Agent Overview

Cypher provides his team with an overload of information and utility that can slow enemy pushes. Cypher’s camera requires some creativity, but when operated properly can be a strong tool to gather information safely. Cypher also has two soft crowd controls with his Cyber Cage and Tripwire, slowing enemies down on their push. Finally, Cypher’s ultimate provides information on every enemy’s location a few seconds after its use. Historically, Cypher was a very strong agent, but recently he’s fallen out of the limelight due to multiple nerfs and the community realizing how easy it is to navigate around his weakened utility.

Strengths

• Cypher’s camera offers the ability to gain information on enemy positions without risking his life.
• Cypher has the most flank utility in the game, with two trip wires in his kit with no range limit.
• When Cypher’s utility is combined properly, it can severely slow down enemy pushes.

Weaknesses

• Due to his historic popularity, players are much more conscious of Cypher’s cameras and often destroy them before they can be used. This requires Cypher players to be very creative.
• Cypher has received multiple nerfs that have adversely affected his overall strength.
• A fast-moving enemy team can easily negate Cypher’s utility. He lacks the hard-stopping power that other agents in his class provide.

Skill Breakdown

Ability 1 (C) – Spy Cam

Equip a spy cam. 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, Cypher can gather information about his opponents. Pressing Fire while operating his camera will shoot a dart. This dart will reveal the location of any player struck by the dart.

Ability 2 (Q) – Cyber Cage

Instantly toss the cyber cage in front of Cypher. Activate to create a zone that blocks vision and gives an audio queue when enemies pass through it.

Signature Ability (E) – Tripwire

Equip a tripwire. Fire to place a destructible and covert tripwire 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 a short period if they do not destroy the device in time. This ability can be picked up to be Redeployed.

Ultimate Ability (X) – Neural Theft

Instantly use on a dead enemy player in your crosshairs to reveal the location of all living enemy players.

Tips and Tricks

Tip #1 – Saving a Cage

One really quick tip for Cypher is to make sure not to pre-place both of his cages. The reason for this is that they can be very helpful for some bad situations that Cypher can find himself in due to his lack of mobility. Many players get in the bad habit of pre-placing both cages and should consider holding on to at least one cage for emergency situations.

Tip #2 – Using Cameras in the Moment

Since Cypher has been in the game since its release, many players are keen to destroy his camera as it has the potential to be a very strong ability. One tip to avoid having your camera destroyed is to think critically about when to use it. Critical timings like bomb plants, teammates pushing onto the site, and 1v1 situations are great times to use Cypher’s camera. Many Cypher players get in the habit of sitting in their camera from the start of the round and find it being destroyed right away, offering little to no value.