Editing Spy (Highlander) (section)

== Playstyles ==

At the current state of [[Highlander]] there are mainly two different Spy playstyles which dominate the meta. Both styles are used between all divisions, and neither is clearly superior to the other - though one may be more effective in certain situations. The two different methods of playing Spy are called '''Gun-Spy''' and '''Knife-Spy'''. Note that Spy's Revolver and Knife are by no means exclusive to the Gun-Spy and Knife-Spy playstyles; the terms simply describe which weapon Spy emphasizes in his loadout.

The Gun-Spy playstyle typically utilizes the [[Revolver]] or the [[Ambassador]], depending on the situation. The [[Dead Ringer]] is sometimes equipped to improve Spy's survivability. While the Revolver deals more damage-per-second, the Ambassador deals greater burst-damage, allowing Spy to kill weakened targets before they can retreat. When using the Gun-Spy playstyle, Spy puts himself at significantly less risk than he would when focusing on his Knife, allowing him to remain alive longer, and provide more information to his team. Simply staying alive to relay enemy positions, tactics, and Ubercharge can be of great value, especially on maps where sudden tactical changes can make a huge difference on the outcome of a match, such as [[Steel]]. Remember that Spy can still use his Knife as a last resort to attempt a Trickstab on an overconfident attacker. 

The classic Spy playstyle is known as the Knife-Spy playstyle. Spy will go for picks with his knife, eliminating key targets instantly. In general, the only two knives Spy will use are the stock [[Knife]] and the [[Spy-cicle]], as other knives make it more difficult to land a backstab by reducing Spy's health or cloak time. All of his watches are useful depending on the situation: The [[Invis Watch]] allows Spy to roam large distances on maps with plentiful ammo pickups, the [[Cloak and Dagger]] allows Spy to gather information at little risk to himself, and choose the exact moment he decloaks, and the [[Dead Ringer]] gives Spy a nearly-guaranteed escape. If caught before he can land a kill, Spy will often switch to his revolver to cause as much damage as possible before dying.

Sometimes, Spy must switch playstyles to maximize his effectiveness as the game-state changes. Consider learning both playstyles to use depending on the situation; neither is superior in every situation.