Is Regen Shield worth buying in Valorant? We break it down

A third new shield in Valorant promises protection throughout the round with a tank that keeps fueling health, but is Regen Shield really worth getting?

It’s quite rare for 5v5 shooters to get new equipment added to the game since a new addition can drastically shake up the meta. But Riot Games isn’t afraid to mix things up. After introducing a new weapon called the Outlaw, Riot has now added a new type of armor to the shield pool called the Regen Shield. Like Counter-Strike, Valorant previously had two shield options, but the new one is quite innovative.

How does Regen Shield work in Valorant?

The Regen Shield has a total capacity of 75 Health Points, but players can only use 25 HP at a time. Once fully depleted, the shield begins to recharge after a 3-second cooldown and continues until the remaining 50 HP is also used up.

Here are Regen Shield stats:

• Cost: 650 Creds
• Damage Absorbed: 100%
• Regeneration Pool: 50

On paper, the Regen Shield seems incredibly powerful, especially in terms of damage absorption. It’s cheaper than Heavy Armor but more expensive than Light Armor, offering 100% damage absorption. But, is it worth 650 Creds?

Is Regen Shield any good?

The short answer is that the Regen Shield is only situationally useful. It’s a great choice for duelists during save or eco rounds, but in full-buy scenarios, it could result in a quick death.

The main hook of Regen Shield is that it lets players jump in and out of a duel in a pinch, then recover some of their lost HP. That’s something sentinels and controllers rarely do, at least in compositions where everyone respects their roles. So, space creators like Jett, Neon, or even Reyna would benefit from Regen Shield, but only in half-buy or eco.

The Regen Shield is powerful, but it’s not without its flaws. It’s particularly fragile against the newly buffed Phantom on larger maps like Breeze, Pearl, or Ascent. The Phantom now deals 156 damage to the head at ranges up to 20m, but at longer distances, it drops to 140, which only a full shield can absorb.

Similarly, an Outlaw body shot does 140 damage, allowing enemies to easily one-tap you despite Regen’s 100% damage absorption. However, on smaller maps where scoped rifles are less common, the Regen Shield has the potential to shine. The Regen Shield excels at tanking damage from SMGs and shotguns in close-range encounters. It also provides strong protection against chip damage from utility like Viper’s or VYSE’s molotovs, which are quite common on smaller maps like Bind or Icebox.

The first pistol round is the ideal time to buy the Regen Shield. Pairing it with a Classic and one utility creates an excellent combination to secure the round. Winning the first round allows you to carry the affordable shield into the next, ultimately saving money.

So, it’s safe to say that Valorant Regen Shield isn’t dethroning full armor, but it does make the Light Shield look less attractive.