Cypher

Agent Introduction

The one-man surveillance network every information broker wishes they could be, Cypher’s ability to keep tabs on friend and foe alike is nothing short of mythical. Watcher of watchers, stealer of secrets, Cypher is always one step ahead.

When it comes to gathering intelligence, Cypher and his spy gadgets are second to none. He’s the agent you want when holding down a site single-handedly, or defending multiple sites at once.

"I will stop anyone who tries to come through. I must keep my secrets with me."

- Amir "Cypher" El Amari

Quick answers

You’ve got questions, we’ve got answers…

Is Cypher a robot? Nope.

Who’s Cypher’s voice actor? The talented Nabil Elouahabi, that’s who.

How old is Cypher? Somewhere between 35 and 40 years old.

What’s Cypher’s real name? It’s Amir El Amari, which means “prince of the moon”.

Has anyone seen Cypher’s face? …you’re kidding, right?

THESPIKE Dossier: Cypher

Bio

Callsign: Cypher
Real Name: Amir El Amari

Age: 35-40
Height: 180 cm
Origin/country: Rabat, Morocco
Classification: Human
Gender: Male

Affiliation(s): VALORANT Protocol
Agent number: 5
Agent type: Sentinel

Difficulty level: Hard
Signature weapon: Hush Ghost
Basic abilities:
• Cyber Cage
• Trapwire
Signature ability:
• Spycam
Ultimate ability:
• Neural Theft
Ultimate points: 6

Release date: Beta (4th agent released)
Voice actor: Nabil Elouahabi
Cypher’s playlist

Personality analysis

Callsign Cypher is an intensely private agent who guards his mysterious nature with a sharp wit and surprisingly playful exterior.

Maintaining his anonymity, even from his fellow VALORANT agents, is Cypher’s core motivation. He’s a shrewd tactician who has dedicated meticulous efforts to shrouding his past and any of his deeply personal information in impenetrable secrecy. Even among the rest of the VALORANT Protocol, no one has seen Cypher’s face.

Though a living enigma, Cypher reveals the man behind the mask through his interactions with other agents. He’s a wisecracker, whose frequent jokes are often colored with a morbid streak.

He has a fondness for playful nicknames, referring to Jett as “wind assassin”, Killjoy as “little engineer”, and Phoenix as “little star”.

He’s also prone to a certain impishness, frequently “borrowing” from his fellow agents – everything from their Radianite to their tools and gadgets for tinkering with. Whether it’s stealing Killjoy’s transmitters for his camera or bugging stolen servos from Breach’s arms with microphones, Cypher usually comes clean with his fellow agents… eventually.

However, much of Cypher’s playful behavior is likely a calculated cover to shield his darker nature.

It’s clear from his love of chess that Cypher likes to stay several moves ahead, which helps him maintain his secrecy. And he’s hawkishly observant, having enjoyed a lengthy and lucrative career as an information broker who trades buried secrets for big paydays and personal leverage.

A streak of pride drives many of Cypher’s actions in and out of combat. Whether it’s pride in his information-gathering prowess or pride in and eagerness to test his self-made gadgets, this sense of self-worth is a powerful motivator.

When engaging the enemy, his darkness shines strongest – he is often heard boasting of always being a killer, or threatening fallen enemies’ families.

Boundaries mean little to a man like Cypher. Whether it’s the passwords and files of his fellow VALORANT agents or ways to exploit enemy weaknesses, he’s a bloodhound for information and stops at nothing to uncover anything he could turn to his advantage or profit.

There’s nothing Cypher fears more than losing his anonymity and being the subject of the same kind of scrutiny that he views the world with.

Origins

Amir El Amari, a.k.a. callsign Cypher, hails from Morocco’s capital city, Rabat. A citizen from before Kingdom Corporation’s redevelopment of the city, little is known of Amir’s life before he became Cypher, though it is clear he still holds Rabat dear to heart.

Despite his secretive ways, El Amari has revealed that he grew up in a state of relative poverty, either in part or entirely due to Kingdom Corporation’s resource-consuming agendas. This manifests as a deeply rooted hatred of the mega-corporation, which he considers to have ruined his city’s rich culture and history.

At an unknown time, El Amari chose a life of secrecy, donned his gumshoe attire and tech-laced mask, and adopted the moniker Cypher.

Career

When secrets became his trade, Cypher went to great lengths to make his own secrets something no one could ever uncover. Since then, he has concealed his face from even those closest to him, and shown a resolved unwillingness to share his personal information.

