Cypher is an excellent agent in VALORANT who can win you many games if played effectively. This article will cover all the essential setups for every map an aspiring Cypher main needs.
VALORANT is a tactical shooter, with each player properly fulfilling a specific role in the team; so while picking Cypher, you must first know about his abilities, role in the team, playstyle, and how you can utilize him effectively to secure victory for your team.
Cypher
Introduction
Raised in poverty struck city of Morocco, Amir El Amari grew up hating the Kingdom Corporation for draining his city’s resources dry. He spent his time as an informant broker, always gathering intel about the Kingdom Corporation and learning all their secrets. Since then, he specialized in gathering enemy intel and took whatever measures necessary to keep that information from the wrong hands. He even donned a black face mask that he never takes off to conceal his identity.
He deploys various gadgets that he can activate and control thanks to the implants he has. His trapwires detect and restrict enemy movement, ideal for stopping rushes and detecting flanks. Cyber cages block enemy lines of sight and also allow area control, and his spycam can watch over a large area and tag enemies. Finally, his ultimate ability can detect the positions of remaining enemies.
To start playing him effectively, all you need to learn is a basic setup as a defender for each side of a map and just hold flanks as an attacker.
Role
In VALORANT, Cypher is classified as a Sentinel agent. Cypher’s kit focuses on defensive play, with emphasis on supporting the rest of the team through providing intel, anchoring down sites, and preventing the enemy from flanking.
In-game Impact
In a tactical shooter like VALORANT, the attacking team always has a huge numbers advantage giving them the edge when they are taking a site. Therefore Agents are required who are capable of holding their ground when they are outnumbered against a rushing opponent team. Cypher’s job is to do exactly that.
Attackers can rush in or flank through multiple pathways onto a site. Cypher’s abilities are perfect for preventing exactly that. He can lock down an entire site preventing enemies from overwhelming him, as well as keep a sharp eye out for flankers. As an attacker, Cypher can restrict movement across large portions of the map, lurk, and deny enemy flankers.
How to Unlock
Cypher can be unlocked by completing his Agent Contract up to tier 5.
Abilities
- Spycam (Signature): The Spycam is Cypher’s bread and butter. This ability is free, and a deployed Spycam will stay on until the end of the round unless destroyed or recalled. It allows you a wide 180-degree view scoping out areas for enemy movement and also allows you to launch a dart that keeps pinging enemy location till it is removed. You can launch a dart every 6 seconds.
> Cost: Free
> Duration: Infinite.
> Cooldown: 45s (destroyed), 15s (recalled), 6s (dart)
> Health: 1 hp - Cyber Cage: The Cyber Cage is another of Cypher’s gadgets that allow him to deploy an activatable zone that blocks vision. It is activated with Q, which instantly tosses it at the press of the button. It travels in a projectile motion, starting from Cypher’s hand. Its trajectory is affected by movement. Enemies also make a sound when they enter or exit this cage.
> Cost: 100 credits
> Duration: 7.25 seconds - Trapwire: When C is pressed, it equips the Trapwire. It can be placed between two viable surfaces at a certain distance, and the two surfaces are connected with an invisible wire until at a very close distance. Enemies passing through will be stuck and revealed through walls for 3 seconds. They will also be stunned for an additional 3 seconds and take 5hp damage if they are unable to break the wire’s anchor point within the initial 3 seconds.
> Cost: 200 credits
> Damage: 5 and Stunned (if an anchor point is not broken within the first 3 seconds of contact)
> Duration: 3s (initial tether) 3s (if Concussed)
>Health: 5 hp - Neural Theft (Ultimate): Cypher uses his most sophisticated piece of tech yet, a deployable drone in his hat that can hijack information from a dead enemy’s brain to reveal the locations of the remaining survivors of the enemy team. This needs Cypher to be in close proximity to a freshly fallen enemy. It reveals the enemy locations for a split second and also marks them on the minimap.
