While some VALORANT pros heavily favor the map, others criticize its ridiculous size. Influencers like Shroud saw the potential of this map and advised everyone to wait until Breeze was available for the pros to play in VCT.

Breeze developed into a map of retreat for many professional teams, as Shroud had predicted. Some teams started to pick Breeze to surprise their opponents. Carefully planned strategies are highly effective on this map. Due to its vast size, Breeze offers many options for strategic and well-thought-out plays.

With such freedoms given, choosing the right agent for the job is also critical. Popular metas are sometimes not effective in Breeze. In this guide, we will be making a tier list of the best Agents to pick in Breeze based on their abilities, tasks, and necessity. 

Read More: Best VALORANT Agents for Split

Best Agents for Breeze 

Riot Games introduced Breeze in Episode 2 Act 3. Since then, the map has gone through two big changes. The first big change happened in the 4.00 update, and the second big update was made to the game in the 7.04 patch. Due to the updates, the Agent meta in Breeze has also shifted quite a bit compared to the one from the initial release.

So, to match Breeze’s recent layout and features, we’ll now list the best Agents that go hand in hand with the current meta. As there are 4 types of Agents in VALORANT, with each being equally important, we’ll categorize the list based on the Agent’s specific roles: Duelist, Controller, Sentinel, and Initiator.

The list will contain each Agent’s tier standing, from S to C. However, we’ll only discuss the S and A-tier Agents and explain to you why you should pick them over others. So, whether you’re playing solo or with a team, this list of the best Agents will help you get the most victories on Breeze.

Duelist

Neon

Breeze is a huge map with open spaces, making Neon the best potential Duelist on the map. She can roam around the map and gather useful intel about enemies using her High Gear. Moreover, she can easily fake them by showing her presence in one place and then regrouping with her teammates.

Although her Relay Bolt isn’t that useful in Breeze, having the ability to stun enemies comes in handy in many 1v1 duels. Neon’s Fast Lane walls can help her and her teammates enter or retake any side.

Yoru

Breeze is likely the best map for Yoru. Even at the highest level of VALORANT competitive scene, a bunch of Yoru mains can be seen. Due to Breeze’s massive size, Yoru can use his Gatecrash to teleport to places where enemies don’t expect him.

Moreover, Yoru’s ultimate and flashes are useful in every scenario. His Fakeout clone is likely the worst ability to have. However, his other abilities make up for the lack of usefulness of his clones, making him a solid pick in Breeze.

Raze 

Raze is an overall good Duelist in VALORANT. Although Raze mostly shines on small maps with a lot of tight spaces, such as Split, Pearl, and Sunset, her overall utility is useful on any given map. Moreover, after Jett’s nerf, she remains the only viable Agent who can dodge Sentinels’ obstacles and enter the site, which makes her an essential pick.

Controller

Viper

In both defense and offense, Viper’s inventory offers plenty of options for any team. Her Toxic Screen is by far the most crucial ability required for any offensive plan. Viper’s post-plant potential also comes into play due to the number of effective lineups available on the map. Even though her Ultimate doesn’t cover many areas, it’s still able to make some differences in critical situations.

Harbor

If Viper wasn’t the meta, Harbor would likely be the best Controller Agent for Breeze. Harbor’s High Tide and Cascade can block out most angles in A, B, and mid, making it easier for the team to take control. The only problem is that the walls don’t stay up for long.

Besides the walls, Harbor has the Cove smoke, which helps a lot while planting or defusing the Spike. Not to mention, his one-of-a-kind ultimate makes staying at any site almost impossible.

Sentinel

Cypher

Breeze intervened to prevent the Moroccan agent’s ultimate demise when the experts began to select him as the sole Sentinel agent for the map. After multiple rounds of nerfs from Riot, Cypher’s abilities were severely damaged.

However, things changed when the pros from both Europe and North America decided to take Cypher into the meta. The primary reason behind such changes is obviously his Spycam and Tripwire. His Spycam can reveal enemy locations, and his Tripwires are essential to stop any lurkers.

Killjoy 

Killjoy is currently the meta-sentinel Agent in VALORANT. Even the VALORANT 2023 Champions Agents’ pick-rate stats prove why she should be an S-Tier Agent. Although many may argue that Killjoy isn’t a very potent character for big maps like Breeze, the new rework opened up so many strategic plays for her.

Sage 

Sage’s role in Breeze is quite unique. Since Skye’s heal requires her to get close to her teammates, Sage can heal from longer distances. Additionally, Sage’s Barrier Orb is kind of necessary to stop early-round attacks. Lastly, Sage’s Resurrection ability cannot be overlooked, and it has more potential than it seems. 

Initiator

Skye 

As an Initiator Agent, Skye is a natural fit for Breeze. During the Stage 3 Challengers, teams from all major regions had Skye in their compositions. Undoubtedly, Skye has plenty to offer in Breeze. Apart from being an Initiator, she can also fill in as a Duelist when needed. Skye’s Guiding Light and Trailblazer are helpful for any team. Even her Seekers can track down enemies or reveal their directions from long range.

