VALORANT Agent Guide: Sage

Sage is the resident healer of VALORANT, being the only agent that can heal herself and allies. The agent can be found in just about every competitive match but does much more than simply recover team health.

Sage's toolkit is designed around stalling out the opposition and controlling the flow of battle. Sage players must have a good sense of the map, and where the enemy may be coming from. Her abilities are designed around putting a full stop to pushes and gaining time to reposition. An unaware Sage can be dangerous, leaving her team out to dry in times of need.

Sage's first ability, Healing Orb, is her most useful tool in extended team fights and close matches. Healing orb can be used to heal Sage or a friendly agent, given that they don't take damage. Taking damage will cancel out the healing effect, and every gun will do more damage than Sage can heal. Healing Orb is best if used after a team fight when you know that you are safe. It's best to use it at 60 or less health or save it for a situation where it is absolutely needed. The cooldown on Healing Orb is 45 seconds, meaning that Sage will only be able to use this ability four to five times in a round. Healing an ally for 40 health is better than holding on to the ability all round waiting for a perfect moment.

Sage's Stall Tactic

Slow Orb is a crystalized orb that Sage throws out and can bounce off of walls to create a slowing field wherever it lands. The slowing field doesn't last long, but it slows whoever is walking in it and makes their footsteps audibly louder. A slowing orb place on uneven surfaces will inhibit a player's ability to jump, limiting their opportunities. Slowing Orb is a tool that is best practiced in custom games to figure out ideal placements. Commonly, new Sage players will land a Slow Orb in the direct path that their team is heading versus where the enemy might retreat.

Sage's Barrier Orbis a versatile tool that can be used for more than stalling out the enemy. Barrier Orb is conjured by Sage, raising a four-segment wall that can be destroyed by section. This wall is at its most useful when used to block entry points to the spike sites. It doesn't last forever, so knowing when to place this wall and force a rotation is effective in situations where time is of the essence. Shooting through the wall is a viable option, but there is usually someone waiting on the other side. Barrer Orb can also be used to give Sage's team the high ground but telegraphs possible locations. Splitting a site in half while providing the height advantage to her team is one of the tools that makes Sage a necessary agent.

Sage Saves the Day

Resurrection is Sage's ultimate ability, and at one point, it was a topic of contention in the community. The ultimate allows Sage to bring back one team member from the dead after a short delay. This ultimate is an equalizer in situations where Sage's team is down a man. She enables her team to be more aggressive than normal, and reverse some of the damage that the enemy does. There is a small window where the agent being resurrected stands there like a practice dummy. Sage can use her wall to block sightlines during Resurrect, but this ability is a clear indicator of your position.

Sage's main utility comes in her ability to slow down the flow of battle while reversing the damage of the enemy team. An oblivious Sage can be detrimental to her team. Placing a slow in a chokepoint can be detrimental to team success. Being aware of your surroundings, and playing defensively to provide your team support is the key to making an impact as Sage.