Valorant, despite having unique elements such as abilities in its gameplay, is still a classic FPS at heart. Abilities inValorantare strong, but very few of them can replace a gun. Most serve as helping hands. Just like in other shooter games, the right gun alone can push the player towards victory. As such, it is definitely beneficial to know the best guns in Valorant in order to get the most out of every encounter.
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Valoranthas quite a few guns that are basicallyCounter-Strikecounterparts,which makes it easier for CS playersto get into the game. For complete beginners though, simply knowing the best guns inValorantcan help in decision-making. The guns are ranked based on their cost, damage output, accuracy, and how well they can perform in most scenarios.
10Guardian (Rifle) - Powerful Long-Range One-Taps
Cost- 2250 Creds
The Guardian is a semi-automatic rifle inValorantthat excels in long-range encounters with a damage number of 195 for headshots, one of the highest in the game. As expected, this works pretty well as an unofficial sniper rifle. The Guardian works the best if the map hasmany long corridorsand the player has an impeccable aim. However, that’s where the advantages end.
Due to a small magazine, high recoil, and slow firing rate, the Guardian is ineffective in medium to close-range gunfights. Not to mention that after the initial few rounds, players can simply get the Operator instead of Guardian for long-range encounters anyway. Overall, it is a decent early pick for long angles.
9Sheriff (Sidearm) - Pistol Powerhouse Against Armors
Cost- 800 Creds
Similar to the Guardian, the Sheriff is one of the best guns inValorantfor ending a gunfight in a single headshot. It deals a whopping 159 damage on headshots, which is a guaranteed kill. Also, since it’s a handgun that costs a meager amount of 800 Creds, the Sheriff is a much safer buy than the Guardian in terms of economy.
With a magazine of just 6 bullets, the player doesn’t have the freedom to throw away empty shots, and neither is it safe tostrafe while shooting. Therefore, encounters against guns like Spectre or Classic are difficult, which are commonly picked weapons.
8Judge (Shotgun) - A Unique Fully Automatic Shotgun
Cost- 1850 Creds
The Judge features a 7-bullet magazine with fully automatic fire, capable of instantly deleting anyone within range. This is a situational weapon, but it benefits greatly fromValorant’sunique design. Agents such as Raze, Jett, and Neon can pull off a Judge easily since they can close the distance against enemies in a second. Moreover, in a game withmultiple short cornersand smokes, players can silently wait inside for enemies to get close.
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It’s not uncommon to see entire teams getting wiped out by a single Judge player waiting inside smokes. All in all, one of the best guns inValorantfor cheeky plays. Besides the instances mentioned, there’s not much use for the Judge because it’s still just a shotgun, after all.
7Ghost (Sidearm) - Silent Pistol With Good Overall Performance
Cost- 500 Creds
The Ghost, as its name suggests, comes equipped with a silencer that makes it harder for enemies to figure out the source of the shots. Apart from that, the sidearm does respectable damage overall with a moderately high firing rate. The 15-bullet magazine along with great accuracy means that players can strafe and shoot, which isn’t an option for many guns inValorant.
The Ghost is a great ‘1v1’ weapon, especially during the pistol rounds. It is a favorite pick for Duelists in the beginning rounds as they’re focused on getting kills as opposed toproviding utility for the team.
6Odin (Heavy) - For Zoning And Clearing Out Entire Areas
Cost- 3200 Creds
The Odin is a controversial weapon inValorant. It is one of the most expensive weapons inValorant, has high recoil, and is not a strong weapon in ‘1v1’ situations. However, it also has the largest magazine of 100 bullets, has high penetration through walls, and works well with info-gathering agents like Sova or Cypher.
The popular strategy is to use Sova’s Recon arrow to spot enemies on the other side of the wall and just spam the Odin from the opposing side, through the wall.
5Marshal (Sniper-Rifle) - An Economical And Quicker Operator
Cost- 950 Creds
While not the best, the Marshal’s low cost combined with high damage and firing rate make it an attractive purchase during eco rounds. Not to mention that the gun is pretty accurate. It can surprisingly land no-scopes in some situations as well. In the right hands, the Marshal can also win defense rounds against the best weapons inValorant.
The Marshal can be a great pick foragents with a good amount of mobility, such as Jett, Omen, and Chamber. What prevents the Marshal from ranking higher is that it ultimately loses out against the stronger weapons inValorantin most situations.
4Spectre (SMG) - Run And Gun At Its Finest
Cost- 1600 Creds
The Spectre just offers too much to not be ranked higher among the best guns inValorant. It’s affordable, has a 30-bullet magazine, outperforms most guns in close to medium range, and more.Agents like Neoncan blitz through an entire team with well-placed stuns and dashes. The Spectre has a quick firing rate and good accuracy, which adds to its run and gun capabilities.
The Spectre does fall short against Assault Rifles, more so during long-range encounters, as it cannot keep up with the damage and accuracy of the rifles.
3Operator (Sniper-Rifle) - Most Damaging And Expensive Gun In Valorant
Cost- 4700 Creds
The Operator has a very imposing presence in the game, as it forces players to adapt and come up with ways to work around it. During defense rounds, an Operator user with a decent level of map awareness can single-handedly hold the bomb site and deter attackers from getting too close. The attackers would most definitely need multiple clouds of smoke and flashes to stand a chance.
Skilled players can make the Operator work even in medium range with some info-gathering or by predicting enemy movement. Chamber, Jett, Sova, and Reyna are great agents to pair an Operator with.
2Phantom (Assault Rifle) - The Fastest Rifle In Valorant
Cost- 2900 Creds
Needless to say, the Phantom is one of the best guns inValorantfor all purposes. It is one of those weapons that has a great balance of everything, including damage, accuracy, cost, and firing rate. There are hardly any scenarios where the Phantom is ineffective. Compared to the Vandal, it deals less damage across all ranges but offers better spray control and a slightly larger magazine.
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The Phantom comes with a silencer as well, which can offer similar advantages as the Ghost. For many players, the choice between the Phantom and the Vandal simply boils down to personal preferences.
1Vandal (Assault Rifle) - Everything One Needs In A Gun
A bit slower than the Phantom but much more lethal across all ranges, the Vandal is consistently a popular choice for most players inValorant. The Vandal has high recoil and is a harder weapon to control. However, the fact that it can one-shot anyone at any range is a massive advantage. The 25-bullet magazine is decent and bursts of around 3 to 4 bullets are enough to secure a kill.
Overall, the Vandal, Phantom, and Operator are the guns inValorantthat every player must learn and know how to play against as well.