Sova

In the European scene, both Skye and Sova are highly favored by S-tier teams like Fnatic or Team Liquid. For lineup enthusiasts, playing Sova on Breeze is like a Blessing. Sova’s value during the post-plant scenario is huge, and his Owl Drone is an excellent alternative to Skye’s Trailblazer ability. Although, in Breeze, Hunter’s Fury is not really effective in most cases.

KAY/O

Similar to Skye, KAY/O can also step up as a Duelist when required. In contrast, KAY/O’s other abilities don’t provide much value for a team. Playing solo as KAY/O might be a good idea in low-elo matches, but it won’t make much sense in Immortal or higher lobbies. Unless you are absolutely sure about his abilities like FRAG/ment or ZERO/point, it’s best to avoid KAY/O.

Read More: Best VALORANT Agents for Bind

Choosing the right agent is important, but it’s most likely to come down to the individual skill levels of a player to get the most out of an Agent. If you are aiming to play as a Controller or Initiator, it’s best to practice some lineups before queueing up for your next ranked match. In comparison, playing Duelist in Breeze is easier since the responsibility is not that huge and choke points are relatively easy to bypass. However, playing Breeze will require patience and caution.

The post Best VALORANT Agents for Breeze in 2023: All Agents Ranked From Best to Worst appeared first on GameRiv.

Will a larger fanbase determine the ultimate winner? Or must we go through a plethora of statistics and logical procedures to find out the better weapon? In the midst of constant meta-changing updates from Riot Games, it’s hard to stay with a single meta or playstyle for too long. Every few months, the developers are bringing in new modifications to keep the playerbase wide awake. 

The Phantom vs. Vandal debate has been around since the launch day of VALORANT. Actually, the debate started during the Beta version of the game when a limited number of people got their hands on Riot’s first-ever FPS title. Gradually, after release, the unsolvable mystery of Phantom Vs. Vandal was handed out to the general public to decide. As usual, there hasn’t been a clear answer even since. 

Read More: How to improve aim in VALORANT 

Although similar in price and priority, these two guns have their own domains. If we take a look at the statistics and damage values of these guns, we can find out some important differences. Phantom allows for flexibility and more room for correcting your errors. Vandal, on the other hand, is kind of a hit-or-miss weapon. 

Damage Reports

Phantom

• Headshot Damage:
  • 156 (0-15 meters)
  • 140 (15-30 meters)
  • 124 (30-50 meters)
• Body Damage:
  • 39 (0-15 meters)
  • 35 (15-30 meters)
  • 31 (30-50 meters)
• Leg Damage:
  • 33 (0-15 meters)
  • 29 (15-30 meters)
  • 26 (30-50 meters)
• Fire Rate: 11 rounds per second
• Magazine: 30 Rounds

Vandal

• Headshot Damage: 160 (All range) 
• Body Damage: 40 (All range)
• Leg Damage: 34 (All range)
• Fire Rate: 9.75 rounds per second
• Magazine: 25 Rounds

Right off the back, we can see some differences. Phantom has variable damage rates at different ranges, while Vandal delivers the same damage in all ranges. Although difficult, hitting a headshot should mean instant elimination, but this is where Vandal provides a slight upper hand. In all ranges, one shot from Vandal will eliminate a player with 160 damage to the head. While Phantom lags behind with 156 max headshot damage within 0-15 meters of range. 

When to Pick Phantom?

Since Phantom has a faster rate of fire, less recoil, an easily adjustable spray pattern, and a pretty accurate spray transfer, Phantom will give you an edge in close-quarter combats. Aside from the close-quarter, Phantom is also suitable for Medium-range combats too. Phantom’s silencer makes you almost undetectable in certain situations. 

So, during a close or medium-range gunfight, Phantom’s superiority is definitely proven. Although the gun suffers from a significant drawback in long-range gunfights due to its variable damage rates, for most maps in Valorant, Phantom is a decent pick. 

When to Pick Vandal?

Vandal thrives in long-range combats and damage rates. The gun is designed to deliver the same lethal damage to the opponent regardless of the range. However, the weapon is unforgiving in most cases. For example, missing your shots with Vandal means giving away your position, which could mean instant death. On top of that, Vandal’s Spray Transfer, recoil & fire rate are not its strongest suit. Even after that, players favor Vandal in maps like Ascent & Icebox since most of the gunfights take place over long distances. 

Vandal works better for players who are less concerned about things like spray transfer, recoil & spray patterns. If you are not likely to spend more than a bullet to neutralize your enemy, then Vandal should be your default pick.   

Tournament Pick Rates 

Before the Masters 3 Berlin took place, not picking Phantom in Tier-1 Tournaments was considered a disadvantage. Shroud, a strong advocate of the weapon, repeatedly mentioned that Vandal simply just can’t provide all the advantages that Phantom has to offer. During the whole tournament, both Phantom and Vandal had similar appearances. 

