VALORANT currently has 20 purchasable or standard firearms across sidearms, SMGs, shotguns, rifles, sniper rifles and machine guns. The most important weapon tier now contains three 2,900-credit rifles: Vandal, Phantom and Warden. Vandal offers reliable one-tap headshots at every range, Phantom is faster and more forgiving at short-to-medium range, while Warden specializes in precise long-range fights with a 2x scope and 200 headshot damage.
| Weapon | Class | Price | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classic | Sidearm | Free | Default pistol, full eco |
| Shorty | Sidearm | 300 | Extremely close-range ambush |
| Frenzy | Sidearm | 450 | Fast close-range pistol fights |
| Ghost | Sidearm | 500 | Accurate pistol-round taps |
| Bandit | Sidearm | 600 | Budget precision pistol |
| Sheriff | Sidearm | 800 | High-upside eco and headshots |
| Stinger | SMG | 1,100 | Close-range force buys |
| Spectre | SMG | 1,600 | Second round and close-range fights |
| Bucky | Shotgun | 850 | Cheap close-angle defense |
| Judge | Shotgun | 1,850 | Fast close-range multi-kills |
| Bulldog | Rifle | 2,050 | Budget rifle and ADS burst |
| Guardian | Rifle | 2,250 | Long-range precision and wall penetration |
| Vandal | Rifle | 2,900 | All-range one-tap potential |
| Phantom | Rifle | 2,900 | Short-to-medium range spray and multi-kills |
| Warden | Rifle | 2,900 | Long-range precision and 2x scope |
| Marshal | Sniper | 950 | Cheap long-range picks |
| Outlaw | Sniper | 2,400 | Punishing Light Armor and damaged enemies |
| Operator | Sniper | 4,700 | One-shot body kills and angle control |
| Ares | Machine Gun | 1,600 | Wall spam and sustained fire |
| Odin | Machine Gun | 3,200 | Heavy wall penetration and sustained pressure |
What Are the Best Weapons in Valorant?
There is no single best gun for every situation, but several weapons define their price tier.
| Situation | Our recommendation | Why |
|---|---|---|
| General full buy | Vandal or Phantom | Most flexible rifle choices |
| Long-range rifle | Warden | 200 head damage, 2x scope, no damage falloff |
| Maximum long-range stopping power | Operator | 150 body damage at all normal ranges |
| Second round | Spectre / Bulldog / Marshal | Strong advantage against enemy eco |
| Cheap force buy | Stinger / Sheriff / Bandit | High kill potential for limited credits |
| Wall spam | Odin | High penetration and huge magazine |
| Close defensive angle | Judge | High close-range burst damage |
Vandal vs Phantom vs Warden
The biggest weapon decision in a normal full buy is no longer just Vandal versus Phantom. Warden joined the same 2,900-credit tier in 2026.
| Stat | Vandal | Phantom | Warden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | 2,900 | 2,900 | 2,900 |
| Fire rate | 9.75 rounds/s | 11 rounds/s | 6.5 rounds/s |
| Magazine | 25 | 30 | 18 |
| Head damage | 160 all ranges | 156 to 20m; 140 beyond 20m | 200 all ranges |
| Body damage | 40 | 39 / 35 | 50 |
| Leg damage | 34 | 33 / 29 | 42 |
| Scope | 1.25x | 1.25x | 2x |
| Wall penetration | Medium | Medium | Medium |
| Silenced | No | Yes | No |
Choose Vandal If...
- you want a one-shot headshot against 150 HP at any range;
- you frequently take medium and long-range duels;
- you prefer tapping and short controlled bursts;
- you do not want damage falloff.
The Vandal deals 160 head, 40 body and 34 leg damage at every range.
Choose Phantom If...
- you fight mostly inside 20 meters;
- you frequently spray transfer between targets;
- you value a 30-round magazine;
- you spam through smoke and do not want visible enemy tracers;
- you prefer the faster 11 rounds-per-second fire rate.
The Phantom one-taps a 150-HP enemy to the head inside 20 meters with 156 damage. Beyond 20 meters, head damage falls to 140, so a fully armored target survives the first headshot.
Choose Warden If...
- you regularly hold very long lines of sight;
- you value a 2x scope;
- you prefer deliberate precision over high fire rate;
- you want one-shot head damage at every range.
