Cypher · Sentinel

What to buy with Cypher: economy and loadouts

LoadoutsData-drivenMediumPatch 13.06

499Updated 8 hours ago

More Cypher guides

This guide is assembled by the site from match data and the game's own information — nobody wrote it by hand. Official and community guides appear alongside it when they exist.

Overview

Cypher is a sentinel in Valorant. The Moroccan information broker, Cypher is a one-man surveillance network who keeps tabs on the enemy's every move. No secret is safe. No maneuver goes unseen. Cypher is always watching. Every number below comes from the game's own weapon data: damage by body part and distance, fire rate, magazine and price.

Build cheat sheet

Pick the build that fits what you want to do this game.

Cypher standard buysBalancedRecommendedThe usual economy for a sentinel: Classic on the pistol round, Bucky on an eco or bonus and Vandal with heavy armor on a full buy (3,900 credits before abilities). Buy Trapwire (C) first: it is the ability that covers what a sentinel needs most.
Cypher: anchor with the operatorOffensiveAdvancedFor sentinels who hold a long site on their own: the Operator takes the first kill and your traps cover the rest. On ecos, the Marshal does the same for less. Full buy: 5,700 credits with heavy armor.
Cypher force buyDefensiveSituationalWhen the team cannot afford a full buy but has to play the round: Judge with light armor (2,250 credits) or Guardian with a regen shield (2,900 credits), and your abilities before the gun.

Builds

Cypher standard buys

BalancedRecommended

Open build

When to use it

The usual economy for a sentinel: Classic on the pistol round, Bucky on an eco or bonus and Vandal with heavy armor on a full buy (3,900 credits before abilities). Buy Trapwire (C) first: it is the ability that covers what a sentinel needs most.

Pistol round

ClassicThe free pistol, with its three-pellet alternate fire for close corners; the credits go to your set-up. Free. 78 head / 26 body up to 30 m (66 / 22 beyond 30 m); 6.75 shots/s, 12-round magazine, low wall penetration.Light Armor400 credits: absorbs 66% of the damage, up to 25.

Eco / bonus round

BuckyCheap and lethal up close: perfect for holding a tight corner behind your traps. 850 credits. 34 head / 17 body up to 8 m (18 / 9 beyond 12 m) per pellet, 15 pellets; 1.1 shots/s, 5-round magazine, low wall penetration.Light Armor400 credits: absorbs 66% of the damage, up to 25.

Full buy

1VandalHolds the site's long angles from far away: one headshot at any distance. 2,900 credits. 160 head / 40 body up to 50 m; 9.75 shots/s, 25-round magazine, medium wall penetration.
2Heavy Armor1,000 credits: absorbs 66% of the damage, up to 50.

Alternatives

PhantomFor sites held up close. 2,900 credits. 156 head / 39 body up to 20 m (140 / 35 beyond 20 m); 11 shots/s, 30-round magazine, medium wall penetration, silenced.OperatorA sentinel who anchors a long site can hold it alone with the sniper. 4,700 credits. 255 head / 150 body up to 50 m; 0.6 shots/s, 5-round magazine, high wall penetration.JudgeTo hold the tight corners of a site on a half buy. 1,850 credits. 34 head / 17 body up to 10 m (14 / 7 beyond 15 m) per pellet, 12 pellets; 3.5 shots/s, 5-round magazine, low wall penetration.

Skill order

Ability	1	2	3
C	C	·	·
Q	·	·	Q
E	·	E	·

Cypher: anchor with the operator

OffensiveAdvanced

Open build

When to use it

For sentinels who hold a long site on their own: the Operator takes the first kill and your traps cover the rest. On ecos, the Marshal does the same for less. Full buy: 5,700 credits with heavy armor.