> Cost: 6 ult points
> Duration: 2-second windup
General Playstyle: Defensive side
When just starting out, learn basic and useful setups by sticking to only 1 per site per map. As a Cypher, your main job is to either stop enemies from taking a site or delay them long enough to allow your teammates to rotate to back you up. Use basic Trapwire-cyber cage combos and a spycam that covers the site.
These cage traps should be suited to the general playstyle befitting you and your teammates. The site entry choke points are usually a safe bet to be an effective position for these Trapwire-cyber cage combos. You can set up sick plays playing off a tripwire or use them to protect your teammates from flanks while they watch another angle.
General Playstyle: Attacking side
As a Cypher, your primary objective while attacking is to protect your team from enemy flanks. However, going aggressive with your spycam or playing lurk/ controlling a large area are also effective strategies.
Place your tripwires in common enemy flanking positions and always try to change them up if enemies start getting caught in them. Also, be mindful of enemies with movement abilities, which can make your trapwires ineffective. You can use your spycam to either scout ahead for your team or leave it in strategic positions to watch for enemy movement. Finally, your cyber cages can block enemy vision, helping your teammates or yourself. Use them to enter sites or get out of a sticky situation.
Cypher Setups: Getting Started
Cypher is a unique agent who is smart, cunning, and equipped with the latest technology inside and out. He has no powers like the Radiant agents but doesn’t let that fool you, as his gadgets will stop radiants in their tracks.
Cypher employs trap wires to detect and deter enemy movement, cyber cages to block enemy lines of sight, and spycam to watch over large areas from any part of the map. A Cypher setup consists of utilizing all these elements in such a way that they combine together to achieve deadly results. For example, a trapwire-cage combo can detect enemy players and disrupt them long enough for Cypher or his teammate to get an easy kill.
There are some additional tips and tech to know about each of his gadgets as well. For example, while deploying his Trapwire, don’t set it too low that the enemies can jump over it or too high that enemies can crouch under it. An easy way to deploy it at the perfect height is by crouching and letting the holographic blue line be at eye level.
The next tip is regarding his Spycam. You would want to place the Spycam high up so enemies cannot destroy it as easily. But this ability has a height limit, but it is respective to Cypher’s level. So if Cypher can get to higher ground or simply jump, he can set the spycam at a higher position.
The last tip is regarding the Trapwire-cyber cage combo. When an enemy is stuck in the Trapwire, they get 3 seconds before getting stunned. During this time, if they or their allies can shoot either of the anchor points of the Trapwire, the effect is subsided. This is why as a Cypher, you’d want to make it as hard as possible to break your trapwires. So try to position the Cyber cages at such a distance that the anchor point breaks the line of sight from where the enemy gets caught.
Best Cypher strategy for every map
Now that you have an idea about all of Cypher’s abilities and general playstyle, let’s dive right into the nitty-gritty details about playing Cypher for each map. We will discuss the mapwise playstyle along with defense and attack setups. Since this guide will cover every map and despite there being hundreds of setups, we will only be discussing the necessities to start playing Cypher effectively. As for his ultimate, a general tip would be to use it whenever you see fit. Knowing the enemy position mid or late into the round can give you an idea of enemy placements and enter a bombsite uncontested. It will also give your team a competitive edge late into the round.
Ascent
Ascent is one of the most robust maps for Cypher for its chokes and strong flank routes. Cypher is a top pick for this map, and if you can utilize him correctly, you’ll end up securing the victory for your team.
Cypher Ascent playstyle
The most important part of Ascent is mid, and the team that controls mid controls the round. Cypher’s kit is perfect for maintaining control of mid. On the defending side, you can leave a trapwire at mid or set up a Spycam to watch over it.
These abilities can stay up late into the round to find enemy rotations. Ascent has aggressive sightlines on the defending side in A long, Garage, mid and Short, where enemy Reyna, Jett, and Operator players love to hold and run for an early pick-off. Attacking Cyphers can use their Spycam or Cyber Cage to contest these players.
