Riot Games Resolves the Phantom vs Vandal Debate for Valorant Players

In a recent Data Drop blog post by Riot Games, Editorial Writer Kenny “karnifexlol” Cameron, Insights Analyst Chris “Riot Nautisupme” Huang, and Researcher Carson “Riot Shinygekko” Dowah shared important insights about the Phantom and Vandal.

While the Vandal remains more popular than the Phantom in both professional play and competitive matchmaking, the blog revealed some nuances that highlight situations where the Phantom can be just as effective as the Vandal.

Riot Games analyzed the stats for Phantom vs Vandal and found that Phantom kills typically occur within a range of 15 meters, whereas Vandal kills have a consistent performance across all ranges, making it a more versatile weapon. In close-range spray scenarios within 15 meters, the Phantom excels, showcasing its dominance in spray control, which is more effective at short range.

Usage rates show that over 70% of competitive queue players and professional players prefer the Vandal over the Phantom. While the Vandal remains the preferred choice in professional play, pro players do tend to adopt the Phantom at a higher rate compared to players in competitive matchmaking.

When it comes to headshots, the Vandal consistently kills the target with a headshot at any range, dealing 160 damage without penetration. However, the Phantom’s headshots become less effective at longer ranges, resulting in a higher percentage of headshots that don’t secure the kill.

The Phantom performs almost equally as well as the Vandal against opponents with light armor, but it struggles more against heavily armored enemies compared to Vandal users. The Insights Team Researcher from Riot Games stated that the choice between the two rifles ultimately depends on the player’s playstyle and confidence. Understanding the different strengths of each rifle and playing to those strengths is crucial for success. Weapon usage rates alone do not dictate performance, and players should focus on leveraging their own strengths.

“It really does boil down to your playstyle and confidence as a player. When in the heat of the moment using a Phantom, the average VALORANT player doesn’t think to themselves ‘As long as they’re less than X meters away, I have a slight advantage statistically.’ If they do, then they’ve clearly watched their Woohoojin VOD reviews.
Both the Phantom and Vandal are viable in most situations. As long as you understand how to play to the different strengths of each rifle, you’ll be fine. Besides, I think game sense determines a win more than raw accuracy—but that’s something that’s really difficult to measure.” – Carson Dowhan, one of Insights Team Researchers.

While Riot Games did not provide a definitive conclusion, the analysis made it clear that both the Phantom and Vandal are viable options in most situations. By understanding how to utilize the strengths of each rifle, players can excel. It’s important to consider individual playstyles and adapt accordingly rather than solely relying on popularity or usage rates.