He swiftly earned a reputation as a masterful intelligence operative, moving on to establish numerous information brokering safehouses, and a surveillance network capable of effortlessly monitoring entire cities at once. This network has been instrumental in helping VALORANT Protocol detect incursions into Alpha Earth.

The surveillance equipment he brings with him on missions is known to be only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what Cypher is truly capable of.

Family

On many occasions, Cypher has revealed the existence of a wife, Nora, and their unnamed child. While he often mentions them with suggestions that they are tragically deceased, Cypher has often been known to contradict this conclusion.

Most of Cypher’s hints at his family’s passing come from his references to having “lost them” somehow. Despite the widespread acceptance of this “RIP theory”, Cypher’s precise meaning is unclear, and given his penchant for secrets and deception, it seems likely that any such clues are misleading in nature.

While his entire life is a veiled mystery, it is clear that Cypher’s family is an aspect he guards closer than most secrets. Whatever their fate, Cypher’s affection for them is unmistakable. This part of his story appears to be an integral chapter in the character we see today.

Fade’s “blackmailer” investigations seem to suggest that Nora and the child are still alive, and that it is Cypher’s own supremely secretive life that keeps him from them. The validity of this information, however, is undetermined.

Cypher remains too much of an enigma to pin down the truth about his family, with almost everything he says about them being interpretable from many different angles.

VALORANT Protocol relationships

Callsign: Viper (VP agent 02)

Both agents hold mutual respect for each other’s abilities, though while Viper acknowledges Cypher’s network as “invaluable”, she also recognizes it as a “crutch”.

Cypher seems to have learned exactly where Viper’s lines are and shows an acute wariness of what triggers her fiery temper.

Callsign: Omen (VP agent 03)

Omen hired Cypher to uncover some tough-to-find answers about his past, showing trust in Cypher’s intelligence-gathering prowess.

That said, he has also shown reluctance to pay Cypher’s price for the information. Further information is currently unavailable.

Callsign: Killjoy (VP agent 04)

Both agents coordinate well and freely share pertinent information. Killjoy is one of the more frequent victims of Cypher’s “borrowing” habits, though this has not in any way weakened their bond.

Cypher often treats her with a protective, fatherly attitude, hinting at the depths of his affection for her.

Callsign: Sova (VP agent 06)

Agent Sova habors a rare and undisguised dislike of Cypher, most likely due to how the latter’s secretive ways conflict with Sova’s preferences for honesty.

Despite this, he shows a clear recognition of Cypher’s considerable talents, and does not hesitate to suggest when those talents are needed.

Callsign: Sage (VP agent 07)

Cypher seems fascinated by Sage’s power to revive people, though it’s unclear if this is for personal reasons or simply due to the innately intriguing nature of such a power.

Agent Sage expresses little interest in Cypher, though recognizes his considerable skill in intelligence gathering.

Callsign: Phoenix (VP agent 09)

There is notable camaraderie between these agents.

They often trade compliments during and after combat and spend leisurely time together playing chess and discussing tactics.

Callsign: Chamber (VP agent 18)

Chamber exhibits a distinct wariness of Cypher, most likely out of fear of his own secretive past being revealed. He regularly mentions Cypher’s valuable knowledge in relation to the secrets he knows about him.

Cypher, meanwhile, has been mistrustful of Chamber’s seemingly “perfect” reputation since day one, though if he knows any dark secrets, he’s kept them to himself.

Callsign: Fade (VP agent 20)

Fade might be the only agent whose information-gathering prowess Cypher considers genuinely admirable. Though Cypher was originally assigned to capture and interrogate her, it was his own suggestions that led to her recruitment into VALORANT Protocol, due to her “enormous potential”.

Cypher’s fondness for Fade has only increased since she joined the VP, with him expressing concern for her wellbeing in the wake of her nightmare-induced chronic sleeplessness.

Other observations

• Cypher’s gloves have a magnetized palm, allowing him to recall his abilities at will.
• His mask is embedded with vision-enhancing tech.
• He is likely ambidextrous, having been spotted using both hands with equal prominence.
• He carries a casino chip and often mentions gambling, hinting that he has a history with both.
• He enjoys drinking very expensive Moroccan tea.
• His tracking expertise is an invaluable resource to VALORANT Protocol’s recruitment of new agents.

Gamer’s Cypher guide

VALORANT’s Sentinel agents are best suited to defensive gameplay, and Cypher is no different. His ability to lock down flanks and scout areas using his Spycam makes him an invaluable asset to any team.