Ascent Defensive Strategy
So let’s get started on the defensive setups for Ascent. We will show an easy-to-follow but highly effective setup that will work in all general scenarios and combo well with your teammates.
Cypher Ascent B site Defense Setup
Enemies love rushing B site, and it’s almost always the first thing enemies are likely to do in the initial rounds. A well-set-up Cypher is a perfect counter to these rushes. Enemies will rush through garage, and then they may do one of two things; push into lane or push into switch and contest market. So you not only need to delay that initial Garage rush but have eyes over the site as well.
To get started, use your Spycam from the market platform. Jump-throw to get it into this high angle. This camera is placed in this position so that enemies cannot find and destroy it as easily. If you are smart with who you dart, this camera can potentially stay up until the end and help in retakes.
Now you can trap the most common entry path, which is Garage. Use the below Trapwire so that enemies get confused as the other anchor point of the Trapwire is not in any common position. For the second trap, you can use a clever Trapwire that covers both enemies pushing lane and enemies pushing switch. You or an ally can play from stairs or market to get a free kill off this Trapwire.
There is a one-way smoke you can use in Garage, which is really effective at giving you the upper hand versus enemies. For the second smoke, you will mainly use it to delay and notify you of enemies pushing lane with its audio cue.
You can hide on stairs and play off your trapwires. Use the one-way to peek Garage and wallbang trapped enemies pushing switch.
Cypher Ascent A site Defense Setup
A site has two entry points; one being the main choke and the other being a flank from short. To properly defend the site, you need at least 1 teammate to help guard short. As the Cypher, you must focus most of your resources to protect against the push from A main.
To get started, use your Spycam in a passive position jump-throw to get it into this high angle. This camera is placed in this position so that enemies cannot find and destroy it as easily. If you are smart with who you dart, this camera can potentially stay up until the end and help in retakes. It can watch over the entire site as well as scope out enemies pushing Garden.
For you one-way cage enthusiasts, here are two just for you. From the corner, as shown, you can deploy two one-way Cyber cages on either arch in A-main. These will block vision for your enemy but provide you with a clear view of their positions for some free kills. Make sure to practice these in custom once at least before heading out into a real match.
For trapwires, you’d want one dedicated to the choke. This Trapwire right here will cover the choke nicely while being hidden in such a way that enemies need to get caught in it first to be able to destroy it. For the second Trapwire, you can either use it on-site or use it to help defend A short.
You can play backside and play off your trapwires and one-way cages.
Ascent Attacking Strategy
Ascent has very powerful flanking routes, so on Attack, remember to use them as well as guard against them. Being the Cypher in your team, it is your job to ensure your team does not get flanked.
Cypher Ascent B site Attack Setup
If your team is heading to B Garage, make sure to place a trapwire at the exit of tiles. This is the most common flanking route taken by enemies pushing out of deep mid and A short.
With at least one teammate in front of you checking the aggressive angles and corner, you can place an aggressive Spycam in the top opening. Activate this camera instantly to scope out the close angles and market. This camera will probably get killed instantly, so make sure to use it effectively.
From the other opening, you can jump-throw a Cyber cage to block market. You can mark the minimap to use as a guide. Custom matches are also effective for practicing this. You can either jump-throw it through the same opening for the second Cyber cage or toss it manually after peeking the choke. Take the site with one or two allies pushing in front of you.
Cypher Ascent A site Attack Setup
Place this Trapwire to protect against mid flank. This will catch anyone flanking from behind. But do take precautions as enemies might wait around this Trapwire for your team’s rotation.
After your ally duelists check the aggressive angle and ensure no one is hiding wine, you can run up and place an aggressive Spycam. Your first entry should push right after deploying the camera, as the enemies will be distracted. Quickly activate it to view the site, as it will likely get shot down.
