Ranking all the Valorant Sentinels

Very few Valorant characters can effectively hold a bomb site alone. These Agents are called Sentinels.

A Sentinel’s responsibility in such a scenario is to stop the opponents from pushing while his/her team rotates. In some cases, they also have to gain information and locate enemies.

Although all three such Agents in Valorant essentially possess the same task, their kits are unique. Despite the somewhat recent nerfs to the Sentinels, most teams — even professional ones — will still have at least one in their composition.

The question is, which Sentinel is the best in Valorant: Cypher, Sage, or Killjoy?

The most effective Valorant Sentinels

#3 - Sage

Throughout Valorant’s short lifetime, Sage has seen a series of buffs and nerfs to her kit. She seems to be the least viable of the three Sentinels in her current form, but she’s no pushover.

Sage’s Barrier Orb and Slow Orb still serve as the best tools for slowing down an aggressive push. However, her ability to gain information pales in comparison to Cypher or Killjoy. Sage’s kit is also less effective in covering her team’s flank than the other two.

It is worth noting that Sage is the only sentinel able to heal teammates. However, after her nerf in Valorant patch 1.07, she can only heal teammates or herself for up to 60 health points. A self-heal after the nerf now takes 10 seconds to fully manifest.

After patch 1.14, Sage’s Barrier Orb cannot be placed before a round begins, but it no longer deteriorates over time. It does still expire but retains its health entirely until destroyed or expiry.

Despite her flaws, Sage still has her place as a Sentinel. Unlike Cypher and Killjoy, her kit can even serve her teammates after death, and she can heal herself or an ally every 45 seconds. This Agent’s ultimate, Resurrection, can dramatically shift a round’s trajectory by bringing back a teammate.

Related: Useful Cypher Spycam spots in Icebox

#2 - Cypher

Cypher’s kit in Valorant allows him to place traps, cages, and a camera. Before a round begins, he can rig a bombsite to prepare for the enemy team’s push.

With the option to buy two Trapwires and two Cyber Cages, Cypher can cover any and every entrance to a site. By switching up the spots of his equipment each round, he can remain unpredictable and undetectable to enemies.

Unless Cypher dies, his Trapwires will remain active. If placed at the right height, they can be unavoidable, granting him intel on an enemy’s whereabouts. His Cyber Cage, on the other hand, can block an enemy’s site. Pairing these two is difficult for enemies to counter. It’s also important to note that Cypher’s entire team benefits from his intel.

His ability to stall and gain information makes him a great Sentinel. A good Cypher will probably be the most frustrating Agent to deal with in a competitive Valorant match. His ultimate, Neural Theft, reveals every enemy’s location, strongly influencing his team’s next move.

#1 - Killjoy

The only Sentinel in Valorant that can deal damage with her abilities is Killjoy. She is the second-most recent addition to the game, so changes to her kit are still reasonably common in patches.

Killjoy can do it all. Her Turret spots enemies while also doing a bit of damage. Her Alarmbot makes opponent’s more vulnerable to damage. Lastly, her Nanoswarm acts as a Molotov. Unlike a typical Molotov, though, Killjoy is able to place her Nanoswarm before a round begins, if she so chooses.

Although Cypher is better at locating enemies, Killjoy ultimately reigns supreme as a Sentinel in Valorant because of her ability to do damage. Her Nanoswarm has clutched so many rounds, and her kit is harder to avoid. Although her Turret doesn’t do a massive amount of damage, they prove incredibly lethal in pistol and eco rounds.

Her Turret can be smoked off or flashed. After recent nerfs, she has to be in proximity for her Turret to remain active, and her kit is disabled upon her death. Killjoy’s ultimate, Lockdown, is exceptional at retaking sites on defense and stalling enemies on the attack during post-plant. As Lockdown initiates, Killjoy and her teammates have to prepare to move into a site or push enemies out of it.

Each Sentinel in Valorant accommodates varying playstyles. On specific maps and in certain situations, one Sentinel may thrive over the others. Players should keep that in mind before locking in at the Agent selection screen.

Also, they need to remember that using certain Sentinels comes with great expectations from teammates. Users must know that choosing one will require solo site-holds and staying alive.

Note: This article reflects the author’s opinion, and what may seem the best to one may not be so to someone else.

Edited by Ravi Iyer