Updated September 27, 2026: The Warden is now live in VALORANT Patch 13.06. It costs 2,900 credits, fires at 6.5 rounds per second and deals 200 head, 50 body and 42 leg damage at every range. Its 2x scope and accurate opening shot suit long holds. The 18-round magazine and slow follow-up shots make it a rough pick for close sprays.
If you want one rifle for every kind of fight, the Vandal is still the safer default. Buy the Warden when you expect a deliberate long-range duel and trust yourself to land the first shot.
VALORANT Warden stats
| Stat | Warden value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Price | 2,900 credits | Same full-buy price as the Vandal and Phantom |
| Fire mode | Full auto | You can spray, but the fire rate is slow |
| Fire rate | 6.5 rounds/sec | Missing the opener is more punishing |
| Magazine / reserve | 18 / 36 | One loaded mag plus two full reloads |
| Damage | 200 head / 50 body / 42 leg | No damage falloff from 0–50m |
| Scope | 2x | More zoom than the Vandal or Phantom |
| Reload | 2.5 seconds | Reload before retaking space |
| Equip time | 1.0 sec normal / 0.6 fast / 0.2 instant | Matches the standard rifle handling timings |
| Wall penetration | Medium | Do not treat it like a wallbang upgrade |
One launch detail changed from some preview stat sheets: the live VALORANT Wiki lists the scoped fire rate at the full 6.5 rounds per second, not 6.0. The 2x scope reduces movement speed and slightly tightens spread and recoil, but it does not slow the Warden’s fire rate.
How many Warden shots does it take to kill?
Against a fully armored 150 HP enemy, the clean breakpoints are simple:
- Head: one shot at any range.
- Body: three shots, for exactly 150 damage.
- Legs: four shots, for 168 damage.
Three body shots take about 0.308 seconds if every bullet lands. That is almost identical to the Vandal’s four-body-shot time on paper. The Warden gets there with fewer, harder hits; the Vandal gives you faster corrections after a miss.
Warden vs Vandal vs Phantom
| Stat | Warden | Vandal | Phantom |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | 2,900 | 2,900 | 2,900 |
| Fire rate | 6.5/sec | 9.75/sec | 11/sec |
| Magazine | 18 | 25 | 30 |
| Scope | 2x | 1.25x | 1.25x |
| Head damage at range | 200 | 160 | 140 after 20m |
| Body damage at range | 50 | 40 | 35 after 20m |
| Best fit | Long, planned duels | Flexible tap and burst fights | Close fights, sprays and smoke spam |
The Warden wins on zoom and damage per bullet. The Vandal is easier to carry from a long lane into a site hit, while the Phantom gives you the most ammo and the fastest fire rate. All three cost the same, so choose for the fight you expect rather than forcing the new rifle every round.
When should you buy the Warden?
Buy it when you can plan the first duel
The Warden makes sense on defense, in a post-plant, or anywhere you can hold a long lane without getting pinched. Scope in before contact, keep your crosshair at head height and fire a short burst. Its three-shot body kill gives you a backup plan when the first bullet lands low.
Skip it when you need to clear tight space
Eighteen rounds disappear quickly when you prefire corners or fight two players back to back. The slower rate also gives a close Vandal or Phantom more chances to recover after the first miss. If your job is to dash in, break utility and spray through a trade, take the familiar rifle.
Do not force ADS at every distance
The 2x scope is the Warden’s main advantage, but the extra zoom can feel clumsy up close. Use hip fire for short fights and scope only when the magnification helps you read the target. Keep your normal sensitivity first. If the scoped view feels too slow, test one small ADS multiplier change at a time with our VALORANT sensitivity guide and VALORANT eDPI calculator.
A quick Warden practice routine
- Enter the Range and fire one bullet at a time while strafing and stopping.
- Repeat with two- and three-shot bursts at medium and long range.
- Practice a full 18-round recoil pull once, so you know what a bad fight feels like.
- Run one Deathmatch with the Warden and avoid changing your sensitivity mid-game.
Patch 13.06 also lets players enter the Range while queued in supported modes, so you can work on that stop-and-shoot timing between matches.
When did the Warden release?
The Warden launched on September 22, 2026 with Patch 13.06. It is available as a normal 2,900-credit rifle on PC and console. The update also added Gauntlet: Glitched, Agent Mastery, Performance Score and Range while Queue.
For broader setup examples, the VALORANT pro settings hub collects current sensitivity, crosshair and gear pages. Players following the new competitive systems can also read our VALORANT ranks guide.
Sources
- Riot Games: VALORANT Patch Notes 13.06
- VALORANT Wiki: Warden live stats
- VALORANT Wiki: Vandal stats
- VALORANT Wiki: Phantom stats
Stats and live status checked September 27, 2026. Riot may tune the Warden in a later patch.
