How to play Cypher in Valorant: Abilities, tips & tricks
Riot GamesCypher is Valorant‘s one-man surveillance network who can use his vast array of abilities to get the edge over his opponents. In this guide, we’ll break down why the Sentinel Agent can be integral to your team’s strategy.
Armed with information-gathering abilities, Cypher operates as the team’s forward scout without ever having to leave the spawn. With a string of gadgets at his disposal, the Moroccan Agent can gather essential intel — whether he’s helping take control of the map or defending a Reactor Site.
As a Sentinel, Cypher is designed to be most effective on Defense, but there’s more to this Agent than meets the eye. He can be used as a powerful deterrent of flanks on the attack, with his utility in the game perfectly equipped for helping you hold down the site.
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Cypher, like every other Valorant Agent, comes equipped with four abilities. Two of his abilities have to be purchased (core abilities) using creds, while one is gifted at the start of every round (Signature Ability) — and the other is earned via accruing points (Ultimate Ability).
- Ability 1 — Trapwire (200 Creds): EQUIP a trapwire. FIRE to place a destructible and covert trapwire at the targeted location, creating a line that spans between the placed location and the wall opposite. Enemy players who cross a tripwire will be tethered, revealed, and dazed after 3 seconds if they do not destroy the device in time. This ability can be picked up and redeployed if not triggered. It can be destroyed by shooting it once with any gun. Disabled and revealed upon Cypher’s death.
- Ability 2 — Cyber Cage (100 Creds): Instantly toss a cyber cage in front of Cypher. ACTIVATE from any distance to create a temporary zone that blocks vision for 7.25 seconds and triggers an audio alert whenever enemies try to pass through it.
- Signature Ability — Spycam (1 free): EQUIP a spycam. FIRE to place the spycam at the targeted location. RE-USE this ability to take control of the camera’s view. While in control of the camera, FIRE to shoot a marking dart. The dart is removable and will periodically reveal the location of the enemy hit. It can be destroyed by shooting it once with any gun. However, the charge for this ability is restored after 45 seconds from getting destroyed, when you can use it again in the same round. Disabled and revealed upon death.
- Ultimate Ability — Neural Theft (6 Points): Use on a fresh enemy corpse to throw Cypher’s hat. After a brief delay, all enemy players’ locations will be revealed once.
The Moroccan’s kit revolves around gathering as much information as he can, before sharing that with the team so they can execute game plans mid-match.
But make sure you’re in a safe spot when using your camera. There’s nothing worse than being sniped while you’re checking what’s occurring on the other side of the map.
Riot GamesCypher’s gameplay in Valorant
Cypher’s strengths definitely come on defence. With his camera and trapwires, you won’t be left having to poke your head out, and risk getting dinked, just to gain intel.
Before the round starts, take some time to lay down some trapwires and cages, as the enemy won’t be able to hear you set them up. Then, when they inevitably walk into them, you’ve got the instant vision for an easy kill.
So, if Cypher is so well-suited to defending, what happens on Attack? Don’t let the Agent’s Sentinel style fool you, as Cypher can be just as effective on the offence.
Use your trapwires at the start of a round to ensure no pesky Defenders try to execute a flank. It’s a win-win: you either catch them for easy intel, or they shoot it – which gives away their location – or they’re forced to turn back.
Cypher’s traps are also a superb device for holding a site. Placing a trapwire to cut off access points to the bomb can be a simple way of preventing a ninja defuse.
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