Since launching in 2020, Valorant has become one of the most popular competitive shooters out there and it continues to amass a huge following. As the games can be intense and there are just so many Agents to master, it can be intimidating to jump into the game at this point but don’t fret.
If you want to see what all the fuss is about and try out Valorant for yourself, we’ve got a beginner’s guide that will walk you through all that you need to know to become a master Agent in the game. With practice and our tips, you can start playing ranked games in no time.
Find Friends To Play With
First off, Valorant is a team-based game and teamwork is a must. You’ll need to constantly communicate with your team to let them know what you’re doing. While there are quick communication options in the game, it’s still better to turn on voice chat so that you can relay things more efficiently.
That being said, if you’re finding it hard to talk with strangers, you might want to grab some friends to play Valorant with. You’ll find it a lot easier to practice when you’re with people that you’re comfortable playing with.
Learn The Layout Of Each Map
There are currently 10 maps in the game. They go on a rotation with each season but it’s important that you have a general idea of how each map is laid out. Believe it or not, some Agents are better fit for certain maps as well. It can be hard to master the layout of each map but keep in practicing and you’ll eventually get the hang of things.
Of course, there are bad Agents for a map as well. It’s essential that you know the best team compositions per available map so that you can at least adjust your picks accordingly.
Settle For A Few Agents First
As of this writing, there are 24 Agents in Valorant already and you can access more of them as you progress through the game. It can be very tempting to master all heroes immediately but if you’re a beginner, we highly recommend settling for a few characters first. Let’s talk about the four roles of agents first.
Role | Description | Agents |
Controller | As the name suggests, controllers are Agents that are best at controlling areas. These include blocking the enemy’s line of sight and even physically blocking areas so enemy can’t get through. | Brimstone Viper Omen Astra Harbor Clove
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Duelist | Duelists are best at being the first to the objective or the first to engage with the enemies. One unique feature of the role is that to charge their Signature abilities, you’ll need to kill 2 Agents instead of waiting for the ability to charge over time. | |
Initiator | Initiators are nearly similar to Duelists in a sense that they’re the first to charge into battle. Agents under this role however, are also more focused on flushing enemies out of vantage points. | Sova Breach Skye KAY/O Fade Gekko
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Sentinel | This role is essentially the support type of the team. Some have abilities to protect or heal their allies, while there are others that provide vision on the enemy. | Killjoy Cypher Sage Chamber Deadlock
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When you start the game, you’ll have access to Brimstone, Sage, Sova, Phoenix and Jett. Each of these heroes encompass one of the roles in the game so you can at least get a feel for which role is better for you from the get-go.
It’s best to master one or two Agents per role. That way, you can fill up any missing roles from your team’s current composition. While you have to unlock all Agents to use them in matches, you will have access to all Agents in the Practice Range. Use that opportunity to find Agents that best fit your playstyle and focus on unlocking them first.
You also need to understand that some Agents are harder to use compared to others as their skills is more complex.
Money Matters
The in-game economy is one of the most important aspects of Valorant. As you progress through the match, you’ll earn credits which you can then use to purchase guns before each round. As you may have guessed, you can easily overwhelm the enemy if you’re able to manage your credits more efficiently as this can mean having better weapons than them for most of the fight.
Each match starts with all players having 800 Creds. You’ll get a certain amount after each round depending on how well you perform. You can hold as much as 9,000 Creds only and anything you earn after that will be put to waste. As such, it’s vital that you get the most out of your money each time.
Here’s what you can earn depending on what you do
Creds | Condition |
200 Creds | Awarded for each enemy you killed during the round. |
300 Creds | Awarded to everyone on the attacking team if they successfully plant the spike. |
300 Creds | Awarded to everyone on the attacking team if they successfully defusethe spike. |
3,000 Creds | Awarded to the winning team in the round. |
1,900 Creds | Awarded to the losing team in the round. |
2,400 Creds | If on a 2-round loss streak, everyone one the losing team gets this Creds. |
2,900 Creds | If on a 3-round loss streak, everyone one the losing team gets this Creds. |
1,000 Creds | Awarded for surviving a losing round but you get to keep any equipment you had before. |
5,000 Creds | Given to all players during overtime. |
That said, knowing how to spend your money efficiently is a strategy in itself in Valorant. There are a few types of buys that you should be familiar with.
A Full Buy refers to going all-out with your credits for the best weapons and abilities that your Agent has. Of course, with the way the game works, going full buy in each round isn’t always possible or advisable as you could end up penniless during crucial rounds in a match.
