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Weapons7 min readUpdated June 9, 2026
Valorant Weapon Tier List — Every Gun Ranked by Value
A full tier list of Valorant's primary weapons, ranked by how much value each gun delivers for its exact credit cost.
By VALMAUK Staff
Valorant's arsenal is small but every weapon fills a specific role, and the gap between a great buy and a wasted one usually comes down to whether the gun matches the round you are playing. This tier list ranks the primary weapons — the rifles, SMGs, shotguns, snipers and machine guns — by overall value, weighing what each gun does against what it costs to put in your hand.
Prices below are the exact in-game credit costs verified from valorant-api shop data (Patch 12.10). The tier placements are a reasoned read of each gun's role, mechanics and value for its cost — not a win-rate or pick-rate statistic.
The Tier List
| Weapon | Cost | Tier | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vandal | 2900 | S | One-shot headshot kill at all ranges with no damage falloff. The slower fire rate rewards aim, and the lack of range penalty makes it the most reliable full-buy rifle anywhere on the map. |
| Phantom | 2900 | S | Suppressed (hidden tracers and a quieter report) with a faster fire rate and tighter spray. Headshots one-shot at close range, then need a follow-up at longer distances, so it shines in tight, smoke-heavy fights. |
| Operator | 4700 | S | A true one-shot sniper to the body and a dominant map-control tool. Expensive and slow to reposition, but holding a long angle with it can lock down an entire site. |
| Spectre | 1600 | A | The go-to force-buy and SMG of choice. Strong mobility, a generous magazine and reliable close-to-mid damage make it punch well above its price on half-buy rounds. |
| Sheriff | 800 | A | A pistol-slot powerhouse that headshot-kills like a rifle. The eco-round king — capable of stealing rounds off fully-armed opponents in the right hands. |
| Guardian | 2250 | A | A single-fire rifle that one-shots on a headshot and hits hard to the body. Demands precise aim and trigger discipline, rewarding players who hold tight angles. |
| Judge | 1850 | B | An automatic shotgun that shreds in close quarters. A specialist anti-rush and angle-holding tool rather than an all-purpose buy. |
| Marshal | 950 | B | A cheap, mobile sniper that fits eco and half-buy rounds. Quick to fire and reposition, it gives you long-range pick potential without the Operator's price tag. |
| Outlaw | 2400 | B | A double-barrel sniper that carries two heavy shots before reloading. A budget alternative to the Operator that lets you contest long angles on a tighter economy. |
| Bulldog | 2050 | B | A budget full-auto rifle with a right-click burst mode. Solid as a saved-credits rifle, but it cedes ground to the Vandal and Phantom when the money is there. |
| Odin | 3200 | B | A high-capacity machine gun built for spamming chokes and shooting through cover. Niche, but devastating when a defensive setup calls for sustained suppressing fire. |
| Ares | 1600 | C | A cheaper machine gun with a spin-up and a deep magazine. Mostly an anti-utility and wall-banging tool — outclassed by the Spectre in straight gunfights at the same price. |
| Bucky | 850 | C | A pump shotgun with a right-click tighter-spread shot for slightly longer range. Cheap close-range insurance on a pistol or eco round, but unforgiving if you miss the first shot. |
| Stinger | 1100 | C | A budget SMG with a punishing spray and a burst-fire right-click. Best used aggressively up close on the cheapest force-buys, where its low cost is the main appeal. |
The headline takeaway is that the two 2900-credit rifles, the Vandal and the Phantom, anchor most full-buy rounds, with the choice between them coming down to engagement distance and personal preference. Everything else is about buying the right tool for the round you can actually afford — which is exactly what the economy guide covers next.