Valorant Economy Guide: Master In-Game Currency for Victory
Estimated reading time: 11 minutes
Understanding the Valorant economy is crucial for achieving success in the game. The economy in Valorant dictates how players manage their in-game currency, known as Creds, which in turn affects their ability to purchase weapons, armor, and utilities. Effective economic management can be the difference between winning and losing a match.
This article will serve as a complete guide to mastering the Valorant economy, providing you with essential strategies and tips to optimize your buys, plan your rounds, and lead your team to victory!
What Are Creds?
In Valorant, Creds are the in-game currency used to purchase weapons, shields, and abilities at the beginning of each round. Managing Creds efficiently is key to maintaining a strategic advantage over your opponents. Each player starts with a certain amount of Creds and earns more based on their performance and the outcome of each round.
How Creds Are Earned?
Creds are earned in various ways throughout a match:
- Round Win: Winning a round rewards each player with 3,000 Creds.
- Round Loss: Losing a round grants 1,900 Creds initially, which increases incrementally by 500 Creds for consecutive losses (up to 2,900 Creds).
- Kills: Each kill awards 200 Creds.
- Spike Plant: Planting the Spike gives the entire attacking team an additional 300 Creds each, regardless of the round’s outcome.
- Saving Weapons: Players who survive a round while retaining their weapons carry them into the next round, which can save Creds for future purchases.
What Are The Round Types and Their Economic Impact In Valorant
Valorant’s round-based economy system requires players to strategically manage their Creds to optimize their performance throughout a match. Each round type has a specific economic impact and requires different buying strategies:
Pistol Round
The pistol round is the first round of each half, where all players start with 800 Creds. Winning the pistol round provides a substantial economic boost, allowing the winning team to afford better weapons and armor in the following rounds.
This initial advantage can set the tone for the rest of the half. Conversely, losing the pistol round typically forces the losing team into a more conservative buying strategy in the next rounds, often opting for eco rounds to save Creds for a full-buy later.
In the pistol round, players often buy a mix of light armor, sidearms (like the Ghost or Frenzy), and abilities to maximize their effectiveness.
Eco Round
An eco round is a round where players deliberately spend minimal Creds to save for future rounds. The economic impact of losing an eco round is relatively low, as the primary goal is to preserve Creds for a full-buy in subsequent rounds.
However, winning an eco round can severely disrupt the enemy’s economy, providing a significant strategic advantage. During eco rounds, players might only buy basic pistols or minimal utility, focusing on either saving Creds or attempting to steal weapons from fallen enemies to boost their arsenal.
Force Buy
A force buy occurs when players spend all their available Creds, despite not having enough for a full-buy. This type of round is high risk, high reward. Winning a force-buy round can turn the tide of the game, providing a much-needed boost to your team’s economy and morale.
On the other hand, losing it can lead to a significant economic deficit, potentially forcing another eco round. In force-buy rounds, players typically purchase cheaper weapons like SMGs or shotguns and light armor, relying on aggressive tactics and teamwork to win the round despite the economic disadvantage.
Full Buy
A full buy round is when players have enough Creds to purchase their preferred weapons, full shields, and abilities.
This type of round maximizes the team’s combat effectiveness and increases the chances of winning the round. However, losing a full-buy round can significantly impact the team’s economy, potentially leading to an eco or half-buy in the next round.
Coordination is key in full-buy rounds, with players buying rifles like the Phantom or Vandal, heavy shields, and all necessary abilities to ensure they are fully prepared for combat.
Half Buy (Light Buy)
A half buy, or light buy, is a round where players spend some Creds but not enough for a full-buy, allowing them to still save for future rounds.
This strategy balances between maintaining competitive firepower in the current round and saving for a stronger buy later. In half-buy rounds, players purchase cheaper weapons, such as SMGs or shotguns, light armor, and limited abilities, aiming to win the round or at least inflict economic damage on the enemy team.
Bonus Round
A bonus round occurs after winning the pistol round and the following round, where the team opts to keep their cheaper weapons instead of upgrading to rifles.
