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Phantom vs. Vandal - Which Is The Better Rifle In Valorant?

If you're played any number of matches, likely you're familiar with both of these staple rifles in Valorant - the Vandal and Phantom.

 

They both cost 2,900 creds to get, and at first glance, they both seem to perform roughly the same feel-wise. However, there is a distinct and significant difference that puts one far ahead of the other.

 

And while the player community is largely undecided, with strong claims being made for either contender - we've done our own digging to analyze the data and present you with a definitive answer to the debate.

 

An Overview Of The Weapon Stats For Both Rifles

If you pull up the hard data on both rifles, they are relatively comparable for the most part.

 

Let's take a look at both of the rifles in order.

 

The Phantom:

·   Cost - 2,900 Creds

·   Damage (0-15m) - 39 to the body, 156 to the head, and 33 to the legs.

·   Damage (15-30m) - 35 to the body, 140 to the head, and 30 to the legs.

·   Damage (over 30m) - 31 to the body, 124 to the head, and 26 to the legs.

·   Magazine - 30 rounds

·   Rate Of Fire - 11 shots per second (9.9 while zoomed).

·   Penetration - Medium

 

The Vandal:

·   Cost - 2,900 Creds

·   Damage (0m to over 30m) - 39 to the body, 156 to the head, and 33 to the legs.

·   Magazine - 25 rounds

·   Rate Of Fire - 9.25 shots per second (8.32 while zoomed).

·   Penetration - Medium

 

From the data, there are three immediate differences to note.

 

First and foremost, the Vandal does consistent damage at all ranges, where the Phantom falls off the further away your target is.

 

Additionally, the rate of fire on the Phantom is significantly faster than on the Vandal. For every seven shots that you take with the Phantom, you'll only have fired off six with the Vandal.

 

This effectively puts the Vandal on a pedestal for long-range firefights thanks to the fact that no matter the distance, you can kill anyone with a single headshot.

 

Comparing The Spray Patterns Of The Phantom & The Vandal

Undeniably, both guns have fairly predictable spray patterns that are also relatively easy to control.

 

However, the Phantom wins out in this category because the pattern is far more predictable than the Vandal.

 

On the other hand, the Vandal's pattern goes a little wild after the first few bullets. This is further accentuated by the increased bullet spread over the Phantom, which makes the Vandal's recoil control that much more of a challenge for most players.

 

And if you also consider the fact that the Vandal's magazine features 5 fewer bullets than the Phantom, it's safe to say that the Vandal isn't exactly fine-tuned for a spray and pray playstyle.

 

The Definitive Verdict - Which Rifle Is Better In Valorant?

If you've kept up with us this far into the comparison between these popular rifles, you should now have a pretty solid idea of what the upsides and downsides are to each option.

 

As such, the verdict is entirely dependant on the situation you're in.

 

If you're holding corners or are going to be taking some short-range trades with the enemy team, the Phantom is probably going to be your best bet. It has a far higher rate of fire, a much more toned-down recoil pattern, and is entirely on-par with the Vandal in terms of damage within a range of 15 meters.

 

At the same time, if you're going to be playing more drawn out fights over longer distances, the Vandal might just be the right rifle for the job at hand. This is due to the fact that it delivers far superior damage in the 15 meters to over 30 meters range, allowing you to kill enemies with a single shot to the head, which the Phantom just can't do.

 

However, for the average player, the Phantom probably has more general viability. At the end of the day, in fast-paced rounds, the Phantom's higher rate of fire offers a lot more viability and it's definitely the more flexible of the two rifles. Combined with the fact that the spray pattern and bullet spread are a lot more toned-down, this makes the Phantom the superior general choice for the vast majority of different situations that you could find yourself in.

 

Closing Thoughts

Valorant is one of the most popular shooters that you can play in 2020. And with the diverse range of weaponry you've got available to you each round, it's natural to start wondering about whether a certain gun may be better than the other.

 

This is especially true for the Phantom and the Vandal, both of which costs the same amount of creds and look to be near-identical at first glance.

 

However, as we've shown you - there's quite a significant difference between the two popular rifles.

 

With that said, it's still a great idea to jump into a training session and practice wielding both of them. Especially if you're trying to climb the ranked ladder in Valorant. And if after you master both rifles you're still feeling stuck in a shoddy rank bracket, don't worry, we've got your back!

 

Don't hesitate to check out our Valorant boosting services if you're feeling stuck and want to achieve a better rank quickly and affordably with the help of one of our expert players.