Warden deals 200 head, 50 body and 42 leg damage at every range. Three body shots kill a 150-HP target.
Its downside is the slow 6.5 rounds-per-second fire rate and smaller 18-round magazine. It punishes missed shots more heavily than Phantom.
Did Warden Get Buffed?
Yes. Patch 13.09 improved Warden shortly after its September 2026 release.
Riot made the early vertical recoil smoother and reduced the second- and third-bullet error. This made the rifle easier to control while keeping its long-range identity.
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Best Pistols in Valorant
Classic — Free
The Classic is free and remains surprisingly versatile. Its primary fire is semi-automatic, while alternate fire shoots three pellets at once.
Do not underestimate the value of keeping the free Classic when your credits are better spent on utility.
Shorty — 300
The Shorty is effectively a tiny two-shot shotgun. It is only reliable at very close range, making it best for hidden corners and unexpected close fights.
Frenzy — 450
The Frenzy fires automatically at 10 rounds per second. It works best when you can force a close-range fight where its fire rate compensates for lower precision.
Ghost — 500
Ghost remains one of the strongest conventional pistol-round choices because it is accurate, silenced and inexpensive enough to leave credits for some utility.
Bandit — 600
Bandit was introduced in Patch 12.00 in January 2026 as a precision pistol between Ghost and Sheriff.
It has eight rounds, medium penetration and can one-tap a fully armored 150-HP target to the head only at close range:
- 0–10m: 152 head damage;
- 10–30m: 128;
- 30m+: 112.
This makes Bandit a strong budget precision choice without giving it Sheriff's longer-range one-tap power.
Sheriff — 800
Sheriff is the high-risk, high-reward eco pistol.
- 0–30m: 159 head damage;
- 30m+: 145 head damage.
Against Heavy Armor it one-taps to the head inside 30 meters, but not beyond that distance.
Best SMGs
Stinger — 1,100
Stinger fires extremely quickly at 16 rounds per second. It is dangerous at close range but much harder to control when fights become longer.
Use it for aggressive force buys, close defensive positions and fast executes.
Spectre — 1,600
Spectre is the more flexible SMG. It has a 30-round magazine, silencer and better controllability than Stinger.
It remains one of the safest second-round weapons after winning pistol, but rifles become clearly stronger as distance increases.
Best Shotguns
Bucky — 850
Bucky is the cheap shotgun option. Its primary fire launches 15 pellets and is strongest inside approximately eight meters.
Use it when you can force an enemy through a close doorway or narrow defensive angle.
Judge — 1,850
Judge is automatic and fires 12 pellets per shot at 3.5 shots per second.
It costs significantly more than Bucky but is much better at quickly fighting multiple enemies in close quarters.
Its value drops sharply when opponents can keep you at rifle distance.
Budget Rifles: Bulldog and Guardian
Bulldog — 2,050
Bulldog is the cheapest conventional rifle.
Its normal fire is automatic, while ADS uses a three-round burst. It deals:
- 115 head;
- 35 body;
- 29 leg damage.
It cannot one-tap a fully armored enemy, but it offers rifle-range fights for substantially less than a 2,900-credit gun.
Guardian — 2,250
Guardian is a semi-automatic precision rifle with high wall penetration.
It deals:
- 195 head;
- 65 body;
- 49 leg damage.
It one-taps any normal enemy to the head at all ranges and kills a 150-HP target with three body shots.
Guardian rewards first-shot discipline much more than spraying.
Valorant Sniper Rifles
Marshal — 950
Marshal is one of the highest-value weapons when you expect enemies without Heavy Armor.
Damage:
- 202 head;
- 101 body;
- 85 legs.
A headshot kills any normal target. A body shot instantly kills a 100-HP opponent but not an armored 125- or 150-HP enemy.
Outlaw — 2,400
Outlaw deals 140 body damage, which makes it particularly threatening against Light Armor.
Damage:
- 238 head;
- 140 body;
- 119 legs.
It fires two shots before requiring its longer reload cycle, letting it follow up much faster than Operator after the first shot.
Operator — 4,700
Operator remains the most expensive gun in the normal store.
Damage:
- 255 head;
- 150 body;
- 120 legs.
A clean body shot kills a full 150-HP enemy. This is what makes the Operator capable of locking down long angles without requiring a headshot.
The tradeoff is obvious: 4,700 credits, very slow follow-up shots and a major economic loss if the enemy recovers the weapon.
