Valorant’s Patch 1.08 included a buff for everyone’s favorite semi-automatic rifle, the Guardian. It received changes to its price, rate of fire, and weapon recovery. Does this mean the Guardian should be a staple in everyone’s arsenal? Let’s take a look.

Riot’s Changes to the Guardian

First off, the price dropped from 2500 to 2400 credits. That makes the Guardian even cheaper than both the Vandal and Phantom which cost 2900 creds each. This also brings it closer to the Bulldog’s price of 2100 creds.

The second change was its increased rate of fire from 4.75 to 5.25 rounds per second. Even though it’s nowhere near the Vandal’s rate of fire (9.75 rounds per second), the Phantom’s (9.9 rounds per second), or even the Bulldog’s (9.15 rounds per second), the change is noticeable. It means that panic sprays are now more likely to be effective and the gun feels less sluggish overall.

Lastly, the weapon recovery was improved from .35 after 3 bullets to .2925 after 3 bullets. This makes the gun more accurate after the player stops shooting.

What are its Uses?

So where does this put the Guardian? Judging by its current stats and comparing them to the other rifles, the Guardian is in some ways comparable to the auto sniper rifle in CS:GO. It is semi-automatic, it costs almost as much as the other rifles but it does a little more damage.

Where should it be used then? Well, it should thrive anywhere regular rifles are used. The fact that it isn’t fully automatic, however, means that there is no recoil to deal with, so it can be used as a recoil-free alternative to rifles. The Guardian also has a higher zoom than the other rifles, 1.5x vs 1.25x. Couple that with the highest damage per bullet of all rifles and it makes the Guardian really shine as a defensive weapon. Just aim in and pop goes their head.

What do you think of the Guardian’s buff? Will you start using it? If you already did, is it a better choice than the other rifles? As usual, remember to follow us at Run it Back for all your latest news, extensive guides, and exclusive interviews in the world of Valorant.