Toss Cyber cages to cover the entry and plant for your team. Use your second cage to protect your team from Garden.
Finally, enter the site with your team leading the way.
Cypher Ascent Attack Mid Control Setup
Use a trapwire to alert you of enemies pushing from A and B. This is crucial as the last thing you’d want is to give up map control.
If you want to play from tiles, place the A Trapwire first, followed by the B Trapwire. When the round starts, you can easily get to tiles. Use your Spycam with a jump-throw to scope out deep, mid, and short.
You need a running jump throw over the wall to place a Cyber cage onto A short. This might need a guide by marking your map or practice in custom mode.
From here, you also have the option of pushing deep mid. Support your team from whichever direction benefits them the most.
If you want to play high mid, then place the B Trapwire first, followed by the A Trapwire. As the round starts, you can slowly creep up from high mid using a Spycam up high, followed by cyber cages in short or deep mid. Choose a direction and lurk.
Bind
Bind is also a very strong map for Cypher because it is riddled with chokes and flanking routes, which can properly be defended against with his kit. Learning the basic setups will definitely make it easier for your team to win in Bind.
Cypher Bind playstyle
The most common entryways in Bind are A short and B short. But thanks to Cypher’s Kit, as a defender, he can easily fortify a site with his Cyber cage, Trapwire, and Spycam. As an attacker, he can scout key areas on the map with his Spycam, which will give away the enemy’s position or distract them for your team to go in for the kill. You can also use your Cyber cages to block enemy vision as your team enters a site.
Bind Defensive Strategy
Your aim would be to bunker down and fortify the sites with your abilities. If enemies are pushing in, your job is to keep the enemies at bay and buy enough time for your backup to arrive, securing a kill or two in the process.
Cypher Bind B site Defense setup
To start things off with B site defense, you need to place a good Spycam which will either scope out enemies pushing in or have a clear bird’s eye view over the whole site. We think the latter would provide more value overall. To use this, get on top of trunk and jump over to the corner of green box. Then simply jump-throw a Spycam on the edge of the wall. This will watch over the entirety of the site.
You can use a lot of combinations of Trapwires for Hookah, but our favorite is the diagonal Trapwire. You can mix these in along with the regular ones. It makes the enemy take a few split seconds longer to find the anchor points, which can be capitalized on by wallbangs or peeks.
For the second one, we chose a flat trapwire that will catch unsuspecting foes rushing into the site. They will be trapped out of position and will be easy targets. Use a basic Cyber cage with each, or you can use this cheeky one-way.
For the one-way Cyber cage at Hookah, you can get up onto the box, aim at the specified corner as shown, and press Q. This will deploy a Cyber cage that will get stuck there, and you can activate the One-way.
If you detect enemies at Hookah, you can activate your One-way cage and look for enemies peeking. You can also set up for wallbang plays from the inside of trunk. Similarly, if enemies are pushing from long, you can activate the right cage and play off that one.
Cypher Bind A site Defense setup
A site is much more prone to rushes, so you need a proper setup to defend against it. Start things off with a cheeky Spycam placed by jumping from heaven. The exhaust gas from the ventilators will make it harder for enemies to spot your camera.
The spycam will watch over the entire site as well as enemies coming from showers and A short. Use these trapwires in short and showers. The latter one is placed in such a way that enemies cannot shoot it without activating it. Use cages for both trapwires.
You can play from the back of the site off your trapwires and cyber cages while scouting the entire area from above with your spycam.
Bind Attacking Strategy
Bind is also very prone to flanks, so as an attacker, your primary job is to protect against flanks. You can also use your Spycam aggressively and scout ahead. Finally, with your Cyber cages, you can assist in blocking vision while executing the site.
Cypher Bind B site Attack setup
The most common flank route for either site is market, so this is a trapwire you’d want to have up at all times. Change up the positioning if enemies start getting caught in it.
