Logged in and started… Only with which weapon? Riot’s tactical shooter Valorant is still hyped – and here, besides the agent skills, the weapons are crucial. In our big weapons guide we want to take a closer look at them. This time we’re talking about the shotgun for master hiders: the Bucky.

There are currently 17 weapons in Valorant, and the variety is great: from the sniper, to the shotgun, to the assault rifle… The shooter lives up to its name. But which weapon is suitable for which agent? Which strategy should be followed with which weapon? And what is the firing pattern, how high is the damage and the rate of fire? We reveal.

The Bucky – The Eco Shotgun

It’s the cheapest primary weapon in Valorant – so it’s not necessarily considered particularly good, but the Bucky also has its strengths. It’s perfect for equipping yourself reasonably in the first rounds and for Eco rounds, where you save money for the next ones. It also does some damage if you can handle it well. However, if you have problems with aimen, you might risk too much with it. Even though the weapon is meant for close range, it doesn’t mean that you have to get close to the opponent all the time. It might only take one more shot to get the kill.

Damage, rate of fire, firing pattern

Watch out, here comes the damage! The Bucky is a real beast at short range, often one shot is enough to take out the target – and no, you don’t always have to really hit the head for that. The shotgun has a magazine of 5 rounds, which in turn consist of 15 bullets each. Just if half of a single shot hits the target, it’s down – that’s what we call a one-shot…. But be careful: the Bucky has a slow rate of fire – it takes 1.1 seconds to fire the next shot. If you miss on the first shot, you can easily be eliminated yourself. The damage itself looks like this: At 0 to 8 meters the weapon does 44 damage on head hits, 22 on the body and 19 on the legs. Between 8 to 12 meters 34, 17, 14 and at a distance of 12 to 50 meters 18, 9, 8. At medium distance the Alternative Fire mode is advisable, which can then be useful between 10 and 12 meters. The Bucky’s firing pattern is typical of a shotgun: lethal and accurate at close range (up to 8 meters), imprecise and with high dispersion at further distances.

Bucky Strategies

After one look at the damage numbers, it becomes clear that the Bucky is most likely to be successful at close range. That’s why it’s important to get as close as possible to your targets. Due to the low rate of fire, however, it is unwise to simply run around corners and approach your opponents quickly and loudly. The Bucky is especially convincing in the hands of clever hide-and-seek players, who cower behind doors and walls to then eliminate a passing opponent from behind. Sure, this isn’t the honorable duel, eye to eye, but it’s more effective than being caught by the enemy beforehand.

Tip: Attackers as well as defenders can hide with the Bucky near the bomb, in order to then eliminate opponents who want to get to the place.

When should you buy the Bucky?

With its 900 credits, the Bucky is the cheapest primary weapon. Equipping yourself with it leaves some money to buy additional shields or skills. Perfect if you take a few bullets while reloading. In summary, the Shotgun in Valorant is worthwhile especially in Eco rounds, where you save credits for later, or at the beginning of the game.

The Best Agents for the Bucky

Agents who are into hiding and surprise attacks are especially suited for the Bucky. This often has to do with the play style of the player in question. But the fact remains that agents with good map awareness benefit from the weapon and the hide-and-seek playstyle. For example, Cypher. It’s not for nothing that the agent is the most played character in the Valorant Pro scene….

Next week Sunday we will continue with the next part of our Valorant Guide. Until then, we’ll have plenty of Valorant news and more tips & tricks on the weapons in Riot’s tactical shooter:

• Valorant Weapons Guide: Judge
• Valorant Weapons Guide: Stinger
• Valorant Weapons Guide: Bulldog

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 roles – 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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