After countless patches and rebalancing, VALORANT’s best weapons have changed dramatically since launch. Pros have adapted their tactics, mastering new guns and building stronger loadouts. So, if you’re grinding ranked or want more wins, you’ll need a weapons tier list that reflects today’s meta.

This guide ranks every gun in VALORANT from best to worst, highlighting the top picks for tournaments, climbing the ranks, or dominating pubs.

VALORANT Weapons Tier List: Best Guns Ranked 

This tier list ranks all VALORANT weapons based on the versatility demonstrated by pros. The guns that are used the most in ranked and recommended by the esports wizards are placed in the S-Tier. Likewise, those with poor economy and low damage are tossed all the way down into the C and D tiers.

Tier	Weapons
S-Tier (meta)	Phantom, Vandal, Operator
A-Tier (excellent)	Odin, Outlaw, Sheriff, Ghost, Judge
B-Tier (good)	Marshal, Spectre, Guardian, Bulldog
C-Tier (mid)	Classic, Stinger, Ares, Bucky
D-Tier (trash)	Frenzy, Shorty, Melee

S-Tier VALORANT Weapons: Phantom, Vandal, & Operator

The Phantom is arguably the best gun in VALORANT. It fires 11 rounds per second with low recoil, dealing 39 body and 156 headshot damage—plus, the silencer masks your location. While it’s expensive early, at 2,900 credits, the Phantom’s close-range power and spray potential make it worth every penny. 

That said, the gun’s damage falls off beyond 15 meters, meaning it can’t one-shot enemies from range. That’s why many pros prefer the Vandal. It deals a flat 160 headshot damage at all distances. Its higher recoil makes it better for precise aiming at a distance, but it’s still deadly up close.

The Operator deals 255 headshot and 150 body damage, guaranteeing one-hit kills on nearly all enemies. With no drop-off, it’s the go-to for pros like TenZ and Derke to outplay teams. It’s a one-tap that makes it the perfect gun to swing rounds, punish peeks, and create clutch plays when it matters most.

A-Tier VALORANT Weapons: Odin, Outlaw, Sheriff, Ghost & Judge

The king of wallbang kills is the Odin—and not many VALORANT guns come close. With its humongous 100-bullet magazine, Odin is perfect for defending spots and raining down bullet hell on your foes. The only drawback is its hefty 3,200 credit price tag, which will leave a dent in your wallet for later rounds.

While it doesn’t do as much damage as the Operator, the Outlaw can one-shot body shot most unarmored enemies. Its faster fire rate also helps pin down enemies from afar, so it’s a bang-for-your-buck sniper rifle worthy of the A-Tier in our VALORANT weapons tier list.

The Sheriff is a good sidearm for your loadout. It’s a classic six-shooter that can take out enemies in a single shot within a 30-meter radius. However, the setback is the Sheriff’s bonkers recoil. Each time you pull the trigger, your FOV shakes like crazy.

If the Sheriff is hard to control, the Ghost is a great alternative. It leaves no visible traces for enemies, and the attached silencer muffles the sounds beyond 40 meters. While it’s slightly underpowered and requires multiple headshots, its low recoil makes it the best VALORANT weapon for beginners.

Then there’s Judge. This shotgun is an absolute juggernaut in close quarters. Most VALORANT pros utilize smokes around bomb sites and then unleash Judge’s twelve-pellet shrapnel. When handled right, this VALORANT weapon can melt entire enemy teams in seconds.

B-Tier VALORANT Weapons: Marshal, Spectre, Guardian, & Bulldog

The Marshal can one-shot headshot a fully armored enemy, but if you miss, its slow fire rate and reload will leave you exposed. So if you know how to play chess with your bullets, the Marshal is a budget beast. 

Spectre is one of the most widely used SMGs in VALORANT. Repeated patches have left this gun with low accuracy and nerfed damage. However, its affordability and rapid firing rate make the Spectre ideal if you need an aggressive option for a half-buy round.

The Guardian is a mixed bag VALORANT weapon. It deals insane headshot damage and can one-tap light armored players with greater accuracy than the Vandal (and is cheaper, too). The catch is that its semi-automatic fire demands constant tapping, making it a bitter purchase.

The Bulldog is a solid budget rifle in VALORANT. It sprays continuously when hip-fired, albeit with low accuracy. With ADS, the aim tightens into three-burst shots. While it’s far from perfect, the Bulldog is an affordable alternative to the fully automatic Vandal or Phantom.

C-Tier VALORANT Weapons: Classic, Stinger, Ares, & Bucky

The Classic is your standard secondary issue VALORANT gun. Its primary single-shot and alternate shotgun modes are resourceful at close range. But during mid and long-range combat, the damage falls off, making it a weak choice. 

For light eco rounds, the Stinger’s rapid 16 rounds per second fire rate makes it a strong pick for most VALORANT pros, though its wild recoil turns it into a spray-and-pray kind of gun. The Ares machine gun is also effective up close, but its poor starting accuracy and high cost make it less attractive.

The Bucky shotgun is in the same boat. Its damage has been buffed in recent patches, but the pellet spread is as bad as ever. Other than the rare few times when you find an enemy up close, Bucky fails to land, and that’s why it belongs in the low C-Tier in this VALORANT weapons tier list.

D-Tier VALORANT Weapons: Shorty, Frenzy & Melee

The great thing about Shorty is that you get enormous stopping power for chump change. However, the fact that you need to get right up into an enemy’s face to make the kill is what puts it in the D-Tier. It’s primarily used during smokes when enemies are pushing, but even then, it’s difficult to land.

Similarly, you should also avoid using Frenzy. Its high fire rate is appealing, but the massive bullet spread is a deal breaker. Half your bullets never reach the target, and the other half lack the juice to finish things.

We saved the worst for last: the Melee knife is the least practical weapon in VALORANT, with the shortest range and highest difficulty. A backstab can one-shot an unarmored enemy, but it’s useless in high-level play. It’s best reserved for trolling new players or aura farming in ranked if you’re too skilled.

FAQs

What is the best weapon in VALORANT?

The best weapon in VALORANT is the Operator because it has the highest damage in the game. It can also perform a one-shot headshot on all armored enemies and a one-shot bodyshot on all unarmored enemies.

What guns do pros use in VALORANT?

All of the best VALORANT pros like Sinatraa, Aspas, and TenZ prefer using the S-Tier weapons: the Phantom, Vandal, and Operator.

Is Phantom or Vandal better in VALORANT?

The Phantom is better for crowd control and close to mid-range offense, while the Vandal is better for eliminating enemies at mid to long range.

What gun can one-shot headshot in VALORANT?

The Operator, Outlaw, and Marshal can one-shot headshot all armored and unarmored enemies at any distance in VALORANT.

Is a 29% headshot good in VALORANT?

Yes. A 29% headshot score is considered extremely good since most VALORANT pros only score around 27%.