Valorant is a game that takes a lot of getting used to for new players. While there are a lot of ways to play, most professional players will stick to one or two specific load-outs for weapons. Players are free to test out the various weapons in order to find their favorite, but against high-level opposition, they will find trouble.
The best way to try out the different guns in Valorant is by making sure that players always have a reliable backup weapon. The different side-arms in Valorant go better with some main guns than others, and getting the right pairing of main and side-arm can be vital to success and leveling up quickly.
6 Operator & Classic
The Operator is the most expensive gun in Valorant. It can be difficult getting to the volume of credits needed to make this gun a reality. For that reason, if players manage to kill an enemy with an operator, it is almost always worth grabbing the weapon off the ground before the end of the round. However, due to the Operator being a sniper, specializing in long-range fighting, players need a backup pistol in case they find themselves in close range.
Unfortunately, players may not often be left with a lot of choices, as side arms also cost credits. Adding them to the abilities, shields, and operator cost itself makes a hefty price. As such, it is recommended that players stick with the classic sidearm in a situation where they are using an operator. This allows them to choose between left-click single shots or the multi-shot right-click option, which can be a huge help at close range. This load-out is particularly good on some of the Valorant maps with a lot of lengthy sights.
5 Phantom & Ghost
The Phantom is a well-loved gun among Valorant players, even at competitive levels. Only the Vandal gets more use in the game. While the Phantom is great, the most notable weakness is that it is not as strong at long ranges as the Vandal. The easiest way to solve this range issue is by having the best range side-arm in the game in the same loadout.
Valorant players love the Ghost. It is a side-arm that costs a reasonable number of credits, has good accuracy and range, and is possibly the most commonly used side-arm in the game. It is easy to get to grips with as well, making the Phantom & Ghost a strong starter combo for players new to Valorant gameplay.
4 Spectre & Sheriff
One of the best ways to get used to the game for total beginners is using a Spectre. There are so many elements to Valorant that it can be difficult to get to grips with all of them at once. While this load-out doesn’t help players get accustomed to the focus which aiming in Valorant requires, they can get used to other elements and use the Sheriff as a great long-range aiming sidearm.
Sheriff has one of the fastest minimum kill times of any gun in Valorant. The quick-fire style and huge damage for pistol shots mean that players can whip it out and get a fast kill at long range. With the Spectre being the best up-close spray gun in the game, this means that at short or long range players can take out opponents with this load-out. This is particularly great for fast-moving characters, such as Raze or Reyna.
3 Odin & Frenzy
Also known as the machine gun load-out, the Odin is an expensive and huge gun that players love to use in Valorant for the devastating way it can heavy-duty blast through walls. It also enables players to hit enemies at long or short range, as the Odin has a massive clip and surprisingly good recoil rate for such a heavy gun.
The Frenzy, meanwhile, is a great automatic spray pistol that can help players out at the short range to compensate for how slow-moving the Odin is. Since it begins firing slowly, players using this load-out are better off switching to a good close-range weapon like the Frenzy in situations where they need to deal with an enemy suddenly appearing close by. Although, they're less likely to get caught out using an initiator agent in Valorant.
2 Judge & Sheriff
The Judge is another unusual weapon in Valorant, being the better of the two shotgun options in the game. Being able to quickly fire several heavy shotgun shells at nearby enemies makes the Judge a great option for close-range defending on or near bomb sites in Valorant. However, being caught in a corner can make this a difficult situation.
Players should have a backup in case enemies manage to catch them and stay at a longer range. The Sheriff is the perfect side-arm for this situation, again having that fast kill rate makes it very useful. It is also a great weapon to switch to after the Judge runs out of ammo, which happens quickly with the automatic firing shotgun. This makes this load-out great for players using controller agents in Valorant.
1 Vandal & Ghost
The most common load-out for professionals in Valorant is probably the Vandal & Ghost. While players debate over the Ghost vs Sheriff often, the Ghost is cheaper and is more commonly used. Additionally, the Vandal is a great weapon for any range, and its one-headshot kill ability of it is so important that it has become the primary weapon used in Valorant.
The Vandal is a fantastic option for players but takes a lot of time to get used to, while the Ghost is a great side-arm to include as it is much easier to get to grips with. Aiming with the Ghost when players are having a moment of struggle to hit enemies with the Vandal makes this a great pairing that is viable in almost any situation in Valorant, this load-out is great for Valorant duellist agents.
Valorant was released on June 2nd 2020, and is currently only available on PC.