Valorant / Practical guide
Top 10 Rarest Valorant Knives 2026: Every Limited Melee and Battle Pass Knife
Ten Valorant knives were sold only in a short window and Riot says most will never return. Here they are in order, with the exact sale dates, plus every battle pass knife since 2020.
ALVIRAN Editorial · Reviewed 2026-10-23
In this guide
Valorant accounts with a Champions knife
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Top 10 rarest Valorant knives 2026
Every knife here was sold once, for a few weeks, and then left the store. Five of the ten have Riot's own “won't return” line in their store text or announcement; the rest are covered by Riot's rule for limited lines, which says they won't return to the rotating store or the Night Market once they are gone.
| # | Knife | Sold (Riot) | Days | Riot on returns |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Champions 2021 Karambit | 24 Nov to 12 Dec 2021 | 18 | Won't return (store text) |
| 2 | Champions 2022 Butterfly Knife | 23 Aug to 21 Sep 2022 | 29 | Won't return (VCT post) |
| 3 | VCT LOCK//IN Misericórdia | 8 Feb to 7 Mar 2023 | 27 | Won't return (store text) |
| 4 | Champions 2023 Kunai | 4 Aug to 29 Aug 2023 | 25 | Won't return (store text) |
| 5 | Ignite Fan | July 2023, China launch capsule | – | Won't return (store text) |
| 6 | Champions 2024 Blade | 1 Aug to 29 Aug 2024 | 28 | Limited line (Riot rule) |
| 7 | VCT 2025 Karambit | 6 Feb to 6 Mar 2025 | 28 | Limited edition (store text) |
| 8 | Champions 2025 Butterfly Knife | 4 Sep to 9 Oct 2025 | 35 | Limited line (Riot rule) |
| 9 | VCT 2026 Sigil | 19 Feb to 18 Mar 2026 | 27 | Limited edition (store text) |
| 10 | Champions 2026 Fan | 22 Sep to 20 Oct 2026 | 28 | Limited line (Riot rule) |
How we rank. Older first: a 2021 knife could only be bought by an account that was already playing in 2021, and every year since has added more limited knives. Inside a year, the shorter window ranks higher. Riot does not publish how many players own any skin, so treat this as an availability ranking, not a head count.
The ten knives one by one
1. Champions 2021 Karambit
The first Champions melee. Riot's 2021 announcement called it “the first authentic VALORANT karambit” and gave 50 % of revenue to the qualified teams. Three levels: base, VFX and a top-frag effect.
2. Champions 2022 Butterfly Knife
Sold with the Champions 2022 Phantom from 23 August to 21 September 2022, per Riot's 2022 post. Not the same item as the 2025 Butterfly Knife.
3. VCT LOCK//IN Misericórdia
Riot's post of 1 February 2023 lists four variants, one per league plus a red VCT version, and says the items “won't return to the Store or Night Market”. Sold only as the full capsule.
4. Champions 2023 Kunai
25 days, the shortest Champions window after 2021. Riot's 2023 post paired it with the Champions 2023 Vandal.
5. Ignite Fan
The only melee in the Ignite capsule. Its store text reads “Celebrate the launch of the China server … Items won't return to the Store or Night.Market”. Riot gives no dates in that text; press reports place it in July 2023.
6. Champions 2024 Blade
Store text: on sale from 1 to 29 August 2024 with a portion of proceeds to VCT Partner teams. Sold with the Champions 2024 Phantom.
7. VCT 2025 Karambit
Riot's 2025 capsule post calls it “the first-ever skin with five chromas”, one per international league plus a VCT colour. Top fraggers see a glow at level 3.
8. Champions 2025 Butterfly Knife
35 days, the longest Champions sale so far, per the store text and Riot's 2025 post.
9. VCT 2026 Sigil
Launched on 19 February 2026 at 11 am PT according to Riot's 2026 capsule post, with five variants. The store text ends the sale on 18 March.
10. Champions 2026 Fan
The newest one. The store text ran the sale from 22 September to 20 October 2026, so it left the store three days before this review.
For the guns, cards and winners that came with each Champions knife, see our guide to every Champions bundle.
Valorant accounts with the VCT Karambit
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Every limited Valorant melee in the game files
The bundle files of patch 13.08 contain the store texts for all of these. Apart from the top 10, two more melees came from limited sets, and both stay rarer than any store knife.