However, interesting statistics made by Redditor Ominous___ give us a whole new perspective on the pick rates of Phantom and Vandal during Masters 3 Berlin. Star players like TenZ, cNed & Asuna have used Phantom and Vandal with a similar pick rate. Prior to Masters 3 Berlin, Phantom always had the superior pickrate among North American teams whereas Vandal was favored by the European teams. 

This sudden change in pick rate might have something to do with the imposed penalty given on movement accuracy. At the same time, larger maps like Breeze & Icebox are somewhat forcing players to pick Vandal to ensure better chances of winning at long-range encounters. So it’s safe to say that Riot hasn’t been idle about the pick rates of Phantom in Tier-1 tournaments, and they are clearly players with more reasons to pick the Vandal.  

Since regions like EMEA, Japan & Latin America still prefers the Vandal over Phantom, it’s tough to come to a conclusion on this matter since Phantom’s pick rate is generally higher in the rest of the regions. 

Read More: How to play VALORANT Fracture map: A Complete Guide

The Final Verdict 

While Phantom and Vandal will have their moments, in general, starting your VALORANT journey with Phantom should be the ideal choice. Except for Long-range encounters and damage rates, Phantom just provides way too many upper hands over the Vandal. Aside from these advantages, Phantom also has a larger magazine, trace-free bullets & better recoil adjustments, making it easier for the players to settle on this gun. 

In conclusion, Phantom’s superiority is still visible in most cases. While Vandal is slowly catching up, it’ll surely take time for Riot to make Vandal an equally worthy pick.  

The post Vandal vs Phantom: Which is the Best Rifle in VALORANT 2023? appeared first on GameRiv.

Sidearms in FPS titles are common as they are the go-to choice for players who are either out of ammo or playing the 1st round of the game. The 1st round is also known as the Pistol round, resembling the Pistol round from CSGO. A pistol round unlocks many potentials for a team. Upon winning the round, a team automatically gains an economic advantage for the next round. 

If utilized correctly, this opportunity can multiply as your opponent’s economy will be in ruin if you win the bonus round as well. Such an advantage can’t be easily obtained since winning the Pistol round is quite difficult due to each sidearm’s short-range and unique traits. Knowing the traits ahead of the round will certainly give you and your team a nice kickstart. 

Read More: Best Ghost Skins in VALORANT: All Skins Ranked from Worst to Best

Best Pistol Tier List in VALORANT (A Complete Tier List)

Best Pistols in VALORANT

In this section, we’ll rank all the available pistols in VALORANT from worst to best.

5. Shorty 

Shorty is considered the weakest in the branch. It’s a semi-automatic shotgun with a 150 Creeds price tag. The Shorty’s strongest feature is its short-range effectiveness. On the contrary, taking long-range fights with the Shorty can mean instant death since it has a low damage rate for anything after the 15-meter mark. 

With all these drawbacks, the Shorty suits just fine in the hands of VALORANT’s one of the most picked agents, Jett. Pros often keep a shorty for short-range encounters in full-buy rounds since the primary weapon is most likely an Operator. 

Besides that, the Shorty is also good for entry-fragging in some particular maps & areas. For example, Jett players in high-elo frequently take control of the Lamps/U-hall area in Bind by using Jett’s Tailwind & Shorty. Similarly, taking control of Split’s A heaven or Vents with a Shorty is a great option for Jett or Raze players. So, Shorty has its own traits & applications. 

4. Frenzy 

Frenzy is the only automatic sidearm available in VALORANT. Costing slightly lesser than the Ghost, Frenzy’s 450 Creed price tag is well justified. Frenzy’s damage rate is low & the range is not sufficient, but the gun can be devastating for your opponents if operated from short ranges.

Considering the gun is Fully-automatic, magazine capacity & reload speed seems decently balanced. 

Initially, Frenzy’s capabilities were highly debated as many Pros often relied on it for the consequential rounds after the Pistol rounds as well. Buying Frenzy is often regarded as buying a miniature Spectre since its full-auto feature is actually dangerous. However, Frenzy is extremely weak and inaccurate at long-range encounters, so southing long-range fights with Frenzy is not recommended. 

Nevertheless, in maps like Split & Icebox, Frenzy can look overpowered in some tight corners & angles.

3. Classic

Also known as the default gun, the Classic is given to each player at the beginning of every round. The Classic has no price tag included, but it can’t be underestimated either. Professional players often use the Default Classic in Pistol rounds, primarily due to it; ‘s highly effective Right-click functionality. 

Apart from its primary fire mode as a semi-automatic sidearm, the Classic can also deliver a 3-round Brust at close range and eliminate pretty much any player. Pros have been debating over this extremely powerful ability of the Classic for a long time, but the presence of this functionality makes Classic a great choice for Pistol Rounds.