A Half/Light Buy refers to getting mid-range gear and abilities. If the match is tight and both teams are switching between winning and losing, it’s likely that you’ll be stuck with this type of buy for most of the match.
A Save/Eco Buy refers to spending as little as possible to save up for crucial rounds. Some people don’t get anything at all and just try to survive the round if possible.
Lastly, we have Force Buy. This happens when you and your team HAVE to spend all of the Creds you have to get the best gear possible. This is used during crucial rounds or in cases where you can force an overtime instead of losing.
Remember, it’s best for your team to be in constant communication during the buying phase. Not everyone has to go Full Buy during a round. Mastering the in-game economy and being smart with your purchases can make or break your success at winning.
Master The Weaponry
While the Agents are the main stars of Valorant, there’s no doubt that the weapons are the supporting roles. There are a ton of weapons in the game and knowing which ones to use and which ones to equip depending on the situation is going to matter heavily. Let’s not talk about the budgeting for your weapons first but instead, let’s take a look at each weapon type and their stats.
Sidearms
If you’re going for an eco round, you might want to go with sidearms as these are the cheapest guns in Valorant. Of course, the price of sidearms comes at the expense of them being relatively weaker compared to other weapons. Sidearms are still relatively effective in the right hands but you need to have pinpoint accuracy if you want to deal significant damage using it.
Gun | Cost | Stats (penetration) | Head | Body | Legs and arms | Dropoff distance | Fire Rate | Run Speed | Reload Speed | Magazine |
Classic | Free | 6.75/2.22 (low) | 78/66 | 26/22 | 22/18 | 30m | 6.75 | 5.73 | 1.75 | 12 |
Shorty | 150 | 3.3 (low) | 24/16/7 | 12/8/3 | 10/6/2 | 9-15m | 3.33 | 5.4 | 1.75 | 2 |
Frenzy | 450 | 10 (low) | 78/63 | 26/21 | 22/17 | 20m | 10 | 5.73 | 1.5 | 13 |
Ghost | 500 | 6.75 (medium) | 105/87 | 30/25 | 25/21 | 30m | 6.75 | 5.73 | 1.5 | 15 |
Sheriff | 800 | 4 (high) | 159/145 | 55/50 | 46/42 | 30m | 4 | 5.4 | 2.25 | 6 |
Rifles
Rifles are some of the most reliable weapons in the game. They are good up close and at a distance. A single mag can easily take out any agent but the problem is that rifles are also rather expensive compared to other weapons. These are best used in rounds where you’re going all out with the spending.
Gun | Cost | Stats (penetration) | Head | Body | Legs and arms | Dropoff distance | Fire Rate | Run Speed | Reload Speed | Magazine |
Bulldog | 2,050 | 9.15/4 (medium) | 115 | 35 | 29 | N/A | 9.14 | 5.4 | 2.5 | 24 |
Guardian | 2,250 | 4.75 (heavy) | 195 | 65 | 48 | N/A | 5.25 | 5.4 | 2.5 | 12 |
Phantom | 2,900 | 11/9.9 (medium) | 156/140/124 | 39/35/31 | 33/29/26 | 15-30m | 11 | 5.4 | 2.5 | 30 |
Vandal | 2,900 | 9.25/8.32 (medium) | 160 | 40 | 34 | N/A | 9.75 | 5.4 | 2.5 | 25 |
SMGs
You can think of SMGs are a cheaper alternative to rifles. They have a high rate of fire and can deal significant damage with the right accuracy. They’re usually bought after pistol rounds and can be quite a handful with the right aim. SMGs are typically harder at ranged fights because of their spread and recoil however.
Gun | Cost | Stats (penetration) | Head | Body | Legs and arms | Dropoff distance | Fire Rate | Run Speed | Reload Speed | Magazine |
Stinger | 950 | 18/4 (low) | 67/62 | 27/25 | 22/21 | 20m | 16 | 5.73 | 2.25 | 20 |
Spectre | 1,600 | 13.33 (medium) | 78/66 | 26/22 | 22/18 | 20m | 13.13 | 5.73 | 2.25 | 30 |
Shotguns
Shotguns are very deadly up close but suffer tremendously from afar. These weapons are perfect when used by heroes that have abilities that let them close distances quickly like Neon. This is usually a good weapon when you’re on the defense because you have no other choice but to rush the opponent and the spike.
