Valorant can be a daunting experience for newer players. It’s much more than a plain FPS game, and there are a lot of intricacies that players need to get familiar with. Even though there is a wide range of weapons available in the game, it’s not necessarily easy to pin down the best ones. Different weapons come in handy in different circumstances, and a lot depends upon the player’s playstyle and preference.
Not every weapon is viable in the competitive scene, and some weapons bring more value to any game when compared to the rest. Here is every weapon in Valorant, ranked from worst to best.
17 Shorty (200 Credits)
Shorty is a semi-automatic shotgun that just doesn’t bring much to the table. Its range is extremely short, and its damage falls significantly even at medium distances. Shorty is only suitable for dealing with minimal enemies at once, which makes holding angles very difficult with the weapon.
16 Classic (Default)
Classic is the default pistol that players get at the start at each round for free. It is a mediocre weapon at best and only suitable for early rounds or economy rounds. Its damage is nothing to brag about either, and it takes more than one headshot to knock down any player with armor using Classic.
15 Frenzy (400 Credits)
Frenzy is a fully automatic sidearm weapon that has a fire rate of 10 rounds per second. Even though it’s fully automatic, it has a small magazine size, which brings down its overall value. Just like most sidearm weapons, Frenzy's viability is mostly limited to early rounds or economy rounds.
14 Sheriff (800 Credits)
Sherrif has the highest damage potential out of any of the pistols in the game. It’s powerful, lethal, and can wreak havoc in the right hands. However, it’s not by any means an easy weapon to handle, and it definitely takes some time to master it. It’s also a tad bit costly when compared to the rest of the side-arms, so it’s not recommended for everyone.
13 Ghost (500 Credits)
The king of economy rounds, Ghost is by far the most popular sidearm weapon in the game. It is very easy to control and deals decent damage with every bullet. It’s fully silent, which is another reason for it being so popular. Ghost can also hold its own against big weapons, and overall, it’s a pretty solid buy in most cases.
12 Ares (1600 Credits)
For 1600 Credits, Ares can be a handy buy in early rounds. It has a decent fire rate, and its large magazine means you’ll hardly have to ever reload. However, it suffers in terms of accuracy, and its spray becomes even more inaccurate when spamming the weapon. Ares also lacks damage, and you’ll need to land a multitude of shots to eliminate a target.
11 Stinger (1000 Credits)
Stinger has the fastest fire rate between the two SMGs available in the game. It is a fully automatic weapon with a 4-round burst mode. It can be a lethal weapon, but its clip empties pretty fast, and you need to land your shots to be effective with the Stinger.
10 Odin (3200Credits)
Odin is a better version of Ares, but much like the aforementioned weapon, Odin also lacks accuracy. It does bring more damage and a better fire rate to the table, but at the price point of 3200 Credits, Odin is much more of a luxury buy. Picking Odin is usually not worth it, and there are other weapons that can do its job better.
9 Marshal (1100 Credits)
Marshal is a cheap fix for players that are sniper savvy. It can eliminate any target with any kind of armor with a headshot. The weapon is great for tagging opposing players so that rest of your teammates can easily clean up. It does get outclassed by Operator in every department, but its cheap price makes it a viable option.
8 Guardian (2500 Credits)
Guardian is one of the least popular weapons in the game. It has the potential to eliminate anyone instantly with a headshot, but its single fire mode and heavy recoil make the weapon a little less desirable. It is a DMR, but in a game that promotes fast-paced action, Guardian is not very effective.
7 Bulldog (2100 Credits)
Bulldog is the cheapest rifle available in Valorant. It is a fully automatic weapon that packs a solid punch. The weapon also offers a decent burst mode on its ADS. Much like other cheap alternatives, Bulldog is a great buy for budget rounds.
6 Judge (1500 Credits)
A fully automatic shotgun, Judge is a powerhouse in close quarters combats. At close range, it can overpower any weapon that it goes against. Judge is great for aggressive players, and likewise, it’s a great weapon for holding angles and corners.
5 Bucky (900 Credits)
Bucky can do almost everything that Judge is capable of, but it’s 600 Credits cheaper. Bucky is also the cheapest primary weapon available in Valorant. It is deadly at close range, but it's not fully automatic, so you're more or less stuck with its slow rate of fire.
4 Spectre (1600 Credits)
Spectre is a versatile weapon that can come in handy in most scenarios. The weapon has a fire rate of 13.33 rounds/second, which is one of the highest in the game. It also has a zoom-in mode, which when used, results in more accurate sprays but lowers the fire rate.
3 Operator (4500 Credits)
Operator is the only weapon in Valorant that can one-shot anyone, no matter the armor or the distance, from the waist up. It is a devastating weapon that kills anything it touches. It is, however, a very costly weapon, so make sure to fully utilize its potential when you do decide to pick it up.
2 Vandal (2900 Credits)
Apart from having a slight learning curve, Vandal is a beast in Valorant. Vandal will one-shot anyone to the head at any distance. It’s very similar to the infamous AK47 from CS:GO and possesses similar attributes. Vandal has a fire rate of 9.25 rounds/second, which goes down to 8.32 rounds/second when zoomed in.
1 Phantom (2900 Credits)
While it’s debatable which weapon between Vandal and Phantom is better, the Phantom certainly is a more well-rounded weapon. Phantom deals less damage in long-distance firefights when compared to the Vandal, but it has a better fire rate both in normal mode and ADS. Phantom also has a bigger magazine size than Vandal, which makes it a bit more versatile and reliable.