so ive been maining cypher since like beta days and i usually have zero issues holding down a site by myself but lately in high elo competitive it feels like im playing a completely different game. i hit immo 3 last act and everything was fine but this new patch or maybe just the way people are playing now is making my life miserable. im trying to grind back to radiant before the season ends in 10 days because i promised my duo id be there and im stuck on NA east servers getting absolutely rolled by these aggressive dive comps.

its honestly so tilting when i spend all this time setting up these intricate unbreakable trips just for a raze to satchel over them or a sova to shock dart them from across the map before the round even starts. i know the basics obviously like i know how to play off my cages and when to check my cam but it feels like my priority is all wrong lately. ive tried switching it up but nothing seems to stick.

here is what i have been attempting lately:

• focusing entirely on site anchors with double trips
• using the cam only for flank watch instead of site info
• saving both cages specifically for the defuse tap

like am i supposed to be focusing more on aggressive tripwires that catch them mid-rotate or should i be hoarding my cages for retake because staying on site is basically suicide right now? my economy is also taking a hit because i keep buying full utility and losing it 5 seconds into the round. i really need to know what the current meta is for skill priority because my old reliable setups are getting me killed more than they're getting me kills and its driving me crazy. i see some pros prioritizing the camera for early info but then they have nothing to stop the rush on site. seriously which are the best agent skills for cypher in competitive play right now if you actually want to survive a coordinated push without just dying instantly...