'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Valorant introduced a new map called Lotus with the start of Episode 6 Act 1 on January 10. It is the ninth addition to the game, but only seven will be available to play in the unrated and competitive mode, due to keeping with the title's principle of having a seven-map pool.
Lotus is currently available to play in a Lotus-only Swiftplay queue and it can turn up in your unrated games at random. It will start appearing in ranked matches starting from Patch 6.1. This will take place after the developers fix some bugs and glitches that players report during the first few days, thus ensuring a smooth ranked experience.
Cypher was among the original cast of Agents in Valorant. He has been around since the beta days and has gone through several changes in his kit since then. He had fallen out of fashion owing to other Sentinels like Killjoy and Chamber performing better, but the buffs he received recently have brought him more or less at par.
Cypher is a viable Agent to play on Lotus, and this guide will cover all the basics you will need to know to play the Moroccan spy on Valorant's newest map.
A guide to make efficient use of Cypher on Valorant's Lotus map
Cypher is an excellent defensive Sentinel and is capable of holding down sites and getting cheeky kills before the enemies can even spot him.
He is also the only Sentinel in Valorant whose flank-watching utility is not bound by any distance between him and the trap, which makes him quite useful on the attack. Cypher can play with his team or lurk wherever he wants without teammates having to worry about protection as long as he is alive and his utility is not broken.
The following sections will give you an idea of how to play Cypher on attack and defence in Lotus.
How to play Cypher on attack in Lotus
Playing the Morrocan Agent on attack is mostly about having your team's back so that they do not get ambushed from behind, and incase they do, they are aware of what is coming for them.
You should place a Trapwire on either extremity of the map to make sure you have your back covered no matter where the enemies try to flank you from. This way, you can play with your team and add to the firepower on your way into a site, helping block lines of sight using your Cyber Cages.
You can also play more passively and wait for enemies to push out of the sites that your team doesn't plan to take. This is likely to be quite common on Lotus, given the map's relatively large span.
The Spycam is an excellent post-plant tool that, when placed in the right spot, will grant you information on whether the defenders are defusing the Spike or simply faking it. This will give your team the edge to swing out in time and kill them.
How to play Cypher on defense in Lotus
Playing Valorant's OG spy on defence at a basic level is fairly straightforward. You want to have all entrances to the site in your Spycam's field of vision and place Cages at the entrances. This will help you ensure you know when the enemies are actually pushing in.
You can try the following setups at each of the sites in Valorant's Lotus:
A-Site
The A-Site on Lotus has two main entry points: one through A-Main and the other through A-Tree. Coming through the latter involves opening one of the rotating doors. So, you can put your traps a little deeper to make sure you get information as the enemies push into the site.
B-Site
The B-Site also has two entry points: through A-Link and B-Main. You will need to put traps and cages on both so that you are aware of where enemies are pushing from.
C-Site
The C-Site has one entry point, so you can dedicate more of your utility to catch enemies off-guard once they are inside the site.
Remember that these are only a few of the many ways you can set up Cypher's utility on a site in Valorant. You can also choose to place the traps in the middle of the site instead of at the entrance. This will help you catch your enemies off-guard and kill them through Cages or smokes as they move around the site.
This guide will give you a fair idea of how to get started with playing Cypher on Lotus. However, the possibilities are endless with the Sentinel on a complex pick like Valorant's latest addition. As you keep playing the Agent more and more on the map, you will learn new tactics to trick enemies into your traps.
