VALORANT is widely seen as a game that requires machine-like aiming mechanics and pinpoint accuracy. But aside from the prominent pieces of its 17-deep weapon arsenal, there’s an unspoken code of conduct that’s seemingly broken when players decide to use something else.
Say you buy a Judge and camp in a corner to get a pick. To your teammates, you’re trolling. To your enemies, you’re cringe.
On the VALORANT subreddit, a user by the name u/Tsunora started a thread yesterday questioning why there’s a stigma attached to using “unusual” weapons like the Bucky, Ares, and Odin.
“These weapons are part of the game so I quite don’t understand how it is a problem to not play Vandal or Phantom,” Tsunora wrote. “Why Stinger/Spectre would be fine but not Bucky/Judge/Ares. I quite get it about the Odin, I myself get frustrated to go against one but it’s just skill issue from me. I personally think people are mad because they are too used to having mid to long range fights and they don’t like having someone playing differently.”
At time of writing, the highest-rated response suggested that it’s simply a “low elo thing to cry about guns.”
“Odin is fine on some agent and on some map (ascent sova beeing the best example),” u/UsnDoto’s comment reads. “Shotguns are perfectly viable options on half buys. Stinger was the most meta gun and still is very well appreciated. Guardian, marshal specter, hares and bulldog are fine on half buys/bonus and after won pistol.”
Another reply argued that the common weapons are the best in the game regardless and that dying to the weaker, less-popular options should be no one’s fault but your own.
“Theres a reason why 99% of the playerbase will buy a phantom/vandal, they the most versatile and consistent guns, therefore theyre the best guns,” u/Character_Society_25 said. “If you use shotguns/smgs over the rifles you are putting yourself at a disadvantage if you have to take any fight that isnt short range. And the aries/odin have worse movespeed, firespeed ramp, and again are worse at longer ranges. People who are butthurt about dying to them are cringe though, if you died to a shotgun sitting around a corner you’d probably die if they had a phantom too.”
Ultimately, with the game’s foundational economy structure, as well as Riot Games continuing to tune VALORANT’s supporting cast of weapons in terms of their individual stats and prices, it’s clear there’s a certain balance that the devs are orchestrating to maintain.
For those who do still opt to force a Bucky in save situations or settle with an Ares on gun rounds, it seems generating animosity from others in the lobby is just a natural part of the game.
