For years, the Vandal has reigned supreme in high-ELO and professional VALORANT play, primarily due to its non-negotiable ability to deliver a guaranteed “one-tap” headshot kill regardless of distance or armor. The Phantom, while excelling at short-range spray transfers and through smokes, was consistently handicapped by its damage falloff, making long-range duels a dangerous gamble.

However, the latest balance pass in Patch 11.11 delivered a subtle but crucial tweak to the Phantom, significantly decreasing its damage falloff at mid-to-long ranges (specifically, the $15-30$ meter range). This change has fundamentally altered the rifle meta, forcing players to reassess the true cost-benefit of each weapon.

The Math Behind the Meta Shift

The critical breakpoint lies in the interaction between the Phantom’s damage and the opponent’s Light Armor (25 HP):

  • The Problem Before: Beyond 15 meters, the Phantom’s headshot damage often dipped below the critical 140 HP threshold, meaning a fully shielded opponent (150 HP total) would survive a clean headshot if they only possessed Light Armor.
  • The Fix Now: By lessening the damage falloff, the Phantom’s headshot damage is now reliably above the 140 mark across a much wider engagement distance.

This means that a player who bought the popular “Light Armor + Ghost” combination on an eco-round is now significantly more vulnerable to a one-tap from a Phantom in a rifle round. This drastically elevates the Phantom’s reliability and removes a major statistical downside.

The New Advantage: Reliability and Control

The Phantom’s inherent strengths are now amplified by this newfound long-range reliability:

  1. Sustained Fire in Open Space: On maps with tighter mid-ranges, such as Ascent or Bind, the Phantom’s superior rate of fire and easier spray control make it ideal for breaking enemy utility or dealing with multiple targets. This stability is now less penalized at range.
  2. Smokes and Wall-Bangs: The Phantom always benefited from the absence of tracers when shooting through smokes, and its high magazine capacity is perfect for wall-banging. The buff ensures that if a player successfully tags an enemy through a wall or smoke, the final bullet is more likely to secure the kill, even if the enemy is distant.

The Verdict: A Balanced War

The Vandal will always remain the favorite for the most aggressive, highly skilled duelists who prioritize the absolute certainty of the one-tap.

However, the Phantom is no longer a strictly inferior option for medium to long-range encounters. The Patch 11.11 change has pushed the meta toward a healthier, more balanced choice:

  • Vandal: For pinpoint accuracy, one-taps, and low-ammo spray control.
  • Phantom: For reliable spray transfers, sustained fire, and superior performance through smokes, now with vastly improved headshot reliability against common armor buys.

The war between the rifles is officially back on, and the ultimate winner is the player who can master both.