Best XDefiant weapons so far and how to unlock them (2024)

Packing the best XDefiant weapons into your loadouts will help you to victory during matches by hopefully fragging out. Of course, objective play is very important, so make sure you don't neglect those, but having reliable weaponry to help defend points or push with your team to gain ground is essential in XDefiant. Below, I've listed the best weapons in XDefiant that we've used so far, as well as how you can unlock every weapon in the game.

Best XDefiant weapons

XDefiant hasn't been out very long, so we're still testing and unlocking the various weapons, but here are the ones we feel are the best choices for your loadouts so far:

• M4A1: The starting Assault Rifle is a solid, dependable weapon that's relatively easy to use.
• MP5A2: Similarly, the starting SMG is a good close-range option if that suits your playstyle.
• P90: The P90's massive magazine and high fire rate means it's the ultimate spray and pray weapon.
• MK 20 SSR: A powerful longer-range weapon that can kill incredibly quickly with headshots.
• M44: Likewise, the M44 is lethal in the right hands, capable of easily delivering one-shot kills.

How to unlock all XDefiant weapons

To get additional weapons in XDefiant, you need to complete specific challenges that award them. I've listed all the challenges below, but you can check them in-game under the 'Challenges' section of the 'Profile' tab on the main menu.

Most of the challenges are pretty simple, just requiring you to use weapons in their intended role, but some will take longer to complete than others. Once you've completed a challenge, that's it – the specified weapon is yours and you can freely equip it in your loadouts and use it in matches. Here are all the challenges you need to complete and the weapons they unlock in XDefiant:

• Assault
  • M16A4: Get 20 Assault Rifle Headshot Kills.
  • AK-47: Deal 4,000 damage with Assault Rifles.
  • MDR: Reach level 10 on the Preseason Battle Pass. This is a free reward and you do not need to buy the Premium Battle Pass to get this weapon.
  • ACR 6.8: Get 10 Longshot Kills with Assault Rifles (kills from more than 30m away).
    
• SMG
  • Vector .45 ACP: Deal 10,000 Damage with SMGs.
  • P90: Get 10 Hipfire Kills with SMGs.
  • MP7: Get 20 Point-Blank Kills with SMGs (kills from less than 5m away).
    
• Shotgun
  • Double Barrel: Get 10 Hipfire Kills with Shotguns.
  • AA-12: Get 15 Point-Blank Kills with Shotguns (kills from less than 5m away).
    
• LMG
  • RPK-74: Deal 10,000 damage with LMGs.
  • M60: Deal 5,000 damage to enemy Equipment with LMGs.
    
• Marksman
  • SVD: Get 15 Longshot Kills with Marksman Rifles (kills from more than 30m away).
    
• Sniper
  • TAC-50: Get 10 One-Shot Kills with Sniper Rifles.
    
• Sidearms
  • 686 Magnum: Get 5 Quick-Swap Kills (kill an enemy shortly after switching to your secondary weapon).
  • M1911: Get 4 secondary weapon Point-Blank Kills (kills from less than 5m away).
  • D50: Deal 1,000 damage with secondary weapons.
  • 93R: Sprint for a total of 240 seconds while holding a secondary weapon.

The best assault rifle in XDefiant

Realistically the best XDefiant assault rifle is the starter M4A1. Right out of the gate with no attachments it does a great job with decent damage and control, and almost minimal recoil. The AK is arguably better but only once you've got a few attachments on it to rein in its rattly recoil. The ACR 6.8 is also a good choice for maps and modes that suit longer-range gunfights but it feels less potent up close.

The best SMG in XDefiant

If you don't mind chasing down 20 point-blank kills with an SMG (anything within 5m) then the MP7 is worth working for. Its mobility, fire rate and damage are superb. The P90's high fire rate and mag size feels good as well but once you've used that to unlock the MP7 you probably won't look back.

The best shotgun in XDefiant

There's no real competition here with the mag feed, full auto AA-12 literally shredding everything you point it at. The only downside is the pump action M870 and Double Barrel options you need to unlock it by getting 15 point-blank kills with shotguns. The M870 is slow and almost needs to be inserted into an enemy to guarantee a one-shot kill, while the Double Barrel is double barreled, so you need to be sure you land the shot and don't mind spending most of the match reloading.

The best LMG in XDefiant

The starter MS49 will probably fulfil all your hardcore LMG needs in XDefiant - namely endless firing at the expense of a looong reload. The M60 is probably too similar overall to really strive for. However, if you're after something that feels like a bigger, heavier, slower assault rifle then the RPK-74 is a good option.

The best marksman in XDefiant

The MK 20 SSR will probably be the only Marksman rifle you'll need with high enough damage to guarantee two shot kills at the very most. It's basically good to go from the start, so any tweaking you do with attachments is just a bonus. The SVD is slower but arguably just as good, although you will actively need attachments to get the best from that one.

The best sniper in XDefiant

There's very little between the M44 and TAC-50 sniper rifles in XDefiant so I'd say go with what feels best. I feel like the M44 is slightly faster at the expense of damage, while the TAC-50 swaps the speed for a touch more stopping power. But I also feel like I'm imagining it.

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