Valorant: Shroud explains how to choose between the Phantom or Vandal

Michael "Shroud" Grzesiek which the better weapon choice is between the Phantom and the Vandal.

Choosing the right weapon to use in any game that involves guns is of utmost importance. Not only is it dependent on the strengths of the weapons themselves, but the play-style that is used by the player in question also has a say on the matter. When it comes to this, Valorant is no different. When a player of Shroud's experience and know-how picks one though, its likely going to be a good choice.

Vandal or Phantom? 🤔@shroud explains how he picks which rifle to use in #VALORANT: https://t.co/lOzkUhvTAZ pic.twitter.com/cTb3Ltt3Er

— Valorant News (@ValorantUpdates) November 3, 2020

The start of the Valorant First Strike tournament has already displayed the potential this game has in a competitive scenario. Shroud mentions on his stream which gun is the better one between the Vandal and the Phantom. Keeping the latest economic ruleset in mind, players have to be decisive with weapon choices in Valorant.

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Shroud reveals why the Vandal is better than the Phantom in Valorant

As a retired CS:GO pro, Shroud has all the insight one might need to know which gun is better. Of course, he mentions how the situation, map, play-style, and the Agent matters in every gunfight. Nevertheless, with the recent buff that Riot Games implemented, the Vandal has become unbeatable.

Shroud explains how both guns have a situational advantage in Valorant. For instance, Shroud said,

"If you are playing more of a defensive role and a defensive position that might be littered with a lot of smoke, then you want a Phantom. You 100% want a Phantom to shoot through smoke without being detected from where you are, so they cant shoot you back."

Similarly, he mentions:

"Not only that, you play a Phantom in a spot where you might actually be closer range than you normally would be. But, most of the times now, I use the Vandal because it has gotten such a huge buff."

GameVODS clipped Cloud9 Blue pro Tyson TenZ Ngo mentioning how the Vandal is much more efficient with Reyna's kit. Recently, in the Valorant First Strike North America - NSG tournament, fans witnessed how TenZ dominated with the Vandal.

Similarly, GameLeap Valorant Pro Guides, released a video on YouTube mentioning the finer details of using a Vandal in Valorant. If players are looking for that one-tap headshot, then Vandal is definitely the way to go.

Level 4 Singularity Phantom #VALORANT pic.twitter.com/vHHGsOvEWj

— Valorant Leaks & Updates (@ValorantUpdated) October 9, 2020

With the Singularity skin available for Phantom, several players have taken to it quite enthusiastically. However, trading efficiency for cosmetics is not how one improves at Valorant.

A statistical comparison shows that the Vandal has a Fire Rate of 8.775 rounds/sec at 526.5 RPM. However, it is much more potent than the Phantom in Valorant. On the contrary, the lack of a flash hider/suppressor reveals the shooter's location. This is where the Phantom trumps the Vandal - at being sneaky.

Players need to be quite careful with their weapon choice, as depending on the situation, it is better to swap weapons in Valorant, rather than voluntarily being at a disadvantage.