VALORANT Weapon Compendium#
Weapons are the biggest expense in a VALORANT match; what you buy and when decides your margin for error each round. This page collects the verified weapon categories and price table; per-range damage numbers have not been individually verified, and the old damage matrix has been removed — the in-game Armory is authoritative.
On translated names: the tables keep the English weapon names; the officially announced CN-server names (Classic, Vandal, Phantom, Guardian) are noted in the text, and the remaining CN names follow the CN client — this page does not invent them.
Category Overview#
| Category | Count | Price range | Use case |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sidearms | 6 | Free to 800 | Eco rounds, opening rounds |
| SMGs | 2 | 1100 to 1600 | Half-buys, close fights |
| Shotguns | 2 | 850 to 1850 | Close range, indoor fights |
| Rifles | 4 | 2050 to 2900 | Full-buy mains |
| Snipers | 3 | 950 to 4700 | Long-range denial |
| Machine guns | 2 | 1600 to 3200 | Sustained suppression, anchoring |
| Melee | 1 | Free | Special situations and fun |
Sidearms (6)#
| Weapon | Price | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Classic | Free | The round-start pistol; serviceable close-range emergency fire |
| Shorty | 300 | Extreme-close-range shotgun sidearm |
| Frenzy | 450 | Full-auto pistol for close-range spray |
| Ghost | 500 | Suppressed pistol for precise mid-close tapping |
| Bandit | 600 | Mid-priced pistol between Ghost and Sheriff |
| Sheriff | 800 | High-damage revolver; huge payoff on precise hits |
- The Classic is everyone’s starting weapon — zero cost, ideal for saving money on eco rounds.
- The Ghost does 30 body damage; its suppressor hides the firing marker on the minimap, perfect for flanks and sneaky plays.
- The Sheriff does 55 body damage — the sidearm heavy-hitter; confident aimers often take it on eco rounds to gamble for the opening pick.
- Shorty, Frenzy, Bandit fill the roles in the table; detailed stats defer to the in-game Armory.
SMGs (2)#
| Weapon | Price | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Stinger | 1100 (some sources say 950 — in-game wins) | High fire rate, close-range suppression |
| Spectre | 1600 | Suppressed SMG, the half-buy main |
The Stinger’s price exists as both 1100 and 950 across sources — the in-game display is authoritative. SMGs overall are the transition firepower for eco and half-buy rounds: strong value in close-to-mid fights, but long range belongs to the rifles.
Shotguns (2)#
| Weapon | Price | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Bucky | 850 | Pump shotgun, mid-close range |
| Judge | 1850 | Full-auto shotgun, close-range burst |
Shotguns fit site holds and indoor corridors; corridor width decides their usefulness — be careful in open ground.
Rifles (4)#
| Weapon | Price | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Bulldog | 2050 | Full-auto rifle priced under the mainstream pair |
| Guardian | 2250 | Semi-auto high-precision rifle for tap-fire players |
| Phantom | 2900 | Suppressed main rifle, mid-close range |
| Vandal | 2900 | The main rifle, standout long-range performance |
- The Vandal and Phantom are the two full-buy standards at 2900 each. The Phantom has a suppressor; the Vandal does not. They trade differently on fire rate, magazine, and long-range damage — per-range numbers defer to the in-game Armory.
- The Guardian takes the semi-auto precision route at 650 cheaper — the tap-fire specialist’s rifle.
- The Bulldog is the cheapest rifle, a bridge when funds run short.
Snipers (3)#
| Weapon | Price | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Marshal | 950 | Light sniper, the eco-round pick |
| Outlaw | 2400 | Dual-zoom sniper between the two ends |
| Operator | 4700 | Heavy sniper, highest single-shot damage |
- The Outlaw arrived in January 2024 (Episode 8 Act 1), filling the price gap between Marshal and Operator; it does 140 body damage — one shot kills a light-armor target.
- The Operator is the most expensive weapon, pure risk-and-reward, for sniper specialists holding key angles.
- The Marshal is the cheapest, a classic eco-round pick-off sniper.
Machine Guns (2)#
| Weapon | Price | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Ares | 1600 | Mid-price MG, sustained suppression |
| Odin | 3200 | Heavy MG for long anchor holds |
Machine guns seal tight corridors and site entrances at the cost of mobility — relocating makes you a target.
Buying and Economy Thinking#
- Armor first: when you cannot afford both a rifle and protection, armor plus key abilities is usually safer than a naked rifle.
- Team buys: when flush, dropping guns to teammates raises the whole team’s firepower for the round.
- Avoid the loss-streak snowball: leave buying room for the next full-buy — the deeper game is on the Economy page.
Shooting Fundamentals#
- Stop-and-shoot: accuracy collapses while moving; tap the opposite key briefly to halt before firing — the single most important gun habit in this game.
- Pre-aim: park your crosshair at the likely enemy head position before peeking, so the peek needs only a micro-adjustment.
- Recoil control and bursts: full-auto spray climbs; tap-fire at mid range to control spread.
For each gun’s actual spray pattern and bloom, test in The Range — clearer than any written description.
FAQ#
Q: How much is the Stinger, really?#
Sources exist as both 1100 and 950 — the in-game display is authoritative. This page does not pick one for you.
Q: Why is there no per-range damage table?#
The old damage matrix contained multiple verified errors (e.g. Sheriff body damage is 55, not 80; Ghost body damage is 30, not 35) and has been fully removed. Until every gun and range is re-verified, the in-game Armory’s current data is the reference.
Q: Phantom or Vandal?#
Both cost 2900. The Phantom is suppressed; the Vandal is not. They trade differently at long range — pick by your preferred engagement distance, and check the in-game numbers.
Q: Which gun should a beginner practice first?#
Start with the free Classic to learn stop-and-shoot with pistols, move to the two mainstream rifles (Phantom, Vandal), and only then add snipers and MGs as your role demands.