Valorant is a relatively new FPS game introduced in 2020 but managed to take the world by storm. It has now become one of the top FPS multiplayer games alongside the likes of CS: GO and Call of Duty: Warzone. What makes Valorant stand out is because aside from the typical FPS concept and mind games, the Agents are equipped with different and dynamic abilities that can change how this game is played. But at the end of the day, Valorant is still a first-person shooter game. You will need to shoot and knowing your arsenal of weapons by heart will let you shoot with confidence.
The weapons in Valorant are divided into six types. There are five sidearms, two SMGs, two shotguns, four rifles, two snipers, and two heavy machine guns. Each weapon varies from one other with its perks and quirks, but they all have their purposes. Eco rounds will force you to buy a cheap SMG or just a sidearm and rely on weapon drops. During these rounds, you will have to know the strengths and limits of the weapon you can afford. This makes it a good habit to try and practice all the weapons available in the arsenal so you can get used to them to a certain degree. Mastering the agents’ abilities and lineups is half the game, while the other half is your aim and choice of weapons.
Shotguns in Valorant are basically devastatingly powerful short-range weapons. This is where the similarity between the two shotguns in the game ends. Either one has enormous damage making up for their relatively short range. A shot or two can decide your life on any round with weapons like these. The only two shotguns in the game vastly differ from each other and have their own time to shine. Shotguns are efficient situational weapons especially in tight spaces and narrow corridors. The shotguns in Valorant are fairly accurate even when walking and strafing so they work well for run-and-gun play. Let’s discuss the two shotguns in the game and find out when is the best time to use these and how.
Bucky
The Bucky is the cheapest primary weapon in Valorant costing only 850 credits. It’s a semi-automatic shotgun likely to be based on the M870 Remington. Despite its short clip size of five bullets, it can easily kill enemies at close range with ease. Bucky’s basic firepower and range are best for agents that want to get close for their kills. It also works best in small maps, tight spaces, narrow corridors, and overhead ambushes. It has a slower fire rate than the Judge but makes up for its Alternate Fire Button. It can shoot an Air Burst that explodes after a few meters making dealing damage at a concentrated point. The alternate fire makes this weapon perform like a medium-range weapon with ridiculous firepower.
This shotgun is powerful at the cost of a great falloff when it reaches medium to long-range. Even if you aren’t a big fan of shotguns, knowing how to use them would save you in a pinch, especially with limited credits and a difficult map. Bucky is also great for rushing, so it’s a good weapon to consider on early attacking rounds. Just be wary when attacking a group of enemies. The best you can hope for is getting a kill before the rest of them mow you down. Listed below are the specs of Bucky:
- Price – 850 credits
- Mag Size – 5
- Fire rate – 1.1 rounds/sec, 15 pellets/round
- Alt Fire – 1.1 rounds/sec, 10 pellets/sec
- Wall Penetration – Low
- Damage at 8m and below
- Head – 44×15 pellets
- Body – 22×15 pellets
- Legs – 19×15 pellets
- Damage at 8m to 12m
- Head – 34×15 pellets
- Body – 17×15 pellets
- Legs – 14×15 pellets
- Damage 12m to 50m
- Head – 18×15 pellets
- Body – 9×15 pellets
- Legs – 8×15 pellets
Judge
The Judge is the most expensive shotgun in the game. It used to be cheaper but got a price hike after a few updates to make it a little bit less affordable. The weapon is based on a futuristic AA-12 full-automatic shotgun. For some reason, it has a round clip that should hold a lot of bullets but the full clip size of the Judge is just seven bullets. Maybe the design is either intended to imply that the bullets are extremely big or just a design decision. Either way, it looks big, heavy, and powerful — and we love it! The Judge is leaps and bounds faster than its cheaper counterpart the Bucky.
Judge is a fan-favorite shotgun for its fast fire rate and lethal firepower in close-range fighting. Although Bucky deals more damage, Judge makes up for it by having a more concentrated bullet spread. It doesn’t have an alternate fire option, but it’s okay since it’s already deadly enough in the right hands. Judge works well as any other shotgun for close-quarter situations, ambushes, tight corners, and corridors. It can one-shot enemies in the head and take two shots to kill with body shots with full armor.
Players that use agile players like Jett and Raze can efficiently maximize this weapon’s potential by getting right up to enemies’ faces and ending them. Judge also shines while defending since it can kill multiple enemies that are clumped together in a narrow corridor. Just be creative in when and how to use this weapon, it will be devastating enough to instill fear in the hearts of your enemies. Listed below are the specs of Judge:
- Price – 1850 credits
- Mag Size – 7
- Fire rate – Semi-auto 3.5 rounds/sec, 12 pellets/round
- Alt Fire – none
- Wall Penetration – Medium
- Damage at 10m and below
- Head – 34×12 pellets
- Body – 17×12 pellets
- Legs – 14×12 pellets
- Damage 10m to 15m
- Head – 26×12 pellets
- Body – 13×12 pellets
- Legs – 11×12 pellets
- Damage 15m to 50m
- Head – 20×12 pellets
- Body – 10×12 pellets
- Legs – 9×12 pellets
Shotguns are the least favorite weapons in most FPS games and this is the same with Valorant. This is mainly due to the shotguns’ falloff damage and accuracy at medium to long-range encounters. What we need to recognize is that while shotguns aren’t as versatile as weapons like the Spectre and Phantom, they are situational weapons that give you the best-attacking power. When rushing in, Bucky and Judge can be used to run-and-gun since their bullet spread isn’t greatly affected by movement compared to other weapons in Valorant. This goes true for defending against rushing enemies. When the air of caution is called off and enemies want to rush in for that easy win, mowing them down with either shotgun is a great reminder for them to watch where they’re going.
The shotguns Bucky and Judge, and even their little brother Shorty, are powerful weapons in the right hands and in the right situation. If you want to use these weapons as your primary choice of firearm, you’re going to have to adjust your playstyle to the characteristics of these weapons. It will require you to spend time to practice and learn these weapons, but once you get the hang of it, getting an Ace won’t be as rare as you think. They may not be as intimidating as an Operator or an Odin, but they can kill enemies just the same. Even more efficiently in close-quarter situations.