2. Sheriff 

As the most expensive sidearm available in VALORANT, the Sheriff is in a category of its own. Sheriff costs about 800 Creeds, and it’s able to score confirmed kills from medium to long distances with ease. However, headshot damage in long-range (30+ meters) is now 145, while short-range headshot damage is 159. So, Sheriff is undoubtedly deadlier in short range. 

There are some drawbacks of this gun as well. For example, the slow fire rate & reload speed can be painful sometimes. Magazine size is also limited to six rounds only since the gun already has heavy damage rates. The Sheriff has the highest wall penetration capability among all the sidearms present in Valornat.

This gun is often considered a great alternative to regular high-damage assault rifles in Semi-buy or eco rounds. Since Sheriff is actually able to deliver precise high-damage shots, it’s an extremely useful gun to pick in uncertain rounds. 

Sheriff’s application doesn’t end here because of the long-range capabilities. Jett players often use this gun as their primary sidearm to finish off heavily damaged enemies. The high-wall penetration feature also attracts a lot of Sova players to pick Sheriff in Semi-buy or eco rounds. Some even consider Sheriff as a better alternative to the Marshal. 

On the contrary, it’s really tough to have a strong grip on the Sheriff. There are many drawbacks of gun as well. Buying Sheriff on the wrong round can severely wound your economy for the next couple of rounds. Also, the high-recoil of the gun is actually hard to control or master. One-shot accuracy is decent, but hitting shots with Sheriff actually requires a lot of practice time in the range.

1.Ghost

Ghost is the de-facto gun in the Pistol round for the majority of the players. Highly effective in short-medium range, the Ghost provides precision, damage & flexibility. With a 15-round magazine, and 105 damage to the head at close range, the Ghost is in a class of its own. Multiple shots can confirm a kill even in long-range, making Ghost the best Pistol in VALORANT.

Unlike the Classic, it has no secondary firing mode. However, a silencer attached to the Ghost makes it more stealthy by reducing the sound profile. Additionally, bullet tracers aren’t visible, making it harder for the enemy to detect you. Buying a Ghost will cost you 500 Creeds, making it a not-so-cheap option for Pistol rounds. 

Even with its 500 Creeds price tag, its popularity & relevancy hasn’t dropped since the launch of VALORANT.

Read More: Best Classic Skins in VALORANT: All Skins Ranked from Worst to Best

Buying the right Pistol at the right moment is more important than mastering one Pistol. Since these pistols have different use cases and traits, it’s difficult to stick to one single preference. On the other hand, playing eco rounds with the relevant sidearm can actually deliver better results than hurriedly buying Stingers or Spectres. 

The post Best Pistol in VALORANT 2023: All Sidearms Ranked from Worst to Best appeared first on GameRiv.

Built around defense in mind, Riot made sure Sentinels agents are not going to offer offensive abilities. Sentinel agents in VALORANT often play as the anchor of the team to hold particular areas of a map. Some agents might have their niche applications, but generally, Cypher, Killjoy, Chamber & Sage are easily the backbones of any team.

With the release of Neon & patch 4.0, Riot facelifted VALORANT to fresh start the 2022 season. After Acend crowing as the inaugural VCT Champion, developers quickly went to rework some aspects of the game. Even after performing some minor tweaks, VALORANT is still all about adaptability. Players who are able to adapt faster will benefit more. Sentinel players have to dig a little deeper this time to fight their newest threat, Neon.

Read More: Best Duelist Agents in VALORANT

Best Sentinel Agents Tier List

S-Tier

Killjoy

The German VALORANT agent is packed with effective abilities to stall any team from gaining easy site access. Killjoy’s controversial release made things hard for the developers initially, but a couple of retouches later, Killjoy is a perfect pick for most of the maps in VALORANT.

Her Nanoswarms & Alarmbots are still a lethal combo in 2023. Additionally, Killjoy’s Turret can be a serious pain for the Attackers since it’s hard to bypass. Killjoy’s Turret becomes absolutely indestructible in Pistol and in eco-rounds. In maps like Bind, Ascent, Split, or Fracture, Killjoy is a lethal agent to deal with. Based on your playstyle, Killjoy can be a blessing or a curse since misplaced abilities will act as a dual-edged sword for your team.

Cypher

Cypher’s Tripwire & Cyber Cage are heavily effective against most of the Duelists. Previously, the Agent was inferior in most cases. However, due to the huge buff in the 5.10 patch, Cypher has once again become really powerful.

Now, with Cypher’s kits, one can easily shut down any Attackers’ pushes and watch out for flanks pretty clearly. Not to mention, Cypher’s Ultimate can come in pretty handy in clutch situations.

A-Tier

Sage

Sage is an excellent support agent, but her worth as a Sentinel is highly questionable after the recent changes. Chamber and Killjoy are able to cause massive damage to the attackers, while Sage’s abilities are strongly defensive. So much so that she is often considered as the “Secondary” Sentinel behind Killjoy or Cypher in some cases.

Sage’s healing ability is, beyond any doubt, the best in VALORANT right now & her Barrier Orb is quite effective, but her overall ability to defend sites is no longer something to count on. If you are sure about your team composition, then picking Sage could be a good option considering that her Ultimate and Healing abilities can still make a huge impact.