If won, a bonus round disrupts the enemy’s economy significantly while allowing your team to save more Creds for future rounds. If lost, your team can still afford a full-buy in the next round, minimizing the economic setback.
During bonus rounds, the strategy involves using the weapons from the previous round, typically SMGs or shotguns, and focusing on tactics that leverage these weapons’ strengths.
Anti-Eco Round
An anti-eco round is when your team anticipates the enemy to be on an eco and buys accordingly. Winning anti-eco rounds helps maintain economic stability and prevents the enemy from gaining Creds.
The strategy involves purchasing weapons that are effective against eco buys, such as rifles, and using utilities to control choke points and prevent surprise rushes from the enemy team.
Anti-Force Round
An anti-force round is a round where your team expects the enemy to force-buy and adjusts its strategy to counter this. Successfully countering a force-buy can cripple the enemy’s economy and give your team a stronger economic advantage.
In anti-force rounds, players buy weapons and utilities that can handle close-quarters combat and unexpected aggression, maintaining control and discipline to effectively counter the enemy’s force-buy tactics.
Managing Economy Throughout the Game
Effective economic management in Valorant is crucial to maintaining a strategic advantage. This is how to manage your economy throughout the different phases of a match:
Early Game Economy
- Building a Strong Economic Foundation: The early rounds set the tone for your economy. Winning the pistol round and the subsequent rounds provides a significant economic boost.
- Winning Pistol Round: Opt for a “bonus round” strategy in the second round, buying SMGs or shotguns to maximize Creds while still having a strong chance to win.
- Losing Pistol Round: Save (eco) in the second round to ensure a full-buy in the third round. This often involves buying basic pistols or minimal utility.
Mid-Game Adjustments
- Adapting to the Enemy’s Economy: Pay attention to the enemy’s buy patterns. If the enemy is low on Creds, expect eco or force-buy rounds and adjust your strategy accordingly. Exploit the enemy’s economic weaknesses by anticipating their buys and positioning yourself to counter them effectively.
- When to Save and When to Spend: If your team’s Creds are low, consider saving (eco) or half-buying (purchasing cheaper weapons and minimal utility) to accumulate enough Creds for a full-buy in subsequent rounds. Avoid spending all your Creds if your team cannot afford a full-buy. Instead, communicate with your team to decide on a collective eco or half-buy strategy.
Late Game Considerations
- End-Game Economy Management: As the match progresses, the importance of each round increases. In the later stages, even small economic advantages can be decisive. Manage your Creds to ensure you have enough for critical rounds, especially if the game is close to ending or going into overtime.
- Preparing for Overtime: In overtime, each player starts with a set amount of Creds (5000). It’s crucial to have a solid plan for how to spend these Creds efficiently. Focus on buying essential weapons and utilities while ensuring all team members have sufficient gear for the upcoming rounds.
Valorant Economy Cheat Sheet
This cheat sheet provides a quick reference to help you make informed decisions about spending Creds in various scenarios:
Pistol Round
- Starting Creds: 800
- Typical Purchases:
- Light Armor (400 Creds) + Ghost (500 Creds) or Frenzy (450 Creds)
- Abilities if they are critical for early engagements
- Objective: Maximize efficiency and survivability.
Early Rounds (Rounds 2 and 3)
- After Winning Pistol Round:
- Round 2: Buy SMGs (e.g., Spectre – 1600 Creds) and Light Armor (400 Creds).
- Round 3: Full buy if enough Creds are available.
- After Losing Pistol Round:
- Round 2: Eco round (spend minimal Creds, basic pistols).
- Round 3: Aim for a full buy.
Full Buy Rounds
- Typical Purchases:
- Rifle (e.g., Phantom/Vandal – 2900 Creds)
- Full Shields (1000 Creds)
- All necessary abilities (cost varies)
- Objective: Maximize combat effectiveness.
- Ensure Team Coordination: Avoid mixed buys to maintain balanced firepower.
