How to use the Shorty: Valorant weapon guide

The Shorty is Valorant’s signature shotgun-pistol. It packs a punch for only 150 Creds, however, it’s very limited in its use. In saying that, if you find yourself in the perfect situation for one, here’s how you can make the most of it.

The Shorty used to be the handy sidearm for Jett’s and Raze’s dashing into the fight with their movement abilities for a quick two-tap. However, since its 1.07 nerfs, it’s fallen in popularity.

That doesn’t mean the Shorty is bad though. It still has a place in Valorant’s arsenal, especially on defense. Here’s how you can get the most out of Valorant’s cheapest gun outside of the free Classic.

Shorty weapon stats

The Shorty, being a shotgun, obviously packs a punch in short range. It’s like it’s in the name. When you’re right in the face of an enemy, the Shorty can shred down a target, instantly killing them if you land most of the 15 pellets in each bullet.

However, once you start getting at arm’s length, it becomes a lot harder. The damage falls off very hard, very quickly. You have almost no chance of one tapping someone beyond seven meters, and you’ll do almost zero damage to a target at 15m. Keep that in mind.

Shorty weapon spread & movement accuracy

There’s not much to say about how the Shorty works. Being a shotgun means that it’s pretty accurate while moving ⁠— given that’s how Valorant’s mechanics work. However, avoid jumping and running at the same time, as the inaccuracy goes through the roof.

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The spread is pretty round and consistent. Most pellets will hit a target within five meters, but beyond that, you’ll have to do some slick aiming to try and get a kill.

You may as well two-tap to secure the kill

You have two bullets in the mag of the Shorty, and it takes a while to reload. Don’t greed and try and go for the one-tap and swing ⁠— secure your kills. If you end up overkilling a target, don’t stress. The fact you got a kill with the 200 Creds shotgun pays it off.

If you get caught hesitating, that’s typically when you’ll die with the Shorty. Don’t be afraid to fire nice and early. You will have to care for people baiting out your shots, but if they connect, they’ll get the frag.

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Dash into the enemy’s face, two-tap with the Shorty. Job done.

Good for one, then upgrade

Like we said in the last section, the Shorty can be good for one in most situations. If an enemy is close by, you can definitely two-tap and upgrade to their gun for the rest of the round (unless they too have a Shorty).

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Use your abilities to make sure you can secure these upgrades. Things like Jett’s Cloudbursts, or even flashing around a corner with Breach, Phoenix, or Yoru can distract the enemy for long enough to get that prized upgrade. It could win you the round for little investment.

For only 150 Creds, the Shorty has its place in Valorant. It won’t win you rounds 1v5. However, it can definitely get you a frag or two in the right circumstances, and that’s sometimes all you need.

It’s a small investment, with a high-risk high-reward payout. If you are going to be holding a close angle on an eco and want to try and cheese a frag, buying the Shorty won’t go astray.