| Melee | Set | Levels | Variants | Riot's wording |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Champions 2021 Karambit | Champions 2021 | 3 (VFX, top-frag) | 1 | Items won't return to the Store or Night.Market |
| Champions 2022 Butterfly Knife | Champions 2022 | 3 (animation, top-frag) | 1 | Won't return (VCT post) |
| Champions 2023 Kunai | Champions 2023 | 3 (animation, top-frag) | 1 | Items won't return to the Store or Night.Market |
| Champions 2024 Blade | Champions 2024 | 3 (animation, top-frag) | 1 | Limited edition bundle |
| Champions 2025 Butterfly Knife | Champions 2025 | 3 (animation, top-frag) | 1 | Limited edition bundle |
| Champions 2026 Fan | Champions 2026 | 3 (animation, top-frag) | 1 | Limited edition bundle |
| VCT LOCK//IN Misericórdia | VCT LOCK//IN | 3 (animation, top-frag) | 4 | Items won't return to the Store or Night.Market |
| VCT 2025 Karambit | VCT 2025 Season | 3 (VFX, top-frag) | 5 | Limited edition bundle |
| VCT 2026 Sigil | VCT 2026 Season | 3 (sound, top-frag) | 5 | Limited edition bundle |
| Ignite Fan | Ignite | 2 (animation) | 2 | Items won't return to the Store or Night.Market |
| Arcane Gauntlets | Arcane Collector's Set (Season 2) | 2 (animation) | 1 | Limited Edition bundle, only during the premiere event |
| 5 Years // Beta Remastered Knife | 5 Years // Beta Remastered | 2 (animation) | 4 | Items are limited edition |
“Variants” counts every colourway including the default. The Arcane Gauntlets came with the Arcane Vandal in the Season 2 Collector's Set, which Riot's post of 27 November 2024 described as available only during the Arcane Season 2 premiere event. The Beta Remastered Knife belongs to the 5 Years celebration; the event data runs the 5 Years event pass from 2 to 24 June 2025.
Valorant accounts with the Ignite Fan
Each listing shows its full melee list, so you can confirm the exact knife before checkout.
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Every Valorant battle pass knife in order
Battle pass knives are the other kind you cannot buy. The contract data puts a melee in every act's pass since launch: 39 in total, each at tier 50 of the premium track. Riot's battle pass explainer from June 2020 says that once a pass expires, progression on it is locked “and it will not come back”.
| Melee | Act | Pass ran (game data) | Extra variants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kingdom Knife | E1 Act 1 | 1 Jun 2020 to 4 Aug 2020 | 0 |
| Hivemind Sword | E1 Act 2 | 4 Aug 2020 to 13 Oct 2020 | 0 |
| Ruin Dagger | E1 Act 3 | 13 Oct 2020 to 12 Jan 2021 | 0 |
| Outpost Melee | E2 Act 1 | 12 Jan 2021 to 2 Mar 2021 | 0 |
| Prism III Axe | E2 Act 2 | 2 Mar 2021 to 27 Apr 2021 | 3 |
| Songsteel | E2 Act 3 | 27 Apr 2021 to 22 Jun 2021 | 0 |
| K/TAC Blade | E3 Act 1 | 22 Jun 2021 to 8 Sep 2021 | 0 |
| Artisan Foil | E3 Act 2 | 8 Sep 2021 to 2 Nov 2021 | 3 |
| Genesis Arc | E3 Act 3 | 2 Nov 2021 to 11 Jan 2022 | 0 |
| Velocity Karambit | E4 Act 1 | 11 Jan 2022 to 1 Mar 2022 | 3 |
| Striker Knife | E4 Act 2 | 1 Mar 2022 to 26 Apr 2022 | 3 |
| .SYS Melee | E4 Act 3 | 26 Apr 2022 to 21 Jun 2022 | 0 |
| Task Force 809 Knife | E5 Act 1 | 21 Jun 2022 to 23 Aug 2022 | 0 |
| Obsidiana | E5 Act 2 | 23 Aug 2022 to 18 Oct 2022 | 0 |
| Iridian Thorn Blade | E5 Act 3 | 18 Oct 2022 to 10 Jan 2023 | 0 |
| Venturi Knife | E6 Act 1 | 10 Jan 2023 to 7 Mar 2023 | 0 |
| Tilde Knife | E6 Act 2 | 7 Mar 2023 to 25 Apr 2023 | 3 |
| Bound | E6 Act 3 | 25 Apr 2023 to 27 Jun 2023 | 0 |
| Composite Knife | E7 Act 1 | 27 Jun 2023 to 29 Aug 2023 | 0 |
| Transition Knife | E7 Act 2 | 29 Aug 2023 to 31 Oct 2023 | 3 |
| Sandswept Dagger | E7 Act 3 | 31 Oct 2023 to 9 Jan 2024 | 3 |
| Guardrail Hammer | E8 Act 1 | 9 Jan 2024 to 5 Mar 2024 | 0 |
| Shellspire Sword | E8 Act 2 | 5 Mar 2024 to 30 Apr 2024 | 0 |
| Comet Sword | E8 Act 3 | 30 Apr 2024 to 26 Jun 2024 | 3 |
| Bubble Pop Light Stick | E9 Act 1 | 26 Jun 2024 to 28 Aug 2024 | 1 |
| Overlay Dagger | E9 Act 2 | 28 Aug 2024 to 23 Oct 2024 | 3 |
| Torque Coiler | E9 Act 3 | 23 Oct 2024 to 8 Jan 2025 | 3 |
| Hieroscape Blades | 2025 Act I | 8 Jan 2025 to 5 Mar 2025 | 0 |
| Byteshift Knife | 2025 Act II | 5 Mar 2025 to 30 Apr 2025 | 3 |
| Solarex Relic | 2025 Act III | 30 Apr 2025 to 25 Jun 2025 | 3 |
| ATLAS // CMD Baton | 2025 Act IV | 25 Jun 2025 to 20 Aug 2025 | 0 |
| Interhelm Sword | 2025 Act V | 20 Aug 2025 to 15 Oct 2025 | 3 |
| Heart Splitter | 2025 Act VI | 15 Oct 2025 to 7 Jan 2026 | 2 |
