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Road2Radiant

Sidearms

Shorty: damage and tips

The Shorty is a pocket shotgun for 300 credits: 2 shells, 15 pellets, deadly in a close-range ambush and useless once the distance grows.

Price
300 credits
Shorty

Stats

Price
300 credits
Fire rate
3 rounds/s
Magazine
2 rounds
Reload
1.75 s
Equip time
0.75 s
Run speed
80% of knife speed
First-shot spread
4°
Penetration
Low
Fire mode
Semi-automatic
Alt fire
None

Damage by range

Damage per pellet, 15 pellets per shot: shots to kill depend on how many pellets land.

Damage by range
RangeHeadBodyLegs
0 to 7 m22119.35
7 to 15 m1265.1
15 to 50 m632.55

How to play it

The Shorty fires 15 pellets at once, with only 2 shells before reloading (1.75 s). It's only good up close: up to 7 m, each pellet does 11 to the body and 22 to the head. To the body, that drops to 6 per pellet between 7 and 15 m, then 3 beyond. Not every pellet hits, even up close, so don't count on a sure kill. Play it on tight angles, doors, and corners, waiting for the enemy and firing point blank. Crouching tightens the spread a little (x0.75). Don't use it to hold a long corridor.

When to buy it

It's an eco or pistol round weapon: at 300 credits, it lets you pay for armor and abilities, which is tempting when the opponent has just bought. Avoid it on full-buy rounds, where a ranged rifle gives you far more options. It can also work on defense to hold a tight site.

Strengths

  • Under 7 m, each pellet does 11 to the body: 10 pellets out of 15 kill with no armor, 14 against Heavy Armor. A surprised opponent can go down in one shot, but not every pellet hits.
  • Only 300 credits: it's the cheapest weapon you can buy, leaving money for armor and abilities.
  • Effective on eco against players on a full buy, who don't expect a shot this devastating at a wall corner.
  • The pellet cloud covers an area: aiming at the chest is enough, without needing pistol precision.

Weaknesses

  • Only 2 shells: after two shots, you're vulnerable during a 1.75 s reload, especially against several enemies.
  • Damage drops fast: 6 per pellet to the body between 7 and 15 m, 3 beyond 15 m, which is almost nothing.
  • Heavy spread and weak wall penetration: you can't make up for a missed shot by shooting through cover.
  • It forces you to put yourself in the enemy's hands, which is easily countered by an Operator or an ability that flushes you out.

Tips

  1. Wait for the enemy behind a corner and fire point blank: the Shorty wins the duels nobody sees coming.
  2. Crouch before shooting to tighten the spread; don't jump or run while firing, the spread increases.
  3. After a shot, don't expect a second duel: back off, change angle, or switch to the Classic instead of reloading in the open.
  4. Set up the entry with a teammate's flash or slow so the target can't back out of range.

The aim to train

The Road2Radiant benchmark subcategories that matter most here.

  • Static

    Clicking on static targets

    You have to put the crosshair on the chest very fast the moment the target appears at a corner, without correcting.

    Drills to improve

  • Speed

    Fast target switching

    With only two shells, the first shot has to hit: the speed of your first movement matters enormously.

    Drills to improve
Measure these skills with the benchmark

Compare with

Same category

Train the aim this weapon demands

Sources

Updated on October 13, 2026

Data from patch 13.06. Names, art and weapon stats: Riot Games, via valorant-api.com.