Following behind a teammate, make your way up B short and peek Hookah to place a Spycam. This will clear out all the close angles inside.
Toss cyber cages on either side of the trunk, blocking vision from the back of the site, green box, cubby, and Defenders’ base, and push in with your team from long as well. Note that this will leave elbow exposed, so you need an ally smoke to take care of that.
Cypher Bind A site Attack setup
Same Trapwire for market flank.
After the barriers drop, run and jump-throw a Spycam in this position. This will clear all the aggressive angles like Lamps and Truck and spot anyone going towards cubby.
Then throw cages in lamps as well as the site to assist your team in executing the site.
Haven
Haven is also one of the strongest maps for Cypher for its array of flanking routes and 3 sites. Cypher is a really good choice for Haven as he can watch over a site solo letting your team play 2-2 on the other two sites. If you can utilize him correctly, you’ll end up securing the victory for your team.
Cypher Haven playstyle
The most important part of Haven is mid, and the team that controls mid controls the round. Cypher’s kit is perfect for maintaining control of mid. On the defending side, you can use Spycams and traps focusing outside B and garage. These abilities can also be used late into the round to find out enemy rotations. Haven has aggressive sightlines on the defending side in A long, Garage, mid and Short, where enemy Reyna, Jett, and Operator players love to hold and run for an early pick-off. Attacking Cyphers can use their Spycam or Cyber cage to contest these players.
Due to this map having 3 sites puts even more importance on gathering intel for your team. Attackers can come from any site; if they can get the better of you, there won’t be any time to detect them, so keeping tabs on enemy movement is a must. Use your trapwires and spycams over key locations. Call for rotates when presence is detected. When you’re attacking, use your Spycam before your team enters a site to know where enemy defenders are situated. Use trap wires to protect against flanks and Cyber cages as smoke while taking site.
Haven Defensive Strategy
Cypher Haven A site Defense setup
For A site, let’s start off with the Spycam. Because of the height mechanic of the Camera, you need to get into a higher position in A site. This can be achieved by jumping down from heaven on the green box. This can be precarious, and it is best to practice this a few times in a custom game before attempting it in a real match. From there, just jump-throw the Spycam on the edge of the wall covering most of the site.
Place your Trapwire-Cyber cages combos in the locations as shown. The cyber cages are placed slightly back in order to hide the anchor points.
You can play from the back of the site or heaven off your trapwires.
Cypher Haven B site Defense setup
Usually, Cypher players do not play B and just leave one trapwire at the entrance. But if you find the enemy consecutively pushing B, then you can setup there. Get on top of the low boxes and throw a passive Camera to scout enemies as they enter the site. It will also check A and C links.
This is the Trapwire-cyber cage combos for B site. You can choose to either place one cage or both cages at the main choke to have them up for a longer time. For the other trap, you can place it either on the right or left depending if whether you are playing from C link or A link, respectively.
Cypher Haven C site Defense setup
C site has two entryways which are C long and Garage. As a Cypher, you can either focus fully on the site using every ability there and have a teammate holding Garage. Or you can watch over both with trapwires and cyber cages in Garage and C long.
Place the Spycam by jumping onto the green box and using it at this position on the wall. It is very strong as it can see enemies pushing long, hiding in cubby, pushing from garage as well as the rest of C as you play from the back of the site.
Haven Attacking Strategy
Haven is riddled with flanking routes, so it is your responsibility as a Cypher player to watch over them. You can get away with using trapwires for A and C push, respectively, almost for the entirety of the game. For the A Trapwire, you need to wait till the barriers go down, but this Trapwire is soo good it cannot be broken without activating it by enemy flankers from A.
Also, one easy yet effective strat you can pull off almost at the start of every round is instantly throwing and deploying a Cyber cage here to deny any information. It does not matter if your team decides to push A or not. Blocking this line of sight will keep the enemies guessing.
