We’ve already covered the Marshal in our Valorant Weapons Guide series, and now it’s time to talk about the elephant in the room – the Operator. Is the fat sniper in Valorant really worth its price?

Before we get into the Operators, be sure to check out our previous Valorant Weapon Guides:

READ MORE:

• Valorant Weapons Guide: Phantom
• Valorant Weapons Guide: Vandal
• Valorant Weapons Guide: Bulldog
• Valorant Weapons Guide: Guardian

Operator Weapon Guide

The Operator is THE SNIPER in Valorant and while many pro players consider it overpowered, others think it’s just not worth the investment. With the Operator, you have the ability to take out anything with just one shot. Here’s a quick look at the weapon’s stats compared to the Marshal:

• Rate of fire: 0.6 rounds/second (1.5 rounds/second for the Marshal)
• Magazine Capacity: 5 rounds (same as the Marshal).
• Wall Penetration: High (Medium for the Marshal)
• Reloading speed: 3.7 seconds (2.5 seconds for the Marshal)

The Operator has the same magazine capacity as the Marshal, but that’s where the similarities end. The heavy sniper rifle is much slower in terms of rate of fire and reload time, but hits harder through walls and bodies.

Operator Damage

The Operator has no damage drop. Unlike the Marshal, you don’t even have to aim for the head, as the Operator can take out even fully armored enemies with just one body hit.

• 0m-50: Körper150/Kopf255/Bein120

As you can see, you just shouldn’t aim at the legs. Body and head shots are always deadly. Keep the crosshairs up!

Operator Alt-Fire

While the Marshal has only one zoom level (x3.5), the Operator offers two – x2.5 and x5. However, you will mostly use the first level. When taking a position, make sure you place your crosshairs where you expect the enemy to be, rather than trying to track them (unless you’re really good with flick shots). As a side note, the accuracy of hip fire is pretty random and unreliable, but if an enemy gets too close, don’t hesitate to take him out with a no-scope.

Operator Price

The Operator takes out enemies with one shot and can penetrate even the thickest of obstacles, so what’s the downside? As you may have guessed, it’s the price. The heavy sniper rifle costs a whopping 5000 credits, which is an insane amount for a single weapon, because for the same price you could equip and upgrade yourself with all sorts of abilities.

Conclusion

The price is what makes many players doubtful about the Operator, but it’s also what makes the weapon balanced. The Operator is a high-risk, high-reward option, and if you lose it, you’re broke for the next few turns. If you plan to use the Operator, then Jett is a good agent as she offers insane mobility. To wrap things up, here are useful tips and tricks from the pros.

Valorant Beginner’s Guide

Overwhelmed with Valorant? No wonder… Without experience in similar games (such as CS:GO or Overwatch) the start in Valorant is difficult. But don’t worry, we are here to help you with our Valorant Beginner Guide.

Valorant is a special game. Many think that getting into the game is easy, but without shooter experience, you’ll quickly be on the ropes. Even CS:GO veterans can get into trouble… In Counter Strike, there are no flying knife-throwing things-people. But that’s why we are here.

This beginner’s guide is meant to help you get started in Valorant and introduce you to the world of Valorant. After that, the most important features should be clear to you, so that the fun in Valorant is not lost.

Valorant Beginner Guide: Basics

Let’s start with the meaning behind the game. In other words: What is Valorant anyway? Valorant is a first-person shooter in which two teams consisting of five players face off. The first team to win 13 rounds wins. Both teams have a different role – attacker and defender.

The goal of the attackers is to place a spike and protect it until detonation. This must happen on one of the three spots (A/B/C). In turn, the defenders must prevent the attackers from doing so.

Each match consists of two halves. After the first half (12 rounds), the two teams switch roles. The attackers become defenders, the defenders become attackers. Easy.

Agents

Before the start of a match, each player must choose an agent. Agents have unique skills, which in most cases also require a certain playstyle (offensive, defensive, support, etc.). Currently there are 16 agents in total, but new agents have already been leaked and should be added soon.

As a new player, you can initially choose between 5 free agents: Brimstone, Phoenix, Sova, Jett and Sage. To unlock more agents, you will have to sign contracts, which is mostly done via Daily Quests or earning experience points.

Valorant Beginner Guide: The best agent to start with

Phoenix is by far the easiest agent to start with in Valorant. His skills are not too complicated, can be combined well in any situation. But watch out with the flashbangs (aka your Q skill)! You’ll probably flashbang yourself and your mates quite often in the beginning, but practice makes perfect!

Valorant Beginner Guide: The best mode to start with

Stay away from Unrated mode for the beginning. This may sound strange, but especially the beginning of Valorant might be hard for you. Frustration will lead to quick quits, which in turn will get you involved in penalties and XP loss. That’s why you should start with Spike Rush first. An average game here lasts 8 minutes, while other modes can easily go over 50 minutes. In Spike Rush, you’ll be quickly released from suffering without having to take any penalties.

In addition, you don’t have to do any eco rounds in Spike Rush. This means that you’ll be able to try out your agents’ abilities, as well as the most varied weapons. Spike Rush is a great mode to learn the basics of Valorant. When you feel like you’re firmly in the saddle, you can try your luck in Unrated mode. After 20 matches in Unrated mode, you’ll gain access to Competitive mode, where you can earn ranks.

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