I have played Phantom mode quite a bit over the years as it has been around since I can remember when starting out with StarCraft II Wings of Liberty and now up to Legacy of the Void. The basis of this custom game / SCII Arcade game is to basically deceive your opponents or likewise,  convince them that you are on their team. Everyone is assigned a random role consisting of either Slayer, Paladin or Phantom. And like the intro to the games states “…it is not always wise to reveal what you are. You must discover your allies and unmask your enemies.”

A game of Phantom Mode generally consists of 8 players of which there are a few different games modes that dictate starting resources, game vision and the gameplay style (the numbers of Slayers vs Paladins vs Phantoms). In Phantom Mode, Slayers and Paladins are allies and the Phantoms are allied with each other, but the catch is that no body knows for sure who is what – this is what makes this game so much fun. Essentially Phantom Mode is just a standard StarCraft II game with a twist, as the games instructions dictate – the goal of the game is to survive and destroy your unknown enemies.

For myself, Phantom has been a long time favourite as I find that the gameplay dynamic is super fun and there are so many ways that the game can go. For example, if someone rushes another player at the start of the game, people either immediately think that they are Phantom, or they think that the player is confident in being able to pick on subtle hints that the player being attacked is in fact a Phantom. So if you are looking for a rather chill game of StarCraft II that mixes normal SCII gameplay with  some social dynamics, then you’ll love this SCII Arcade game.

Have you played Phantom, love it…hate it? Let us know in the comments below. Or throw in some of your favourite SCII custom / arcade games.

Here are the descriptions for each of the roles –

Slayers: Are allied with Slayers and Paladins. Receive a small bounty for killing enemy units. Slayers are considered “Good” and receive no resource benefits.

Paladins: Are allied with Slayers and Paladins and receive five of each resource per second – that is, unless they are suspected as being a Paladin early game, where Phantoms have the option of “Smiting” a player they think is a Paladin, which takes away the Paladins resource advantages.

Phantoms: Are allied with Phantom and receive additional resources and supplies. Additional resources and supplies increase over time. Phantoms are considered “Evil” and start the game with the same resource bonus as Paladins, as well as a supply bonus – both of which increase over time as the game goes on.

Phantom Game Modes

Good vs Evil

This is the game mode chosen most often. There is a single Paladin and up to two Phantoms are chosen (based randomly or through what each player votes at the start of the game). Slayers receive a small bounty for killing enemy units and Paladins receive a bonus income that does not increase over time. Phantoms receive a bonus income and supplies that do increase over time and Phantoms are able to smite the Paladin in this game mode (which if chosen correctly the Paladin loses his/her resource advantages).

Betrayal

In Betrayal a single Phantom is chosen to start. Then up to three additional players will become Paladins over time. One of the chosen Paladins may eventually become an additional Phantom. Slayers receive a small bounty for killing enemy units and Paladins receive bonus income that does not increase over time.

Solo Phantom

In Solo Phantom Slayers will receive a small bounty for killing enemy units. The Phantom receives bonus income and supplies that increases over time and the Phantoms income is a percentage of the resources gathered by slayers.

Other Game Options

Resources

Scarce

If selected the available resources available for mining are: Minerals: 2000 – Gas: 4000

Normal

If selected the available resources available for mining are: Minerals: 4000 – Gas: 8000

Bountiful

This is the Resource game option selected most often in my experience.

If selected the available resources available for mining are: Minerals: 8000 – Gas: 16000

Game Vision

Always Day

If selected the game vision will always be day and you will always be able to see everyone, assuming they are still allied with you and sharing vision.

Day & Night

The Day & Night option is probably chosen most often. For a period of time you will play during day mode where you can see everyone allied to you. And during night mode, everything will go dark / in the shadows and you will only be able to see your own base and units.

Always Night

If Always Night is chosen you will never see anyone unless they are in your field of vision, which makes it very hard to see who is what considering you’re always blind to what’s going on everywhere.

Quick Start

If people vote for Quick Start, all the players start with 1000 of each Minerals and Gas at the start of the game. This makes it easier to quickly expand and start building.

Vision Circles

If Vision Circles is selected, all the players will have an indicator around their bases showing where they are whether it’s night or day or if they are allied / unallied.

Phantom Mode Gameplay – NewbGaming

Here are a couple games of Phantom Mode being played back to back. In the first game I was made slayer and my team won and in the subsequent game I was Phantom, where we won again.