VALORANT players can agree that VCT matches, as well as pro play in general, don’t reflect the reality of the ladder.
But even in ranked games, some tiers don’t have the same meta as others. Typically, agents don’t feature the same performance stats on average in lower and higher tiers. This is especially true for one specific agent who is the second or third-most picked agent in all tiers, except in Radiant and Immortal, VALORANT’s highest-ranked tiers.
Sage is the most-picked agent in Iron and Bronze tiers, the second-most-picked agent in Silver and Gold, and the third-most-picked in higher tiers, according to Blitz.gg. In Radiant and Immortal ranks, however, she’s nowhere to be seen at the top. She only features average pick rates, with 4.7 percent in Radiant.
The’s also in the middle of the pack in all three Immortal tiers, although she’s less picked at each superior rank (6.4 to 5.4 percent, from Immortal Three to One). Here is a diagram of her pick rate, depending on the ranked division.
Not only is Sage widely popular in lower and medium tiers, but she also boasts a decent win rate in those tiers. Her stats generally follow the same pattern on that subject: lower the tier, higher the win rate.
Those stats can be easily explained by Sage’s playstyle, which highly emphasizes her healing potential and abilities, rather than pure aim. Thanks to the high utility she provides with her kit, players can give the edge to their allies.
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Her resurrect is game-breaking, and her healing allows allies to make mistakes and still take the edge on a round. In higher tiers, however, Sage can be tricky to navigate because enemies are usually more coordinated and will negate her utility potential more easily.
Moreover, her crowd control abilities, such as her slowing orb and wall, are more situational, making Sage a niche pick rather than the go-to choice.