Half Buy (Light Buy) Rounds
- Typical Purchases:
- Cheaper weapons (e.g., SMGs, shotguns)
- Light Armor (400 Creds)
- Limited abilities
- Objective: Balance competitive firepower while saving Creds for a future full buy.
Force Buy Rounds
- Typical Purchases:
- Cheaper weapons (e.g., Spectre, Bucky)
- Light Armor (400 Creds)
- Some abilities
- Objective: High-risk, high-reward strategy to turn the tide of the game.
- Strategy: Focus on aggressive tactics and close-quarters engagements.
Eco Rounds
- Typical Purchases: Basic pistols or no purchases.
- Objective: Save Creds for a full buy in future rounds.
- Strategy: Focus on positioning and survival, aim to retrieve weapons from fallen enemies.
Bonus Round
- When: After winning the pistol and following round.
- Typical Purchases: Keep SMGs/shotguns from the previous round.
- Objective: Save Creds for future rounds while disrupting the enemy’s economy if won.
Anti-Eco Round
- When: Anticipating the enemy is on an eco.
- Typical Purchases: Rifles and utilities.
- Objective: Maintain economic stability, prevent enemy from gaining Creds.
- Strategy: Use utilities to control choke points, prevent surprise rushes.
Anti-Force Round
- When: Expecting the enemy to force-buy.
- Typical Purchases: Weapons and utilities effective in close-quarters.
- Objective: Counter enemy’s aggressive tactics, maintain economic advantage.
- Strategy: Maintain control and discipline, use utilities to mitigate enemy aggression.
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Understanding common economic mistakes in Valorant and learning how to avoid them can significantly improve your team’s overall performance. These are some frequent pitfalls and strategies to prevent them:
Overbuying and Underbuying
One common mistake in Valorant is overbuying, which occurs when players spend all their Creds despite not having enough for a proper full-buy.
This often leads to a situation where the team has mixed buys, with some players fully equipped while others lack essential gear. To avoid overbuying, it is crucial to communicate with your team to ensure everyone can afford a proper buy.
If your team’s Creds are insufficient for a full-buy, consider opting for an eco or half-buy round to save up for a stronger buy later. Conversely, underbuying is another frequent error, where players do not spend enough Creds even when the team can afford a full-buy.
This results in weaker firepower and reduces the team’s chances of winning the round. To prevent underbuying, utilize your Creds to their full potential by ensuring everyone on the team buys rifles, full shields, and necessary utilities when they can afford it.
Poor Communication Leading to Mismatched Buys
Effective communication is critical in Valorant, especially regarding economic decisions. Poor communication often leads to mismatched buys, where some players are fully geared, and others are under-equipped. This imbalance can severely hinder the team’s performance.
To avoid this, establish clear communication before each round about the team’s buying strategy. Make sure everyone understands whether the plan is to eco, force-buy, or full-buy.
By coordinating purchases and ensuring that all team members are on the same page, you can maintain a balanced and effective economy throughout the match.
Ignoring the Enemy’s Economic State
Another significant mistake players make is ignoring the enemy’s economic state. Failing to track the enemy’s Creds can lead to unexpected encounters with force-buys or eco rushes, catching your team off guard and potentially losing crucial rounds.
To avoid this, constantly monitor the enemy’s economy and use this information to predict their buying patterns. Communicate any changes in the enemy’s economic state to your team, so you can adjust your strategy accordingly. For example, if you anticipate the enemy is on an eco round, prepare for aggressive plays and stack plays to counter their desperation moves.
Importance of Avoiding Lag in Valorant and Its Economic Impact
The Valorant economy relies on winning rounds and managing Creds efficiently. Consistent lag can deplete your Creds, preventing your team from affording necessary weapons, armor, and utilities. This disruption can severely hinder your chances of winning, making it essential to maintain a stable, lag-free connection.
ExitLag is an effective tool to combat lag and maintain a stable connection in Valorant. By optimizing your internet traffic through the most efficient paths, ExitLag reduces latency and minimizes packet loss and jitter.
This stability ensures consistent performance, helping you secure more rounds and maintain a stronger economy, ultimately improving your overall gameplay.
