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Valorant's Lotus map has three bomb-sites, much like Haven, but is distinct in terms of layout and levels. The map features many narrow and winding passages and complex elevation changes. It also has rotating doors, a breakable wall, and a silent drop.
Sentinels are a class of Agents in Valorant who are defensive experts. They can anchor sites and buy time for their teammates to rotate. They also have utility to discourage and/or catch flankers.
Killjoy or Cypher has always been a debate for all maps since the two Agents have coexisted in the Valorant ecosystem (except for when everyone everywhere was playing Chamber). They have their individual areas of specialization, but one is usually better than the other on each map in Valorant.
This article will look at both their ability kits and compare their viability vis-a-vis Valorant's Lotus.
Note: This article is subjective and reflects the opinions of the writer
Killjoy vs Cypher in Valorant: Facts, abilities, skills
Killjoy
Facts
Since: Episode 1 Act 2
Role: Sentinel
Origin: Germany
Abilities
Basic Ability 1 (C): NANOSWARM - 2 Charges - 200 Credits each
Deploys a grenade that goes covert once deployed and can be activated to deal area of effect (AoE) damage for four seconds at the rate of 45 damage per second (DPS).
Basic Ability 2 (Q): ALARMBOT - 1 Charge - 200 Credits
Alarmbot can be placed on the map, where it remains covert till enemies come into its range. Once they do, it explodes and applies a Vulnerable debuff for four seconds. It works only when Killjoy is within a certain radius of it, and can be recalled and placed again after a 20s cooldown.
Signature Ability (E): TURRET - 1 Charge - Free
Deploys a sentry turrret that can fire at enemies in a 180 degree cone, dealing burst damage. It has 125 HP and goes on a 45s cooldown when destroyed. It is also bound to Killjoy being in its radius to stay active, and can be called back and placed again after 20s.
Ultimate Ability (X): LOCKDOWN - 7 Ultimate Points
A Lockdown device is placed, which winds up for 13s before detaining all enemies caught in its radius. They are slowed down and prevented from using all their weapons or abilities or performing any other functions like planting or defusing the Spike. It can be destroyed by enemies with guns or abilities.
Skills
A Valorant bomb-site with Killjoy's utility on it can be the stuff of nightmares. A well-placed Turret (E) will also chip down your health and slightly slow you down, making you an easier target.
With the Vulnerable effect from the Alarmbot (Q), the Nanoswarms (C) can cut through enemies with full shields in a couple of seconds. Sometimes, Nanoswarms can be hidden away in sites, to cover the default plant spots to deny plants as well.
On attack, Killjoy can actively seek out flankers from multiple angles using both of her information-gaining abilities, making it difficult for the opponents to catch you from behind.
Killjoy's Ultimate is extremely powerful on maps with small sites. It covers wide areas, clearing them out for both attack and defense. With the recent adjustments to Lockdown's health being increased and other abilities doing less damage, it is by far one of the strongest ultimates in Valorant, if not the strongest.
Cypher
Facts
Since: Beta
Role: Sentinel
Origin: Morocco
Abilities
Basic Ability 1 (C): TRAP WIRE - 2 Charges - 200 Credits each
Deploys a destructible and covert tripwire that creates a line, which tethers and reveals enemies for three seconds. If the wire is not destroyed during this window, it concusses the player caught for three seconds and deals 5 HP worth of damage. The ability can be picked up and redployed without any cooldown.
Basic Ability 2 (Q): CYBER CAGE - 2 Charges - 100 Credits
Deploys a cage in the direction of the crosshair that can be activated to create a cylindrical digital cover that blocks vision and plays an audio cue when an enemy passes through it. The cage lasts for 7.25s and cannot be picked up once it is deployed.
Signature Ability (E): SPYCAM - 1 Charge - Free
Deploys a camera with a 180 degree vision cone. The camera can shoot a tracking dart onto enemies every six seconds, which reveals the marked enemy's location from time to time. The camera can be recalled and redeployed after 15s, but it can be redeployed only after a 45s cooldown if destroyed.
Ultimate Ability (X): NEURAL THEFT - 6 Ultimate Points
Can be deployed twice near a dead enemy to reveal their teammate's locations, first after a two-second delay and then after another two seconds.
Skills
Cypher is very good at passively locking down sites with a variety of Trap Wires (C) that he can place on all sites of a map. Combining them with Cyber Cages (Q) can get players free kills onto revealed enemies from relative safety.
The Spycam (E) is a good tool to gather information on your enemies' positions as they are about to enter a site as well as after the site has been taken. It can also be quite effective in watching for flanks along with a couple of Trap Wires when playing the Moroccan Valorant Agent on attack.
Neural Theft (X) is extremely useful when calling for a mid-round rotate based on the information it grants on the enemy team's positioning.
Killjoy vs Cypher: Who is most suited for Valorant's Lotus?
Both the Agents perform the basic Sentinel duties quite well in terms of holding down sites. While Killjoy can remain more active while defending, owing to the automatic nature of her utility, Cypher needs to play more passively as he has to keep checking his Spycam to gather information.
This is reversed to a certain degree on attack as Cypher can go with his team after setting up traps for enemy flankers. This is due to the global nature of his kit, but Killjoy needs to be within the radius for them to keep working.
What really sets Killjoy a notch above Cypher on Lotus is the fact that her utility can deal damage via her Ultimate. Killjoy can chip down on the enemy's health bar as they enter the site while Cypher has to depend entirely on his aim.
Nanoswarms are also a very effective as post-plant utility, which is an extremely important part of Valorant's gameplay. It can delay defuses for long enough and often win you rounds on their own.
The Ultimate is what makes Killjoy one of the best Valorant Agents on Lotus. There are multiple spots you can place a Lockdown in that are not easily destructible by the enemies. It gives your team full access to the site by pushing the opponents very far behind on both attack and retakes.
For all these reasons, Killjoy outshines Cypher on Lotus, despite the latter not being a weak Agent on Valorant's new map by any means.
