Valorant has agents with abilities, but weapons are still the most crucial aspect of the game. Take a closer look at today's Valorant weapon guide, as we explore the Vandal.
At the moment, there are 17 weapons in Valorant, but we can expect Riot to add even more in the future. The variety is enormous: From the sniper to the shotgun, to the assault rifle. The tactical shooter lives up to its name, but which weapon is suitable for which agent? Which strategy should one pursue with which weapon and what is the shooting pattern, damage, and the rate of fire? Read on to find out.
The Vandal - Range is Not a Problem
Unlike the Phantom, the Vandal is a rifle that can be used flexibly from any distance. No matter whether you press the weapon directly against the opponent's temple or fire a shot from a long distance. The tricky thing is the damage because the Vandal is not a sniper that virtually guarantees a kill. Those who do not hit the head will have to fire more bullets than necessary.
- READ MORE: Valorant Weapon Guide – Part 3: Phantom
Damage, fire rate, spray pattern
As mentioned, the damage is only critical in the head area. Here, one shot is enough and the opponent dies (unless we're talking heavy armor). If you don't hit the head, there is a substantial damage drop: While a headshot does 156 damage, a body hit causes only 39, a shot in the legs causes 33 damage. Four shots into the body are needed to achieve a kill and we're being optimistic here. That's a lot, considering that the Vandal attracts a lot of attention when shooting because of the noise it makes. And don't forget, it's also much slower. It has a rate of fire of 9.25 rounds per second and 8.32 when you use the zoom. In addition, there is a somewhat confusing firing pattern: After the first two bullets, the gun barrel immediately moves upwards. After the fifth bullet, the barrel begins to move sideways - making several hits in a row difficult. Later, the Vandal swings to the left and right again and again in its spray pattern.
Vandal Strategies
The Vandal is not the perfect weapon for players who like to hide or ambush their opponents. The shots are simply too loud for that. The weapon should be used for aggressive, albeit well thought out moves - best after some training in the practice area, as the shooting pattern is on the complex side. Experienced attackers with map-awareness will have a lot of fun with it. While the Vandal is a one-tap beast in long-distance, getting caught close might often put you in an awkward situation due to its lower rate of fire. If you've played CS:GO the Vandal is the Valorant weapon which is closest to the AK-47.
opebatsukadakaratamanihavandalmo~#VALORANT #ValorantClips pic.twitter.com/EoQ0rZZluZ
— Min Bread* (@srbrd_ava) June 29, 2020
When should you buy the Vandal?
With 2,900 credits, the weapon is definitely not cheap but it's also not incredibly expensive. In any case, it gives you all the firepower you'll ever need in any round. Perfect for normal buying rounds, where you are following the plan to get started with the weapon. In the first rounds, however, it would be risky to give up your money for it and even worse risk your enemy taking it.
The best agents for the Vandal
Since the Vandal is difficult to handle and designed for aggressive gameplay, agents should be chosen to bring calm into play. We would particularly recommend Sage, as she is known for her passive style of play and is excellent in duels, for which the Vandal is very well suited. Other good options are the usual suspects Sova and Cypher as they can get more information on an enemy's location. This allows you to better prepare your aim positioning.
MORE VALORANT WEAPON GUIDES:
- Valorant Weapon Guide – Part 1: Spectre
- Valorant Weapon Guide – Part 2: Operator
- Valorant Weapon Guide – Part 3: Phantom
Stay tuned for more Valorant guides as there are still a lot of weapons to cover. Make sure to check out EarlyGame as well as our Youtube channel for more content.
