Rhythm Strafing Tutorial Part 1

[@regi5436]

you can hear the 5000 hours spy main in his voice alone

[@hoonterofhoonters6588]

I can feel the depression in his voice only five seconds deep. This must be a powerful spy.

[@fleshmaggotsad0re]

L comment

[@veksutin5563]

i have something crazy to tell you, some people sound different than others.

[@Suddsy11037]

@@veksutin5563 guys its a joke calm down

[@PolypheusX]

@@Suddsy11037 don't mess with them spymains. Once you notice the heavy breathing and dorito crust smell. It's already too late! They've teleported behind you and BOOM ur trickstabbed -Spy player who can take a joke (-:

[@lieuty]

111 likes, my god. Btw no im not depressed or have any mental illness, it's the voice I have when explaining things

[@ME0WMERE]

A lot of this also applies with CRD's theory, but you also gave some useful information here that isn't mentioned in his videos (like headfaking). Great job!

[@aftsfm]

I think I accidentally clicked on a psychology lesson

[@SIurgi]

Good stuff, really well put together, baiting and target switching is something old tutorials haven't covered at all so its great to finally have something that newer spies can learn it from.

[@FBombFitzgerald]

Jesus christ you got Spy praise from the OG Spy YT god Slurgi?!?!? Pin his comment!

[@gallofilm]

take it to 100 with some commentary

[@willcubemakes]

shoutout to the pyro at 1:40 for LITERALLY USING HIS MELEE AGAINST A SPY instead of THE FLAMETHROWER THAT HE HAS

[@misterdumper8190]

I love getting the info from multiple spy tutorials and learning new stuff about the movement you can do

[@SAWWYYY]

i tried this irl and it went the wrong way

[@sosotik]

>london

[@AdoptedPoo]

u have to pivot on one foot if they r chasing u the will run past u and u back stab

[@VickMcbread]

'move according to their attack interval' is a beautiful way of putting it

[@minhocpartca558]

I’ve been playing spy for 10yrs and could never understand why my trickstabs worked when they did and visa versa. This illuminated a lot of that for me. Unfortunately it also taught me all of my techniques are “ancient”. Great vid

[@lieuty]

@@minhocpartca558ancient tech LOL, ye as time goes on the tech gets better and more efficient, nowadays headfaking and 180s are meta and braindead easy, just that me personally i dont use them as much as i should to since im set in my ways so i feel you

[@Jazztral]

I knew Cul's videos and stabby's gameplay were not pinnacle, but I never had the time to sort through my mental stack to improve past their levels. Thanks for clearing all this up for us! This is the way.

[@anxrow]

Really informative man! This feels like I've dug deeper in some sort of spy psychology.

[@hussar7733]

I'm a 500 h spy and am courently working on improving trickstabs. Great video bro ! Really helpfil tips keep up the good work !

[@justinficiu5193]

This is an insanely high quality guide

[@realknight170]

this takes me back to the crd days. eager to watch your next vid 🙏🏼

[@lieuty]

tnx (:

[@goosekite2352]

Great video, thanks for sharing! Learnt a lot

[@ammi5311]

3:18 [along] is when you read the attempt of opponent's strafe by cutting their counter direction right before they regret and changed later than you do to get ahead of their back. This required a lot of focus and familiar with said opponent.

[@dr.infernous9342]

I did the shuffle strat on degroot keep because I saw another spy doing it (not knowing its effects) and got noticably more matadors than before

[@IbrahimAboalsoud]

I have got a very tiny grasp of it but now I am able to trickstab most people in a 1v1 (with overheal from kunai most times)

[@TheoreticalSpy]

Very informative video that ties pretty hard to the game sense part of spy that is built on game sense and experimentation through working out the rhythm. one thing i did like to add is the unsynced section is another way to create much more actual tricks to ur opponent due to the fact that most flow state rhythmic patterns in movement has to have a element of surprise and desyncing your own rhythm tricks the actual opponent with higher level game sense.