Gun | Cost | Stats (penetration) | Head | Body | Legs and arms | Dropoff distance | Fire Rate | Run Speed | Reload Speed | Magazine |
Bucky | 850 | 1.1 (low) | 40/26/18 | 20/13/9 | 17/11/7 | 8-12m | 1.1 | 5.06 | 2.5 | 5 |
Judge | 1,850 | 3.5 (medium) | 34/20/14 | 17/10/10 | 14/8/5 | 10-15m | 3.5 | 5.06 | 2.2 | 7 |
Snipers
These are the hardest weapons to master in Valorant but they’re also the most deadly. You can take out most of the Agents with one shot using the Operator. While expensive, the Operator deals the most damage per ammo in the game. Unless you’re really comfortable with snipers, we highly suggest staying off these in the meantime.
Gun | Cost | Stats (penetration) | Head | Body | Legs and arms | Dropoff distance | Fire Rate | Run Speed | Reload Speed | Magazine |
Marshal | 950 | 1.5/1.2 (medium) | 202 | 101 | 85 | N/A | 1.5 | 5.4 | 2.5 | 5 |
Operator | 4,700 | 0.75/0.75 (high) | 255 | 150 | 120 | N/A | 0.6 | 5.13 | 3.7 | 5 |
Heavy
Heavy weapons are slow at first but once you reach their maximum rate of fire, these guns can easily take out multiple enemies at once. This might sound good on paper but the recoil of these weapons make them hard to use efficiently. In many cases, you might end up wasting tons of bullets hitting no one in the process.
Gun | Cost | Stats (penetration) | Head | Body | Legs and arms | Dropoff distance | Fire Rate | Run Speed | Reload Speed | Magazine |
Ares | 1,600 | 10/13 (high) | 72/67 | 30/28 | 25/23 | 30m | 10-13 | 5.13 | 3.25 | 50 |
Odin | 3,200 | 12/15.6 (high) | 95/77 | 38/31 | 32/26 | 30m | 12-15.6 | 5.13 | 5 | 100 |
Hit The Range
Constantly matching up against other players is a good way to practice your aim against enemies that are moving as any other player would. However, if you find yourself stuck between getting good and being stuck, then you might want to hit the practice range this. Valorant has an in-game practice range that lets you test out guns and any Agent’s abilities before using them in a real match.
You can use the practice range to fire at moving targets, stable targets, and more. There are also various aim trainers online that simulate the feel and mechanics of Valorant. Aim Labs is a good example of this and it even has extra features such as more in-depth data on your progression and performance.
It’s also a good idea to hit the range before going into a real match to warm up. This helps prepare your hand-eye coordination before getting into intense firefights during casual or ranked matches.
Talk Like The Pros!
Finally, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the jargon in Valorant. And don’t be mistaken, there are a ton of terms and terminologies that you need to familiarize yourself with. Before you go, here are a few that you need to take note of.
Term | Definition |
ADS | This means “aiming down sights”. It describes the action of using alternate fire on a weapon to aim down the sights directly. This marginally closes the distance and can lessen spread and recoil, but usually at the expense of a slower rate of fire. |
Anchor | To play defense on a site in order to impede an attack and buy time for teammates to move to the site to assist in defense. |
Angles | A section of the map that you wish to get beyond but have to take the chance of endangering yourself in case an enemy is lurking there, waiting to kill you before you can retreat and retaliate. |
Angle advantage | A player who is farther away from an angle has a greater angle advantage than a player who is closer to it on the other side because the closer player’s model appears when they peek before the farther player’s model is visible. |
Anti-eco | Pertains to buying weaponry to try to maintain a financial advantage over a team that is turning to cred-saving tactics during an eco-round. Avoiding close-quarters weaponry is usually advised because an eco-round squad will typically have to use less expensive close-quarters weapons like shotguns, SMGs, and pistols. |
Anti-flash | A move in which you hide where you think an enemy will use a flash, then you swing out to eliminate anybody trying to take advantage of the flash after it detonates. |
Baiting | Letting a teammate into an entry-frag without planning to trade for them in case an opponent kills them. This generally results in the opponent being able to reposition or recover without being penalized, refragged, or swapped, which puts the team at a disadvantage and wastes the entry-fragger’s utility and information gathered. |
Baiting Utility | Getting an advantage by making opponents use their skills. |
Bottom frag | The player who has the fewest kills overall or for their team during the game. |
Bunnyhop/B-Hop | By timing your jumps and air strafing, this advanced technique lets you vary up your pace and move a little bit faster than sprinting. |
Callout | Refers to designating a location on a map with a specific name, like “Elbow” or “Heaven.” |
Camp | To repel an opponent by holding a position, usually at a close angle, for an extended period of time, as opposed to actively pursuing them. |
Clearing angles | To determine if an enemy is in a specific corner or around the corner. |
Clearing site | To lessen the possibility of a hidden defender ambushing them, the attackers carefully inspect the area before setting the spike. |
Clone | Often used in reference to Yoru’s Fakeout. |
