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In competitive VALORANT, pistol rounds set the economic tempo for the half, and teams that consistently win them carry a compounding advantage into subsequent rounds. At VALORANT Masters London in June 2026, Paper Rex has been winning a lot of them.
The credit, according to PRX assistant coach Wendler, belongs to one person. And it’s not him.
f0rsakeN, the pistol architect
Wendler addressed the team’s pistol-round success in comments captured by VALO2ASIA during the ongoing Masters event.
“I think I get a lot of credit for pistols, when really it’s this guy (f0rsakeN) who’s cooking all the pistols.”
In VALORANT, pistol rounds occur at the start of each half, meaning teams play at minimum two per map. Unlike full-buy rounds where teams have access to rifles, utility, and heavy armor, pistol rounds strip everyone down to sidearms and limited credits.
Why pistol rounds matter more than you think
Winning a pistol round typically gives a team two or three rounds, because the losing team can’t afford competitive weapons for the next round or two. A team that wins both pistol rounds on a map effectively starts with a four-to-six round head start before the “real” game begins.
Paper Rex at Masters London
Paper Rex has been a fixture in the Pacific VALORANT scene and has consistently represented the region at international events. Wendler’s path to PRX included previous roles at JDG Esports in the VCT China series, as well as a stint as a volunteer analyst for G2 Esports. Wendler’s comments were documented on social media platforms including X and Instagram via VALO2ASIA.
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