Valorant continues to be one of the most popular tactical shooters on PC heading into Season 2026 // Act 1 (Patch 12.00). With recent agent additions like Tejo and Waylay, map pool changes, and the new Bandit sidearm shaking up the economy, there is a lot for new players to learn. This guide covers agents, economy, maps, and the fundamentals you need to start climbing ranked.
For optimal performance, check our best Valorant settings for max FPS guide. If the game is not launching, see our Valorant crashing on startup fix.
What Is Valorant?
Valorant is a free-to-play 5v5 tactical first-person shooter developed by Riot Games. Each match consists of 25 rounds (first to 13 wins), split between attacking and defending sides. The attacking team plants a Spike (bomb) at designated sites, while the defending team prevents the plant or defuses the Spike after it has been planted. What separates Valorant from traditional shooters like CS2 is the agent system — each player selects a unique character with four special abilities layered on top of precise gunplay.
Agent Roles and Best Beginner Picks
Agents are divided into four roles. Understanding what each role does helps you pick agents that suit your playstyle:
Duelists are the entry fraggers. They have abilities designed to take space, get first kills, and create openings for their team.
- Reyna — The simplest Duelist. Her Dismiss makes her invulnerable after kills, forgiving positioning mistakes. Her flash (Leer) is easy to use. Best for learning aggression.
- Phoenix — Self-healing flash-and-entry agent with a forgiving ultimate that lets you take aggressive peeks with zero risk.
Controllers block sightlines with smokes and zone enemies with area denial. Essential for structured play.
- Brimstone — The most straightforward Controller. He places smokes on a tactical map with pinpoint accuracy. No guesswork, no complex lineups needed. His Incendiary and Orbital Strike provide excellent area denial.
- Clove — A newer Controller with a forgiving kit. Clove can use smokes even after being killed, which means your team is never left without utility just because you died early in a round.
Sentinels lock down areas with traps and slowing abilities. They anchor sites on defense and watch flanks on attack.
- Sage — Heals teammates, slows pushes with her Slow Orb, blocks paths with a wall, and can resurrect a dead teammate. She teaches you to play for your team rather than for kills.
Initiators gather information and disrupt enemy positions. They help the team execute pushes.
- Gekko — His creatures are easy to use and can be picked up for re-use, forgiving missed abilities. Wingman can plant or defuse the Spike autonomously.
- Sova — Recon Bolt reveals enemy positions through walls. Drone provides safe information gathering. Excellent for learning how to play with intel.
Recent agent additions: Tejo (Initiator, released January 2025) and Waylay (Duelist, released March 2025) are viable picks but have more complex kits. Learn the fundamentals with simpler agents first.
Economy System — When to Buy, Save, or Force
Valorant’s economy determines what weapons and abilities you can afford each round. Managing your credits is just as important as your aim:
- Starting credits: 800 (enough for a sidearm upgrade or light abilities)
- Round win bonus: 3,000 credits
- Loss bonus (progressive): 1,900 for first loss, increasing to 2,900 for consecutive losses
- Kill reward: 200 credits per kill
- Spike plant bonus: 300 credits for each attacker when the Spike is planted, regardless of round outcome
- Credit cap: 9,000 credits maximum
The three buy types every beginner must understand:
- Full Buy (3,900 to 4,700 credits): Rifle (Vandal or Phantom, 2,900 each) + full armor (1,000) + abilities. This is your strongest round. Always full buy when your team can afford it together.
- Eco/Save Round: Buy nothing or only a cheap sidearm. Save credits so you can full buy the next round. Never buy a rifle without armor — it wastes money if you die early.
- Force Buy: Spend everything when your team cannot afford to lose another round (match point, for example). Buy the best you can afford, even if it is SMGs and light armor.
New weapon — Bandit sidearm: Costing only 600 credits, the Bandit is a new sidearm capable of one-tap headshot kills. This has significantly changed eco rounds — a 600-credit pistol that can one-shot enemies means save rounds are far more dangerous than they used to be. Buy the Bandit on eco rounds instead of the Classic.
Current Map Pool
The active competitive map pool for Season 2026 // Act 1 consists of seven maps:
- Abyss — No barriers at map edges; falling off is lethal. Vertical gameplay and long rotations.
- Bind — Two sites connected by one-way teleporters instead of a mid area. Fast rotations through teleporters are key.
- Breeze — Returned with a rework. Large open map favoring long-range aim and Operator play.
- Corrode — Features environmental hazards and tight corridors. Ability usage is critical.
- Haven — The only map with three bomb sites (A, B, C). Defenders must spread thin, making fakes and rotations powerful.
- Pearl — Traditional two-site layout with a large mid area. Plays like a classic tactical shooter map.
- Split — Tight corridors and elevation changes. Favors close-range weapons and aggressive utility.
Note: Sunset has been removed from the competitive pool this act.
Five Fundamentals That Win Rounds
Aiming matters, but these five habits separate improving players from those stuck in low ranks:
- Crosshair placement: Keep your crosshair at head level at all times, pre-aimed at angles where enemies are likely to appear. This single habit is more impactful than any amount of aim training because it reduces the distance you need to flick when someone peeks.
- Stop before shooting: Movement makes your bullets wildly inaccurate. Come to a complete stop before firing. Learn counter-strafing — tap the opposite movement key to stop instantly — and shoot during the brief moment of stillness.
- Use your utility before peeking: Flash or smoke an angle before you walk into it. Dry-peeking (peeking without abilities) into unknown positions is the leading cause of death for beginners.
- Play with your team: Trading kills is the foundation of Valorant. If your teammate peeks and dies, you should immediately peek the same angle to kill the enemy while they are exposed. Never let a teammate die without trading.
- Communicate: Call out enemy positions, how many enemies you see, and what abilities they used. Even simple calls like “two A site” give your team massive advantages.
Ranked System Overview
Valorant’s ranked mode uses a tiered system: Iron, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond, Ascendant, Immortal, and Radiant. Each tier (except Immortal and Radiant) has three divisions. You gain or lose Rank Rating (RR) based on match performance, with personal combat score influencing gains at lower ranks.
You need to win 5 placement matches to receive your initial rank. Most new players place in Iron or Bronze. Focus on consistent improvement rather than rank — the points follow naturally.
TL;DR — Valorant Starter Checklist
- Current season: 2026 // Act 1, Patch 12.00 — map pool is Abyss, Bind, Breeze, Corrode, Haven, Pearl, Split
- Start with Reyna or Phoenix (Duelist), Brimstone (Controller), Sage (Sentinel), or Gekko/Sova (Initiator)
- Full buy costs 3,900-4,700 credits — never buy a rifle without armor
- The Bandit sidearm (600 credits) one-taps to the head — buy it on eco rounds
- Crosshair placement at head level and stopping before shooting are more important than raw aim
- Economy: 800 start, 3,000 win bonus, 1,900-2,900 progressive loss bonus, 200 per kill, 300 spike plant bonus, 9,000 cap
