Valorant Cypher Guide - Pro Strategy, Tips & Tricks (2023)

Hello! Today I’m going to be talking about the Cypher. He is an amazing agent that provides immense utility to the team and can be seen in pro play a lot of times.

I often get requests by clients to perform their Valorant boost as Cypher, while streaming for them to watch high-level Cypher play, I can also do the same for you!

This guide won’t be too long, I will take around 10 minutes of your time, and trust me, it will be worth it. Let’s dive in.

Cypher Abilities

Let’s start with Cypher abilities where I’ll explain what each one does and provide tips for them.

Trapwire (C)

Press fire to place a breakable and hidden tripwire at the target location, making a line between the place where the wire is placed and the wall on the other side. If an enemy player walks over a tripwire, they will be tethered, revealed, and dazed after a short time if they don't destroy the device in a very short time frame. This ability can be picked up and used again.

Trapwire Tips

Trapwires when attacking

When you’re pushing a route, without Cypher’s tripwires, you are never sure that one of them is not coming from the back and flanking you, tripwires give you that peace of mind (unless it’s an agent that can jump over them, however, you might still hear them, such as Jett).

You should usually place them during the buy phase at the flanks where enemies could come from while you’re pushing another part of the map.

When placing them, crouch, and place them slightly above head level, this will make them high enough so they cannot jump over, and low enough that they cannot crouch under. However, make sure to watch for elevations around the tripwire spot, if there are stairs, they could maybe jump over it, avoid such places.

Be mindful of your own position and try to place Trapwires in locations that are out of sight from the enemy, so that they do not know it is there.

Trapwires when defending

When defending, it’s intuitive to put tripwires in front of the site that enemies will have to go through in order to push. However, after a few rounds, enemies will remember where you’ve put them, at that point, switch it up, move them to a different passage or deeper into the site, when they catch on to that, move them to the front again.

When playing Cypher on a site, combined with your cages, enemies will be hesitant to push that site, therefore, you can send an additional person to other sites and more easily win the game. If you get pushed while solo holding the site, don’t be a hero and try to take them all, pull back, and wait for your team.

Read more: Pistol Round Guide: Ghost VS Classic

Cyber Cage (Q)

Throw a cyber cage that can be activated once it falls down. Activate to make a zone where enemies can't see and clearly hear when they pass through it.

Cyber Cage Tips

Using Cages on Defense

The best way to use the cage is to plant it on top of the tripwire, and as soon as it gets broken, you activate the cage and then they have no vision upfront, this will throw them off guard and make them rethink this push.

When enemies go throughout the cage, you will hear a sound, that’s how you know they’ve passed through, you can try shooting at the edge of the cage as that’s where enemies will usually hang before trying to push through it.

A few rounds in when they realize your tripwire is inside the cage, switch it up, put it somewhere else, and gain free time when they look inside the cage to destroy it, wasting valuable seconds.

For those who want to truly master Cypher, look for various spots around the maps such as this one on Ascent and make “one-way” cages. A one-way is basically a cage that allows you to see enemies feet when they’re inside the cage if you’re far enough, and therefore shoot them, while they cannot see you, physics are awesome.

Note that this will take you A LOT of practice, so head to the custom game > cheats ENABLED, enable cheats in-game for infinite abilities and start throwing the cages around.


Using Cages on the Attack

Cages on the attack are often used like smokes, simply to block out the enemy sight and passages that they like the hold such as elbows (U-hauls).

On top of that, you can pick up some cheeky kills by surprising an enemy and going through the cage when he initially may have thought you’re just using it as a form of smoke.

You can also double stack cages to push through, such as throwing one, and then another next to it and push through the double cage, however, enemies will surely expect this so be careful at which side you will exit.

Other Cyber Cage Tips

Consider the duration of the cage and make sure to use it at the right moment to maximize its impact. For example, you can use it to slow down an enemy push or to create a distraction.

