Update: On May 21, 2009, with the Spy vs Sniper update, some of the rules for spy checking were forever altered. Spies can now appear to wield unlockable weapons, a spy disguised as a medic displays an ubercharge meter, and a spy disguised as a spy displays a disguise mask.
I was recently playing a spy on cp_well, and I am often astonished at my interactions with other players. Spychecking is a pretty common little interchange, whereby two players confirm that they are not disguised spies through various means – the most reliable being simply open fire. However, a lot of players seem to be confused with what a spy can and cannot do, and I have thrown off several players by doing something they didn’t think a spy can do.
Here is a list of things a disguised spy can and cannot do.
Spies can switch weapons. Spies cannot use special weapons / weapon features.
As a spy, you can change which weapon you appear to be equipped with. You can disguise as an engineer and change your weapon to the wrench, which throws off a bit of suspicion. You cannot change to any of the unlockable weapons (so if you see a heavy with the KGB equipped – not a spy) (as of the May 21, 2009 patch, spies can equip unlockable weapons, if the player you are disguising as is wielding that weapon), you cannot change to any special weapons (any weapon that is not primary, secondary or melee, such as the engineer toolbox or spy disguise kit), and you cannot do anything special with the weapon (like a sniper bringing the rifle scope up to his eye to take a shot).
Spies can reload weapons. Spies cannot reload twice.
If a spy is holding his revolver, and that revolver is not at full ammo, and the spy is equipped with a reloadable weapon, he can appear to reload. As a spy, it can look like I just reloaded a rocket launcher if I am disguised as a soldier. But since the revolver is a single-animation reload (one animation, full ammo), and a rocket launcher is a multi-animation reload (each animation only reloads 1 shell), I cannot appear to reload two shots into the rocket launcher, and unless I fire my revolver (and lose my disguise), I can’t reload again.
Spies can change speed based on class. Spies cannot run faster than normal.
As a spy, if I disguise as a heavy, a lot of suspicion seems to fade away. Who would disguise as someone that runs at 70% speed? Upon getting the diguise of a heavy or a soldier, your speed will drop while you are disguised. When disguising as a medic or a scout, your speed will not increase. A scout at full speed cannot be a spy, because a spy can’t do that.
Spies can disguise as any class, on either team. Spies cannot disguise with special HUD text. (as of the May 21, 2009 patch, this is no longer true)
Spies can disguise as a friendly class (and sometimes this is useful, especially right after spawning and as you are making your way to the front line), but some classes contain special HUD text that a spy cannot mimic. A medic has an ubercharge meter that any ally can see, and when an allied spy is in disguise, the HUD lists what disguise is used. An enemy spy cannot replicate either one of these – so a medic with no ubercharge meter is guaranteed to be a spy. As of the May 21, 2009 patch, spies will display an ubercharge meter when disguised as a medic, and when disguising as a spy will contain a random mask and disguise text.
So, as a spy, here are a few tips to shake suspicion -
- Never disguise as a scout or medic. As a scout, you look like you are in slow motion and a moderately experienced player will recognize that immediately. As a medic, you lack an ubercharge meter, and that is a big giveaway to all but the freshest of fish.
- Always fire a round on your revolver as soon as you have a chance – at spawn, right after a backstab in a safe place, etc. This gives you the chance to reload if you have to, and that can throw off some less experienced players.
- Pick the class that is most appropriate for the area, and pick the most appropriate weapon for the situation. A sniper standing on the battlements gets very little attention. On cp_well, I’ve sometimes waited in that spot, disguised as a sniper, until a real sniper showed up, and then I backstabbed and left. On the other hand, a sniper in the basement of ctf_2fort is really weird.
- Ignore enemy spycheckers, except pyros. If an enemy engineer opens fire on you, run on by like you don’t even know what spychecking is. If you turn and stare, you are acting suspicious. If a pyro torches you… I don’t know what to tell you. Run. Don’t cloak, it’s a waste of cloak, but try to get out of the area.
As a spy checker, here are a few tips to catch the shape shifting rats:
- Reloading and weapon switching means nothing, to a point. If an engie equips the toolbox, or a soldier reloads 2 shells, that’s a solid confirmation of not being a spy. If a demoman reloads 1 round into the pipebomb, keep following.
- Pay attention for people who pay attention to you. If you start spychecking someone, and they simply stare at you without doing anything that can confirm not being a spy, keep your eye on them and keep shooting.
- An accurate flare can detect spies in wide open spaces, like much of cp_fastlane, cp_well and cp_granary.
- Try to run into players in enclosed spaces, and make sure you put your cursor over everyone. You can’t run through a spy, so if you bump into an “ally”, it’s almost certainly a spy (but sometimes, it’s just a bit of lag). If you put your cursor on everyone and watch for ubercharge meters and disguise indicators, you can identify spies disguised as spies/medics more easily.
- Pay attention to health. A spy gets a random health value upon disguising – but that value is never below 50%, when the meter turns red. Any player with his health in red is not a spy, don’t waste your time on spychecking him.