Cypher Haven A site Attack setup
Push with your team and use this aggressive Spycam to scout the site just as your teammates are pushing in.
Do a running jump throw to cover heaven for your remaining Cyber cage. You may practice this if needed in a custom game.
Make your way in behind your team and make sure to support their gunfights.
Cypher Haven B site Attack setup
This is more of a lurk/mid-control setup for Cypher. You can use a Spycam at this position from either window or exiting from grass. This will check all the aggressive B angles as well as garage push.
From here, you can make your way up to B. Use your Cyber cage to the right and peek left or vice versa.
Cypher Haven C site Attack setup
It is better for Cypher to push Garage with 1 teammate when attacking C. You can use this cheeky Spycam that will go directly into Garage with your teammate going in first. This will clear those pesky judge players.
Use your Cybercage in garage window if needed and attack the site as your allies are pushing from C long. If you still have a Cyber cage, you can use that to cover the Defenders’ base.
Icebox
Icebox is great for Cypher, with wide-open skyboxes to watch over with your camera and flanks to guard with your traps. If played correctly, Cypher can bring high value to this map.
Cypher Icebox playstyle
This map has a lot of open sightlines like A belt and B long, and acquiring info with the Spycam from these regions is of the utmost importance. If you don’t want to risk the camera being taken down, a passive one works just as well. Make sure to check flanks and have your traps active at all times.
Icebox Defensive Strategy
This is a basic trapwire for the Kitchen, which cannot be broken unless activated. You can always have this Trapwire up unless you have an ally Sage positioned in Kitchen.
Cypher Icebox A site Defense setup
Let’s start off with the Defense setup for A. Place your Spycam on the left wall by jumping from Heaven. This will show all the key entry points into A as well as watch over the site.
Place your Trawpwire-Cyber cage combo to deny the plant.
If the enemies are hard focused on A, you can have an ally watching mid/tube and use your second set of Trapwire-cyber cage combo here. If not, just the Cyber cage is fine.
When enemies are executing the site, you can monitor them via your Camera and deploy cages as needed. If they are caught in the traps, then you can swing in for easy kills.
Cypher Icebox B site Defense setup
This is a passive setup for B-site defense. It will focus on playing back site or from heaven. Play your Trapwire-cyber cage combo closer to yellow. Place the other Cage on the right of it in this position. When enemies are rushing in, deploy the Cyber cages. If they are caught in the left trap, you can swing in for a free kill. The Cyber cage is placed in such a way that enemies need to push out to peek you, exposing themselves in the process.
Finally, a passive Spycam in this position will watch over long, yellow, and default plant positions.
Icebox Attacking Strategy
Attacking in Icebox primarily focuses on checking angles with your Spycamera and providing your allies cover with cyber cages. The secondary task for you as a Cypher is to watch for enemy flanks.
Cypher Icebox A site Attack Setup
Place a trapwire just before you enter the site. If enemies get caught in this, make sure to change it up. Once your team clears the area up to ult orb, place an aggressive camera on the generator to scout the site for enemy position just as your team pushes in.
Toss Cyber cages to protect from rafter peek as well as cover the default plant position.
Cypher Icebox B site Attack Setup
Right as the round begins, run in and place a Spycam here. This will clear enemies holding aggressive angles as well as the cheeky high ground that Jetts love to play on.
Then before going in, use this trapwire which covers both flanking routes at once.
Once at the site, follow behind your team and toss these cyber cages to block vision from snowman and assist in planting.
Cypher Icebox Mid Control Attack Setup
For mid-control, use the shown trapwires for B and A push. A passive Spycam will also help immensely in watching a large chunk of the area.
Then slowly creep up and either hold mid for rotations or push in yourself with Cyber cages. You can either cage mid and go under tube or vice versa if your team is attacking B or A, respectively.
Breeze
The long sightlines of Breeze can be monitored with Cypher’s Spycam. The map is huge, and rotation can be tough to counter if they are not detected beforehand. This is where Cypher’s kit specializing in combating enemy flankers come in handy.