B-Tier

Chamber

Chamber is the latest Sentinel agent in VALORANT. Released during the last quarter of 2021, the French-based agent brought some interesting new abilities to the table. VALORANT’s Sentinel saga so has been all about forcing the Duelists to take a step back, but with Chamber, the scenario has changed drastically.

However, due to the heavy Chamber nerf, the Agent has become quite inferior compared to other Agents in the game.

Read More: Best Initiator Agents in VALORANT

Riot’s ambition with the Sentinel agents is still unclear, as they have just released Neon. It’s also pretty unlikely that the next agent will be a Sentinel since Chamber was released only 3 months ago. So the most viable solution would be to tweak Cypher’s abilities and give some strength back to Sage.

Picking any Sentinel agent is fine; it all comes down to your skills and preparation. However, playing Chamber, Cypher, or Killjoy could be tricky since you have to learn where to place your abilities to maximize damage on the enemy team. In contrast, Sage is the easiest Sentinel agent to play.

The post Best Sentinel Agents in VALORANT 2023 appeared first on GameRiv.

Unlike the Duelists, there are only four Initiators in VALORANT. Almost every team has one or two dedicated Initiators in their compositions. Whether it’s North America or Europe, the undeniable importance of the Initiator agents are the same in every region. However, learning to play all four Initiator agents isn’t a viable idea. Instead, we have to settle with one or two agents.

Riot’s intention with VALORANT is sometimes difficult to predict. However, the game is now a far cry from what it used to be in 2020. VALORANT is beginning to take a new shape, thanks to the continuous updates coming from the developers. Similarly, Initiator agents now have more roles to play than before, and many teams now consider the Initiators as backup Duelists.

Read More: Best Sentinel Agents in VALORANT

Best Initiator Agents Tier List

S-Tier

Gekko

Gekko is the newest addition to VALORANT. The Agent from the United States was added to the game in the 6.04 patch and currently is the most powerful character in the game. Although most characters remain powerful upon release, Gekko is overpowered because of his kits.

What makes Gekko most important is his Wingman and Dizzy. Gekko’s Dizzy unleashes plasma blasts at enemies in line of sight. Enemies hit by her plasma are blinded. On the other hand, Gekko’s Wingman can plant or defuse Spike on its own with a simple command. So, Gekko or his team don’t have to put their lives on the line.

Fade

Most players have figured out how to counter Fade by now. However, she is still a competent character on any map. As VALORANT has diverse maps, locating enemies on either side is challenging. So having a Fade in your team can save much of your trouble. Enemies will also have to be very cautious of hiding behind any corner if there’s a Fade in your team.

A-Tier

Sova

Back in Patch 3.05, Sova’s ultimate ability, “Hunter’s Fury,” received a minor but crucial buff. Sova, as an Initiator, is already quite powerful, and his information-gathering ability is almost second to none. With the buff from Riot, he is now the agent to choose.

Sova’s primary ability is the Recon Bolt which can reveal almost anything within its visible range. Combined with the Shock Bolt, Sova can easily neutralize pre-positioned enemies from common locations. His Owl Drone is also a way of gathering information from long distances.

Skye

Skye had her ups and downs throughout multiple patches. After receiving a small nerf during the release of Patch 3.06, Skye’s ability to act as a Duelist got somewhat shattered. The nerf was meant to reduce Skye’s agility to keep her in line with other Initiators.

Despite these changes, Skye’s Guiding Light & Trailblazer are effective abilities to punch a hole through enemy defenses. Her Regrowth ability is also useful in certain situations. Skye’s Ultimate ability “Seekers” might need some rework sometimes soon.

Breach

B-Tier

Breach allows Initaors players to be aggressive and fast. His Flashpoint ability is still one of the best entry-pathing tools to allow the team to gain access anywhere. Even though it was nerfed a while ago, Flashpoint offers some unique attributes that are not comparable to other flashes available in VALORANT.

Additionally, Breach’s Aftershock is now more powerful than ever. During Patch 3.05, Aftershock was buffed to damage some other abilities like Barrier Orb, Recon Bolt, Nanoswar, or Lockdown. Breach’s Aftershock is now lethal and effective. The infamous Jett & Breach combo is still alive, thanks to Breach’s Fault Line ability. Furthermore, Breach’s Ultimate ability is also sufficient enough to clear an entire site in maps like Split, Fracture, or Haven.

C-Tier

KAY/O

First introduced in Patch 3.0, KAY/O’s journey hasn’t been smooth across the year. Players had mixed feelings about KAY/O’s debut since his abilities presented a completely new way of playing the game. Initially, multiple teams tried out KAY/O as it was the new meta back then. At best, the results were underwhelming, and teams were more hesitant to have KAY/O in their lineups.

