XDefiant Best Weapons Tier List

XDefiant has tons of fantastic weapons to use, and all of them can be terrifying in the right hands. However, the best guns in the game are dominant even when more average players use them, either because they’re forgiving, overturned, or some combination of the two. This tier list goes over the top-performing weapons currently available in XDefiant.

Note: This list is based on early hours with the game and will be updated as we play more.

S-Tier Weapons in XDefiant

ACR 6.8 Assault Rifle

The ACR 6.8 is the most consistent, easiest to use, and overall most effective weapon I’ve found in XDefiant. Its recoil pattern is predictable and easy to control. It has solid damage and range, and while it has a slower fire rate than the M4A1, I find it to outperform its venerable cousin in every situation. All you need to add to it is a red dot sight to take it from one of the best weapons in the game to arguably the best, as its stock iron sights leave a lot to be desired.

MK 20 SSR Marksman Rifle

Do you want to kill your enemies in two hits out to an absurd distance? Then the MK 20 SSR is for you. No, it isn’t great from the hip, but if you use it in its proper environment — medium range — you can obliterate the competition with almost no effort. The MK 20 is also a one-tap to the head from medium range and is more forgiving than a sniper rifle, giving it even more of an edge.

A-Tier Weapons in XDefiant

M44 Sniper Rifle

Before you nail me to the wall, let me explain. The M44 is a one-tap to the chest and up. It scopes in remarkably quickly, even with stock attachments, and can dominate lobbies out the gate. However, it remains a one-shot weapon, and if you miss, you’re immediately in massive trouble. I know there will be plenty of gamers who can use the thing to clear lobbies, but it’s not as effective in the hands of the masses as it is in those of a specialist.

MP5A2 SMG

The starting SMG in XDefiant, the venerable MP5 platform, is a fantastic all-around gun. It struggles mightily in close to midrange and is pretty bouncy even at comfortable distances. These traits, coupled with one of the longer reload animations in the game, make the MP5A2 a winner as a starting gun, but it falls a bit short against the likes of the MP7.

M4A1 Assault Rifle

The default weapon in almost any first-person shooter, the M4A1 in XDefiant is a solid workhorse gun you can use in almost any situation, at most ranges save the longest sightlines, and with either a defensive, tactical approach or run-and-gun playstyle. Like all of its iterations across dozens of games, the M4A1 in Ubisoft’s latest excels at nothing but can do just about anything well.

M16A4 Assault Rifle

I think with the right attachment setup and better aim than mine, the M16A4 is easily one of the best weapons in XDefiant. In my experience, though, it suffers at the one distance where it shouldn’t: longer range. Up close, you can one-burst enemy players, and the fire rate between bursts is short enough to make it incredibly forgiving. I do find it inconsistent beyond 30 meters or so, where I feel like I should’ve either an advantage or be on equal footing with longer-range weapons.

B-Tier Weapons in XDefiant

AK-47 Assault Rifle

The AK-47 has two problems in XDefiant: its slower fire rate and bouncy recoil. In most close-range engagements, you’re liable to be outsprayed by faster-firing ARs and SMGs. At longer ranges, you’ll be out-recoiled by easier-to-use weapons. If you invest in the AK, however, it can be a mid-range monster that can compete with other ARs comfortably. It just lacks the consistency of its better compatriates.

Vector .45 ACP SMG

The Vector is the definition of a bullet hose in XDefiant, like it is everywhere, but to balance it, the weapon is almost useless outside of close range. That’s especially true if you’re trying to level it up. The damage up close is frankly absurd. It can easily take down any enemy player in a quarter second or less. The problem is that the Vector has enough recoil and damage falloff that using it outside its ideal environment is a hard sell. And there are a lot of long sightlines in XDefiant.

That’s our current best guns tier list in XDefiant, subject to updates. For more on the game, check out our XDefiant guides hub.