Cypher Breeze playstyle
The most important part of Breeze is mid, and the team that controls mid controls the round. Cypher can help immensely in keeping control of mid by either trapping halls as well as mid doors if he is playing A or tunnel if he is playing B on the defending side. While attacking, he can lurk in these positions watching for enemy pushes with his trapwire and watch for enemy rotations with his Spycam. These abilities can also be used late into the round to find out enemy rotations.
Breeze Defensive Setups
Generally, it is always a good idea to trap halls unless you have a dedicated ally holding there. This is a very strong flank route for enemies, so it is almost always a good idea to spam this trapwire every round. If you’re playing B you can use this easy variation, but if you’re playing A, you set up A first and then come back to halls after the barriers drop and trap deeper.
Cypher Breeze A site Defense setup
First, we have this cheeky trapwire-cyber cage combo which almost guarantees a free kill on the planter.
One-way cage fans will love this next Cyber cage. Stand behind mid doors and throw your cage in this spot. It will get stuck in the support and work as a one-way.
Finally, place your Spycam up on this wall, and you’re good to go. It will check cave for enemies pushing in and cover the whole site.
You can play back of site off the anti-plant trap, activate the one-way cage, and get kills onto mid-flankers.
Cypher Breeze B site Defense setup
For B you can focus on site and hold the choke with your trap-cage combo and use the 2nd set to either defend against plants or lane. Here we are showing an anti-plant combo here to get an easy kill on the planter. You need an ally watching mid to play this setup.
Finally, this passive Spycam will watch for enemies entering the site through the choke, tunnel, and around the entire site. However, enemies can still take cover in lane.
Breeze Attacking Setups
Breeze attacking setup relies on Cypher being passive and supporting his team while checking flanks rather than pushing in himself. You can use these trapwires for B, and A pushes almost every round.
A small variation you can do if you want for the A trap depending on whether your team is pushing A or mid/B.
Cypher Breeze A site Attack setup
Walk up and place an aggressive Spycam which will clear the close angles and peer into the site. But make sure your team is pushing in just as you deploy the cam so that enemies are distracted.
Toss cages to cover exposed angles and push in with your team.
Cypher Breeze B site Attack setup
After the barriers drop, with one trap outside B, place the other trapwire in Elbow.
Return back and use this Aggressive spycam on the left arch as your team prepares to push into lane. This camera covers the close angles, CT base, wall, and well as any defender holding an aggressive angle from lane.
If you want to avoid contesting lane, you can simply cage it, and your team can push into the site and clear lane from a different angle. Use the other Cyber cage to assist in planting the spike.
Cypher Breeze Mid Control Attack setup
Controlling mid and lurking is a very strong strategy in buy rounds. Place the trap wires outside of A and B, respectively. Place your Spycam up here and monitor enemy movement across mid. Then you can make your way into A through mid doors, B through tunnel, or push into their base via window. Use cages to block the angle you’re not pushing into.
Fracture
With so many flank routes and entry points in Fracture, having an Agent focused on watching those areas is indispensable for any team. Cypher fills that role quite well.
Cypher Fracture playstyle
As a defender, you can use your trap combos to cover both entry points of the site you’re defending. While attacking, you can hold two main flank routes with two trapwires. Assist your team with the Spycam for close angles and Cyber cages providing cover.
Fracture Defensive Strategy
As a defender, your job as Cypher is to hold your site with the trapwire-cyber cage combo on both entry paths. It is very difficult to defend against all the attackers on your own, so your goal should be to stall them long enough for your team to rotate to you while getting one or two kills in the process.
Cypher Fracture A site Defense Setup
Set up a trapwire at dish as well as a cyber cage in this position. You can reach that corner for halls and deploy a one-way cyber cage. Use the remaining trapwire for halls.
