Valorant is a relatively new FPS game introduced in 2020 that took the world by storm. It has become one of the top FPS multiplayer games alongside CS: GO and Call of Duty: Warzone. Valorant stands out because, aside from the typical FPS concept and mind games, the Agents are equipped with different 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 confidently.
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 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.
Most players will be using a sidearm during the early and eco rounds since the credits are limited. You need to allot some of your credits to abilities and armor. Unlike Counter-Strike, you can not buy bullets here, so the bullets that come with the weapon you purchase are all you have.
So you should get to know these sidearms since you will spend a lot of time using them, especially if you like spraying your bullets. Warning: there are many numbers, and maybe math up ahead! Let’s get to know them a bit better one by one.
Classic
The Classic is the very first weapon you can use in Valorant. You will have the Classic for free for every round, so do not think you need to spend money to buy this. The Classic is roughly based on the Berreta PX4 Storm with little tweaks here and there. Classic is the weakest of all the sidearms, but we can not complain since it is free. A close-range pistol can kill with two to three bullets to the head, seven to the body, and eight to the legs.
It is not the best sidearm, but it is your default go-to. It has recently been nerfed to make it a more close-range proficient weapon. Most players start the 1st round with this free handgun and use their credits either for abilities or to save creds from affording a better tier gun on the next round. Listed below are the specs of Classic:
- Price – Free
- Mag Size – 12
- Fire rate – 6.75 rounds/sec
- Alt-Fire – 3 rounds spread, 2.2 rounds/sec
- Wall Penetration – Low
- Damage at 30m and below
- Head – 78
- Body – 26
- Legs – 22
- Damage above 30m
- Head – 66
- Body – 22
- Legs – 18
Shorty
The Shorty is the cheapest sidearm (and weapon in general). Shorty is based on the DBS-20, a semi-automatic, sawed-off double-barrelled, one-hand shotgun. It can fire two bullets spread over a wide area — perfect for close-combat situations. Most players buy this to save credits, which is usually favored by agents that can get up close and personal like Jett.
Shorty also shines in ambushes around tight corridors and chokepoints. The two-bullet per clip capacity makes Shorty a fine weapon for one-on-one situations but quickly becomes a drag in prolonged gunfights and medium to long-range encounters. Listed below are the specs of Shorty:
- Price – 150 credits
- Mag Size – 2
- Fire rate – Semi-auto 3.3 rounds/sec, 12 pellets/round
- Alt-Fire – none
- Wall Penetration – Low
- Damage at 9m and below
- Head – 36×12 pellets
- Body – 12×12 pellets
- Legs – 10×12 pellets
- Damage 10-15m
- Head – 24×12 pellets
- Body – 3×12 pellets
- Legs – 2×12 pellets
Frenzy
The Frenzy is not based on any actual weapon but can be considered on the AK platform. It’s a fully-automatic sidearm with the fastest fire rate among all the sidearms in Valorant. Frenzy is a low-cost pistol that can kill enemies with three bullets to the head and around seven to eight bullets to the body.
Its fast fire rate can fight toe to toe against a higher caliber of weapons at close range. However, it has a considerably small mag so that you will reload often. You will find spraying with this weapon at a disadvantage in long-range shootouts. Listed below are the specs of Frenzy:
- Price – 450 credits
- Mag Size – 13
- Fire rate – 10 rounds/sec
- Alt-Fire – none
- Wall Penetration – Low
- Damage at 20m and below
- Head – 78
- Body – 26
- Legs – 22
- Damage above 20m
- Head – 63
- Body – 21
- Legs – 17
Ghost
The Ghost is a semi-automatic pistol that has become one of the favorite sidearms in Valorant. It is a Magnum Research Desert Eagle hybrid and the Hudson H9 with considerably high damage. It takes two bullets to the head to kill, while five to six bullets to the body and legs. Ghost comes equipped with a silencer making it great for stealth and accurate kills. It’s high accuracy and consistency make it a reliable weapon, even against SMGs.
Many pro players even use Ghost to partner with the Operator. Once you master the Ghost’s recoil and spread tendency, you will find this weapon sufficient for most situations, especially when your primary weapon has run out of ammo.
It has a relatively small recoil tendency when firing continuously compared to the Classic or Sheriff. A great tip against enemies more than 30 meters away would be to double-tap the first two bullets of Ghost since these are the most accurate. Listed below are the specs of Ghost:
- Price – 500 credits
- Mag Size – 15
- Fire rate – 6.75 rounds/sec
- Alt-Fire – none
- Wall Penetration – Medium
- Damage at 30m and below
- Head – 105
- Body – 30
- Legs – 26
- Damage above 30m
- Head – 88
- Body – 25
- Legs – 21
Sheriff
The Sheriff is a semi-automatic revolver with a high-power output. It has become a fan favorite due to its damage potential and cool animation visuals. It is a hybrid of the Chiappa Rhino and the Taurus Raging Hunter — all revolvers.
The Sheriff easily kills agents with one bullet to the head, three to the body, and four to the legs. The downside to this weapon is its severe recoil and long recovery time. But in the right hands, the Sheriff is one of the deadliest weapons in the game that can outplay many weapons in a crossfire.
This is the most expensive of all the sidearms. But still cheaper than any primary weapon. This makes it a perfect weapon for eco and pistol rounds since its damage output can rival some rifles. One common issue with The Sheriff is the shooting animation that makes the screen jerk upwards with every shot to make it as realistic as possible.
Another would be its relatively slow fire rate since spamming the fire button will have your bullets spray everywhere. It takes some time, but this revolver is reliable for close to long-range shootouts. Listed below are the specs of the Sheriff:
- Price – 800 credits
- Mag Size – 6
- Fire rate – 4 rounds/sec
- Alt-Fire – none
- Wall Penetration – High
- Damage at 30m and below
- Head – 160
- Body – 55
- Legs – 47
- Damage above 30m
- Head – 155
- Body – 50
- Legs – 43
Sidearm tip!
Swapping to your sidearm is faster than Reloading. This may be common knowledge to most FPS gamers, but they need reminding. You might find it hard to trade off your powerful rifle in the middle of a shootout, but reloading in a crossfire is such a risky move.
Switching to a sidearm will drastically change your damage output in that exchange, and you will need to adjust to the new firing mode quickly. Despite this downslope, your chances of surviving that shootout are higher, and your enemies are often weakened after you empty your rifle clip on them. A sidearm will be more than enough to finish them off.
Every bullet counts
Valorant has an arsenal of powerful rifles and snipers accompanied by varying agents’ abilities that make the game dynamic, engaging, and constantly unpredictable. Despite all these, Valorant is still a first-person shooter game, so you must shoot with a gun. So if you run out of bullets — and it happens — you will need a reliable and comfortable weapon. This is why sidearms are a staple in FPS games and soldiers in real life.
Some assaults do not require overkill at the cost of revealing your location. Study your sidearms, and it will not hurt to decide on a favorite. Also, you will not have enough creds to purchase any weapon when you get on a losing streak. It is time to prove your enemies wrong by taking them all out with your Classic and picking up their hard-earned rifles with a smile on your virtual face.
