Sentinel agents & their abilities are mainly focused on defensive playstyles. Players who prefer less action and more strategy should pick Sentinel agents, Let’s take a look at the best Sentinel agents in VALORANT.
Built around defense in mind, Riot made sure Sentinel agents were not going to offer offensive abilities. Sentinel agents in VALORANT often play as the team’s anchor to hold particular map areas. Some agents might have their niche applications, but generally, they are easily the backbones of any team.
VALORANT is all about adaptability. Players who are able to adapt faster will benefit more. All of the agents and metas in VALORANT keep changing due to consistent updates from Riot. Sentinel agents are no exception. So, we dig deeper for you to find the current best pick for Sentinel agents in VALORANT.
Read More: Best Duelist Agents in VALORANT
Best Sentinel Agents Ranked
Sentinels will help your team to hold down a site or be aware of flanks. Here, we will rank the best sentinel agents in VALORANT. Note that this ranking is completely subjective. Every sentinel agent possesses a different set of abilities. Therefore, their function is unique as well. So it is hard to compare them. However, we will rank the initiators based on their pick rate and impact on the current meta.
5. Deadlock
Abilities Type | Description |
---|---|
Basic | GravNet, Sonic Sensor |
Signatures | Barrier Mesh |
Ultimate | Annihilation |
Deadlock is the 5th agent added to the game and the latest right now. Compared to other agents in the same role, Deadlock requires a more aggressive playstyle. Her Sonic Sensor can be used to watch flanks, but it is not as effective as Cypher’s Trapwires or Chamber’s Trademark. Moreover, her Barrier Mesh is similar to Sage’s BARRIER ORB and is more useful in defense. Even though players can’t pass through without breaking, bullets can. She did get some major buffs with patch 8.00. However, she still lacks impact compared to other agents of the same role.
Despite the fact that Deadlock’s ultimate Annihilation might seem game-breaking, players tend to choose other sentinels over her. The reason might be that she can perform as a sentinel, but others can do it better.
4. Sage
Abilities Type | Description |
---|---|
Basic | Barrier Orb, Slow Orb |
Signatures | Healing Orb |
Ultimate | Resurrection |
Sage is an excellent support agent, but her worth as a Sentinel is highly questionable in some situations. Chamber and Killjoy are able to cause massive damage to the attackers, while Sage’s abilities are strongly defensive so much so that she is often considered as the “Secondary” Sentinel behind Killjoy or Cypher in some cases.
Sage’s healing ability is, beyond any doubt, the best in VALORANT right now & her Barrier Orb is quite effective, but her overall ability to defend sites is no longer something to count on. If you are sure about your team composition, then picking Sage could be a good option, considering that her Ultimate and Healing abilities can still make a huge impact
3. Chamber
Abilities Type | Description |
---|---|
Basic | Trademark, Headhunter |
Signatures | Rendezvous |
Ultimate | Tour De Force |
Released during the last quarter of 2021, the French-based agent brought some interesting new abilities to the table. VALORANT’s Sentinel saga so has been all about forcing the Duelists to take a step back, but with Chamber, the scenario has changed drastically.
Chamber saw some significant changes in patch 5.12. Before the patch, the French agent was the meta pick for any team combinations. After the patch, his pick rate went down the road, as the updates forced him to change Chamber’s playstyle. However, with the 8.03 patch, Chamber is getting some major buffs to his abilities. While the stats are still not a match to his old days, the French weapon designer should get back to his feet.
2. Killjoy
Abilities Type | Description |
---|---|
Basic | Alarmbot, Nanoswarm |
Signatures | Turret |
Ultimate | Lockdown |
The German VALORANT agent is packed with effective abilities to stall any team from gaining easy site access. Killjoy’s controversial release made things hard for the developers initially, but after a couple of retouches, Killjoy is a perfect pick for most of the maps in VALORANT.
Her Nanoswarms & Alarmbots are still a lethal combo in 2024. Additionally, Killjoy’s Turret can be a serious pain for the Attackers since it’s hard to bypass. Killjoy’s Turret becomes absolutely indestructible in Pistol and in eco-rounds. In most of the maps, Killjoy is a lethal agent to deal with. Based on your playstyle, Killjoy can be a blessing or a curse since misplaced abilities will act as a dual-edged sword for your team. Since patch 8.0, Killjoy was the untold queen of sentinels in VALORANT. However, with some nerfs, she did lose some of her charisma.
1. Cypher
Abilities Type | Description |
---|---|
Basic | Trapwire, Cyber Cage |
Signatures | Spycam |
Ultimate | Neural Theft |
Cypher’s Tripwire & Cyber Cage are heavily effective against most of the Duelists. Previously, the Agent was inferior in most cases. However, due to the huge buff in the 7.09 patch, Cypher has once again become really powerful. Cypher’s Trapwires are now indestructible without damage instance. Moreover, the stun duration is much quicker than before. His ultimate also got buffed, as it will now still trigger even if the agent dies while casting.
Now, with Cypher’s kits, one can easily shut down any Attackers’ pushes and watch out for flanks pretty clearly. Not to mention, Cypher’s Ultimate can come in pretty handy in clutch situations. All of these, and the recent nerf of Killjoy, have made Cypher the king of sentinels once again.
There you go! This is our ranking of the current VALORANT Sentinel agents.
Picking any Sentinel agent is fine; it all comes down to your skills and preparation. However, playing Chamber, Cypher, or Killjoy could be tricky since you have to learn where to place your abilities to maximize damage on the enemy team. In contrast, Sage and Deadlock is the easier Sentinel agents to play.
Read More: Best Initiator Agents in VALORANT