| Montage Axe | 2026 Act I | 7 Jan 2026 to 18 Mar 2026 | 2 |
| Paceline's Edge | 2026 Act II | 18 Mar 2026 to 29 Apr 2026 | 0 |
| Keys to Elysium | 2026 Act III | 29 Apr 2026 to 24 Jun 2026 | 3 |
| Sky Reaper Sword | 2026 Act IV | 24 Jun 2026 to 19 Aug 2026 | 2 |
| Verdant Cafe Chef's Knife | 2026 Act V | 19 Aug 2026 to 14 Oct 2026 | 2 |
| Solarium Hammer | 2026 Act VI | 14 Oct 2026 to 6 Jan 2027 (live) | 0 |
The three Episode 1 knives, Kingdom Knife, Hivemind Sword and Ruin Dagger, are the hardest of these to find: they needed the premium pass and all 50 tiers in the first months after launch. None of the 39 has an upgrade level; 20 of them have no extra colour variants either.
Knives that look rare but are not
- Store knives that are out of rotation. Lines like Reaver, Prime or RGX 11z Pro can show up again in your daily store or the Night Market. Not seeing one for months does not make it limited.
- Returning lines. Riot brings old lines back with new pieces, such as Neo Frontier in July 2026 with a new Vandal, Shorty and Lasso melee. The older Neo Frontier pieces were sold again in a mega bundle.
- Same name, different year. There are two Champions Butterfly Knives (2022 and 2025) and two Karambits from esports sets (Champions 2021 and VCT 2025). Always read the year or prefix.
In total the patch 13.08 skin data holds 176 melee skins. Twelve of them carry a limited label in their store text or Riot announcement, and 39 came from battle passes.
How to check a rare knife on an account
- Open the Collection tab and the melee slot, then read the full name. The year is part of every Champions name.
- Open the knife and check its levels. A Champions or VCT knife can be owned with or without its top-frag level unlocked.
- For the LOCK//IN Misericórdia and the VCT knives, the league colours are variants. Check which ones are unlocked if you want a specific colour.
- Compare battle pass knives with the act table above. They tell you how long the account has been played.
If you are new to buying an account, read our guide on NFA versus Full Access. For guns, see the best Vandal skins of 2026 and the best Phantom skins of 2026, and for ranked, the Valorant map pool 2026.
Frequently asked questions
What is the rarest knife in Valorant?
The Champions 2021 Karambit. Riot sold it for 18 days in 2021 and its store text says it won't return to the Store or Night Market.
What are the limited knives in Valorant?
The melees Riot labels limited are six Champions melees (2021 to 2026), the VCT LOCK//IN Misericórdia, the VCT 2025 Karambit, the VCT 2026 Sigil, the Ignite Fan, the Arcane Gauntlets and the 5 Years Beta Remastered Knife.
Will the Champions knives come back?
Riot says limited lines won't return to the rotating store or the Night Market once they are gone, and the 2021 and 2023 store texts say so directly.
How many battle pass knives are there in Valorant?
39 as of 23 October 2026, one per act from the Kingdom Knife in Episode 1 Act 1 to the Solarium Hammer in the act that started on 14 October 2026.
Can you still get old battle pass knives?
No. Riot's battle pass explainer says that once a pass expires, progression is locked and it will not come back.
What was the first Valorant battle pass knife?
The Kingdom Knife, at tier 50 of the Episode 1 Act 1 pass in June 2020.
Is the Champions 2026 Fan still in the store?
No. Its store text ran the sale from 22 September to 20 October 2026.
Which Valorant knife has five variants?
The VCT 2025 Karambit, which Riot called the first skin with five chromas, and the VCT 2026 Sigil, also with five.
Valorant accounts with five or more knives
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Sources and editorial scope
Store texts and sale windows: the bundle files of patch 13.08 (release-13.08, build 15 October 2026) mirrored by valorant-api.com. Riot announcements: Champions 2021, Champions 2022, Champions 2023, Champions 2025, VCT LOCK//IN capsule, 2025 VCT Season Capsule, 2026 VCT Season Capsule and the Arcane Season 2 Collector's Set. Limited-line rule: Riot's Price Tiers for Skins in VALORANT. Battle pass knives and act dates: contracts, seasons and events data; return rule: Riot's battle pass explainer. Melee levels and variants: skin data. The Ignite Fan's July 2023 date comes from press reports, not Riot. The ranking is ALVIRAN editorial opinion based on these windows. Reviewed 23 October 2026.
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