0
0
0
Valorant Rifles: Which should you buy?
By Carver FisherSeptember 25, 2020
In most games, having a weapon that’s meant to be the jack of all trades is never the choice. Valorant isn’t among those games. Having a Rifle in your hand that can pull off one-shot headshots and land consistent shots at range is likely your best bet 90% of the time. Snipers are better at long range, Shotguns (and debatably SMGs) are better at close range, and heavy weapons are meant for putting as many bullets downrange as possible. However, having a consistent Rifle in hand is a Valorant player’s best friend. The question is: which of the four should you buy?
Bulldog
Pros:
- Cheapest in the category at 2100 creds
Cons:
- Only Rifle with no 1-shot headshot potential on Armored targets
- Lowest fire rate out of the automatic Rifles
- 5 shot kill with body shots against Heavy Armor
The Bulldog feels like the economy option no one asked for. If you’re down on creds, then you’re better off buying the Spectre. Seriously. If we’re talking body shots, the DPS between the Bulldog and the Spectre is identical. Not having damage falloff is nice, but fights at longer ranges aren’t recommended with the Bulldog. It’s hard to find a reason to purchase this weapon, and that’s a shame. There aren't many pros and cons with this weapon because most of it is middle-of-the-road. You’re better off either taking other economy options, or dishing the creds on a better Rifle.
Guardian
Pros:
- Highest damage out of any Rifle, 3-shot body shot against Heavy Armor
- Very tight bullet spread even when firing rapidly
- 2500 Cred price tag makes this less expensive than the Vandal/Phantom
Cons:
- Semi-auto with a max fire rate of 4.75 rounds per second (lowest DPS of any Rifle)
- Small magazine size with 12 rounds
- Hard to use at close range
The Guardian is a strange case when it comes to Rifles. It’s better at range than any other rifle due to its high accuracy, but the tradeoffs aren’t worth the small advantage. The number of times you’ll fight at a significant enough range for the Guardian to give a distinct advantage are low, and even then, you’re better off buying an Operator instead. The Guardian is a weapon that tries to specialize in something but ultimately fails to carve out enough of a niche to be a viable option.
Vandal
Pros:
- Highest damage automatic Rifle
- 1-shot headshot at any range
- Excels in any fight at any range—this weapon is never a bad purchase
Cons:
- Kicks like a mule; the recoil has a learning curve
- Using this at longer ranges requires you to fire in short bursts, lowering DPS
- 2900 Cred price tag makes the Vandal tie for the most expensive Rifle
The Vandal is, currently, the dethroned king of Valorant. Up until recently, it was the most sought after weapon in the game. Consistent damage and 1-shot headshots at any range is very appealing, but people are starting to realize the Phantom may be a better option. All that said, the Vandal is never a bad option. The difference between the two weapons is narrow enough that it’s entirely acceptable to prefer one over the other. In fact, most players still prefer the Vandal. According to our stats page, the Vandal has almost double the Phantom’s popularity in terms of how many kills per match go to players with the Vandal in hand.
Phantom
Pros:
- 1-shot headshot up to 15 meters
- Highest fire rate out of any Rifle at 11 rounds per second
- Easily controllable recoil
- Large magazine size with 30 rounds
Cons:
- Only Rifle with damage fall-off, being beyond 15 meters puts you at a disadvantage
- Just as expensive as the Vandal at 2900 Creds
The Phantom is essentially an SMG with Rifle damage numbers. It feels very close to the Spectre in that it has a high fire rate, forgiving magazine size, and excellent close-quarters capabilities. The downside of the Spectre being this sort of Rifle/SMG hybrid is the damage falloff. The Phantom is currently dominant in high-level Valorant play due to the fact that players aren’t fighting past 15 or so meters, and it’s much easier to spray with this weapon than the Vandal. Riot is working on balancing these two weapons out and narrowing the gap between them. It’s a little over half as popular as the Vandal in terms of kills per game, and this is with most of the player base just realizing how strong the Phantom is.
What Should You Buy?
Ultimately, the Vandal and Phantom are the only two options here. The other Rifles are inferior for their own reasons, and you’re better off purchasing other options. If you can’t afford a good Rifle, don’t buy one at all. Riot may try to change that in the future, but that’s how things stand currently. Between the Vandal and the Phantom, though? Well… The Phantom is better on paper, but it’s such a slight edge that the Vandal is pretty on-par. Hell, I fall into the category that prefers the Vandal.
Our stats page shows that more than half the kills in any given Valorant match are split between the Phantom and the Vandal. This includes rounds where you can’t even buy these weapons, and they still beat out any other option in the game by a wide margin. It’s likely most of your time spent playing Valorant will be with one of these two Rifles in your hands, so mastering one of these two Rifles is an essential part of becoming a better Valorant player.
Related Articles
Copyright 2023 Elo Entertainment Inc. We're Hiring! VALORANT is a registered trademark of Riot Games.