From the second floor of the site, place your Spycam on the corner of this ledge. This will watch over the site as well as see enemies pushing halls, doors, and dish.
Cypher Fracture B site Defense Setup
For B, go up to this corner and jump-throw a Spycam on the tree. This will watch the site, B main, as well as ropes.
Place your first trapwire-cyber cage combo in main. As for the second combo, if you want to play tower, use the combo in ropes. If you want to be more passive and play from Arcade, place this cheeky combo on the site.
This arrow will reveal the entire B site as well as close corners. After the barrier drops, let your team clear any defenders pushing up the aggressive angle. Then with your team in place in either one or both entryways into B, tell them to push just after your arrow.
Cypher Fracture Attacking Strategy
These two Trapwires can be used at the start of every round to protect from flankers from both sides.
Cypher Fracture B site Attack Setup
After the barriers drop, place this Spycam here to scope our enemies taking aggressive angles before your team peeks.
Place cyber cages to block off canteen and arcade as your team pushes into the site.
Cypher Fracture A site Attack Setup
Place a Spycam in this position to scope out enemies holding aggressive angles in halls or trying to cross over.
Place cages to cover your team from defender’s base and ropes.
Pearl
Pearl is still new, and the most we know about it is that gathering intel is one of the most important aspects of the map.
Cypher Pearl playstyle
Pearl is an excellent map for Cypher as it has many flanking routes and corners that need to be kept in check with his abilities. Knowing the setups for this map will put you at a huge advantage against other new players. While attacking, use your traps to protect against flanks. As a defender, your trapwire and spycam will be key to gathering intel from all the various passages and flanks on the map.
Pearl Defensive Strategy
Although there are not too many strategies made for Pearl defense yet, today we will show simple yet highly effective setups for defense on Pearl.
Cypher Pearl B site Defense Setup
From B heaven, you can deploy this one-way Cyber cage to defend against B link flanks. Add a trapwire, and you’re good to go.
You can also place a Spycam here, which not only is hard to see from the site, it is unseen from B link. Call it a one-way Spycam if you’d like.
For the second trapwire-cyber cage combo, we will set up a wallbang play. Place the abilities as such and wait for them to take cover, get trapped, and end up as a free kill for you.
You can play off your traps from halls or play more passive in defenders base or heaven.
Cypher Pearl A site Defense Setup
This is a very cheeky setup for A site, and we actually learned about it the hard way by playing against it. Let’s start by jumping on this wall and placing a Spycam high. This can monitor enemies pushing both art and A main as well as cubby and site.
Place your first Cyber cage midway up.
This is where the wallbang plays come in. Place these cheeky low-angle trapwires covering default plant and cubby.
Now with your second cage, walk up to this pillar and aim at the middle of the inner ledge as shown. You have a One-way cage for A link.
Get into the ditch and wait for unsuspecting enemies pushing into site and getting caught in your traps resulting in free wallbang kills.
Pearl Attacking Strategy
First, you can use these trapwires to defend against A and B pushes.
Cypher Peal A site Attack Setup
For A site, run up and use this Spycam to check for enemies holding aggressive angles.
Use your Cyber cages on either side of the site covering link and ditch, and push with your team.
Cypher Pearl B site Attack Setup
After clearing cubby, slip into this partial cover and place an aggressive camera just before your team swings in. Activate it to get information on site, halls, defenders base, B link, and heaven.
Finally, use your cages to block off hall and the default plant position.
Cypher Pearl Mid Control Attack Setup
Mid control or lurk setup is also an excellent way to play Cypher on the attack. Place traps outside A and B, and make your way into shops. Parkour up to the box and place your Spycam on the right edge of this dish. You now have a full visual of mid.
So now that you’re equipped with all the knowledge regarding Cypher’s setups for all maps, make sure to try them all out and practice them in Custom matches before heading out into a competitive match. These will cover the basic setups, which you can bring variants to as you get more experienced playing Cypher.