In this guide section, we’ll show you how to play Cypher like a pro and maximize the effectiveness of his abilities with some choice Cypher setups.

Quick-hitting advice

Before we dive into Cypher’s abilities and the specific setups and best use cases for each, here are the key takeaways you need to know about playing Cypher like a pro.

🎯 Prep time and patience are crucial when playing Cypher – plan several moves ahead when it comes to your Buy Rounds and setting up traps.

🎯 Communicate clearly and often – like any good intelligence operative, call out:

• Exactly where your traps and cameras are.
• Any protected areas.
• Enemy movements.
• Potential blindspots and vulnerabilities.

🎯 Cypher is not just a defender – he has his uses on the offense, but only if you play to his surveillance strengths still. Don’t go gung-ho Rambo.

🎯 Cypher’s abilities do not cause friendly fire damage.

🎯 Lay traps before the round starts – that way, the enemy won’t hear you place them.

🎯 When attacking – focus on guarding flanks with your Trapwire, gathering early intel with your Spycam, and blocking vision with the Cyber Cage (which works just like smokes in close proximity).

🎯 When defending – focus on making it hard for enemies to breach your site, it’s all about the lurks and flanks here.

• Place Spycams in high, unexpected locations.
• Find one-ways for the Cyber Cage.
• Watch entrances with your Spycam and peek off any tags with the tracker dart.

🎯 Combine your abilities for maximum effectiveness

🎯 Learn VALORANT’s maps inside and out – it’s the only way to scope out the best spots for your traps so they truly cripple your enemies.

Abilities

Cypher’s abilities go hand-in-hand with his information-gathering nature – he’s a “guy in the chair” character first, and a killer second, and his abilities enforce that dynamic.

As with any VALORANT agent, Cypher has two purchasable abilities, one free signature ability, and an ultimate.

Since Cypher’s abilities focus on recon and supporting teammates, none of them deal damage. Don’t be put off by that though – they more than make it for it with the sheer utility they provide.

Plus, being able to redeploy most of them is a handy trick for adaptive, forward-thinking gameplay (exactly how to play Cypher best).

E - Spycam

Place a tactical camera and use it to see new angles and fire tracking darts into enemy agents.

• Ability type: Signature
• Recall cooldown: 15 seconds
• Death cooldown: 45 seconds
• Dart cooldown: 6 seconds
• Duration: until destroyed or recalled
• Cost: Free
• Max charges: 1

You can place Cypher’s Spycam on almost any surface to reveal any enemy caught in the camera’s 180° field of view on your mini-map.

Enemies can’t see the Spycam unless you activate its secondary mode and view through the camera. Use this mode to survey new areas and shoot tracking darts into enemy agents, which reveal their location in periodic pings, and lets you hear their movements, until they’re removed.

Setups and use guide:

Cypher’s Spycam is easily one of his most useful abilities. It’s the perfect scouting tool for:

• Covering your team’s flank.
• Handling enemy rotations.
• Pushing into a new area.
• Baiting enemy peekers.
• Peeking lines of sight.
• Checking corners.
• Spotting enemies.
• Rushing points.

It’s always best to recall the Spycam rather than let it get destroyed, since the recall cooldown is so much faster.

Use the tracking dart to set up easier wallbangs (wall-penetrating attacks) for your team.

You can score some great intel and frags off the Spycam if you peek like a pro – use the cam to watch entrances, tag enemies, then peek and catch them out while they’re shooting the cam or removing the tracking dart.

Be sure to only view through the spycam when you’re in a safe location.

The best Spycam locations are high up, out of sight and hard to hit. The ability has a height limit based on Cypher’s height though, so climb to a higher position before placing yours whenever you can.

Full ability description:

EQUIP a spycam.

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, FIRE to shoot a marking dart. This dart will Reveal the location of any player struck by the dart. This ability can be picked up to be REDEPLOYED.

Q - Cyber Cage

Lay down a triggerable trap that creates a zone to block vision and slow enemies.

• Ability type: Basic
• Duration: 7 seconds
• Cost: 100 creds
• Max charges: 2

Using Cypher’s Cyber Cage plants an invisible trap on the ground. Once triggered, it creates a smoke ring that also slows enemies and causes them to make a lot of noise when crossing it.

You can trigger the Cyber Cage any time you like, as long as you’re looking at its location – even through walls!

