Logged in and started… Only with which weapon? Riot finally releases its tactical shooter Valorant – and here, besides the agent skills, the weapons are crucial. In our big weapons guide we want to take a closer look at them. Today we’ll take a close look at the Vandal.

Currently, there are 17 weapons in Valorant, and we can expect even more after the release on June 2. The variety is great: from the sniper, to the shotgun, to the assault rifle… The shooter lives up to its name. But which weapon is suitable for which agent? Which strategy should be followed with which weapon? And what is the firing pattern, how high is the damage and the rate of fire? We reveal.

The Vandal – Damage without loss

Unlike its little sister, the Phantom, the Vandal is a rifle that can be used flexibly from any distance. No matter if you press the weapon directly against the opponent’s temple or fire a shot from far away. The tricky part is the damage, because the Vandal is not a sniper that virtually guarantees a kill. If you don’t hit the head you have to shoot more often.

Damage, rate of fire, firing pattern

As mentioned, the damage is only critical in the head area. Here, one shot is enough to kill the enemy. After that, there’s a sharp drop in damage: while a headshot does 156 damage, a body hit only does 39, and a shot to the legs does 33. So it takes four shots to the body to get a kill. That’s a lot, considering that the Vandal attracts a lot of attention when shooting due to its loudness…. And don’t forget, it’s also significantly slower when doing so. Its rate of fire is 9.25 bullets per second, 8.32 when the zoom is used. Then there’s the somewhat confusing firing pattern: after the first two bullets, the gun barrel immediately moves up. After the fifth bullet, the barrel starts to move sideways – making several needed body shots difficult. Later, the Vandal keeps swinging left and right in bullet fire.

Vandal Strategies

The Vandal is not a weapon for players who like to hide or ambush their opponents. Its boom is simply too loud for that. The weapon should be used for aggressive, albeit well thought-out moves – preferably after some training in the practice range, as the firing pattern is simply very complex. However, experienced attackers with map awareness will have a lot of fun with theirs.

When should you buy the Vandal?

At 2,900 credits, the weapon isn’t incredibly cheap, but it’s damage-strong and solid. It’s perfect for normal buying rounds when you’re planning to go all out with the weapon. In the first rounds, however, it would be risky to shell out your money for it.

The best agents for the Vandal

Since the Vandal is difficult to handle and is designed for aggressive gameplay, agents that bring calm to the game should be chosen. We would especially recommend Sage, as she is known for her passive playstyle and is great to handle in duels, which the Vandal is very suited for.

More Valorant Weapons Guides:

Valorant Weapons Guide – Spectre
Valorant Weapons Guide – Marshal
Valorant Weapons Guide – Ares

Until then, we have plenty of Valorant news on Valorant server statuses and all error codes and all results of the Valorant Ignition Series NA: T1 vs. TSM.

Valorant Beginner’s Guide

Overwhelmed with Valorant? No wonder… Without experience in similar games (such as CS:GO or Overwatch) the start in Valorant is difficult. But don’t worry, we are here to help you with our Valorant Beginner Guide.

Valorant is a special game. Many think that getting into the game is easy, but without shooter experience, you’ll quickly be on the ropes. Even CS:GO veterans can get into trouble… In Counter Strike, there are no flying knife-throwing things-people. But that’s why we are here.

This beginner’s guide is meant to help you get started in Valorant and introduce you to the world of Valorant. After that, the most important features should be clear to you, so that the fun in Valorant is not lost.

Valorant Beginner Guide: Basics

Let’s start with the meaning behind the game. In other words: What is Valorant anyway? Valorant is a first-person shooter in which two teams consisting of five players face off. The first team to win 13 rounds wins. Both teams have a different role – attacker and defender.

The goal of the attackers is to place a spike and protect it until detonation. This must happen on one of the three spots (A/B/C). In turn, the defenders must prevent the attackers from doing so.

Each match consists of two halves. After the first half (12 rounds), the two teams switch roles. The attackers become defenders, the defenders become attackers. Easy.

Agents

Before the start of a match, each player must choose an agent. Agents have unique skills, which in most cases also require a certain playstyle (offensive, defensive, support, etc.). Currently there are 16 agents in total, but new agents have already been leaked and should be added soon.

As a new player, you can initially choose between 5 free agents: Brimstone, Phoenix, Sova, Jett and Sage. To unlock more agents, you will have to sign contracts, which is mostly done via Daily Quests or earning experience points.

Valorant Beginner Guide: The best agent to start with

Phoenix is by far the easiest agent to start with in Valorant. His skills are not too complicated, can be combined well in any situation. But watch out with the flashbangs (aka your Q skill)! You’ll probably flashbang yourself and your mates quite often in the beginning, but practice makes perfect!

Valorant Beginner Guide: The best mode to start with

Stay away from Unrated mode for the beginning. This may sound strange, but especially the beginning of Valorant might be hard for you. Frustration will lead to quick quits, which in turn will get you involved in penalties and XP loss. That’s why you should start with Spike Rush first. An average game here lasts 8 minutes, while other modes can easily go over 50 minutes. In Spike Rush, you’ll be quickly released from suffering without having to take any penalties.

In addition, you don’t have to do any eco rounds in Spike Rush. This means that you’ll be able to try out your agents’ abilities, as well as the most varied weapons. Spike Rush is a great mode to learn the basics of Valorant. When you feel like you’re firmly in the saddle, you can try your luck in Unrated mode. After 20 matches in Unrated mode, you’ll gain access to Competitive mode, where you can earn ranks.

Heroes&WIKI, Valorant, ValorantGuide, ValorantGuides