Why Valorant’s Bucky shotgun needs urgent buffs and how players can adapt to its current limitations
The Bucky’s Current State: Bottom of the Weapon Tier
Valorant’s community continues advocating for significant improvements to the Bucky shotgun, which consistently records the poorest selection rates across all weapon categories according to recent analytics.
Statistical evidence from Valorbuff confirms the Bucky’s position as the least popular firearm in ranked matchmaking, while Spike.gg’s competitive data mirrors this trend in professional environments. The weapon’s abandonment stems from multiple functional deficiencies that have accumulated over several patch cycles.
Community forums, particularly Reddit discussions about desired weapon adjustments, frequently highlight the Bucky as needing immediate developer attention. Players consistently identify specific mechanical problems that render the shotgun practically obsolete in current gameplay meta.
Shotgun Meta Analysis: Where Other Weapons Succeed
Valorant’s shotgun category occupies a unique strategic position within the current competitive landscape. Professional tournaments demonstrate calculated usage patterns that highlight each weapon’s distinct advantages.
The Shorty, popularized initially by DRX’s innovative strategies, maintains relevance as a secondary weapon complementing primary rifles like the Vandal or Phantom. Its economical cost and surprising close-range lethality make it a tactical choice for eco rounds and defensive setups.
Meanwhile, the Judge represents a higher-risk investment that can yield substantial rewards during economic disadvantage rounds. Though less frequently selected than the Shorty, it serves as a viable alternative when players anticipate close-quarters engagements.
Understanding weapon economics proves crucial—the minimal price difference between the Bucky and superior options like the Stinger creates an obvious value disparity that discourages Bucky selection.
The Bucky’s Rise and Fall: From Meta King to Forgotten Weapon
Historical context reveals the Bucky once dominated Valorant’s early meta during 2020. Its previous iteration featured remarkably effective mechanics that made it a formidable choice across multiple scenarios.
The weapon’s alternate fire mode originally provided exceptional range capacity with minimal pellet dispersion, creating reliable damage at distances that currently seem unimaginable. Combined with its primary fire’s guaranteed elimination potential in close quarters, the Bucky represented a versatile tactical option.
The decisive 2021 balance update fundamentally altered the Bucky’s viability. Developers significantly reduced the effectiveness of its secondary fire, particularly against distant targets, effectively removing its utility beyond point-blank encounters. This adjustment, while addressing community complaints about its previous overpowered state, ultimately pushed the weapon into obsolescence.
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Practical Bucky Usage: Making It Work Despite Limitations
Despite its acknowledged weaknesses, determined players can extract value from the Bucky through calculated positioning and engagement discipline. Success requires strict adherence to optimal combat parameters.
Optimal engagement distances: Restrict Bucky usage to areas where targets remain within 8 meters. Beyond this range, damage falloff renders the weapon ineffective. Ideal scenarios include holding tight corners on sites like Bind’s B Hookah or Ascent’s A Main.
Economic considerations: Only purchase the Bucky during full eco rounds when you lack credits for superior weapons. Even then, consider whether a Classic with good aim might provide similar value without occupying a weapon slot.
Common positioning errors: Avoid open areas where you cannot control engagement distance. The Bucky’s slow rate of fire and limited range make recovery from positioning mistakes nearly impossible.
Advanced technique: Bait enemies into close quarters using sound cues or teammate positioning. The Bucky works best when opponents voluntarily enter your optimal range rather than you pushing into theirs.
The Ares Parallel: Another Forgotten Weapon’s Struggle
The Bucky isn’t alone in its underutilization—the Ares light machine gun shares similarly dismal selection statistics. Both weapons suffer from comparable issues regarding meta relevance and functional effectiveness.
Like the Bucky, the Ares enjoyed periodic meta dominance before successive nerfs diminished its competitive value. The weapon now occupies an awkward position where alternatives consistently offer superior performance for similar investment.
At its current pricing tier, players logically gravitate toward the Spectre, Stinger, Marshall, or Judge—all providing more reliable performance characteristics. Within the machine gun category specifically, the Odin’s overwhelming firepower makes it the obvious choice when committing to that weapon type.
As one community member accurately summarized: “Ares has virtually disappeared from regular usage. The Bucky’s alternate fire provides negligible value. Beyond these two exceptions, Valorant’s weapon ecosystem appears reasonably balanced.”
This assessment highlights Riot’s general success with weapon balancing while acknowledging specific outliers requiring developer attention. The ongoing challenge involves adjusting forgotten weapons without disrupting the overall balance that makes most firearms situationally valuable.
No reproduction without permission：SeeYouSoon Game Club » Valorant players plead with Riot to show Bucky shotgun some love: “Make the Bucky great again” Why Valorant's Bucky shotgun needs urgent buffs and how players can adapt to its current limitations