Cypher received several ability nerfs alongside Viper in VALORANT<\/em>\u2019s latest update, but no one seems to be on board with the changes to his Spycam.<\/p>
Cypher and Viper mains took a big L to open Episode Eight Act Three<\/a>, with VALORANT<\/em><\/a> Patch 8.08<\/a> delivering a swathe of changes. While Viper\u2019s nerfs<\/a> impact all of her abilities (aside from her ultimate), Cypher\u2019s nerfs<\/a> weren’t nearly as lethal on the surface. First, his Trapwires now have a longer re-arm time, and the slow doesn\u2019t last as long. This tweak is reasonable, considering how much stronger the sentinel became after those trips were buffed in Patch 7.09<\/a>. You could definitely argue it was time for Cypher nerfs.<\/p>
If the Trapwires were the extent of Cypher\u2019s nerfs, players would\u2019ve been fine. However, his Spycam was also changed; enemies can now hear audio cues when they\u2019re being watched through the cam. Many players agree this change was unnecessary and disappointing, including the Sentinels head coach. \u201cHidden cams were interesting to play w\/ & against. Seems like this change just removes a lot of the ability’s depth,\u201d Kaplan commented<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>
The team\u2019s IGL and Cypher player, johnqt, shared a similar sentiment<\/a>: \u201cThat camera nerf is the most casual friendly change ever and ruins the whole concept of the ability.\u201d Indeed, the whole essence of Cypher\u2019s character centers around stealth. Prior to this update, the ability already made a clunky sound when Cypher opened the cam, and it stayed visible to the enemy while in use. Adding audio to the cam ability immediately gives away you\u2019re being watched while spoiling the fun of having optimal hidden spots on maps. The whole thing leaves Cypher far less sneaky than he makes himself out to be.<\/p>