Spycam (E)

Equip a spycam and fire it at a target location. You can use the ability once again to take control of the camera and view through it. You can also fire with the camera and shoot a marking dart that will reveal the location of any enemy hit with the dart.

Spycam Tips

Place Spycam in locations that give you a clear view of key areas, such as doorways, corners, and objective sites, to gather information about enemy movements.

Use Spycam at the right moment to maximize its impact. For example, you can use it to gather information about the enemy's rotations or to distract them while your team takes control of an area.

Using Cameras More Subtly

When you plant and even use the camera, enemies can hear it, therefore the camera will often get destroyed, especially if you’re putting it in obvious places. Practice on finding great camera angles, as high as possible so they cannot see it while placing their crosshair at the usual head level.

You can also put it deeper in the site and weirder angles and not be greedy, such as to monitor only part of the site which will still give you great intel when retaking the site for instance. You will figure this part out by playing him a lot, of course.

It’s also worth mentioning that you can trigger cages with your camera, in case you didn’t know.

Using Early Cameras

This is also a great thing to do when defending, planting a super early camera on the path that enemies will usually come from is great in order to gather early intel about a possible hard push, especially in pistol rounds. Make sure you’re in a safe position not to get overwhelmed if they’re coming.

Neural Theft (X)

Target a dead enemy and download information about their team, after a short delay location of all living enemies will be revealed twice.

Ultimate Tips

Use Neural Theft at the right moment to maximize its impact, such as after securing an objective or after eliminating a key enemy.

Ensure that you are in a safe location when using Neural Theft, as you will be vulnerable while the information is being extracted.

Using the Ultimate on First Kill

I often use the ult on the first kill we pick up. This is only when we didn’t spot the other enemies and we don’t know where they are.

By picking up the first kill you are not 5v4, in a scenario in which you don’t know where they are, using the ult right away will show you what is being held. Since they cannot hold everything with only 5 people, you will find a weak spot and immediately rotate to it.

You can also use this by combining it with previous knowledge, where their Operator is, where their weakest player is and push that site, etc.

Read more: Valorant Agent Tier List - Best Agents For Ranked

Save the Ultimate for End Game

If you haven’t used the ultimate already like in tip 6, save it for a late clutch situation for instance a 1v2 or 2v2, 2v3. Etc. especially when the bomb is planted.

Run to the nearest enemy corpse if you have time, use the ult and figure out where they’re standing, throw them off a bit because they will usually try to change positions and then that’s your cue to rush in if you’re nearby and catch them off guard to secure the round.

Cypher Agent Synergy

Sova: Sova's Recon Bolt and Cypher's Spycam complement each other well, as Sova can scout large areas and Cypher can gather more specific information.

Brimstone: Brimstone's map-wide abilities, such as his Incendiary, combined with Cypher's ground control can create a comprehensive coverage of an area and disrupt enemy movements.

Jett: Jett's mobility and speed, combined with Cypher's control abilities, can create a formidable combination that allows your team to quickly move in and out of areas and control the flow of the game.

Viper: Viper's abilities, such as her Toxic Screen, combined with Cypher's control abilities, can create a chaotic environment for the enemy, making it easier for your team to take control of areas and secure objectives.

Best Cypher Maps

Bind: Cypher does well on Bind because it has narrow paths and small areas that let him control the area with his Trapwires and Cyber Cages.

Haven: With its many angles and narrow hallways, Haven is a good fit for Cypher's style of play. This is because it makes it easier for him to use his Spycam and Cyber Cages to get information and control areas.

Ascent: Ascent's wide views and many levels make it easier for Cypher to use his Spycam to get information and his Trapwires to control areas.

Split: Split's wide areas and open spaces give Cypher the perfect chance to use his Spycam to get information and his Trapwires to control areas.

Icebox: The small rooms and narrow hallways of Icebox are perfect for Cypher's style of play because they make it easy for him to block enemy movement and take control of areas with his Cyber Cages.

Wrapping it up

I hope you enjoyed my Cypher tips and I surely hope you will manage those cheesy one-way cages as that’s the master Cypher play!

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