Setups and use guide:

Cypher’s Cyber Cage ability is at its best when used on defense. It’s most effective in these scenarios:

• To cover an enemy’s dropped spike, making it tough to find and recover.
• When protecting your own spike planter.
• Any time you’d normally use a smoke to deny information, cut sniper lines, delay pushes, or support your own team’s push.

Since Cyber Cage is triggerable, it requires different tactics to traditional smokes (think of it more like Jett’s smoke than any old Controller smoke).

Some aggressive strategies that can be highly effective include:

• Plant a Cyber Cage atop a Trapwire and activate it as soon as the Trapwire snares someone – great for a free peek and preventing fast rushes.
• Use it as cover so enemies can’t tell where you’ll swing from.
• Use to create one-way setups (where you can see the enemy’s feet but they can’t see you) for easy kills.

Wise Cypher players will pre-aim their crosshair at the cage so they can trigger the trap at the exact right time.

Full ability description:

INSTANTLY toss the cyber cage in front of Cypher.

Activate to create a zone that blocks vision and slows enemies who pass through it.

C - Trapwire

Place a tripwire between two walls which briefly restrains and reveals enemy agents who cross it, dazing them too if the trap is not destroyed in time.

• Ability type: Basic
• Cost: 200 creds
• Max charges: 2

You can string a Trapwire between any two locations that are close enough together, it’ll be invisible until enemy agents get close. If the trap is in your line of sight, you can recall it and redeploy it elsewhere.

Enemies that trigger the Trapwire become instantly stuck for a moment, which reveals their location to your entire team for 3 seconds. If the trapped enemy doesn’t destroy the Trapwire in time, they’ll become stunned for another 3 seconds.

Setups and use guide:

Much like the spycam, Cypher’s Trapwire is perfect for covering your team’s flank and catching enemy rotations, since it has no range limit and will activate even if you leave it behind.

It’s always worth leaving a Trapwire behind when you’re lurking or rotating.

The Trapwire can delay enemy pushes, but not for long. If you can, be ready to peek as soon as your trap snares an enemy – they’ll be focused on shooting the trap, leaving them open to a clean headshot.

Stacking Trapwires is always a deviously effective trick.

• Stack them vertically and you catch jumpers unawares.
• Stack horizontally and you’ll surprise anyone who clears the first trap then rushes ahead.

The most effective Trapwires are placed are unusual angles. Place yours on any unconventional surface you can find (like lamps or trash cans) — if you can hide their unusual location with a Cyber Cage, even better!

Avoid repeating the same spots and angles for your Trapwires, or the enemy will get wise to your ways.

Crouch and line up the Trapwire at eye level for an ideal height to cover site-entry chokepoints (always a good placement).

Full ability description:

EQUIP a trapwire.

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.

X - Neural Theft

Use on a recently fragged enemy agent to reveal the locations of all their living allies.

• Ability type: Ultimate
• Duration: 2-second windup
• Ultimate cost: 6

Cypher flings his hat at a fallen enemy, revealing the whereabouts of any remaining enemies in two brief pings.

Setups and use guide:

Cypher’s ultimate is ideal for taking out the last of the enemy team, and can be a great way to carve out a cheeky clutch win. Since it requires a freshly fallen enemy to use, it’s not going to be any use in a 1 vs. 1 finale.

Coordinate with your team when you plan to use Neural Theft – the fragged enemy doesn’t have to be one you took down yourself.

When you use this ability, whip open your map and ping the enemies’ location for your team – this will make their job a lot easier. Stay sharp, this ultimate pings to reveal enemy locations twice.

Use neural theft wisely though as it will also reveal your position to the enemy.

Full ability description:

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

Unlocking Cypher

You can unlock Cypher through the Agents screen in one of two ways.

The first and easiest is to spend 1,000 VALORANT points (roughly $10).

The second way to unlock Cypher is to spend 8,000 Kingdom Credits, which you earn by playing the game.

Other Cypher news

Cypher’s Revenge

Cypher has a habit of dying in VALORANT cinematics… a lot.

First, those frequent deaths led to the popular “Cypher Dying” meme. Then, they led to Cypher’s Revenge, a brand new 5 vs. 1 game mode where Cypher would, it seems, singlehandedly take on every VALORANT agent…

Of course, Cypher’s Revenge was announced on April 1, 2023. And despite an overwhelming desire to see this new mode hit the game, Riot has confirmed that Cypher’s Revenge is entirely fake.

Still, we can but dream of how awesome it would be if Cypher’s Spycam darts really did get a stun upgrade or could fire weapons… In fact, we might just watch the video again (go Cypher, go!).