Sprays are fun player-chosen pictures you can post in TF2. As it would suggest, the character “sprays” them on the wall like they’re graffiti, and to a lot of people they’re treated not much better. You can deactivate them in the TF2 Options menu, OR you can make them work for you! How?

1. Mimicking hazards to the enemy

I wish I'd gotten the shot of a scout, soldier, and medic all spamming at these stickies for about a minute, trying to destroy them.
I wish I’d gotten the shot of a scout, soldier, and medic all spamming at these stickies for about a minute, trying to destroy them. Spray by Prospero.

Sticky traps, a crouched sniper, a pyro guarding your sentry…they aren’t capable of too much, but they can certainly dissuade your enemy from taking certain pathways if they aren’t paying enough attention. Make sure you’re using the correct color for your team. My personal favorite is the animated spray of a sniper dot moving around.

Alternately, lure enemies into a trap with a fake medkit or ammo box.

2. Teleporter Priority List

No, scout. Can't you read? Spray by MindWav3.
No, scout. Go away. Can’t you read? Spray by MindWav3.

This one is mainly useful for Engineers, but it can help keep your teleporter open when you need it at least occasionally. It certainly didn’t work with all players when I tried it, but maybe you taught a few of the newer ones something useful today!

3. Hot Girl Backstabbing

This is a classic one, very famous. I bet some of you have heard of it before. Go Cloak-and-Dagger spy, spray something titillating somewhere moderately closed off, and wait for people to stop and stare. Then backstab them in the name of TF2’s M-rating.

The classic video demonstrating this:

4. Warning teammates of upcoming dangers.

Sometimes the “Sentry Ahead!” verbal warning doesn’t cut it. Sometimes you want a really big sign warning people of what awaits them around that innocuous corner. Well, there’s a spray for that.

An example of one such spray, taken during an ultra-serious competitive tournament matchup. Spray taken from post by Cyanide (SRB).
An example of one such spray, taken during an ultra-serious competitive matchup. Spray taken from post by govadina.

Now when you’re not even in the area you can warn your team about common sniper sightlines! And the enemy team once you both switch sides at the end of the round!

Obviously none of these are game-changing advantages, but considering that the normal tactical benefit of sprays lies somewhere between “useless” and “trolling,” these aren’t too bad.