TenZ finally settles Valorant’s Phantom vs Vandal debate with one clear winner

Sentinels pro Tyson ‘TenZ’ Ngo has weighed in on Valorant’s Phantom versus Vandal rifle weapon debate and, as far as the 20-year-old is concerned, there’s a clear winner. 

Valorant, like any FPS, has weapon metas and discussion surrounding which of its weapons are the most effective in which situation. However, like CS:GO before it, Valorant uses in-game currency to determine what weapons players have available to them.

Much of the recent debate (and indeed since launch) has surrounded two rifles – the SW-ACR Phantom and the AR-762 Vandal. Both weapons cost 2,900 credits and, because of their likeness in performance as well as cost, the community seems split over which one reigns supreme. For pro player TenZ though, the choice isn’t that difficult.

Speaking in a July 2 Twitch stream, the ex-CS:GO pro weighed in on the debate and leant one clear way – towards the Phantom. He went on to list all the reasons he finds it stronger than the Vandal, in spite of both weapon’s incredible power.

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“I’m actually not joking when I say the Phantom is so much better than the Vandal,” he said. “The only thing the Vandal can do is like one tap. But the Phantom; bigger clip, easier spray pattern, one hits at close range anyways, one hits medium armor at like basically all ranges. You take a lot of chip damage in this game, so you’ll be a one hit at 140 most of the time.”

Chip damage refers to damage players take when encountering opponents’ in-game abilities.

He finished: “So there’s just so [many] more reasons I think the Phantom’s better – suppressor, better fire rate.”

Some players will probably remain unconvinced – there is definite room for subjectivity in the battle of the two rifles – but the opinions of a professional player who has competed at the top of level of CS:GO and now Valorant should not be disregarded.