Counterstrafe | A method of moving that lets you fire simultaneously while strafing the other direction, allowing you to shoot accurately. This is accomplished by firing just before your movement changes to the other direction and has slowed to a stop. |
Crosshair placement | When you hold angles or move across the map to place your crosshair. It is best to arrange your crosshair in the most likely spot for an enemy’s head to emerge so you can kill them as quickly as possible. |
Crossfire | When two teammates fire in such a way that they are facing different directions from the opponent in between them. |
Crouch Spraying | A move where you peek out, then quickly crouchs down to spray down the enemy. |
Default Plant | The area of the site where the spike is placed most frequently. |
Default | When your team adopts a neutral or non-committal approach to gather information and/or search for picks while you’re on the attack. |
Dink | Indicates that the target is near to death when it is used to describe a headhsot that misses its target but doesn’t kill it. |
Double Swing | Swinging simultaneously allows you and another player to overwhelm an enemy and force them to choose which player to shoot at, which typically results in a trade. |
Dog | Known by the names Skye’s Trailblazer or fade’s Prowler most of the time (even though both abilities are within cat category). |
Dry Peek | Observing from a distance without employing any skills. |
Eco/eco round | When a team decides to hold onto credits in order to disrupt the enemy’s economy and be able to make full buy in the next round. |
Entry fragger | The attacker is the player or agent who tries to start the combat by going in first, getting the first kill, and discovering where the opponent is. |
Exit frag | Players frequently flee before a bomb goes off in order to survive and save their firearms. Seeking for exit frags entails positioning oneself to eliminate these individuals instead of attempting to diffuse the situation. |
Fake Defuse | Acting as though you are defusing the spike to make the attackers peek and try to stop you from defusing it. |
Faking | Pretending to attack a location in order to compel defenders to shift their attention from other locations, leaving the undefended location open to attack. |
Fake Clone | When a Yoru intentionally misleads the opposing team into believing they are a Fakeout clone. Huge reward, huge risk, if executed well. |
Flank | When you move stealthily to launch a surprise attack on the opposing squad. |
Flick | The action of rapidly moving your crosshair and firing it typically performed in reaction to the detection of an enemy whose position is not immediately in line with your crosshair. |
Force buy | Purchasing the greatest weapons available without having enough creds to make a full purchase in order to maintain an advantage, obtain an economic edge, or raise the likelihood of winning a round in order to prevent a defeat when the opposition is about to win,=. |
Frag | Another word for a kill. |
Full-buy | When everyone on your team can afford to acquire new equipment. Usually a rifle and heavy shields together. |
Game sense | The innate capacity of a player to forecast, given the present gamestate, the positions and moves of enemies. |
Half-buy | Purchasing the greatest gear you can afford to keep enough creds to complete a full buy in the following round. |
Hip Fire | Firing without utilizing ADS or firing from the hip. |
Holding angles | When you keep an eye on a corner of the map and point your weapon there in case any opponents decide to sneak a peek. |
Instalock | When an ally enters agent select and chooses and locks in their agent choice right away. Frequently linked to players who select Duelists because of their widespread appeal. |
Jiggle peek | To swiftly emerge from cover and immediately duck back in to obtain information or entice an enemy to fire at you, so disclosing their whereabouts. |
Jump peek | To swiftly peep out by leaping from cover and rapidly returning to it in order to obtain information. The enemy is generally caught off guard and unable to respond in time to shoot you when you do this. |
Lineup | Usually employed for abilities with an arcing projectile, like Sova's Recon, Brimstone's Incendiary and Shock bolts, or Viper's Snake Bite, this location is set up to ensure that your ability lands in a specific way. These function by lining up certain parts of the player's HUD, like the crosshair or ability symbols, with designated areas on the map. |
Lit | Frequently used to indicate when an opponent is near death after taking a significant amount of damage. |
Lurk | To position yourself and keep an eye out for flakers. |
Molly | Commonly known as Brimstone’s Incendiary or as a colloquial term for any other molotov ability that results in area denial. |
MB | Abbreviation for “My bad”. Typically used when someone makes a mistake of messes up. |
Ninja defuse | When a defender slips past aggressors and defuses the spike without the aggressors realizing, the defuse is typically initiated while a louder audio cure is playing, which might muffle the sound of the defuse being initiated. |
NT | Abbreviation for “Nice try”. Used by players to describe when a member of their team gets near to clutching up during a round but ultimately fails. |
