VALORANT: Vandal vs Phantom – The Real Numbers

Vandal vs Phantom: The Real Numbers You Actually Care About

Okay, let’s be real. If you’ve played VALORANT for more than a week you’ve probably argued about Vandal vs Phantom at least once. I swear, every lobby has that one guy who says, “Vandal is the only rifle worth using,” and then someone else swears by Phantom because “dude the spray is just better.” Both are good, both are annoying, and I’ve swapped between them more times than I can count.

I’m not here to give you some sterile chart (you can Google that). This is more like: what actually happens in real games, when you’re broke, tilted, or just trying not to bottom frag.

The Vandal – the ego gun

One headshot anywhere on the map = dead enemy. That’s it. That’s why people love it. On Breeze I once tapped a guy across mid doors and honestly it felt unfair. Doesn’t matter if they’re 5 meters away or 50, Vandal headshots delete people.

The downside? Miss that shot and suddenly the recoil kicks you in the face. Spray is wobbly, fire rate is slower, and you just donated a free Vandal to the enemy. It’s the gun that makes you look like a god or a clown, no in-between.

I’ll admit, half the reason I keep using it is because of the skin I unlocked with VALORANT VP. Dumb? Maybe. But I swear my aim feels sharper when I’m flexing that skin. And yeah, sometimes after a losing streak I just tilt and buy VP for another one. Therapy, right?

The Phantom – quiet chaos

Now Phantom is… different. It forgives mistakes. Faster fire rate, smoother spray, and the silencer makes your shots harder to track. On maps like Split or Bind where fights are close, Phantom feels like cheating. You spray through a smoke and boom, free kill.

The catch? Damage falloff. Headshots past 15 meters don’t always kill. Lost me so many duels on Ascent mid, I don’t even wanna talk about it. That’s when you miss the Vandal.

But still, I see why people love it. If you panic in fights, Phantom’s the comfort gun. Just hold mouse1 and pray. Sometimes it works way better than it should.

Numbers without the boring

Alright, here’s the “math” version but not in textbook language:

• Vandal: 160 headshot damage no matter the range. Body is 40 up close, drops to 26 at long range. Shoots slower.
• Phantom: 156 headshot, but only up to 15m. Drops after that. Body damage 39 up close, down to 25 at long range. Shoots faster.

Translation:

• Vandal = consistent, punishes mistakes harder.
• Phantom = comfy, better in close scrappy fights, but weaker long-range.

So which is better?

Honestly? Neither. Stop arguing. Use the one that fits the map and your mood.

• Playing Breeze or Ascent? Vandal.
• Playing Split or Bind? Phantom.
• Feeling confident with your aim? Vandal.
• Feeling shaky after five losses? Phantom.

That’s literally how I decide. And honestly, the “right gun” is the one that makes you feel confident. Which is why so many people buy VP for skins — not because cosmetics give stats, but because they make you feel like you’re in control. Confidence is half the battle in VALORANT.

Final thoughts (or rant)

So yeah. Vandal vs Phantom. Both are broken, both are balanced, both make you rage when you lose a duel. The real numbers matter, but mindset matters more. Pick the gun that suits the fight, the map, and honestly your mood that day.

And if you’re like me and sometimes need that little extra push — new skin, new vibe, new confidence — then loading up some VALORANT VP isn’t the worst idea. I usually grab mine through mas4games, keeps it simple.

Anyway, that’s it. Next time someone in your lobby starts the “Vandal is better” rant, just smile, pick your gun, and prove it on the server.