Warden shakes up VALORANT’s Vandal vs Phantom debate as the newest rifle

Riot Games revealed a new rifle coming to VALORANT: Warden. The weapon launches on Sept. 22 and promises to change the gun meta as we know it.

Priced at 2,900 Credits, Warden is set to become the third main rifle in VALORANT, alongside Vandal and Phantom. According to Riot Games, the goal is to provide another option for holding longer angles without committing to a sniper rifle.

Vandal, Phantom, or Warden? Image via Riot Games

It’s designed with a stronger aiming-down-sights option, supported by a 2x scope, and best-in-class first-shot accuracy in both hip-fire and ADS. This increased accuracy comes at a cost of magazine size, ammo reserves, and fire rate.

Here are the Warden’s key stats and features:

• Weapon class: Rifle
• Price: 2900 credits
• Projectile type: Bullet
• Attachments: 2x maginifcation scope
• Bullets per magazine: 18
• Damage per bullet at all ranges:
  • 200 headshot
  • 50 body
  • 42 leg
• Fire rate: 6.5
• Ammo reserve: 36
• Reload timing: 2.5
• Equip timing:
  • Normal: 1.0
  • Fast: 0.6
  • Instant 0.2
• Wall Penetration: Medium
• First shot spread:
  • Hip-fire: 0.15
  • ADS: 0.04

First shot spread accuracy is considerably lower on Warden than on other rifles, especially when aiming down sights. On Vandal, the first-shot spread is 0.25 in hip-fire and 0.157 in ADS. On Phantom, the first-shot spread is 0.2 in hip-fire and 0.11 in ADS.

Here’s how Warden compares to Vandal and Phantom in some of the base stats:

Stat	Vandal	Phantom	Warden
Damage	160 headshot 40 body 34 leg	0-20m: 156 headshot 39 body 33 leg 20-50m: 140 headshot 35 body 29 leg	200 headshot 50 body 42 leg
Magazine size/reserves	25/50	30/60	18/36
Fire rate	9.75	11	6.5
First shot spread	Hip-fire: 0.25 ADS: 0.157	Hip-fire: 0.2 ADS: 0.11	Hip-fire: 0.15 ADS: 0.04

Be quick, be decisive. Image via Riot Games

Since VALORANT‘s launch, buy rounds have been defined by the choice between the two main rifles: Vandal and Phantom. Some prefer Phantom for easier control and one-shot kills at close range, while others choose Vandal to land satisfying headshots at longer ranges.

With the introduction of the new rifle, the nature of buy rounds might shift. Those confident in their aim could lean towards Warden. It’s also interesting to see how pro players adjust and incorporate the new rifle into their playstyles, if at all.

warden at champions 2026:

Since Warden launches two days before Champions Shanghai, Riot Games has confirmed it won’t be played at the event.

Warden marks the second new weapon in VALORANT this year, following Bandit’s release in January. Bandit ended up being a more situational pistol. But Warden promises to shake up the classic Vandal vs Phantom debate once it launches on Sept. 22, just two days before Champions Shanghai.

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