the worst in recorded history. But, you know, it’s something.
When I play spy I tend to do really well when I stop caring about winning the round and instead focus on ruining someone’s day. Now that I think about it, I tend to do better with every class with that strategy.
For the new players, just remember that it’s an objective based game. Push the damn cart!
Otherwise, yeah, what Bad Neighbor said. I think that’s the whole point of being a spy, to ruin the defense/offensive plans :)
Whenever I play a spy I die 90% of the time to people who randomly spycheck me, even if I try to act like the class I’m disguised as. It’s funny, because when I’m playing any other class and just hang around I rarely get spychecked at all.
I guess a lot of it is just down to luck.
anytime i see someone not shooting for more than three seconds in a row, alarm bells go off in my head. even if i see nothing as soldier, i send a few shots off in random corners, just in case. as heavy, i am paranoid as hell when no one is around and usually do a crazy ivan and do a check the minigun. pyro not shooting flame out randomly? newb or spy.
since heavies and scouts move at different speeds, it’s usually the same few classes spies hide as, too.
Spy disguising as a pyro or scout is crazy, particularly pyro. If you see a pyro who isn’t W + M1, then they are probably a spy. Heavy is a bad choice since they are always spinning their guns (and they’re slow).
Best classes to hide as are soldier, demo and engineer. Most of them have good reasons not to shoot randomly every few seconds, and engy is a bonus because if you are playing against a side with lots of engies (which is most of them since the Engineer Update), you can just blend right into the engy mob and start sappin’ away. I’ve had good success with medic, too - everyone loves to see a medic come up behind them.
