Every player starts each Valorant round with the Classic pistol. It is the game’s standard sidearm and is provided automatically before players spend credits on weapons, shields, or abilities.
The Classic is deliberately modest but versatile. Its primary fire is accurate for quick taps, while its alternate fire releases a short burst of pellets at close range. That makes it useful in the opening “pistol rounds,” when players have limited money and cannot yet afford stronger equipment.
The Classic is not the same as the Ghost, Sheriff, or Shorty. The Ghost is a suppressed pistol, the Sheriff is a high-damage revolver-style sidearm, and the Shorty is a compact shotgun. Players can buy any of those instead, but the Classic is the default weapon.
A related economic detail is that the opening pistol round helps determine each team’s early credit situation. Winning, planting the Spike, and scoring kills can all affect later purchases, so many teams deliberately save or spend around the Classic’s low-cost opening.”,