Ares vs Odin
Ares — 1,600
Ares combines a 50-round magazine with high wall penetration for only 1,600 credits.
It is useful for spam-heavy positions and predictable wallbang locations, especially when a normal rifle buy is unavailable.
Odin — 3,200
Odin has 100 rounds, high penetration and a fire rate that accelerates from 12 to 15.6 rounds per second.
It is especially dangerous when paired with information utility that reveals enemies through penetrable surfaces.
Odin is not automatically better than a rifle. Its slower movement, handling and high cost make it more specialized.
What Is Wall Penetration?
Weapons have Low, Medium or High penetration.
Higher penetration improves your ability to damage enemies through penetrable surfaces.
Examples:
- Low: Spectre, Stinger and most shotguns;
- Medium: Vandal, Phantom, Warden, Ghost and Bandit;
- High: Guardian, Sheriff, Outlaw, Operator, Ares and Odin.
Actual damage through a wall depends on the weapon, material and thickness of the surface.
Which Gun Should You Buy After Winning Pistol?
Do not automatically save your money after winning pistol.
Strong conversion weapons include:
- Spectre;
- Bulldog;
- Marshal on suitable long-range maps;
- Ares for penetration-heavy setups;
- a surviving pistol combined with stronger armor and utility.
The broader buy strategy is covered in our VALORANT Economy Guide.
Best Weapons for Eco and Force Buy
| Credits available | Useful options |
|---|---|
| 0–500 | Classic, Shorty, Frenzy, Ghost |
| 600–900 | Bandit, Sheriff, Bucky |
| 950–1,200 | Marshal, Stinger |
| 1,600–1,900 | Spectre, Ares, Judge |
| 2,000–2,500 | Bulldog, Guardian, Outlaw |
| 2,900+ | Vandal, Phantom, Warden |
Always include armor and Agent utility when deciding what you can actually afford.
Best Weapon for Beginners
For learning normal rifle fundamentals, start with Phantom or Vandal.
Choose Phantom if you prefer slightly easier close-range spraying and a larger magazine. Choose Vandal if you want consistent one-tap headshot damage at every range.
Do not build your fundamentals entirely around Judge, Odin or Operator simply because those weapons can dominate specific situations.
Common Weapon Mistakes
| Mistake | Better approach |
|---|---|
| Buying Vandal every round regardless of economy | Match the weapon to the team's buy |
| Spraying Vandal at extreme range | Tap or burst |
| Using Phantom like a long-range Vandal | Respect damage falloff |
| Using Warden for constant close-range sprays | Exploit its precision and long-range scope |
| Buying Operator without protecting it | Plan escape routes and teammate support |
| Using shotgun in open long-range space | Force enemies into close geometry |
| Ignoring enemy armor | Understand important damage breakpoints |
Valorant Weapons FAQ
How many guns are in Valorant?
There are currently 20 standard firearms across six weapon classes.
What is the best rifle?
Vandal and Phantom remain the most flexible general-purpose rifles. Warden is a strong alternative for long-range precision.
Is Vandal better than Phantom?
Not universally. Vandal has one-shot headshot damage at every range; Phantom fires faster, has a larger magazine and performs especially well at short-to-medium range.
Is Warden better than Vandal?
Warden has better long-range precision, a 2x scope and higher per-shot damage, but Vandal fires substantially faster and is more flexible in normal engagements.
What is the cheapest gun?
Classic is free. The cheapest purchasable gun is Shorty at 300 credits.
What is the most expensive gun?
Operator costs 4,700 credits.
What weapon has the biggest magazine?
Odin has a 100-round magazine.
Which rifles can one-tap a fully armored enemy?
Vandal and Warden can one-shot a 150-HP enemy to the head at all ranges. Guardian also deals enough head damage for a one-shot kill. Phantom only does so inside 20 meters.
Final Weapon Recommendations
For most Ranked matches, learn Vandal and Phantom first. Add Warden when you understand which maps and angles reward its slower, long-range style.
Then learn one useful weapon from each economy tier: Sheriff or Bandit for eco, Spectre for second rounds, Bulldog or Guardian for limited buys and Operator if your role and mechanical style justify the investment.
The best gun is not always the one with the highest theoretical damage. It is the weapon that fits the distance, economy and fight you are about to take.
