Phantom vs. Vandal: Which is the best rifle in VALORANT?

Image this state of affairs in VALORANT: You load into the purchase section with simply the correct quantity of creds for heavy armor, a few skills, and, most significantly, a rifle. However which gun do you select: Phantom or Vandal?

Right here’s how the 2 weapons stack up in opposition to one another.

Phantom

Stats

• Value: 2,900
• Hearth mode: Absolutely automated
• Head injury: 156, 140, 124
• Physique injury: 39, 35, 31
• Leg injury: 33, 29, 26
• Vary: 15/30/50 meters
• Journal measurement: 30
• Hearth fee: 11
• Penetration: Medium

Execs of the Phantom

• Quick fireplace fee
• Silenced
• Thrives in near medium vary encounters
• Controllable spray sample
• Giant journal
• Suppressed fireplace
• No bullet tracers
• Higher spray switch

Cons of the Phantom

• Injury falls off at 15 to 30m mark
• Injury decreased once more at 30 to 50m vary

Vandal

Stats

• Value: 2,900
• Hearth mode: Absolutely automated
• Head injury: 160
• Physique injury: 40
• Leg injury: 34
• Vary: 50 meters
• Journal measurement: 25
• Hearth fee: 9.75
• Penetration: Medium

Execs of the Vandal

• The higher of the 2 weapons when it comes to vary
• One-shot, one-kill on the 50m mark
• Good for tapping

Cons of the Vandal

• Gradual fireplace fee
• Erratic spray sample
• Troublesome to manage
• Small journal
• Unsuppressed
• Worse spray switch

The decision

When it comes to stats, the Vandal edges barely over the Phantom. Its one-shot, one-kill potential means it’s a dependable gun when tapping. In a protracted hall or on an open web site, the Vandal will virtually actually be the higher selection in terms of rifles.

However as a result of nature of VALORANT’s close-quarters maps, the Phantom shouldn’t be underestimated. In a long-range gun battle on a map like Breeze, the Vandal is favored. However up shut and private someplace like Icebox, the Phantom is king.

The Phantom’s quick fireplace fee and 5 further bullets add as much as quite a lot of injury. It may not be the most effective gun for tapping however spraying is a completely totally different story. It’s straightforward to manage, and its spray sample is far more constant than the Vandal.

Its lack of bullet tracers additionally offers it a transparent benefit. It simply wins out when spraying via smokes or when operating and gunning.

The Vandal struggles with its erratic spray management and is inconsistent in close-range skirmishes. However a well-timed faucet to the pinnacle will nonetheless common a kill.

The Vandal fits maps like Ascent and Breeze, that are extensive and open, whereas the Phantom matches on smaller maps equivalent to Icebox and Break up.

The restoration instances on rifles had been up to date in VALORANT’s Patch 0.50, making faucet and burst fireplace extra environment friendly. This favored the Vandal, significantly at lengthy vary. Stroll-spraying with rifles was additionally adjusted, nerfing the Phantom considerably.

Vandal’s horizontal recoil was decreased by 15 % whereas crouched, gun restoration time was decreased from 0.4 seconds to 0.375 seconds, and faucet effectivity elevated from 4 to 6.

In different phrases, the selection is yours. The Phantom and the Vandal have their strengths and weaknesses, benefiting totally different circumstances. The map, web site, place, and playstyle ought to all be taken into consideration when selecting between the 2 weapons.

Preferring getting up shut and private along with your opponents? Select the Phantom. Quite sit again in a web site? Contemplating choosing the Vandal.