[@lieuty]

ye, im planning on making a part 2 of this video covering when you should go off beat for the rhythm and more, one part of this video i talked about how you have to make the second last strafe longer than usual if someone has high reaction rhythm, this is because the enemy is underflicking when trying to track you after you switched your strafe, if you make a longer strafe to the side you force them to overflick you, but you have to skip a beat in the rhythm for that

[@lieuty]

another big aspect of rhythm i didn't mention is that you want to move at a rhythm because you want to be predictable, when you want to predict your enemy as a spy you have to be predictable yourself before you do the unpredictable, if your movement is unpredictable even to yourself, the actions of the enemy are going to be unpredictable to you aswell

[@TheoreticalSpy]

​@lieuty another big factor I found is strafes force the rhythms of their angle switches in most cases to the stab. Developmenting the switch between an unsync and synced patterns of movements is how I came to understand how stabs are done ad well. Probably one thing to cover as well is playing with distances considering the lower to short ranges can trip up the opponents if done in unique ways as listed before with syncing the rhythm.

[@adralia8166]

Its a bit much to digest but thanks for the video man. You and a few other spies are helping me break out of my 750 hour plateau, and the concepts you introduced here are the complete opposite of my “strafe and pray” style of playing lol. Kudos!

[@butlazgazempropan-butan11k87]

The amount of facestabs in thoose clips is crazy

[@Eleganttf2]

@@manitoba-op4jx the fact that you tried to sound smart by saying "interp kills" shows that you knows nothing of tf2 mechanic and simple trickstabs and how interpolation works and only saying "interp kills" because of buzzwords you hear from other non spy players

[@june9914]

⁠​⁠​⁠​⁠​⁠​⁠​⁠​⁠@@Eleganttf2chill man, some folk just missed the memo on interp mechanics, and spy already has pretty bad issues on giving player feedback so it does look pretty bs sometimes

[@arlwiss5110]

this is the stuff i was missing. whenever i encountered good spies or tried this shit myself, all i could think about was a certain frequency in how they switched patterns which i couldnt quite understand and which no tutorial ever talked about - they just tell you to do the thing without explaining the guts of it, how the switches happen. i think i understand it better now, thanks

[@skelorbonor]

"backstabbing theory" spy pubbers are something else

[@demoman5864]

its a science (we dont get any game)

[@colatf2]

I mean, it is a legitimate thing. You can replicate it and practice how to trick stupid players. If you get good enough, you might occasionally get trickstabs on good players.

[@homuru.578]

The problem against good players isn't if you can or cannot trick them, but if you'll even have time to do it​@@colatf2

[@tf2juice]

Didn't expect you to transform intuition spy to crd, ngl probably the best way to explain some things. However it didn't cover everything in this particular subject I would say, particularly I think covering tracking in this specific tutorial is important.

[@lieuty]

@@tf2juice i didnt cover underflicking and players not moving their mouse to you on rhythm, thatll be in a section of a future vid probably

[@tf2juice]

@@lieuty 💯

[@ammi5311]

3:00 [around] correspond to level4 in CRD, quote as trickstab minded spy you are generally in this category. More thoughts has put into this kind of around movement as you'll not likely find them in inexperienced player. Going around can be smart on a face value, the idea was get vision on opponent while the lost yours. The reason why in CRD level4 suggest calculated S strafing (back peddling) work can be simplified explained as the responder(spy) has access to the space behind themselves faster and closer than the approcher, by occupied the attempt first cut attender short and infort of that conveniently.

[@Gabriel_Domingues]

Watching this so i can counter spy mains better

[@maestro9765]

Spy mains have perfected movement in tf2 to such a degree that even Muhammad Ali would be impressed,

[@TrueStuffMaker]

Nice tutorial, now I can sap the enemy sentry nests.

[@aquelehiro]

Finally a trickstab tutorial that covers the technical parts i wanted

[@lieuty]

part 2 is in the works

[@bogdankosov2293]

The classic CS knife is peak

[@charger1369]

A lesson on how to psychologically manipulate your enemy into giving you an advantage. Powerful spy.

[@fluffyking6775]

Amazing video. Exactly what I needed for the longest time

[@LUIGIPIROZZELLIFIORAVANT-ew3fo]

Hey man Nice vid, i am a 50 hour spy, i am able to do a few trickstabs, but i believe this will help me a lot.

