VALORANT players have figured out a way to get a Marshal in the first round by selling Astra’s Stars during the buy phase.
Every player starts with 800 credits in the first round of a VALORANT match. Depending on their playstyle and the team’s strategy, they can use their credits to buy armor, weapons, or abilites. The first round is crucial as it can give you an early lead and the credits needed to easily win the next round, or it can set you back in the early game. But most players are on an even playing field in the first round as they all have limited credits. But Patch 4.04 added a change that allows players to get a Marshal in the first round, significantly changing the game’s pace.
VALORANT player AcousticSeagull posted a clip of them selling Astra’s stars during the buy round to get extra credits. Selling the Star rewards 150 credits, meaning players can get 950 instead of the standard 800. This is the exact price of the Marshal, which is deadly in early rounds against enemies without armor.
A Marshal can easily take out multiple players with ease and provides an unfair advantage in the first round. Selling Astra’s Star during the buy round was introduced in Patch 4.04 to help players preserve credits, but it also introduced this unintentional side effect.
It’s doubtful this was an unintentional change, and Riot Games will likely patch this issue in a future update. But don’t be surprised if you encounter a Marshal in your next pistol round.