Paths
Weapons and economy
In one line: Weapons and armor, then the economy: buying together, reading the enemy economy, abilities in the budget, saving and recovering.
Who it is for
For players who never have money, buy alone or do not know which gun to pick. The first steps are for the Base tier, the last ones for Growth.
What you will know at the end
You will know the main weapons and when to use them, why armor matters, and how to decide with the team when to buy, force or save. You will also be able to read what the enemy will buy and play accordingly.
11 steps
0 of 11 done
Step 1
Weapons in general Free
- What to learn
- How to read weapons: damage, accuracy, range.
- What you can skip
- Nothing.
Step 2
Sidearms, SMGs and shotguns Free
- What to learn
- Pistols, SMGs and shotguns: when they are worth it.
- What you can skip
- The guns you never buy, after a first read.
Step 3
Rifles: which one and when Free
- What to learn
- The main rifles and how they differ.
- What you can skip
- Nothing.
Step 4
Armor Free
- What to learn
- Why armor matters as much as the gun.
- What you can skip
- Nothing.
Step 5
Snipers and heavy weapons Premium
- What to learn
- Sniper rifles and heavy machine guns.
- What you can skip
- You can skim it if you do not use the Operator.
Step 6
The economy: full buy, half buy, force, eco, bonus Premium
- What to learn
- Buying, forcing, saving: the basic rules.
- What you can skip
- Nothing: it is the center of the path.
Step 7
YouTube
The Complete VALORANT Economy Guide (2026): The nAts Mindset #18
by nAts
- What to learn
- How a pro thinks about the economy, in 2026.
- What you can skip
- The numbers, if a patch has changed them: Academy's cards are the reference.
Step 8
Utility and economy Premium
- What to learn
- Abilities in the budget.
- What you can skip
- Nothing.
Step 9
Reading the enemy economy Premium
- What to learn
- Predicting what the enemy will buy.
- What you can skip
- If you are in Base, you can come back later.
Step 10
Saving, round streaks, recovering Premium
- What to learn
- Saving well and recovering after losses.
- What you can skip
- Nothing.
Step 11
Saving or going for it Premium
- What to learn
- When a round should be saved.
- What you can skip
- Nothing.