[@ammi5311]

12:31 ah the classic stafe and snap to a elderly might say

[@ammi5311]

2:49 [away] proximity appear as level1 in CRD's, specifically back peddle stabs. Generally the subconscious maneuver when someone caught off guard , whether it be out of ammo avoidance of aoe or weak more importantly victims whom been there know a stab can always happen getting close. The idea behind getting away is almost ideal, depending on if the execution is delicately done via maneuver skill. Be it superior mobility like scout soldier, or as simple as run away with back turned straight as medic/spy speed class without the presence of shortcut. Spy's respond to respond here reduce to either strong hitscan option or hide away as well reset the event (which it quite the loss for spy). You will find situation like these often especially in casual, with player assume optimal strat being stay far and reliant on shooting gallery minded but not as skilled as they like it to be.

[@yukkuririm1060]

The details of all skills are explained very clearly!

[@sarijus3310]

Great stuff!

[@lieuty]

Might or might not make a video in the future reviewing your clips using this theory, send the clips to [e-mail] and title it SPY THEORY, add CRD if it's a crd clip, CHAIN if it's a chain (4+ people) TRIPLE if it's three people you trickstabbed, DOUBLE if it's two people you trickstabbed, SINGLE if it's one person you trickstabbed, if you trickstabbed no one then you add FAIL to it, lets say you you get three people (not happening) and you're a circlestrafer or trying to learn it (don't) then you make the title SPY THEORY CRD TRIPLE, if you fail a trickstab then you make the title SPY THEORY FAIL if you trickstab 5 people and you're not a crd spy, then you add SPY THEORY CHAIN and so on. EDIT: i wont review clips from cheaters

[@catcloudbox724]

rip thwoc 🙏

[@serosteem]

I'm a circlestrafing main. The video is clearly not for me, yet some of the techniques and concepts explained here seem useful. I think it complements circlestrafing nicely by allowing you to train adaptability.

[@lieuty]

you can do as you wish with the tutorial, if circlestrafers use the rhythm and bait section of the video and adapt it to their theory then the better

[@ammi5311]

2:25 [after] This is equivalence to level2 in CRD's framework i think, which is the lack of strafe or wm1(at best in addition with foward and backward rhythm you'll find in melee strats). Another description may prefer [at] : "opponent" coming *at* you. Difference being coming after can sometimes understand as more advanced intelligence maneuver, like let's say law's man by coming "after" criminal actually took the approach that go ahead and beyond preemptively. Never the less the important essence indicate their input generally consist of holding "W" create forward motion that close the gap for you(spy), while adjust direction mainly by mouse. In summary wm1 is attempt to center/looking at enemy(spy) on crosshair thus out put damage, and rushing close is increasing ramp up(or keeping up to not lose track of) while enable melee. This type of maneuver is aggressive and risky, in the end put performer in dangerous is why it was looked down in early teaching of advanced spy tech(such as again crd) as freebie that subject to simple matador. Not only unnecessarily challenge spy in melee range, one should find the limitations of FOV accels the closer it gets. the easier shorter distance enemy(spy) take to skip from 1 edge of their view yo another (missing shots too). Eventually conclude that the first and hardest step to force a stab is always colliding (gap close), when opponent does it with you makes it very easy.

[@ammi5311]

You will find these opportunities mostly on shotgun(melee of gun) and flamethrower or melee(limited range). Which is your best bet against scout, is turn away and find them ran into you assuming you're indeed leaving. Secondary shotgun class find situation primary is not primed and weak combat class(medic).

[@tappajaav]

@@ammi5311 Your comments are weirdest I've seen in a while. The formating is decent and on a quick glance they look like valid English. But at closer inspection the truth is uncovered. I would be hard-pressed to not believe they're written by AI, or speech-to-text program

[@ammi5311]

@@tappajaav this has already been after i learned about "," doesn't follow behind space bar. Turns out not academically trained nor mother tone English tends to be "weird"

[@Whenwhereeverywhere]

@@tappajaavhe’s just taking notes

[@tappajaav]

@@Whenwhereeverywhere Yeah I guess that's one possible explanation. The "almost-english" is just bizarre to see

[@Machivode]

Dude deadmau5ses bleed on this is crazy so nostalgic for that song

[@Machivode]

SNOWCONE TOO are you litterally me

[@lieuty]

gives off good vibes and i used a deadmau5 song for spy clips 2 on my channel :DDD

[@commenterthe3rd]

I can feel the pain of the players in those clips

[@davinbess1865]

really good in depth video about player movement

[@Weeey12]

I think I was in a pier game with this guy and I was on the opposite team and he was just front stabbing everyone so the other team kicked him, but know I realize that he is just cracked

[@realitysucks6900]

you earned my sub, such an interesting video.