Even on the casual side of the game, players dropped their interests from KAY/O. Despite this condition, KAY/O is a great agent if the player has enough knowledge about the game itself. KAY/O’S abilities like FRAG/ment, FLASH/drive & ZERO/point could be lethal if utilized perfectly. However, KAY/O’s NULL/cmd needs an improvement.

Read More: Best VALORANT Agents for Split

Playing an Initiator agent will require you to have extensive knowledge about the existing maps of VALORANT. Initiators agents basically have to make opportunities for the team and show aggression where necessary. Learning to play Initiators isn’t a comfortable experience since you’ll need to learn a lot of lineups, especially with Sova and KAY/O. Comparatively, Skye and Breach are easier to master as their abilities are more offense-centric.

VALORANT’s gameplay is bound to shift with the release of each update. So, keeping up with emerging meta’s is a crucial& time-consuming task. No matter what Initiator agent you choose, adaptability is the most important skill you’ll need in VALORANT.

The post Best Initiator Agents in VALORANT 2023 appeared first on GameRiv.

All competitive shooters have some sort of credential cycles & limits. Similarly, VALORANT also has a limit on how much money each player can have after a certain round. Such mechanics force players to become more cautious about their weapons buy. In VALORANT, the in-game currency is called “Creds.”

Riot intended to make VALORANT a well-balanced FPS title that could offer an alternative to all popular titles. That’s why the economic system in VALORANT works similarly to CSGO. Players familiar with these games will have little to no issue adjusting to VALORANT’s economic cycle.

Read More: How to make accurate callouts in VALORANT

Types of Eco in VALORANT 

• Full-Buy 
• Half-Buy (Eco)
• Semi-Buy
• Default-Buy 

Full-Buy

Full-buy is sensible when the entire team has sufficient money to buy weapons for the current & upcoming rounds. Even if one player is lacing funds, it’s best not to go for a full buy. In this way, the team will have enough “Creds” left to have a balanced buy for the next round.   

Half-buy 

When the team runs out of creds to last through 2 consecutive rounds, it’s best to call for a half-buy or eco-round. In classic terms, players are instructed to buy the bare minimum whilst saving enough for a full-buy next round. A successful half-buy can restore the economy & pave the way for a possible round-winning streak. 

Semi-Buy

Semi-buy doesn’t frequently occur since it’s challenging to make this decision for an IGL. Usually, a semi-buy is a risky move that could damage the team economy for multiple rounds. However, it could also be rewarding, but the stakes remain high during a semi-buy. 

Default-Buy  

Default buy offers a level-playing field for both teams. Only in two instances do we get a default buy, one during the start of the game & the other during half-time. All players get 800 creds to start with, so it becomes impossible to buy anything rather than Pistols & some abilities, although winning these rounds grants a smoother ride on the consequent rounds.

VALORANT Eco Rounds Weapons Tier List

• S-Tier: Marshal, Sheriff
• A-Tier: Spectre, Ghost
• B-Tier: Bulldog, Stinger
• C-Tier: Frenzy, Shorty

S Tier

Marshal

In VALORANT, the Marshal is a budget version of the Operator. It costs only 950 Creds, but the weapon can deliver devasting blows on eco-rounds. The Marshal can give a 202 Headshot damage from a maximum distance of 50 meters, making it a really effective killing machine. Additionally, Marshal allows for a greater movement ability while firing.

Sheriff

The Sheriff is the most powerful handgun in VALORANT. Whilst being controversial, the Sheriff has always been a weapon of choice for the Pros during competitive matches. The Sherrif can deliver 159 Damage in 1 headshot in close range, resulting in instant elimination of the enemy. However, if the range is above 30 meters, then it will take two headshots or Multiple body shots.

A Tier

Spectre

VALORANT has two weapons in the Sub-Machine Gun category, and the Spectre is one of them. Spectre is a weapon for the fast-movers. If you have an excellent grip on the movement mechanics in VALORANT, the Spectre will surprise you in dire situations. Specter costs only 1600 Creds & has a pretty good range too, making it a perfect gun for eco-rounds.

Ghost

Ghost is definitely the de-facto gun of the Pistol rounds. It allows the players to purchase a good amount of utilities too. Considering the wide variety of applications of the Ghost, it’s a perfect gun for eco-rounds too. The Ghost costs 500 Creds and has very low-profile characteristics. Buying a Ghost in eco-rounds will ensure a good winning potential.

B Tier

Bulldog

The Bulldog is a notorious weapon among a very specific group of people and has some really effective niche applications.

Although it’s 500 Creds more expensive than the Spectre, the Bulldog offers some serious features like three-round burst & long-range. If you plan to use the Bulldog beyond eco-rounds or Bonus rounds, then purchasing this gun will be a worthy decision.

Stinger

Before Patch 3.0, the Stinger used to be a headache for many VALORANT players. Due to it’s high-accuracy while sprinting, The Stinger would grant instant kills in strange ways. However, the gun is a lot more balanced now & it costs 950 Creds. Walking & Running accuracy is much lower now, but the Stinger still has effective close-range usages.

