Sage vs Clove•Matchup

Sage vs Clove Matchup Summary

The Sage vs Clove matchup in Valorant is a heavily one-sided matchup. Based on 66 competitive matches analyzed, Clove wins 62.1% of the time compared to Sage's 37.9%, a 24.2 percentage point difference. The most significant gap is in attack-side performance, where Clove consistently outperforms. In this Sentinel vs Controller matchup, Clove has overwhelming superiority in this agent matchup. Sage should never take isolated fights against Clove and must rely entirely on team coordination, utility, and crossfires to compete effectively.

Sage vs Clove Fragging Analysis

Clove claims 4 out of 5 fragging metrics in the Sage vs Clove matchup, establishing clear mechanical superiority with advantages in KDA efficiency, kill production, damage output. Our analysis of 66 ranked games reveals Clove consistently outperforms Sage in direct combat scenarios. While Sage manages to win the remaining metric, the overall picture favors Clove in gunfights. Sage players should play around their one strength while minimizing exposure in areas where Clove dominates.

Sage vs Clove Attack and Defense Performance

Attack Side

Clove

43.1%

50.3%

Defense Side

Clove

49.7%

56.9%

Attack Side Breakdown

Clove significantly outperforms Sage on attack side, achieving a 50.3% round win rate versus 43.1%. This 7.2 point disparity reveals Clove as the clearly superior offensive agent in this head-to-head, with advantages that Sage cannot easily overcome through individual skill alone.

Based on 66 matches analyzed, Clove dominates attack-side scenarios through multiple vectors. Entry success rate, post-plant conversion, and mid-round adaptability all favor Clove significantly. Sage teams must make structural adjustments to their attack approach: rely less on Sage for key fragging roles, design executes that minimize Sage's direct engagement with Clove, and consider how team composition can cover Sage's offensive weaknesses. Simply "playing better" isn't enough to overcome a 7.2% gap.

Sage should avoid entry fragging roles against Clove whenever possible. The data clearly shows Clove wins a disproportionate share of first contacts on attack. Sage players should volunteer for support roles — flashing for teammates, trading entries, or lurking to create map pressure without direct Clove confrontation. If forced to entry, wait for maximum utility support and ensure a trade is guaranteed. Clove can and should take aggressive entries, knowing statistical backing supports confident play.

Post-plant scenarios heavily favor Clove in this matchup. Sage struggles to convert spike plants into round wins at the same rate, whether due to weaker defuse denial, inferior retake resistance, or less effective post-plant positioning. Sage teams should never leave Sage alone in post-plant — always have teammates nearby for crossfires and trades. Consider giving the spike to a different player when possible. Clove should recognize their post-plant dominance and play for spike aggressively after site takes.

Defense Side Breakdown

Clove substantially outclasses Sage on defense, achieving 56.9% round wins compared to 49.7%. This 7.2 percentage point gap indicates Clove excels at core defensive tasks — anchoring sites, gathering information, stalling executes, and contributing to retakes — at a level Sage cannot match.

Sage should never solo anchor against Clove. The 7.2% defensive gap makes isolated site holds extremely unfavorable for Sage. Instead, pair Sage with a teammate, give them off-site positions that allow early rotates, or have them play supportive roles that don't require extended site holds. Clove should actively anchor difficult sites, knowing their defensive capabilities significantly exceed Sage's.

Retake dynamics heavily favor Clove. When Sage needs to retake against Clove, success requires overwhelming numbers and utility coordination — never attempt equal-number retakes and absolutely avoid solo retakes. Clove should play post-plant positions confidently, knowing Sage struggles to clear them effectively. In clutch scenarios, Clove has a significant statistical edge that Sage cannot overcome through individual skill alone.

Economy management becomes critical for Sage in this matchup. Force buying against Clove is mathematically unfavorable — the defensive gap compounds when utility is limited. Sage should advocate for full saves, ensuring full buy rounds have maximum utility to compensate for their defensive disadvantages. Clove can confidently force buy, knowing their defensive kit provides advantages that partially compensate for economic disadvantages.

Overall Side Analysis

Clove demonstrates commanding superiority on both attack (50.3%) and defense (56.9%), comprehensively outperforming Sage across all phases of the game. Based on our analysis of 66 competitive matches, this is one of the more one-sided agent matchups in Valorant, with Clove holding advantages at every stage.

Map selection and team composition cannot fix Sage's disadvantage in this matchup. Clove outperforms across all map types and team structures. If you're playing Sage into Clove, your team composition needs to compensate heavily: strong fragging agents to carry Sage's weight, utility-heavy supports to cover their positioning, and coordination to avoid leaving Sage in isolated Clove encounters.

For ranked climbing, avoid playing Sage when you expect to face Clove frequently. The 14.3 combined percentage point disadvantage across both sides is too large to overcome through individual skill improvement. If Clove is meta in your rank bracket, strongly consider adding them to your agent pool or playing agents that have more neutral matchups.

Final verdict: Clove decisively wins the Sage vs Clove matchup. This isn't a skill check or a "play better" situation — Clove has systematic advantages that manifest across thousands of games. Sage players facing Clove should adjust expectations, play more supportively, and recognize that direct confrontations are statistically unfavorable at every stage of the game.

Sentinel vs Controller Dynamics

The Sentinel (Sage) vs Controller (Clove) dynamic creates asymmetric encounters where each agent brings fundamentally different tools to engagements. Sage's Sentinel abilities serve different purposes than Clove's Controller kit, meaning direct fights often feature non-equivalent utility exchanges.

Understanding how Sentinel abilities interact with Controller counterplay is essential for maximizing your agent's potential. Sage's Sentinel toolkit may excel at certain aspects while Clove's Controller kit counters others. The Clove advantage suggests their role's capabilities translate better to winning these cross-role encounters on average.