The Phantoms faction is the “tank” faction, as they can afford to absorb more damage and install magnetic shields or take a blitz shield. In this guide, we will talk about the Phantoms faction and analyze how to play for them, how to use their skills and what weapons to take.

XDefiant – How to Play as Phantom

Phantoms are a kind of tank class for us. Actually, that’s why their distinctive feature is an increased amount of health by 20 units, and this is their passive.

Content:

1. Abilities and how and when to use them
   • Magnetic barrier
   • Blitz Shield
   • Aegis (ulta)
   • Hardening (passive)
2. What weapons to choose and attachments

Abilities and how and when to use them

As you already understood, the task of phantoms is to tank damage, break through defense or hold it back. And their two abilities help us with this.

Magnetic barrier

The first is a magnetic barrier, also known as a wall. By shooting in front of you, you deploy a wall that blocks any damage. And you and your teammates can easily shoot through it at enemies. In addition, this barrier allows you to ricochet grenades flying at you or even cleaner drones with napalm.

The shield itself lasts 10 seconds, and its recharge is 30, which will not begin until the shield is installed. But if it suddenly happened that you placed the shield incorrectly and you need it as soon as possible in another place, then by holding down the button of the same ability you can cancel the shield and then the cooldown of the new one will immediately begin.

It is also worth understanding that although the shield has a 10-second limit, it can be destroyed earlier than you want. Enemies will simply shoot at it until it crumbles, and you can find out its durability from a special indicator. But this is not the main problem.

• Note: The most dangerous counter-group to the Phantoms is DedSec ( Watch Dogs 2). The DedSec faction has the ability “Intercept”, which, by hacking, can turn the barrier against us.

This barrier is great for defensive actions and holding positions when you need to stand directly at the point or, on the contrary, stand near it and fire at those who are trying to capture it, especially if there is no cover nearby.

Ideal places for a barrier are narrow passages that will allow you to be safe from all sides . And if suddenly someone sneaks up on you unnoticed, you can run around the barrier, moving from side to side, thereby blocking some of the damage at close range.

Also from personal observations, this barrier counters snipers perfectly. They need to make about 4 shots to eliminate such a barrier. And this takes about 10 seconds. Recently I was pumping up a sniper rifle and these barriers really annoyed me.

Blitz Shield

But the second ability is a portable shield, also known as Blitz Shield. It also blocks damage from bullets, but is already vulnerable to grenades and other lethal devices .

As I said in the guide about the cleaners , the most dangerous nasty thing for us is the cleaner with a Molotov cocktail (Incendiary Bomb), since it is the one that is the hardest for us to get to. The Blitz Shield cannot be destroyed, unlike the barrier, but it can only end 25 seconds after activation, or by pressing the ability again you can return to your weapon if there is no need for the shield now. The Blitz Shield recharges in 15 seconds.

Although the shield cannot be destroyed, you are very vulnerable from the back, sides, and in a frontal collision, your lower legs are open , which are shot through. While using the shield, you can hit with it, with two hits with the shield any enemy character flies off. But there is one small but, the blitz shield does not protect you from the same blows with the butt . That is, if you approach a character with incomplete HP point-blank, then he can kill you in hand-to-hand combat, ignoring the shield.

Few people know about this, so use it. Actually, the Blitz Shield shows itself very well in Escort and Zone Control mode from the side, when you are actually attacking. It is in these modes, as it seems to me, that having such a shielder is simply a must, at least in the first couple of maps, when you need to push the cart from its place, and you are pressed hard to the respawn. The most important thing is that you have a permanent healer hanging on you.

Aegis (ulta)

Aegis (super move) is a dome that, like the barrier , protects us from all direct hits from bullets, grenades and other abilities. While in this dome, you cannot run, crouch or slide , but only move slowly and shoot from an electric-charge shotgun. But its radius is very limited, shots only reach targets inside the dome, but there is a lot of damage , and if you hit, you will instantly eliminate the enemy.

However, remember that any enemy who enters the dome can easily kill you . And in the case of the same nasty molotov of the cleaners, he will do it lightning fast. As you understand, such an ultimate is best used when defending points or accompanying a robot , at those points where it is very difficult to stand and there is a lot of open space.

Typically, these parts of locations are found towards the middle of the map, but it is often worth saving the ultimate for the last point or the last escort push , since they are the most difficult and your team’s respawns are much further than the enemy’s respawn.

Hardening (passive)

Increases your maximum health by 20. Now you always have 120 health by default, like a true tank.

What weapons to choose and attachments

Unlike the cleaners, I don’t see much point in playing SMGs and shotguns here, since this character is more passive. Assault rifles and light machine guns are great for him , although I don’t really recommend them, since they’re not very good on their own. But DMR rifles (semi-automatic rifles) are what you really need. They’re really meta now. You install attachments for damage, rate of fire, aiming speed, and passively play from positioning and your barriers.

Leave your comments, what do you think of XDefiant, which faction do you like to play for and what is your favorite weapon?