I might be a Phantom player :-(

(jazevec) #1

Today I tried Phantom after a very long time. On Chapel, I got ‘Ace’ when I played offense. I can’t remember the last time I got this award. I used the cloak to cover EV, then to slowly creep through open spaces and flank enemies. My favorite trick is becoming invisible at an MG. As soon as some enemies run past, I deactivate cloak and unleash hell.

I need further experimentation. But I fear that I might have a natural talent for that sneaky bastard. I use loadouts with 20% longer cloak, that’s crucial for slowly creeping (the faster you move, the less translucent you are). Instead of using katana, I line up headshots at distracted enemies. He seems to work best in more open maps. I stay away from tight corridors when I’m easy to see and hear.

(Szakalot) #2

phantom can definitely be potent in close quarters. If you don’t have space to gain ground, phantom can charge at you with armor and smack you in two hits.

The prince of 1on1s, can take on anyone but fragger.

(jazevec) #3

The way I play him he’s best at middle range. Too close, and the cloak is too easy to hear. Too far, and smg loses potency. My favorite stages are EV escort on Bridge (offense), EV escort on Chapel, last stage on Terminal. Lots of big spaces to sneak through. Phantom is quickly noticed in corridors, when enemy can focus. But on Chapel you can sneak up to Vasili and he’s almost dead after 2 revolver headshots. People don’t notice much when there’s a lot going on.

Phantom may be the best MG merc. After being perforated several times I just stand cloaked to the MG. Enemy comes, aims at MG, sees nothing. Gets perforated again. It’s totally worth it to spend a minute or two to sneak on the last two MGs.

(Szakalot) #4

I agree that Phantom’s cloak is a lot better now.

The scenario I’m describing doesn’t have anything to do with cloak though: the enemy can see you, will fire whatever they have available - it won’t matter: if you are close enough and you know what you are doing it is very likely you will manage two katana slices before the opponent can kill you.

(KeMoN) #5

I both hate and respect you for that. You picked a merc that is mostly hated, but it’s also not an easy one (hardly anyone is though). I mostly play Proxy or sometimes medics (Aura/Sparks) and all of them are faster than Phantom.
Like you said Phantom in closed quarter isn’t actually that bad to counter. You can easily spot him . My all-time favorite move with Proxy (and that is why it is my favorite merc) is to simply throw a mine down into a group of enemies or stronger mercs (Fragger, Rhino, Phantom) and shoot it. Perfect countermeasure.

(FireWorks) #6

[QUOTE=jazevec;539598]The way I play him he’s best at middle range. Too close, and the cloak is too easy to hear. Too far, and smg loses potency. My favorite stages are EV escort on Bridge (offense), EV escort on Chapel, last stage on Terminal. Lots of big spaces to sneak through. Phantom is quickly noticed in corridors, when enemy can focus. But on Chapel you can sneak up to Vasili and he’s almost dead after 2 revolver headshots. People don’t notice much when there’s a lot going on.

Phantom may be the best MG merc. After being perforated several times I just stand cloaked to the MG. Enemy comes, aims at MG, sees nothing. Gets perforated again. It’s totally worth it to spend a minute or two to sneak on the last two MGs.[/QUOTE]

There is a katana+kek10 loadout with your mentioned extended ability time and Chopper, so you can simply 1hitkill 100HP mercs like Vassili or Phoenix without the need to shoot and attract more attention. In revolver range, Id just use the Kek anyways.

Annoys me to run with the pistol out instead of the melee weapon.

Anyone uses a sense toggle to circumvent the changed melee sense? Changing sense killed melee play for me and I couldnt get arsed to change it yet.

(Violator) #7

Phantom is very annoying right now… Run in, spam the sword and unless you can kite faster you are dead in a couple of swipes (he’s even more effective with guns). Its particularly bad at the moment as he’s on rotation. The cloaking isn’t really the problem its the fact you have to kite to avoid and he is faster than most mercs (Kira or Proxy will be dead in a 1 or 2 swipes) meaning you need to land 4 or so headshots vs 2 or 3 body swipes.

(Bangtastic) #8

Phantom is one of the weakest mercs imo

(Violator) #9

Not in the right hands - I’ve seen some terrible Phantom players but if played right there isn’t a lot of counter CQC - the armour also gets you out of trouble enough to tank if the target does manage to kite away in time. His downside is once he has committed to a sword attack he is pretty vulnerable, its very hit and run.

(jazevec) #10

[QUOTE=FireWorks;539607]There is a katana+kek10 loadout with your mentioned extended ability time and Chopper, so you can simply 1hitkill 100HP mercs like Vassili or Phoenix without the need to shoot and attract more attention. In revolver range, Id just use the Kek anyways.
[/QUOTE]
Good luck if Vasili is literally unreachable. The situation I described was in the last stage of Chapel, Vasili was in spawn (left exit looking from spawn). I shot the revolver without much hope, but to my amazement both shots hit and Vasili was barely alive.

Now I’m crunching SMG stats to see which has the best effective range.

Yes, I understand people can be effective with the katana. But I hate everything about Phantom’s style. His katana even has an american flag on it!!! Yuck. Simply put, melee doesn’t excite me. But hey, if a merc makes me like Chapel, why not ? I consistently do well on that map.

Sure there are many idiot phantoms who play like this:

  1. Enable cloak
  2. Run at the closest enemy as usual.
  3. Die

I try to use cloak for things no other merc could do, especially sneaking through open spaces and camping in plain view. When was the last time you’ve seen a Phantom go for MG ?? And cloak next to MG ?? I do that. I’ve tried both Rhino and Phoenix, and Phantom is amazing MGunner (Rhino has his merits). Ranged phantom players are so uncommon people don’t know how to deal with them.
My other two mercs are medic and Bushwacker.

(SpawnTDK) #11

hm, by shooting him?

(lilianb) #12

The bullets will go right through him :smiley:

(jazevec) #13

Or instinctively run back into open!

(mccrorie) #14

Phantoms camping in the open should be assassinating medics and engineers and going for the gib. It’s a good tactic.

(jazevec) #15

I try to do that.

Invisible phantoms can use microphone to spy on enemies. Making Phantom actually work as a Recon class!