C Tier

Frenzy

If you know how to use it, the Frenzy is a bang-for-the-buck weapon. It’s an Automatic Pistol that costs only 450 Creds. However, the Frenzy is extremely dangerous in close ranges. Additionally, this handgun is useful in maps like Split or Fracture. Frenzy’s damage rate is low, but the automatic rate of fire makes up for it.

Shorty

If you’re playing Jett or Raze on the defender’s side, it’s a wise investment to buy a Shorty. Considering that you’ll be waiting for your enemies to come, the Shorty can deliver heavy blows to the attackers. In some scenarios, buying a shorty offers a low-risk, low-reward situation, so it’s a relatively better investment than the Frenzy.

Read More: 5 VALORANT agents that need buffs

Eco-rounds can be a turning point for the rest of the match if planned properly. There are countless examples of Pro teams making comebacks initiated from carefully executed eco-rounds. Besides that, winning an eco-round also boosts the morale of the players. Economy management in VALORANT is just as important as developing other skills in the game.

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Following the format, the top 8 teams from the Group Stage proceeded to the Main Event. To no one’s surprise, teams like Sentinels, Optic, C9 & LG have secured their seats for the Main Event. However, this time, we’ll get to see a relatively new team called “The Guard” competing against the top dogs. 

NA VALORANT scene is prone to have dramas & upsets. Shockingly enough, 100T decided to swap players during the Tournament. Consequently, they finished the Group Stage with only one victory, a pretty lousy outcome for an Org. of the caliber of 100T. 

Read More: Rise of The Guard in NA VALORANT scene

Qualified Teams for the Main Event

• Sentinels 
• Cloud9
• Version1
• The guard 
• Optic Gaming
• Luminosity 
• XSET
• Knights

Semifinals Prediction 

Cloud9 Vs. Knights 

A relatively easy victory for Cloud9

The C9 roster produced unexpectedly well results throughout the Tournament. Cloud9 is currently on a 12 match winning streak that includes victories against teams like 100T, NRG, LG, & V1. With Leaf & Xeppa popping off when necessary, the roster is on the correct course. Vanity, Mitch & Xeta are also providing the necessary support when required. 

Optic Vs. XSET 

A hard-fought victory for Optic 

The newly formed roster of Optic Gaming should be able to overcome the rising XSET. Since the second quarter of 2021, XSET has been on an upward trajectory. They have nearly defeated all influential NA teams out there. It’s presumable that Optic Vs. XSET will be an exciting series to watch. However, the more experienced Optic roster is the favorite here.

Version1 Vs. Luminosity 

A 2-1 victory for Version1

The 2021 season had been a mediocre journey for the Version1 roster. Version1’s reappearance into the NA VCT scene has caught every team off-guard. Version1 managed to defeat Sentinels, Optic Gaming, NRG & Rise with a relatively new roster, sending a clear message for the other teams in the process. Luckily for V1, the Luminosity roster is not in its peak form & prone to breakdown under pressure.  

The Guard Vs. Sentinels 

Sentinels 2-1 The Guard

The Guard has been scoring incredible victories over the recent weeks. On the other hand, Sentinels is undeniably the most successful NA team so far. With TenZ back in Texas servers, the Sentinels roster can hope to achieve maximum individual performance. Although, the Guard is not likely to just hand over a victory to the Sentinels.

Read More: Best Weapons for Eco Round in VALORANT 2022

VALORANT Stage 1 Challengers Main Event is the gateway for Masters 1. All teams will be gunning for the grand prize, a ticket to Iceland. Even securing a seat for the Masters can open doors to many other opportunities in the subsequent VCT events.

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North America houses some of the most prestigious teams like Sentinels, 100 & Optic. The presence of such high-budget & reputed teams makes it harder for underdog teams to climb up the ladder. However, it seems that the Guard has been able to overcome such odds quite comfortably. 

Read More: VALORANT Patch Notes 4.05 PBE: Toxicity in Voice Chat, Auto-Generated Crosshair Customization, & More

The Guard 

After defeating 100T with a 13-0 scoreline, this relatively low-profile team appeared on everyone’s radar.  Previously, they have beaten teams like LG & XSET during the Open Qualifiers of NA Stage 1 Challengers. Such victories are bound to grab the attention of the VALORANT community & the analysts. 

Did the team appear out of nowhere? No. In fact, they have been dominating the Tier-2 scene since the start of 2022. On their way towards the spotlight, The Guard has defeated some underrated teams like SoaR, Resonate & Team Volted, etc. 

During the NSG Winter Championship: Open 14 tournament, the Guard revealed their true potential. Analysts could predict just how much more the team was capable of. They have managed to grab the Championship title with a remarkable show of performance. 

Presumably, their performance in the Challenger series silenced the critics. Currently, they are playing the Group Stage of the NA Stage 1 Challengers & surprisingly, they are yet to take a loss. Standing on top of the group, the Guard is seemingly becoming a powerhouse of North America. 

