Vortex Gaming

· These are the weapons to avoid most in Valorant; a wrong purchase can critically impact the round's outcome.
· Stinger: For years, it was the best eco weapon, but after nerfs, it's in its worst state. Useless outside of ultra-close-range single-target combat; you're better off buying a shotgun.
· Ares: Always been in an awkward spot. Eco rounds encourage close-quarters combat, where LMGs don't shine. There are very few rounds where it's the optimal choice.
· Bucky: Decent in specific scenarios, but those are very rare. Its alt-fire can net one-shot kills from certain angles, but the Shorty performs a similar role much cheaper and allows you to carry a primary weapon.
· Sheriff: A trap weapon. Rarely impacts the round's outcome and wastes 800 credits, forcing you to buy light armor or save in the next round. Unsuitable as a secondary due to slow weapon swap time. It's a pride purchase, not a winning choice.
· Frenzy: An underrated weapon. In pistol or eco rounds, if all 5 teammates buy Frenzies and rush, it can create chaos that the enemy team struggles to handle, but team cooperation is hard to expect in ranked games.

· These weapons can't carry the game alone, but when used at the right time, they can contribute to winning rounds.
· Classic: A free weapon. Its right-click burst can secure unexpected round wins.
· Shorty: Limited as a standalone weapon, but as a 300-credit secondary, it offers immense flexibility when paired with a Vandal, Phantom, or Operator. Useful for holding tight angles or playing inside smokes.
· Bandit: Valorant's newest weapon. For 600 credits, it can deal 150 headshot damage within 10m, but it's more expensive than the Ghost, has a lower fire rate, and a smaller magazine. It's not better than the Ghost in pistol rounds, and the Sheriff is better against full armor. When used as a secondary with a shotgun, it's cheaper than the Sheriff and has a faster swap time to compensate for long-range threats. It's not a bad weapon, but it remains in B-tier because the Ghost exists.
· Guardian: When mastered, it's powerful enough to make you question buying a Vandal or Phantom. Guarantees a kill with one headshot or two body shots at all ranges. However, it has struggled to shine since the introduction of the Outlaw. Useful for countering Vandals or Phantoms in long-range engagements, but the Outlaw might be better at certain distances. In the current meta, it often falls short in most situations.

· A-tier weapons are powerful in almost all situations, or exceptionally strong in very common scenarios.
· Vandal: Still the preferred rifle in EMEA and Pacific regions. It's the benchmark for all weapons, offering consistent damage at all ranges, one-tap potential, and a fire rate suitable for close-range sprays. However, it doesn't reach S-tier because the Phantom is statistically superior in 90% of situations.
· Phantom: Superior to the Vandal, and all of Riot's changes favor the Phantom. The 2026 patch increasing the effectiveness of bursts and sprays is much more suited to the Phantom than the Vandal, thanks to its larger magazine, fire rate, and suppressor. It's theoretically a better gun and records higher K/Ds in ranked and professional play. While situations where a 140-damage headshot doesn't kill can occur, it is objectively a very powerful weapon.
· Ghost: The best secondary weapon in the game. Accurate, cheap, and deadly at all ranges when used correctly. It should always be purchased in pistol rounds unless an agent's skills absolutely require additional utility.
· Marshal: An absolute powerhouse in eco rounds when enemies have no armor. Faster than the Operator, the most expensive weapon in the game, with quick aim and one-shot body kill potential. However, it requires skill and is much more effective on defense than offense. Its efficiency drops sharply in full buy rounds.
· Bulldog: Unlike the Marshal, it doesn't suffer from efficiency issues. It's the best weapon to buy after winning a pistol round and remains useful even into the next full buy round. It boasts over an 80% win rate in eco rounds, and against unarmored enemies, it's a one-shot headshot at all ranges. In round 3, it can deal 150 damage with one headshot and one body shot, making it competitive even against full buys. Utilizing its ADS burst fire feature allows it to effectively hold long-range angles in eco rounds.

· If you're not using these weapons, you're actively losing games you could win.
· Spectre: Incredibly powerful after its buff. It should be purchased in almost all situations after winning a pistol round. Previously a close-range spray gun, it's now laser-accurate. The first few bullets are very precise, making it the best eco weapon in the game. It can even compete with rifles in mid-range engagements. A must-use in force buy rounds.
· Judge: The most underrated weapon in the game. A Judge user can perfectly defend a site alone. The enemy team must fundamentally change their attack strategy just by the presence of a Judge user. While not suitable for every round, its impact and ability to steal rounds are enough for S-tier.
· Operator: There's a reason it's the most expensive weapon in the game. It's so powerful that pro teams build strategies around it and counter it. In ranked games, players often don't respect the Operator, leading to easy kills. If you can wield the Operator, you should use it more often.
· Odin: The second most expensive weapon in the game. It's so powerful that it's cited as one of the biggest factors in NRG winning the Championship. It's called a 'boring' weapon because it's easy to use, but even the world's best teams struggled to find an answer to it. If it's easy to use and effective, that's a compliment. It does everything: wall penetration, spamming, suppression, site defense. Even just spamming into smokes can be highly effective.
· Outlaw: So powerful that its mere existence fundamentally changes purchasing habits. Even if the enemy doesn't buy it, the possibility means buying light armor becomes much riskier. It has a huge impact even against full armor. Leaving an enemy at 10 HP completely changes how they play. Unlike the Phantom's 140 headshot, the Outlaw deals 140 damage, allowing you to hide behind cover and easily re-peek for a body shot finish. It's designed to effectively punish ranked players' poor economy management. Even at 3200 credits, it will still be used frequently. It belongs in S+ tier.