[@timothytosser288]

1:01 what is that stab lol, actual facestab

[@fishysz]

thanks lieuty! this helped alot :D

[@lieuty]

np (:

[@notetrail3826]

snowcone - deadmau5, what a great song

[@thecosmiclizard21]

i would like to see a more detailed video about this, really good video

[@nightcoreperson9972]

I love these types of videos

[@LUIGIPIROZZELLIFIORAVANT-ew3fo]

I’ve got another question, i believe that you usa mastercomfig, if you do so, which graphic presets do you use?

[@FromTheBallade]

2:58 Bro what hud you used for the showpos?

[@lieuty]

hypnotize's hex hud

[@Mehmetİlhan-e3j]

Bro your voice is really depressive.İ love it,keep going.

[@Optiimize]

Hey, what sens do u play? thanks

[@SnakeandKnives]

10:53 is the best summary of this video

[@Pickleknotts]

LOL

[@TF2SlyGuySaysHi]

Lol

[@hurtheworld]

Thats what we need, a modern trickstabbing video, really good lieuty

[@qhite3808]

this video might be enough to get me back to play this game again. maybe

[@tharxis3803]

This is so easy to understand, but god it's so fucking hard to pull off in practice. Plus my shitty reaction time makes me miss the backstab when I actually manage to do it.

[@lieuty]

you predict when the enemy is going to turn enough for a backstab, not react

[@zahnani8298]

Hey how do you hve vertial-sync on? When i turn it off i get 200+ wifi but the game doesn't work and when i turn it on i have 60- fps,i see you got 130+ so can u tell me please?

[@lieuty]

idk, i just have a config and a ryzen 5 3600 so i have no clue

[@kfcmaster548]

Yooooo nice knife dude on the intro, how do i get it

[@ammi5311]

Can appreciate the AAA naming, improved from crd 1234 which might seems like hinting a progressive liner direction . But this is arguably the same thing but tighter if not inspired by his academic way of teaching anyway .

[@ammi5311]

Will review again hopefully some input(comment) if i may

[@lieuty]

part 2 is in the works, ill be covering those movement patterns more in depth, all the movement patterns except async are based on the enemy tracking you while holding one of their movement keys, if the enemy hold w while tracking you, they're going after you, if the enemy holds s while tracking they're going away from you, if the enemy is not moving and youre holding one of the strafe keys, then you always go around them, if the enemy is strafing in one direction, then if you strafe in the same direction while tracking them then you're going along (for the most part), if you're strafing in the opposite direction when tracking them then you're always strafing around the enemy. There will be more things in the tutorial than this tho

[@lieuty]

so at this point my theory is starting to really branch off from crd's basic levels in this respect although it was very loosely based off it to a certain extent

[@gappleofdiscord9752]

but can you counter my movement pattern where every time I run into a spy I instinctually turn around...

[@lieuty]

yes, by going around you

[@gappleofdiscord9752]

@@lieuty lmao

[@adralia8166]

but can you beat disconnecting from the server?

[@TheLegggend27]

can you please make a tutorial on how to use the dead ringer when challenging players? Especially when using it with kunai or other knives.. u are mostly a 1 shot if you are using the kunai and challenging someone 1v1... a scouts meatshot, point blank rocket/pipe, most melees crit a lot so if u get critted u are done for lol.. also when trying to trickstab someone 1v1, yall sometimes pull out the dead ringer but they miss.. what would happen if they hit you? U run away? or immediatly decloak?

