A VALORANT player recently compared the one-shot range for the Bucky and Phantom and discovered the Bucky can deliver instant kills at a longer range.
The player tested both weapons in the shooting range on a bot to measure the distance and damage of each weapon. The Phantom dealt 140 damage with a headshot, which is still a significant amount of damage but isn’t enough to kill a player.
After switching to the Bucky, the player repeated the test at the same distance. The Bucky consistently delivered more damage than the Phantom at the same range, which technically makes the Bucky more effective at that range.
The Phantom is still a better option in most situations, but the test shows the Bucky is more effective than most players think.
The player did crouch while using the Bucky, though. This tightens the spread of the shotgun blast and increases the gun’s accuracy. The player didn’t do this while using the Phantom and the Bucky is less consistent when not crouching. But needing to crouch at that range with the Bucky isn’t a big deal if it makes the weapon viable.
Shotguns in VALORANT are capable of delivering massive damage when used correctly. Defensive players can hold angles with the Bucky and take them out from a distance as they push into a site. It’s not recommended to continuously use a Bucky instead of a Phantom, but it’s a viable choice when you’re low on funds.
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