Riot Morello on VALORANT’s Cypher: “I’d like to find ways to shift some of that power or do more clever nerfs”

Cypher might be next on the chopping block.

VALORANT character design lead Ryan “Morello” Scott held a Q&A during his Twitch broadcast yesterday, fielding questions on the popular tactical shooter. And following Cypher’s whopping 92-percent pick rate in the PAX Arena Invitational, the surveillance expert seems to have caught Riot’s attention.

“I think he’s very prevalent,” Morello said. “Cypher’s a good point of conversation here… I’d like to find ways to shift some of that power or do more clever nerfs.”

Morello also said the devs have been “backed up” with the upcoming Sage and Breach changes, which have been taking the majority of their focus. But Cypher will potentially be tweaked in a future patch.

It’s unclear what the nerfs would be and when they may happen. But it doesn’t seem like simply increasing the cost of his traps is the direction Riot would take. To tone down Cypher’s outstanding map control and one-of-a-kind anti-flank kit, the devs would definitely need to think of something creative.

The gadgeteer is invaluable to any team comp, especially in pro play where coordination and skill are at the most elite level. With Cypher being the most used agent in the PAX tournament, it doesn’t seem like that statistic will change in future competitions unless he’s dramatically nerfed.

And the addition of upcoming character Killjoy can potentially cement an oppressive three-Sentinel strategy, something Morello said he’s “most worried about” with her release.