[@lieuty]

@@TheLegggend27 ill be covering these things in a tips n tricks vid probably. if you have an active dr you decloak instantly and move to someone else's back while dodging the guy that shot you or you keep your dr without uncloaking and run to your team. with dr you are gonna have to go to their flank, then pick off players from the back to the front towards your team and repeat the cycle

[@TheLegggend27]

@@lieuty goat. Thanks

[@MLPderpy732]

13:25 how on earth does this backstab connect, you could not be more face to face, lol

[@eze1196]

Thats what im saying, it doesnt make sense if i tried that i would be dead in 1 second

[@Whenwhereeverywhere]

He was clearly turning to where the spy used to be, the server can’t send information to every client instantly

[@lotejes1112]

1:50 OMG that was insane.

[@b_mbyz]

a different perspective is always worth something edit: also i think show8ng enemies pov when getting stabbed is a good way to illustrate the points in this video :]

[@lieuty]

i dont have any enemy pov's so i didnt do it, i have the matador pov video for that

[@dale6947]

Least depressed-sounding spy main.

[@ammi5311]

3:37 [asnyc] or desnyc, opponent's movement ignores spy(you) and fixed on other influence source. Mostly does by confidence player has experience evade spy approach and decide to focus on bigger threat combat class. Or the mysterious mind of newbie. Still, don't be surprised sometimes people just didn't see you may it be unfocused or visual clutter.

[@ammi5311]

Mostly a patch in between other major maneuver

[@ammi5311]

In a way they described level3 CRD(juke repeatedly) as well, you just act fast intersect their pattern before they react.

[@jasonanthonywilper]

Awesome tutorial

[@gangsterSpongeBob-vw8sl]

interesting, it is like a dance

[@TheG_Boy]

Beoming a therapist so i can trickstab better

[@ammi5311]

4:55 in addition a almost reversed approach some spy build habit of going blindly a matador that extend into long backpedal strafe, also cover two contradict pattern if opponent strafe or not. Don't get too reliant on set play tho.

[@tappajaav]

How to not get trickstabbed: 1. Stay out of melee range Thanks for reading my guide. Make sure to like and subscribe

[@IrrationalDelusion]

Spy main approved.

[@Overdoselusion]

pretty didactic. nice, enjoyed it, buddy.

[@lieuty]

glad you enjoyed it lil' guy, hopefully you learned alot for today :DDD

[@croksaxd5840]

can you tell me about your cfg and stuff like that if its ok

[@menaatefadly]

Amazing video but... How do i even practice this especially that i have slow reaction speeds and i panic ALOT

[@lieuty]

@@menaatefadly juking groups of players to practice rhythm and to get used to dying alot (low graphics help you not panic), if you want a better reaction time then you get better sleep, eat healthier and exercise

[@Finnix-Does]

If you wouldn’t mind answering, I was wondering why you swing your mouse back and forth when approaching an enemy? Is it to make them think you’re facing a different direction to fool them even further or is it out of habit. I’ve seen other skilled spies do it but they never quote about it. Thanks in advance.

[@lieuty]

back an off in a 180 is to make them go after you, if im doing it while having them on my screen still that's a head and thats too make them look in that direction usually

[@Finnix-Does]

@@lieutyThank you! I do appreciate the reply. I’ll try to keep it in mind for the upcoming future!

[@darkknightdawn6107]

Dude if I had this when I was learning spy 1 year ago would have helped me a lot but I thought my self to learn how to do these but would have been very helpful now I have 400 hour on spy

[@MOOtf2]

The emphasis on baiting/headturns and player rhythms is what really separates and elevates modern trickstabbing from the circle strafe theory of CRD. I think this commentary turned out quite well as a summary of these ideas.

[@SnakeandKnives]

Baiting isn't exclusive to just matadors? People bait with their guns as well. In general that skill isn't related to stabbing theory at all

[@_the_spy_8867]

Damn, i thought its going to be some Mr.Paladin's Trickstab Tutorial and how i was wrong... I like it a lot, since you actually show us HOW to practice the movement and what we should take into consideration when going for it. It's definitely not for beginners, but as a guy with Trickstab mindset(i know Lots about hitboxes and types of stabs, but never able to get the situation for such stabs or die early), I've enjoyed it.

