VALORANT’s knife isn’t cut out for the job.
VALORANT character designer lead Ryan “Morello” Scott commented on the state of the game’s melee weapon today, admitting its “really shitty right now” and the devs “definitely want to fix [it].”
The knife is a staple of tactical shooters, used to gain momentum around the map and take out unsuspecting enemies. It’s a high-risk, high-reward weapon that rewards stealth. But in VALORANT, it’s pretty much useless.
If players knife someone from the front, they’re supposed to deal 50 damage with the left-click and 75 with the right. From the back or side, they’re intended to inflict 100 damage with left-click and 150 with right-click. It’s similar to Counter-Strike in this regard, but when it comes down to actually fragging, it’s seriously lacking.
Finding a kill with the knife in VALORANT often comes down to a 50/50. Half the time it hits and the other half it misses. Its seemingly tiny hitbox and its ridiculous delay make it one of the game’s most inefficient weapons.
In some scenarios, players have to get up close and personal and knife within inches of their enemy if they want to secure the kill. A pistol, a rifle, or any other gun, for that matter, is usually the better option.
It’s unclear how Riot will “fix” the knife but changes are most certainly needed. The devs might have to go back to the drawing board on this one.
