So I’ve been playing since beta, and I really enjoy the emphasis on team play. Unlike many fps games, the scoreboard shows the “score” of each player rather than just the K/D so players focus on team play rather than individual kill scores.
I’ve noticed most of the mercs are designed to focus on some sort of team gameplay, except the ones who main in killing. So I wanted to bring up the topic of Phantom and how he should be played as a team member. I believe Phantom focuses on killing rather than teamplay, but his killing ability can be quite weak considering how easily he can be killed when he’s in the middle of the fight. Is anything being done to update Phantom’s lack of skills as a teamplayer?
You literally just stated the whole problem with him, Has no role on a team and is quite bad at killing people compared to other mercs. Even though he’s classed as ‘recon’ he has no way to spot enemies so he’s practically just a @#!* assault merc. His cloak is quite load so any decent player will be able to hear you and unless your standing completely still, he’s very easy to spot.
However I do think almost everyone in PUBs plays him wrong, they focus on trying to get in close with the Katana because its the best melee weapon and his cloak tanks some damage, but it’s extremely easy to just back away from phantom and hit headshots (that’s if they even managed to not get spotted before getting to you).
It’s better to use the cloak to try get into positions in which you can carefully aim for the head and then unload a hoard of bullets then then back away and find a new target, only using the Katana when you get into CQC.
I think SD have said they weren’t gonna give him a second ability so i’m not actually quite sure about how you would make him an actual competitive merc, because right now he’s just a ‘fun’ merc. He has a high skill cap which really separates the good phantom players from newbs who like the ‘ninja’ gimmick.
Here’s a video from just after he was completely nerfed into the ground, but before the tweeks making him slightly more viable. Still many points in this video are still valid.
I think it’s fine if he’s just a “fun” merc. And he has a job, but he doesn’t do it properly. First thing they need to fix is the problems with his cloak that @Col_Jack_ONeill stated. Let him do his job properly before changing other things is what I think is good.
As for competitive phantom, if he remains unviable for comp forever I think it’s okay. He’s not the only merc that’s simply “fun” and not viable for competitive. I could list some mercs but I’m not sure about the current meta for comp and what’s viable and what’s not after the changes in CW and new mercs.
I do have a question about the latest proving grounds, I saw some methods and mercs that were considered unviable. No sawbonez or fragger, phoenix, aura, proxy. Shotguns and choosing blishlok over kek 10. That’s unheard of (at least for me). Were there no good players or did the meta shift? I saw some low levels there.
Phantom’s role as a teamplayer is mostly killing, but he can offer things that other teammates can’t, namely opening up a crossfire. Phantom is the best merc to cross a danger zone and come unscathed due to a combination of speed and armor (extra 70-80hp is nothing to shun at). Once Phantom sets up a flank he can harass enemies and pull them off the choke, allowing the team to push.
I’m honestly surprised they didn’t give him the emp grenade they put into Thunder’s concussion grenade, that would have been a good way to improve his teamplay since they are adamant about not giving him spotting abilities it seems.
Well, it makes sense with thunder because his role is to kinda disable people. You know, they’re blind and they walk slowly and can’t aim, they’re basically disabled. So it fits to disable deployables too. See what I mean?
I think phantom is a good enough “teamplayer”, rather indirectly. Can position himself really well to do things @Szakalot says. Great for team pushes. Otherwise he can pick off enemies and harass the fuck out of them.