[@Man_604]

i have a question why do i go in front of heavies shooting while i am at full hp, i touch his minigun and just instantly die? am i going too close or is it normal?

[@lieuty]

@@Man_604 you arent moving to rhythm, so you give the enemy alot of time with you on their crosshair

[@GREGFRAGS]

u must talk about the players that you can jump into and then they turn around like youre going to appear behind them somehow . . .

[@lieuty]

ye i forgot to mention that jumping makes them believe your movement more

[@GREGFRAGS]

@@lieuty this is a really good modern replacement to crds series goodjob

[@lieuty]

​@@GREGFRAGSthe less time they waste on crd the better

[@Big_Eye_Guy]

What is gregfrags doing here xd

[@GREGFRAGS]

@@Big_Eye_Guy i am ze spy

[@worep]

Hey, great video, where can i find the model for the css knife from the beggining of the video? looks cool

[@lieuty]

gamebanana, youll have to modify it tho to make it work on kunai

[@worep]

@@lieuty hm is it the one with original animations from css?

[@lieuty]

@@worep no

[@zefan1682]

thoughts on the aiming aspect & crosshair placement of trickstabbing?

[@lieuty]

i've already covered it in my backstab hitbox vid, learn those things and you wont think of crosshair placement and aiming when trickstabbing unless you're doing headfakes and 180s. Although i plan on making a video on the ambassador in the future (not soon).

[@zefan1682]

@@lieuty I notice a lot of good spies are really good at tracking their target when chaining/trickstabbing. You are right tho, most of them are probably not actively thinking about their aim when doing it. Good video btw.

[@lieuty]

@@zefan1682 if you're playing spy mge, then you're underflicking the spy until they get off your screen too much so then you overflick, but in a pub you dont really do this type of thing unless you encounter a spy

[@extome]

1:02 which movement pattern is the one where they are looking at you and are in front of you but you backstab them anyway

[@lieuty]

he was going after and away from me, he was going after me when i stabbed him and moved and stabbed according to his attack rhythm. I explain a different video why you see something as a facestab as spy

[@homuru.578]

I think this may be a good addiction into CRD theory, especially for first encounters situations where it's better to try this than figure out which level the enemy are, and even when i do, level 2 stabs depends on matadors or backpedalings, and getting the rythem or even baiting looks to work really well.

[@lieuty]

i dont like the circlestrafing theory and didnt work for me, but if people are going to combine my ideas with crds and play extremely well that way, then power to them, but i believe my tutorials will be enough by themselves after i release part 2

[@LifelineGGS]

How did you get the speedometer?

[@karma_yt2074]

how did u get ur custom knife??

[@mite5476]

what hud u using that's displaying ur movements speed?

[@gamertf2]

great guide

[@reazxd818]

Lieuty can you help me with my lerp, its stuck at 30.3 as spy only when i play other classes its normal but when i switch to spy it bugs and gets stuck to 30.3 can you help me?

[@lieuty]

make sure you have all your config files in an "overrides" folder in your cfg folder so mastercomfig would implement those configs instead

[@reazxd818]

@@lieuty thanks man your config plus fixing the files really helped me :D

[@alfaone_tf]

Hey insanely good video. What hud are you using? (The blue health one with the player speed at the bottom) if its custom i beg you to upload it to gdrive 🤷‍♂️

[@lieuty]

drive.google.com/drive/folders/14Nl_GTUkEkimEvsDh1pGmw9oJKC81Ymr?usp=drive_link

[@alfaone_tf]

@@lieuty awesome. Thanks

[@smellmansam]

Great video :)

[@puzzlepuddles6712]

i try to bodyblock them since i know spies are faster than default characters

[@IbrahimAboalsoud]

Does it matter how many hertz my monitor is for trickstabs?

[@lieuty]

@@IbrahimAboalsoud no i wouldnt say so, trickstabs are more prediction heavy and the hitbox is generous so it isnt required although it would be nice to play on

[@snoodles6672]

rewatching 39 times

[@butlazgazempropan-butan11k87]

How to trickstab: hold W and m1

[@LOL_1243]

what if the stand stil?

[@lieuty]

@@LOL_1243 they would be async so you go around them