Central to a Valorant team’s success is their round-to-round economy, with their pool of credits in reserve directly purchasing the weapons and gear that they’ll need to win. However, after a string of costly deaths and a few lost rounds, these credits will dry up, forcing players to get creative with their purchases to win on a tight budget. These tight-walleted situations have given birth to “Thrifty” plays and the “Thrifty” playstyle.
“Thrifty” in Valorant, explained
In the event that “Thrifty” appears on screen after a round, it means that the winning team managed to secure the round despite the limited weapons and gear they bought. For the game to recognize a “Thrifty” round win, all five players of the winning team must have purchased less than 2,500 credits worth of weapons and utility items.
In the event that your team’s finances are pushed to their limits, there are several inexpensive weapons that can competently earn you a “Thrifty” round win. For example, the Spectre sub-machine gun operates like a lighter, cheaper alternative to the fully-fledged Phantom rifle at 1,600 credits, where its suppressor allows you to make aggressive plays on better-equipped players or spray through active smoke without giving away your position. The Shorty shotgun, at a very affordable 150 credits, can quickly eliminate opponents within very close range, allowing you to immediately salvage their dropped weaponry on a shoestring budget.
