There are many weapons in VALORANT, the tactical first-person shooter made by Riot Games. In order to become a master of the game, it's pivotal that you learn to master the weapons in it. That's why we've made a series of weapon guides for VALORANT weapons discussing the weapon cost, the weapon damage, and controlling the weapon's recoil. In this guide, we'll be talking about the Ghost pistol.

Cost

The Ghost is on the expensive side of the sidearm spectrum, costing a total of 500 credits. This means that, at the start of each half in VALORANT, you cannot pair a Ghost purchase with a Light Shield too. Instead, it only leaves room for ability purchases. It's a significant tradeoff to make, and one that cheaper guns such as the Frenzy or the Classic don't force you to make. A massive upside is that the Ghost is the only pistol in VALORANT with a silencer, meaning it's easier to land multiple shots on enemies while they're trying to find out where the shots are coming from.

Damage

The Ghost does a lot of damage for a handgun and is especially rewarding for precise aim. Hitting the target's body or leg with the Ghost deals slightly more damage than shots with the Classic or the Frenzy would. However, headshots deal vastly more damage. Up to thirty meters, landing a headshot with the Ghost instantly kills an opponent not wearing a shield.

The Ghost's headshot damage does drop off significantly after thirty meters. However, the Ghost remains incredibly powerful, dealing more damage at any range than all other sidearms except for the Sheriff. In the table below, you can see the exact numbers for the Ghost's damage in VALORANT:

With fifteen bullets in its magazine, firing at a 6.75 rounds per second rate, the Ghost is capable of dealing a lot of damage in a short amount of time. Even if you're just landing body shots, it'll take anywhere from four to six bullets to take down the enemy.

Recoil

The Ghost is a very precise weapon, especially for a sidearm. Its rapid fire rate has very low impact on its accuracy when compared to other pistols such as the Frenzy and the Sheriff. Up to twenty meters, you can relatively safely blast away with the Ghost and reliably hit your target. And even at thirty meters, the first few bullets will still be very accurate.

The Ghost isn't a weapon you actively think about recoil control with. In VALORANT, there simply aren't many locations with distances so long that the Ghost's recoil becomes an active problem. In the few cases where you are staring down an opponent from across thirty meters or more, the best strategy to apply is double-tapping: the Ghost's first two bullets are incredibly accurate even at a fifty-meter range.

To summarize:

It's no surprise that many seasoned first-person shooter players are in love with the Ghost. Its combination of damage, accuracy, and the silencer make it a reliable, powerful sidearm. It's a great weapon for rounds where you're low on money to spend, but still want to deal a hefty amount of damage. If you're confident in your aim, or like to sneak up on your enemies, the Ghost is your go-to weapon.

Other weapon guides:

For more VALORANT content including guides, patch notes, and news, check out our dedicated VALORANT section!

Images via Riot Games