The Guard Roster

• valyn 
• JonahP
• Sayaplayer
• trent
• neT

Read More: Best Weapons for Eco Round in VALORANT 2022

It’s obvious that the team’s actual goal is to secure a seat for the Masters 1 in April. Even though the team is having a cinderella run, the pressure will definitely barge in once they are on the Main Event of Challengers 1. With that said, pros & analysts will be closely observing the Guard’s approach to deal with such pressure.

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After a disappointing 13-0 loss on Ascent against The Guard during the NA Stage 1 Challengers Group Stage, 100T have dropped ec1s & BabyJ from the active roster. Immediately, Bang & JcStani were named as replacements for the team. During an ongoing VCT event, such changes shocked the entire North American VAORANT community.

Read More: How to make accurate callouts in VALORANT

On January 18th, 100T revealed their new roster ahead of the Stage 1 Challengers. The departure of Nitro & Steel made it difficult for 100T to develop a solid replacement plan. However, the new 100T roster with Hiko, Asuna, Ethan, ec1s & BabyJ looked promising. Unforntuenly, 100T didn’t get the fresh start they needed.

NA Stage 1 Challengers Group Stage has been disappointing for 100T. In their inaugural match against Cloud9, 100T fell behind with a 2-0 scoreline. Further complications arrived when the team lost to The Guard, a relatively lesser-known team in the NA VALORANT scene. Upsets in VALORANT are common, but failing with a 13-0 scoreline proved to be a disaster.

After taking such a hectic loss, Nadeshot, the CEO of 100T, shared his view on the situation. He summarized the situation in one word, “unacceptable.” Consequently, the team took some heavy blows on social media from the critics. Apparently, 100T didn’t let it slide that easily.

Read More: 5 VALORANT agents that need buffs in 2022

Bang & JcStani will be replacing the deportees. Both of these players have a notorious reputation in the NA VALORANT scene. Bang’s potential & JcStani’s experience from the Immortals can provide 100T with precisely what they need right now. However, the decision to make a monumental roster change is still questionable since 100T will face teams like XSET, LG & Evil Genuiesses in the upcoming matches.

100T will play their next match on February 28th against LG. The future looks uncertain for the team as the newcomers will need time to settle. It’s not clear whether the recent change is a long-term solution or just a bandage on the wound.

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Riot’s venture into the world of FPS began with VALORANT in 2020. The game has been in development for years, supposedly since 2014. VALORANT’s gameplay provides a taste of CSGO & Overwatch combined. It doesn’t matter whatever form it has; the game still falls under the competitive FPS category. 

Competitive FPS titles are the hardest of their kind. Unlike Battle Royale, where luck plays a considerable part, competitive shooters are all about tactics, timing, aim & callouts. Some players are reluctant to give any attention to developing their communication skills. Conseuqneclty, they fall behind others who are willing to do the opposite. 

Read More: 5 VALORANT agents that need buffs in 2022

Good Callout Vs. Bad Callout

Good communication means short, readable & clear callouts. To callout effectively, you need to understand the basics of the game. You say what you see; it’s as simple as that. However, if you aim to reach the higher ranks of VALORANT, you might have to reconsider such approaches to callouts. 

When calling out anything, it’s best to maintain order. Sorting the information in an orderly manner is essential before relaying it to others. An example of a well-sorted call would be, “One B long, low HP, with Vandal” instead of “One enemy low Hp with AWP at B Long.” Although it sounds similar, there is a vast difference.

In the first call, your teammates get to know the most crucial information which is the location of the enemy. Afterward, they come to know the health & threat level of the enemy. Thus, your teammate will be able to paint a picture of the situation before reacting to the information.

To put it simply, it’s not smart to prioritize the health status of the enemy before revealing his location to your teammates. Such information holds no value for the team since they are unaware of who is with low health or where. Similarly, there are other instances where the priority could be different.

Smart Callout Visluaized

Information Filter & Priority

Anything except for helpful information should be filtered out. Only the things that are relevant to the situation are practical. VALORANT players often waste their pre-round timeout by talking about the previous round instead of preparing for the upcoming round. Hence, they start planning for the round after it begins, resulting in a weak execution & miscommunications.

As discussed above, priorities should be answering some questions that start with where, what, & when. Remembering these simple tactics will make your callouts better. Smooth callout also means less distraction & zero criticism in-game. Players often start to criticize other players in-game, bringing distraction & disorder to the team.

Criticism is vital for improving any FPS title, but performing this in a live round is the worst idea. Excessive criticism also leads to a blaming loop where every player starts to blame each other instead of seeking a solution. Such white noises only make it harder for everyone to concentrate in the game.

Read More: Best VALORANT Callouts to Improve Gameplay

Maintaining clear communication is necessary to rank up in VALORANT. The only way to improve communications is to speak up. VALORANT has a solid VoIP system that enables players to communicate with each other. So, instead of relying on other VoIP platforms, it’s even easier to callout in VALORANT.

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