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 headshot machine among the rifles: the Guardian.

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 Guardian – headshot, win, GG

It may be called the Protector/Guardian, but it’s clearly more than just protection. The expensive rifle is a true damage master with brains – or rather, it’s best to aim it at the opponent’s head. Because then it is down. If you have a good aim and waste little time when aiming, you can sometimes wipe out an entire team single-handedly. Less protector, more daredevil, this Guardian…

Damage, rate of fire, firing pattern

Massive – this word probably best describes the Guardian’s damage potential. One shot to the head, headshot, thank you, ez! Two shots to the body achieve the same success. You can see: The Rifle is actually a hidden Sniper, at least in terms of its damage. The values for this are: From zero to 50 meters, the Guardian does 195 damage with a headshot, 65 with a hit to the body and 49 to the legs. That’s something to be proud of! Even better, the rate of fire is very solid at 6.5 rounds per second. The only drawback is the magazine, which “only” holds 12 bullets. But that’s enough to skillfully take out an entire team – you just have to hit it! And thanks to the firing pattern, that works pretty well, at least for the first few shots – because the gun stays very precise there. After that, it moves up and down as you shoot. So it’s advisable not to click too quickly. Rather one shot, one hit.

Guardian Strategies

The Guardian is not a run-and-gun weapon. Players should rather use it to take up positions behind walls and objects and take out approaching enemies with a well-aimed headshot. However, the Rifle is not only something for defenders who secure a certain spot, but can also benefit the attackers. Here, however, also applies: hide and go with caution around corners. Not that one is sniped away.

When should you buy the Guardian?

Since the Rifle is the fifth most expensive weapon in the game, it means a commitment to buy it – you don’t just have 2700 credits on hand. Since you can only afford such expenses after a few rounds, you also have to consider how strong your opponents are and should have some spare change for shields and the like. The Guardian is rather a mid- and late-game weapon.

The best agents for the Guardian

The weapon suits agents who tend to act from a distance, like Jett, Brimstone, Raze and Breach, but a Cypher can also do a lot with it, depending on his playstyle – especially when securing certain map areas. Which of these champs is played most often, we show here.

Next week on 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: Bucky
• 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 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.

Heroes&WIKI, Valorant, ValorantGuide, ValorantGuides