Off-angle | A rare and hende unexpected position from which you can hold an angle to surprise enemies, lessen the efficiency of their crosshair positioning, and force them to aim intensively and with greater skill in an attempt to shoot at the player swiftly and accurately. |
One-tap | To use a weapon like a Sheriff, Vandal, or Guardian to kill someon with a single headshot. |
One-way | A smoke that makes it possible for you to see enemies while preventing them from seeing you because of the difference in distance between you and the smooke. |
Peek | To emerge from hiding to hunt down enemies. |
Peeker's Advantage | When an aggressive peeker spots an enemy behind cover, they will see them slightly before the enemy does due to the technical lag time. |
Penned | Short for "penetrated", see "Wallbang" |
Pick | To securely eliminate an isolated enemy. |
Pistol Round | The first round in hwich each player’s credit limit is limited to buying sidearm weapons. |
Plant for “____” | refers to placing the spike in a specific spot so that it can be seen from and protected from the previously described position. |
Play for picks | Too take a step back while playing and wait to punish enemies who make aggressive advances. |
Play slow | Rather than trying to make aggressive plays, to play passively and take your time gathering information about the positions of the enemy. |
Playing for time | Playing it safe to avoid dying and wasting time to meet the winning requirement. |
Post Plant | The interval following the planting of the spike. |
Poppin' Swing | A move in which one way is moved while holding down a movement key to deceive the opponent’s aim. |
Pre-fire | To fire in advance at a location or angle where enemies frequently lurk. By doing this, you can outwit an opponent and avoid depending on how quickly you can respond to shoot them. |
Pocket Guardian | Commonly used to allude to Chamber’s Headhunter but also called a Sheriff at times. |
Refrag | See "Trade" |
Retake | When the attackers seize possession of a location from the defenders so they can reorganize and plan to take control of the site. |
Rez | Shorter term for “Ressurection,” denoting the ultimate ability of Sage’s Resurrection. |
Roomba | A different moniker for Raze’s Boom Bot. |
Rotate | When a player or team decides to travel to a different spot, usually another location on the map. |
Rat | May usggest that you are hiding more often than fighting, playing too quietly, or employing strategies that the accusing player believes to be “cheap” or “unfair”. It could also indicate that you are being clever or unpredictable. |
Rush | When the attackers rush onto the scene before the defenders can respond or dispatch help in an attempt to overwhelm them with speed and numbers. |
Saving | When the surviving teammates decide to flee and hide in order to keep their weapons from being taken away by enemies when the opponent team is guaranteed to win the round. |
Shoulder Peek | A common tactic used by opponents to force a player into a vulnerable position while they are chambering their next bullet and to disadvantage them when they are repeeking because their position is now known is to peek, which involves only exposing the shoulder of the player model in order to bait an opponent into firing and give up their position. |
Stack | To deploy a large team to defend or attack a location. |
Stick | When you decide to use a spike to defuse it as opposed to tapping it to trick an enemy. |
Swing | When you swiftly and widely peep to startle the opponent who is holding the anticipated angle. |
Tapping the Spike | See "Fake defuse" |
Top frag | The person who finishes the game or team with the most kills. |
TP | Shortened term for “teleport”. This may apply to an agent utilizing one of Bind’s temeporters or an agent employing a teleport ability. |
Tracking | Crosshair control is the art of maintaining a long range target focus, frequently when you or the target are moving. |
Trade | When a player is killed, but their comrade dispatches the opponent that killed them right away. |
Utility | A generic phrase for skills. Alternatively, “Util”. |
Wallbang | Firing through a wall or other obstruction to score a kill. |
Wide peek | See "Swing" |
Whiffing | Not making a shot. |
Have Decent Gaming Gear
Because of its competitive nature, it’s actually very important to have decent gear in Valorant. You’ll need a pair of headphones for better comms with your team, as well as better audio during fights. Quality audio will help you get an idea of where firefights are or whether or not enemies are nearby.
For your mouse, you’d want a mouse with a high DPI so that you can aim faster. It’s also ideal to get a gaming mouse that has multiple buttons so you can assign hotkeys. As for keyboards, there’s really not much to look for other than comfort.
For all of these devices, it’s best to look for wired options over wireless options. Wired options might seem outdated and a hassle to use but ask any pro and they’ll tell you that these are best for competitive gaming. That’s because there’s no delay when it comes to wired peripherals.
Practice, Practice, Practice
As with any game out there, you can get better with practice over time while playing Valorant. The game might seem too intense or competitive at first but you’ll get the hang of it eventually. Hopefully, our guide serves you well so that you know the ropes when stepping into this game.
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