The Decline of Sage in VALORANT’s Competitive Scene
Sage’s absence in the top teams’ compositions in the VCT Challengers Leagues is notable, and there’s a logical explanation behind it. Compared to other agents in VALORANT, the healing hero lacks utility, making her less appealing as the 2023 season progresses.
Teams like Fnatic, LOUD, and NAVI have made a conscious decision to exclude Sage from their lineups throughout the EMEA and Americas Leagues. Even the teams that did utilize Sage only used her sparingly.
In the Americas League, Sage has only been picked nine percent of the time, with four out of the eight maps in the competitive pool being unsuitable for her.
In the Pacific League, Sage has only been picked in six percent of professional matches. While she still sees some play in the EMEA League with a 22 percent pick rate, she remains one of the least-chosen agents, according to premier VALORANT stats site VLR.gg.
Content creator DRX LotharHS shared a video on YouTube on May 3, discussing Sage’s struggles in VALORANT pro play. He points to the shining examples of other support heroes and highlights the lack of effectiveness that Sage brings to the table.
According to LotharHS, the primary issue stems from Sage’s underwhelming utility. While her healing ability can restore a VALORANT player’s health to the maximum, her wall and slow orbs do not provide the same level of support as other agent choices.
LotharHS argues that Sage’s presence on any map other than Icebox indicates a team’s “strategic weakness.”
Sage does make appearances in Icebox compositions, thanks to her 400-credit wall ability. Placing the wall on the A or B bombsite protects allies during planting and is an effective tool for retakes. However, this ability limits Sage’s versatility.
LotharHS suggests using Harbor or Viper as better alternatives for both players and professionals. These agents provide more impactful utility, while Sage becomes one-dimensional once she uses her wall or slow abilities.
Although Sage’s ultimate can revive a teammate, it doesn’t make her a top pick in professional play. Resurrection is often limited in non-pro matches due to the lack of team cohesion, leaving players vulnerable and Sage unable to utilize her ultimate effectively.
We still have much more VALORANT action to witness in the Americas League, so we’ll have to wait and see if Sage’s pick rate improves or if she continues to fade away.
VALORANT, esports, Sage, VCT Challengers Leagues, pick rate, utility, agents, support heroes, Icebox, Harbor, Viper, professional play, non-pro play