In our Valorant Weapon Guide series, we’ve already covered all four rifles and the sniper rifles in Riot’s shooter. Now it’s time to take a look at the two SMGs, starting with the Spectre.
Before we get into the Spectre, you should check out our previous Valorant guides:
Read More:
- Valorant Weapon Guide: Marshal
- Valorant Weapon Guide: Guardian
- Valorant Weapon Guide: Operator
Spectre Weapon Guide
When it comes to SMGs in Valorant, there are only two of them – just like with sniper rifles and shotguns. The Stinger and the Spectre are pretty similar, but also pretty different. Today, we’ll take a look at the more expensive Spectre. Both weapons do what you’d expect from SMGs – a high rate of fire and accuracy at short to medium range. Oh, run & gun works too – yeah, that’s still a thing. Here’s a quick look at the Spectre’s stats:
- Rate of Fire: 13.33 rounds/sec
- Magazine: 30 rounds
- Penetration: Medium
- Reload Speed: 2.25 seconds
The Spectre gives you a great clip that lasts about three seconds before needing to reload. It also has a built-in silencer that masks the sound of your shots, so enemies can’t tell exactly where you’re shooting from.
Specter Damage
Unlike some of the other weapons we’ve covered, you’ll find no shortage of damage drops here. The farther away your target is, the harder it will be to land a kill with the Spectre. Here’s how the damage changes depending on the distance:
- 0m-20m: Body 26/Head 78/Legs 22
- 20m-50m: Body 22/Head 66/Legs 18
A single shot to the head is not enough with the Spectre. In fact, even two shots won’t be enough if your enemies are armored. Considering the high rate of fire, it’s often a better idea to aim for the body, where you’ll need to land at least 4 shots to get a kill. The Spectre’s accuracy isn’t nearly as good as the rifles, but you can always shoot while moving.
Spectre Alt-Fire
The Spectre’s alternate fire mode improves what the primary fire lacks. It offers a zoom of x1.15, dispersion, and recoil reduction at the expense of rate of fire (12 rounds/sec) and reduced movement speed. Whether this swap is worth it really depends on the situation. If you’re trying to take someone out from a longer distance, you’ll usually want to aim more.
Spectre Price
The Spectre is often considered the better of the two SMGs in Valorant, and the higher price should justify that. It comes with a price tag of 1600 credits, which puts it closer to some guns than the Stinger.
Conclusion
Of the two SMGs available in Valorant, the Spectre seems to be the better choice in most cases. Its price of 1600 credits will often make you wonder if you should just save up for a rifle. When it comes to run & gun, the Spectre is probably the best weapon, as it has better accuracy and a larger magazine than the Stinger. Try pairing the Spectre with a mobile agent who can flank well and get out of harm’s way.
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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