Valorant players hate the recent nerfs to Phantom’s ammo

Valorant’s latest update introduces significant weapon adjustments alongside broader gameplay modifications. While patch 6.11 delivers numerous agent balancing changes, the rifle ammo reduction represents one of the most impactful alterations to core gunplay mechanics.

As Episode 6 approaches its conclusion, Riot Games implements strategic modifications to refine competitive balance before introducing the next agent. These comprehensive adjustments include multiple character tweaks, ability nerfs, and weapon buffs designed to create a healthier meta. The reserve ammunition changes for primary rifles have generated substantial discussion within the player community.

Vandal and Phantom, as the most frequently selected rifles in Valorant, now face targeted adjustments to their ammunition capacity. This calculated modification aims to discourage excessive bullet spam while simultaneously strengthening defensive utility effectiveness.

Read more about strategic gameplay adjustments | Understanding weapon balance fundamentals

Valorant patch 6.11 Vandal and Phantom changes

The ammunition reserves for both primary rifles undergo substantial reduction in patch 6.11. Previously, players enjoyed generous backup bullet supplies that enabled sustained fire through smoke screens and defensive barriers.

• Phantom Reserve ammo adjusted from 90 >>> 60
• Vandal Reserve ammo adjusted from 75 >>> 50

These adjustments translate to 33% and 40% reductions for Phantom and Vandal respectively. The changes force players to reconsider their engagement strategies and ammunition conservation techniques. Understanding weapon statistics and performance metrics becomes increasingly important for competitive success.

This strategic shift penalizes players who previously relied on volume shooting through obscured sightlines. With diminished reserve capacity, even Phantom users must exercise greater discretion with suppression fire and spam techniques.

Valorant players dislike the rifle changes

While professional and high-ranked competitors generally welcome these changes as skill-differentiating adjustments, many casual and mid-tier players express frustration with what they perceive as unnecessary modifications. The community debate centers around whether these changes address genuine balance issues or create new problems.

According to dissenting players, the ammunition reductions may inadvertently promote alternative spam weapons like Odin. This machine gun offers superior ammunition capacity and wall penetration, potentially becoming the new default for smoke spamming strategies.

Many community members question the timing and necessity of these adjustments, suggesting that spam-related issues weren’t sufficiently problematic to warrant such significant changes. Alternative solutions proposed include strengthening defensive abilities rather than limiting offensive options.

The true competitive impact of these balance modifications will only become apparent after the June 6 implementation date. Despite vocal opposition, the changes proceed as part of Riot’s ongoing meta refinement process. Learning proper class selection and role specialization becomes increasingly valuable for team composition.

Successful adaptation to the new ammunition economy requires fundamental changes to engagement discipline and resource management. Players must now prioritize accuracy over volume and develop better pre-aiming techniques to conserve precious bullets.

Strategic Adjustments for Competitive Play:

• Implement burst fire patterns for smoke engagements
• Coordinate with teammates for utility destruction responsibilities
• Adjust economic decisions to account for potential earlier reload requirements
• Develop map-specific ammo conservation strategies based on common choke points

The ammunition changes create natural advantages for methodical, precision-focused playstyles while disadvantaging spray-heavy approaches. This aligns with Valorant’s core design philosophy emphasizing tactical decision-making over reflexive spraying.

Riot’s monitoring commitment ensures that barrier destruction capabilities remain viable. The development team explicitly stated他们会密切关注调整后的弹药储备，确保这些武器仍然能够处理 Sage 的屏障宝珠和 Harbor 的 Cove 等可射击物。

The effectiveness of these balance changes will be measured through competitive data analysis and community feedback following implementation.

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