6 Best Guns for Beginners in VALORANT

VALORANT offers players with a wide variety of weapons, all being available to both attack and defense. For new players just stepping into the game, choosing the right weapons can make a huge difference in performance and confidence. In this article, we’ll go through six of the best guns for beginners in VALORANT.

Spectre

The Spectre is a submachine gun that is frequently used in bonus rounds or anti-ecos (playing against a low buy). It offers a lot of value for its relatively low cost, and is surprisingly effective in close-to-mid range duels.

With minimal recoil, a decent rate of fire, and fast movement speed even while shooting, the Spectre makes run-and-gun tactics more viable for beginners. Newer players tend to struggle with stopping completely before shooting, so the Spectre is a very forgiving weapon.

However, everything comes at a cost, and for the Spectre, it lacks the range and stopping power of rifles. Still, it’s a great weapon to learn how to peek, move, and fire efficiently, making it a totally solid pick for anyone still getting used to VALORANT’s movement and mechanics.

Judge

If you’re someone who likes to hold tight angles or defend choke points on defense, the Judge might be your new best friend for a while. This semi-auto shotgun is best used in close-range combat, as just one or two shots are enough to take down a fully-armored opponent.

The Judge is an especially good choice on maps with narrow hallways or corridors. It is also effective for dealing with incoming rushes from multiple enemies. This weapon is ideal on fast-moving agents like Jett or Raze, since it is relatively accurate while moving.

Its only major downside is that it’s almost useless at medium or long range. However, in the right hands and right spots, the Judge can be devastating. It’s a great weapon for beginners who want simple mechanics.

Phantom – One of the best guns for beginners in VALORANT (and pros!)

The Phantom is one of the two primary rifles in VALORANT, and it’s extremely popular for good reason. It’s a fully automatic rifle that provides a nice mix between damage, accuracy, and friendly recoil control – all factors that shape an easy best guns for beginners in VALORANT.

What makes the Phantom especially forgiving is its low recoil and quieter firing sound compared to its louder brother, the Vandal. The silencer equipped also makes the Phantom perfect for spraying through smokes or around corners without immediately revealing your position. The Phantom also offers a higher fire rate, meaning you’re more likely to win close-quarters duels as long as your crosshair placement is at least decent.

Though the Phantom doesn’t offer one-tap headshots at longer ranges like the Vandal, it still rewards players who are working on consistent body shots, or those who prefer to spray and pray when under pressure.

In general, if you’re learning how to position, shoot, and hold angles effectively, the Phantom is a weapon you’ll be using often.

Ares

The Ares is a light machine gun that provides players with a very generous magazine size and an easy recoil pattern. These factors allow players to let their bullets rip while also being relatively forgiving to control.

Unlike rifles, the Ares gets easier to control the longer you hold down the trigger. This makes it ideal for holding tight angles, or even spraying down multiple enemies. The sheer volume of bullets can overwhelm opponents, and its low price point makes it viable in many economic situations.

However, it’s a bit slower to move with, and much louder than other weapons. Still, the Ares helps new players learn spray control and target tracking without being too punishing.

Stinger

The Stinger is a low-cost SMG with an extremely high fire rate, making it deadly at close range. Its recoil can feel wild and chaotic at times, but that speed can be a blessing for players who like keeping things fast and aggressive.

The Stinger is far from ideal at medium-to-long range, but its price point makes it an excellent choice for anti-eco rounds or low buys. If you pair it with smart positioning or catch opponents off-guard, the Stinger can help you score kills, even against better-equipped enemies.

It also encourages movement-heavy gameplay, which can be a great help for beginners getting used to dodging and flanking.

Ghost

In pistol rounds or low-money situations, say hello to the Ghost. This pistol is one of the best sidearms for beginners. It’s silenced, accurate, and capable of one-tap headshots against unarmored enemies. It has a low cost, but the potential for reward is high.

Compared to the default Classic pistol, the Ghost offers much better range and reliability, especially for new players still getting used to shooting mechanics. It’s also quiet, making it useful for stealthy approaches or clutch situations.

For new players, the Ghost reinforces good aiming habits (to aim at the head), and can be a strong early-round companion.