Even if you’ve mastered an agent’s signature abilities and learned the layout of every map, you’ll never excel at Valorant if you’re practicing good resource management. A true Valorant player understands that in-game economics is just as important as a souped-up arsenal. Sadly, following the latest Valorant tournament schedule isn’t enough to be brushed up on the economy basics. Do you regularly find yourself with too few credits? Worried that you’re putting your team at a distinct disadvantage? Not to worry. Read on for everything you need to know about Valorant’s economy and how you can practice better resource management.
Valorant’s Economy: An Introduction
Let’s start with the basics. In Valorant, you can use credits to purchase everything deadlier weapons, armor upgrades, and even new skills. At the start of every game, each player gets 800 credits. You can pocket additional credits with a good result or by racking up enough kills during a round. You’ll earn 3,000 credits if the team wins a round or 200 credits for each kill you land. Should a game get pushed into overtime, every player will get an additional 5,000 credits. You can earn up to 9,000 credits in total. However, it’s worth remembering that this is the absolute ceiling. No matter how many rounds you win or spikes you plant, you won’t be able to add to that total.
How to Be a Smart Spender in Valorant
A healthy stack of credits and a knowledge of the in-game economy is all well and good, but you need to be wise when spending your currency. As a rule, step back and ask yourself whether it’s best to save or spend in any given situation. Are you buying weaponry or a gear upgrade just because you have the available funds? Those new weapons might look impressive, but you need to ask whether they’re going to actually use them in the next round. What’s more, you need to stop thinking like an individual. Instead, focus on the economy of the team. There’s no place for a big spender in a team with dwindling credit reserves.
There are exceptions to this rule. Some agents are simply more expensive than others. If you’re picking something like Chamber or Sage, you’ll be forking out a lot more for the basics. Agents like Astra are far cheaper, but there’s a reason why this agent has such a paltry pick rate.
Don’t Be Afraid of Last-Minute Splurges
If a round is quickly drawing to a close and the outcome looks like it could go either way, now might be the time to spend. Even if you’re shelling out a sizable stack of credits for an upgrade, it could be worth it to secure a victory. However, you need to be realistic about your chances. If you don’t stand any real chance of turning the tide, there’s no point sacrificing perfectly good credits as well as losing the round.
There’s No Harm in Asking for Handouts
Sometimes, you won’t have the credits to buy the resources you need. That being said, you can still get your hands on a new weapon if you really need one. In Valorant, it’s possible for generous teammates to help you out in a pinch. Simply head to the purchase menu and request which item you’re after. If there are enough credits in the team coffers, you might get lucky.
Compared to other titles, keeping an eye on in-game spending is fairly straightforward in Valorant. Practicing a little restraint and keeping an eye on the bigger picture is all that’s needed to curb overspending and ensure you have sufficient credits for when you really need them.
